* This week, I am teaching myself more rock physics and, on the side, how to extract more information from seismic data. Matteo Niccoli’s post on seismic terrain displays cannot be more timely. I guess the same 3d terrain outcome may be achieved for any seismic attribute along a surface parallel to the dipping zone of interest as opposed to a horizontal surface (like a time slice), but wavelet phase is powerful because “discrete boundaries corresponding to unique positions on the wavelet are displayed on instantaneous phase slices – this intra-wavelet detail is lost on amplitude slices.” Seismic terrain, in this case, builds on the phase attribute and can be viewed as hills and valleys of instantaneous wavelength between successive wavelet peaks or troughs.
* Meanwhile, back in InformationLand, Matt and I are single-handedly out to save the geophysical conference from somewhere the public domain of geophysical thought goes to die into a place of open discussion and wider dissemination. We sorely need interested and informed scientists entering geoscience, much less the industry, so secret meetings are not the way to go. Would you be into participating in a geophysical Ignite-style or Birds Of A Feather session at an upcoming geophysical conference? More importantly, are you willing to mentor one young person into a future of art, science, health or wherever their passion may lie? It’s about giving young people ways to achieve and create, even if they never become geoscientists.
* That said, if you don’t want to become a geologist after reading Carl Zimmer’s latest for the New York Times, I don’t know about you, dude.
* This month’s Accretionary Wedge is Seeing Geology Everywhere. And I see seismic everywhere, which tells you something about the human brain’s love affair with pattern recognition. It also reminds me I haven’t sent out prizes for the Accretionary Wedge hosted here a few months back.
Post-apocalyptic earth. Disaffected teenage half-human-half-Minbari (HHHM) chick and Malcolm Reynolds are on their way to scavenge space discoballs that fall to earth. Steampunk-decked half-human-half-Minbari discover and attempt to kill them all Mad-Max-gang style but Pouty HHHM Girl and Mal run into the forest and are attacked by RUSS. Shtako! Marshall Bullock shows up in time and takes the heroes back to Deadwood where Dirty Dancing plays out in the Zocalo with a purple-haired albino vampire as Johnny Castle. Then, Voldemort kills Cedric Diggory in the Forbidden Forest and Mal has sex with Trixie (you’re welcome). Albino Vampire Johnny Castle is suspected of the murder and a fight erupts at the Gem Saloon in which Marshall Bullock is killed and there’s a new sheriff in town (“His name is Reggie Hammond. Y’all be cool. Right on!”) Obviously New Sheriff Mal tracks down Cedric’s killer by momentarily turning into Jonny Lee Miller Plays Sherlock Holmes while Pouty Mongo has a heart to heart with Deputy Bart. Then, Aegon Targaryen has sex with Lady Cersei Macbeth in the bath. Turns out Mayor Olson’s shtako assistant – the lovechild of Max Headroom and Hellraiser Minus The Pins – is a traitor who works for unseen forces that want Deadwood destroyed for whatever reason. After he deactivates the force field around Deadwood and lies dying, Pinheadroom Minus Pins warns that the Nazgul are going to attack with orcs and Decepticons in tow. Mayor Olson finds her ovaries (and security horse blanket) and convinces everyone to stay and fight. The Decepticons easily scale the shtako walls of Helm’s Deep, but are inexplicably shot dead like Stormtroopers once again rendering their heavy armor completely moot other than to look somewhat badass. Pouty HHHM Girl comes back with the Rohirrim steampunk-alien-Mad-Max gang and they rout the enemy from the rear. The Witch King of Angmar knocks Pouty HHHM Girl off her bike at which time she so badly wants to yell, “I am no man!” and shiv him but is rudely interrupted by Deputy Bart. Shtako. Shortly thereafter, the disco ball that another female Pinhead Minus Pins couldn’t get to work until now detonates and obliterates every creature in the valley except for the good guys. Mayor Olson takes a bullet but recovers and peace is temporarily restored to Deadwood. A clandestine meeting in Dr. Loveless’s railcar reveals that Morpheus and the Oracle are really the bad guys or emissaries thereof. Dun dun shtako duuuun. Stay tuned.
Cameos by a bunch of albinos of House Harkonnen, the orangutans from Planet Of The Apes, Abe Sapien on steroids and the Lorax. Excellent soundtrack by one Mr. Bear McCreary. Also shtako shtako shtako shtako shtako.
This post brought to you by way too much exposure to popular fictional books, television and film and Vicks, the makers of NyQuil.
P.S. Will I continue to watch the show? I am definitely giving it a few more episodes to stand on its legs. Furthermore, guest appearances by BSG cast members have been promised.
