Thursday, May 26, 2005
Voyager I, Sol's ambassador
NASA reports that Voyager 1, launched on 5 September 1977, is leaving our solar system and has finally entered the heliosheath, the area where solar winds mix with interstellar winds. This makes the intrepid spacecraft the first known artificial object to leave the sun's influence.
It is currently 8.7 billion miles (13 light-hours) from the sun. Voyager 2 is also on the way out and it about 6.5 billion miles from the sun.
Remember 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture, featuring the incredibly knowledgeable and slightly dangerous V'ger? It's good to know that life continues to imitate art imitating life.
It is currently 8.7 billion miles (13 light-hours) from the sun. Voyager 2 is also on the way out and it about 6.5 billion miles from the sun.
Remember 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture, featuring the incredibly knowledgeable and slightly dangerous V'ger? It's good to know that life continues to imitate art imitating life.
Monday, May 23, 2005
The quest for a go set
After being challenged to a game of go on www.itsyourturn.com by LordFoom I decided to procure my own go set. This is not as easy as one might imagine due to the game's lack of popularity in South Africa.
First I looked online, but there was not a lot of information. The best advice came from the excellent Sensei's Library, which advised that there were two places that sell go sets in Africa, both in Rivonia.
Then I thought I'd try my luck in the Chinese section of Joburg city. I found a shop and enquired from a shopkeeper that was sitting outside, taking a smoke break. He barely knew of the existence of the game and assured me there was no go sets in town and that I should look in Eastgate or Sandton.
I had to leave it for the next day. After coffee with some selfstyled go critics in Cresta I went to Rivonia. I bought a fold-up go set from a gift shop called Wat Knot. The shopkeeper pointed me in the direction of the Korean market. I wanted to compare prices. The set I found there was three times cheaper and a lot more user-friendly.
So I ended up with two sets, one of which will be transported down to LordFoom as a gift for introducing me to this ancient and brilliant game.
First I looked online, but there was not a lot of information. The best advice came from the excellent Sensei's Library, which advised that there were two places that sell go sets in Africa, both in Rivonia.
Then I thought I'd try my luck in the Chinese section of Joburg city. I found a shop and enquired from a shopkeeper that was sitting outside, taking a smoke break. He barely knew of the existence of the game and assured me there was no go sets in town and that I should look in Eastgate or Sandton.
I had to leave it for the next day. After coffee with some selfstyled go critics in Cresta I went to Rivonia. I bought a fold-up go set from a gift shop called Wat Knot. The shopkeeper pointed me in the direction of the Korean market. I wanted to compare prices. The set I found there was three times cheaper and a lot more user-friendly.
So I ended up with two sets, one of which will be transported down to LordFoom as a gift for introducing me to this ancient and brilliant game.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Closed book on chess openings
Fischer Random Chess is a chess variant that aims to remove all current chess opening theory, thereby giving regular people a chance against strong, experienced players.
The idea is that all non-pawn pieces are placed randomly behind the lines of pawns. The pieces' randomness can be determined by any means, such as dice or a computer program.
There are a few other rules, such as the king has to be somewhere between the two rooks, and the bishops still have to be on opposite colours. Castling has the same rules as normal chess and the king and rook should always end up on the same postitions as they would after castling in normal chess. After one colour's pieces' positions have been determined the other colour mirrors those positions and the game commences.
ChessBase reports that Fischer Random Chess, or Chess960 (named for the 960 possible starting positions), will be featured in a global programming competition in August 2005 in Mainz to see who can create the strongest computer player.
Anyone for a game?
The idea is that all non-pawn pieces are placed randomly behind the lines of pawns. The pieces' randomness can be determined by any means, such as dice or a computer program.
There are a few other rules, such as the king has to be somewhere between the two rooks, and the bishops still have to be on opposite colours. Castling has the same rules as normal chess and the king and rook should always end up on the same postitions as they would after castling in normal chess. After one colour's pieces' positions have been determined the other colour mirrors those positions and the game commences.
ChessBase reports that Fischer Random Chess, or Chess960 (named for the 960 possible starting positions), will be featured in a global programming competition in August 2005 in Mainz to see who can create the strongest computer player.
Anyone for a game?
Monday, May 09, 2005
End speciesism now!
If humans are to partake in affirmative action, to correct the wrongs of the past, to give every person an equal opportunity, then surely we should also allow animals into this world? Apart from horseraces, cockfighting and a few select activities, animals have been excluded from most of our endeavours for too long.
The time has come for humans to appreciate and acknowledge the actions, adventures and often sheer brilliance of our fellow living creatures. Who can forget Laika, the first earthling in space, or the brave Jock of the Bushveld? Paul Gallico fictionalised a boxing kangaroo in Matilda, but when will a kangaroo get a real chance at a boxing title?
How can a human boxer claim to be the champion of the world when there are thousands of gorillas with big fists, aggressive attitudes and possibly nimble sidesteps? Gene Tunney, a former heavyweight champion of the world, wrote an article about how any animal can be knocked out by a hard punch by a professional boxer. But that remains to be seen. Go gorilla!
I hear someone protesting about animal rights, but what about the right to fight? Surely if humans can get themselves pummelled for glory an animal should have the same right?
Humans are lucky. We're the first (really) intelligent species on this planet. But that doesn't mean we're the last. We have an obligation to assist and teach other animals so they can reach their full potential. The biggest advantage we have over other primates is our ability to talk. I would not like to suggest any genetic alterations of any animals at this point, but I would like to point out that there are some activities that do not require any linguistic functions. There seems to be some chimpanzees that can play chess. Let's give them a chance! Let them play competitively. Give them prizes and titles. Give them fame and glory. Encourage kids to be like them.
There must be several orang-utans that would be able to bowl a cricket ball faster than any human. Even elephants, using their multipurpose trunks, might have a say in the fastest delivery of all time. Let's see if it's true! Let's see if Sachin Tendulkar can stand a truer test.
Give animals a chance!
The time has come for humans to appreciate and acknowledge the actions, adventures and often sheer brilliance of our fellow living creatures. Who can forget Laika, the first earthling in space, or the brave Jock of the Bushveld? Paul Gallico fictionalised a boxing kangaroo in Matilda, but when will a kangaroo get a real chance at a boxing title?
How can a human boxer claim to be the champion of the world when there are thousands of gorillas with big fists, aggressive attitudes and possibly nimble sidesteps? Gene Tunney, a former heavyweight champion of the world, wrote an article about how any animal can be knocked out by a hard punch by a professional boxer. But that remains to be seen. Go gorilla!
I hear someone protesting about animal rights, but what about the right to fight? Surely if humans can get themselves pummelled for glory an animal should have the same right?
Humans are lucky. We're the first (really) intelligent species on this planet. But that doesn't mean we're the last. We have an obligation to assist and teach other animals so they can reach their full potential. The biggest advantage we have over other primates is our ability to talk. I would not like to suggest any genetic alterations of any animals at this point, but I would like to point out that there are some activities that do not require any linguistic functions. There seems to be some chimpanzees that can play chess. Let's give them a chance! Let them play competitively. Give them prizes and titles. Give them fame and glory. Encourage kids to be like them.
There must be several orang-utans that would be able to bowl a cricket ball faster than any human. Even elephants, using their multipurpose trunks, might have a say in the fastest delivery of all time. Let's see if it's true! Let's see if Sachin Tendulkar can stand a truer test.
Give animals a chance!
