alex mizell

Road trip!

2009-07-16T15:39:20Z

Today I’m driving to North Carolina for this weekend’s Transformus burn 2009. I am bringing Da Boom and my portable nightclub. We dance, we laugh, we live, we BURN. It shall be magnificent.

Here’s some pics I took last year:

Woohoo! See ya on the flip side!

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alexmizell @ 2009-07-15T18:25:00

2009-07-15T22:25:42Z

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Makes a great blog post!

2009-07-14T15:13:39Z

Come have a steak and a tall boy while you play bingo for awesome prizes! Music by the kaleidoscopic DJ Alex Mizell, hosted by Elvis and Elvis Inc, sponsored by Pabst Brewing. There is no cover charge to play bingo – just bring yourself, your thirst and your best fun-loving friends and get on down to the Brewhouse uh huh thankyouverymuch.

crosspost from Alex Mizell Blog

Bookmarks for July 14th from 02:21 to 02:21

2009-07-14T06:26:50Z

(from Alex Mizell Blog)

These are my links for July 14th from 02:21 to 02:21:

Hundreds of free animations, animated gifs animals people most subjects – This reminds me of collecting glitter stickers in folders when I was about 7 or 8…

Bookmarks for July 13th from 00:12 to 10:59

2009-07-14T05:52:18Z

(from Alex Mizell Blog)

These are my links for July 13th from 00:12 to 10:59:

Bluehost.com – My favorite host service.
Pipes: Rewire the web – Mix and mash RSS feeds in a beautiful AJAX gui.

Yes, Sir, this Is War!

2009-07-14T00:26:46Z

(from Alex Mizell Blog)

Microsoft Office 2010 – for free, on the web. Yeah, you heard me right.
"The company also announced that Office Web applications will be available in three ways: through Windows Live, where more than 400 million consumers will have access to Office Web applications at no cost; on-premises for all Office volume licensing customers including more than 90 million Office annuity customers; and via Microsoft Online Services, where customers will be able to purchase a subscription as part of a hosted offering."

Not to be outdone by Google, who recently announced it was trying to take a bite out of Windows not to mention Office, Microsoft has decided to offer a web version of Office 2010 for free – and it will even support non-IE browsers.

...interprets regulation as damage and routes around it...

2009-07-10T13:18:36Z

French hackers claim to have sabotaged Internet forensics by creating a firmware for routers that cracks nearby WiFi networks and routes your traffic through them at random, creating false trails leading to your neighbors instead of you. They're calling it the HADOPI Router, in honor of Nicolas Sarkozy's crazy Internet law of the same name.
(via boingboing)

Speaking of hackers, I'm really digging on the google logo today in honor of Nikola Tesla:

alexmizell @ 2009-07-06T10:37:00

2009-07-06T14:33:33Z

Personal Brain 5 free download

alexmizell @ 2009-07-01T15:29:00

2009-07-01T19:25:45Z

(from here via jwz click to embiggen)

alexmizell @ 2009-06-30T22:14:00

2009-07-01T02:10:44Z

People's ideas of time differ across languages in other ways. For example, English speakers tend to talk about time using horizontal spatial metaphors (e.g., "The best is ahead of us," "The worst is behind us"), whereas Mandarin speakers have a vertical metaphor for time (e.g., the next month is the "down month" and the last month is the "up month"). Mandarin speakers talk about time vertically more often than English speakers do, so do Mandarin speakers think about time vertically more often than English speakers do? Imagine this simple experiment. I stand next to you, point to a spot in space directly in front of you, and tell you, "This spot, here, is today. Where would you put yesterday? And where would you put tomorrow?" When English speakers are asked to do this, they nearly always point horizontally. But Mandarin speakers often point vertically, about seven or eight times more often than do English speakers.

alexmizell @ 2009-06-30T21:34:00

2009-07-01T01:30:35Z

Asynchronous and infinitely extensible

alexmizell @ 2009-06-30T18:27:00

2009-06-30T22:23:18Z

The default network is a network of brain regions that are active when the individual is not focused on the outside world and the brain is at wakeful rest.

alexmizell @ 2009-06-30T12:47:00

2009-06-30T16:43:27Z

alexmizell @ 2009-06-30T12:20:00

2009-06-30T16:17:12Z

Grover's Algorithm

alexmizell @ 2009-06-30T12:20:00

2009-06-30T16:16:53Z

overheard on /.

I took a class on Quantum computing, and studied many specific QC algorithms, so I know a little bit about them. A lot of misunderstandings about them, so let me summarize.

