tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:21:34 +0000Simon Cooke's blog of film making, script writing, games design, software development, project management, amateur science, health, humor and life. Yes, it's a mish-mash. But lots of good stuff in there.http://www.accidentalscientist.com/noreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)Blogger289125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-2562733050027179049Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:21:00 +00002010-02-12T13:21:34.053-08:00meta… but the address remains the same. Hang onto your hats… I’m going to shift the blog away from using Blogger FTP Publishing to Wordpress. It may get a little bumpy here while things shake out. Links may break. That kind of thing. Please hold tight :) http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2010/02/blog-moves.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-6611168165344798069Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:40:00 +00002010-02-08T13:45:24.918-08:00HealthpoliticsA lot of Americans appear to not quite understand how this whole Universal Healthcare thing might work, and don't understand why (a) they should pay for someone else's healthcare (answer below), or (b) how the system could possibly work and be more efficient than, say, paying some kind of company that tries to make a profit (even 501(c) companies in the US are allowed to make a profit; they're http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2010/02/cake-and-healthcare-when-analogies.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-2898776933226829204Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:59:00 +00002010-02-07T13:59:01.119-08:00algorithmstechnologylegalprogrammingcomputer scienceSo, once upon a time (January 2003), I wrote a rather neat little article about an algorithm I invented called a “Bip Buffer”. It’s basically a circular buffer, split into two parts. It makes writing TCP/IP networking code easier and faster, because it allows you to operate on data contiguously as much as possible. This increases throughput. (And hey, they’re teaching it at Brunel University in http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2010/02/darker-side-of-google-open-source.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-3544766559774112423Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:09:00 +00002010-02-05T22:11:11.423-08:00technologymetaHmmm... apparently Google/Blogger are getting rid of their FTP publishing service. This sucks, because I use Blogger to publish my... erm... blog.I would note that Blogger don't seem to have suggested any way to migrate my existing content. Which sucks.Time to roll up my sleeves and see what I can set up to move my blog wholesale to GoDaddy.http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2010/02/blogger-getting-rid-of-ftp.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-4617414451702932191Mon, 01 Feb 2010 07:25:00 +00002010-01-31T23:40:54.071-08:00technologynewsappleEver since Apple announced the iPad, its been "Tablet this, tablet that", and people have been jumping up and down saying that this is the best thing since sliced bread, and totally new and innovative to boot. (I suspect that these are the same people who, when Microsoft kick-started the whole TabletPC initiative about a decade or so ago, insisted that Apple had invented it back then too, and it http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2010/01/second-coming-of-tablet-pc.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-6460013990109804893Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:32:00 +00002010-01-04T02:38:03.958-08:00WPFprogrammingwindows presentation foundationJust for the hell of it, I’m learning WPF and Silverlight (I’m sure it’ll be useful for work at some point). Here’s the result of my second hacky experiment in building UIs. No real code behind this yet; just UI hackery – although it does show up on-screen and you can resize it: Let’s look at how this is built. The Window and Border First, I have a 4-pixel corner, 2-pixel wide on all sideshttp://www.accidentalscientist.com/2010/01/experiments-in-wpf-part-1.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-5685083119634438463Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:17:00 +00002010-01-03T16:20:01.056-08:00filminvestment opportunityhorrorI just saw a trailer for this movie-in-progress: Killerweed. It’s linked below so you can check it out for yourself. Please go give it a digg, and if you’re interested in investing, hook them up. It looks cool :) http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2010/01/killerweed-zombie-chavs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-3329258069585886142Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:07:00 +00002010-01-03T16:19:19.356-08:00tvMy guess for Nathan's power? He can make shapeshifters show their true forms. Update: Nope, I'm wrong. He’s immortal. http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/12/wild-assed-guess-misfits.