Popular image and video presentation option Cooliris has come out with a new method of showing their 3D wall of images. Now the gallery can be embedded into a web page as a component. See my example below, showing images from an event some years ago
Showing posts with label 2007. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2007. Show all posts
Feb 14, 2010
Jan 6, 2008
Dec 16, 2007
I'm a Dad!
9th December 2007, 9:29 pm. A day and date I will never forget.
My life changed forever the moment my son Antariksh was born. I've heard it said that we all fall in love with our children, and it's absolutely true. I still cannot believe how beautiful he is. One moment at a time T there are n people in the room, then at the time T+1 there are suddenly n+1 people, all of whom look absolutely happy. Simple mathematics, absolutely miraculous.
Ever since that moment, life has changed forever. All petty lazinesses, procrastinations, and selfish worries become subdued. The first concern is now my boy. The way one thinks is altered forever.
A new light enters the home and radiates happiness everywhere.
My life changed forever the moment my son Antariksh was born. I've heard it said that we all fall in love with our children, and it's absolutely true. I still cannot believe how beautiful he is. One moment at a time T there are n people in the room, then at the time T+1 there are suddenly n+1 people, all of whom look absolutely happy. Simple mathematics, absolutely miraculous.Ever since that moment, life has changed forever. All petty lazinesses, procrastinations, and selfish worries become subdued. The first concern is now my boy. The way one thinks is altered forever.
A new light enters the home and radiates happiness everywhere.
Nov 7, 2007
Movember
The things we do for charity. Actually, it's for fun as well. I got tempted into joining a group at work into participating in "Movember". What the heck is it? It is basically growing a Mo-ustache during the month of November and having people sponsor you. The rules are:
Once registered each Mo Bro start 1 November with a clean shaven face.
Then, for the entire month of Movember each Mo Bro must grow and groom a moustache according to these rules:
01 - You don’t talk about Movember outside of the month.
02 - Movember runs for 30 days. No more.
03 - There is to be no joining of the Mo to side burns—That’s a beard.
04 - There is to be no joining of the handlebars—That’s a goatie.
05 - A small complimentary growth under the bottom lip is allowed (aka a tickler).
06 - You must remain clean shaven apart from your Mo for the entire 30 days.
But wait, there's more..
Failure to conform to any of those rules may, at the absolute discretion of the Movember Committee result in instant blacklisting from further participation in Movember and entry to the Gala Parté. The Movember Committee accepts no responsibility for lost jobs, lost girlfriends/boyfriends, rashes to you or your partner or any other such
mishaps caused by a Movember Mo.
I used to sport a goatee during some of my college months, so it shouldn't be unknown territory. My wife also kindly granted her permission (she did seem very amused).
As you can probably tell, it's very 'serious'. I haven't shaved my upper lip region for 7 days now. I'll be keeping the progress (including photos) report at my Mo-Log. Now, calling all, of kind and generous inclination - feel free to sponsor my 'Mo', by clicking on the badge below. All proceeds go to the Prostrate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand. Thanks
Once registered each Mo Bro start 1 November with a clean shaven face.Then, for the entire month of Movember each Mo Bro must grow and groom a moustache according to these rules:
01 - You don’t talk about Movember outside of the month.
02 - Movember runs for 30 days. No more.
03 - There is to be no joining of the Mo to side burns—That’s a beard.
04 - There is to be no joining of the handlebars—That’s a goatie.
05 - A small complimentary growth under the bottom lip is allowed (aka a tickler).
06 - You must remain clean shaven apart from your Mo for the entire 30 days.
But wait, there's more..
Failure to conform to any of those rules may, at the absolute discretion of the Movember Committee result in instant blacklisting from further participation in Movember and entry to the Gala Parté. The Movember Committee accepts no responsibility for lost jobs, lost girlfriends/boyfriends, rashes to you or your partner or any other suchmishaps caused by a Movember Mo.
As you can probably tell, it's very 'serious'. I haven't shaved my upper lip region for 7 days now. I'll be keeping the progress (including photos) report at my Mo-Log. Now, calling all, of kind and generous inclination - feel free to sponsor my 'Mo', by clicking on the badge below. All proceeds go to the Prostrate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand. Thanks
More Mo Links
Sep 25, 2007
Indian Cricket Vision Twenty20
Cricket has been revived in India once again. A new team of young members without the usual hyped players participating, has gone on to lift the ICC Cricket Twenty20 world cup. A team not highly placed has outperformed all expectations. The runners up Pakistan also did better than anybody gave them credit.
The 20 overs cricket format is not taken seriously by most dedicated afficionados of the game. It's percieved to be a gimmick for TV viewers with little time to follow a full day or 5-day match. Designed to be fairly quick, it favors the batsman to make big hits on a smaller ground. However, the well-organised tournament got some serious commentators very involved in the proceedings.
Prevously, India had been bundled out of the last One-Day-International World Cup in the very first round. The following disenchantment with the game and the Indian Cricket Board was unprecedented. Some have taken the opportunity to create a rival cricket league, whose future remains to be seen. This victory will strengthen the hand of the existing cricket board.
One of most interesting aspects has been the emergence of Mahender Singh Dhoni as a very impressive captain. Displaying a well-balanced outlook of the game, he has been able to fend off media and public pressure on the team. There's an intriguing post-tournament interview at the official tournament site.
Sep 20, 2007
Zero Value Currency
A close relative passed on to me this very interesting development.
