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165 Comments
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11BOY ... you guys are quick ... it's only December 1st! ;-)
Remember I had a "little fun last year" - see:
http://www.komar.org/xmas/hoax/
but HEY, technology gets better every year and I've got three (real!) ChristmasCams going this year along with X10 so you can turn the 26,000 Christmas Lights on and off ... for real this time.
While you are waiting for it to get dark (I'll turn 'em on early if this story gets DIGG'ed up), check out the Christmas Videos at:
http://www.komar.org/xmas/movies/
Some pretty funny ones in there ... and even one of Kevin Rose on Tech TV from last year.
Theme this year is "Christmas Lights for Celiac" so if you enjoy annoying my neighbors by turning the 26,000 Christmas Lights on and off, consider
donating a few dollars to this worthy cause - see
http://www.celiaccenter.org/news_xmas.asp - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4ALLRIGHT GUYS ... I was just about to go to bed ... and WTF - look at all this web traffic ... I'm on the FRONT PAGE OF DIGG. I sure hope my neighors are sleeping because I just turned it all on for you guys.
Also, I had a memory upgrade planned tonight between 0200-0500 ... I just asked my ISP to delay that so you guys can play with the lights.
Have fun! - aquax, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again.
- Beansprout, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It was a hoax last year, but this year it's for real :)
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1One more reference/data point for you DIGG'ers.
It's said that "DIGG is the next Slashdot" ... and you guys are definately getting up there - total of 16,000+ inbounds from you in the first 24 hours adter this story hit the main page at Midnight. For comparison purposes, Fark and Slashdot were each about 5 times that in 2004 - they haven't paid me a visit yet for 2005. Data can be seen at:
http://www.komar.org/faq/slashdot-effect/2005-christmas/
http://www.komar.org/faq/slashdot-effect/2004-christmas/
DIGG on ... - Gnascher, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Oh yeah ...
And 4. He says his neighbors are supportive of this crazy stunt. One of them would have to complain to have a citation issued. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1That's taking the level of the spoof to a pretty high level, but yea, anything can be spoofed. Sure, while Kevin doesn't tell me which zone he commands, someone else could watch the incoming packets and quickly hit the same zone as Kevin he did on the web interface. So how DO you know if something is real or not - great question.
I'm hitting the sack - you guys come up with a way, get a $1,000 donation for Celiac Disease Research, and I'll do it.
P.S. I'm leaving the lights up until morning - have fun ... and my neighbors are going to really wonder about me now!
PPS. Thanx jaspinDroid for that environmentally correct statement. First, did you read the page where it said I'm using Wind Power for the lights, so you would probably approve of that. Second, my kids and all the neighbors think the lights are hilareous ... so that's worth some bucks to me. Finally, I've raised $1,217 for Celiac so far ... which is probably about 4 times what my (delta) electric bill will be this month. So it's not useless to me. - Gnascher, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1How about you take a stroll out with your lights to prove those cams are live too. :)
- MisterKen, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1DIG DIG DIG DIG!
I inflated Frosty!
It takes sooo little to amuse me. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Allright guys, I was wrong - it was NOT Kevin Rose - I pulled that from my web site ... but obviousely I can't remove from the comments above, so sorry about the boo-boo - hey, at least the dude's name was Kevin!
Jonathan2492: Note the "thanx" sign with your name on it in ChristmasCam#3. I appreciate the correction ... really.
I'd like GoldenPalace to bid on the upcoming eBay auction of the Webcam that Fooled the World with 100% of proceeds going to Celiac - see http://www.celiaccenter.org/news_xmas.asp
Sorry guys, wife is asleep ... so no streaking tonight.
More info at the Christmas FAQ at http://www.komar.org/xmas/faq/ ... and yea guys, you really are turning 'em on and off ... but hey, I'd be skeptical if I were you - no easy way to truly prove that online when hundreds of folks are hammering it! - Gnascher, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@madi-alien
I'm not saying one way or the other that this is real or fake. I got duped last year, and I'm a skeptic so far this year.
He has proved pretty conclusively that the webcams at least are live. He's been responding to requests in here to show stuff 'live' on the web cams (hand written signs and such).
It remains to be proved that the lights are controlled by the web user. However, saying that flashing lights would "result in a citation from the local authorities as a nuisance to the public in the neighborhood" is just silly, for several reasons.
