Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Pixel Identifying Music

Who knew that pixel could identify music playing around you?  Ben knew.

Friday, October 23, 2015

#19 - How to use EXCEPT in Microsoft Sql Sever

Back by popular demand is stuff that Ben Knows already.

#19 - How to use EXCEPT in Microsoft SQL

EXCEPT and INTERSECT (Transact-SQL)

Applies To: SQL Server 2014, SQL Server 2016 Preview
Returns distinct rows by comparing the results of two queries.
EXCEPT returns distinct rows from the left input query that aren’t output by the right input query.
INTERSECT returns distinct rows that are output by both the left and right input queries operator.
The basic rules for combining the result sets of two queries that use EXCEPT or INTERSECT are the following:
  • The number and the order of the columns must be the same in all queries.
  • The data types must be compatible.
Syntax
{ <query_specification> | ( <query_expression> ) }
{ EXCEPT | INTERSECT }
{ <query_specification> | ( <query_expression> ) } 

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Friday, September 23, 2011

#16 - Deus Ex ‘The Missing Link’ Incomming

This post isn't so much about Ben knowing this DLC is coming out as it is about Ben still being stuck on the first boss of the game. It's like Eidos Montreal is mocking him.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution DLC ‘The Missing Link’ Incoming

Deus Ex: Human Revolution has taken gaming by storm and has garnered a very popular fan base that continues to explore the world that has been created by Eidos Montreal. They already have plans for their first story based DLC titled ‘The Missing Link’.



During the main story arc of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Adam Jensen disappears for three days. Where could he have gone and what did he encounter? Well, now players will have those questions answered in ‘The Missing Link’. Stripped of his augmentations Adam must find out who and why he is being tortured and escape the facility where he will take on new enemies in an entirely new environment and encounter new allies. Players will be able to rebuild Jensen’s entire augmentation set. Are you ready to find out the missing link? Check out the trailer below.



The Missing Link will be available in October for Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC

Monday, September 19, 2011

#15 - The CDC's Emergency Preparedness & Response for the Zombie Apocalypse

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/socialmedia/zombies_blog.asp

The following was originally posted on CDC Public Health Matters Blog on May 16th, 2011 by Ali S. Khan.

Image of zombie

There are all kinds of emergencies out there that we can prepare for. Take a zombie apocalypse for example. That’s right, I said z-o-m-b-i-e a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-s-e. You may laugh now, but when it happens you’ll be happy you read this, and hey, maybe you’ll even learn a thing or two about how to prepare for a real emergency.

A Brief History of Zombies
We’ve all seen at least one movie about flesh-eating zombies taking over (my personal favorite is Resident EvilExternal Web Site Icon.), but where do zombies come from and why do they love eating brains so much? The word zombie comes from Haitian and New Orleans voodoo origins. Although its meaning has changed slightly over the years, it refers to a human corpse mysteriously reanimated to serve the undead. Through ancient voodoo and folk-lore traditions, shows like the Walking Dead were born.

Photo: A couple dressed as zombies - Danny Zucco and Sandy Olsson from the movie Grease walking in the annual Toronto Zombie Walk.

A couple dressed as zombies - Danny Zucco and Sandy Olsson from the movie Grease walking in the annual Toronto Zombie Walk.

In movies, shows, and literature, zombies are often depicted as being created by an infectious virus, which is passed on via bites and contact with bodily fluids. Harvard psychiatrist Steven Scholzman wrote a (fictional) medical paper on the zombies presented in Night of the Living Dead and refers to the condition as Ataxic Neurodegenerative Satiety Deficiency Syndrome caused by an infectious agent. The Zombie Survival Guide identifies the cause of zombies as a virus called solanum. Other zombie origins shown in films include radiation from a destroyed NASA Venus probe (as in Night of the Living Dead), as well as mutations of existing conditions such as prions, mad-cow disease, measles and rabies.

