Random factoids posted for no reason

[pyesetz]

The Imagination Station is a science museum in Toledo OH.  Under "News and Events" is a notice that they will be closed from September 8th to September 28th this year.  I guess I won't visit them.

Here is a set of (computer-generated) reasons to leave Columbus OH and move to Gilbert AZ instead.  In this discussion, some people are pointing out that the generated text for some cities is rather racist (such as the complaint that 0.08% of people in Fort Worth TX speak Japanese, considering that there was a WW2 internment camp only 50km away).  But what else could the program do, since it is based on US government statistics?  As the program says, "I didn't want to make this about race, but it can't be avoided."

Comments

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

The downside, of course, is you'd find yourself stuck in Arizona, home to some particularly unsavory racism, good old boy Sheriff Joe, and summers designed by residents of Mercury. The site doesn't seem to be working for me, though - the button's there, but no text is generated. =:/

There's always the Exploratorium, in its shiny new home on the Embarcadero - and I posit that San Francisco is more fun to visit than Toledo. ^_^ Or, indeed, the Science Museum, along with the V&A, the British Museum, the British Library, the Natural History Museum, and more - all free, though they do encourage donations. (If you've not been to the NHM, I'd recommend making a point of visiting their "Treasures" room, and the "Vault")

[pyesetz]

Hiyas!  Do you happen to have a current email address for xolo?  I was supposed to meet up with him at the Imagination Station on 19 Sept.  Obviously that can't happen now and needs to be cancelled, but I haven't heard from him since 9 July.

xolo is also the reason why I posted the thing about Columbus.  (The program randomly selected Gilbert, which indeed is part of Maricopa County, whose sheriff is Joe Arpaio the famous scofflaw.)

It's too bad the website is borked.  But loading the main website seems to work: it picks a random city to complain about.

I've never been to the Exploratorium!  I was only in SF once and spent the entire time doing my "techie second-fiddle on a sales trip" act (my company didn't get the sale).

I have never visited the UK, so no Natural History Museum for me, although I have visited the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia (not free, because Americans are anti Science funding these days).

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

'Fraid not, no - it's been a long while since he and I spoke. I'm fairly sure I've seen him around LJ recently, so there's no need to consult the next of kin, at least.

I shall have to attempt to lure you toward London. =:D

It is, of course, deeply regrettable that so many US legislators (but not the general public, for what they're worth) consider science funding at best at odds with their patrons. In the UK, the Conservatives tend to be a little less blatant, though they're safe in axing support for solar energy, and pushing hard for fracking. Completely sensible, of course. =:P

I'd offer beer and cider as a lure, but IIRC, they're not your thing? (I apologise if I'm mistaken =:)