The sci.electronics.design pledge

[Kevin Aylward]

Guy Macon wrote:

Mark Fergerson <nunya@biz.ness> says...
What kind of jewelry? Something
that looks good among gold and emeralds won't look good among
silver and turquoise.

Depends who she is. For example, Brittany Spears looks good amongst
anything.

Kevin Aylward
salesEXTRACT@anasoft.co.uk
http://www.anasoft.co.uk
SuperSpice, a very affordable Mixed-Mode
Windows Simulator with Schematic Capture,
Waveform Display, FFT's and Filter Design.

 

[Dirk Bruere at Neopax]

Rich Grise wrote:

On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 18:31:21 +0100, Dirk Bruere at Neopax wrote:


Spehro Pefhany wrote:


On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 10:18:20 -0700, the renowned Mark Fergerson
nunya@biz.ness> wrote:



BTW, know anything about photovoltaic cells, specifically
the ones in cheapie calculators? I'm trying to decide what
to use to hide them in a piece of "jewelry" that won't
excessively impair their light-converting ability.


Last I looked at them, the cheap PV cells were pretty wimpy. Maybe low
tens of uA under normal room lighting. And big.

What's this got to do with the US elections?
You are SEVERELY off topic!


Well, there's this, if you want to stir the honeypot:

http://www.livingcompassion.org/
Anybody going to the rally? ;-)

The most compassionate thing we could do for Africa is leave them alone to sort
out their own problems.

--
Dirk

The Consensus:-
The political party for the new millenium
http://www.theconsensus.org

 

[Rich Grise]

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 08:15:52 -0700, Mark Fergerson wrote:

Yup, but I don't need much power very often. I'm thinking
of a modification of the "Joule Thief":

http://www.emanator.demon.co.uk/bigclive/joule.htm

subbing one or more PVs for the battery, and charging a
supercap through a fast recovery diode (the JT runs at 50
kHz) instead of lighting an LED. I just don't want to use
any kind of battery since that'd mean taking the damn thing
apart every so often.

What in the world is this thing supposed to do? You certainly

aren't going to get enough amps out of a PV to run a switcher
and two incandescent bulbs! Or even an LED, probably.

In another post, you said a prop. It lights up? Then run
a wire down the actor's arm or whatever to a battery pack.

I've participated in stage productions - I know about these
things. ;-)

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Rich Grise]

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 10:22:34 +0000, Guy Macon wrote:

Frithiof Andreas Jensen says...

John Larkin" wrote...

really works, I might be able to work up some enthusiasm.
Ditto for cricket.

It's an ancient pagan ritual that will bring rain - that's
all you need to know.

I have discovered a reliable way to make it rain for two weeks.
Buy a new telescope.

Oh! So it's all _your_ fault!

Thanks a bunch, you telescopist you. ;-)

I heard that yesterday or so, there was such a big flash flood in one
of the ditches that it floated a train off the trestle.

I predict that the weather will get even crazier, and there will
be an upsurge in earthquakes and volcanoes and landslides and stuff.
I wanna see when that big chunk of Hawaii breaks off and plummets
3 miles to the ocean floor. I wonder how far inland the tsunami
will come?

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Dirk Bruere at Neopax]

Rich Grise wrote:

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 08:15:52 -0700, Mark Fergerson wrote:

Yup, but I don't need much power very often. I'm thinking
of a modification of the "Joule Thief":

http://www.emanator.demon.co.uk/bigclive/joule.htm

subbing one or more PVs for the battery, and charging a
supercap through a fast recovery diode (the JT runs at 50
kHz) instead of lighting an LED. I just don't want to use
any kind of battery since that'd mean taking the damn thing
apart every so often.


What in the world is this thing supposed to do? You certainly
aren't going to get enough amps out of a PV to run a switcher
and two incandescent bulbs! Or even an LED, probably.

In another post, you said a prop. It lights up? Then run
a wire down the actor's arm or whatever to a battery pack.

I've participated in stage productions - I know about these
things. ;-)

I went to a theatre once.
SFX are crap compared to CGI

--
Dirk

The Consensus:-
The political party for the new millenium
http://www.theconsensus.org

 

[Guy Macon]

Mark Fergerson <nunya@biz.ness> says...

