artsy fartsy birdsy

artsy fartsy birdsy, originally uploaded by Photographs by Jim.

A photo with a flash, through the chicken-wire side of the aviary we built. Nothing special as a photo, but its an interesting effect

A Scottish sunset, red sky at night, shepherd’s delight.

Sunset with stunning colours, originally uploaded by Photographs by Jim.

Wee wind turbines just visible on the hilltops.

I need someone else’s opinion on this photo.

Basic tree in a field, originally uploaded by Photographs by Jim.

Constructive criticism is welcomed, and feedback on the latest photos on my flickr photostream

Geekish Interest – space elevator

NASA has $2 million up for grabs, and its been available for four years now. Basically, teams have to provide power on the ground to a robot climbing a rope or tether of some sort. They have to go up an entire kilometre. The potential for this is massive, and were feasible results to come about in the next few years, it would be a much cheaper alternative to use something that gradually escapes the earth’s gravitational pull for launches to space.

A rocket needs to carry its own fuel to get itself, and its fuel up, until its escaped the earth’s atmosphere, and then the fuel it needs in space, it needs more fuel and storage containers to get it there. An expensive business.

On an aside, I don’t know how the quest for a strong but light tether is going, it would probably be secured at the other end to a satellite really far our, and as the earth turns, the satellite swings on the end of this rope, and so holds it tightly.

Since I’m not posting very much, I thought I’d share some genius I’ve found. This.

Surprised? I find it endearing and appealing, and always fresh.

Musical madness

Quite a good compilation!

Quotes attributed to Einstein, a selection chosen by me :)

When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute and it’s longer than any hour. That’s relativity.

The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible.

Falling in love is not at all the most stupid thing that people do — but gravitation cannot be held responsible for it.

I am not only a pacifist but a militant pacifist. I am willing to fight for peace. Nothing will end war unless the people themselves refuse to go to war.

Never memorize what you can look up in books.

I do not know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

I am absolutely convinced that no wealth in the world can help humanity forward, even in the hands of the most devoted worker in this cause. The example of great and pure characters is the only thing that can produce fine ideas and noble deeds. Money only appeals to selfishness and always tempts its owners irresistibly to abuse it.
Can anyone imagine Moses, Jesus, or Gandhi armed with the money-bags of Carnegie?

mother duck, stitching software, baby duck

mother duck, originally uploaded by Photographs by Jim.

I’ve not posted in a while, but I had to post to recommend some software
http://hugin.sourceforge.net/

Jolly good stitching software that outperforms autostitch in my experience. I got a 65MB .tif file spewed out today from shooting at the start of the summer that is (IMHO) the very definition of eye candy. Too big to post here .

And some evidence of ducky above being a mother:

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