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SemTech Study: Workshop dates
September 05, 2008
I have just sent an email out to the emerge-projects mailing list asking for the project managers (leaders, directors, dogsbodies,...) of each project to pick dates on which I can hold a workshop at their location to look at the potential use and impact of semantic technologies on that project: this is part of the Emerging Issues Semantic Technologies ...
17 Christmas Gift Ideas for Geeky Kids
Don't know what to get the kids in your life for Christmas this year? Well it turns out that little people get the biggest thrill out of getting geeky gifts - particularly gifts you do stuff with. So, if you're stuck on what to get your niece, nephew, friend, or even your own little person, take a look at our gift suggestions below.
We have organized them from the least to the most expensive, and give you 17 gift ideas for tweens and teens.
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This kit lets kids investigate the science of fizz by creating their own bath bombs, haunted balloons, and volcanoes using simple ingredients like glycerine, cornstarch, and food coloring.
Recommended Age: 10+
Price Tag: $14.95
2. The Brew Your Own Root Beer Kit
This easy to use kit lets kids brew up 4 gallons of old fashion root beer naturally carbonated with real yeast.
Recommended Age: 8+
Price Tag: $17.95
From sour lollipops to sour gummies, to straight up sour liquids and powders, kids will love every minute of creating their own candy. The activity guide has recipes as well as candy, science, and candy-science facts.
Recommended age: 8+
Price Tag: $19.99
For the future cryptographer, this code making/breaking card game asks kids to decipher code words used by opponents on the back of cards. Eighteen sets of matching cards are spread face down and flipped over two at a time. One is revealed to all players, the other is kept private, marked for future reference by the player. Opponents need to break codes and swipe matched pairs.
Recommended Age: 7+
Price Tag: $19.95
RockStar is a hub for connecting up to five sets of headphones to the same MP3 player, making it possible for kids share a music player without having to share earphones.
Price Tag: $20
6. Fly Stick Van de Graaff Levitation Wand
This battery powered wand features a mini Van de Graaff generator that lets kids create the illusion of levitation. By pushing a button on the handle, the static charge built up in the wand causes the 3D mylar shapes to move around.
Note: You have to check out the video below to fully appreciate this toy [Dur: 1 minute 28 seconds]
Price Tag: $26.99
7. Darth Vader Mugshot T-shirt
Sizes: S - 2XL
Price Tag: $29.95
A fully automatic stapler with transparent casing that reveals the secrets behind stapler technology.
Price Tag: $32.00
9. R/C Animated Solar System Mobile
Kids that dream of turning to astronomy when they get older can start now by exploring the wonders of the solar system in their own room. This animated solar system mobile shows the planets in orbit around the sun. A CD and light pointer is included to help guide them around the solar system.
Recommended Age: 7+
Price Tag: $39.99
10. WowWee's FlyTech Bladestar
The Bladestar is an indoor flying machine that includes a navigation sensor to help keep it from slamming into walls and ceilings. Multiple Bladestars can engage in living-room aerial battles.
Price tag: $40
Recommended Age: 8+
11. Guitar Hero and Rock Band Guitars by Aly and AJ
For kids who love Guitar Hero or Rock Band, these guitars are the ultimate fashion accessory. Designed by the teen pop stars Aly and AJ, these guitars work on the Wii and the PS2.
Price: $49.99
For future rock stars, instead of cycling with earphones, keep kids safe with this water-resistant iPod speaker that clamps directly to their bike frame. A handlebar mounted remote control keeps things safe too.
Price: $50
13. The Roll Up Drum Kit
For budding musicians, this roll up drum kit has six sensor pads that plug into the USB port of PCs running Windows XP or Vista. Software is included letting kids choose from six different drum kits, 48 rhythm patterns, eight special drum effects, and eight bass drum loops. Each pad may be programmed with different effects. Kids can record and play their own riffs.
