18 Sept 2007
Scratch, a cool programming language for kids (ahum and me)
I came across Scratch last week. This programming language is developed by MIT and is made along the same lines as Lego bulding blocks. You build a program in the friendly user interface by dragging and locking various graphical instruction blocks together. As it turns out you can do quite a lot with Scratch.
They even have a Scratch project web-site where budding programmers can upload their creations. There is a whole heap of rubbish but also some amazing pieces of work.
Pitty that the scratch team decided to use a java rendering engine. The engine is buggy, leaks memory and does not translate well from their pretty cool development environment. I just wish they had used flash as an engine to run their programs on.
Have a look here if you like to see what I have been up to with scratch. Especially the Ship Simulator is cool.
09 May 2007
The great global warming swindle
I finally got around to watch "The great global warming swindle" which can be viewed on google video. Liberation at last. I am not alone. For years I have been saying that man made global warming is rubbish. Just gut feel nothing scientific. With common sense it just didn't add up. Over the years I had received increasing intolerance to my opinions and have been accused of being an environmental terrorist. Truth is, I care about the environment and I do believe pollution is a problem that needs sorting out which I believe we are doing. But...
Climate change has absolutely nothing to do with us. So then came along All Gore's "Inconvenient truth". Soon after, I got cornered at a party my some people that I respect and intellectually think highly off. "So what do you have to say now eh" was the opening and the standard discussion would follow. I really started to believe that maybe I was wrong. After all can so many people be all wrong?
Then again this week. On the radio a fun and superficial science program on the radio where the regular guest admitted to have changed his opinion 180 degrees after watching "The great global warming swindle" . I thought it was time to watch this program and sat for the entire program with my mouth wide open in recognition of the facts presented.
I know, there isn't much point to say "See I told you" but it is a relief to see a less emotional and more scientific program talking about facts. I suppose I'd believe programs that agree with me easier than those that oppose my opinion but please watch the video and make up your own mind. For me, my mind is more at ease now. I can now openly laugh you in the face if you suggest I should plant another tree in order for me to do my bit against global warming.