- When one imagines what the wicked-smaht people at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology are up to, this is the sort of activity
that usually comes to mind first. Nerds in lab coats and goggles playing with things
called M-Blocks
robots is a perfect embodiment of what MIT-ers should be up to and right now,
it’s what some of them are up to. A team of MIT researchers has created
M-Blocks robots, which may resemble a series of colorful cubes crawling
around….and are just that. These cube-shaped modular bots with no external
moving parts can move, crawl over each other and self-assemble. Yes, self-assemble,
(sort of) just like the Transformers, only without an unnecessary orgy of
special effects and bad acting with Michael Bay in the director’s chair. How do
robots with no external moving parts actually move? Not surprisingly, the
secret to their kinetics lies under the skin. Each cube contains a small
flywheel that can hit speeds of 20,000 revolutions per minute. The robots also
rely on magnets placed in strategic locations to help all of their other pieces
and parts stick together. Despite all of these components, M-Blocks in their
current form are approximately the same size as wooden alphabet blocks. Researchers
hope to refine their prototype and miniaturize the technology to a
significantly smaller size. Members of the research team described the potential
resulting microrobots as very similar to the liquid-metal androids from the
"Terminator" movies. Their ultimate vision is an army of tiny robots
altering their shape to suit changing needs. Before suggesting that is
impossible, just know that the M-Blocks robots can spin, jump, click together and
fly off each other. Your move, humanity………
- Would-be criminals based in the greater Salt Lake City
area may want to steer clear of University of Utah men’s basketball coach Larry Krystkowiak. The third-year head
coach may not be winning national championships on the court, but he’s elite
off of it – at least when it comes to fighting crime on Utah's campus. Krystkowiak
was involved in two different crime-stopping incidents on campus within a
four-day period. His first civilian cop moment came when he stopped an alleged
bike thief last Saturday and the second came Tuesday when the coach led the hunt
to nab a suspect who had thieved thousands of dollars worth of video equipment
and gear from the Utah athletic offices. Krystkowiak, cleared to speak about
the incidents by police, said the basketball video offices were hit two weeks
ago, with equipment and computers stolen. "Once that happened, we took it
personal and were diligent with the players to make them aware,'' Krystkowiak
said. Similar thefts from the baseball and swimming offices followed and on
Saturday, the suspect was seen leaving the offices after a volleyball match. An
eyewitness description provided a profile for the thief and Krystkowiak briefed
his players on the situation. "I told our team to be on the lookout and,
if they saw anything suspicious, to take a picture,'' Krystkowiak said.
"Then, one of our former players, Jarred DuBois, was working out at 11
p.m. two weeks ago in the Huntsman Center and saw a guy with gloves on and a
huge backpack busting into the marketing department. I told him, 'If you see
that guy again, then take his picture.' He did, the next day in the parking
lot, and took his picture on his cellphone.'' Krystkowiak’s crime-fighting
network sparng into action when assistant track coach Burke Bockman saw the
suspect in the parking lot. Along with his team his managers, Hans Steinbrenner
and Austin DeSilva, and video coordinator Scott McByrne, Krystkowiak pursued
the suspect and the two managers eventually cornered him in a locker room. By
the time the coach arrived on the scene, the suspect was in handcuffs and Krystkowiak
was happy to talk some smack to him. I showed him the picture on my cellphone
and said, 'Hey buddy, is this you? We've been looking for you.' It was good
seeing him in handcuffs.'' Krystkowiak said……….
- There are plenty of smart people in small towns across
the United States. Two of the people who definitely aren’t happen to live in
tiny Gaffney, S.C. and they are now facing a litany of criminal charges. These
two amateur criminals suddenly quit their jobs and began buying swag that included
a big-screen TV, a used car and a riding lawn mower. They made their purchases
with legitimate money, albeit $100 bills so old they didn't even have the
off-center portrait of Benjamin Franklin that now graces American $100
currency. In a small town like Gaffney, flashing that sort of cash gets people
talking. Eventually, that talk reached an elderly resident named Lois Brown,
who had hired the same men a few days earlier and made them a deal. Brown
foolishly told the men that just before her husband died seven years ago, he
claimed that he hid tens of thousands of dollars somewhere in their basement.
