“Hurricane Hackers” Helping in Hurricane Sandy Recovery

It seems hackers are making the news once again as a force for good. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which has caused untold devastation along the Eastern Seaboard, hackers across the world are taking part in a series of events that are designed to help local communities prepare and cope with the devastation of this crisis. In what promises to be an ongoing series of information and development camps, the first “Sandy CrisisCamp” took place in Boston, the West Coast, and even as far away as New Zealand.

The goal here is simple: to design internet tools and applications that will assist in disaster preparedness and recovery, both now and in the future. The first step in that, which was covered this past weekend, was the work on various “crowdsourcing” tools that will allow people to categorize images for building damage and a simple Google doc that attempts to keep track of all the sources of Sandy recovery data in a single place. These will not only give people the ability to access vital information and updates on the path of hurricanes quickly, but will also help organizations such as FEMA prioritize their efforts based on up-to-the-minute damage assessments.

These efforts are all related to the work of a group known as the Hurricane Hackers, students at MIT’s Media Lab who have been helping coordinate relief efforts via Twitter. The fruits of their initial labor was the site known as Sandyslist, a simple hub for linking people with the resources they need to stay safe and ride the storm out. And in truth, they are but one group of people who have been using social utilities and the internet in order to provide info for those in need and to help others coordinate their efforts. There are even online sites where people are able to pledge donations, a process known as crowdfunding, and which are currently waiving their fees in order to ensure that more money is raised.

In addition to being reassuring and heartwarming, all of these coordinated efforts are also a good demonstration of what is possible in the information age. After all, in times of crisis, the most important tool in prevention and response is information. By ensuring that it is coordinated, easily accessible, and available all in one place, the hackers responsible for this are also helping to ensure that lives are saved and the crisis passes with far less in the way of human devastation.

Source: news.cnet.com

Batman – Under the Red Hood

Hey all. My apologies for not cluttering you’re inbox’s lately with my usual slew of posts. But I’ve been away for the weekend and beyond the reach of a keyboard and/or PDA with internet access. But I’m back now, and back to my usual, manic output! And in honor of that, here’s a clip from an animated movie I saw awhile back and think is deserving of a review.

Entitled Batman: Under the Red Hood, this animated movie adapts some key material from the Batman comics, specifically the death and resurrection of Jason Todd, the second Robin to ever serve as sidekick to the Dark Knight. After being murdered by the Joker, he returns a few years later in the form of a vigilante who seems intent of killing criminals and getting under the skin of Gotham’s “Caped Crusader”. His disguised is especially significant because it used to be the very thing that the Joker wore before the accident that left him a scarred and brutalized freak.

The clip here is of the reunion between Todd, the Joker and Batman once the Red Hood’s true identity has been revealed. I picked it because it’s just so damn well scripted and chock full of classic Batmanesque themes. And check it out, the Joker is voiced by John Di Maggio, the voice actor who does Bender on Futurama. I look forward to reviewing it in full, as it was pretty badass!

NaNoWriMo 2012!

Yeah, it seems I’ve decided to actually take part this year. It was a bit of a dilemma as to whether or not I would be participating, what with my heavy editing schedule and all the promises I’ve made to follow up Whiskey Delta with its sequel. But wouldn’t you know it, while in the midst of a rather hectic day – the kids were absolute nightmares and it was pool day to boot! – I actually came up with an idea. In addition, I somehow found the time to belt out an outline and the first 500 words for it. I’m nuts, I know!

And truth be told, it kind of solves a few writing goals I’ve had for myself of late. First off, I’ve been dying to write about an Arcology ever since I did a post dedicated to the concept. And ever since I finished with Whiskey Delta, I’ve been looking for the next serial novel project. Originally, I had hoped to move right into the second installment in that series, but I think it would be best to let that percolate for awhile (my apologies to the fans who were expecting it sooner). And finally, I really wanted to contribute something.

