noemi

What a Bored Math Teacher Can Do With Pencils

July 22, 2023 by noemi

For some reason, I have always had a good relationship with my math teachers in grade school and high school. Now college professors were always touch and go – with all the math courses I had to take, I was bound to meet one or two that didn’t exactly become a bosom buddy. In any case, one thing that bugged me about certain branches of math was the fact that they didn’t seem to have immediate practical applications. All those equations and computations just seemed fruitless to me as a student who wanted to make something useful. I am sure many students have felt – and feel – the same way.

If it were up to this particular math teacher, though, I bet that students would have more practical applications of what they learn in class. Or maybe not.

What’s for sure is that he found some free time in his hands, a whole lot of pencils – 80 of them, and different kinds of glue. Throw in some geometric principles and a dash of inspiration, and this is what you get.

That’s called the STAR – Standardized Testing And Reporting, which is actually the test that his students are taking this month. (That’s where some of the inspiration came from!)

This is the same sculpture taken from a different angle.

In his blog, Mister Math Teacher ((An Ocean of Knowledge An Inch Deep)) talks about other sources of inspiration: work by George Hart ((Geometric Sculpture)) and Carlo H. Sequin ((Carlo H. Sequin’s Web Site)). He also reveals just how he got his pencil sculpture made. If you have an excess of pencils, why not give it a try?

Now I wonder if his star pupil will get the sculpture at the end of the academic year?

Vintz’s Geek Art – Not Your Ordinary Artwork

July 22, 2023 by noemi

I’ve never gotten much into the finer details of art, but I do know when a work of art looks good to me or not. It’s the classic story of a person staring at a painting for hours and not getting it, really. This guy called Vintz has got something going for him, and that is an understatement. He’s already made a name for himself with his designs on popular t-shirt site Threadless, and he continues to churn out designs that will catch the attention of anyone, but especially geeks.

Last week, Vintz uploaded some new artwork on Flickr. Here are some of the most “Hey! Stop, and take a good long look at me” ones.

Tragical Destiny

Epic Sandy

I’ve never been much into sandworms, or any kind of worm for that matter. Dune did little to change my opinion of these squiggly creatures, but this piece of art might just have made me change my perception.

A (Very) Long Time Ago

Obviously a Threadless design…is it just me or does the “photo” evoke warm, fuzzy feelings in you as well?

Chaperon Rouge

Fairy tales, fantasy stories, sci-fi plots – how they end can change on the author’s whim. In this piece, who do you think has the last laugh? Given that the characters span more than one fairy tale, but crossovers are not that uncommon, are they? I think this is one of my favorite works of Vintz. Maybe because I just love my pork. 😉

Back to Jurassic

This comes a close second to the previous piece. Come on – a DeLorean in Jurassic Park. This mash-up has got to be one of the best!

If you can’t get enough of this kind of art, then you ought to visit Vintz on Flickr. ((Vintz on Flickr))

Your Favorite Logo – The Honest Version

July 21, 2023 by noemi

Logos have been used forever to make brands stick. There is no denying that the use of logos work, hence the high premium placed on brilliant logo designers. Now, something we may not think about a lot is the fact that while some logos are brilliant and help make the brand name stick, these logos may not actually be an accurate reflection of what the brand stands for.

Then again, logos are made to show companies in the best light possible, so stark reality may not be the first priority. Am I confusing you? How about we take a look at honest portrayals of some of the most popular logos that we see on a daily basis today? These logos were designed by the guys at Designers Couch ((Designers Couch)). Let the images speak for themselves!

Facebook = Procrastination

I only have one question: how many hours do you spend on Facebook everyday? I will not even dare to answer that for myself!

PlayStation = Procrastination

Facebook may be more accessible than the Sony PlayStation, but anyone who has this gaming console will know just how fast time can fly by when playing a game. It’s as honest as logos can get!

Nintendo = Nothing to Do

It’s still funny, but I am not sure “nothing to do” encompasses the concept of Nintendo. Then again, if I think about how people will get together on a boring night and end up playing Wii…could be wrong, though. What do you think?

McDonald’s = McDiabetes

It can also be McOverweight, McUnhealthy, or McDisgusting. Now you know why I am not a logo designer by profession.

