Yellow MAGIC

Mini and Leigh raising money on IndieGoGo.com

Hexaflexagons

When people ask me how we can have 9 Dimensions rather than three+time,
I will answer: "It's just like a spiral hexaflexagon." 

Forensic Astronomy from Texas?

This inspired me to re-read Hamlet and pick up a copy of Frankenstein for the first time.

What can astronomy tells us about great literature? 

Forensic astronomer Don Olson tells Andrew Luck-Baker about two of his investigative cases. He explains how plotting the path of the moon in 1816 solved a controversy about Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein. 

The Texas State University professor also outlines his theory that a star referred to in Shakespeare’s Hamlet was inspired by a spectacular supernova which blazed in sky one year during the playwright’s childhood.

Listen to the BBC Report:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00xm849

Austrian Economist, Friedrich von Hayek

New York Times Magazine published an article by Adam Davidson, co-founder of NPR's 'Planet Money' - "Made in Austria"

The Gist: Republican (and Libertarian) Politicians cherry-pick economic philosopher's ideas out of context, when it suits their interests, essentially ignoring the hypocrisy and ignorance of their actions. 

Austrian Economist, Friedrich von Hayek, was a bad philosopher, who based his arguments upon false premises, but his obscure ideas have been misinterpreted for a new era.

Premise 1: The economy is incomprehensibly complex (like the Weather)
Premise 2: Government economic policy can only harm the economy
Premise 3: Government should not have a monopoly on ANY service it provides (i.e. military)

"They just root for gridlock: a divided Congress in a prolonged stalemate with the White House. They feel that, within our system, the most Hayekian thing they can hope for is a government incapable of doing anything.

To be true to Hayek's economic philosophy one must embrase his "generality norm" a belief that any government program must help be available to all. This would eliminate all corporate subsidies (including agriculture) and expand Medicare to all. The Austrian School of Economics rejects all government intervention in "Free Market" (i.e. Capitalist) systems. This would close all the tax loopholes that exist, like the Mortgage and Child deductions. Hayek even advocated for government to provide a base-income to all poor citizens and nationalized health-care programs.

"How do you make plans for the future if you don't believe in economic forecasts?"

Also see Milton Friedman, John Maynard Keynes, The Chicago School Critique, Ayn Rand's view of Hayek as "pure poison" (likely because Hayek's ideas justify socialism, and in Rand's view, therefore support the very types of incompetent parasitical bureaucracy that she feared would steal the value of the the work of inventors and creative minds), FreedomWorks, Peter Botettke of George Mason University and "The Review of Austrian Economics",

Questions No One Knows the Answers to (Full Version)

New mathematical models predict that there may be 10 to the 500 (perhaps infinity) of universes, in eleven dimensions. We live in interesting times. In a new TED-Ed series designed to catalyze curiosity, TED Curator Chris Anderson shares his obsession with questions that no one (yet) knows the answers to. A short intro leads into two questions: Why can't we see evidence of alien life?

Man Skydives from Edge of Space

2010, 41 yr. old, Felex Baumgartner, Red Bull Stratos Project, planned to jump from 120,000 ft, free fall > 1000 mph.

The project was put on hold in late 2010 due to a law suit.

World Record Highest Dives (Randy Dickison 174'8")

1985 Dive, in Hong Kong, from 174 ft broke leg on water.

The highest jump ever (from space) - Free Fall

Joe Kitinger, 1960, Highest Free-Fall Jump, 31,000m (102,000 ft.)

How to Build Magnetic Power Generator - faltu.tv.flv