The rise of zombies in pop culture has given credence to the idea that a zombie apocalypse could happen. In such a scenario zombies would take over entire countries, roaming city streets eating anything living that got in their way. The proliferation of this idea has led many people to wonder “How do I prepare for a zombie apocalypse?”

Well, we’re here to answer that question for you, and hopefully share a few tips about preparing for real emergencies too!

Better Safe than Sorry

Photo: Some of the supplies for your emergency kit.

Some of the supplies for your emergency kit.

So what do you need to do before zombies…or hurricanes or pandemics for example, actually happen? First of all, you should have an emergency kit in your house. This includes things like water, food, and other supplies to get you through the first couple of days before you can locate a zombie-free refugee camp (or in the event of a natural disaster, it will buy you some time until you are able to make your way to an evacuation shelter or utility lines are restored). Below are a few items you should include in your kit, for a full list visit the CDC Emergency page.
  • Water (1 gallon per person per day)
  • Food (stock up on non-perishable items that you eat regularly)
  • Medications (this includes prescription and non-prescription meds)
  • Tools and Supplies (utility knife, duct tape, battery powered radio, etc.)
  • Sanitation and Hygiene (household bleach, soap, towels, etc.)
  • Clothing and Bedding (a change of clothes for each family member and blankets)
  • Important documents (copies of your driver’s license, passport, and birth certificate to name a few)
  • First Aid supplies (although you’re a goner if a zombie bites you, you can use these supplies to treat basic cuts and lacerations that you might get during a tornado or hurricane)

Once you’ve made your emergency kit, you should sit down with your family and come up with an emergency plan. This includes where you would go and who you would call if zombies started appearing outside your door step. You can also implement this plan if there is a flood, earthquake, or other emergency.

    Photo: Family members meeting by their mailbox. You should pick two meeting places, one close to your home and one farther away.

    Family members meeting by their mailbox. You should pick two meeting places, one close to your home and one farther away.

  1. Identify the types of emergencies that are possible in your area. Besides a zombie apocalypse, this may include floods, tornadoes, or earthquakes. If you are unsure contact your local Red Cross chapter for more information.
  2. Pick a meeting place for your family to regroup in case zombies invade your home…or your town evacuates because of a hurricane. Pick one place right outside your home for sudden emergencies and one place outside of your neighborhood in case you are unable to return home right away.
  3. Identify your emergency contacts. Make a list of local contacts like the police, fire department, and your local zombie response team. Also identify an out-of-state contact that you can call during an emergency to let the rest of your family know you are ok.
  4. Plan your evacuation route. When zombies are hungry they won’t stop until they get food (i.e., brains), which means you need to get out of town fast! Plan where you would go and multiple routes you would take ahead of time so that the flesh eaters don’t have a chance! This is also helpful when natural disasters strike and you have to take shelter fast.

Never Fear – CDC is Ready

Photo: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Prepared

Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Prepared

If zombies did start roaming the streets, CDC would conduct an investigation much like any other disease outbreak. CDC would provide technical assistance to cities, states, or international partners dealing with a zombie infestation. This assistance might include consultation, lab testing and analysis, patient management and care, tracking of contacts, and infection control (including isolation and quarantine). It’s likely that an investigation of this scenario would seek to accomplish several goals: determine the cause of the illness, the source of the infection/virus/toxin, learn how it is transmitted and how readily it is spread, how to break the cycle of transmission and thus prevent further cases, and how patients can best be treated. Not only would scientists be working to identify the cause and cure of the zombie outbreak, but CDC and other federal agencies would send medical teams and first responders to help those in affected areas (I will be volunteering the young nameless disease detectives for the field work).

To learn more about what CDC does to prepare for and respond to emergencies of all kinds, visit:
http://emergency.cdc.gov/cdc/orgs_progs.asp

To learn more about how you can prepare for and stay safe during an emergency visit:
http://emergency.cdc.gov/

To download a badge like the one above that you can add to your social networking profile, blog, website, or email signature visit:
http://emergency.cdc.gov/socialmedia/zombies.asp