Brown informed the repairmen that if they found the money, she would give them
a reward. Amazingly, even after Brown found out what had happened, she didn’t
go to the police. Instead, she went to Joey Reed and Elie Spencer and made an
offer: They could keep what they bought and have a bit more money for
themselves, but would have to give the rest back to her. If they took this
sweetheart offer, she wouldn't go to police. Instead, these ass hats played
dumb and Gaffney Police Det. Brian Blanton and his colleagues got involved.
Rather than get away with a crime and essentially be rewarded for it, Reed and Spencer
face charges of grand larceny. Additionally, the owner of their now-former
company must deal with a lawsuit from Brown, who is seeking to get her money
back. "They quit their jobs the day after they found the money,"
Blanton said. And they didn't waste any time spending it." The entire
story began with a simple repair job at a large, white, two-story farmhouse
with a wrap-around porch. The home was long rumored to hold a stash of money
Brown’s late husband hid before he passed away in 2003. Amazingly, Brown hired
the same two men who stole from her to do a repair job in 2010 and made the
same offer, only to have Reed and Spencer leave without finding anything. This
time, they clearly found the cash and Reed bought a $1,800 television, a $1,800
riding lawn mower and a $7,500 used car for his girlfriend. That proved to be a
bad idea in a town of 12,000 people and now, two criminals clearly not smart
enough to know better can start buying things with a different, tobacco-based
currency from their new home behind bars………
- Failed first-year TV series are one of Hollywood’s most
prevalent commodities. Shows crash and burn as soon as one episode into their
run and the mortality rate for freshman sitcoms and dramas is exorbitantly
high. When a show is able to turn the predictable high ratings for its first
episode (many watching out of sheer curiosity) into solid ratings for subsequent
episodes, it becomes a valuable commodity and one networks are quick to reward.
“Sleepy Hollow” is one such series and Fox knows it has a solid project on its
hands after just three episodes. The scare-centric drama follows Ichabod
Crane (Tom Mison), revived after more than two centuries, and a modern-day
police lieutenant, Abbie Mills (Nicole Beharie), who partner to try to save the
town of Sleepy Hollow and the world from mysterious evil. Three episodes into
its first season, Fox has officially extended the show for a second season.
“Sleepy Hollow” becomes the first of the new fall shows picked up for a second
season and although the order for Season 2 is only 13 episodes, a renewal is a
renewal no matter its length. The show’s third episode drew 8 million viewers
on Monday night and rated well in the young adults demographic prized by
advertisers. Its season premiere snagged 13.6 million viewers after three extra
days of time-shifted viewing, making it Fox's best fall drama premiere since “24” in 2001. "The show has
proven to be a risk well worth taking. It's a conceptual blast unlike anything
else on television and it all holds together with inventive writing and a
fantastic cast," Fox entertainment chairman Kevin Reilly says in a statement.
"I can't wait for fans to experience what else is in store for this fall
and even more of this wild ride into Season 2." Well said, especially
since the Kev-ster probably doesn’t know exactly what Season 2 will look like
at this point………
- The Irish had a chance….and they whiffed. Handed a golden
chance to eliminate a slew of politicians from their lives – legally and with
no killing involved, even - voters in the Republic of Ireland swung and
missed. They rejected a government proposal to abolish the Irish Seanad (upper
house of the Irish parliament) despite the support of the Fine Gael Labour
coalition government and Sinn Féin, turning down the measure by a margin of
51.7-48.3 percent. Despite the fact that they had a real chance to eliminate
the entire upper house of their legislature, a mere 40 percent of eligible
voters turned out. A total of 3 million people were eligible to vote and those
folks also had the choice of on whether or not to establish a Court of Appeal
and implement other changes to the courts system. Because of that voter apathy,
the Seanad will continue its 90-year run and be free to continue making the
lives of its citizens more difficult than they need to be. That the government
actually supported the bill and argued the Seanad cost too much to run is
remarkable, as governments do not usually offer to hack of one of their own
limbs. As part of its campaign to promote the abolition of the Seanad, the
government claimed such a move could save taxpayers as much as 20 million euros
annually. Opponents of the measure argued that the legislature could be
reformed and restructured while continuing to play its “essential” role in
holding the rest of the government accountable. Prime Minister Enda Kenny
advocated for the abolition of the Seanad as part of a more efficient
government, but those words went largely ignored and now, Ireland is stuck with
its bloated government for God only knows how long……
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