Eppu – Page 27 – Co-Geeking

Quotes: You Shall Not Follow a Majority in Wrongdoing

June 8, 2020June 8, 2020Eppu

As most of you probably know, there are currently multiple protests against racism and police brutality after the killing of George Floyd in the U.S. that have spread worldwide.

I have so many things to say, but I’ll spare your eyeballs because there would be a FUCKING INCONCEIVABLE ABUNDANCE OF EXPLETIVES. But if there’s a pared-down version I want to say to my fellow white folks, especially if you’re a Christian, it’s this:

“You shall not follow a majority in wrongdoing; […] you shall not side with the majority so as to pervert justice.”

– Exodus 23:2, after The New Revised Standard Version of The Bible

I was brought up Christian and my grandfather was a policeman, and I cannot fucking fathom how many white people are apparently fucking fine with police essentially executing BIPOC or attacking peaceful demonstrators without any consequences.

If you believe you are a Christian, especially a white one, especially one working as a police officer, there’s only one side in all of this that you can possibly take.

For example, if you think it’s acceptable to

…throttle a man to death on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill,
…force your way into someone’s home and indiscriminately start shooting,
…knock an old man down without provocation or walk by while he lies on the ground unconscious and bleeding,
…lob smoking paint canisters at someone just standing on the porch of their home,
…make a false 911 call to accuse a random bird watcher of threatening you,
…order someone out of their home and immediately shoot them dead,
…pepper spray someone straight into their face when they are standing with their hands up,
…raid the wrong house and shoot a child with a submachine gun,
…ram non-violent protestors with a van,
…shoot a pepper pellet at a non-violent person from a truck as you are already leaving,
…shoot and kill someone through their home window for playing video games,
…shoot at a noisy party, killing someone,
…target and attack journalists who are covering a demonstration,

then you are a part of the problem. No ifs or buts.

If you are a police officer and said yes to any of the above, you are, in actual fucking fact, a member of a violent cult and an oathbreaker, and belong in jail.

(No, rioting isn’t okay, but I do understand a little where all the anguish and rage is coming from.)

Comments are closed. This is not a subject that is even supposed to be under discussion.

Here there be opinions!

Squashed Between the Earth and Our Moon

June 3, 2020May 24, 2020Eppu

This video by Nick (who posts as yeti dynamics) has been out for over a year at this writing, but it’s still very impressive: what would it look like if, as impossible it was, all of the planets (plus Pluto) in our solar system were between the Earth and our moon?

What would it Look like with all the planets between the earth and the moon? by yeti dynamics on YouTube

Wow. Great job, Nick!

Found via File 770.

Hey, look! We found a thing on the internet! We thought it was cool, and wanted to share it with you.

Video Mashup Tribute: Danger Zone with X-Wings

May 27, 2020May 17, 2020Eppu

Anybody else who grew up in the 1980s and remembers the song “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins? Here’s a treat: Jackson McKay mashed it up with X-wing clips from Star Wars movies for a really thrilling video.

Danger Zone: X-Wing Tribute (Ep IV-IX & Rogue One) by Jackson McKay on YouTube

What a blast! 😀

Found via Tor.com.

Hey, look! We found a thing on the internet! We thought it was cool, and wanted to share it with you.

Quotes: Reading Books for Free Didn’t Kill the Publishing Business

May 13, 2020May 10, 2020Eppu

By this writing, after the government relaxed some of the covid-19 restrictions / recommendations, some of my native country Finland’s libraries have already opened, and others are preparing to open.

“I love a library. The idea of reading books for free didn’t kill the publishing business; on the contrary, it created nations of literate and passionate readers. Shared interests and the impulse to create.”

– David Byrne, musician and author

Judging by my family, friends, and social media bubble, the openings are very welcome, even though at this stage you can’t really spend time in a library yet (they’re only open for picking up materials, not for lounging or programming). Visiting the library is also at the top of my list of things to do after the Stay at Home Advisory is no more!

Stories are such a huge part of our lives, and we like to talk about them regardless of the shape they’re in. What remains to be seen is how moving increasingly towards digital media will affect physical libraries.

Quote attributed to David Byrne at The Guardian, July 17, 2015; found via American Libraries November / December 2015, p. 28.

Image by Eppu Jensen

Serving exactly what it sounds like, the Quotes feature excerpts other people’s thoughts.

Gandalf’s Staff-Top as Table Lamp

May 6, 2020May 3, 2020Eppu

This shall most definitely pass!

