I just wanted to give my daily two-cents worth. When things started to escalate with Tiger and his family recently after the car crash, Tiger asked for privacy, peace and quiet, and just to be left alone to deal with his problems in his own manner. I mean that’s how Tiger does things, he’s a secretive guy with a quiet life, quiet yet effective training strategy, yet when something happens we as a society have to start jumping in and all inserting our own selves into other peoples’ lives.

Tiger-or any other celebrety for that matter, has the simple human right to privacy. Tiger’s issues are for Tiger to sort out. Plus what’s happened to him in the past few weeks happens to a lot of people around the nation. A lotta people get into minor car wrecks..a lotta people have small family issues.

People claim it’s unjustifiable how he runs his life, but then again isn’t that kind of hypocritical-because demanding him, investigating him on personal matters is just as unjustifiable.  In a matter of short weeks Tiger will be back on the course devastating Par-5’s and playing like he always does. I’m calling it.

And just to let you guys know, his life style isn’t the greatest, sure he’s messed up a few times in his life. But we all do. It’s natural human nature to err, and although his luster might be dimmed, he still lays claim to the worlds best golfer, one of the most highle paid atheletes, and his life isn’t about to end. He can fix this situation and return to golf and maybe his family. A lot of professional atheletes have before, like Kobe Bryant and his rape ordeal, like Todd Bertuzzi and how he intentionally almost killed another player, like almost every good athelete in every sport.

A stereotypical looking Frat Boy.

First, allow me to go into detail about the stereotype of a fraternity, and how many of my fellow classmates imagine my pledge brothers and future brothers. When the word, “fraternity” gets thrown around in a conversation, most people can formulate an image in their mind of what a “frat boy” might look like—wearing double polo shirts, with the collar popped; holy jeans, typically a light colored pair; a flat billed hat, probably a popular baseball team; and a beer can, most likely a cheap brand, in his hand. To go along with this image, there are actions that people also relate to brothers in a fraternity. Such actions include brothers calling everyone “bro,” partying hardcore every chance the brothers can get, and looking for the quick nightly hook up with some easy women. To sum up the stereotype of a member in a Greek organization, Dan Opp, author at an online college fact website, said he or she is out looking for trouble, negligent, and immature. But, this is only the surface of descriptions that fit the stereotype of a brother in a fraternity. All of these claims are far from a generalization of all fraternities as a whole, and such dramatization of fraternities has come from Hollywood and movies depicting fraternities as places where crazy parties go down—and bad things result.

Anyone who gives fraternities a chance, and actually takes a look inside the ritual, the beliefs, and the inner workings can see that fraternities are much more than just a place to party. Being in and a part of a fraternity is something special, but something that is different then what people tend to think. The Sigma Chi fraternity strives to make its brothers do things that they wouldn’t do otherwise. Joe Gangnon, a brother at Sigma Chi, said that being in a fraternity was something that made him become more of a leader, and ultimately made him who he is today. “I used to be shy, and not get out much,” he said, but being around Gangnon it is easy to see that he is much different now. This is one of many similar stories that brothers will share with anyone who inquires, but some will even go into telling you that it has also helped them academically. Justin Coleman, another brother at Sigma Chi, claimed that being in a fraternity helped him primarily with grades, “I’ve never been good with tests, and grades, and such, but being here with other people in the same situation as me, helps keep me motivated and supported to do well in school”. There are a lot of things that go on in a positive manner with fraternities, yet fraternities still cannot shake that barrier of stereotypes placed upon them. Every time something wrong goes on with a fraternity, the media blows it up, yet every day there are thousands of constructive and upbeat things fraternities do to help move the communities they live in move forward (Opp). Fraternities around the world each day help their brothers move their life forward, improve brothers’ grades above campus standards, and positively interact with communities, all of these things are simply overlooked by media, Hollywood, and people who do not have an active affiliation with Greek life.

Going Greek is a decision that hundreds of thousands of college students each year choose, and it could be one of the most important decisions that undergraduate students make in their lifetime. Joining a fraternity has many more upsides than people think. The doors that are open by becoming a Greek member are countless and can prove to be beneficial throughout the remainder of a person’s life. Character building, lifelong friendship, leadership abilities, and a higher tolerance level towards people are all gained though the path of brotherhood in a fraternity. The building of character is something that everyone needs to become who they want to be, and being in a fraternity is a very good way to do that. Being in a house with people who care about you, and have the same ideals as you is one of the strongest ways to build a person’s character. Gangnon is just one example of what being in a fraternity can do for a person’s character, and it certainly helped evolve him to become a positive impact on Ball State University’s society.

