UUe

+'Magic Jukebox' announcement 1

Putting together a featurette (film) about my jukebox, UUe. This is currently in the planning stages, but I'd like to share some ideas right here and now.

I'm trying to move away (in real life) from my avatar's extremely juvenile look-and-feel which has been a strand in how all things Stewniversal are presented. ie., I want a more adult/grown-up delivery in contrast to the perpetuated k-mode. Ironically, it's that style that defines Egglepple, on which all off this stuff is based. So, an option would be to just limit the avatar to the Kindergarten, or, ..not. That's where this featurette idea comes in.
lnq (avatar)

I think that part of the confusion people have when visiting the jukebox is how seriously to take it because it looks like a toy for kids, versus being a public utility (note: it's not quite there yet, but I realize that it may never get there if people don't know how to use it). I've been told over and over again in demonstrations (as far back as pre-launch demos in 2006) that the string theory element doesn't come across well, even though it's designed to simplify the most arcane puzzle in the most relateable terms.

In order to deliver this message sufficiently - which is crucial to its sustainability, it needs to be presented in a long-form commercial, very similar in spirit to what Nintendo did with Super Mario Bros. 3 in the movie The Wizard. I really liked🙂 that movie because the formula worked so well, and that's something I want to mimic here. An outline of my story (a simulacrum) is of a fledgling gameshow (UUelcome) host who is struggling to grow the production, and then he takes it to a 'magical' realm that exploits the Kindergarten (led by the avatar, no less). In the end, everybody everywhere understands it, and everyone goes home a winner.

Those are just some thoughts about 'Magic Jukebox'. Right now, I don't have a script, a budget, or a crew. Plus, I have other stuff that I'm working on in the meantime.

+subscribe to Link Starbureiy's YouTube channel

My YouTube channel is @ youtube/linkstarbureiy. Subscribe.

+'ed' is open/live and looking for tutors

The ed app is up-and-running. It seems desolate at the moment... because it is. The pages need intermediation (tutors and students) so we can kickstart this thing. If you're interested in tutoring, read the syllabi carefully. Remember that each sheet (chemistry, math, physics) is a live document in its own right; meaning that it is editable and self-contains a page history.

Ready. Set. Learn.

+Happy Fourteenth Birthday🎉🎂, Joey Koala!

Joey's Number 14 should be a good one! Let's hope so.🎈

+3Q25

+Apple Dapple redux

In 2014, I unveiled an independent 'numeracy complement to Reading Rainbow's literacy initiative' (and to a smaller extent, Mr. Wizard) called Apple Dapple. It was an app (supposedly, when apps were the big news) that lived inside a user's mobile device. Again, this was designed to be a mathematics pedagogical twin for Reading Rainbow's contemporary makeover (with career-based 'field trips' and everything). Back then I was asking for a substantial sum of money ($2million) to deliver the app to secondary schools across America (@ $10,000 per school district adoption, just like with Reading Rainbow).

Shout-out:

Looking back, I can see that it addressed a compulsory pedagogy need that was kind of already being met on public television outlets, as well as with various websites. The supplement was framed juvenily, because it was, well.. an activity meant for kids (gradeschoolers). My effort back then centered around exploiting a study (factoid) that correlated the effectiveness of teaching mathematics (ie. quantitative comprehension) in two stages: ages 8-11 (understanding shapes in relation to movement) and 16-17 (application of equations). Apple Dapple had been readied to bridge that gap.

Well, that was years ago. The app went into hibernation, ..and some other stuff. Now, I've learned a few things here and there about educational marketing (education is the biggest market in the world, especially when it's free), network advertising (ie. renting ad space), and streaming. I'm giving Apple Dapple another go (this time sans docent April Appleberry in the feature slot, for now, and with a new parent name - 'ed'*). It's been re-branded from a pure origami (ie. convertible geometries) platform (the lessons involved using paper-folding to understand trigonometric principles), into a standardized credentialing service (including certifications preparation+training) platform tailored to adult learners (andragogy) that will sit under my 'edUUe ("ed")' banner. Video🎞 content will be hyperlinked back-and-forth from a YouTube playlist and/or livestream (@LinkStarbureiy [

]). A student/teacher/coach helpdesk may utilize Google Classroom (get a Google Account if you don't already have one). There is still an abundance of attention placed on the progress and wellness of an individual, who in turn and without restriction, is able to advance at their own pace. Oh, yeah, the logo stays.🙂

Typically, in today's over-zealous world of timely product launches, people always emphasize how "excited" they are. As any educator can attest, curriculum planning is hard work, pupils can be rambunctious, and the pay could be better; hardly anything to get too "excited" about. But, I like to win.'ed' is the short form of 'edu'. Since the jukebox is named 'UUe', I thought about branding it 'UUedu', but there already exists a domain (uu.edu) that points to a real university, so that was out. I then tried 'edUUe' (and it did sound cool voicing the spelling) before truncating it to just 'ed'.

Note (+): I do not proctor exams.

