UFies.org: Random Linkage Archives
August 25, 2016
Great Video of Seal Escaping Hunting Orcas By Jumping onto Boat

Via Loopinsight: Orcas hunting seal, seal jumps in boat

We were out with the family looking for whales and a pod of 12 transient killer whales were chasing the seal. It ripped towards the boat in a desperate escape and scrambled on the deck. It fell off three times in panic and finally stayed on until the whales gave up after about 30-45 minutes. Most intense epic experience ever.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:31 AM
July 20, 2016
Feds Seize KickassTorrents Domains and Arrest Owner

Via torrentfreak: Feds Seize KickassTorrents Domains, Arrest Owner

The U.S. Government has arrested the alleged owner of KickassTorrents, the world’s largest torrent site. The 30-year-old Ukrainian was arrested in Poland today and is charged with criminal copyright infringement and money laundering. In addition, a federal court in Chicago has ordered the seizure of several KAT domain names.

Looks like our favourite (and most dependent) torrent site may be in a bit of trouble…

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:24 PM
July 19, 2016
Cool Kickstarter - The Purpose Hotel

The latest interesting Kickstarter out there is The Purpose Hotel, which is a project from great photograher Jeremy Cowart, a crowdfunded hotel with the aim to benefit everyone.

Cool idea, I hope he can pull it off. Here’s a bit more info:

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:28 AM
July 04, 2016
Virginia introduces law to stop 12-year-old girls from getting married | Americas | News | The Independent

Every once and a while you wonder to yourself “is this a fake headline from the Onion” followed by “this can’t be actually a real thing right?”. That’s exactly what I thought when I saw the headline of “Virginia introduces law to stop 12-year-old girls from getting married”.

Last week, the authorities in the state introduced new legislation that updated rules that had until then made it legal for girls aged 12 or 13 to get married if they had parental consent and were pregnant.

All I can say is that I’m glad that the US, as a world leader and example to other countries, is so progressive.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:09 AM
May 26, 2016
Epic Star Wars Aerial Battle Shot Using Drones

This one has been making the rounds today… an Epic Star Wars Aerial Battle Shot Using Drones and Creative Camera Work that really is worth a watch. Make sure you watch the 20 minute behind the scenes / making of video as well, lots of explanations about how it was done (not all how you think).

Huge kudos to the team behind this, well done!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:49 PM
May 10, 2016
Star Wars - Episode V "The Empire Strikes Back" Homage In James Bond Style

This Star Wars - Episode V “The Empire Strikes Back” Homage looks absolutely wonderful!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:17 AM
April 07, 2016
Discover One of the Most Beautiful Places on Earth in This Viral Timelapse

Discover One of the Most Beautiful Places on Earth

We wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve never heard of The Drakensberg before. It almost sounds like a region in Game of Thrones, but it’s not: it’s a mountain escarpment in South Africa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the subject of the timelapse above, and probably the newest addition to your bucket list.

Well, I’m sure as hell planning a trip here now!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:47 PM
November 16, 2015
Media Manufactured Outrage

Excellent article - 5 things the media does to manufacture outrage. A more concise dissection of how stupid things are blown out of proportion by the media to get more clicks I haven’t seen.

Not sure how me linking to the article talking about how the media talks about the media talking about things online counts, but whatever, I’m here to amuse.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:52 PM
November 10, 2015
Remembering BBS life at 2400bps

Great article on Modems, wArEz, and ANSI art: Remembering BBS life at 2400bps by Lee Hutchinson over at Ars Technica. I grew up with this stuff, it was my first exposure to connected computers in a day when a 386 was hot stuff. Good memories in there.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:13 PM
October 06, 2015
Soap Studio Tumbler TVC and Demo - YouTube

Who hasn’t wanted to drive the Batman’s Tumbler? Well now you can… check out this video:

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:28 AM
September 23, 2015
Pebble Announces Round Smartwatch

Pebble Round appeared on the Pebble Smartwatch site today. Basically it’s what you’d expect from Pebble, it’s a smartwatch, using the same colour e-paper display, battery life measured in days, iPhone and Android compatibility, etc.

Looks like they got around the ‘flat tire’ look of the Android round smartwatches by making the bezel wider (probably hiding a square(ish) display behind it that only uses the circle). Also they specifically say “battery life measured in days” and not the “7-10 day battery life” from before (though I don’t remember 100% if that’s how they said it before). Maybe the smaller profile means less battery by a bit? Who knows.

