Geeks making the world a bit better.
October 22nd, 2007 — Random
I’ve been a platelet donor for the Red Cross for years but driving over to Durham to donate is a bother (can’t ride the bus so I have to drive to work that day but then parking around here is awful). So I’m going to give the program here on campus a try.
Their web page is impossible to find, so I’m blogging about it so that I can find it in the future. Go to the UNC Health Care Platelet Donor Program page.
October 18th, 2007 — Random
I do my best to avoid the horrible 1980’s vintage computer system over at advising (3270 emulator running on a PC) but it has one feature I couldn’t find anywhere else; screen 1GE. This screen tells you what new curriculum requirements a course meets. You’d think maybe there would be a list in the undergraduate bulletin, and you’d be right except it is sorted by requirement, not by course! You might expect that each course description would list the requirements it satisfied but you’d be wrong.
So, I wrote a short python script to scrape the data off the requirements page from the bulletin. Here is the output of that script for quick reference without requiring a 3270.
August 30th, 2007 — Random
This weekend in Silk Hope NC. Good country fun, good food, and lots of fascinating old machinery. Check out Jonah’s post for more info.
Update: Check out Jonah’s photos, he got some great ones this year. I particularly like the videos.
August 26th, 2007 — Random
A really enjoyable story about the demise of the Weekly World News that I read in the N&O today. I’m pig-biting mad! I only read the cover while waiting in line at the grocery store but I remember laughing out loud at the clever headlines they’d have. So much better than the celebrity crap I see now…
August 7th, 2007 — Random
I’ve been riding the OPT/TTA bus (TTA route 420) from Hillsborough to Chapel Hill (and back) for about 20 months and I love it. The benefits include saving the environment, saving money on parking (more than $1000/year) and gas (about $1400/year), avoiding the bother of driving, and fellowship with a friendly community of people. The University kindly picks up the tab through the Commuter Alternatives Program. I’m blogging about it in hopes more people will learn about this poorly advertised service.
June 15th, 2007 — Random
I heard this in the publicity surrounding Ruth Graham’s recent death. Wow. I really like the line “Anticipating joy is itself a joy”.
And when I die I hope my soul ascends slowly
So that I may watch the earth receding out of sight
Its vastness growing smaller as I rise
Savoring its recession with delight
Anticipating joy is itself a joy
And joy unspeakable and full of glory
Needs more than in a twinkling of an eye
More than in a moment
Lord, who am I to disagree?
It’s only we have much to leave behind,
So much before.
These moments of transition will,
For me, be
Time to adore.
Ruth Graham
February 8th, 2007 — Links, Random
January 29th, 2007 — Random
I finally used the copy Camtasia Studio I bought to make a couple of short videos demonstrating computer vision methods. After setting the encoders up properly I got fine looking video and good audio in a 1 megabyte download.
January 15th, 2007 — Links, Random
Nice post from Ben Yoskovitz. It would have saved me some work if I had seen it sooner.
In keeping with his recommendation 10, I recently upgraded my theme to a hack of FallSeason from WP ThemePark.
October 10th, 2006 — Links, Random
I’ve dreamed of coupling a paintball gun with an automated aiming system to make a long distance graffitti engine. I see that it has been done!