Realizing that there is lots of competition out there in the vocational training space, I'm "curious" to see what kind of a dent I can make this time around. Nothing will be sold. I promised myself that I wouldn't overtax anybody trying to be super-innovative here. -- That's not to say that you can't count on machine learning being a huge factor in threading submitted queries. -- I simply want to see how far libre test preparation - mainly for STEM development / bug bounty programs / mathletics - can go if people know where to look (free or not, an education should pay off). That said, if you want to help out, donate some of your time and/or money. Thanks.

🐷tip

Wish me luck.

+still working on the camera (update 1)

Let's have some fun with the Google Daydream sdk.

+3Pvn

Triclinic form of Human C-Reactive Protein in complex with Zinc

+#Easteropera mixtape #1 - Eden's Cobby

Easter's overture is told in a series of stories called mixtapes, which are a chronology of separate non-principal (motion) pictures that comprise Day 0 of the opera's first act, and may or may not have anything to do with the definition in the popular sense of the word. Whereas the opera itself is recorded with a virtual camera system (vcs), the mixtapes have no such photographic requirement. With each mixtape, we are following a certain character in singular form, offering up small tidbits of information related to the overall story arc.

--------

This following verse is one of a number of preliminary scenes for the character 'Socks'.

In the case of 'Socks', he is ultimately responsible for the murder of Felix Yota, a public accountant working for the City. That angle is critical as to why the District Attorney in the opera decides to campaign for public office in the manner that she does. The following mixtapes provide a first-look lede into said activity.

Background
'Socks' is the streetname given to an understudy gangster serving in the illegitimate business of 'Theo/Roscoe' throughout Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is a Black male in his early-twenties in age. His chosen nickname comes from the irony that he (proudly) does not wear socks with his everyday attire.

These days, he has just gotten news from his girlfriend that they are to be expecting their second child, another daughter, in the coming months. Although he is usually a reliable companyman, he always resorts to / relies on his instinct and selfish ways in his business dealings, which makes him an untrustworthy person to a large degree.

He has been under the employ of Roscoe for approximately two (2) years, and has risen to the rank of lieutenant within the kingpin's organization. Keeping in mind that he only got into the drug game to make money and not friends, he prioritizes his life in such a way that his lifestyle comes first, then family, and maybe other extracurriculars down the line. In that order. Now with an expanding family, Socks wants out of the game completely; his plan is to do a few more jobs, collect his money, gather his family and then vanish.

A careless individual, he makes his living being 'that guy' who gets the dirty stuff done. He is not a nice person, having probably murdered 12-15 people in cold blood since being employed by the organization. We're learning now that he is also a thief. If he is to be successful in executing his escape plan, he’ll have to control his impulses, and also watch is back.

- Scene 1 {Eden's Cobby} -

[characters: Socks, Foot Soldier, d0x]

-- Socks is alone, seated in a quiet place outside somewhere in the innercity.  It is around mid-morning and he appears to be waiting for someone.  It looks as if he is smoking a narcotic, but this could just as likely be tobacco cigarette.  Someone approaches him from a short distance and they begin to converse. --



Foot Soldier: Uh.. Socks?

Socks: (looking up but not making direct eye contact) …Yeah.

Foot Soldier: I'm supposed to meet you -- (cut off)

Socks: -- What's your password?

Foot Soldier: 'zakee'.

Socks: Alright.

Foot Soldier: (reaches into his pocket and pulls out a bulky packaged envelope) Well, here it is. (he then starts to toss it before stepping closer to Socks and handing it to him instead)  It's all there.

Socks: (nods)

Foot Soldier: I thought there were two (2) of you here?

Socks: That's right.

Foot Soldier: Where's the other -- (cut off)

Socks: The way this works is you deliver your bulk, and then pick up mine. (still puffing, he then points to a car at a distance)  .. the black car over there.

Foot Soldier: Sario wants triple the manpower next time we have to make another move like this.

Socks: (making direct eye contact) I don't give a fuck about what Sario wants!

Foot Soldier: Tell that shit to Roscoe.

Socks: (chuckles)

Foot Soldier: Sario's concerned about Roz's call to axe that family last week without notice.

Socks: It wasn't Roscoe's call.  He knew a little too much, .. our names, faces. (litters by flicking the butt of what he was puffing on)

Foot Soldier: Execution-style?  Man, if that was you, somebody's got to let us know because Sario's the connect for that side of Olney.

Socks: Somebody did just let you know.

Foot Soldier: You work alone?

Socks: (pulls gun from under jacket and places it on bench next to him) Nope. Like I said, there are two of us.

Foot Soldier: Okay. (short pause) Looks like we're finished here. (begins to walk from where he came)  Behind the back tire, right?

Socks: Yeah.



The Foot Soldier makes it to the car parked about seventy (70) yards away.  Just as he searches for the suspected package in question, he is shot from behind.  Minutes later, Socks makes a call to d0x, the organization’s technician and business intelligence, presumably to inform him of the ongoings.  The actual meeting took place at 9:00am local time, but Socks told his superiors that it was scheduled for 9:30am.



Socks: (leaning on the side of his car after putting the wounded body of the Foot Soldier in the trunk) Hey, they never showed.

d0x: What?!

