The New Neighbors...

have decided to use the smaller bedroom as their master bedroom. It shares a wall with my computer room. Their bed frame needs oil. And she's somewhere between a moaner and a screamer. I'm glad someone around here is having fun. :-)

Cell phone in a blender

snagged from gizmodo.com, here's the way cell phone testing should be done...

Watch on YouTube

Seattle folks - Science Fiction Hall-o-Fame Induction is June 21

2008 Science Fiction Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Details
On Saturday, June 21, EMP|SFM will hold its 2008 Science Fiction Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Those being honored this year are Betty and Ian Ballantine (Literature Category), William Gibson (Literature Category), Richard M. Powers (Art Category), and Rod Serling (Film, Television and Media Category.) The annual celebration starts at 8:00 p.m. in EMP|SFM’s Sky Church. Science fiction author Connie Willis will host the evening’s events.

Inductees, presenters and acceptors planning to attend include:

A noted science fiction author will present the award to Betty and Ian Ballantine. Charles N. Brown, editor at Locus Magazine will accept the award on the Ballantine’s behalf.

Award-winning science fiction author, Jack Womack, will present the award to William Gibson, who is scheduled to be in attendance.

David Hartwell, editor at Tor Books, will present Richard M. Powers’s award. Richard Gid Powers and family will accept the award on Powers’s behalf.

Author of The Twilight Zone Companion, Marc Scott Zicree, will present Rod Serling’s award. Anne Serling-Sutton, Serling’s daughter, will accept the award her father’s behalf.

The Science Fiction Hall of Fame honors the lives, work and ongoing legacies of science fiction's greatest creators. Founded in 1996, the Hall of Fame was relocated from the Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction at the University of Kansas to its permanent home at EMP|SFM in 2004. Induction nominations are submitted by EMP|SFM members. The final inductees are chosen by a panel of award-winning science fiction authors, artists, editors, publishers and film professionals.

As part of the induction, a display featuring personal artifacts and video footage from each inductee is added to the existing Hall of Fame exhibit. The inductees are featured in laser-etched images on the translucent, glowing Hall of Fame display.

Date
Saturday, June 21, 2008

Time
8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Ticket Info
Tickets go on sale May 12 for $40 to EMP|SFM members and May 15 for $50 to the general public. The evening will include a seated dessert reception and ceremony. For additional information visit empsfm.org, and to purchase tickets call 206-770-2702.

Venue
Sky Church
325 5th Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98109

It looks like I will actually be in Seattle that day, though am not sure if I will be able to attend.

Resonance

While vegging out last night, I saw a Mythbusters bit on Tesla's resonance theory. The idea being that if you hit the resonant frequency of a structure, you can shake it dramatically. The boys failed - because they didn't have a clue what a resonant frequency is, or how to calculate it. The big fail was trying to shake the old Carquines Bridge with a rapidly vibrating piston.

Guys, the resonant frequency of a bridge is very very low. You are never going to reach it with a 6-inch piston flailing away at hundreds of Hz. Also, bridges are designed to dampen resonance behavior, because if they are not, then this happens:

I usually enjoy Mythbusters, but this episode was so full of suck it hurt.