Author: Wick Page 5 of 6

Prototype mismatch: sub main::head ($) vs none

On July 9, 2009

Turns out that when you use the LWP::Simple & CGI modules together in a Perl script, each has a conflicting head() function that throws that error. Who knew? Everyone who took the time to read the CAVEAT note at the end of the LWP::Simple docs, apparently:

Note that if you are using both LWP::Simple and the very popular CGI.pm module, you may be importing a head function from each module, producing a warning like “Prototype mismatch: sub main::head ($) vs none”. Get around this problem by just not importing LWP::Simple’s head function, like so:
use LWP::Simple qw(!head);
use CGI qw(:standard);  # then only CGI.pm defines a head()
Then if you do need LWP::Simple’s head function, you can just call it as LWP::Simple::head($url).

The Cougar Ace tips over, Alaska

By Wick

On May 28, 2009

In nautical disasters

The Cougar Ace is well-known for setting a Canadian record for most vehicles unloaded from a single ship, and also for a shipping disaster that once again caught my attention primarily because of the amazing Coast Guard photos. Like the Selendang Ayu disaster, the Cougar Ace became disabled off the Aleutian Islands, Alaska — this time though, the problem was an 60 degree list due to a ballast handling mistake. Wired has a pretty amazing writeup about the salvage operation. Click photos for the full-size versions.

Aug. 8, 2006: towed to safer waters in Wide Bay, Aleutian Islands

Aug. 10, 2006: still waiting to be righted, Wide Bay, Aleutian Islands

Resize script in Paint Shop Pro X2

By Wick

On May 28, 2009

In graphics, paint shop pro, tips

PSP X2 resize script I batch-process-resized some photos in PSP X2, & realized too late (after I had emailed 90 photos off to various relatives) that everyone appeared a little taller & thinner than they normally are. Not so bad right? Except that headshots look a little weird. The photos were taken with different cameras with slightly different aspect ratios.

So here’s an easy way to batch process/resize photos with a PSP X2 script, each to their correct aspect ratio (fixed width, variable height):

Open any one image.
File, Script, Start recording … resize the image.
File, Script, Save recording … save it under your scripts folder, which is generally Documents/My PSP Files/Scripts-Restricted/
File, Script, Edit.. browse to your scripts folder & select the resize script that you just saved.
click the Text Editor button
delete or comment out (# in front of the line) the ‘Height’ AND ‘AspectRatio’ lines. Setting them both to None works too. Make sure ‘MaintainAspectRatio’ is set to True.
Save & enjoy not looking warped.

The birth of an island near Tonga

By Wick

On January 3, 2007

In world

the birth of an island

The yacht Maiken witnessed the birth of a new island near Tonga. Some pretty amazing photos, a sea of floating stone & the volcanic island rising up out of the water.

Windsurfing, late fall in Vermont

By Wick

On October 28, 2006

In windsurfing

Normally the National Weather Service tends to downgrade the weekend wind forecast the closer it gets to Friday afternoon.

Not so in the late fall — the forecasts just keep get better & better, or for all the non-windsurfers, worse & worse! Also you would think the local NWS office would just give up on the Ultraviolet Index after mid-October. It’s nice of them to clarify which category a “1” rating is in.

.THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN OPEN WATERS FORECAST…

…A LAKE WIND ADVISORY TODAY AND TONIGHT…

.TODAY…SOUTHEAST WINDS 25 TO 35 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 45 KNOTS POSSIBLE. WAVES 3 TO 5 FEET AND LOCALLY HIGHER. RAIN…HEAVY AT TIMES….BRIEFLY MIXED WITH SLEET OR SNOW AT THE ONSET. VISIBILITY 1 TO 3 MILES IN PRECIPITATION.
.TONIGHT…SOUTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 30 KNOTS. WAVES 2 TO 3 FEET. OCCASIONAL RAIN. VISIBILITY REDUCED TO 3 TO 5 MILES AT TIMES.
.SUNDAY…SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS 25 TO 35 KNOTS WITH HIGHER GUSTS POSSIBLE. WAVES 3 TO 4 FEET. SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS. VISIBILITY REDUCED TO 2 TO 4 MILES AT TIMES.

THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN LAKE LEVEL AT THE KING STREET FERRY DOCK IN BURLINGTON WAS 96.80 FEET…AND THE WATER TEMPERATURE WAS 49 DEGREES.

THE ULTRAVIOLET INDEX FOR SATURDAY OCTOBER 28 IS A 1. THIS IS IN THE LOW CATEGORY.

SATURDAY UPDATE: Usually when the NWS forecasts wind 25-35 knots “with gusts to 45 knots”, they’re not this wrong:

White's Beach wind graph

So .. far less wind than forecast in the morning .. followed by a quick 90-degree switch & even lighter breeze in the afternoon .. then another quick 180-degree switch. Finally the promised wind shows up, well after sunset.

