2011/03/04
2010/12/03
Cool Al Ain Sidewalk Image
Very cool chalk 3d image by Leon Keer and Peter Westerink in honor of national day.
2010/11/12
Flight Paths
Today, just for fun, I sat down and listed all the flights that I took during the three years that I lived in Al Ain: 49 flights in 19 trips (involving 18 airports). Since it almost always took three flights to get from the Emirates to home (and then three back), they added up quickly.
Then I got curious as to how many miles were involved. So I put all 49 of those flights into the Great Circle Mapper: 115,000 miles (or 184,000 kms). The great thing about that site is that it not only displays the distance but a map of the routes that you enter. So the flight paths of all the flights that I took look like this:
Then I got curious as to how many miles were involved. So I put all 49 of those flights into the Great Circle Mapper: 115,000 miles (or 184,000 kms). The great thing about that site is that it not only displays the distance but a map of the routes that you enter. So the flight paths of all the flights that I took look like this:
2010/11/10
Dubai's Power Future
Given that
1. the US is the Saudi Arabia of coal
and
2. Dubai plans on generating 20% of its electrical power from coal
Does this mean that in the future we could hear Arabs complain about funding religious fundamentalists in West Virginia? Hmm...
1. the US is the Saudi Arabia of coal
and
2. Dubai plans on generating 20% of its electrical power from coal
Does this mean that in the future we could hear Arabs complain about funding religious fundamentalists in West Virginia? Hmm...
2010/08/13
Really?
On Wednesday I was looking at the BBC web site and noticed that this story was the most read that day: US school road marking spelled wrongly. Really? I do not understand this at all.
I mean, first, how is this even news? A word is misspelled in North Carolina and it is suddenly world news? Isn't there anything more important happening in the world? Was it that slow a news day?
Second, why is this so popular? It isn't as if the word school spelled "shcool" is hard to find. It isn't even hard to find pictures of it misspelled on the road. Is the BBC going to start reporting on cute pictures of cats next?
Third, why exactly would it be surprising that a road crew would misspell a word? Are road workers known for their great erudition? If so, I missed that. This isn't even a good effort on that front. Check this one out if you want to see dedication to the craft.
I just do not get it. The only possible explanation that I can come up with is that somehow BBC readers believe that this says something about America, but that belief would be even stupider than misspelling school. So it must be something else.
I mean, first, how is this even news? A word is misspelled in North Carolina and it is suddenly world news? Isn't there anything more important happening in the world? Was it that slow a news day?
Second, why is this so popular? It isn't as if the word school spelled "shcool" is hard to find. It isn't even hard to find pictures of it misspelled on the road. Is the BBC going to start reporting on cute pictures of cats next?
Third, why exactly would it be surprising that a road crew would misspell a word? Are road workers known for their great erudition? If so, I missed that. This isn't even a good effort on that front. Check this one out if you want to see dedication to the craft.
I just do not get it. The only possible explanation that I can come up with is that somehow BBC readers believe that this says something about America, but that belief would be even stupider than misspelling school. So it must be something else.
Cool language learning tool
I have no idea if this site is blocked in the UAE or not, but I have found a very cool new site for learning languages: LiveMocha.com. It is actually a language learning/social networking site. The site gives you lessons to study (you can choose from 30+ languages). When you submit a written or audio assignment, native speakers of the language you are learning post reviews of your work. You can also review the submissions of people who are trying to learn your language. I have only tried the Arabic so far, and while it is not perfect, it is helpful. And the feedback from the Arabic speakers has been great.
2010/08/11
2010/07/31
Living in the UAE is like...
living in Alabama. At least, according to this map, which matches up US states with the nation with the closest population. (But by life expectancy, it is like living in Oklahoma.) It also has pretty much the same GDP as Alabama ($195 billion vs $199 billion).
Come to think of it, they are both on a gulf. The people of both are religious and conservative. It is hot both places.
And, I'm pretty sure a lot of the people in both places would be offended by the comparison.
Come to think of it, they are both on a gulf. The people of both are religious and conservative. It is hot both places.
And, I'm pretty sure a lot of the people in both places would be offended by the comparison.
2010/07/23
Interesting New Site: Toogle
I just heard about Toogle - a new site that takes the first Google image search result and converts that image into ASCII art.
For example, the search UAE Flag Map give us:
For example, the search UAE Flag Map give us:
2010/04/19
Incorrect Arabic
I took this picture of a notice on the bulletin board at the university where I work:
It is well intentioned, but poorly executed. The notice is an advertisement for Expressions, "ECU’s minority publication that strives to provide an alternative voice to address the special concerns and problems of minority groups on campus". Clearly, the editorial staff were trying to make a statement about their inclusiveness by writing "Expressions" in several different languages. I wonder how mis-writing the title in Arabic makes Arab students feel.
It is well intentioned, but poorly executed. The notice is an advertisement for Expressions, "ECU’s minority publication that strives to provide an alternative voice to address the special concerns and problems of minority groups on campus". Clearly, the editorial staff were trying to make a statement about their inclusiveness by writing "Expressions" in several different languages. I wonder how mis-writing the title in Arabic makes Arab students feel.
2010/04/08
What's New?
So, anything interesting happen lately? For us, the answer is yes. Introducing R, the newest member of the family:
He was born just a few weeks ago. He was a little jaundiced at first but it cleared up the first week. He and Bss are doing fine.
Needless to say, we are very proud of our new gift from God.
He was born just a few weeks ago. He was a little jaundiced at first but it cleared up the first week. He and Bss are doing fine.
Needless to say, we are very proud of our new gift from God.
2010/04/01
The Totalitarian Impulse
First, let me be clear, I'm not calling either Tom Toles, the Washington Post cartoonist, or Robert Wright totalitarians. I'm sure that if a conservative had suggested that the government find some way to jail someone for doing something that wasn't illegal, both would be horrified. I'm merely pointing out that this impulse to abuse power is deep within all of us.
2009/09/21
Unfortunate Ad Placement
I'll say it again, I love interesting juxtapositions. But this story/ad combination from the Wall Street Journal is quite unfortunate, what with Steve Jobs recent health difficulties and nearly skeletal physique:
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