Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch Video

The launch of a space shuttle is a powerful thing.  So many pounds of thrust, there just is not enough emphasis to our words to describe it.

Supreme is one word that comes to mind.

That supreme goal.  Reaching into the unknown.  Exploring, understanding, learning.

The supreme thrill.  Going where only a handful of people have been able to go.  Where all our science fiction dreams are set.

The shuttle Atlantis launched this week.  CNN has a beautiful video of it.  No matter who you are, I think there is at least some part of this experience that thrills or enchants you.  Either you would love to ride this thing or just to go to space or you might just sit and think at the size of humanity in the universe.

The Point Blank Critic

New Button!

So, if you notice the new button after my signature in every post, it can be a very useful tool. I got the code for it from Add This. It can help you bookmark my site in various readers, and also submit it to your favorite news community site. It even has a fancy pop-up menu to make it easier! Enjoy!

The Point Blank Critic

Free Drink Friday #4: Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale

Last night, I was at the local Ingles grocery store looking for a last minute substitution for this week and an interesting beer caught my eye. It was called Bigfoot. It was from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and part of their Limited Selections category of beer. I had seen many Sierra Nevada beers in the store before, but this is my first experience with them.

Bigfoot is a barleywine. I know the name says barleywine style ale, but that is just legal stuff. You see, the name barleywine originated because of the higher alcohol content which is more similar to wine than to normal beers. But, in the US our FDA wants everone to know that this isn't a real wine, since it is made from grains and not fruit. Thus, we have to sell barleywines with a silly name that uses the word ale. So, if you have been looking for barleywines in the US and were disappointed that you couldn't find authentic ones then I have good news. These are true barleywines. These are the beers you are looking for.

When first opening Bigfoot, it smelled a lot like a lager. Not a very strong one at that. My first teaser sip corrected that. I was hit by a strong bitter hops that I didn't expect. And somewhere in the center of that flavor was a sweetness I wanted to find again. But first, I needed to see it in a glass.

The color is a sort of cloudy red-brown. It isn't exactly a color my eye finds appetizing, but it is the appropriate color for a barleywine that isn't dark like a stout.

Overall the bitter bite this beer comes with was strong for me and my beer started to warm before I could finish it. Which is a shame. That sweetness that was so pleasing in the finish is directly related to the cold. This beer is great as long as you finish it before it warms up.

Ultimately, my personal tastes are for something a little less bitter, but I did enjoy this beer. I'll carry 3 of them in my 6 pack. But, with an alcohol content so high, its almost the same as having 6 of them.

The Point Blank Critic

Update on Pirates Online

I have not played much more Pirates of the Caribbean Online in the last week.  This is because Disney tech support has still not gotten back to me on my technical problem.

However, from the amount of traffic I see on search engines searching for problems with graphics in PotCO on a Mac with a PowerPC processor, I can tell this is far from an isolated incident.  Those of you that don't find the support you are looking for here, I'm sorry.  I'm looking too.

This game had a lot of potential to be very fun, but there just isn't the support and functionality I expect for a product that has been released.

The Point Blank Critic

Undersea Internet Lines

It's scary to think of how dependent we are as a society on the technology we use every day.  People are truly afraid that without vital parts of our information systems that we would fall apart.  From the Y2K scare 8 years ago to the plot of Live Free or Die Hard, society seems to have an underlying fear of losing technology.

Well, if that is scary then it should be terrifying that 5 important undersea internet lines have been damaged since January 23rd.  Within a 2 week period, 5 of these lines were damaged in ways that affect approximately 1.7 million internet users.

According to the article I read, these type of lines handle 90% of traffic while satellites carry only about 10%.  This is just something to think about.  I wouldn't start the riots just yet.

The Point Blank Critic

Astrophysics and Dark Matter

I love when scientists are baffled...and, not just because baffled is a fun word to say.

So, astrophysics is a kind of complicated thing.  Concepts that we don't fully understand, such as gravity, come into play.  And, on a massive scale.  We know a lot about gravity and how it should normally act, even if we don't understand why it happens.

Well, by observing how large bodies orbit other large things in space, scientists noticed that some things did not act the way they should.  They basically saw that planets further from the center orbited faster than would make sense for the size of the objects and the distance between them.  In some cases, the speeds involved should be enough for these planets to escape their orbit and float off into space.

It was like there is extra matter and unaccounted for gravity involved.  But, nothing could be seen.  This is the reasoning behind the theory of the existence of dark matter.  It's some sort of matter present in galaxies that cannot be detected.  It explains the discrepancies in the observed behavior of planetary bodies, and through these discrepancies the dark matter can be measured.

I've tried to make this simple so far.  I hope no one is lost.

So, scientists have studied and determined the amount of dark matter in a lot of galaxies.  But, now they found a monkey wrench.

It seems that the spiral galaxy NGC 4636 acts the way you would expect.  Further out from the center, the bodies slow down drastically in their orbit in a perfectly predictable way.

