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'BIGGER THAN IMAGINATION

A life-sized Noah's Ark experience.
Come and be amazed.'

Here's the site's link: https://arkencounter.com/

The ark is, of course, located in Kentucky, the state where family trees mostly have only one branch. (It's really hard for me to believe that Kentucky sided with the Union during the Civil War. Go figure.)

Hrafnkell Haraldsson from politicususa.com had this to say about Ark Encounter:

'Built With Tax Breaks , Ark Encounter Hires Only Christians but Scams All'

WARNING: Politicususa is partisan as all hell. (But, that's why I like it!)

Anyway, here's the link to the politicususa.com article: http://www.politicususa.com/2016/07/11/tax-dollars-ark-encounter-hires-christians.html

I found this quote from Haraldsson to be especially interesting:

'Look, we've all seen the Jurassic Park movies, right? Even if you haven't, you've head of dinosaurs? I submit to you, if, as Ken Ham insists, Noah's Ark also carried dinosaurs, then it came to rest on the top of Mount Ararat a ship of the dead. Because if you throw a T-Rex or a few raptors on that thing, everything else is going to be eaten.'

I thought perhaps Haraldsson was exaggerating, until I found this quotation on another page of the Ark Encounter site:

'... Levi, an AiG fabricator for the Ark Encounter, is working on applying the fabric fur to Mr. Anisodon. This guy and his mate are going to live in the second-largest pen size on the Ark. The only larger cage on the ship will contain a pair of young nigersaurs—a variety of sauropods: big plant-eating dinosaurs with long necks and tails.'

So yep, they're actually going there. Here's the proof: https://arkencounter.com/blog/2016/06/21/half-furred-anisodon/

Horror is an art form.

So, how's the writing progressing?

'Bones unearthed in Ashkelon at only known Philistine cemetery may reveal ancient mystery'

Here's the link to the article: http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Bones-unearthed-in-Ashkelon-at-only-known-Philistine-cemetery-may-reveal-ancient-mystery-459973

I posted this as a new, separate topic, as there should be additional news on this subject coming in the near future. My personal interest in this subject is the Philistines possible link to Crete, as mentioned in the following quotation from this article:

'Several Biblical passages link the Philistines to ancient Crete. At the same time, archeologists have long noted dramatic cultural changes in the Ashkelon region in the early 12th century BCE, roughly at the time when ancient Egyptian texts mention "Sea Peoples" moving into the eastern Mediterranean.

Using these clues, scholars have argued that the Philistines emigrated from the Aegean in the early Iron Age, bringing the cultural practices of their homeland, which appear to have been pointedly different from those prevailing at the time in the area.'

In addition to the above mentioned Biblical references, pottery has also been found at Philistine sites in Israel that bear a striking similarity to the distinctive 'Kamares ware' pottery found on Crete.

And, as an added bonus, after reading this article you can also read the 'Conversation' section from the people of 'The Promised Land'.

Another day, another mass shooting.

Our technology outpaces our wisdom.

If this shit isn't exactly what it sounds like I will kill a mofo 

Cos it sounds like we can now build cyborg fish. You ever hear something that's so fucking cool, you plain don't have the heart to fact check it?

I wonder if this will eventually be recognized as Great-Grandfather of Cyborg Frankenfish.

Another day, another mass shooting.

'Antikythera Mechanism May Have Been World's First 'STEM' Project'

I found the following quote from the article to be especially interesting:

'... the researchers are adamant that this was not a one-off model. While such mechanisms depicting sophisticated astronomical models may have not been plentiful during this epoch, they were known among the Greco-Roman intelligentsia of the day.

"And the one we have was obviously not the first to be made," said Jones. " It is too complicated; too miniature to have been the prototype."'

Here's the link to the article: http://www.forbes.com/sites/brucedorminey/2016/06/30/antikythera-mechanism-may-have-been-worlds-first-stem-project/#4701d6b110c7

I believe interest in the Antikythera Mechanism has continued to grow as researchers have published more and more of their findings. Back in the '80s, the device had been placed all the way in the back of The National Archaeological Museum of Athens. If you weren't looking at every single exhibit item, or specifically looking for the device, you could have walked right past it without noticing it. However, when I visited the museum a few years ago, it had been relocated to the front and center of the main entrance.

Want to see my tattoo?

These 3 vids are the ones that I found the most useful in helping me grasp the concept. I was coming at it from a programmers point of view - "How do I code it" Turns out that was the wrong question. You don't code it, it just works.

CNN's are only part of the picture but they're a good starting point. Now I I can grok them, a lot of the other stuff makes more sense.

https://youtu.be/l42lr8AlrHk

https://youtu.be/C_zFhWdM4ic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py5byOOHZM8

Thanks for the additional links. I'll check them out and see if I can wrap my head around this subject.

I hear those voices again.

They said, "Buy a gun."

I do whatever they say.

So, I bought a gun.

I never question the voices.

http://www.ted.com/talks/blaise_aguera_y_arcas_how_computers_are_learning_to_be_creative#t-539223

So I watched a couple of youtube clips a while back, that explained what learning algorithms are up to well enough for my brain to take in but, for anyone who's still trying to wrap their heads around it, the first half of this ted talk does a pretty good job of summing it up.

As I'm starting out with zero (0) knowledge of artificial neural networks, I think it's going to take just a little bit more to get me up to 101 level.

Nevertheless, I found the video clip interesting enough to want to learn more about the subject. So, I'm starting with the 'Artificial neural network' article on 'Wikipedia', and I'll see where that leads me.

'Scientists observe first signs of healing in the Antarctic ozone layer'

Here are two quotes from the article:

'Scientists at MIT and elsewhere have identified the "first fingerprints of healing" of the Antarctic ozone layer, published today in the journal Science.'

'"What's exciting for me personally is, this brings so much of my own work over 30 years full circle," says Solomon, whose research into chlorine and ozone spurred the Montreal Protocol. "Science was helpful in showing the path, diplomats and countries and industry were incredibly able in charting a pathway out of these molecules, and now we've actually seen the planet starting to get better. It's a wonderful thing."'

Here's the link:   http://phys.org/news/2016-06-scientists-antarctic-ozone-layer.html

I tried linking to the original 'Science' article, but full articles on that site are only available to paid subscribers.

So, for a change, there's a little good news concerning Planet Earth.

Give me your honest opinion.

Constructive criticism is always appreciated.

'A 6,000-year-old telescope without a lens'

'prehistoric tombs enhanced astronomical viewing' (Expanded title from original RAS press release)

"Astronomers are exploring what might be described as the first astronomical observing tool, potentially used by prehistoric humans 6,000 years ago. They suggest that the long, narrow entrance passages to ancient stone, or 'megalithic,' tombs may have enhanced what early human cultures could see in the night sky, an effect that could have been interpreted as the ancestors granting special power to the initiated."

Here's the link: http://astronomynow.com/2016/06/30/a-6000-year-old-telescope-without-a-lens/

And, for those interested, here's the link to the original Royal Astronomical Society press release. Be advised however, it's the same text, but you have to click on the two picture links in order to view them:

https://nam2016.org/press-releases/95-a-6-000-year-old-telescope-without-a-lens-prehistoric-tombs-enhanced-astronomical-viewing