1. Flashing Christmas light displays (remotely controlled or not) are quite common this time of year.
2. Most public agencies would not want the negative publicity of writing a citation for someone's Christmas light display.
3. It really is technically feasible to do what he CLAIMS he is doing ... we'll see if he really is doing it eventually. - dragaroo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Nicely done, the site rocks Alek!
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0It will be interesting to see how he faked it this time unless he took pictures of every possible scenario for what could be on and off and match them to the switches. Also including image stages as the items were inflating. so far I have counted over 10 variances and the snowman doesn't always fall the same place when someone turns it off.
I venture to say it IS real this year. If not, I really want to know how long it took him this year to do it. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0At home I have over 75,000 lights this year. It will cost an estimated $650 to run them this month. Best part is, it is using clean energy. all from replenishable resources. Some places dont use coal anyways. The oil well fires still burning and burning for years to come are more of an exological disaster by your standards, but it doesn't look like the world is ending just yet.
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Zethris- Http://www.thinkingpost.net - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0OK guys ... I think I pretty much convinced you the webcams are real (or I'm George Lucas) ... that part ain't hard.
However, Jonathan2492 is RIGHT ... I could just be randomly flipping the 7 X10 zones ... heck, with hundreds of you on it, who would know, right? And the latencies inherent in X10 and the Image capture/JPEG upload/etc. add up to several seconds, so that works to my advantage. So there really is no way to PROVE it ... or is there?
Now ... you could read it in the paper, hear it on the radio, or see it on TV ... but heck, all those guys got duped last year ... even though the lights actually NEVER blinked ... except when I was up in the Helicopter and my wife was working the X10 remote - see http://www.komar.org/xmas/movies/ for that footage - good comedy - hey, would you turn down a Heli ride in a News chopper?
So here's one way (I think) to PROVE it. Petition the DIGG powers-that-be and get them (or take a collection) to donate a $1,000 to Celiac Disease - that's tax-deductible BTW. Then have one person (maybe Kevin Rose so I can apologize to him for falsely accusing him of being in the TechTV video last year - sorry again) give me a holler. I'll set it up so ONLY he can access the controls. And I'll stay on the field of view of one of the webcams with my hands off the keyboard and the X10 wireless remote ... maybe my wife too!
Kevin can turn zones on and off ... and see if it actually works for him. Then he can report the results back to you guys. - reedjohnson, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0abstractia he just went outside and went on all three webcams after i asked hit to go outside... the control part is still up in the air though.
- linuxcluster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Great idea, absolute genius stunt you pulled and props to you alek for going all the way.
In regards of proving it though, how about you show us some log entries (including what switches where hit by whom, and the current time) over a specific time interval and someone from the skeptical side records all the images from the web cams and sends a couple commands. If the recording of the lights matches the log entries, and the IP address and proper commands show up in your log, you are proven correct - otherwise "shame on us" :o) - reedjohnson, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I agree Jonathan... the control part of the webpage could be fake. I guess there is no way to truely tell... either way atleast the webcams are real this year!
- abstractia, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0It could still be fake actually. He's only added things specific to the digg audience in his office. So his office could be a real webcam while the others are fake.
But I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Props for such a cool idea and for actually being able to withstand this traffic. - Awesomedude, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0if your looking for a folding team i'd like to suggest team 33 ( http://hardfolding.com ) help the horde beat those australians!
Also i want to say congrats on the setup. I was skeptical at first on you just have a cam in the den, but after you went out it looks legit. I think this whole think is awesome keep up the good work - plinx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Digg++
Pretty cool idea. - Gnascher, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@alek
Some ideas that would go along way to proving you're the 'real-deal' this year would be:
1. Publish your source code for us to review.
2. Create a video demonstrating your hardware setup and publish it on the site. Bonus points if in the video you give a bit of commentary about how you put it all together. Extra credit if you create this video while the site is at peak usage so we can hear the click-clack of the X-10 relays.
3. Get Kevin Rose or some other 'reputable' source to live test this.
4. Realize that no matter HOW hard you try, many folks will remain skeptical. Heck, they faked the moon landing didn't they? - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Actually moore08, I already got a good laugh from DIGG at Halloween - read what I wrote here http://www.komar.org/halloween/2005/trick-treat.html and I'm going to have to update that page with some quotes from this thread.
