This is a good website to figure out what your phone number spells: http://www.phonespelling.com/

My phone number (443-285-3246) spells HI-FAT-5-FAG-6

I figure that since I haven't posted for a few months that an appropriate reentry into the livejournal lifestyle would be to include specifications for an automatic zombie-detection and attack-prevention robot. Ideally as a spring term project, we could build this (or something similar but less expensive).

Casing: Ideally this would be a smallish boxy robot on wheels (imagine an automated go-kart). Anything too tall and it would be imbalanced if attacked by zombies. Anything too small and its projectile weapons won't have the necessary zombie-stopping force.

Power: A 6V, rechargeable car battery could be used to power the robot... or really just about anything else. Power won't be an issue.

Detection system: The robot would need a digital camera, a simple motion detector, and an infrared camera. The robot would be motion-activated (since presumable immobile zombies are harmless). Once activated a digital camera programmed to visible light would be used to detect any vaguely human shaped mobile objects (we wouldn't want the robot attacking cars and squirrels!). For any such shapes, the visible light image would be compared to an infrared image. Normal humans would clock in at around 98.6F, whereas zombies would clock in at whatever the air temperature is outside, so any human-like objects at room temperature would be declared zombies and tagged for destruction. (Depending on the sensitivity of the infrared camera, visible-light images may not even be necessary).
**Detection system issues: This system will not work on very hot days! Also, there may be some night-time related issues that I haven't considered. Also, software algorithms would have to be developed integrating these various components.

Warning system: As soon as zombies are detected, loudspeakers would activate with the message "Zombie attack eminent; evacuate all Veteran Avenue residences" repeated until the threat is averted. Also, a preprogrammed list of telephone numbers will be called, warning actual humans of the situation.

Attack-prevention system: This will depend on the goal. If the goal is to slow the zombies, quick-drying glue could be fired at the targets, holding them in place. If the goal is to disable them, machine guns could be fired at the shoulder and knee joints preventing the zombies from approaching or grabbing people. If the goal of the robot is distraction, the robot could just drive around in front of the zombies with highly adaptive evasive maneuvering. Finally, if the goal is destruction, grenades and / or dynamite could be thrown, however, this would have to be done at a long range.

Robot name: This is the most important part... what should the robot be called? Zombot (for ZOMbie roBOT), ZAPS (Zombie Attack Prevention System)

Alternatively, we could just build toothpick bridges... I remember those being fun to build.

I found my Rubik's cube from childhood and have been obsessed with trying to solve it. This is eating up a lot of my time and so far I haven't gotten too far. I predict that within a month though I'll get it... I figure I'm already perpetuating the mathmatician stereotype since I juggle so I may as well also solve the cube! For now though it is just a time sink!

Anyway, the new battlestar gallactica episode will be on soon so I better sign off.

Update: I solved the Rubik's cube! Ok, I almost solved it... I got it down to 2 pieces inverted, then I had to get some help from the manual ;-)

I think the subject line says it all... next time I am thirsty and it is 80 degrees out I will drink water! Or maybe tequila.

1) Visit a country I've never been to before (Canada, here I come)
2) Run a half marathon (half-ass training = half marathon)
3) Get somewhere on my thesis project (that should be vague enough)
4) Go to the gym 100 times this year (so twice a week)
5) Meet new people and actually remember their names (never going to happen)

Well, more like "Can't sleep... it's like 5 degrees in the apartment." Maybe I'm just a wimp from living in LA for so long, or maybe it's because my bed is right by the window and I forgot to put on a sweater before I went to sleep last night, but I was up and ready to go this morning at 5am.

On the bright side, there is NO ONE around LA, which means: 1) No traffic, 2) Quiet lab, 3) Flaming monkeys (ok I made that one up). Anyway, I suppose it is a good thing I'm up so early... time to go to lab before I pick up Thais from the airport this afternoon.

I hope everyone is having a good holiday season!