As I’ve planned it, this new story ought to cover all three of those bases. The story I plan to write will take place within an Arcology, specifically an Ultima-tower type structure located in the Great Lakes Megapolis region of the future. As a massive structure that dominates the landscape, it is an entirely self-sufficient and ecologically sustainable environment surrounded by sprawling slums. The name of the place, and hence the story, is Etemenanki, the ancient ziggurat that may have inspired the Tower of Babel myth.

Over the course of November, I’ll be publishing chapters on a regular basis, much as I did with Whiskey Delta. Hopefully, I can keep up with the daily writing demand, especially since I’m getting a bit of a late start! Stay tuned for more on this front. Go NaNoWriMos!

Walking Dead Season 3, Episode 3

My goodness, how I’ve fallen behind with my reviews of the Walking Dead lately! And there’s really no excuse, not with everything that’s been happening in the series lately. With the third episodes in the series, an all-important element has been introduced into the story arc – that being the dubious man known as “The Governor” and his little fortress town.

As anyone familiar with the comic knows, this is an extremely important development to the evolving story. Whereas it represents a separate plot thread in the story, it merges with that of Rick and the others who are trying to make a life inside the prison facility down the road. But I shant spoil any of that, mainly I want to talk about this episode!

Episode 3: Walk With Me
The episode opens with a helicopter crashing in the forest, and with Andrea and Michonne arriving on scene to witness what happened. They are forced to take cover as a series of vehicles pull up and men jump out, dispatching the Walkers who have been attracted to the scene. After killing them all, one man inspects the dead aboard the chopper who have begun to turn and shoots them all in the head.They then take the pilot, who is wounded but alive, into their custody.

Shortly thereafter, the group of armed men begin to inch closer to the forest where Michonne and Andrea are hiding. In order to stay hidden, Michonne kills her captive zombies by slicing their heads off. They think they are in the clear, but the moment they try to leave, a one armed man gets to them from behind and takes them both prisoner. The one armed man is none other than Merle Dixon, the brother of Daryle Dixon who was lost from the group in the first season.

They have a brief reunion as Merle explains to Michonne that he and Andrea are acquainted. Andrea then passes out from her sickness, and wakes up to find that she and Michonne had been taken to a small town nearby. After Merle explains to them how he survived after cutting off his own hand to free himself of Rick’s cuffs, a man referred to as “The Governor” walks in. He explains to them that they are not prisoners and are free to leave.

However, after seeing the town on the following day, Andrea believes they should stay. In addition to its walls, armed guards, and well-disciplined people, the town appears to be well stocked and peaceful. Michonne does not trust the Governor, but Andrea begins to take an obvious shine to him. One day quickly turns into two, and a rift begins to appear between Andrea and Michonne as the one wants to stay and the other wants to leave.

Meanwhile, the Governor speaks to the lone survivor of the chopper crash and learns where his comrades are waiting for them. He then takes an armed group to ambush them and steal their weapons and supplies. Upon his return, he lies to the townspeople and tells them that the chopper pilot died of natural causes and the entire squad of soldiers were killed by Walkers, and begins distributing all their supplies amongst the people.

Andrea then asks the Governor what his real name is, but doesn’t get an answer. Clearly, there is something of a spark between the two of them, and Andrea seems intent on pursuing it. At the same time, Michonne has clearly caught the eye of one of the Governor’s men, and it seems that whether she likes it or not, they will be staying for the time being. While Michonne remains suspicious, Andrea has been taken in by the town’s happy facade and the Governor’s outward charm.

The episode then ends with the Governor in his private apartment, his bed occupied with the town’s woman who was speaking to Andrea and Michonne from earlier. He then returns to a private den with a glass of whiskey where he sits in front of a row of aquariums which contain the heads of several living Walkers. Amongst them is the head of Welles, the helicopter pilot, and the heads of Michonnes own walkers.