It's described here in the following context
The movement called ‘Freedom From Corruption’, launched in all 30 districts of Tamil Nadu early this month [August 2007], will make its Mumbai debut in the city’s schools and colleges. “It is an effort to empower every citizen to fight corruption,” said M Vijayanand, the president of Fifth Pillar India.
It remains to be seen if this catches on.
Out of 163 countries where the 1 is least percieved corrupt and 163 is the most percieved corrupt - Finland, Iceland and New Zealand share spot number 1, followed by Denmark (4), Singapore (5), Sweden (6), Switzerland (7), Norway (8), Australia (9), and Netherlands (9). The countries percieved to be most corrupt are Haiti (163), Myanmar (160), Iraq (160), Guinea (160), Sudan (159), Congo (156), Chad (156), and Bangladesh (156). India is ranked midway at 70, with a confidence-scale score of 3.3 out of 10, which is actually not bad.
It's described here in the following context
The movement called ‘Freedom From Corruption’, launched in all 30 districts of Tamil Nadu early this month [August 2007], will make its Mumbai debut in the city’s schools and colleges. “It is an effort to empower every citizen to fight corruption,” said M Vijayanand, the president of Fifth Pillar India.It remains to be seen if this catches on.
Out of 163 countries where the 1 is least percieved corrupt and 163 is the most percieved corrupt - Finland, Iceland and New Zealand share spot number 1, followed by Denmark (4), Singapore (5), Sweden (6), Switzerland (7), Norway (8), Australia (9), and Netherlands (9). The countries percieved to be most corrupt are Haiti (163), Myanmar (160), Iraq (160), Guinea (160), Sudan (159), Congo (156), Chad (156), and Bangladesh (156). India is ranked midway at 70, with a confidence-scale score of 3.3 out of 10, which is actually not bad.
Aug 30, 2007
New way to resize images automatically
At the SIGGRAPH 2007 conference, in the session named Image Slicing and Stretching there has been a notable technology presented by two researchers from Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories (MERL).
Called Seam Carving for Content-Aware Image Resizing, it's described as
Seam carving is a method for content-aware resizing that changes the size of an image according to its content. This paper shows applications to aspect-ratio change, image retargeting, and object removal.
Resizing images to make them fit in the required internet form factor without distorting its contents has always been a bit of a challenge. The demonstration of this tool, seems to make the work involved a lot easier and automated. The ability of a page to resize with the browser window is called liquidity. Here the images in the page also support that concept.
It also demonstrates the capability of locating areas of that are least important or have the 'least energy' and removing them without any noticeable distortions. However, there are limitations, especially where there are large composition elements such as faces and people that cannot be skewed without obvious effects.
To see these very interesting image transformation capabilities see the following video.
The two researchers, Shai Avidan and Ariel Shamir have been promptly recruited by Adobe Systems Incorporated, who in-fact chaired the conference session. I fear this tool may also just get incorporated into Adobe's proprietary image manipulation software, instead of becoming available in the open source arena.
Meanwhile, traditionalists moan the manipulations possible in digital images and note that it undermines the integrity of photographs and the art of photography.
Called Seam Carving for Content-Aware Image Resizing, it's described as
Seam carving is a method for content-aware resizing that changes the size of an image according to its content. This paper shows applications to aspect-ratio change, image retargeting, and object removal.Resizing images to make them fit in the required internet form factor without distorting its contents has always been a bit of a challenge. The demonstration of this tool, seems to make the work involved a lot easier and automated. The ability of a page to resize with the browser window is called liquidity. Here the images in the page also support that concept.
It also demonstrates the capability of locating areas of that are least important or have the 'least energy' and removing them without any noticeable distortions. However, there are limitations, especially where there are large composition elements such as faces and people that cannot be skewed without obvious effects.
To see these very interesting image transformation capabilities see the following video.
The two researchers, Shai Avidan and Ariel Shamir have been promptly recruited by Adobe Systems Incorporated, who in-fact chaired the conference session. I fear this tool may also just get incorporated into Adobe's proprietary image manipulation software, instead of becoming available in the open source arena.
Meanwhile, traditionalists moan the manipulations possible in digital images and note that it undermines the integrity of photographs and the art of photography.
Aug 29, 2007
Lunar Eclipse in Wellington
I finally saw one. Some time ago, my brother in South America was talking to me on the phone while he was watching his first lunar eclipse. Normally non-plussed, he was very excited - "Oh my God, it has really gone blood red."
So, I had a mental note that on 28th August I must, at all costs, get out and observe the lunar eclipse which would be visible here. When the evening came, it was actually my wife who reminded me. We both went out onto our staircase to observe the sky.
The moon was glowing beautifully in the sky. The Eclipse was to have started, but we could not observe anything out of the ordinary. Then we noticed a small shadow beginning to creep up under the moon's disc.
The clumps of heavy clouds were moving quickly across the sky, and we got glimpses of the progressing eclipse through the gaps in the clouds. A strong, cold Wellington breeze was blowing, The shadow very slowly progressed from the bottom of the moon's disc to the top. As it covered more and more of the moon, the colour of the shaded region got redder. So this is what is also referred to as 'blood moon' or 'Red moon'.
I took some photos with my regular Digital Camera.
More information links
So, I had a mental note that on 28th August I must, at all costs, get out and observe the lunar eclipse which would be visible here. When the evening came, it was actually my wife who reminded me. We both went out onto our staircase to observe the sky.