In about 30 minutes I will be going to the airport for my Thanksgiving red-eye to Maryland via detroit. I've never been to Michigan, and while this trip does not really count, I am still going to say I've been to michigan. I'll try and stick my head outside the airport window, and if I succeed at that (and avoid getting shot or mugged) then my day will be a success. Maybe I can say hi to Andy while I'm at it... I will just yell really loud, and maybe you will hear me (assuming my cell phone is turned on and I've already dialed you). Anyway, I don't really have anything to add. I just went on a side quest in FF12 and the moral of the story is that I got a crappy esper and Penelo now has 500 extra hit points. I hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving. Feel free to add a comment to this posting relating the funniest news story you have heard today.

I have some spare time so I'm posting the results of a quiz that I saw on skuldchan's LJ:


How White and Nerdy Are You?

Also, my monthly update: I'm going to Maryland Wednesday night for Thanksgiving. It will be good to see my family and my friends again... I probably won't be going home for New Years, although I will probably change my mind about 6 times before then.

I'm almost done with FF12 (less than 10 hours to go, unless I go psycho with the side quests, which is very possible). Speaking of FF12...

No news is good news! This has thus far been a fairly boring month as I had hoped. 20 more days of non-excitement and then I think I will be ready for a crazy December. If anyone wants to help me make November boring or December exciting, feel free to let me know. Until next time...

and am posting it verbatum here because I don't know how long yahoo news articles stay posted.

Parliament fights over transgender MP toilet

ROME, Oct 27 (Reuters Life!) - Which bathroom should a "transgender" politician be using in parliament?

The thorny question rocked Italy's lower house, home to Europe's first transvestite MP, on Friday.

"You can't use this lavatory. This is the women's bathroom," Vladimir Luxuria reported being told by centre-right lawmaker Elisabetta Gardini on Friday, triggering a spat that forced the speaker of parliament to intervene.

Born male, Luxuria wears women's clothes but has not had sex-change surgery. Elected for the center-left in April, the 40-year-old former drag queen and defender of gay rights prefers to be called "she."

"I have been using women's bathrooms for years. I would have never expected an attack with such violent tones," Luxuria said.

"It would be very embarrassing for me to use the men's bathroom. For me, and for the men themselves."

Gardini, spokeswoman for Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party, said she was shocked to bump into Luxuria in the bathroom. "I saw him there and I really felt sick," she said, adding she had written a protest letter to parliament officials.

"He should have a bathroom just for himself," she said. Gardini is backed by fellow centre-right lawmakers who call for the creation of a third, special "transgender" lavatory.

In the unlikely event this proposal were pursued, it would push parliamentary bathroom costs, already the subject of controversy, even higher. The belt-tightening 2007 budget sets aside over 2 million euros ($2.5 million) for soap, toilet paper and cleaning products just for the upper house, the Senate.

Centre-left MPs leapt to Luxuria's defense, with one accusing Gardini of discrimination tantamount to racism.

Parliament speaker Fausto Bertinotti called for tolerance.

"I am sorry that we should be discussing this," he said.

Basically I did exactly as well as I expected on all three of them (aced the systems and cellular and passed the molecular), so woo hoo, I don't have to study again for a summer! Time to celebrate by playing poker and drinking (and doing lots of homework.... hmmmmm).

So one of the things that I promised myself before moving to LA was that I wouldn't become one of those LA flakes that say they will show up to things and never arrive... but alas I am turning into one. There are many things that that make flakiness my natural state:
1) I have a terrible memory (as you all know)
2) This includes remembering things I have planned to do
3) I'm very bad at scheduling (it never occurs to me that tomorrow, Monday, and Oct 23 are the same days until it is too late)
4) I'm very spontaneous and will very often decide spur of the moment that I want to do something other than what I have planned.

For most of the year I have been avoiding almost all of these issues by not actually making plans, and when I did make plans, putting them into my phone so it would conveniently remind me. Unfortunately, recently my phone has decided that giving me reminders is not actually one of its functions (nor is telling me when I have messages or missed calls, but that is not the point). I've also been having dreams that I've talked to people, which is REALLY confusing me.

The point is, from now on I am going to start putting my schedule on google calendar. Feel free to browse my schedule and suggest other, better things for me to do, and more importantly, if I agree to do something and its not on the calender, write me nasty notes until I put it up there. Once I figure out how to use google calendar, I'll post the link...

That said, what should I be for Halloween?

Go me. I'll try and occasionally write stuff. For now I have to figure out how this thing works!