A quarter amp or so for a second or so.

Generic "silver-colored" finger ring, about an inch and a
quarter square(ish). Not much surface detail, half-inch
green "gem" centered, with hidden cells to either side.

Unless you can run a wire to somewhere else to get power,
you are pretty much hosed. Whatever you cram into a ring
will run out of energy very quickly.

And I don't want to use batteries because I'd have to
disassemble the damn thing to change them.

I just don't want to use any kind of battery since that'd
mean taking the damn thing apart every so often.

If that's the only issue and batteries are otherwise
acceptable, use rechargable batteries and use a submini
phone jack/plug to hook up a recharger.

 

[Rich Grise]

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 19:25:47 -0400, Spehro Pefhany wrote:

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 19:15:49 +0100, the renowned Dirk Bruere at Neopax
Rich Grise wrote:
I've participated in stage productions - I know about these
things. ;-)

I went to a theatre once.
SFX are crap compared to CGI

The automation is nice in stage productions- it has to work just about
every time or they are in trouble. On a show like Phantom of the Opera
it's impressive. Fun pyrotechnics too.

I had a part once where I had to write some stuff on an easel in big
black letters with one of those giant magic markers. Watching me
obsess over that marker was an evening's entertainment in itself. ;-)

I went to a workshop on CGI at UCLA- it's amazing how much of the
effort is still low-level sweatshop type jobs. At the high end, some
of the graphics programming is still very difficult- things like
synthesizing believable images of fire and water. Some of the
leading-edge heavily CGI movies were _Pushing Tin_ and (IIRC) _What
Dreams May Come_.

I don't like fully-simulated CGI characters, because it seems like they
never sit still. Maybe the programmer just wants to continue to show
off his nice fluid movements or something. But even just standing
there, they're swaying back and forth, or undulating or something.
Kinda gives me the creeps.

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Rich Grise]

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 18:52:49 +0100, Dirk Bruere at Neopax wrote:

Interesting site.
Interesting pics of a guy being electrocuted in spectacular fashion.
Anyone know the voltage involved?
http://www.emanator.demon.co.uk/bigclive/sparky.htm

I've seen this sequence before, and according to whoever posted the copy I
saw, the guy was relatively intact. Superficial burns, or something, I
guess.

And it looks like about a 330,000V intermediate kind of feed, but I'm
sure someone more well-versed than I will correct this.

(the quickest way to get accurate information on USENET is to post
something obviously wrong. ;-) )

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 00:05:55 GMT, the renowned Rich Grise
<rich@example.net> wrote:

I don't like fully-simulated CGI characters, because it seems like they
never sit still. Maybe the programmer just wants to continue to show
off his nice fluid movements or something. But even just standing
there, they're swaying back and forth, or undulating or something.
Kinda gives me the creeps.

There was an episode of _The Simpsons_ where Homer is transported into
some kind of 3-D CGI world. He said something like "ooh, it feels like
it's costing a fortune just standing here".

A lot of this stuff is done with Alias Wavefront's Maya software.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com

 

[Terry Given]

Spehro Pefhany wrote:

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 19:15:49 +0100, the renowned Dirk Bruere at Neopax
dirk@neopax.com> wrote:


Rich Grise wrote:


On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 08:15:52 -0700, Mark Fergerson wrote:


Yup, but I don't need much power very often. I'm thinking
of a modification of the "Joule Thief":

http://www.emanator.demon.co.uk/bigclive/joule.htm

subbing one or more PVs for the battery, and charging a
supercap through a fast recovery diode (the JT runs at 50
kHz) instead of lighting an LED. I just don't want to use
any kind of battery since that'd mean taking the damn thing
apart every so often.


What in the world is this thing supposed to do? You certainly
aren't going to get enough amps out of a PV to run a switcher
and two incandescent bulbs! Or even an LED, probably.

In another post, you said a prop. It lights up? Then run
a wire down the actor's arm or whatever to a battery pack.

I've participated in stage productions - I know about these
things. ;-)

I went to a theatre once.
SFX are crap compared to CGI


The automation is nice in stage productions- it has to work just about
every time or they are in trouble. On a show like Phantom of the Opera
it's impressive. Fun pyrotechnics too.

