Chris Staecker
@chrisstaecker.bsky.social
Mathematician, Z-list YouTuber.
The original space invaders speeds up gradually as you kill the invaders. But this wasn’t an intentional feature- the game is just speeding up because it has fewer things to render on the screen.
i was going through my X archives and found this by @superpodsaga.com, which I qrt'd at some point years ago
so, let me bring the question back: what is the most useless piece of video game knowledge you know?
so, let me bring the question back: what is the most useless piece of video game knowledge you know?
November 25, 2025 at 12:21 AM
The original space invaders speeds up gradually as you kill the invaders. But this wasn’t an intentional feature- the game is just speeding up because it has fewer things to render on the screen.
Wow! A French court has blocked the auction of the Pascaline calculator.
The auction of Parcé's many books is happening right now, but the calculator is not part of it.
www.purdueexponent.org/news/nationa...
The auction of Parcé's many books is happening right now, but the calculator is not part of it.
www.purdueexponent.org/news/nationa...
Christie's suspends Paris sale of world's 'first calculator'
Christie's said Wednesday it was suspending the Paris auction of one of just a handful of examples of the world's first calculating machine, developed by French mathematician and inventor Blaise
www.purdueexponent.org
November 19, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Wow! A French court has blocked the auction of the Pascaline calculator.
The auction of Parcé's many books is happening right now, but the calculator is not part of it.
www.purdueexponent.org/news/nationa...
The auction of Parcé's many books is happening right now, but the calculator is not part of it.
www.purdueexponent.org/news/nationa...
the people are not ready for this legendary collab
November 14, 2025 at 5:40 PM
the people are not ready for this legendary collab
A pair of hawks outside my office! (Abacus for scale)
November 14, 2025 at 4:09 PM
A pair of hawks outside my office! (Abacus for scale)
New Stephen Freeborn video: A weird transitional machine- pinwheel internals, but a 10-key button layout.
youtu.be/UD_ggRJ75TM?...
youtu.be/UD_ggRJ75TM?...
Brunsviga 16 T
YouTube video by Stephen Freeborn
youtu.be
November 13, 2025 at 3:04 PM
New Stephen Freeborn video: A weird transitional machine- pinwheel internals, but a 10-key button layout.
youtu.be/UD_ggRJ75TM?...
youtu.be/UD_ggRJ75TM?...
Reposted by Chris Staecker
Here you go. It was a properly produced thing, but I don’t know by whom. Here it is on a piece of A4 paper. It was just transparent enough to pencil trace over pictures, and the pencil could be washed off. As you can see, I was into maps.
November 12, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Here you go. It was a properly produced thing, but I don’t know by whom. Here it is on a piece of A4 paper. It was just transparent enough to pencil trace over pictures, and the pencil could be washed off. As you can see, I was into maps.
I just learned about this and had to make my own: Tecmo's Famicom graph paper!
youtube.com/shorts/baAMH...
I'm a sucker for hyper-specific-use-case graph paper.
youtube.com/shorts/baAMH...
I'm a sucker for hyper-specific-use-case graph paper.
1980s Famicom graph paper #tecmo #ninjagaiden #retrogaming #graphpaper #pixelart #nes #famicom
YouTube video by Chris Staecker
youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:07 PM
I just learned about this and had to make my own: Tecmo's Famicom graph paper!
youtube.com/shorts/baAMH...
I'm a sucker for hyper-specific-use-case graph paper.
youtube.com/shorts/baAMH...
I'm a sucker for hyper-specific-use-case graph paper.
Reposted by Chris Staecker
I have made a reasonable facsimile of this sprite paper (US letter size). Please feel free to use.
November 8, 2025 at 4:37 AM
I have made a reasonable facsimile of this sprite paper (US letter size). Please feel free to use.
This may be my last Chisanbop book to archive. I just received in the mail a copy of "Mathpattes", presented as a french language version of Ed Lieberthal's "Complete book of Fingermath". Published in Switzerland, 1986 #chisanbop
archive.org/details/math...
archive.org/details/math...
Mathpattes : Lieberthal, Miesegaes, Vautier : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Mathpattes, a French language version of The Complete Book of Fingermath by Edwin Lieberthal. The artwork and design is all new.Illustrations by Marc-André...
archive.org
October 29, 2025 at 10:03 AM
This may be my last Chisanbop book to archive. I just received in the mail a copy of "Mathpattes", presented as a french language version of Ed Lieberthal's "Complete book of Fingermath". Published in Switzerland, 1986 #chisanbop
archive.org/details/math...
archive.org/details/math...
Reposted by Chris Staecker
Reposted by Chris Staecker
Pascal's 1630 Machine, and the knockoffs! Pascaline Review www.youtube.com/watch?v=CROr...
Pascal's 1630 Machine: The First Calculator! Pascaline Review / HowTo
YouTube video by Chris Staecker
www.youtube.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Pascal's 1630 Machine, and the knockoffs! Pascaline Review www.youtube.com/watch?v=CROr...
Strange phenomenon: Every time I post a new video, I lose subscribers.