Grades are the upmost important thing that going to college is about. Grades decide what will become of your life, and they really say a lot about who you are as a person. People with grades that are above average tend to get more of what they really want in life, and landing that dream job is all just a small part of enjoying the benefits of getting good grades. While on the other hand, getting sub-par grades can give off the impression that a person slacks in everyday business, does not give the necessary effort to obtain valuable things, and all around not the kind of person you want in your organization. Organizations like fraternities want their future to not only rest in the hands of people with similar ideals, but also someone who manage good grades in the process. Once initiated, maintaining good grades is statistically an easy thing, in an article in the US News & World Report, Lewis Lord wrote “If the chapter has a high GPA the student’s grades will go up”. The fraternities in the Interfraternity Council (IFC) combat grades in another way as well. The IFC requires the pledges of its fraternities complete three academic building sessions, which can include legitimate tutoring, supervised study groups, and extra credit—or else there are fines to pay. The bottom line is clear; grades are priority in fraternities around the world.

One of the most over looked part about Greek life is how Greek organizations give back so much to communities. At Eastern Kentucky University, members of Greek organizations contributed over 63,000 hours of community service, from only twenty-seven organizations. Not only was a massive amount of community service contributed to the area around EKU, approximately $115,000 was donated to philanthropies on both the local and national level. Fraternities at Ball State can show the similar numbers as well, with Sigma Chi requiring all brothers to actively participate in at least ten hours of community service per semester, plus each pledge class to organize and participate in their own community service project separately from the house. With all that being said, it is hard to imagine how fraternities have a massive black mark on their image.

This kind of mass stereotype affects hundreds of thousands of Greek members in almost 800 colleges around the world, yet with a few over exaggerated accidents and big screen movies depicting bad judgment and decisions, all the quality outcomes that fraternities give to colleges and communities are simply over looked and forgotten about. Taking a look at the evidence supporting the positive areas of going Greek, it is hard to imagine that that communities and colleges are not supporting their students to go Greek. Making the smart decision in going Greek can be the best decision that an undergraduate student, at college campuses around the world, can make. The benefits of doing so include character development, better grades, and giving to the community, yet there are still people who think that joining a fraternity is like joining a gang, with hazing, and other immature acts, but allow me to say this, many colleges and fraternities are cracking down on hazing, and to this day I have not been hazed as a Pledge in the Sigma Chi fraternity.

A glimpse at how space based solar power could work.

Space based solar power is one of the newest things that scientists are looking into. I think the idea is insanely effective and well worth the price. It involves sending a huge solar panel about 22,000 miles into orbit, allowing it to always be in a full view of the sun every minute of the day, which is already a plus. It then converts the solar energy into microwaves which are sent to earth and then reconverted into energy. This allows for constant energy 24/7 no matter where in the world at any given time. So, no matter the weather, time of day, or season the panels will be in full constant view of the sun’s solarness.

Also, the light doesn’t have to go through the earth’s atmosphere, which can cause a reduced amount to be harvested, yet while the panels are above the earth, there is no worry about the atmosphere. Space based solar power also avoids the expense of storage facilities (dams, oil storage tanks, coal dumps) necessary in many Earth-based power generation systems. Additionally, it would have fewer or none of the ecological (or political) consequences of fossil fuel systems.

This would be an extreme way to get energy, sure, but as of now it’s the only guaranteed way of constant energy that would be incredibly easy to harvest. Plus just like normal solar power here on earth, it’s very clean, and works the same. One unit is estimated at powering over 1 million US homes too.

On a final note, space based solar power would also be applicable on a global scale. Nuclear power especially is something many governments are reluctant to sell to developing nations, where political pressures might lead to proliferation of nuclear weapons technology.

A popular point of “evidence” is that we were all excited and happy with sending people to the moon, for a while. But then, it abruptly stopped. Just, stopped. And why haven’t we tried to construct anything on the moon, yet we thought it was an excellent idea to build a space station hurling at 17,000 MPH. Interesting.

Another piece of evidence is the fact that in 1994, a satellite took 1.8 million images while traveling around the moon. 170,000 of those were made public, the rest were classified. Wait, why?

According to Above Top Secret, there are some interesting photos that some say prove this theory. (These pictures come directly from ATS.)