Price Tag: $59.95
14. Customizable Remote Controlled Robot
This customizable, remote-controlled robot kit has 105 interchangeable parts that enable kids to build limitless motorized robots with flashing lights, mechanical claws, and a rolling base. A color-coded, step-by-step manual is included for building four robots, or kids can just make up their own.
Recommended Age: 5+
Price Tag: $59.95
15. Perfume Science Experiment Kit
The Perfume Science Experiment Kit teaches kids how the nose works with their brain to recognize smells. Perfume oils, decorative flacons and other important tools of the trade are included with a full-color manual to help kids design and discover how perfumes are composed.
Recommended Age: 10+
Price Tag: $59.95
16. Electronics Workshop for Beginners
A unique introduction to electronics for kids who follow the story of Robert M-3, a young robot in the year 2069, who is beginning his education in electronics with an apprenticeship to Sirius Armstrong, the chief electrical engineer on an enormous space station orbiting Earth. As kids read about Robert's lessons in electronics, they will conduct experiments alongside him using the Electronics Workshop console.
Recommended Age: 10+
Price Tag: $110
For the filmmaker of the future, the Flip Ultra is considered the world's easiest camcorder to use.
Price Tag: $149.99
We hope this list gives you some inspiration in this busy time.
If you know of any other great gift ideas for kids, please share them with us.
Many thanks to the wonderful folks that inspired this post:
Geeks are sexy
Geek Sugar
Scientific American
Swiss Miss
Think Geek
Cartoon: Puppy Cam!
Forget the implosion of the housing market. Never mind whether the Big Three automakers have been dragging their heels on fuel efficiency and innovation. Set aside financial deregulation and a culture of greed. I now know the real reason for the economic collapse:
It's those damn puppies.
Reports were flooding in this week over Twitter, about workplace after workplace where people couldn't get a thing done because they were entranced by the antics of those little furballs. Productivity must have gone through the floor since that Ustream channel went live.
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It's about time someone took action. I hereby call on every RWW reader to rise up and demand an end to thi-...
Oh, look – they're sleeping! It's so cute!
DoD Protects U.S. but Who Protects the DoD?
A rapidly spreading network worm, known as Agent BTZ, has prompted the U.S. army to put the use of USB drives and all removable data storage devices on hold temporarily, according to Wired's Noah Shachtman.
Given the worm is based on SillyFDC, which has been around for several years and has a low risk factor, the question has to be asked: is this over-kill by the Defense Department?
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According to the report, Agent BTZ spreads by copying itself to USB drives and the like, so that when the drive is inserted into another computer, the worm replicates in a never ending cycle - every time a new drive is detected.
USB drives, as well as all removable storage devices, can run a program automatically on your machine based on the computer's configuration.
While Autorun is featured in Windows OS as a convenience, you do have the option of disabling it, particularly as an unfortunate side effect can be the loading and executing of programs on your PC without your knowledge.
Autorun and AutoPlay
There seems to be a little confusion about the differences between AutoPlay and Autorun so we've defined them here:
AutoPlay
AutoPlay is a Windows feature that lets you choose which program to use to start different kinds of media. You can change AutoPlay settings for each media type.
Autorun
Autorun is a technology used to start any program automatically when you insert various media into your computer. While different from AutoPlay, the result is typically the same: when inserted, a specific program on the external device runs automatically.
While you cannot modify the Autorun.inf file on the external device you plug into your machine, you can stop it from executing on your computer by modifying your registry.
To modify the registry setting, Microsoft has set up a page to help you determine which updates you will need, and then offers step by step instructions on how to disable Autorun. You can find it here.
Even though disabling of Autorun seems a relatively painless process, clearly it isn't enough to soothe the Defense Department or security experts.
Shachtman, in his Wired article asked Ryan Olson, director of rapid response for iDefense whether banning external devices was "a bit of over-kill," and received the answer "I don't know." Although, Olson did offer: "The USB ban should be effective in stopping the worm."
Perhaps the Defense Department should have taken its lead from what has been drummed into home computer users over the years; that is, use anti-virus software and keep your definitions up to date.
What do you think?
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