Koyaanisqatsi

The final few minutes of the 1982 experimental film, Koyaanisqatsi.

I Flew an X-wing Today!

I was at my brother’s place today and got to try the Star Wars: Battlefront – X-wing VR demo on his PS4. It was incredible!

Here’s a video of my play-through of the demo (The first seven minutes or so are just me getting used to being in a virtual world with an X-wing starfighter – jump to about 8:00 to see the start of the game):

It’s disappointing that there’s nothing more to the demo than one simple mission. There’s really no reason why the demo could not have had an “infinite play” mode.

Sadly, there appears to be no news of any actual full game like this being developed.

Still, I’m sure someday I’ll be able to fly a properly simulated X-wing fighter — there’s just too much money to be had in selling such a game.

The Last Transport Is Away

Today’s successful launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis marked the final American Space Shuttle Mission (STS-135) and the end of the Space Shuttle Program.   After thirty years and one hundred thirty-five launches, the dream is over.  So far there is no official replacement program for launching people and materiel into space.  With the American Empire already in a steady decline, it’s a real possibility that no replacement program will ever come about.

I remember when I was a kid and shuttle launches were a big deal.  In school, the teacher would wheel in a TV and we’d interrupt the class to watch a launch.  Nowadays the “news” spends more time covering inane garbage that shouldn’t even be televised.  It’s like our society’s spirit has died and we, as a people, are just an empty husk.

Anyway, I’m glad I was able to catch the launch on NASA’s live web stream this morning.  I’m also glad everything went smoothly.  Good luck, brave spaceonauts aboard the Atlantis!

 

 

3…2…1…Ignition!

My new largest Lego set: the Space Shuttle! At 1204 pieces, this set beats out the previous title holder, the Motorized Lego AT-AT.

I think this will be a set I’ll have to put on display; most of my Lego sets get disassembled after being built and end up in one of my many plastic Lego tubs.

This set is only available for purchase online at Lego’s website.

Jupiter Gets Third ‘Red Spot’

A third super-storm on the planet Jupiter has been discovered (the smallest one on the left of the image shown here). The planet now has three ‘red spots’.

To give you a bit of scale, you could fit the entire planet earth in that smallest red spot.

I wonder if it would be possible to build some sort of gigantic wind-powered, floating generator and place it in one of these storms. Could it be possible to generate electricity that way and have it transmitted to a nearby relay station? Hmmm…