What happens when the calculated world of math overlaps with the free-flowing rhythm of music? The creative brains over at New Scientist find out after assigning musical notes to the math figure Pi.
In music, all major scales have 8 notes. If middle C is designated “1,” then D is “2,” E is “3,” and so on. In this way, the numbers of Pi correspond with music. Chords are also assigned numbers for a more rich-sounding finished product.
This musical experiment plays 31 decimal places of Pi at a tempo of 157 beats per minutes (314 divided by 2). What results is actually a pleasant tune that sounds better as more instruments and layers are added.
Hear for yourself in the video below.
On October 26, 2012, Microsoft released the much anticipated follow-up to their Windows 7 OS, the aptly titled Windows 8. Critics have been discussing the pros and cons for months since the previews were first released and have vocally shared their mixed opinions (surprise, surprise). But now that general users have also had the chance to try it out or upgrade their computers, more and more reviews are circulating around the web.
Here are the surface level facts about Windows 8: It boasts a new modern interface called the Start screen which (quite jarringly) replaces the Start menu that has been a part of every Windows OS previously. Originally dubbed “Metro,” this Modern UI feels like a direct response to Apple’s cookie-cutter OS releases as it bursts with color and promotes an interactive scroll-and-swipe user experience. Popular programs like Netflix and Hulu+ have already created free Apps that can be pinned directly to the Start screen, forfeiting the need to visit a particular company’s website, and more are sure to follow in the coming months.
For diehard PC fanboys and girls, the redesign changes everything they used to know and love about Windows, and therein lies one of the biggest criticisms of Windows 8. Most PC users agree that Windows 7 has been the best OS thus far, especially coming after the universally disappointing Windows Vista release. So why ruin a good thing with a new, scary thing?
This criticism is valid, of course, but all change is not necessarily terrible. Sure, some people won’t dig the new aesthetic or claim that it feels a lot like a tablet OS. But it’s stylish, smooth, and could easily become the future of Microsoft for desktops and tablets alike. So why cling to the past when the future looks so much prettier?
See for yourself in the video below, courtesy of Lifehacker.com.
Google has designed new Trekker hardware to map hard-to-film places throughout the world, starting with the Grand Canyon. These glorified cameras resemble oversized, high-tech backpacks (eerily similar to this one worn by everyone’s favorite plumber, circa 2002) and make it possible to photograph areas inaccessible by road, like the iconic winding trails at the South Rim.
This new technology has the potential to document a vast expanse of land, including several important landmarks all over the world, and add to the already extensive landscape captured on Google Street View.
Two teams of Google employees have been hiking across these trails with mules and plenty of equipment, ready to film everything using the state-of-the-art Trekker backpacks. Because images will be taken from multiple angles and vantage points, Google will be able to choose the highest quality photographs to incorporate into Street View. This excursion, coming soon after Apple’s decision to stop using Google Maps and develop its own application instead, proves that Google remains far ahead of its competition.
Who is the real the Mitt Romney? Depending on who you ask you are going to get two answers. Ask his campaign and they will paint a picture of Dagny Taggart from Atlas Shrugged, a venerable capitalist fighting against the forces of government control and championing personal liberty. Ask the Obama campaign and they will conjure up a corporate Dracula who sucks companies dry before going off to one of his many summer homes, or the Cayman Islands, for a long, dreamless slumber. Many in the voting public are wondering, just who is this Mitt Romney?
This phase of the campaign is a lot like prom. Romney is preening and strutting hoping its him you ask out on November 4th. Meanwhile it’s Obamas job to smear him and keep you coming back for more. Only instead of a carnation Obama hands you a welfare check.
The problem is Mitt Romney is going for the mysterious thing by not releasing tax returns or letting anyone know where he stand on any policies. This should be leaving the likes of Rove and Boehner swooning but even they admit they are having a hard time loving Romney. Do people hate Obama enough to vote for the Romney blank slate? Doubtful but possible.
They really don’t make game shows for children like they used to. Legends of the Hidden Temple was quite easily an amazing show. However, it was also a show that invoked anger in the viewers. Really, how hard was it to put together the golden monkey statue? It was only three pieces?! I’m still baffled. Sure you’re under lots of pressure, the whole nation of children are watching, and you never know when a temple guard will pop out and make you poop your pants. But it’s still no excuse!
Wasn’t it worth it though when the guards did pop out and the child ran for his life? A creepy temple guard would stop anyone’s heart for a few seconds, but some children felt pure terror. You can see it on their faces. No, really! Someone with a little too much time on his hands opted to compile a video of 14 children attacked by the guards. The best is the child who runs right out of the temple because she’s so scared. Even the guard cannot believe it! Classic.
If you’re in the mood to laugh at the expense of others, from over a decade ago, check out the video on BuzzFeed.
As a regular gym-goer I’ve seen a lot of annoying and, quite frankly, dumb stuff people do. I’ve seen guys drop weights on the floor – even ones that no one would even consider to be heavy. I’ve heard guys yell; talk about being over-dramatic. Grunts on the rare occasion are fine but not straight-up yells happening sequentially like clockwork. Talking on the phone is annoying as well because you are taking up time on a machine or bench when other people could be using it. A major pet-peeve of mine is when people don’t take the time or effort to properly place back the weights on the weight rack. Unfortunately, this happens at my gym every time I go which increases my time there pretty much exponentially.