Quantum Computers are not super-computers. On a bit-for-bit (or qubit-for-qubit) scale, they're not necessarily faster than regular computers, they just process info differently. Since information is stored in a quantum "superposition" of states, as opposed to a deterministic state like regular computers, the qubits exhibit quantum interference around other qubits. Typically, your bit starts in 50% '0' and 50% '1', and thus when you measure it, you get a 50% chance of it being one or the other (and then it assumes that state). But if you don't measure, and push it through quantum circuits allowing them to interact with other qubits, you get the quantum phases to interfere and cancel out. If you are damned smart (as I realized you have to be, to design QC algorithms), you can figure out creative ways to encode your problem into qubits, and use the interference to cancel out the information you don't want, and leave the information you do want.

For instance, some calculations will start with the 50/50 qubit above, and end with 99% '0' and 1% '1' at the end of the calculation, or vice versa, depending on the answer. Then you've got a 99% chance of getting the right answer. If you run the calculation twice, you have a 99.99% chance of measuring the correct answer.

However, the details of these circuits which perform quantum algorithms are extremely non-intuitive to most people, even those who study it. I found it to require an amazing degree of creativity, to figure out how to combine qubits to take advantage of quantum interference constructively. But what does this get us?

Well it turns out that quantum computers can run anything a classical computer can do, and such algorithms can be written identically if you really wanted to, but doing so gets the same results as the classical computer (i.e. same order of growth). But, the smart people who have been publishing papers about this for the past 20 years have been finding new ways to combine qubits, to take advantage of nature of certain problems (usually deep, pure-math concepts), to achieve better orders of growth than possible on a classical computer. For instance, factoring large numbers is difficult on classical computers, which is why RSA/PGP/GPG/PKI/SSL is secure. It's order of growth is e^( n^(1/3) ). It's not quite exponential, but it's still prohibitive. It turns out that Shor figured out how to get it to n^2 on a quantum computer (which is the same order of growth as decrypting with the private key on a classical computer!). Strangely, trying to guess someone's encryption key, normally O(n) on classical computers (where n is the number of possible keys encryption keys) it's only O(sqrt(n)) on QCs. Weird (but sqrt(n) is still usually too big).

There's a vast number of other problems for which efficient quantum algorithms have been found. Unfortunately, a lot of these problems aren't particularly useful in real life (besides to the curious pure-mathematician). A lot of them are better, but not phenomenal. Like verifying that two sparse matrices were mulitplied correctly has order of growth n^(7/3) on a classical computer, n^(5/3) on a quantum computer. You can find a pretty extensive list by googling "quantum algorithm zoo."

Unfortunately [for humanity], there is no evidence yet that quantum computers will solve NP-complete problems efficiently. Most likely, they won't. So don't get your hopes up about solving the traveling salesmen problem any time soon. But there is still a lot of cool stuff we can do with them. In fact, the theory is so far ahead of the technology, that we're anxiously waiting for breakthroughs like this, so we can start plugging problems through known algorithms.

SMC 06.14.09 Setlisting

2009-06-24T22:26:37Z

Thanks astounded for transcribing the setlist! The players: Jason, Jenn, Liz, Stuart, Parks, Jenny, Ian, Millie, Morgan, Genene, Justin, Aimee, Dunkin' Donuts, Rob, Alex*

Rocky Road
1. Bone Thugs 'N' Harmony - Tha Crossroads
2. Underworld - Ring Road
3. The Shop Boyz - Party Like A Rockstar
4. Portishead - Roads
5. Blur - To The End
6. Pernice Brothers - PCH One
7. Golden Earring - Radar Love
8. Roger Miller - King Of The Road
9. Missy Elliott - Slide
10. Handsome Boy Modeling School - Rock And Roll (Could Never Hip-Hop Like This)
11. Tay Zonday - Chocolate Rain
12. America - Horse With No Name
13. Maynard Ferguson - Gonna Fly Now
14. Weird Al Yankovic - I Love Rocky Road
15. Anthony B - Rocky Road

Jamocher (Coffee)
1. Coffee Brown - After Party
2. Kevin Rudolf - Coffee & Donuts
3. K. Naan - In The Beginning
4. Carly Simon - You're So Vain
5. Sarah Vaughn - Black Coffee
6. Motel Motel - Coffee
7. The Fall - Totally Wired
8. Blur - Coffee & TV
9. Beyoncé - Naughty Girl
10. Squeeze - Black Coffee In Bed
11. Julian Avalos & Afro Andos - Guajira Bonita
12. The Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone+
13. Craig David - What's Your Flavor?
14. Heavy D & The Boyz - Black Coffee

