In the 1980s and 1990s, the term ‘virtual reality’ was understood to mean the creation of reality inside the computer – and thus we would need to experience it using complex imaging and interaction systems (3D googles, cursors mapped to the movement of a glove etc.) The implication behind this was the reality itself wouldContinue reading “Virtual reality, then and now”
Category Archives: Ephemera and links
No, I don’t want my photo taken
Another excellent set of photos on The Big Picture today, focussing this time on animals in the zoo. As always with The Big Picture, there’s a real (if subtle) sense of a narrative running through the post, thanks to the ordering of the shots. I couldn’t help but be grabbed by this one of aContinue reading “No, I don’t want my photo taken”
2009 F1 rules summarised
If you’re looking for a quick, concise summary of the rules for the 2009 F1 season, look no further than here. Let’s hope they don’t change them again before the season starts.
Voodoo Economics: the credit crunch explained
Like many people I suspect, I’ve been wondering about the credit crunch. About what it is – other than a little lego block of language – about how real it is, how real all these stratospheric amounts of money being talked about. Wondering, I think, about what, in context of the CC, ‘money’ is. DigitsContinue reading “Voodoo Economics: the credit crunch explained”
Overview of the new F1 rules for 2009
Courtesy of Red Bull Racing, and narrated by Sebastian Vettel, here’s a handy CG animation of the main differences between 2008’s F1 cars and the 2009 models. [via James Allen.]
From the ‘what-were-they-thinking-department’: The Chair ‘O Bears!
Today I had to visit Harrods to buy some presents for relatives and friends I’ll soon be visiting overseas (don’t ask me why, but they all want Harrods tote bags); while there, I spotted this monstrosity – an oversized armchair made from minced up teddy bears. Children walking past it were both fascinated and shocked.Continue reading “From the ‘what-were-they-thinking-department’: The Chair ‘O Bears!”
What I’m Reading This Week: US Election 2008 blogs
A short post about what I’ve been reading this week. Hence the name. This week, blogs about the American election. I’ve always had an interest in politics, and this election has completely drawn me in. It has all the elements of fine drama – a hopeful protagonist and a shady nemesis, stunning reversals and HollywoodContinue reading “What I’m Reading This Week: US Election 2008 blogs”
Formula 1 2008 preview
It’s a bit late, because of course the season has started already, but I was going to predict Robert Kubica was going to be great this year, honest. First up when making any predictions, it’s important to inspire confidence in the quality of judgement, both by stating your qualifications and by pointing out how successfulContinue reading “Formula 1 2008 preview”
Domains of the strange, mad and sad
Mass games, Pyongyang. Photo: Lawrence Hudson. 1984 was one of the first novels I read that really grabbed me: I hit it at just the right age and at just the right time of year – a quiet teenager holding the book in a blowy spring that was full of bright cold days and peopleContinue reading “Domains of the strange, mad and sad”
An online notebook
As I mentioned a couple of days ago, I stopped link-blogging on this site – as I was using Delicious, everything I ever saved was getting posted here, which was both ugly and lazy. Delicious certainly had its plus points though; regular blogging is good, and using it made me think about the links IContinue reading “An online notebook”