I go to the gym to relax and become fit and healthier; I don’t go there to make a scene or show off. If you want to do that I know a number of bars and clubs that would be perfect for you. All this said however, I can find some humor in the situation. I even found a pretty hilarious video about the kinds of guys I just talked about. Have some laughs!
It seems that both campaigns are having a tough week, it’s not the greatest week to be running for out nation’s highest office.
Obama was having a good week till today’s job numbers hit. Job creation just about matched population growth meaning that unemployment hovers around 8.2%. He has already tried to put a positive spin on this saying the recovery is gaining ground, albeit slowly. Chances are his campaign knew summer jobless numbers would remain high, as they tend to, and had a defense prepared. Still this does play into the Romney narrative that Obama is bumbling the economy.
Romney arguable had the worse week because the errors he made were unforced. The flip-flop on the healthcare mandate as tax doesn’t look good, especially considering he was advocating for the mandate just a few years ago. He also got flack for taking a fancy vacation, which plays into Obama’s narrative of Romney as an out of touch rich guy. If all this wasn’t enough numerous conservative bigwigs, spurred by Rupert Murdoch, trashed Romney for running a shitty campaign. The complaints range from now responding to attack fast enough, not taking advantage of Obama’s perceived weaknesses, and not offering anything other than ‘I’m not Obama’ campaign rhetoric.
Steve Nash gets sent to the Lakers, Lin might be leaving? The all star break is coming and all the baseball nerds in the world are flabbergasted at the standings. The crazy world of sports is getting just a little crazier. Here’s a look at some of the “Lin-sanity” going on around these parts.
First, Steve Nash is going to the Lakers. It seems a lot of people are really upset about this. Nash is credited by some hardcore basketball fans as “Saving the NBA” by making basketball watchable after the Bulls Dynasty of the 90s. I can only hope that there’s a LA/New York final this year so that Nash and Jason Kidd (the other “saved the NBA” guy) can finally meet in a matchup made in basketball heaven.
Secondly, Jeremy Lin. After the “Lin-sanity” earlier in the season, Lin seems to have fallen off a little bit. With injuries and bad playing he’s been out of the limelight for awhile. They say he’s going to cost the Knicks a lot of money but will most likely make back the same amount making his tenure with the team a monetary “wash.” Do you think the Knicks should think about trading Jeremy?
Lastly, and my personal favorite story, the all-star break. I love the all-star game. I think it’s a great moment in baseball where a guy who was your enemy a week ago is your teammate on the field. It’s a great example of learning to live and play together even for just a short while. Congress, you should be taking notes. But this year there’s a bigger story than that. It seems that the collective prayers of the final handful of Pittsburgh Pirates fans have finally been heard. We’re playing over .500 ball at the break. We’re 2.0 games ahead of everyone else, and Clutch McCutchen shows no signs of slowing down. This might be jinxing it for my team, kind of like talking about a no-hitter while the game is still going on, but this really could be our year!
Last year, the Pittsburgh Pirates tied for longest consecutive losing season of any team in any major league sport. If we play under .500 this year, we will clinch that title. Some cynical fans will say that we will HAVE to play over .500 ball this season because we can’t be the best at anything…including losing.
I’m rooting for you, Buccos.
As if any Trubie is really surprised, or anyone for that matter. HBO not only confirmed its new drama The Newsroom for a second season, but we can enjoy another summer of vampires, werewolves, and fairies, oh my! True Blood will return next summer for its 6th season. While the show is just getting heated, fans can prepare to say goodbye to creator Alan Ball after this 5th season.
Back in February the creator announced that he would be stepping down as creator but will remain involved as an executive producer. The reason? He wants more time to develop new programs for HBO and Cinemax. Ball gave a statement, “Because of the fantastic cast, writers, producers and crew, with whom I have been lucky enough to work these past five years, I know I could step back and the show will continue to thrive as I look forward to new and exciting ventures.”
While the show has veered far from the novels they are based on, I’m still a little worried how the show will fare without Alan Ball. We all remember how Six Feet Under went downhill towards the end of the series. But with endless books and adoring fans, who knows how long True Blood will remain on air or how they will end it. I only hope it doesn’t suck, no pun intended.
Kanye West’s “Cold” recently fond its way into my ears and subsequently my iPod. Produced by DJ Khaled, the first ten seconds of the song has a very, very catchy beat which grabbed my attention pretty much immediately. The rest of the song is just as strong and grabs me by the ears and never stops. Kanye West’s verses as well as his delivery are exceptionally strong and are marked by aggression, vitriol, and some personal history: most notably, his relationship with Kim Kardashian. If you don’t realize this by now, I’m a big fan of this song.
I was hoping to find an official music video for this song but couldn’t find one. The first thing I found was the one below:
Considering the content of the song itself, the little kid lip-singing to this particular song – which is laced with curses, inappropriate comments towards women, and so on – makes for some strange viewing to the say the least. Also, who’s the blonde woman in the video? Is that supposed to be a Lady Gaga impersonator? I don’t really know the answer to that one truth be told.
I’m probably late on this particular train but I still can’t help but love this song.