It’s a bit of a surprise to those of us who backed the Pebble Time on Kickstarter, when not everyone has all their rewards yet, but we do get an interesting discount deal (details in the blog).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:17 AM
September 08, 2015
Ardbeg Brews Space Whisky

Ardbeg’s space whisky tastes “noticeably different” from Earth-matured whisky:

The biggest difference was in the tasting, though. In the triangle tests conducted, almost all participants picked out a difference between the space whisky and the mundane Earth-matured control.

As a relatively new Scotch and Whiskey drinker, I’d appreciate Ardbeg sending me a sample to test, please and thankyou.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:34 AM
September 02, 2015
Videos of Ships Going Through Storms

Mesmerizing Videos of Ships.

I’m just going to say “no” right now.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:55 PM
August 17, 2015
This Video Will Blow the Dog Right Out Of Your Bun

This video proves everything is cooler in slow-mo:

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:02 PM
August 13, 2015
I Feel Sorry For The Police Some (Most) Days

This Deputy Shows Extreme Poise And Patience When Dealing With An Absurd Human Being.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:57 AM
July 30, 2015
Mapping the United Swears of America

Some pretty awesome data - Mapping the United Swears of America&utm_content=FeedBurner). Obviously some strong language :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:07 PM
July 27, 2015
The Verge Drives A SuperCar

Things I learned driving a supercar for the first time:

Driving a car like this onto an incline — basically any driveway — is a surgical procedure that requires hyperactive situational awareness and a thought-out stratagem. Driving slowly and deliberately isn’t enough: if you don’t plan correctly, that just means you’ll scrape the undercarriage in excruciating slow motion. (And I don’t want to know what happens if you bottom out at high speed.)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:21 PM
July 08, 2015
Locked in a Vegas Hotel Room with a Phantom Flex

Locked in a Vegas Hotel Room with a Phantom Flex is yet more proof that everything is more awesome in slo-mo, or in this case, super slo-mo.

Locked in a Vegas Hotel Room with a Phantom Flex from Tom Guilmette on Vimeo.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:17 AM
June 18, 2015
Red Bull Barnstorming

I know these are really just big ads for gross tasting sugar and caffiene water, but this Red Bull Barnstorming is pretty damn amazing.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:23 AM
May 21, 2015
Time-lapse Mining from Internet Photos

Ok, this new talk on time lapse mining from Internet photos is possibly the coolest use of technology I’ve seen in ages.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:49 PM
May 12, 2015
Last Week Tonight On Paid Family Leave

Living in Canada, at an awesome company with a great family paid leave plan, I didn’t imagine that the good ‘ol USA, so awesome at everything, was so incredibly fucked up. This Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on Paid Family Leave really brings it right up to the front.

Seriously America, WTF?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:32 AM
May 11, 2015
Watch two crazy people fly jetpacks over Dubai

So apparently personal jetpacks are pretty real now. Watch two crazy people fly jetpacks over Dubai in 4K.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:02 PM
April 15, 2015
HDD and Floppy Music: Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

Double the nostalgia… Floppy disks and Nirvana!: HDD and Floppy Music: Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit - YouTube

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:15 AM
April 13, 2015
Awesome Peugeot Car Commercial

This ad for the New Peugeot 208 GTi is really nothing short of “epic”.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:45 PM
April 01, 2015
Happy April Fools' Day 2015

Happy April Fools’ Day 2015, at least a mini-round up.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:58 PM
March 17, 2015
Universal Music Hijacks YouTube Videos of Indie Artist | TorrentFreak

Universal Music Hijacks YouTube Videos of Indie Artist

Universal Music Group has hijacked several YouTube videos of Bjorn Lynne, an independent musician from Norway. The world’s largest music corporation is now running advertisements on videos of music tracks Lynne created, and is refusing to correct the mistake.

Seriously a nightmare scenario, combining huge bureaucracy, tons of money, and a real David vs Goliath fight, except I suspect in this case David isn’t going to win.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:48 AM
March 13, 2015
Nostalgia - Here's Some Commercials from the 80s and 90s For You

14 Commercials from the 80s and 90s That You’ll Never Forget. Ahhh…. memories.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:57 AM
March 09, 2015
BitTorrent Sync 2.0

Sync 2.0 is out, and looks pretty damn good.

All of the core functionality we introduced in version 1.4 last August still exist in 2.0, letting you securely share folders across all platforms, with visibility into who has access.