Summary:
Personally, I felt that this was the best episode of the show thus far, with the possible exception of the one where the group finds their way to the CDC. In addition to being central to the overall plot of the show, it was also extremely poignant and entertaining. It begins with the reintroduction of Merle, a solid but unsympathetic character from the first season; the introduction of the Governor and his town, and ends with the revelation that he is far from an endearing character himself.

What’s more, Michonne, who has had very little exposure thus far in the series, really killed it in this episode. All throughout, she maintains her tough, frowny exterior, demanding their weapons and insisting to Andrea that they move on. However, she also shows genuine apprehension as its becoming clear that Andrea wants to stay and that there are some who would like her to stick around too. Though it is only conveyed in a few passing glances between her and one of the Governor’s men, it’s apparent that she will find her own reasons for sticking around soon too!

At the same time, the metaphor of the town couldn’t be more clear. At first, it appears like a happy, secure place, the kind of place a person who is used to scrounging and fighting for every inch would see as an instant paradise. But of course, the terrible truth is soon revealed to us, the audience, with the expectation that it will also become clear to Andrea and Michonne before long. As is intimated several times, it seems unlikely that such a place could exist, or that there is another shoe waiting to drop.

And of course, there is! In addition to being a driven by the desire to protect his people from the Walkers, the Governor is also obsessed with eliminating anyone and everyone he sees as a threat to his community and its way of life. And his arrival could not be more timely now that Shane is dead and the series has lost its main blocking character. All throughout the series, the point has been made that in the face of annihilation, mankind’s darker nature is it’s greatest threat to survival. Because in the end, it’s not simply a matter of staying alive but of preserving humanity’s basic dignity and morality.

So far, this paradox of battling death while simultaneously trying to stay sane and decent was personified in the conflict between Shane and Rick. But from this point onward, it will be represented by the contrast between the Governor’s community and Rick’s people. After all, it’s pretty clear point at this point that the Governor will be looking for them now that he knows that Andrea had companions who might still be alive somewhere. And given what he did to the squad of military personnel, he’s not likely to take to their existence too nicely!

Now on to episode four, which is downloading, err, playing right now! I shall return with more on season three just as soon as I’ve watched it!

How The Avengers Should Have Ended

Hi all! Remember HISHE, the hilarious animated website that does alternate ending to movie? Turns out they had an Avengers ending which I thought I shared, but never did! Why, I ask myself? Granted, they didn’t so much as challenge the movie on plot holes as much as mock the fact that the movie made a sh*tload of money! Well, they did that too, but like the movie itself, we are encouraged to look past that and see just how much freaking money it made! And of course, the entire team gets to sit in the superhero cafe, which is where Superman and Batman always wind up after talking about their respective adventures. So what the hey, it’s funny right? Enjoy!

Stompy: The Giant Walking Robot!

Is this likely to be the next wave in robotics? Six-legged walking machines that are capable of carrying heavy freight, towing large payloads, or erecting tall buildings? And let’s not discount the militarized version! Six-legged mechanized warriors stacked with missiles, rail guns, and giant foot pads capable of crushing entire columns of enemy infantry! Seriously, is this the future? Because I’m starting to get a tad nervous…

The people responsible are what is known as Project Hexapod, a teacher-student cooperative working out of Massachusetts’ Artisan Asylum. For almost a year now, they’ve been working towards their goal of creating a walking, rideable robot. Beginning in April of 2012, the group began work on the design, and after four months, they launched a website and began soliciting donations. And of course, they promised plenty of returns for those pledging money.

For those making modest donations, stickers, photos and T-shirts were the common prize. But for those pledging more substantial donations – on the scale of say $200 – they promise to take an object of the donor’s choice and crush it for them. They even promise to post a video of the destruction on YouTube for the world to enjoy. And for those pledging $300 or more, they will get to ride the 18-foot wide steel beast while those giving $1000 will even get to man the controls.  Look out world! The only thing more cool than that would be if you could float a cool $300,000, in which case they will construct one for you!