BTW, there actually is some good posts here ... and again guys, the skeptisism is appropriate/appreciated ... but some of the outlying comments are sooooo funny.
For those that are interested, I have the time-lapse video from this morning - watch DIGG do 26,000 Christmas lights!
http://www.komar.org/xmas/movies/ - soulcages01, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0for a dude as dorky as Alek, you'd think he'd have some decent web design skills... what a nasty looking webpage - did you build that using MS Notepad, Alek?
- DeMarko, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0oh and I just noticed this but is there a digg Folding@home team?
let's work together to help out people like alek's kids - lennox, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Pretty neat, especially seeing that it is real this time. Watched the sun come up, I doubt you planned that well ahead of time :P
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0By the way, I have celiac too and oats do have an effect on some of us, including me. As far as research goes, I have been doing my own about auto-imune diseases and food allergy related ties with other things we eat thinking it's ok. (a large part is refined sugar and yeast overgrowth) Were your children, or are they, on anti-biotics? Before I was 7 I did not have celiac, but I had a massive ear infection that I almost lost my hearing without a very strong anti-biotic called cipro. Since then I would get very sick if I ate anything with wheat gluten in it.
Just something to look into. I might write an article on it at my website now that you brought it up.
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Zethris- Http://www.thinkingpost.net - KelteN, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I hit inflate like 300 times, and frank blew up ;(
Very cool setup man. Good job. - diemonkey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0yeah i wonder what the neighbors think when they see the lights and inflatables go on and off.. heh this is pretty cool though
- reedjohnson, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Okay.... Alek, I am either really gullible or you have a sweet setup this year. Either way it is a fun website for the holidays. Keep up the good work!
- Beansprout, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Anyone fancy trying to Googlebomb this for the search term "Christmas"? ie, link to http://www.komar.org/xmas/ on your sites with the link text 'Christmas'...so Christmas [blah blah etc]. Already on page 4....be wicked to get higher up. /me shall be adding links today :)
- Chongo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0As much as I like this, it's completly fake........with all the DIGG attention, you would think that while you were watchhing things would change.....nope, only when a button is pressed. Also, when I clicked OFF it went on....
nice though......hope you get some bucks - Beansprout, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Bleh, as I thought, the HTML I put in got edited out, d'oh.
- mseaton80, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Dugg....your neighbors must hate you :)
- CaptHarlock, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I killed Frankenstein's monster and then brought him back to life. :)
+digg - paulypopex, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Worth a digg just for the charity element... merry xmas all.
- Jonathan2492, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Lol I don't mean to be further spektical because I belive the lights are really being controlled by us, but... theres some flaws with that Kevin Rose controlling idea, allthough it would make an awsome podcast, you could just have someone else control a seperate X10 for you, maybe not your wife, but a friend, the only way I could see it working is if kevin presses the buttons off camera, but you could probaly see what button is being pressed in your control panel, like you can see the IP addresse and when the buttons were last pushd or something..
- andyuk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This is very cool. Nice Work
- vegasbright, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I still think your pulling the javascript over our eyes. But its still Really cool!
- snac72, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Signed up to Digg just so I could say WOW.
I turned on Frosty from Australia man ....woooo hoooo - en3r0, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This is very cool, you should put up some turtorials on how you did all this, its impressive! I deflated frosty, my day is off to a good start!
-en3r0
virtenu.com - BenDuffy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Dugg, but consider getting some help with making your website look a little better!
Great JOB! - DeMarko, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0unfortunately I don't have any money to give but I will make sure to contribute to the Folding@home project. It might not sound like much but I hope it helps at least a little bit with reasearch
- siouxmoux, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This site already got the digg effect and it still up. Digg++
- Skrag, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0So awesome XD theres a lot of people competing to turn things on and off so you kinda have to press the button a billion times until it finally does what you want, but still its cool. And it seems unlikely that this is fake if there is an a difference between day and night, someone check near sunset: that would finalize wether its fake or not...
- hadak, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0HAHAHA that's so amusing. i'm never going to get anything done today lol. i saw this on rocketboom, but it's just so much more fun playing with it!
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Neat
- puny_midget, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Oh snap...thats awesome.
- SubZ3r0, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0hopefully you get the donations you need for your kids sad to hear that for someone who seems nice.
+digg - abstractia, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0What's goin on with the pirate? Everyone knows ninjas are way cooler.
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