The moon was glowing beautifully in the sky. The Eclipse was to have started, but we could not observe anything out of the ordinary. Then we noticed a small shadow beginning to creep up under the moon's disc.
The clumps of heavy clouds were moving quickly across the sky, and we got glimpses of the progressing eclipse through the gaps in the clouds. A strong, cold Wellington breeze was blowing, The shadow very slowly progressed from the bottom of the moon's disc to the top. As it covered more and more of the moon, the colour of the shaded region got redder. So this is what is also referred to as 'blood moon' or 'Red moon'.
I took some photos with my regular Digital Camera.
More information links
Aug 20, 2007
Graduate Tax
A panel in the Indian government has recommended that the Government of India tax graduates of India's institutions that enjoy any education subsidy from the government. It's called the 'graduate tax' or 'exit tax'. from the Times of India
Parliament's standing committee on HRD ministry has recommended taxing students who take up overseas jobs after graduating from premier higher education institutions and their employers as well.Called 'graduate tax' and 'exit tax', the standing committee has argued that such a system is in vogue in many countries.
However, it did not mention the name of these countries. In its report, the committee said graduate tax was levied on those who used the services of trained manpower.
"An employer is required to pay an annual tax to the government for each graduate recruited by it," the committee said, while admitting that the scheme had a major drawback as it might lead to substitution of university graduates with less educated manpower.
"Nevertheless, the committee feels that taxing employers based on the type and number of manpower they use has a good rationale and should be considered seriously for implementation," the report said.
In its reply, HRD ministry said the committee's suggestions would be conveyed to the finance ministry and the University Grants Commission.
The parliamentary panel said the imposition of exit tax on students taking up foreign jobs after obtaining their degrees, particularly from premier institutions which are run with massive state subsidies, was suggested by some experts.
They argued that the expenditure on such students did not provide any returns to the country.
On the face of it, it is very logical. The Goverment funds these students to study, so when the time comes, it wants the economic value of the generated brain power back.
Let's see what the implications of such an enforcement would be.
- First and the most basic, is the reduction in freedom for the students. This would cause the percieved value of such education to drop.
- Second is that it is usually the best ranked institutions and universities of India that recieve the most subsidy. It is a fact that most of the affiliated graduates of these places look for overseas opportunities as soon as possible, though it is said that the trend is declining. The enforcement would precipitate a crucial choice in what is more important for bright students - getting overseas experience or getting into the highest ranked universities (and facing unemployability). My own experience is that after you have graduated and are in the working world, it doesn't really matter as much where you graduated from, as what your abilities are. So, my bets are - the highly ranked, but subsidised institutions, will have more trouble attracting the best candidates and their rankings may suffer.
- The "graduate tax" specifies the employer as the one who pays the taxes. I don't see this happening except in some exceptional case, where the prospective employee is a genius of some kind. This renders the graduates unemployable abroad. This will add to the 'coolie' economy, where instead of inviting graduates to work abroad in an equivalent environment and gain international experience, multinational companies will open local offices in India and keep the graduates there on lower salaries, yet still extract their pound of Indian brain power.
- As the Indian diaspora worldwide will attest - the latest typical Indian emigrant to other countries is very competent and professional. This has helped change the perception of India. The first generation immigrants are also very closely tied to families back home and many send back financial assistance. The more prosperous are also donating to charities, scholarships and frameworks to enhance the capabilities of the people back home. The Indian businessmen abroad are investing back in India as they see it as a great growth opportunity. All this will suffer. The second generaton of immigrants tend to be more distant and don't have that much of a connection to India.
In the end, the loss may be far greater than the gain.
A better option for the Government, to keep it's investment in the institutions, is to take off the subsidies altogether. I can see the traditionalists screaming at me now, asking how is the poor guy to be educated then? How will they pay the resulting enormous education fees? The answer lies in the Government giving out individual loans to economically challenged students. A condition can be set that if the graduate accepts to take this loan and then proceeds to go abroad, then they have to pay 'graduate tax'. As long as they remain in the country they don't need to repay the loan and won't be taxed. This would continue to help the poor students and the well-off won't use up the Government's resources.
Yes, this means rich students will leave India and the poor will stay. This is already true - the airline ticket and foreign visa applications are not cheap. But no matter how you slice it, this 'graduate tax' measure is discriminative.
Aug 17, 2007
Happy 60th Birthday, India
Six decades ago, an age old idea of an independent unified India reached reality. The old power structures of empire, kingdoms, and fiefdoms were shed. Few countries have had such a pantheon of varied and enlightened founders as India did on it's independence.
Indian civilization has always been about the human mind and in the age where mind meets technology, the nation has found its calling for the future. In the second largest human nation in the world, there's a new self confidence among the people and pride in their own abilities. Hope is easier to find, and a realisation is spreading of the possibilites.
The rest of the world is in various states of curiousity and discomfort with the rise. The press of the developed nations keeps pointing to the long tail of economically lagging population and cites a percieved economic gap (it's more of a continuous distribution than a gap). They try to badger the achievers into guilt for not taking care of everyone. Socialist preachings from the supporters of capitalism.
Remarkable transitions in the last one and a half decade has and will continue to create turmoil. Change is never easy, but its inevitable. The world's largest democracy has plenty of space for representation and amalgamation. Every faith is represented here, as is every political ideology. Yet they are all unified in searching for a better and balanced future.
