Monday, October 25, 2010

Vader deduces 2010 election night

- Prediction time!  A week before the election:
House of Representatives: Republicans gain 52 seats.  They only need 39 to take back the House.  Some crazies think Republicans will take 60 to 70 seats, but I don't see it.  Republicans gained 54 seats in 1994. The economy is worse now than it was in 1994, but there are fewer vulnerable Democrats in the house today.  The largest swing in American history was the 1932 elections.  In the midst of the Great Depression, Democrats gained 97 seats!


Senate: Republicans gain 8 seats, not quite enough to re-gain the senate, making the Senate a 50/50 tie. Biden breaks the tie.  Here are the closest races to watch on election night, with my prediction for each one:
Pennsylvania: R-Toomey wins by 5%
West Virginia: R-Raese wins by 1%
Illinois: R-Mark Kirk by 2%
Kentucky: R-Rand Paul by 4%, despite the fact that Paul is a bit touched in the brain.
Colorado: R-Buck by 3%
Nevada: R-Angle by 1%.  Against any other opponent, Reid would lose by 20%.  Angle's a good kid though. She deserves to win.
California: D-Boxer by 3%
Washington: D-Murray by 2%.  If Rossi can't win the first two times, he ain't gonna pull it off the third time.
Alaska: R-Joe Miller by 1%


Jay Cost, a political commentator I have mentioned previously on this website, gives his prediction:
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/morning-jay-special-prognostication-edition_508750.html




- Ten things you didn't know about the Empire Strikes Back:
http://io9.com/5661073/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-empire-strikes-back




- How to take better pictures with your smartphone:
http://lifehacker.com/5662812/how-to-take-better-pictures-with-your-smartphones-camera




- Science-fiction authors grouped by political leanings:
http://io9.com/5669211/a-chart-that-groups-classic-scifi-authors-by-political-affiliation




- Five things you didn't know about Alton Brown:
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/71583




- Watched the 2010 BBC version of Sherlock Holmes. Mediocre, but will watch more episodes.  First episode was too busy.  Too many fancy, yet inaccurate deductions, and Watson was more interesting than Holmes.  Jeremy Brett spoiled me.  The other incarnations of Sherlock Holmes:
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/10/best-sherlocks-ever/




- Can you name the four American deserts?  Do you know their boundaries?  I didn't:
http://www.desertusa.com/life.html




- How much a pet will cost you during your pet's life-time:
http://www.visualeconomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Pet-Cost-FINAL.jpg

Monday, October 11, 2010

Time-travel with extinct animals and Michael Faraday


- Jurrasic Park is closer than you think.  The chances of bringing certain extinct animals back to life:



- 40 best conservative blogs for 2010:
http://rightwingnews.com/2010/09/the-40-best-conservative-blogs-for-2010-version-3-0/




- Google's 2010 election ratings:
http://maps.google.com/intl/en_us/2010election/ratings.html




- Microsoft executive proclaims doom for blu-ray technologies. I happen to agree.  The future is downloading or streaming your content:
http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/09/23/microsoft-xbox-chief-predicts-doom-gloom-for-blu-ray-hes-right-too/




- Time moves faster at your face than your feet:
http://io9.com/5646585/ultra+accurate-clocks-prove-time-moves-faster-at-your-face-than-your-feet




- Astronomers find a potentially habitable planet a mere 20 light-years from earth:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100929/sc_afp/usastronomyplanet_20100929210707




- Michael Faraday, born September 22nd, 1791.  A top five scientist in my book.  He changed everything:
http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2010/09/0922michael-faraday-born/