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Friday, May 25, 2001

Bering Sea Algal Blooms
here is an interesting news item and some nice satellite photos of an algal bloom off the coast of Alaska. The colour of the ocean between Russia and Alaska has completely changed. I have also included a photo of a similar bloom off Ireland.
EO Study: Changing Currents in the Bering Sea
"During the past two summers (1997-98), a type of one-celled microscopic plant changed the color of the Bering Sea from its natural deep blue to a shimmering aquamarine in a matter of weeks."
"The bloom's presence coincides with lower salmon counts along the coasts, a redistribution of microscopic animals in the surrounding ocean, and the massive deaths of shearwaters–hook billed, surface-feeding seabirds related to the albatross. Together, these events may spell major trouble for the Bering Sea ecosystem and the fisheries that ply these waters."
-- Also see the SeaWifs satellite shots at:
Coccolithophorid blooms in the Celtic Sea
Coccolithophorid blooms in the Bering Sea
posted at 5/25/2001 03:49:04 PM

Thursday, May 17, 2001

Stockmarket Planetarium
This is an interesting art project, in which the stars represent actual stocks, and their position, brightness and color are calculated using complex algorithms operating on live market feeds. My Netscape crashed on this site, but MSIE works fine. You can see a small view on the website, or catch a live show.
black shoals - stockmarket planetarium
"Each traded company is represented by a drifting star, flickering and glowing as shares are traded. The stars slowly drift in response to the complex currents of the market, while outlining shapes of different industries and the huge multinational conglomerates like the signs of the zodiac. The movement of the stocks are based on calculated correlations between the histories of each stock and those of its near neighbours. The stronger the correlation between the histories of the stock prices of any two companies, the more powerful the gravitational attraction between them. Although they start out randomly distributed around the tank, the stocks clot together and drift into slowly changing constellations, nebulae and clusters. Through this technique different industries naturally start to emerge as galaxies. Any general disturbance in a section of the market will have a visible effect on the sky - the recent collapse of east Asian prices and the sudden rush to sell would have caused all the companies affected to glow very brightly and to be pulled towards each other in a very powerful vortex. "
posted at 5/17/2001 11:28:28 PM

Thursday, May 03, 2001

Tackamarks:Secret Military Road Sign Markings
Finally exposed, here is the true meaning behind the reflective stickers on the backs of road signs. I found this site while looking up info on Black Helicopters. I never noticed these stickers, but maybe I wasn't meant to.
Home Page
"The truth can now be told. Embedded in our nation's road sign system is a secret coding designed to target vital sites, facilities and resources for military confiscation during a National Emergency."
"Now, after 5 incredible years and many startling discoveries, I can state without any reservation that the reflective markers, called "TACMARKS" are real and are cryptic military codes to target vital sites, facilities, and resources for confiscation during National Emergency implementing the Presidential Executive Orders."
Also see this site detailing methods of removing tackamarks:
TACMARS
"Sign posts jacked out and removed will remove the tackmar permanently, plus the signs can be planted in different locations to lead the enemy into an ambush situation."
posted at 5/3/2001 02:28:22 PM

Tuesday, May 01, 2001

Infrared basics for Digital Photographers
This site shows how to test your digital camera to see if it is suitable for infrared photography, which filters to use, and how to take the pictures. You no longer have to buy hard to handle IR film to get these effects. In fact, with the proper filter you can see the IR image in the camera's LCD in real time.
Infrared basics for digital photographers
"Unlike ordinary films, most CCDs turn out to be quite sensitive to the near IR in the 700-1200 nm (0.7-1.2µ) range—so much so, in fact, that the CCDs in digital cameras are usually fitted with special internal IR cut filters designed to reduce IR contamination in visible light work. These CCD-mounted filters vary in their IR transmission spectra, but most consumer-grade digital cameras let enough IR through to allow at least some near IR photography."
posted at 5/1/2001 11:01:08 PM