Following are some memorable quotes and speech excerpts:
... I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. ...I don’t know which is the greater task: to decentralise a top-heavy civilization or to prevent an ancient civilization from becoming centralised and top-heavy. In both cases the core of the problem is to discover what constitutes a good civilization, then proclaim it to the people and help them to erect it.India is industrially more developed than many less fortunate countries and is reckoned as the seventh or eighth among the world's industrial nations. But this arithmetical distinction cannot conceal the poverty of the great majority of our people. To remove this poverty by greater production, more equitable distribution, better education and better health, is the paramount need and the most pressing task before us and we are determined to accomplish this task. We realize that self-help is the first condition of success for a nation, no less than for an individual. We are conscious that ours must be the primary effort and we shall seek succour from none to escape from any part of our own responsibility. But though our economic potential is great, its conversion into finished wealth will need much mechanical and technological aid. We shall, therefore, gladly welcome such aid and co-operation on terms that are of mutual benefit. We believe that this may well help in the solution of the larger problems that confront the world. But we do not seek any material advantage in exchange for any part of our hard-won freedom.... The building of a free, democratic India has been one of the greatest adventures of humankind this past century. In these sixty years we have done much and we have achieved much.[...] Today, when we look back and look around I believe we can say with some sense of satisfaction that India is on the move. There is a new dynamism in our people. A new sense of confidence in their capabilities. A new sense of hope in their collective future. They recognize we have a long road ahead in our tryst with destiny; and more to be done to redeem our pledge in full measure.
However, the people of India also know that they can do it. This new sense of confidence, this new outburst of energy of our people, has to be harnessed and channelised in the right direction for India to regain its due place in the comity of modern Nations.
on the occasion of 60th anniversary of India’s Independence
Related article
Aug 9, 2007
दुनिया की सबसे ऊंची सीमा पे संगीत की धारा
हिंदी में मेरी पहली ब्लोग। ब्लॉगर में अंग्रेजी के अलावा पहली भाषा हिंदी डाली गयी है।
बीबीसी से खबर है के एक संगीत ग्रुप ने एवरेस्ट (या सागरमथा) के करीब बुलंदी पे कांसर्ट पेश किया। पता नही अगर इतनी कम आक्सीजन वाली हवा में जाके इन कलाकारो की धुन भी ना बदल गयी हो।
ये वर्ल्ड रेकॉर्ड तोड़ने और चन्दा इकठ्ठा करने के लिए किया गया। आगे की खबर इस साइट पे है।
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Aug 5, 2007
Prof. Hans Rosling shows us the real world
I had the priviledge to meet Sweden's Professor Hans Rosling at GOVIS 2007: Innovation in ICT conference held here in Wellington. I attended his workshop Unveiling the beauty of statistics with animations. Prof. Rosling was described in the GOVIS conference pages as
Hans Rosling has spent two decades studying the links between poverty, agriculture and disease in remote rural areas across Africa. He-founded Gapminder together with his son and daughter-in-law to promote better use and understanding of statistics by converting international statistics into moving, interactive and enjoyable graphics.
In the workshop he further informed us that his software Trendalyzer has been acquired by Google (yes, the big monster that's eating up everything) and they will help further develop it. Its features will probably be included into Google Analytics as well. This will give the software a platform and resources for more development.
Prof. Rosling already has a very busy schedule, being invited to speak in front of most major international forums, including UN bodies, OECD etc. I think every world government and media outlet should hear him. In most conference sessions I like to take lots of notes in case I forget something, but at the GOVIS session I had to put my pen down as I knew I wouldn't forget this one. Not only was the presentation enormously informative, it was also very entertaining. The famous videos below are from the TED conferences.
February 2006 - Hans Rosling: Debunking third-world myths with the best stats you've ever seen
March 2007 - Hans Rosling: New insights on poverty and life around the world
Prof. Hans Rosling at GOVIS 2007 in Wellington
Hans Rosling has spent two decades studying the links between poverty, agriculture and disease in remote rural areas across Africa. He-founded Gapminder together with his son and daughter-in-law to promote better use and understanding of statistics by converting international statistics into moving, interactive and enjoyable graphics.In the workshop he further informed us that his software Trendalyzer has been acquired by Google (yes, the big monster that's eating up everything) and they will help further develop it. Its features will probably be included into Google Analytics as well. This will give the software a platform and resources for more development.
Prof. Rosling already has a very busy schedule, being invited to speak in front of most major international forums, including UN bodies, OECD etc. I think every world government and media outlet should hear him. In most conference sessions I like to take lots of notes in case I forget something, but at the GOVIS session I had to put my pen down as I knew I wouldn't forget this one. Not only was the presentation enormously informative, it was also very entertaining. The famous videos below are from the TED conferences.
February 2006 - Hans Rosling: Debunking third-world myths with the best stats you've ever seen
March 2007 - Hans Rosling: New insights on poverty and life around the world
Prof. Hans Rosling at GOVIS 2007 in Wellington
Jul 31, 2007
National Library 3D Building Model for Google Earth
I'm submitting this model to Google Earth today.
Google Sketchup Model
Link to this image: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1176/962260016_9c348e09e3_o.jpg
Google Earth view
(Click on Image to Enlarge)
Link to this image: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1010/971357387_6f747e9bc0.jpg
Link to large image: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1010/971357387_fb76db9f49_o.jpg
Background
Google Earth is a very popular downloadable program for users, that allows one to 'dive in' and navigate the earth as seen from the air. Originally, this would have started out at as a GIS (Geographical Information System) that was mapping satellite photos on to the globe, but a rapid pace of innovation has introduced a lot of extra possibilites. Basically, if you can place it on a map, then it should be placed on this application. A very popular such feature layer is 3D buildings where if you navigate to any place on Google Earth, you can actually see 3D realistic models of buildings standing in their positions. The first such models were built by Google, but since has been opened up to accept user built contributions. Google released a very user-friendly application called Google Sketchup to build such models, and an online repository called 3D Warehouse to store the contributions. Google then assesses these for their suitability for inclusion.