A bunch of new functionality has been added, from enhanced user interfaces across desktop and mobile platforms to a new certificates-based security model with even greater control and ease-of-use. Go here to check out all the many new features in Sync 2.0.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:15 PM
#Fury325 Roller Coaster Test Run POV

#Fury325 test run POV

Holy crap.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:16 PM
March 06, 2015
Astronomers Watch a Supernova and See Reruns

Astronomers Watch a Supernova and See Reruns. Man science is pretty awesome.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:03 PM
February 24, 2015
Pebble Introduces Pebble Time

Pebble is back on Kickstarter with Pebble Time, their next generation smartwatch.

Highlights:

  • Color e-ink display
  • Up to 7 days of battery life
  • Microphone
  • Waterproof
  • A “timeline” feature (the “Time” in “Pebble Time”) which lets you see what’s coming up and happening.
  • Ships in May

I’m pretty excited about this one, but honestly, I’m wondering if I’m going to wait to see what the  Watch looks and feels like. Not because I think I’m getting one, but because I’m wondering if it will simply blow everyone else out of the water or not, and if I’ll feel like I’ve got an old and busted thing on my wrist.

That said, I wear my pebble most every day, so….

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:50 AM
January 29, 2015
The NFL Just Released an Anti-Domestic Violence Super Bowl Ad That Every Man Needs to See - Mic

The NFL Just Released an Anti-Domestic Violence Super Bowl Ad

The ad makes a powerful point — all without ever showing actual violence. As the camera pans across a wrecked home, a woman can be heard calling 911. In the recreated voiceover, a woman tells the 911 operator she’d like to order a pizza. At first exasperated, the operator then realizes the caller is in danger, using the pizza order as cover while her abuser stands nearby. 

This was a very affecting ad.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:01 PM
Autistic Weather Enthusiast Frankie MacDonald Given His Own Segment On Cape Breton News Show

Autistic Weather Enthusiast Frankie MacDonald Given His Own Segment On Cape Breton News Show

Frankie MacDonald is a Canadian man with autism who has an insatiable passion for all things meteorological. He even broadcasts his own online weather show and his hugely popular videos led to CBC News giving him the chance to present a segment on their program.

My country makes me proud once again.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:48 PM
January 23, 2015
Incredible Skills of the NHL All Stars

GoPro Video Shows Us the Incredible Skills of the NHL All Stars:

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:54 PM
January 20, 2015
"The Secret Meeting that Changed Rap Music and Destroyed a Generation" | Hip Hop Is Read

Found The Secret Meeting that Changed Rap Music and Destroyed a Generation through a reddit discussion on evil coprorations, where someone brought up that the US privatized prison system is engineered to get as many people in jail as possible.

[…] told us that since our employers had become silent investors in this prison business, it was now in their interest to make sure that these prisons remained filled. Our job would be to help make this happen by marketing music which promotes criminal behavior, rap being the music of choice. He assured us that this would be a great situation for us because rap music was becoming an increasingly profitable market for our companies, and as employee, we’d also be able to buy personal stocks in these prisons. Immediately, silence came over the room. You could have heard a pin drop.

If any of this is remotely true it’s absolutely amazing.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:30 AM
January 13, 2015
HowToGeek Installs The Top 10 Download.com Apps

Here’s What Happens When You Install the Top 10 Download.com Apps.

We installed the top 10 apps from Download.com, and you’ll never believe what happened! Well… I guess maybe you might have a good guess. Awful things. Awful things are what happens. Join us for the fun!

Shockingly (not really) download.com is not the useful utility and site it used to be back in The Good Old Days(tm).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:17 PM
January 12, 2015
Inside a Rolex Submariner

Seeing inside a Rolex is a pretty awesome sight. The video is beautifully shot, and shows just why (I guess) you have to pay Rolex an extra arm when you get your watch maintained (or so I assume, having never owned a super-fancy watch).

Also I had no idea how many specialized tools and gizmos there were for watches.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:32 PM
January 07, 2015
Fastmail intrudoces JMAP A new EMail Protocol

JMAP is a new protocol that is introduced by FastMail as a proposed replacement for IMAP (and friends) for an open standard solution to doing push updates to email.

While I completely agree with them, this is needed, currently there’s no universal solution, etc etc. However it ticks the same box as most “we could stop spam dead” solutions…. everyone would have to adopt it.

Not only that, but it’d have to be added to all the existing (boring, unfun) infrastructure code (like postfix, exchange, etc) to provide the services to all the mobile providers.

Will have to see if it goes anywhere.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:39 PM
January 06, 2015
Video of An Explosion at a fireworks factory

Explosion at fireworks factory:

Amazing and terrifying at the same time.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:46 AM
January 05, 2015
How Americans refer to their bros

The dude map shows you how men the US refer to their male friends.

