Not that I’m not writing anything at all at the moment, but since we got the keys of our new house two weeks ago, we are constantly busy with our new house. You can read updates about the work we are doing in our new house at our special website. If you want access to that site, please let me know.
15Nov09
Busy in our new house
21Oct09
2001: A Space Oddysey
For years the movie 2001: A Space Oddysey was on my todo list, I watched it this evening. I’ve seen A Clockwork Orange – also from Kubrick - which was already vague, but this movie also has a sort of storyline which is really making it ‘complex’ actually. The focus is really on graphics and sound and some sort of story which is probably something for the viewer to think about.
What I dislike about modern day movies is that there is so much continuous action, overloaded with special effects, a lot of talking and not that much to think about. Then A Space Oddysey is a big contrast with that. Not bad to have seen it now finally.
18Oct09
Victim Support
This week my bike was stolen. I walked out the frontdoor and I only saw Nina’s bike, but not mine. I could make a hassle of it, but gone means gone. The first thing I did is look on Marktplaats for second hand Kronans and luckily I found a black one for sale and not that far away from where we are living. I called the seller and two hours later I had a ‘new’ bike to ride on.
In the evening I sent a complaint to the police online. I could specify all details of my stolen bike. I knew that in Utrecht it is quite useless with so many bikes, but perhaps my complaint could be used in the statistics.
Today I got an e-mail where they said my case was not detailed enough to go any further. Although they understood that it can be a thorough experience. They offered me victim support for emotional support. I liked my stolen bike a lot, but there were also quite some problems with it. My new bike compensates everything for the stolen one, so thanks for the victim support, but no.
11Oct09
Speaking piano and singing robot
I saw this one last week somewhere on I think digg, it is about a piano that is mechanically engineered in such a way that it can reproduce speech.
And what about the following robot woman called HRP-4C (see her in movement action here) which uses an advanced Yamaha voice chip to sing. We are getting close and closer to the uncanny valley moment.