It is reported that these pictures were taken on December 24, 1966, on a Russian space mission. Bizarre.

An even more incriminating peace of evidence, however, is the face that Neil Armstrong says that there is an alien presence on the moon. Take a look at this communication exchange while he was on the moon:

NASA: What’s there? Mission Control calling Apollo 11.

Apollo 11: These “Babies” are huge, Sir! Enormous! OH MY GOD! You wouldn’t believe it! I’m telling you there are other spacecraft out there, Lined up on the far side of the crater edge! They’re on the Moon watching us!

According to reports, the Apollo 11 astronauts witnessed a mining operation being undertaken by aliens on the moon. And reported on rumormillnews.com, is this:

Chatelain claims that “all Apollo and Gemini flights were followed, both at a distance and sometimes also quite closely, by space vehicles of extraterrestrial origin – flying saucers, or UFOs, if you want to call them by that name. Every time it occurred, the astronauts informed Mission Control, who then ordered absolute silence.” He goes on to say:

“I think that Walter Schirra aboard Mercury 8 was the first of the astronauts to use the code name ‘Santa Claus’ to indicate the presence of flying saucers next to space capsules. However, his announcements were barely noticed by the general public. It was a little different when James Lovell on board the Apollo 8 command module came out from behind the moon and said for everybody to hear: ‘PLEASE BE INFORMED THAT THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS.’ Even though this happened on Christmas Day 1968, many people sensed a hidden meaning in those words.”

And finally, a professor interviewed Neil Armstrong:

Professor: What REALLY happened out there with Apollo 11?

Armstrong: It was incredible, of course we had always known there was a possibility, the fact is, we were warned off [by the aliens]! There was never any question then of a space station or a moon city.

Professor: How do you mean “warned off”?

Armstrong: I can’t go into details, except to say that their ships were far superior to ours both in size and technology Boy, were they big, and menacing! No, there is no question of a space station.

Professor: But NASA had other missions after Apollo 11?

Armstrong: Naturally, NASA was committed at that time, and couldn’t risk panic on Earth. But, it really was a quick scoop and back again.

Let’s hear what you think in the comments.

So, how does he suggest that he travels in time? Back to the Future style of course! That’s right, he drops his time machine into the back of a 1967 Corvette. Personally, I think the Delorean is cooler. He has a few pictures that are supposed to prove that his time machine is, in fact, working. For instance, this picture of a bent laser beam.

Apparently, the cameras from 2036 don't take pictures like the ones in 2009

As you may, or may not be able to tell from the horrible quality in the picture, the laser beam is bent. What is causing this? Well, Titor claims that it is caused by gravity created by the time machine, and that you can see the laser beam because of some smoke created by the cigar in his right hand. Pretty cool, right? Too bad this picture has been thought to be faked. For one, there is no break in the beam at all from the cigar smoke. For another, I find the lack of mega pixels (especially from one coming from the year 2036) as a way to hide anything that might cause this photograph to be faked. Interesting, indeed.

So, unless he comes up with a bunch of insanely detailed and accurate predictions soon, I’m going to call this guy fake. But my last question is this, “You’re from the year 2036 and this is the coolest that you can make your website?”

The  Patriots used to go all out and own up the AFC East division of Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, and themselves, but with Miami coming back from a pathetic season 2 years ago, and Buffalo getting their O working, and the Jets making some huge statements on D, the Patriots season is going to be anything but a walk in the park.

At the same time, it appears that we, the United States, are making more enemies than pseudo-friends. Many European countries, including Czech Republic and Poland (the countries that were each supposed to host parts of the defense system), are angry that the United States has shown such a sign of weakness.

Even though the current administration, says that they have opted to build a different system that may include ships and perhaps land missiles as well, there was no clear or exact plan in place. At any rate, the European countries in question seem to be angry that the United States is backing out on a promise to put this defense complex in place. According to Times Online, a former Czech Republic Prime Minister has said, “It puts us in a position where we are not firmly anchored in terms of partnership, security and alliance, and that’s a certain threat.”

What is your stance? Let’s hear from you in the comments and in the poll

(NOTE: If you are reading this post in the form of a Note on Facebook please click through to the actual blog to make a comment. http://jibbli.com/2009/09/qotw-missile-defense-in-europe/.)