Much like the Hoverbike, this Project represents a new wave in the field of technological development. Rather than being in the hands of private industry, or dependent on their investment capitol, here we see enterprising individuals going directly to the public to make their inventions a reality. Much like alternative media and indie publishing, we once again see the internet cutting out the middle man and the traditional gatekeepers, and opening up opportunities for those with dreams (and an extensive technical background!).

Check out the video of Stompy’s development below. And if you are one of those rare individuals who can score a ride on this behemoth, let me wish you good luck, and good stomping!

Source: kickstarter.com

Epic Rap Battles of History

You know what I learned recently? I am ALL about Epic Rap Battles of History! It was months ago when a fellow blogger (Thanks Dave DeMar) put me onto them with their Darth Vader vs. Hitler rap. Admittedly, that one had some humor which could be a little hard to take, especially if you mind such things as thinly veiled references to Hitler’s genocide. However, I’ve found they do just about everyone, from beloved historical figures to pop-culture icons. And there confrontation between the Master Chief and Leonidas was damn near hysterical! Check it out:

NASA’s X1 Robotic Exoskeleton

It may not be Iron Man, but it’s certainly a step in that direction. It’s known as the X1 Robotic Skeleton, a spinoff of their earlier Robonaut 2 project. Designed specifically to assists astronauts with either exercising in space, performing difficult tasks, or restoring movement to astronauts who have suffered from paralysis, the X1 is a big leap forward in terms of ergonomics and man-machine interface.

The exoskeleton is powered by four motorized joints and six passive joints, all of which give the 57 pound suit a good range of motion. When set to exercise mode, it provides resistance to the astronauts movement, ensuring that their muscles get the exercise they need while in zero-g environments. The rest of the time, the motors provide enough force to allow an astronaut to get a full range of motion and maintain full ambulatory capabilities.

A joint effort between NASA, The Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, and the awesomely named Oceaneering Space Systems, the X1 is still deep in the research and development phase. Still, the suit could some day be used both in space and on Earth. In that respect, it is not unlike ReWalk and other robotic systems that are currently employed by the military which are used to help restore motion to the paralyzed and assist people in power lifting. Soon, the word “disability” will be entirely without meaning and “power lifters” will have to be redefined!

Check out this video of the X1 in action and/or click on the link below for more on this story.


Source: news.cnet.com

Zombie-Proof You Car and House

Believe it or not, there’s actually an insurance company that thinks ahead. You’ll be pleased to know that while others are preparing for the latest hurricane or earthquake, there’s a company that is preparing for the zombie apocalypse. Okay, not really, but its fun idea. They are known as MoneySupermarket.com; and wouldn’t you believe it, they found me and offered these helpful infographics. In honor of Halloween, they offered a string of comedic “Spooky Insurance” options. These include insurance on your haunted house, broom, time travel, and the afterlife.

In addition, they provide the following helpful infographics on how to prepare your vehicle and your home for a zombie attack. In the former case, this involves outfitting your means of conveyance with defensive armor as well as a series of non-lethal counter-measures (click on the image to enlarge). It also rates different kinds of vehicles based on their practicality for a zombie apocalypse. These include speed, fuel economy, ruggedness, capabilities on all terrain, and capacity for modification. Granted, not all the information is practical, but you didn’t exactly expect it to be, did you?

In the latter case, the infographic on modifying your home. This is especially important when you’ve found a place you want to go to ground in. Or maybe you just don’t want to let things escalate to the stage where you have to modify your vehicle to become a mobile tank and defensive arsenal. These include land mines, chain link fences, trenches, a guard tower, explosives, and of course, a fully equipped arsenal. Well, not exactly fully equipped – once again, the weapons are strictly non-lethal. And I’m not entirely sure what the point of a robotic sheep is (see right). You’d think zombies could tell the difference between the real thing and an automaton.