Camel = Cancer

Long known fact. We can substitute Camel for any other cigarette brand, but it would not look as good, would it? Plus, it hasn’t stopped people from smoking for hundreds of years. Will this honest logo make any difference? For my sake, I hope so.

Absolut = Vomit

Funnily honest logo, but I feel that I have to clarify. Absolut only equates to Vomit if you drink a bottle on your own, straight, in a short period of time. I would be more agreeable to a similar idea if it were Jose Cuervo = something. It’s too horrible to think about.

So are these logos honest enough for you?

The Alphabet in Retro Video Games

July 21, 2023 by noemi

There is something to be said about babies, children, and alphabets. While not everyone wants a kid of their own, many can’t help but want to buy their nephews and nieces all sorts of things. (At least I know I do.) And when it comes to teaching kids to learn the alphabet, the traditional “A is for apple. B is for boy…” does not appeal much anymore. Why stick with those tried and tested relations when you can use other words that follow themes that your children will learn more from?

Remember the Star Wars alphabet book I wrote about some months ago? It’s all very good for those who have The Force in them. Now what if you’re a child of retro video games? Think Tetris. Asteroids. Ahh…now do you see where I am going?

I’ve got no alphabet book for you this time, but I have a perfect image for you to print out: the alphabet of retro video games. ((Source: Ufunk))

Not only will your kids learn their ABCs, but they will also benefit from the educational experience that only video games can bring. Enough said.

Are You a Saboteur?

July 21, 2023 by noemi

Saboteur. Doesn’t that word have a nice ring to it? For someone living a “normal” life, the word saboteur brings with it a sense of danger and excitement. While it may not be the most politically (or morally) correct word, saboteur does evoke curiosity.

So what does this word have to do with you and me?

According to a study conducted by online back up company Mozy, the best way to get a new computer in the workplace may be to make sure that your current computer does not work properly. In other words, sabotage your current computer! The study’s results also include company-issued mobile phones.

Now don’t get it wrong – Mozy is not suggesting that workers turn saboteurs. They were merely relaying the answers of 3,000 office workers that they surveyed. These office workers are from the UK, France, and Germany. Some other interesting findings:

People working in the UK have the worst situation – they have equipment that is, on the average, more than five years old. In other words, they have the most outdated computers and phones.
The French are the most destructive. They have the highest number of responses which reflect the sentiment that deliberately breaking equipment is the best way to get an upgrade.
The Germans have the newest equipment – averaging 2.5 years. In general, they also trust their employers to give them an upgrade when necessary. Talk about German efficiency!

They also found out that people with better computers at home tend to be more frustrated with their work computers. You think???

Saboteur may sound thrilling, but I think that that may not be the best way to impress your boss, don’t you think? Oh, and it will not work for home-based people like me who buy our own computers. Definitely not. So, exciting or not, this one is not going to be a saboteur any time soon. How about you?

Via Backup Review
Image via Examiner

Thought-Controlled Mobile Phone

July 21, 2023 by noemi

We have always known that our brains are some of the most powerful things on this earth. The problem has always been how to harness all that power. This topic has been the foundation of many a science fiction book or movie, but it looks like the future is finally coming true.

Some researchers based in the University of California in San Diego have made some pretty interesting developments in this regard. The team led by Tzyy-Ping Jung has created a brain-computer interface which actually works! The idea is simple: you think of a phone number, the computer will understand the sequence of numbers, and then it will dial the number for you. How neat is that?

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist – or a super smart researcher like Jung – to understand the implications of this technology. Think hands-free dialing. Think about physically challenged people being able to use their mobile phones by merely thinking about the commands. It might take a bit of thinking to understand how it works, though.

Simply put, the brain emits waves of specific frequencies when the person thinks about a specific number. There has to be training before the system can work, however. This is necessary to achieve the proper feedback.

Pretty cool, but I am thinking way ahead. What if you have memory issues and you have difficulty remembering phone numbers? What if you are scatterbrained and you have a hard time focusing your thoughts? 😉

Seriously, though, this is a huge step. While the technology may not be available commercially, we can hope to see more applications in this lifetime.

Via Technology Review