I went to a workshop on CGI at UCLA- it's amazing how much of the
effort is still low-level sweatshop type jobs. At the high end, some
of the graphics programming is still very difficult- things like
synthesizing believable images of fire and water. Some of the
leading-edge heavily CGI movies were _Pushing Tin_ and (IIRC) _What
Dreams May Come_.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

Get with the times Spehro - LOTR (Lord of The Rings).

I just watched Troy on DVD yesterday, and was blown away by the battle
scenes - they were nowhere near as good as those done by peter jackson,
although the budget was a lot bigger. It seems for the best CGI
hollywood needs little 'ol NZ, a-la weta studios.

speaking of hollywood, did you guys see Keifer Sutherlands embarassing
little strip-tease in a pub in Wanganui? it appears he was rather
drunk.....and decided to join a "ladies nite" show being held at the pub.

Cheers
Terry

 

[Clarence]

"Terry Given" <my_name@ieee.org> wrote in message
news:EBYdd.912$_z2.46438@news.xtra.co.nz...

Spehro Pefhany wrote:

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 19:15:49 +0100, the renowned Dirk Bruere at Neopax
dirk@neopax.com> wrote:
snip


speaking of hollywood, did you guys see Keifer Sutherlands embarassing
little strip-tease in a pub in Wanganui? it appears he was rather
drunk.....and decided to join a "ladies nite" show being held at the pub.
Cheers
Terry

You mean "Kiefer William Frederick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland?"

He didn't, did he?

 

[Guy Macon]

Terry Given <my_name@ieee.org> says...

I hate to break it to you Rich, but we ALL sway when just "standing
there" - think control loops. standing upright basically consists of
almost but not quite falling over. Tequila does not help

Now Rich will be forced to do even MORE experiments to see whether
alcohol consumption helps him to stay upright...

 

[Chaos Master]

Quoting Rich Grise [rich@example.net], that posted to sci.electronics.design on
Wed, 20 Oct 2004 20:10:07 GMT under article
<pan.2004.10.20.20.16.06.465414@example.net>:

Brazil has elections? I thought all they had was the Amazon river and
Carnivale. Oh, and "Brazil Nuts." And some of the best porno, if you
like them swarthy and hairy. ;-)

We have. Not that it's any good, the president does NOTHING good, but..

--
Chaos MasterŽ, posting from Brazil.
"I know the difference between myself and my reflection. "
-- Evanescence, "Breathe No More"
http://marreka.no-ip.com | http://tinyurl.com/46vru | http://renan182.no-ip.org

 

[Terry Given]

Clarence wrote:

"Terry Given" <my_name@ieee.org> wrote in message
news:EBYdd.912$_z2.46438@news.xtra.co.nz...

Spehro Pefhany wrote:


On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 19:15:49 +0100, the renowned Dirk Bruere at Neopax
dirk@neopax.com> wrote:

snip

speaking of hollywood, did you guys see Keifer Sutherlands embarassing
little strip-tease in a pub in Wanganui? it appears he was rather
drunk.....and decided to join a "ladies nite" show being held at the pub.
Cheers
Terry



You mean "Kiefer William Frederick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland?"

He didn't, did he?

is that really his name? ye gods...

yeah, a videotape of it was on the news the next night. He was clearly
very, very pissed (antipodean slang for drunk), and managed (only just)
to stay upright while removing his shirt. then had a go at writhing
around on stage - his idea of sexy = writhing like youd just had a limb
amputated sans anaesthetic. All the local kiwi sheilas thought he was
all right. Everybody else thought he was a dickhead.

Alas, no such shenanigans for Tom Cruise during the filming of the last
samurai (at least none published)

Cheers
Terry

 

[Clarence]

"Terry Given" <my_name@ieee.org> wrote in message
news:bw%dd.961$_z2.48635@news.xtra.co.nz...

Clarence wrote:
"Terry Given" <my_name@ieee.org> wrote in message
news:EBYdd.912$_z2.46438@news.xtra.co.nz...

