Ever wonder how MapQuest gets their maps?

Well, apparently, they send out two techs in a car to drive around and record which way they go! No, really, I'm not making that up. Don't believe me? Then check out<a target="_blank" href="http://www.techtv.com/news/scitech/story/0,24195,3565148,00.html"&gt; this article on TechTV</a>. It's a brief interview with two of those techs based out of Chicago who do just that. Of course, they rely on GPS and a laptop to record the information, but they still have to get out there and actually drive it. Could be an interesting gig, if you like driving around all day. Anyway, it's an interesting article.

Okay, this rocks!

According to <a target="_blank" href="http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/440/440604p1.html">this article on IGN.com</a>, Farscape is making a comeback. There've been rumors, but now the production office "down under" has actually opened up again and work has started. Now, rumor has it that the new project is a mini-series, not a full-blown series, but still, it's something! I mean I really hated how the series just ended without resolving <i>anything</i>.
Another interesting tidbit is that this will be a project totally independant of the SciFi Channel, who broadcast the original series. That, of course, begs the question: Where will the series run? If it runs on the SciFi Channel, I hope they get gouged on the price. It would be poetic justice if they spent more on the mini-series than it would have cost to finish the last season. In any case, it'll be cool to see the show again.

Asian History for Sale!

According to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/0,8816,524492,00.html">this article on Time.com</a>, local villagers are raiding tombs and selling their ill-gotten gains to the highest bidder! They seem to feel that it's okay to trade their heritage for a few Western conveniences and toys. How sad, really. But, that's their culture, so who am I to judge?
In any case, it was an interesting article. It sparked some ideas for stories about modern tomb raiders and grave robbers. Possibly even some modern horror stories or ghost stories, or even just an adventure story or two. Might make some cool movies! I hear Thailand is pretty this time of year...

This is a variation on last week's script, but it's still petty cool.

Last week, I released <a href="http://www.fantasist.net/wordmaker.shtml">a script </a>that lets you specify your own phonology This week, I've added <a href="http://www.fantasist.net/wordmaker2.shtml">a variation</a> on that generator. This one not only lets you choose your own phonology, but it lets you automatically translate a short list of words into your new conlang! I've listed enough words for a short naming language, but you can change those for ones that you'd prefer. Whew! That's four conlang scripts in four weeks!! That's enough for a bit, I think. And, it should be enough to get you folks started on your own language, so, <a href="http://www.fantasist.net/wordmaker2.shtml">go have fun</a>!

Not real practical, but fun!

Hate those boring, old jewel cases? Always loosing your CD-ROM envelopes? Just looking for a way to carry CDs that's cheap, easy and sort of cool?
Then <a target="_blank" href="http://papercdcase.com/">the Paper CD Case</a> is for you!

It's pretty cool, actually. There's a form that lets you customize your CD case with song tracks and titles and such. There are folding instructions, but they're listed on a separate page, so you have to read all the instructions before you customize your CD case. Fun stuff for a Friday, though! Enjoy!

No, it's not aliens watching you.

In this case, it's a security company with satellites watching trucks with hazardous materials. According to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-03zn.html">this article on Space Daily</a>, Satellite Security Systems has developed a system for tracking trucks hauling hazardous-waste or petrochemical products and, if they become targets of terrorists, shutting them down. In fact, this system is so new that they just tested it this month! And, the test was successful, so I'm sure we can see this technology becoming a standard in those industries. Anyone care to speculate on the implecations of that?

Well, I suppose it <i>could</i> explain it...

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,60913,00.html?tw=wn_techhea… article on Wired News</a> tells of hidden pockets of methane deep beneath the ocean that are capable of swamping a ship. Apparently, if the conditions are just right, theoretically, a huge bubble of sub-oceanic methane can be released from the sea floor that is capable of causing such a surface disturbance that it can sink even large ships. The article doesn't come right out and say it, but it <i>could</i> be an explanation of the Bermuda Triangle and other such phenomena. Of course, it doesn't explain the planes....

This is a <i>totally</i> new script.

Last week, I released <a href="http://www.fantasist.net/wordgen2.shtml">a variation</a> on the first conlang generator on my site. This week, I'm turning loose <a href="http://www.fantasist.net/wordmaker.shtml">a script </a>that lets you specify your own phonology. That's both the word construction "patterns" and the actual phonological units that go into them. So now, you can make words that are based on your own ideas of phonological construction and not rely on existing languages. There'll be more next week, but in the mean time, <a href="http://www.fantasist.net/wordmaker.shtml">go have fun</a>!

No, really, it's the history of sewers.

Anyone who's ever talked to me about creating realistic worlds or fantasy settings knows that my pet peeve is a lack of sanitary facilities. No one ever seems to go to the "loo", as the British put it. Very rarely does anyone venture into the sewers after an alien or mutant. But, a lot of city design is driven by the need to dispose of "waste" in an efficient, and safe, manner. Castles could be attacked via an unprotected privy. Criminals can escape via the sewers. And, more importantly, bad sanitation can cause huge epidemics, not to mention effecting the "quality of life" for a city's citizens.
Don't believe me? Well, check out <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sewerhistory.org">The History of Sanitary Sewers</a>. It's all true. Every last goopy detail. Great site. A crap-load of information, if you're pardon the pun! Check it out!

Gear for the soldier of the future.

First, the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.army.mil/aps/97/ch5.htm">US Army Landwarrior program </a>is getting an upgrade to Linux. According to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/article.cfm?Id=1238">this article on National Defense Magazine</a>, they've decided that Linux is cheaper and more reliable than a Windoze solution. Cool. Open Source soldiers.

Second, <a target="_blank" href="http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,7664363%5E15841%5E%5Enb… article on Australian IT,</a> about a "power glove" meant to give emergency personnel information they can use to be better and more effective. It's small, light and modular. The system uses wireless communication to link all the parts together without useing wires! And, it has a helmet with a camera!!

Go, read, think, write about it.