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-617371662711867809Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:09:00 +00002009-12-07T17:11:23.386-08:00scienceHumorGallagher's Law: If a demonstration can go wrong so that the first three rows of the audience will be splattered with something, it will.Note that the amount it will go wrong is proportional to how difficult it will be to get out the substance, how much it stains, and how many audience members are wearing dry-clean only clothing.http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/12/laws-of-universe-gallaghers-law.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-2161083037718694421Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:10:00 +00002009-11-27T00:10:51.321-08:00cookingIf tiramisu is a courtesan, trifle is a low-rent whore boozed off her tits on sherry, wearing clown makeup. And yet I still love her. http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/11/tiramisu-vs-trifle.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-743957676658466875Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:01:00 +00002009-10-03T17:07:42.734-07:00GamesreviewThis review is for the XBOX 360 version of the game. Where’s Judy Garland when you need her? Its been quite a while since I’ve written a review for a game – ah, the heady halcyon days of being a writer for Your Sinclair magazine seem so far away in the past. (And frankly they are; that was 16 years ago, so if you remember that mag, you’re getting old). But I really wanted to write a review http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/10/game-review-tornado-outbreak-konami.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-7287760972739639199Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:37:00 +00002009-09-20T12:37:01.018-07:00medicineNOTE: I am not a Doctor and do not claim to be one. I’m just really good at searching for information on the web. I cannot be held responsible for any bad things which happen to you if you follow my advice – you have been warned. Please consult your Doctor before following any of my advice, ever. If you don’t, you’re an idiot. There are two really annoying things about being pregnant that are http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/09/nutrition-pregnancy-two-common-ailments.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-3562498675463191008Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:12:00 +00002009-08-19T01:12:28.505-07:00programmingOne of the things I’ve noticed while programming is the number of times when I’ve found really annoying edge cases in the C++ language that I wish I could fix. One example – its complete lack of support for tables. I’d love to be able to define a list of things, with columns of a given type. Under the hood, the compiler would generate arrays for me from the rows of each of the columns. Why? http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/08/getting-interested-in-language-design-c.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-992818230802735066Sat, 15 Aug 2009 22:03:00 +00002009-08-15T15:03:40.228-07:00sciencescience fictionSo I’m watching Mission to Mars right now, and like Sunshine, it gets the whole idea of being exposed to outer space somewhat… wrong. Heat’s a finicky thing. What you experience as “heat” is actually a relative measurement for the most part – it’s how hot you are compared to other things. Heat also only flows from hot things to cold things. To do that, it needs a way to spread the love, and http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/08/conduction-convection-and-radiation-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-7700918052005859548Sat, 11 Jul 2009 08:11:00 +00002009-08-15T16:21:14.619-07:00HumorWhore D’oeuvres - [n] Finger food for high-class ladies of negotiable affection. Forkgasm – [n] A sensual food experience which is equivalent to, or better than sex. (part two of an occasional series) http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/07/simon-cookes-devils-dictionary-hors-d.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-5209677959038312266Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:04:00 +00002009-07-08T02:04:33.951-07:00HealthmedicinecookingPrevious article in series: Niacin Adventures: Part 1 – Nature’s Prozac A growing number of people believe that raw food diets are good for their mental and physical health. Now, personally, I’m not a huge believer in this – our teeth, stomachs and brains have evolved to expect a mixture of protein and vegetable matter, and to unlock the vitamins and nutrients in them requires at least some http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/07/niacin-adventures-part-2-why-raw-food.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-1702613553277244693Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:17:00 +00002009-06-27T01:17:26.588-07:00script writingfilmscience fictionI want to make this. No, seriously. I have a killer idea for the story for the 2nd one. It’ll work really well. And should be as much fun as the first. (I’m following the “mostly same + enough different = Great Sequel” formula that great sequels follow). As far as I’m concerned, Galaxy Quest was one of the best films ever made. I’m serious about that. It runs an amazing gamut of comedy and http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/06/galaxy-quest-2.