Also, merry 2015!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:32 AM
December 15, 2014
Crazy Ski Run Down The Mountain

Most insane ski line:

“Sphincter tightening” doesn’t start to describe it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:02 PM
December 12, 2014
Liam Neeson will seriously endorse your 'particular set of skills' on LinkedIn

Liam Neeson will seriously endorse your ‘particular set of skills’ on LinkedIn

LOS ANGELES — It takes a very particular set of skills to get us interested in a movie’s social-media marketing these days, and in this case, 20th Century Fox has acquired them — on the most boring social-media site in the world.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:50 PM
December 04, 2014
Terminator Genisys Trailer

The Terminator Genisys Trailer has been released and holy crap it looks amazing.

I don’t care what you say, this is going to be amazing.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:12 PM
Rapid River Whitewater CGI = WOW

Houdini - Rapid River Whitewater is a great example of, as my buddy Darren put it, CGI’s grown a bit.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:58 AM
December 02, 2014
AnandTech Reviews Android 5.0 Lollipop

The Android 5.0 Lollipop Review.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:48 PM
November 26, 2014
The Origin of the Wilhelm Scream

Where Did the Wilhelm Scream Come From and Why Do So Many Filmmakers Use It? is the best article on the Wilhelm Scream I’ve read so far.

Now I know what I’m looking for, I can’t un-hear it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:57 PM
November 20, 2014
Very Cool Map Of Vancouver

Archie’s Press: Vancouver is a fantastic city map that explains Vancouver like I’ve never seen it before (and I’ve lived here all my life). On their products page there are most other major North American cities available.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:57 PM
November 03, 2014
Great Honda Ad Video on Youtube

Honda has a great video (ad) on youtube. Pretty innovative use of the technology and really well done.

So good you have to watch it twice (no really, you’ll see what I mean).

A nice behind the scenes look at the editing and filming side of it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:08 PM
October 31, 2014
Drone footage of an airport

Drone footage of an aiport shows what you can do it you’re allowed to fly a camera drone at an airport. You can’t in the US and (I assume) Canada, but in Mexico, where this was taken, the filmmaker worked with the airport and tower to make sure everything was safe, and produced a very cool video.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:27 PM
Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta 2014

A great time lapse film of the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta 2014. If there’s something that always works well in time lapse, it’s hot air balloons…

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:27 AM
October 29, 2014
AT&T, Verizon Using 'Perma-Cookies' to Track Customer Web Activity

AT&T, Verizon Using ‘Perma-Cookies’ to Track Customer Web Activity:

According to Forbes, AT&T is testing a similar code insertion program that will allow websites to track AT&T customers. Like Verizon, AT&T has plans to make the tracking codes temporary as a “privacy-protective measure,” but according to one of the researchers that discovered the tracking, Kenneth White, the codes that AT&T is sending to some customers are persistent.

Marco also has some succinct commentary on this too.

Seriously, this is a horrible breach of trust, and because of the monopoly (well, lack of choice, definitely not a monopoly, that’d be illegal…) many customers have no choice but to deal with this.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:33 PM
October 28, 2014
10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman

Anyone who thinks that 10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman is easy and fun should watch this. I had no idea (as a white, middle class male) that things were like this. We suck.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:41 PM
October 24, 2014
A Tale of Momentum & Inertia

JWZ found an absolutely delightful little video: A Tale of Momentum & Inertia.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:09 AM
October 22, 2014
Dr. Oz' 'Magic Weight-Loss Cure' Was Bogus Researchers Reveal

Dr. Oz’ ‘Magic Weight-Loss Cure’: Diet Pill Study Was Bogus Researchers Reveal

If you were thinking of trying Dr. Oz’s “magic weight-loss cure” of green coffee bean extract, don’t waste your money. The researchers responsible for the only scientific study backing up the television doctor’s claim released a statement today saying the study was bogus.

