Programming in Tongues Joel Anderson

(click for podcast) By this time, it would be surprising to find anyone who hasn't heard of James Cameron's new blockbuster, Avatar. The most exciting thing about it - at least to me is the Na'vi language! The Na’vi language is the constructed language of the Na’vi, the sapient humanoid indigenous inhabitants of the fictional moon Pandora in the 2009 film Avatar. It was created by Paul Frommer, a professor at the Marshall School of Business with a doctorate in linguistics. Na’vi was designed to fit James Cameron's conception of what the language should sound like in the film, to be realistically learnable by the fictional human characters of the film, and to be pronounceable by the actors, but to not closely resemble any single human language. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Na%27vi_language Even better, there is a terrific community already discussing and providing resources to learn the language at http://www.learnnavi.org - check it out! They have the vocabulary, and linguistic background - even simple phrases: I've also created a simple lookup tool at http://navi.mrklingon.org In other news - I've rebuilt a number of my pages using Google pages: http://www.mrklingon.orghttp://klv.klingonword.orghttp://mndbible.klingonword.org In addition, you'll now find the complete Mando'a vocabulary available, as well as a Mando'a version of the Universal Translator Assistant!

(click for podcast) Building a spaceship, and exploring a new universe. http://www.delta7studios.com/ The new universe..... http://podiobooks.com/title/quarter-share http://podiobooks.com/ Bonus! Klingon software! http://www.twobrotherssoftware.com/tlhaq/ Music, "The Lucky Black Cat" by James Curran, from Archive.org http://www.archive.org/details/jamescurranluckyblackcat

(click for podcast) Wouldn't it be FUN to have a plastic pal - your very own robot - well you CAN! Of course... not all robots are fun... Here's Marvin, everyone's favorite paranoid android, with genuine people personality! http://www.boingboing.net/2007/10/19/boing-boing-tv-tanks.html https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/BEAM_robotics BEAM roboticsThe word "beam" in BEAM robotics is an acronym for Biology, Electronics, Aesthetics, and Mechanics. This is a term that refers to a style of robotics that primarily uses simple analog circuits, such as comparators, instead of a microprocessor in order to produce an unusually simple design (in comparison to traditional mobile robots) that trades flexibility for robustness and efficiency in performing the task for which it was designed. ... he basic BEAM principles focus on a stimulus-response based ability within a machine. The underlying mechanism was invented by Mark W. Tilden where the circuit (or a Nv net of Nv neurons) is used to simulate biological neuron behaviors. ... Other rules that are included (and to varying degrees applied): Use the lowest number possible of electronic elements ("keep it simple")Recycle and reuse technoscrapUse radiant energy (such as solar power) http://www.streettech.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1618 Boing Boing tv: Tanks-A-Lot / Mark's Vibrobot Posted by Xeni Jardin, October 19, 2007 10:21 AM | permalink http://www.boingboing.net/2007/01/15/howto-make-a-vibrobo.html http://boingboing.net/videos/vibrobot.mov PROMO: http://www.spacecasey.com/ Music: Title: I played my concertina Performer: Arthur Osmond.

(click for podcast) NEW! Try the Star Wars Phrasebook in Java! (https://swlanguages.mrklingon.org) (http://members.aol.com/jpklingon/uta/GALDict.html) http://www.panicstruckpro.com/revelations/ http://mashup.starwars.com http://origamiaerospace.blogspot.com/ http://origamiaerospace.blogspot.com/2007/10/flight-of-paper-x-wing.html Music Corellian Shipyards - From "Revelations" soundtrack http://www.chrisbouchard.co.uk/

(click for podcast) Reflecting on the popularity of "Empires" in Science Fiction stories. CoDominium (Niven and PournelleBarrayar (Lois McMaster Bujold)Manticore (David Weber) Do it yourself - build your own space empire with a Free "4X" (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate) game: FreeOrion - www.FreeOrion.org Music - from the Cylinder Preservation Project: The US Marine Band - Emperor's Manoeuvre

(click for podcast) How to hack your way into spacehttp://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/08/how-to-hack-you.html Way up there! You can also find the video at http://www.archive.org/details/OrigamiAerospace-TestFilm Play / Download (help) 64Kb MPEG4 (1.2 MB) 256Kb MPEG4 (2.9 MB) Windows Media (6.7 MB) Here's my first attempt at creating a film using Air Rockets. I used a snippet from NASA's Columbia Anthem Gets Grammy Nod, and two flights put together. http://www.sciencetoymaker.org/airRocket/index.html I recently showed off model rockets for some neighbor kids this week, and I built one of these to show off some almost free rockets that you can blast off. I tested it indoors (big mistake) then had to work to clean the smudge off the ceiling. These are more powerful and fast than you'd expect. Out doors it disappeared (almost) higher than the trees. After two launches it was lost in the trees. No matter - a little paper and tape and I've got two more ready for flight. More Rocket Fun! Googling around and I found a terrific rocket simulator/design tool at NASA! http://exploration.grc.nasa.gov/education/rocket/rktsim.html This amazing thing does simple ballistic, water, and solid engine rockets. Even better - it does AIR ROCKETS! (pictured). Clicking on the links, it turns out there is some pretty sophisticated information and math for rocket scientists. ----------------------- MUSIC: "Way Up There" Columbia Anthem Gets Grammy Nod