Reality Me

Author: Doug McCaughan

  • $10,000 for your idea; $2million for your robot

    Microsoft is having a contest for your ideas. 12 entrants will actually develop their ideas.

    It begins with contestants submitting their cool ideas for projects built with Express, and completes when 12 selected finalists complete their projects and compete head-to-head with each other. The Grand Prize winner walks away with $10,000.

    Oops. The rules state that the idea phase just ended. "The Idea Phase of the Contest begins 12:01 a.m. (PT) on March 13, 2006 and ends at 11:59 p.m. on April 30, 2006."

    You still have time to enter the Darpa Challenge!

    Teams will compete to build an autonomous vehicle able to complete a 60-mile urban course safely in less than 6 hours.

    For track A, $1million development funds are available; for track B, $100,000 is available.

    One way involves teams submitting a detailed proposal for up to $1 million of technology development funds in response to a DARPA solicitation. The Government will obtain limited license rights to technologies developed using this funding.

    or

    The second track is similar to that used for Grand Challenge 2005: teams will submit applications and participate in a series of qualification activities. Each team that participates as a semi-finalist in the National Qualification Event (NQE) will be awarded $50,000. Each team that is successful at NQE will receive $100,000 and compete in the Urban Challenge final event.

    Details on competing for funding are available.

    I so want to do this!

  • Next Darpa Challenge Announced

    I swore I was going to participate in the next Darpa Challenge. I actually had discussions with some people when the first one came out. I think we could have done well.

    Teams will compete to build an autonomous vehicle able to complete a 60-mile urban course safely in less than 6 hours.

    Not sure I can move fast enough. Need funding!

    • Urban Challenge Participants Conference will be held on Saturday, May 20, 2006
    • Track A proposals are due June 23, 2006.
    • Track B applications are due October 5, 2006.

    More in the press release.

  • Code Whippin’

    ColdFusion’s StructSort has been kicking my head in. Showin’ me who’s boss. Byting me to bits. Making me loopy.

  • Thank Stephen Colbert

    A site has been started to give special recognition to Stephen Colbert.

    Thanks to 10,000 Monkies and a Camera for the link!

  • Tennessee Makes Yahoo News! Yahoo!

    Thieves Steal Trailer Filled With Red Bull

    A truck driver reported last weekend that his 53-foot trailer containing containing $100,000 worth of Red Bull energy drinks (2,880 cases) was stolen. … A trailer containing $100,000 worth of Kraft sauces also was stolen in Dyersburg on Monday

    Now what can you do with $!00,000 worth of Red Bull and a $100,000 worth of Kraft sauces at the end a college semester? I’m thinking if we see $100,000 worth of cattle and $100,000 worth of chickens disappear that someone is going to be throwing one heck of a finals craming party. This is what happens when you wait until the end of the semester to start studying!

    [Source]

  • Mexico ponders tougher immigration laws

    Mexico’s Congress approved a bill Friday decriminalizing possession of small quantities of drugs for personal use – including cocaine, heroin and ectasy

    With the latest announcement from Mexico, can we expect to see an onslaught of illegal US immigrants on Mexico’s soil? Is this a conspiracy with the US Right to get more of the Left out of the country? Wait, no! If that was true, they wouldn’t have included cocaine and heroin…

    [Source]

  • Picking Colors

    There are many color scheme programs online. This is the latest I’ve checked out.

  • Being Tested

    I have a guardian angel. His name is Murph. I named him after Murphy of the Law. Murphy likes to teach me things like Humilty. At 18, while driving my restored Triumph Spitfire 1500 around Memphis I passed another Spitfire that still had work to be done and I commented to myself, "one day yours will look this good." Moments later I wrecked my car. That was Murphy! He frequently tests me at the most inopportune moments. Like last night.

    I have a client that I love. They don’t necessarily pay well but I find them very pleasant. I’ll be surprised if they ever work with me again. I’ve dragged what should have been a blink of the eye project on for too long.

    Last night I settled in to complete their current project only to find that the washing machine discharge had popped out of the pipe and emptied an entire load into the basement. Murph in action. He helped get some things thrown out that were just taking up space in the basement being ignored. Why did he choose last night? Because I was ready to pop. My stress levels were maxed. I was spending more time fretting than doing. So Murph threw on that last straw to show that things could be worse.

    To make his point, he added a punctuation mark this morning. I tried waking at 1:30am and finally rose at 4am. I was cheerful, already solved my programming problem in my head and just needed to type it out, and walked assuredly toward my desk only to simultaneously hear "squish" and feel that icky sensation as the heal of my dress shoes settled into dog poop. His message was clear. Let’s keep things in perspective and not lose our cool over the stuff life puts in our path.

  • Of Grasshoppers

    Student: Why do we have adversity?
    Master: To prevent complacency.

  • Destiny

    Do I believe in destiny? I sure as hell believe I’m not in control of my life!

  • The root of frustration

    There are somethings that are important to me
    That I am incapable of explaining to anyone else
    And I cannot acheive on my own
    But for which I can get no help.

  • Irony

    I never had a cavity my whole life until I went 3 years without going to the dentist.

  • From the mouths of babes

    Dad: "Evan, do you want to take a nap?"
    Evan, 11 months: Shakes head no.

    Could have been a coincidence, but it was funny!

  • Rocky Hill Clown Day – a big success!

    A friend from the Knoxville Juggling Club joined me to teach the Rocky Hill Elementary first grade how to juggle. All of the children did well. There were about 3 that I wish I could work with weekly; they would turn into amazing jugglers!

    My friend has the pleasure of practicing 45 minutes a day. His work is astounding! We were able to pass clubs around the children and do several duo tricks.

    Clown Day is a special treat for Rocky Hill Elementary because for the past 26 years or so Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus has sent clowns to the school when they come to town. All the first grade dress as clowns and 12 stations are set up in the gym for circus type activities including a station to learn juggling. Now, most first graders are on the cusp of having the dexterity for juggling. We have roughly 12-15 minutes to teach 8-12 children at a time how to juggle. Rocky Hill has always impressed me with their integration of special needs children. These first graders could include children with Downs Syndrome, Autism, wheel chairs, and other challenges. We work to make sure that all children of all capabilities have fun at the juggling station (although, I never saw the wheel chair student yesterday so I think the teachers made the wrong assumption that he couldn’t participate).

    (more…)

  • From the mouths of babes

    Mom: Asks Tommy to decide between two things.
    Tommy: Growls
    Mom: Further prompts for a decision.
    Tommy: Remains silent.
    Dad, slightly melodically: "Tommy, if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."
    Dad: Chuckles under his breath.

    Parenting is fun, particularly when the children haven’t got a clue.