My interpretation: There are some subscribers who aren't really into me anymore. But they don't seek out my channel just to unsubscribe. They will only unsubscribe when they are reminded of me, which only happens when I post.
My interpretation: There are some subscribers who aren't really into me anymore. But they don't seek out my channel just to unsubscribe. They will only unsubscribe when they are reminded of me, which only happens when I post.
October 24, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Strange phenomenon: Every time I post a new video, I lose subscribers.
My interpretation: There are some subscribers who aren't really into me anymore. But they don't seek out my channel just to unsubscribe. They will only unsubscribe when they are reminded of me, which only happens when I post.
My interpretation: There are some subscribers who aren't really into me anymore. But they don't seek out my channel just to unsubscribe. They will only unsubscribe when they are reminded of me, which only happens when I post.
New video: I went to see the Pascaline! They did not let me touch it.
youtu.be/CROrLQpN6dc
youtu.be/CROrLQpN6dc
Pascal's 1630 Machine: The First Calculator! Pascaline Review / HowTo
YouTube video by Chris Staecker
youtu.be
October 24, 2025 at 11:38 AM
New video: I went to see the Pascaline! They did not let me touch it.
youtu.be/CROrLQpN6dc
youtu.be/CROrLQpN6dc
Just posted at @archive.org: instructions for the transparent "Pascal-type calculator" (also called the SEE calculator).
archive.org/details/pasc...
archive.org/details/pasc...
Pascal-Type Calculator Instructions : Burt Harrison : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Instructions sheet for the Pascal-Type Calculator distributed by Burt Harrison. Also marketed as the SEE Calculator.
archive.org
October 23, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Just posted at @archive.org: instructions for the transparent "Pascal-type calculator" (also called the SEE calculator).
archive.org/details/pasc...
archive.org/details/pasc...
Ladies: if he says "heighth" he aint the one
October 15, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Ladies: if he says "heighth" he aint the one
Now available! (but pretty boring tbh)
archive.org/details/stag...
archive.org/details/stag...
October 13, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Now available! (but pretty boring tbh)
archive.org/details/stag...
archive.org/details/stag...
Reposted by Chris Staecker
On an auction site someone is claiming to have a Comptometer for sale, but the picture is some kind of AI-generated rubbish. I don't see the point, but it makes for a fun game: How many errors can you spot?
October 12, 2025 at 10:53 PM
On an auction site someone is claiming to have a Comptometer for sale, but the picture is some kind of AI-generated rubbish. I don't see the point, but it makes for a fun game: How many errors can you spot?
The pascaline is in New York! No original stylus though 👎
October 11, 2025 at 8:02 PM
The pascaline is in New York! No original stylus though 👎
Just received in the mail the ultimate Chisanbop holy grail- the blue “Stage 2” book by Pai and Lieberthal! I thought it was never published- I said in my video it was never written. But Randi found a copy at her mom’s house! Thanks again Randi!
October 6, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Just received in the mail the ultimate Chisanbop holy grail- the blue “Stage 2” book by Pai and Lieberthal! I thought it was never published- I said in my video it was never written. But Randi found a copy at her mom’s house! Thanks again Randi!
New archival project: the Lawson Perspective Charts!
It's a set of big (25x22in) charts for perspective drawing.
Eight charts, various angles to the plane & horizon. With original instructions! The highest quality scans I could muster. I'll make a video when I have time. @archive.org links below
It's a set of big (25x22in) charts for perspective drawing.
Eight charts, various angles to the plane & horizon. With original instructions! The highest quality scans I could muster. I'll make a video when I have time. @archive.org links below
October 6, 2025 at 3:00 PM
New archival project: the Lawson Perspective Charts!
It's a set of big (25x22in) charts for perspective drawing.
Eight charts, various angles to the plane & horizon. With original instructions! The highest quality scans I could muster. I'll make a video when I have time. @archive.org links below
It's a set of big (25x22in) charts for perspective drawing.
Eight charts, various angles to the plane & horizon. With original instructions! The highest quality scans I could muster. I'll make a video when I have time. @archive.org links below
I just realized this item will be on public display in New York next week! Look for me in the crowds! hope you get to try-before-you-buy
An ORIGINAL Pascaline for sale- doesn’t even say how much for the shipping smh
press.christies.com/la-pascaline...
press.christies.com/la-pascaline...
LA PASCALINE 1642 : For the first time in history, a machine replaces the human brain. - Christie's
Paris – Developed by Blaise Pascal in 1642, the Pascaline is a scientific instrument of considerable historical value. Undoubtedly the most important scientific instrument ever offered at auction, its...
press.christies.com
October 3, 2025 at 12:24 PM
I just realized this item will be on public display in New York next week! Look for me in the crowds! hope you get to try-before-you-buy
+1 vote for national apologies! This is what strength looks like, “Christian nation” bros
apnews.com/article/sout...
apnews.com/article/sout...
South Korea's president apologizes over poorly managed foreign adoption programs
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has apologized for poorly managed foreign adoption programs that were rife with abuses and fraud.
apnews.com
October 2, 2025 at 3:40 PM
+1 vote for national apologies! This is what strength looks like, “Christian nation” bros
apnews.com/article/sout...
apnews.com/article/sout...