Video of the Model
Current status (and how to see it in Google Earth)
Right now this model has been submitted to Google's 3D warehouse. You can search for it by going to the 3D Warehouse site and searching for "National Library" or more specifically "National Library of New Zealand". If you are using Google Earth, please note that the model will not turn up by default in Google's 3D building layer until it goes through Google's approval process, but you can still see it by following the instructions here to get the Google 3D warehouse network link.
I've been doing this project in my 'spare time' at home. Now that I've finished, my wife will finally be happy to get more of my time. Not easy being married to a techie sometimes.
Also ..
just in time for the Library building's 20th Anniversary of completion (5 August 2007)!
Relevant Links
Google Sketchup Model
Link to this image: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1176/962260016_9c348e09e3_o.jpg
Google Earth view
(Click on Image to Enlarge)
Link to this image: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1010/971357387_6f747e9bc0.jpg
Link to large image: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1010/971357387_fb76db9f49_o.jpg
Background
Google Earth is a very popular downloadable program for users, that allows one to 'dive in' and navigate the earth as seen from the air. Originally, this would have started out at as a GIS (Geographical Information System) that was mapping satellite photos on to the globe, but a rapid pace of innovation has introduced a lot of extra possibilites. Basically, if you can place it on a map, then it should be placed on this application. A very popular such feature layer is 3D buildings where if you navigate to any place on Google Earth, you can actually see 3D realistic models of buildings standing in their positions. The first such models were built by Google, but since has been opened up to accept user built contributions. Google released a very user-friendly application called Google Sketchup to build such models, and an online repository called 3D Warehouse to store the contributions. Google then assesses these for their suitability for inclusion.
Video of the Model
| URL: | |
| Embed: |
Current status (and how to see it in Google Earth)
Right now this model has been submitted to Google's 3D warehouse. You can search for it by going to the 3D Warehouse site and searching for "National Library" or more specifically "National Library of New Zealand". If you are using Google Earth, please note that the model will not turn up by default in Google's 3D building layer until it goes through Google's approval process, but you can still see it by following the instructions here to get the Google 3D warehouse network link.
I've been doing this project in my 'spare time' at home. Now that I've finished, my wife will finally be happy to get more of my time. Not easy being married to a techie sometimes.
Also ..
just in time for the Library building's 20th Anniversary of completion (5 August 2007)!
Relevant Links
- Official Page on Google 3D Warehouse
- National Library of New Zealand Home Page
- Presentation at BarCamp, Scio-sphere post
- Where to get Google Earth
- How to view Google's 3D building layer
- How to view contributed 3D building content
Jul 18, 2007
BarCamp
We had BarCamp at work.
BarCamp, you say? Wikipedia begins to define it as an 'unconference', but that was where the similarity ended. Normally, a BarCamp is about Information Technology professionals getting together and sharing their knowledge in an open communicative environment. When it comes to geeks (mostly unmarried) and communications it means - Laptops, Wi-Fi, Blogs, Wikis, Coding, Sleeping Bags and so on. However in our building we have more librarians then techies.
There was basically an open schedule board, where participants could sign up to give a presentation, or be a moderator. In this case, no topic was off-topic. The schedule was to be finalised, hardly 5 minute before the event. It was planned that each session, the presenter had a few minutes to showcase his/her idea and then the audience joins into a discussion. Of course, depending on the topic there were variations.
I moderated a couple of very significant sessions, presented by a fellow techie colleague related to hotdesking with terminals and remote access to office applications. There was a lot of interest from the audience/participants in what's-in-it-for-us fashion. In my turn, I presented a unprepared session (in the spirit of the un-conference) on Google Earth and our interest there (picture below). I gave a demo in 3-dimensional modeling in Google Sketchup, attempting to show how easy it is. I also presented a few ready-made models from Google's 3D Warehouse such as the Taj Mahal and Eiffel Tower. I was taken aback to notice that our CEO was also in the audience - she asked some very good questions related to importing of CAD drawings into Sketchup software. Everybody was interested in the technology and wanted to know more on how to get into this and what was required to contribute.
Overall, the event generated a lot of involvement, buzz and energy - above normal levels. I enjoyed playing the roles of organising team member, moderator and presenter.There's a plan to follow up with a similar and longer event in a month or so.
BarCamp, you say? Wikipedia begins to define it as an 'unconference', but that was where the similarity ended. Normally, a BarCamp is about Information Technology professionals getting together and sharing their knowledge in an open communicative environment. When it comes to geeks (mostly unmarried) and communications it means - Laptops, Wi-Fi, Blogs, Wikis, Coding, Sleeping Bags and so on. However in our building we have more librarians then techies.
There was basically an open schedule board, where participants could sign up to give a presentation, or be a moderator. In this case, no topic was off-topic. The schedule was to be finalised, hardly 5 minute before the event. It was planned that each session, the presenter had a few minutes to showcase his/her idea and then the audience joins into a discussion. Of course, depending on the topic there were variations.
