Author: idonthaveacoolname

While currently still in Beta mode, the Digital Public Library of America brings together the riches of America’s libraries, archives, and museums, and makes them freely available to the world. It strives to contain the full breadth of human expression, from the written word, to works of art and culture, to records of America’s heritage, to the efforts and data of science.

The developers have released an API that allows developers to utilize the massive amount of information in new an innovative ways. I will be sifting at this site for a while!

A very interesting story about Microsoft’s new Excel integrated geomapping technology here. This software will allow Excel users to visualize geographic and chronological data in 3D. Data visualization is about to become much easier to do!

I just finished watching episode 1 of the Starz series da Vinci’s Demons. It is a drama set in Renaissance Florence. It’s got Medici intrigue and some (potentially) good characters. The young Leonardo is presented as a revolutionary, always prepared to challenge the powers that be. It has some very interesting (again, potentially, since I have only watched the one episode) story lines of a subterranean Hermetic culture that could challenge the power base of the corrupt Vatican and its Pope.

I am, however, pissed that I cannot get the accompanying iPad app since it is only available in the United States. I sure wish that someone would invent some technology that would allow for instant access of data across the world. They could call it, oh, I don’t know, the Internet? You’re welcome.