1. Compiz- This application can be used for all kinds of Ubuntu effects. From wobbly windows, to Desktop Cube (Pictured), to maximize and minimize effects. If your graphic card can handle the effects, it is well worth the install. To install from the terminal type in the following:
   sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager



2. Mac4Lin with AWN – Mac4Lin in not necessarily an application, but rather a theme that makes Ubuntu look like a Mac. This even includes moving the close, maximize, and minimize buttons from the right of the window to the left. The theme is quite impressive and does an exellent job of emulating the Mac. While AWN copies the dock on the Mac, similar to Rocket Rock for Windows. To install AWN in to terminal type in:
   • To install Mac4Lin on your Ubuntu computer first, download the theme files from SourceForge here. Then extract the folder and run the file titled “Mac4Lin_Install_v1.0.sh.”
   • Next, Go to System > Appearance. Then select one of the two themes: Mac4Lin_aqua or Mac4Lin_graphite.
   • In the appearance window, click on the “fonts” tab and change your fonts:
     • Application Font: Lucida Grande Regular 9
     • Document Font: Lucida Grande Regular 9
     • Desktop Font: Lucida Grande Regular 9
     • Window Title Font: Lucia Grande Bold 10
     • Fixed Width Font: Bitstream Vera Sans Mono Roman 9
   • I assume that you are using Firefox, and when you use the default Firefox theme with Mac4Lin I think it looks like crap. So, in Firefox go to Tools > Add-Ons. Then search for a Mac OS X theme and install it.
   • There you go! Mac4Lin should be all configured!

   

3. Wine – Wine stands for Wine Is Not an Emulator. However, it does run windows (exe) Executable programs in Linux and Mac. I’ve found it quite useful at times. For instance, I liked using uTorrent as opposed to the default Transmission for my torrent downloader. uTorrent is not supported on Linux, so I simply ran uTorrent in Wine and it worked perfectly.To install Wine via the terminal type in

sudo apt-get install wine

4. Audacity – This is a very popular program that runs on Windows as well as Linux and, I believe, Mac as well. Audacity if a free audio editing program that is perfect for basic to intermediate audio editing. I use this program to edit songs down to ringtone lengths. But, one of my favorite features is the ability for it to remove lyrics from most songs. I used it on”The Other Way” by Weezer and it worked like a charm.sudo apt-get install audacity

Wondering what NASCAR fans thought made the sport fun to follow, I dove into some research. A lot of people suggested that it was the close finishes, and the fact that the cars drive so close together that makes it exciting. But what I have an isssue with, and many seem to disagree, is the fact that NASCAR will throw out fake cautions in order to let all of the cars regroup for a close finish. I don’t appreciate fabricated excitement in sports. So this begs the question, why is it so popular in the United States?

On the other hand, Formula 1 tends to catch my excitement for several reasons. First and foremost, is the fact that the cars are more like spaceships on the ground. They are some of the most technologically advance pieces of equipment on the planet.

Next, is that the tracks are not boring circles. The drives must have quicker reflexes and be ready to slow and brake depending on the angle of the turn.

Third, I appreciate the fact that they are willing to race in the rain. This makes the racing even more intense because even though the drivers use rain tires, the slippery track is still a danger for spinouts.

Finally, the strategy involved in F1 compared to NASCAR is exciting in iteself. One of the rules of Formula 1 is that the drivers must start the race with the amount of fuel that they end qualifying with. So, if the driver has a light fuel load to begin qualifying, in order to get a good starting position, then that driver will be forced to pit earlier. A lot of other F1 strategy comes in the actual building and running of the cars. As opposed to NASCAR, Formula 1 teams keep their designs extremely secret in order to make their cars preform better than the competeting teams. Such as the Ferrari team using carbox dioxide in their cars’ tires. In NASCAR, all of the cars are essentially the same.

At the root, I guess it’s merely an opinion question. Do you find excitement in close races even if they are, at times, fabricated? Or do you prefer technologically advanced cars and difficult tracks even though the races may, at times, end with a thirty second or more difference between first and second place?

So, for today’s science “blog-of-the-day” I am going to post a few pictures that I have found on the internet (all were acquired and can be located from NASA’s Hubble Telescope website http://hubble.nasa.gov/).

Also, for those of you who are interested in how some of Hubbles pictures are taken, and for what purpose, and if you only watch one video this year I highly suggest, recommend you watch this 4 minute clip. It talks about Hubble, and risks taken, and what all it has shown us.

