Beats a Lava Lamp

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Has anybody seen the new plasma particle accelerator technology profiled in the February issue of Scientific American? Oh, man. So frickin’ cool! I so want one of these. The thing is super tiny. It fits on a tabletop. a tabletop! Imagine the things I could do with it!

Why didn’t these come out in time for Christmas?I would have asked Santa. I was really good last year! I totally deserved one.

Okay, deep down I know I’d just play with it for a few days, then get bored and stick it in the closet. Maybe I’d pull it out on rainy days and run some high-energy particle experiments. But for now, all I can think about is a shiny new plasma particle accelerator with polarity inversion.

So frickin’ cool.

Number Johnny Five is Alive!

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blogfest5.jpgLast night was Pittsburgh Blogfest 5. These events just keeping getting better and better. This time, we had a special treat in the form of über-blogger Robert Scoble. Robert is a “technical evangelist” for Microsoft. He also co-wrote a book with Shel Israel called “Naked Conversations : How Blogs are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers“. Don’t let his current employer fool you, though. He’s been known to use his blog to dis the 800-pound gorilla on occasion, as well as praise their competitors. Anyhow, Robert was in town to participate in a panel discussion on business blogging organized by the Pittsburgh Technology Council. The event will be podcast and I’ll get you the link as soon as it’s up. Since Robert was to be in town anyhow, someone thought it would be cool to invite him to our blogfest. We celebrated his 41st birthday with a cake and the gift of a Terrible Towlâ„¢. He seemed to have a good time with us. Everyone seemed to enjoy his company as well. I spent a little while talking to him, but I didn’t too deep into anything because 1) I’d be talking out of my tuchus (regarding a lot of tech industry current events) and 2) I would have had to admit that I’d never read his blog (though I’ll rectify that soon). Despite having a pseudo-celebrity in our midst, there was no press presence this time. I’m sure those who saw the horrible picture of me in the Post Gazette are thankful for that. 😉

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Graduates and Young Professionals Bible Study

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Tonight begins another semester of bible studies at the Ryan
Catholic Newman Center (The Oratory). This semester we’re discussing Scripture’s
relationship to Liturgy. We’ll discover how they’re made for each other. Texts (aside
from the Bible, of course) will include the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The
Lamb’s Supper” by Scott Hahn, “On Being Catholic” by Thomas Howard,
“Why Do Catholics Do That” by Kevin Johnson, and “Teaching Truth
by Signs and Ceremonies” by Rev. James Meagher.

The bible study group for graduates and young professionals will be held on Tuesdays
at 6PM, starting tonight. Our first two discussions will focus on paragraphs 1066
to 1209 of the Catholic Catechism (“The Paschal Mystery in the Age of the Church”
and “The Sacramental Celebration”) . If you’re in the Pittsburgh area,
please consider joining us. 🙂

Show Me a Society That Aborts the Unborn and Euthanizes the Infirm…

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…and I'll show you a society that immortalizes a deformed kitten.

Update 01/17/06: The public mourning for Cy continues. Oy. Check out this Jimmy Akin post. Take note of how many visits he got and the kinds of comments that were left. I wish more people would feel as sorry for their fellow men as they do for this kitten. I'm not even talking about just abortion and euthanasia. I'd like to see more sympathy for the homeless, the hungry, the lonely, the oppressed, the abused, the addicted, etc.

Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit.
Blessed is the lamb whose blood flows.
Blessed are the sat upon, Spat upon, Ratted on,

O Lord, Why have you forsaken me?
I got no place to go,
I've walked around Soho for the last night or so.
Ah, but it doesn't matter, no.

Blessed is the land and the kingdom.
Blessed is the man whose soul belongs to.
Blessed are the meth drinkers, Pot sellers, Illusion dwellers.

O Lord, Why have you forsaken me?
My words trickle down, like a wound
That I have no intention to heal.

Blessed are the stained glass, window pane glass.
Blessed is the church service makes me nervous
Blessed are the penny rookers, Cheap hookers, Groovy lookers.

O Lord, Why have you forsaken me?
I have tended my own garden
Much too long.

– Simon and Garfunkel, "Blessed"