I moderated a couple of very significant sessions, presented by a fellow techie colleague related to hotdesking with terminals and remote access to office applications. There was a lot of interest from the audience/participants in what's-in-it-for-us fashion. In my turn, I presented a unprepared session (in the spirit of the un-conference) on Google Earth and our interest there (picture below). I gave a demo in 3-dimensional modeling in Google Sketchup, attempting to show how easy it is. I also presented a few ready-made models from Google's 3D Warehouse such as the Taj Mahal and Eiffel Tower. I was taken aback to notice that our CEO was also in the audience - she asked some very good questions related to importing of CAD drawings into Sketchup software. Everybody was interested in the technology and wanted to know more on how to get into this and what was required to contribute.
Overall, the event generated a lot of involvement, buzz and energy - above normal levels. I enjoyed playing the roles of organising team member, moderator and presenter.There's a plan to follow up with a similar and longer event in a month or so.
Jul 7, 2007
LiveEarth - performing for the planet
Right at this moment is occurring, what is being said to be, the biggest entertainment event ever held on the planet. It had to be this big because it's about the planet. Started by SOS (Save our selves), the messaging campaign and larger movement, Live Earth is a series of concerts all over the earth to be held today 7.7.07, over 24 hours following the dateline that traverses the earth. There are performances on all continents, starting with Sydney - Australia, then going on to Tokyo, Japan; Shanghai, China; Hamburg, Germany; London, UK; Johannesburg, South Africa; New York, USA; Rio De Janeiro, Brazil; and some others.
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore (The Inconvenient Truth) and Kevin Wall, founders of the SOS movement are behind this event. They have roped in some of the most famous names in World Music into this event, some including Madonna (see video below) composing exclusive songs for the concert.
Hey you - by Madonnna (official Live Earth Video)
A major aim of this concert, which Al Gore admitted is aiming very high, is to have 2 billion people worldwide sign on to the 7 point pledge helping the movement. The pledge reads:
There's more in the Larry King Live interview of Al Gore available below
Note: the above video may become unavailable, then you can find it here.
Walking the talk
A lot of people including the LiveAid concert founder Bob Geldof have criticised the concerts. There is a concern that the event itself is a sort of contributor to global warming considering all the energy used. The organisers though, are doing their best to 'walk the talk'. One of the initiatives has been to offer public transport vouchers with the concert tickets to all audience so they leave their cars at home.
Another very interesting thing I noted was that the official website www.liveearth.org is 'Green Hosted'. It's hosted by AISO.net which "is the only 100% solar powered data center in the world".
Still, I can't help being reminded of some lyrics, that one of my favorite singers, Sting (who, incidentally is also performing in this concert with his former band, Police), wrote in his album Soul Cages:
"A government saved a dying planet / when popular icons failed"
Links
Official Website - www.liveearth.org (Green Hosted!)
Online coverage - liveearth.msn.com
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore (The Inconvenient Truth) and Kevin Wall, founders of the SOS movement are behind this event. They have roped in some of the most famous names in World Music into this event, some including Madonna (see video below) composing exclusive songs for the concert.
Hey you - by Madonnna (official Live Earth Video)
A major aim of this concert, which Al Gore admitted is aiming very high, is to have 2 billion people worldwide sign on to the 7 point pledge helping the movement. The pledge reads:
I PLEDGE:
- To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth;
- To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become “carbon neutral;”
- To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2;
- To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation;
- To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal;
- To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests; and,
- To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.
There's more in the Larry King Live interview of Al Gore available below
Note: the above video may become unavailable, then you can find it here.
Walking the talk
A lot of people including the LiveAid concert founder Bob Geldof have criticised the concerts. There is a concern that the event itself is a sort of contributor to global warming considering all the energy used. The organisers though, are doing their best to 'walk the talk'. One of the initiatives has been to offer public transport vouchers with the concert tickets to all audience so they leave their cars at home.
Another very interesting thing I noted was that the official website www.liveearth.org is 'Green Hosted'. It's hosted by AISO.net which "is the only 100% solar powered data center in the world".
Still, I can't help being reminded of some lyrics, that one of my favorite singers, Sting (who, incidentally is also performing in this concert with his former band, Police), wrote in his album Soul Cages:
"A government saved a dying planet / when popular icons failed"
Links
Official Website - www.liveearth.org (Green Hosted!)
Online coverage - liveearth.msn.com
Jun 25, 2007
From Microsoft Labs ... Seadragon and Photosynth
Webstock Mini-June
We were given a brief glimpse of this technology at Webstock Mini-June conference held here in Wellington last week. The presenter was Leigh Blackall, he showed us some features of Second Life virtual world. Proceeding on that topic he also gave us a brief glimpse of Photosynth. Curiosity drove me to the source.
TED
With the competition in internet innovation hotting up these days a lot of brilliant ideas are finding voice. An exciting development to come out of Microsoft Labs was demonstrated at the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) talks held every year in California, United States.
Seadragon
This was the first of the two technologies presented. Using the new Windows Media Photo Format, examples were shown of collages of photographs, that can be zoomed endlessly down to the tiniest level, smoothly and effortlessly. At one stage the software architect Blaise Aguera Y Arcas, mentioned that they were using 300 MegaPixel images. To put that in perspective, most images we get from digital cameras are only around 3 to 5 MegaPixels, and these are capable of being printed in large poster format without distortion. To facilitate this kind of technology I would normally assume that the software that can manipulate objects of this size would be very sophisticated and complex, requiring machines at super-computer level including giant memory stores connected to a very large bandwidth network. Yet, this project, which is under incubation at Microsoft Live Labs promises:
PhotoSynth
This other project from Microsoft Live Labs allows one to see the photos in a context of 3D virtual world representation of the place where the photograph was taken. The model seems to map the position of the camera, the position of the photographed subject, and the photograph itself. Now, integrated with countless other photographs in the same area. What you effectively build up is a 3D world showing the view from any point in any direction using available photographic detail of the area.