Socks: I've been here for like five (5) minutes.  This was only supposed to be a one-minute deal.  These people are making me nervous, man.  I don't even know if we can trust this Mario motherfucker!

d0x: Hm. This is twice this month.

Socks: Did you give him the right place?

d0x: Yes! Coordinates back in Cobbs Creek, like we said.

Socks: Well, the motherfucker ain't here!  This could be some sort of an ambush or something.  I'm moving out.

d0x: Meet at the barbershop on 38th & Lansdowne.

Socks: Bet.  I'm going to grab something to eat.  I'll be there in twenty (20).

d0x: Make it ten (10).



Socks closes the call, opens his driver-side door, gets in the car, and drives off.  We are to believe that he killed the Foot Soldier, placed his dead body in the trunk, and has stolen the loot.

- End Scene 1 {Eden's Cobby} -

(see also #Easteropera mixtape #2)

+5ZZ6

Redox-sensing transcriptional repressor Rex

+Goodbye to a hero, Stan Lee (dedication)

It's not everyday that you get to live-witness the career of someone who truly enriched the world, but that's exactly what I got to see with Stan Lee and his work.

I can only hope that Mr. Lee lived a fulfilling life. What he did for American culture and the entertainment industry in general is well-noted. His comic book creations and the hero of his imagination, I believe, forever changed the way humans think about themselves and our possibilities. I personally want to thank him for sharing what he could and did do in terms of characters, their stories, what it means to be misunderstood, how to persevere, and countless other attributes that escape me at this moment.

I usually don't pick favorites, but I have, on more than one occasion, found myself asking who would've won in certain hypothetical battles (Hulk vs. Superman is a good one that comes to mind, btw, X-Men would totally mop the floor with The Avengers😉). The truth is, I really don't have to; just being able to be have that conversation should be an honor in itself. Letting yourself get lost in such ludicrous discussions just because is a great thing. We have the folks at Marvel Comics/Entertainment to thank for that, and Mr. Stan Lee, in particular.

One thing I'm really happy about is that he got to see his ideas brought to life on the big screen. It's one thing to flesh something out on paper with ink and lead. It's another thing to have talented animators, cinematographers, and a cast of professional actors portray your characters pretty much as you imagined -- decades prior. In my opinion, that's the equivalent of winning the Nobel Prize in your later years (something that I never agreed with. If you deserve it, the Committee should just give it. Why wait, you know?). I'm also really happy that he was honored with cameo slots in pretty much all of those movies. It goes without saying that Mr. Lee and his iconic creations have been - and likely will remain - a respected exponent in what it means to pursue your dreams and live up to your potential.

Thank you, sir,
Sincerely, Link Starbureiy

+6A7W

--Structure of a catalytic domain of the colistin resistance enzyme--

+5ZTH

Crystal structure of spRlmCD with U1939loop RNA at 3.24 angstrom

+5YL0

The crystal structure of Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus P-domain with Zn ions

+5ZI6

The RING domain structure of MEX-3C

+Brock Vickers as🎭 'Gunyo Gruber' in Easter

Gruber.

Yes, that Gruber. The infamous villain from The Detective series (especially, Nothing Lasts Forever, where he is better known as 'Hans Gruber'), who became a household name in the movie, Die Hard (1988), after being played impeccably by Alan Rickman.

Fast-forward. New time. New interpretation. New actor.

Brock Vickers^[a] will bring his acting chops and athletic background (he was a former collegiate baseball player) to the role of Gunyo 'Little Gun' Gruber in my opera, Easter. Let's keep our fingers crossed in hoping that we make Roderick Thorp proud.

We know that (according to the literature), despite his gruesome exterior, Gruber did what he did (perhaps not in the manner that he did it) because he was a freedom fighter. Ironically, he attacked the Klaxon corporation because he thought - thanks to his independent leftist leanings - that the company wasn't doing enough to help the less fortunate in the South American country from which it was exploiting. In that sense, he (as the leader of a terrorist group) was a self-proclaimed Robin Hood.

Our first encounter with Gruber comes in Die, Detective!, where he is a Pinkerton contractor working for shipping magnate, Maundy Lindros, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Normally, Maundy wouldn't need the services of someone like a Gruber, who is a versatile mercenary employed by her business to head general counsel as she battles legal difficulties put forth by the incoming competitor, Canaan Dusk and his company, Nile, LLC, because she's made due just fine these past forty years with smart management to her credit. But the days are no longer quotidian. This is the first time in her career that Maundy has had to operate from a position of apparent weakness - a challenge she does not relish by any means - as she engages with her longtime political rival, Ember Libitina, in the civic sphere.

Some call him "Little Gun", even though he stands 6'3''. He's nice when he has to be, the jobs call for it. Just know that Gruber is a dangerous thirty (30) year-old German-born double agent for the IDF. He was hired to do a job - and he'll do it well - but can he really outmaneuver Ms. Lindros at her own game? We have five (5) chords to do a character study and learn his fate, as Gruber starts out as a lightweight, but becomes a major player by ChordH of the opera.