West Dennis wind graph West Dennis beach (Cape Cod) had a much better day.. consistent 35-40 mph with a very gradual direction shift from SSE to SSW. This typifies the difference between coastal & Lake Champlain surfing conditions.

Vermont keeps everyone guessing, professional forecasters included.

Worst political websites

By Wick

On October 27, 2006

In politics

CNet has a great review of
the worst political websites »

Among the top picks .. plenty of under construction sites, the Tennessee Independent DEPORTATION PARTY should deport their web designer, one candidate is waiting to start her campaign until the last minute, & even a recipe for Easy Killer Margaritas, with beer (!!) as a main ingredient.

This just goes to show that even today, websites aren’t everything to everyone .. just a relatively cheap, easy way to stay in touch with your constituents .. also good for smear campaigns funded by the National Republican Senatorial Committee!

Wreck of the Selendang Ayu, Alaska

By Wick

On October 27, 2006

In Machines Of Unusual Size, nautical disasters, world

The Selendang Ayu disaster caught my attention as the wreck happened almost two years ago. The Coast Guard photos are phenomenal, with the developing tragedy pictured against the Alaskan winter. Click the photos below to see them full-size.

Dec. 8, 2004: still in one piece with Unalaska Island looming, before the anchor lines parted

Dec 9, 2004: bow & stern sections of the Selendang Ayu after it broke in half

Dec. 11, 2004: stern section takes a beating

Jan. 4, 2005: things are not looking good for the bow section

Feb. 1, 2005: last view of the bow section. 8 days later, it completely submerges. The stern section remained grounded & visible above water until October 24, 2005.

“For nearly two weeks the Malaysian-flagged freighter Selendang Ayu had been struggling through deteriorating weather to carry a load of soybeans from Seattle to Xiamen, China. Day in and day out, the crew of 26 rode the seven-year-old, 738-ft. ship like a roller coaster, lurching through gale-force winds, snow and 15-ft. seas.

The Bering Sea during winter is one of the most treacherous bodies of water in the world. Conditions change from fair to ferocious in an instant, and winds can rage in excess of 140 mph. Each year, thousands of ships test the sea’s temperament as they follow a major shipping lane along the Alaskan coast and through the Aleutian Islands. The route, connecting North America and Asia, is perilous on the best of days. Add a fierce storm and a run of bad luck, and it can become deadly.”

What Went Wrong: Wreck of the Selendang Ayu »
by Jeff Wise, Popular Mechanics, May 2005

Unified Command: M/V Selendang Ayu photos »

Falkirk Wheel rotating boat lift, Scotland

By Wick

On October 27, 2006

In Machines Of Unusual Size, wikipedia, world

Putting ordinary canal locks everywhere to shame, the Falkirk Wheel is a rotating boat lift in Falkirk, Scotland, & is a rather facinating example of Archimedes’ principle. More large-scale public works projects should be constructed with as much artistic vision as the Falkirk Wheel.

“…Despite its enormous mass, it rotates through 180° in less than four minutes while using very little power. It takes just 22.5 kilowatts (kW) to power the electric motors, which consume just 1.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy in four minutes, roughly the same as boiling eight kettles of water. The wheel is the only rotating boat lift of its kind in the world, and is regarded as an engineering landmark for Scotland.”

The Falkirk Wheel is constructed in the shape of a Celtic-inspired double-headed axe, & uses a planetary gear system to keep the 80,000 gallon caissons level.

Wikipedia: Falkirk Wheel »

Strépy-Thieu boat lift » .. another neat boat lift in Belgium, the tallest in the world.

True Christian fundamentalists

By Wick

On October 27, 2006

In politics

I imagine that true Christian fundamentalists have a hard time getting through their teen years:

“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched.” (Mark 9:43)

“For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother. His blood shall be upon him.” (Leviticus 20:9)

Bagger 288 bucket-wheel excavator, Germany

By Wick

On October 26, 2006

In Machines Of Unusual Size, wikipedia, world

I assumed NASA’s Crawler-Transporter was the largest tracked vehicle in the world.. but no! Years ago, German engineers developed something much, MUCH larger, in every sense of the word. The Bagger 288 is a bucket-wheel excavator mobile strip mining machine. It is the largest tracked vehicle in the world at 13,500 tons — in comparison, the Crawler-Transporter weighs a measily 2,700 tons.

There is something I find facinating about large machines. It’s unfortunate this particular machine’s primary purpose is strip mining. Incidentally, the bucket-wheel excavator & its devastating effect on landscape can be easily seen in Google Maps satellite photos. The power supply required for operation is the same as for a small city. The Bagger 288 was the inspiration behind my blog category, Machines Of Unusual Size — yes, M.O.U.S.’s. Watch out for them. Fire swamps have large coal deposits, no doubt.

Wikipedia: Bagger 288 »

more Bagger 288 photos »