Some latest digital cameras that come with built in Global Positioning System (GPS) sensors could, theoretically, encode the photograph itself with the data (or metadata) of where it was taken. To get the effective 3D coordinates, the metadata should also include the height in terms of 'above sea-level' of the photographer. However, Photosynth works from the other end - it takes your photographs, analyzes them, and working from familiar features in the photo - such as the architectural lines of a known building, determines the position and angle of the camera. Thus, the onus is lifted from the user to provide the location metadata for the photo.
There are further benefits envisaged to this technology such as Smart Photos - the idea of taking a photo of some item with your cellphone-camera, and sending it to a service that determines what's in the picture and sending you back information about the subject. Great for tourists!
You can install and try out the software, but note the system requirements before you begin.
One particular word said by the presenter is going to stick around in my mind - metaverse. It seems to be a reference to a universe built by amalgamation of all kinds of related objects, facilitated by the metadata of those objects.
The TED Presentation
We were given a brief glimpse of this technology at Webstock Mini-June conference held here in Wellington last week. The presenter was Leigh Blackall, he showed us some features of Second Life virtual world. Proceeding on that topic he also gave us a brief glimpse of Photosynth. Curiosity drove me to the source.
TED
With the competition in internet innovation hotting up these days a lot of brilliant ideas are finding voice. An exciting development to come out of Microsoft Labs was demonstrated at the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) talks held every year in California, United States.
Seadragon
This was the first of the two technologies presented. Using the new Windows Media Photo Format, examples were shown of collages of photographs, that can be zoomed endlessly down to the tiniest level, smoothly and effortlessly. At one stage the software architect Blaise Aguera Y Arcas, mentioned that they were using 300 MegaPixel images. To put that in perspective, most images we get from digital cameras are only around 3 to 5 MegaPixels, and these are capable of being printed in large poster format without distortion. To facilitate this kind of technology I would normally assume that the software that can manipulate objects of this size would be very sophisticated and complex, requiring machines at super-computer level including giant memory stores connected to a very large bandwidth network. Yet, this project, which is under incubation at Microsoft Live Labs promises:
- Speed of navigation is independent of the size or number of objects.
- Performance depends only on the ratio of bandwidth to pixels on the screen.
- Transitions are smooth as butter.
- Scaling is near perfect and rapid for screens of any resolution.
PhotoSynth
This other project from Microsoft Live Labs allows one to see the photos in a context of 3D virtual world representation of the place where the photograph was taken. The model seems to map the position of the camera, the position of the photographed subject, and the photograph itself. Now, integrated with countless other photographs in the same area. What you effectively build up is a 3D world showing the view from any point in any direction using available photographic detail of the area.
Some latest digital cameras that come with built in Global Positioning System (GPS) sensors could, theoretically, encode the photograph itself with the data (or metadata) of where it was taken. To get the effective 3D coordinates, the metadata should also include the height in terms of 'above sea-level' of the photographer. However, Photosynth works from the other end - it takes your photographs, analyzes them, and working from familiar features in the photo - such as the architectural lines of a known building, determines the position and angle of the camera. Thus, the onus is lifted from the user to provide the location metadata for the photo.
There are further benefits envisaged to this technology such as Smart Photos - the idea of taking a photo of some item with your cellphone-camera, and sending it to a service that determines what's in the picture and sending you back information about the subject. Great for tourists!
You can install and try out the software, but note the system requirements before you begin.
One particular word said by the presenter is going to stick around in my mind - metaverse. It seems to be a reference to a universe built by amalgamation of all kinds of related objects, facilitated by the metadata of those objects.
The TED Presentation
Jun 18, 2007
Property Bubble in Kiwi-land
| URL: | |
| Embed: |
"Just days after Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard's unexpected intervention in the currency markets, the bank has taken the unusual step of offering detailed suggestions on how government policy could dampen the overheated property market.In a submission to the commerce select committee's housing affordability inquiry, the bank said government might want to consider introducing a capital gains tax on rental properties, and better controls on immigration."
- Sunday Star Times, 17 June 2007
May 13, 2007
Armageddon 2007 in Wellington
OK, my hand's been force-ed. I had been lazying around not putting up the pics from the Armageddon 2007 event in Wellington. But thanks to my pal Monty's initiative, I better get around to it. There are always more than one side to a story.
'Armageddon' is held every year in Wellington, it's a showcase of art, technologies, media and of course toys and collectibles related to the imaginative worlds formed in human minds. This is the first time I visited one of these. We got to meet Billy Dee Williams, the actor who played Lando Calrissian in Star Wars. He was pretty nice - smiled and shook hands.
We also got to meet with the actor John Rhys Davies - he played Gimli in Lord of the Rings. I told him I'm a big fan, and the big man winked back, while putting sugar into his coffee.
Most of the cast of Pan's Labyrinth was also present, but we had no idea who was who.