Marco at 3dartem on Etsy makes and sells 3d-printed table lamps featuring the top of Gandalf’s staff from Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies.

If the power supply weren’t 220 V type L, I’d seriously consider buying one. It’s absolutely gorgeous!

(We have no connection, financial or otherwise, with Marco.)

Image by Marco at 3dartem on Etsy

In Making Stuff occasional feature, we share fun arts and crafts done by us and our fellow geeks and nerds.

Death Star Lamp Tutorials for Star Wars Day

May 4, 2020May 3, 2020Eppu

Happy Star Wars Day!

Have you heard of Ikea hackers? It’s a site for sharing projects modifying the DIY furniture store’s products. The hack below is both clever and timely: exploding Death Star ceiling lamp.

(Note: The Ikea hackers post I’m linking to has a few different options; I like Maria Krüger’s best, so the pictures are from her project.)

The hack starts with the PS 2014 lamp with copper insides. First it is spray-painted grey before details are applied. Maria Krüger masked in some stripes and used darker grey to paint most of the outer pattern.

Here’s a closeup of her Death Star:

And the finished lamp:

She’s also posted a short video of the lamp Death Star “exploding”:

Star Wars Death Star Lamp – IKEA PS 2014 Modification – Todesstern Lampe by Maria Krüger on YouTube

Isn’t it handsome? I’m not sure I’d have the patience. Or maybe I should say that I don’t care for the Death Star enough to go through the trouble and mess with paint. Now, if you have a fabric project, we might talk…! 🙂

Images by Maria Krüger via Ikea hackers

In Making Stuff occasional feature, we share fun arts and crafts done by us and our fellow geeks and nerds.

WoW Warrior Transmog Loosely Inspired by Ancient Greece

April 29, 2020October 15, 2022Eppu

Hanging around World of Warcraft and taking advantage of the Winds of Wisdom buff inevitably leads to new transmogs. Here’s my new female gnome arms warrior mog:

I was idly flipping through the various leg slot possibilities when I noticed that one of the plate legguards has this short skirt-like fold at the top. I was able to find a color-matched chestpiece to go with it, and noticed they vaguely reminded me of ancient Mediterranean garb. I then turned off the head, shoulder, cloak, wrist, glove, waist, and boot slots; in the end, the only pieces I mogged were chest, shirt, legs, and the weapon.

Awesome roar, right?!? LOL!

If interested, you can have a look at the set in Wowhead’s Dressing Room.

Image: World of Warcraft screencaps

Of Dice and Dragons is an occasional feature about games and gaming.

Happy Belated Birthday, Hubble!

April 28, 2020April 26, 2020Eppu

Oh my goodness, the Hubble telescope has turned 30 years!

More specifically, it’s been operating, up there in Earth orbit, for 30 years. It was projected to be in service only about 10 years when it launched on April 24, 1990, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Impressive.

New Find: Neanderthals Worked with Fibers to Make Yarn or Cord

April 22, 2020April 12, 2020Eppu4 Comments

The world’s oldest yarn or cord has been found. The fragment was discovered at the prehistoric cave site Abri du Maras in the south of France.

The 3-ply cord fragment was made from fibers by twisting, likely of inner conifer bark, and found on a stone tool. A number of artefacts at the same site also have plant / wood fibers adhering to their surfaces, but the remains are not extensive enough to classify as cords.

The researchers estimate the meaning of the find thus:

“While it is clear that the cord from Abri du Maras demonstrates Neanderthals’ ability to manufacture cordage, it hints at a much larger fibre technology. Once the production of a twisted, plied cord has been accomplished it is possible to manufacture bags, mats, nets, fabric, baskets, structures, snares, and even watercraft. […]

“Ropes and baskets are central to a large number of human activities. They facilitate the transport and storage of foodstuffs, aid in the design of complex tools (hafts, fishing, navigation) or objects (art, decoration). The technological and artistic applications of twisted fibre technologies are vast. Once adopted, fibre technology would have been indispensable and would have been a part of everyday life.”

Fascinating! Like the research team says, fiber making allows for an incredibly large variety of material culture, from utilitarian objects to clothing to decorative motifs. As a bit of a fiber nerd, it’s tantalizing to think that people were making yarn already 40,000 years ago.

Found via CNN. Read more in Scientific Reports.

Image: Hardy, B.L., Moncel, M., Kerfant, C. et al. in “Direct evidence of Neanderthal fibre technology and its cognitive and behavioral implications” via Scientific Reports