Soft Serve
1. D'Angelo - Untitled (How Does It Feel?)
2. Lemon Jelly - Soft
3. Player - Baby Come Back
4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Soft Shock
5. Soft Pink Truth - Everybody's Soft
6. Soul Coughing - Soft Serve
7. Prince - Cream
8. Love - Softly To Me
9. Amber - Sexual (Soft Serve Mix)
10. Zap Mama w/ Erykah Badu - Bandy Bandy
11. The Future Sound Of London - Smokin' Japanese Babe

Cookies & Cream
1. TLC - Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg
2. Weird Al Yankovic - The White Stuff
3. Porno For Pyros - Black Girlfriend
4. Peaches - I Feel Cream
5. Mama's Moustache - Mama's Moustache
6. Echo & The Bunnymen - Lips Like Sugar
7. Stevie Wonder & Paul McCartney - Ebony And Ivory
8. Jarvis Cocker - Black Magic
9. The Time - Ice Cream Castles
10. Common - U Black Maybe
11. Cream - Strange Brew #
12. Kelis - Milkshake (DJ Zine mix)
13. G-Unit - Straight Oughtta Southside

Superman
1. Wu Tang Clan - Triumph
2. Royksopp - Vision One
3. Herbie Mann - Superman
4. Santogold - My Superman
5. Johnny "Guitar" Watson - Superman Lover
6. Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World
7. David Bowie - Heroes
8. Liz Phair - Supernova**
9. Donovan - Sunshine Superman
10. Daniel Bedingfield - Gotta Get Through This
11. Esthero - Superheroes
12. Daft Punk - Superheroes
13. Eurhythmics - Sweet Dreams (Remix)
14. Fingathing - Superhero Music

Rainbow Sherbet
1. Color Me Badd - I Wanna Sex You Up
2. Ultramarine - Rainbow Brew
3. Dio - Rainbow In The Dark
4. The Rolling Stones - She's A Rainbow
5. Jenny Wilson - Like A Fading Rainbow
6. Israel Kamakawiwo'dle - Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World
7. The Pogues - Rainbow Man
8. Majority One - Rainbow Rocking Chair
9. Sylvester - Mighty Real
10. Total Science - Juicy Fruit

Free Play
1. Big Pun - Still Not A Player
2. Passion Pit - The Reeling
3. The Knife - Heartbeats
4. Black Kids - I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You

[Jason's comments]
* Sometimes the order got messed up a little and there were a few more new people near the end. (i'll try to keep my editorial comments to myself about THAT.)
+ This person MEANT to play this for the first category.
# Illegible, so I'm making a Google-educated guess.
** This gets my personal vote for best play of the evening.

alexmizell @ 2009-06-23T14:47:00

2009-06-23T18:43:43Z

Harvesting the sun is like free money if it's efficient enough.

Solar Power Game-Changer: "Near Perfect" Absorption of Sunlight, From All Angles

See-Through Solar Hack Could Double Panel Efficiency

alexmizell @ 2009-06-20T12:54:00

2009-06-20T16:51:04Z

Dunbar's number

Really?

2009-06-17T18:21:47Z

Paamayim Nekudotayim

Computer Virus Cleanup $60 Flat Fee

2009-06-13T23:21:05Z

I am running a special for a couple of weeks. For $60 flat I will disinfect a PC (without formatting it or reinstalling Windows) and then strengthen the system against known vulnerabilities and install free self-updating antivirus software. Bring it to me one day and have it back the next. I'll give you results or you don't pay. I also offer a full range of other computer services for your home or business, from networks to web sites to disaster recovery. Call Alex @ 404.936.9914.

alexmizell @ 2009-06-13T16:35:00

2009-06-13T20:32:42Z

No, my friends.
No, money will never make you happy,
and happy will never make you money.
That might be a wisecrack,
but I doubt it. - Groucho Marx

Sunday Music Club is tomorrow!

2009-06-13T17:04:04Z

Just a reminder that SMC is tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Katrell's house near Candler park (see Faboo for the address). There's going to be a lot of people this time so we gotta start early if we hope to make it to the last rounds before 9 when True Blood comes on. In addition to the music you might consider bringing a food item (grillable or otherwise) or vodka or pink(!) grapefruit juice or ice cream of any flavor.

The themes:

1. Rocky Road
2. Jamocher (coffee)
3. Soft Serve
4. Cookies 'n Cream
5. Superman

Bonus round:
6. Rainbow Sherbet

See y'all there!

alexmizell @ 2009-06-12T17:29:00

2009-06-12T21:26:05Z

Colorscheme Designer 3

For the WTF file

2009-06-10T19:33:11Z

Non-reversing mirror
(via make)

Three movies I will see.

2009-06-10T18:01:11Z

Moon
District 9
9