Naturally, the Halloween-themed insurance offering won’t last long now that Halloween is over. Click on the link at the top to see the full range of options they’re offering for witches, ghosts, time travelers and the undead. Unless the zombie apocalypse actually arrives, or someone finds a way to make time travel feasible, these gimmicky insurance options won’t last!

The Revengers Starting Lineup!

Happy Halloween everybody! In honor of this momentous occasion, I have decided to release the starting lineup of the Revengers! And here they are, a new superhero team to save the day, and with none of that sissy Avenger stuff neither! No, these are the Revengers! A dark justice league for the new era, taking on the scum and villainy of the world, and doing it Revenger-style!

Atrum Auditor:
Alter ego: Kevin Roussy, beer advocate
Appearance: Black slacks, black button down long sleeve shirt, combat boots, utility belt.
Abilities: Telepathy, Teleportation, Precognition
Backstory: Atrum Auditor was the product of a corporate warlord’s mistress and genetic manipulation. He was raised in secret to be a master at corporate espionage, but defied his father to go rogue and began using his powers for justice instead of peersonal gain. Now, he seeks the world secrets, releasing government and trade information to the public in order to manipulate public perceptions. To what ends, no one really knows for sure… All they know is, if it’s a secret, it won’t be for long!
Catchphrase: “No More Secrets”

Bonfire:
Alter ego:  Victor, movie critic
Appearance: Black and grey skin-tight top, red pants, grey and balck mask. Nuclear emblem on the chest, golden cuffs and flaming hands.
Abilities: Fire control, Telekineses, Healing
Backstory: As a teenager, Victor I was identified by a Corporation as a Level 5 mutant. They sent men to his home to abduct him, and during the course of the abduction a Superhero came to interrupt their plan. In the ensuing battle, Victors home was destroyed and his brother paralyzed. The Superhero’s code of conduct prevented him from killing the principle leader of the group before he injured Victor’s brother, and then as the police were taking him away he was able to escape and killed my mother. From that moment on I vowed revenge against that man and the Corporation, but knew I could never be entirely on the side of the angels. Because in the end, I planned to murder the man who destroyed my family.
Catchphrase: “It’s your time to burn!”

Captain Smackdown:
Alter ego: Matt Williams, mild mannered educator/writer
Appearance: Molded armor suit, dark gunmetal grey, fist logo on the chest, utility belt with tons of guns, smoke grenades, incendiaries, and assorted gadgets. Cigar in mouth, eye patch over one eye. Expressions range from shit-eating grin to a scowl
Abilities: Mad Fighting Skills, Gadgets, Guns
Backstory: Once an educator with inner city youths and part-time writer, Matt was traumatized when a student of his was murdered in front of him and he was left mortally wounded. Saddened, angry and broken, he joined a private security firm and learned the art of weapons and tactics, but soon became disillusioned with their methods. Realizing that the world was full of evil and that the line between right and wrong was something one could easily find themselves on the wrong side of, he began trekking across the world, learning martial arts and philosophy in East Asia before returning home to fight crime on his own. After many years of battling scum and criminals in the streets, he rose to become head of a new order for fighting evil wherever it reared its ugly head. The Revengers!
Catchphrase: “Here comes the Smackdown!”

Erotica Girl:
Alter ego: Casey Sheridan, bookish, shy librarian
Appearance: Black and purple skintight suit, zipper in the front leading up to partially exposed cleavage. Mask, half black and half purple, thigh-high black leather boots.
Abilities: Invisibility, Mad fighting skills, Super strength
Backstory: Casey was given a formula by a Crime Kingpin, a man who, before becoming a Crime Kingpin, worked in a lab for a company that developed organic weapons for the government. After his lab partner caused an accident and left him for dead, Mr. Kingpin declared vendetta against him and developed a formula to change his lab partner’s girlfriend (Casey) into a super villain. Since she was super hot and erotic, he gave her the name Erotica Girl
Catchphrase: “Feel the love!”