That's neat.  Here's why.

This means that it has little to no dark matter present in the galaxy.  What does that mean?  Well, it could be that one of the theories on the formation of a galaxy will come under question.  Scientists were working on theories that the dark matter present in galaxies had the gravitational force that originally attracted the gas to form stars and other bodies in the galaxy.

It may mean that the dark matter in a galaxy leaks away slowly and the other bodies slow down accordingly.

Also, this could mean that dark matter isn't real after all, and that the phenomenon is explained by a different theory, such as modified Newtonian dynamics.

What it really means is that astrophysicists have something new to argue about for at least another 5 years.  I really hope none of them lose too much sleep over this, but I know geeks.  They will.  It's what we do.

The Point Blank Critic

Music: Why you shouldn't care what they say at the Grammy Awards

So, the Grammy Awards. A statue of a phonograph. Recognition to your peers in the music industry. That no one cares about.

It is nice to be recognized by someone for what you have worked hard to accomplish. But, the Grammy Awards are a shame of an award system that is less reputable than selecting the homecoming court in high school.

And to exemplify this, check out this article I found today listing one reviewers opinion of the 7 worst Grammy Award upsets.

I don't know if their importance is determined by the excellence of the talent that should have won, or the massive amount of suck of the actual winner, or even the difference between the nominees; but I would have ranked Nirvana's upset higher. Especially after looking at that goofy picture of Clapton in the article. He looks like a history professor from an early 80's movie.

But, that's my opinion on these upsets. The article, however, will let you see just how ridiculous it is to give any credit to these awards.

The Point Blank Critic

More on Pandora

So, I have made a new Pandora account with my PBC email.  To see what I'm up to on Pandora, look up pointblankcritic@gmail.com or check out the new features I'm adding to my menu that can include my stations and artists or songs that I bookmark.

The Point Blank Critic

Music: Pandora Internet Radio

If you've ever tried finding a good internet radio station to listen to, you have most likely ended up dissappointed.  Even if you found one, chances are it didn't stick around for more than a few months.

Then again, maybe you're not as picky as I am.

I can be a real jerk of a critic when it comes to music and art.  I try to normally be fair and just present facts about the things I review, but I'm sure if I write a music review I will be tough on whatever band I choose.

However, for music snobs like me, there is Pandora.

What Pandora tries to do is use an algorithm they call the Music Genome Project to find music similar to something else.  You build custom radio stations based on an album, artist, or even a song that you choose.  It then plays something similar and you rate it.  As you like or dislike songs, they update the criteria used in the algorithm to find more songs.  So far, I haven't heard anything I didn't want to hear again.

Whatever genre you prefer, it will begin to build each radio station based on an artist you search.   So if you want an indie folk sound, type in the Decemberists, or if you want screaming girl metal, look up Kittie.  Anything you want is likely to be in their database as they try to be the most complete listing of music possible.  Otherwise, this Music Genome thing would be flawed.

And don't feel like you have to make a different station for ever genre you enjoy.  Once you have established a good base, you can use the option to add more types of music to your station.  If you want a good mix station, this is great.  And, if you prefer to keep your dance/techno to itself, it can have its own station too.

My favorite part, because it's so blunt and straight forward, is the option to say, "I'm sick of this song and don't play it for a month."

Give Pandora a shot for a source of good internet radio.  And if you like a song enough, use the links to forward you straight to that song in either iTunes or on Amazon to purchase it.

The Point Blank Critic

Tourist Traps: The Biltmore Estate

Well, after a quiet weekend here on the Point Blank Critic, I have returned from a day trip to visit the historic Biltmore Estate.

For those of you who have never heard of this 8000 acre estate containing America's largest home, it is a large family estate around Asheville, North Carolina. Originally opened, by it's first owner George Vanderbilt, in 1895 the house on this estate contains 250 rooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces just to point out the luxury for which this house was designed. The basement even has full recreational areas including gymnasium, indoor pool, and bowling alley.

The family house has been passed down through descendants exclusively and is now owned by George's great-grandson. Tours of the house are available, as well as more specialty guided tours. It really is a wonderful house and decorated with many antique art pieces.

Also on the estate are several other stops. The Deer Park Inn allows visitors to stay on the grounds during their excursion, although I did not stop by this location. Also, they boast a winery where they give people a chance to take a flavor of Biltmore home. While the winery is a new business and not a historic part of the estate, it is nevertheless a nice stop. They offer tastings at the end of the winery tour.

Also on your way out (the exit road is about 4 miles once you have passed the house which is another mile past where you probably parked your car) is a small barn that they call River Bend Barn. It is a cute little place with a couple of horses you can pet and some other barnyard animals. It is a far cry from the original stables, which was kept by the house. It has since been turned into a cafe and a set of gift shops.

If you want a glimpse of a simpler time, specifically from the extravagant point of view, you would be hard pressed to find a better place to stop than the Biltmore Estate.

The Point Blank Critic