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-4557351889753762375Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:11:00 +00002009-06-24T17:11:03.812-07:00puzzleLooking at the fine print, you have to be an Australian resident to win. Sooo… bang goes my shot at it. Meanwhile, here’s the clues I’ve figured out. A quick web search seems to indicate that no-one else has got these yet, so without further ado… Use a crowbar to open the tun Use a crowbar = Pry. A tun? Vat. Pry Vat = Private. Jobiska made a drink for Ian. Or Arthur. This is from an Edward http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/06/ten-grand-is-buried-here-more-clues.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-7678123917102375397Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:10:00 +00002009-07-08T02:06:40.914-07:00Next article in this series: Niacin Adventures Part 2: Why Raw Food Diets Might Work For Some People Back in January, I promised a series of articles based on some experimentation I was doing with Niacin, or Vitamin B3 (the Nicotinic acid form). So here’s the first post I’m going to make as a result of that research. (I like nutritional experimentation – I can do it at home, and don’t need a http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/06/niacin-adventures-part-1-natures-prozac.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-4870713300946230291Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:30:00 +00002009-06-22T14:30:17.059-07:00HealththeoryherpescuremedicineI’m taking the plunge, and as I have hosting already, I’m setting up a new website for my theory about herpesviridae being the main cause of most late-stage life diseases. It’s going to take a while until it’s ready, but you can find it here: http://diseasetheory.com. Why put it up before it’s baked? There’s an ethical issue here. If I’m right, quite simply, then I’m being unethical by not http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/06/new-site-for-my-disease-theory.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-6678378085764183110Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:26:00 +00002009-06-18T14:26:09.891-07:00web developmenttechnologySo apparently they finally got around to calling me back. The conversation went something like this: “So you need to cancel… can we ask why?” “I have hosting elsewhere that I’m barely using and money is tight.” “How about 2 months free service?” “No thanks… I already have hosting elsewhere.” “OK, so we’ll cancel that for you. You’ll switch over to Domain Parking, and your email will still http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/06/earthlink-followup.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-2702822568369633455Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:54:00 +00002009-06-15T19:59:32.351-07:00I’m transferring the Popcornfilms.com domain from Register.com to GoDaddy.com (it’s much cheaper), and my hosting from Earthlink to GoDaddy as well. (Well, what can I say? I already have hosting – eg. for this blog – from GoDaddy, so I may as well use more of the 20Gb of space that I’m only using 5% of right now). Hiccups: Register.com is going to take 5 days to transfer the domain. Grrr.http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/06/popcorn-films-going-down.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-6780275272510775627Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:11:00 +00002009-06-15T19:36:37.383-07:00Unfortunately, due to the economy!!!!1! (scary, isn’t it?), I now have to start hedging my bets. I really don’t want to, but it has come to this. We have a few irons in the fire right now, but they’re not done deals. So… in the eventuality that they don’t come to pass, I need a backup plan. It’s time for me to unburrow, get my head back out of the sand, and start looking. What I’m looking for:http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/06/state-of-nation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-4280443926226578618Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:26:00 +00002009-05-31T21:31:21.892-07:00melife Fortunately, I didn’t get this one: … although there were a couple of close calls… (Oh, and Darci wants me to clarify – I didn’t REALLY drive through the night – Darci did most of the night driving on Saturday night, although we did it in shifts. She handles lack of sleep so much better than I do. Although of course, if she had a blog she could clarify it there :)) http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/05/new-achievements-i-unlocked-in-real.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6920547.post-3971888264896435853Thu, 21 May 2009 20:38:00 +00002009-05-21T13:38:34.889-07:00psychologyprogrammingProject ManagementThis one’s a quickie. There are stupid questions – you know, things that with a tiny bit of work, you could get the answer to yourself. (The origin, no doubt, of the site Let Me Google That For You). Or questions such as… if I stick a fork in this light socket, will I get electrocuted? (Answer: yes). No-one wants to look stupid. In fact, people will take great pains to avoid looking stupid. http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/05/naive-questions-vs-stupid-questions.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Simon Cooke)1