Judgement:
Alter ego: Rami Ungar, student and freelance writer
Appearance: Long white hair, black skin with gold designs, yellow-orange eyes, super-sharp teeth. A pair of pants that somehow survive the transformation
Abilities: Absorb Energy, Energy Blasts, Telekinesis
Backstory: One day, he fell in love with a girl whose father was a police investigator. Her father got too close to something that involved an unknown corporation working with a terrorist group. He was murdered for his troubles and his daughter left disabled. He took her in and tends to her as his alter ego. But as Judgement, he fights corruption within the corporations, government, and anywhere else he sees it going unchecked.
Catchphrase: “Feel my wrath!”

Styka:
Alter ego: Kristy Halseth,
Appearance: Jeans, Tank top, Leather jacket, Doc Martins.
Abilities: Flying, Invisibility, Telepathy
Backstory: While browsing a fine jewelry store, Kristy witnessed an armed robbery that went horribly wrong. During the commission of the robbery, the criminals caused an explosion that killed half their crew and the store. Taken as a hostage by the part of the crew that managed to escape, they took out their anger and frustration on Kristy and left for dead. When she woke up in hospital, she realized she could read minds, avoid detection, and even levitate and fly about. In her search for the the people who nearly killed her, Styka discovered that one of the city’s crime bosses had been responsible for the robbery. His orders were to kill the hostages but the robbers were as incompetent at that as they were at following the plan he had ordered. Her vendetta against her attackers became a vendetta against his as well.
Catchphrase: “Justice is on the way!”

Panacea:
Alter ego: Phyllis Moore, mild-mannered fantasy-fiction writer
Appearance: Indestructible close-fitting fiber suit, toga skirt, and a concealing mask. When Panacea, her air changes from blonde to burgundy
Abilities: Flying, Acrobatics, Healing
Backstory: Phyllis was on vacation in India when a terrorist attack blew up a nearby chemical factory. She wasn’t close enough to be killed, but was exposed to the chemical traces picked up by the winds as she fled. She leapt over obstacles, climbed up walls, and ran across rooftops. It first, she thought her abilities came from years of yoga and marathon races, but as she ran faster, she noticed that she could even fly. After everything had settled, she returned to see the horror of the wounded and dying and became furious. But instead of retaliating against those who committed such acts of terror, she decided to undo their hate by healing the wounded and loving them back to health.
Catchphrase: “Stop the hate!”

The Veiled Tsunami:
Alter ego: Hawa Ali, mild-mannered nurse
Appearance: Chocolate brown leather duster over Black jeans, black T, and a black hijab. Black combat boots and black shades of well.
Abilities: Alien Technology, Super Smarts, Telepathy
Backstory: Hawa grew up in New Haven Connecticut, two blocks from Yale University. She never knew her mother, but her father was a university professor and scientist named Dr. Eesa Ben Ali. His work in human mutagenics was quite controversial, due in part to the fact that Dr. Ali shared a name with another man on the NSA’s terror watch list. He was on the cusp of creating a substance that would successfully, and without adverse effects, create the first human with super capabilities. Unfortunately, his work was cut short when a disgruntled student – Calvin Cur – broke into his lab and tried to take him prisoner. When his daughter interfered, Cur shot her and sent her falling into some of her father’s lab equipment. The serum spilled on her and ran into her wound, and Cur shot her father shortly thereafter and fled. Hawa was changed, and from that point onward, was known as the Veiled Tsunami, seeking out injustice and looking to avenge her fathers death, all the while trying to unlock the mystery of what she has become. For it is rumored that her father’s serum contained alien blood that was retrieved by the government, and remains kept in some secret facility somewhere…
Catchphrase: “You won’t see me coming but I will blow you down.”

FYI, still waiting on key details from Freedom Fighter, Joaco, Pax and Typos. If you want to join, you gotta file the requisite paperwork. I guess that doesn’t sound too superhero-y. But hey, you wanna play in the big leagues, you gotta pay the big dues! Happy Halloween Everybody!