Spehro Pefhany wrote:
On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 19:15:49 +0100, the renowned Dirk Bruere at Neopax
dirk@neopax.com> wrote:
snip
speaking of Hollywood, did you guys see Keifer Sutherlands embarrassing
little strip-tease in a pub in Wanganui? it appears he was rather
drunk.....and decided to join a "ladies nite" show being held at the pub.
Cheers
Terry

You mean "Kiefer William Frederick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland?"

He didn't, did he?

is that really his name? ye gods...

Yep, sure is!

yeah, a videotape of it was on the news the next night. He was clearly
very, very pissed (antipodean slang for drunk), and managed (only just)
to stay upright while removing his shirt. then had a go at writhing
around on stage - his idea of sexy = writhing like you'd just had a limb
amputated sans anaesthetic. All the local kiwi sheilas thought he was
all right. Everybody else thought he was a dickhead.

Alas, no such shenanigans for Tom Cruise during the filming of the last
samurai (at least none published)

Cheers
Terry

How dumb can one man be?
At least the sheilas are more tolerant than they could have been... Saved him
even more embarrassment.

 

[Rich Grise]

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 02:26:14 +0000, Guy Macon wrote:

Terry Given <my_name@ieee.org> says...

I hate to break it to you Rich, but we ALL sway when just "standing
there" - think control loops. standing upright basically consists of
almost but not quite falling over. Tequila does not help

Now Rich will be forced to do even MORE experiments to see whether
alcohol consumption helps him to stay upright...

Oh, heavens no - it's been well-established that alcohol assists me
mostly in lying down - the challenge is to stay as conscikous as
possickable (I did that as a gag while proofing "conscious" and noting
the extraneous 'k') on the way down, and not missing out on any of
those neat loops and whurls . %-}

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Rich Grise]

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 00:16:09 -0200, Chaos Master wrote:

, that posted to sci.electronics.design on
Wed, 20 Oct 2004 20:10:07 GMT under article
pan.2004.10.20.20.16.06.465414@example.net>:

Brazil has elections? I thought all they had was the Amazon river and
Carnivale. Oh, and "Brazil Nuts." And some of the best porno, if you
like them swarthy and hairy. ;-)

We have. Not that it's any good, the president does NOTHING good, but..

Yabbut, when you know how to Party, the rest, pretty much, is conversation. ;-)

Is it true that you can see tits at Carnivale and you don't even need beads?

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Frithiof Andreas Jensen]

"Paul Burridge" <pb@notthisbit.osiris1.co.uk> wrote in message
news:2el8n0l6on236vquusm49ggr1529oce85f@4ax.com...

Sorry, John, but Kev and his acolytes had to go. The guy is completely
impervious to reason, totally blind to his own inability to string two
meaningful sentences together and rude and arrogant to boot! No loss
behind this monitor! YMMV, of course.

Hmm - Feel a Project coming up:

May Be one can hack Spambayes into service as an intelligent News Proxy,
recognising the kind of postings one likes and killing - the rest ;-)

 

[Dirk Bruere at Neopax]

Rich Grise wrote:

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 13:30:56 +1300, Terry Given wrote:


Rich Grise wrote:


I don't like fully-simulated CGI characters, because it seems like
they never sit still. Maybe the programmer just wants to continue to
show off his nice fluid movements or something. But even just standing
there, they're swaying back and forth, or undulating or something.
Kinda gives me the creeps.


I hate to break it to you Rich, but we ALL sway when just "standing
there" - think control loops. standing upright basically consists of
almost but not quite falling over. Tequila does not help


Yeah, I know that, and I'm sure that the state of the art of the
"be alive" algorithms are aiming at that paragon, but just to help
make my point: everybody's seen those human mannequin performers who
sit so close to motionless that they can fool you - the CGIs _never_
do that. And it's not like they're drunk, trying to keep their balance,

Yeah.
I really hate them, and mime artists.
They think they ought to get paid for not moving or acting like retards.

--
Dirk

The Consensus:-
The political party for the new millenium
http://www.theconsensus.org

 

[Guy Macon]

Rich Grise <rich@example.net> says...

Wasn't there some movie some years ago where Marcel Marceau was the only
one who spoke?

Mel Brooks' _Silent Movie_ IIRC.