Gizmodo posted some awesome LEGO stories in the past, which I thought I would share in case you had not seen them:
I ran across a good article in the Christian Science Monitor about Finland and happiness with a lack of consumerism that spoke to the fan of frugality in me:
What Finland can teach America about true luxury
Finns value time and solitude – along with a high quality of life for all citizens.
New York – What is true luxury? Just when I thought I’d settled on my answer – a flat-screen TV the size of Kansas and a leather-upholstered car that can travel at triple the speed limit – I made several visits to Finland. Shortly after my return the financial crisis hit. Finland has been on my mind ever since. In these hard times, we could learn a few things about luxury from the Finns.
An oldie but goodie! Can’t go wrong combining Monty Python, the Holy Grail, musical knights, and Lego! 🙂
Jackie sent this prairie quote along our way… I like it, though native bees and other pollinators are definitely needed!
“To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee. One clover, and a bee. And revery. The reverie alone will do, if bees are few.” – Emily Dickinson
It looks like my Samsung HL-T6189S LED DLP TV runs embedded Linux! Cool.
I was looking through the firmware downloaded from Samsung’s web site for the set (to make sure 1019 was the latest firmware for the HL-T6189S) and found the following files inside of the archive:
Fascinating! Too bad Samsung has announced they are not developing any new DLP sets. I wonder if their LCD displays also use Linux?
Several people have told me that the interview I did with KUT (local NPR radio station) about native prairies and native plants in central Texas is airing today! Let me know if you hear it! To listen online, go to the 9:00 minute mark of this mp3 on KUT’s site.
We discussed how native tallgrass prairies and savannas are the native ecosystem for much of central Texas, how tallgrass prairies are the most endangered large ecosystem in North America, how using native plants in landscaping can increase water quality and quantity, the future potential for cellulosic ethanol and native grasslands to supply fuel for our society and restore native prairie, and other related topics. They also interviewed several other folks about grassland birds, water quality, and cellulosic ethanol.
The organizations I mentioned during the original interview:
Last week I spoke at CEDEC 2008 in Tokyo, Japan about "Recent Trends in U.S. Game Development Processes". And then I followed it up with lots of sight-seeing!
CEDEC is the CESA Developers Conference, the Japanese equivalent to the GDC’s Game Developer Conference in the United States.
My presentation covered Agile development and Scrum, SCM tools including Perforce, and the emerging role of a build manager or build engineer on projects. It was great meeting so many Japanese developers and discussing game development processes, comparing the differences between US and Japanese development.
To view the slideshow of my presentation, click "more…" below and use the presentation controls.
Native prairie grasses are visible in several photos released by the White House of the Jenna Bush wedding held at Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, TX.
Notice the Little Bluestem in the background, and the Buffalograss growing on the ground the bride is standing upon. Both plants are important native prairie grasses, and Little Bluestem was the dominant plant of the tallgrass prairies of North America.
The tan and copper color of the Little Bluestem is last fall’s growth weathered through the winter and spring. Buffalograss is a terrific and beautiful native grass that makes a great drought tolerant lawn grass that rarely needs mown.
The prairie grasses can be seen in the background of the following photos by Shealah Craighead : 1, 2, 3
CNN also reports that "the decor and the wedding party — known in Texas as the "house party" — were dressed in colors that reflected the hues of the landscape, including native Texas wildflowers: greens, blues, yellows and lavenders, the White House said."
Native Prairies Association of Texas (NPAT) member Mike Williams planted the native prairie restoration at Prairie Chapel Ranch using seed collected from the NPAT-protected Simpson Prairie.
Tallgrass prairie is the most endangered large ecosystem in North America, with less than 1% of Texas’ original 20 million acres estimated remaining. In addition to beautiful prairie flowers and lush native grasses, our prairies are habitat for grassland birds, the most declining group of birds in North America, butterflies and other pollinators, and other prairie wildlife. We must protect these special places to save Texas’ prairie heritage.
Tallgrass prairies also sequester large amounts of carbon, so tallgrass prairie restorations could be used to help fight global warming. In addition, native grasslands increase water quality and quantity, a vital issue for our growing state. Tallgrass prairie plantings on marginal cropland have been identified as the best source of low-input cellulosic biofuel that would not impact our food supply.
From the Quad City Times:
Just before daybreak last Sunday, I found myself huddled in a wood trailer atop a grassy knoll in northwest Missouri, squinting through a small window and waiting.
Also in the trailer were a dozen other bundled-up nature lovers who had driven from across Iowa to this remote, windswept spot to witness a wonder of the animal kingdom: the spectacular courtship dance of the male greater prairie chicken.
As we peered out the windows facing the dancing ground called a lek, the chickens appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and began their show.
It was amazing.
Come see spring prairie flowers, native grasses, grassland birds, butterflies, and other prairie wildlife on a native prairie field trip!
Tallgrass prairie is the most endangered large ecosystem in North America, with less than 1% estimated to remain in Texas. In addition to beautiful prairie flowers and lush native grasses, our prairies are habitat for grassland birds, the most declining group of birds in North America, butterflies and other pollinators, and other prairie wildlife. We must protect these special places to save Texas’ prairie heritage.
Tallgrass prairies also sequester large amounts of carbon, so tallgrass prairie restorations could be used to help fight global warming. Tallgrass prairie plantings on marginal cropland have been identified as the best source of low-input cellulosic biofuel that would not impact our food supply.
Check out NPAT’s web page for an up-to-date listing of events.
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