For those of you who don’t feel like watching it, allow me to at least quote this one line, “There are over 100 billion galaxies in the universe. Simply saying that number doesn’t really mean much to us, because it doesn’t really provide any context. Our brains have no way to put that in any meaningful perspective. . .We pointed the most powerful telescope made by human beings at absolutely nothing, for no other reason than because we were curious; and discovered that we occupy a very tiny part in the heavens.”

This quote did really mean a lot, and when you think about the number 100,000,000,000; nothing we know of comes close to that number! One hundred billion, the richest man in the world is only worth half of that. There is 20x more galaxies then humans on this plant. And with this we are talking galaxies alone! each galaxy has billions, if not trillions of stars, planets, and unknown meaning. in a size no bigger then a grain of sand, there is are hundreds of millions of galaxies just behind it.

Just putting those numbers into perspective, may be impossible, but putting the actual size of each galaxy into perspective is just beyond the power of one mind. A picture or a graphic may show a lot of galaxies, most of which appear to be small, cool looking things, but in reality, they are trillions of miles long, hundreds of light years wide, and millions of light years away.

For those of us who do not know what a Mac is, allow me to explain. A Macintosh computer is an operating device that Apple has made/designed both the hardware  AND  software for. Apple claims that the hardware and software “are made for each other.” And thus, they will work better then any other computer on the market.

Honestly, even though Vista is flawed and Microsoft has stopped caring about Vista all together it seems (with the release of Windows 7 only a month or so away) Windows still has the title of the most popular OS. Even Apple and all their glory can’t do everything themselves, and they need the help of Microsoft’s programs, primarily Office and all the sub-categories that it contains.

But do not count Apple and Macs out yet. Lately with the introduction of the newer MacBook Pros, and the key hardware upgrades that make them superior to any other hardware manufacturer, OS X is slowly coming along. Apple is determined in their ways of making life simpler for consumers, and OS X (especially Leopard and Snow Leopard) has done a lot for that cause.

Many college kids, adults, and everyday consumers are turning to Apple’s Mac, and why? because lately it is doing everything the average consumer needs, and in a simple manner. The “dock” is simple and easy to use, and programs have features that are surpassing the complexity, but maintain the simple usability, of their PC counterparts. They also are just making everything easily accessed, easily set up, and easily used. The Mail application for example, is making organizing your e-mail and viewing attachments effortless, and how you can create easy-to-use mailboxes and instantly view attachments (without opening any other application).

Plus the maneuverability of almost every application that comes pre-inatalled on a Mac has the same interface as iTunes… why do I compare them to iTunes? iTunes is one of the most globally downloaded, viewed, and used application for any OS (excluding Linux). Setting up photo albums, movies, folders, play lists, e-mail dividers are now as easy as using  we all know and love…iTunes.

Microsoft better start stepping up their game, because Apple is coming from behind with a full head of steam. It appears as if anywhere you go Apple’s computers are there, from retail stores, internet cafes, schools, and libraries.

Granted, most people still choose PCs right now over Macs due to the cheaper cost, the craphole economy, and the individuality and versatility of Windows. But, be warned, Apple’s prices are getting more competitive, their software more versatile, their image more accepted, and the products in consumer’s homes.

Major CHDK features

* RAW – CHDK can record raw files, giving you access to every bit of data the sensor saw, without compression or processing. Raw files can be manipulated on the camera, or processed on your PC. CHDK also has experimental support for the open DNG raw standard.
* Override Camera parameters – Exposures from 64s to 1/60,000s with flash sync. Full manual or priority control over exposure, aperture, ISO and focus.
* Scripting – Control CHDK and camera features using ubasic and Lua scripts. Enables time lapse, motion detection, advanced bracketing, and much more. Many user-written scripts are available on the forum and wiki.
* Motion detection – Trigger exposure in response to motion, fast enough to catch lightning.
* Edge overlay – Detect the edges in a scene, and display them later. Ideal for timelapses, stop-motion, stereography and much more.
* Live Histogram – CHDK includes a customizable, live histogram display, like those typically found on more expensive cameras.
* Customizable OSD – Improved display of battery status, free space, camera parameters, and much more. Fully customizable with an on-screen editor.
* Filebrowser – Manage files without a PC.
* Games – Play Reversi, Sokoban, Mastermind or 4-in-a-Row on your camera.
* USB remote – Simple DIY remote allows you to control your camera remotely.
* User Menu – Edit your own customizable User-Menu for fast access to often used features.

Up for it? There is a guide on Lifehacker, and you can go to the CHDK site for more info as well.