There were stalls showcasing the gadgetry that goes into making the costumes - rubber masks, clothes and props. There were lines of computers with enthusiasts trying out the latest computer games. Sony was showcasing its latest Playstation 3 gaming console. There was a team from Massey University Institute of Technology and Engineering demonstrating a robot that can play a ball game on a board. I chatted with the project Professor, and he said that they sometimes have teams of robots playing each other. The robots were controlled by a remote computer, rather than being autonomous devices. An overhead camera mapped the board and the position of the robot and relayed that to the controller.
There were also plenty of vendors selling computer games, board games, DVDs. I completed my collection of Matrix movies, by picking up a DVD of the first movie. There were plenty of characters from the movies walking around, there were competitions happening on stage involving re-enactments of favorite scenes.
The New Zealand Army was in here too. They were letting people try out their training simulations. These looked like games but responded much more sluggishly, probably more realistically. All wars should remain that way - games inside machines - and not spill out messily into the real world.
I had really come to take a look at the graphic artists and their work. Comic art has a lot of influence on contemporary culture. Look at all the latest movies such as 300.
In the end, I just felt a couple of decades younger, and let myself go into the fun atmosphere. There's a slideshow of more pictures below, none of which are to be take seriously, of course. ;)
Monty's take on things:
Photos
Comic
'Armageddon' is held every year in Wellington, it's a showcase of art, technologies, media and of course toys and collectibles related to the imaginative worlds formed in human minds. This is the first time I visited one of these. We got to meet Billy Dee Williams, the actor who played Lando Calrissian in Star Wars. He was pretty nice - smiled and shook hands.
We also got to meet with the actor John Rhys Davies - he played Gimli in Lord of the Rings. I told him I'm a big fan, and the big man winked back, while putting sugar into his coffee.
Most of the cast of Pan's Labyrinth was also present, but we had no idea who was who.
There were stalls showcasing the gadgetry that goes into making the costumes - rubber masks, clothes and props. There were lines of computers with enthusiasts trying out the latest computer games. Sony was showcasing its latest Playstation 3 gaming console. There was a team from Massey University Institute of Technology and Engineering demonstrating a robot that can play a ball game on a board. I chatted with the project Professor, and he said that they sometimes have teams of robots playing each other. The robots were controlled by a remote computer, rather than being autonomous devices. An overhead camera mapped the board and the position of the robot and relayed that to the controller.
There were also plenty of vendors selling computer games, board games, DVDs. I completed my collection of Matrix movies, by picking up a DVD of the first movie. There were plenty of characters from the movies walking around, there were competitions happening on stage involving re-enactments of favorite scenes.
The New Zealand Army was in here too. They were letting people try out their training simulations. These looked like games but responded much more sluggishly, probably more realistically. All wars should remain that way - games inside machines - and not spill out messily into the real world.
I had really come to take a look at the graphic artists and their work. Comic art has a lot of influence on contemporary culture. Look at all the latest movies such as 300.
In the end, I just felt a couple of decades younger, and let myself go into the fun atmosphere. There's a slideshow of more pictures below, none of which are to be take seriously, of course. ;)
Monty's take on things:
Photos
Comic
Apr 1, 2007
MS Office goes Academic
I went to the Warehouse today and noticed that MS Office 2007 Professional was selling for NZ$398. That made me pause and I saw a sticker saying 'Academic Only'. I checked the back panel listing and comparing all the Office Suites. The feature column for the Professional version was highlighted, and there was no column for 'Academic only'.
Even more curious, I checked on Dick Smith Electronics prices online. MS Office 2007 Professional was listed at NZ$1148 ! But Wait, there's also an 'Academic' version listed at NZ$399, again.
Hmmm ... What's the difference? I've checked the Microsoft web site, there's no clarification. I've checked Google, still can't find any confirmed clarification.
The only thing needed to buy the Academic version is a student ID card. But surely The NZ$750 difference leaves space for money under the table. Hear ye, all students, here's how you pay off those burgeoning student loans! You can accept hefty commissions from the hapless non-students, and buy the poor folks some MS Office 2007 Professional editions at prices that cost less than a laptop.
Seeing such wide margins I wonder what Microsoft's profit calculations are? Does Bill Gates want more money? But then so do we all.
See ongoing conversation initiated in Geekzone
P.S. Oh Yeah, fyi ... I'm not a student :( , but I do already have MS Office 2007 Professional edition :S
Mar 18, 2007
Cricket Fever - the 2007 World Cup is here!
The World Cup is on, and it's time for all fans to re-juggle their routines to see all the matches. Alas, here in New Zealand, the live telecast is past midnight hours, so we have to stick to the daytime highlights.
The current world champs, Australia, took quite a beating in their tour to New Zealand, just before the start of the World Cup. This leads to many saying that, despite a few teams with strong records, this world cups "is wide open". I doubted this at first and I also had my reservations about the inclusion of teams with only semi-professional outfits such as Ireland, Bermuda, Netherlands and Canada. But the past few days have fully justified the above. Pakistan, the fourth ranked team, has already been knocked out of the World Cup by Ireland and India, perhaps the favourites, are in trouble after losing to Bangladesh. And the tournament hasn't even reached the knock-out stage yet, the teams are still slugging it out withing their groups. Ireland has qualified for the next level and perhaps Bangladesh too. Perhaps the writing has been on the wall, when in the recent ICC Champions Trophy, none of the Asian teams made it to the semi-finals.
The web is covering the World Cup from various sites, official, press and now user-contributed. Google started it off by modifying their official logo acknowledging the first day of the World Cup.
More coverage at the links below:
Online coverage
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