I don't usually use Fandango...

...but when I do, it's for a chance to win a trip into space.

Details at http://www.space.com/27616-interstellar-movie-xcor-spaceflight-contest.html

It's a movie I'm definitely going to see anyway, so why not get a ticket – and a chance at a capital-T Ticket – through these guys?  Expect a review over the weekend.

Joe Strummer's London Calling Redux

Here's a follow-up to the original post on Joe Strummer's BBC World Service shortwave show.

Er, that was the original, here's a link to an interesting article on Joe's old show including links to much higher-quality sound files, now including all episodes!  Enjoy!

Return of the Fourth Ward Cleaver

Right here!

Welcome back, Ellis and crew.  We've missed you, glad you could make it back onto the web.

Nerd Sniping

The term popped up on xkcd:

The answer btw is 4/pi - 1/2.  You can get it either analytically or numerically.

Then this popped up on SMBC today:

Sometimes work feels like this.

Next question: replace each of the resistors in the xkcd problem with a 1pF capacitor and a 1uH inductor, wired in series.  What will be the resulting impedance, as a function of input frequency?

Spilled coffee on the shag carpet.

Man, that was some hot coffee.

Roar.

Here.

Tomorrow's payday, and I've already ripped through the two week's check paying bills this evening.  Meh, it's good to have the fiscal underbrush cleared out.

Then tomorrow I've got to find the local DMV to renew my driver's license.  Look online?  Hah, three different commercial sites point toward three different locations, one of which I know is closed.  Official state site information?  Double Hah: 404 Page Not Found.

I'll just start at the County tax office building (one of the on-line purported sites) and work it from there.

Roar.

----
postscript: After a mis-step of trying the County tax office I was re-directed to The Kiln, where... the whole thing took maybe 15 minutes, even counting sorting out a decades-old snag in record keeping.  The genuinely friendly and efficient clerk worked through the problem, kept a smile on her face, and even wished me a happy birthday when all was done.  Wow, are those "worse than the DMV" jokes out of date.  Plus, I'm good to go for the next eight years on this DL.  It was a small thing, but it was a good way to start the day.

A Shortwave News Broadcaster for the US

Goes on the air at 00:00 UTC 1 November – that's 7pm Halloween evening for us in the CDT zone.  Looks interesting!  Here's their web site, here's The SWLing Post's write-up about them.

I'm excited that there may soon be some content on the SW bands beyond good blues music, religious screamers, Cuban propaganda, and the like.  On the other hand... I hope it's not some thinly-veiled version of the just-mentioned fare.  The overall track record for commercial SW has been pretty dismal to date.  Let's see if somebody can make it work this time.

In the meantime, I'll say that this looks to be a serious effort, and will definitely be listening in on their inaugural broadcast.