Does this shock anyone? Seriously? Anytime you hear ‘weight loss pill’ you can mentally replace that with ‘bogus BS waste of money’ and I can guarantee you that 100% of the time you’ll be correct.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:41 PM
October 21, 2014
B.C. Grizzly Bear Chews up GoPro Camrea

This video shows B.C. grizzly chewing on GoPro camera. Takes a bit, but if you’re watching on a bit monitor and suddenly you have a bear mouth coming towards you…. yowza.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:25 PM
October 14, 2014
Aerial Video of a San Francisco Morning

This is a stunning video of a San Francisco Morning. Definitely watch in HD and full screen.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:55 PM
Ana Yang gazillion bubble show

Ana Yang gazillion bubble show

“A bubble show?” you ask? How the heck can that be interesting or exciting? I thought the same thing until I’d watched about 10 seconds of this. Amazing stuff.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:21 PM
The Tesla D

A great look at the Tesla D over on the verge. Not only detailing the amazing performance, but also the (basically) driverless driving.

Eventually Tesla is hoping to tune its autopilot system into something that will let people just kick back and be a passenger in their own car. But if the trip through the neon tunnel of terror is any indication, it’s more fun to gun it.

Watching the video midway through the article is definitely recommended.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:57 AM
October 07, 2014
Elton John Creates Song Using "Lyrics" On Oven Instruction

Elton John Creates Song Using “Lyrics” On Oven Instruction:

This is how you recognize a master, just in case you were wondering.

Music , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:21 PM
October 06, 2014
Android Watch Running Windows 95

Least useful hack ever puts Windows 95 on your smartwatch.

I’ll just let that sink in.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:50 PM
September 24, 2014
9 Bizarre Russian Dash Cam Videos

When you see the title of Bizarre Russian Dash Cam Videos, you think about the sort of things you’ll see. This has them all. Just what you think. I do recommend if you’re only going to watch one, watch the embedded one below, acts of good samaritans caught on video, though the others are awesome as well, but in a different way.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:47 PM
September 08, 2014
Man Stands Very Near An Active Volcano With A GoPro

First of all, the original title is Man Dives Into An Active Volcano With A GoPro, Calls It A ‘Window Into Hell’, but my title is more accurate. There’s no “diving” involved. However, other than that, there’s not much more to say about this, other than “holy poop balls!

I can see where the Christians got their idea of hell though, looking at this makes me want to convert….

The meaty bit of the video is about 1:45 in, though I kinda seriously wanted to see them go to the top edge and say “nah, we’re just kidding, that’d be crazy”.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:49 AM
September 03, 2014
Galaxy Note Edge

Saw the Galaxy Note Edge with an entirely new kind of curved display and it definitely looks interesting. I’m an iPhone guy, but I have to say they pulled a cool trick with the curved LCD. However from my experience with most Android phones I’ve played with, I agree with Thom’s conclusion:

It looks kind of neat, but as always with Samsung, I’m pretty sure their software is going to ruin it and turn it into even more of a gimmick than it already is.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:38 PM
Vancouver City Lights Timelapse

Gorgeous timelapse video of my hometown by Daniel Chen: Vancouver City Lights Timelapse on Vimeo

Vancouver City Lights Timelapse from Daniel Chen on Vimeo.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:02 AM
September 02, 2014
GLaDOS ceiling lamp that moves

Found a GLaDOS ceiling lamp that moves on reddit. Holy crap I want this a lot.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 06:06 PM
August 27, 2014
The Technology behind Hyperlapse

The folks at Instagram have detailed The Technology behind Hyperlapse. Hyperlapse is the technology for smoothing out (though it’s much more than that) time lapse videos.

Hyperlapses are a special kind of time lapse where the camera is also moving. Capturing hyperlapses has traditionally been a laborious process that involves meticulous planning, a variety of camera mounts and professional video editing software. With Hyperlapse, our goal was to simplify this process. We landed on a single record button and a post-capture screen where you select the playback rate. To achieve fluid camera motion we incorporated a video stabilization algorithm called Cinema (which is already used in Video on Instagram) into Hyperlapse.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:41 PM
August 19, 2014
Adam Carolla beats patent trolls Personal Audio

Good news for iTunes podcasters: Adam Carolla just beat patent trolls Personal Audio.

Good news today for iTunes podcasters: Adam Carolla has won in his fight against patent trolls Personal Audio after more than a year of litigation. The outcome likely means that the patent troll will cut its losses with suing other podcasters, something it has been threatening to do with others in the community throughout the case with Carolla.

Hopefully this buries those guys.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:22 PM
August 13, 2014
Cat Tracker Project

This is pretty cool. It’s a project to use GPS and a mini-camera to find out Where Your Cat Goes. Some of the information (as well as the cat that randomly (it seemed) went to a strange house far outside their usual prowling area) is pretty interesting.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:39 AM
August 12, 2014
Slimmer, reversible next-gen USB Cable Ready For The World

Slimmer, reversible next-gen USB Type-C now ready for PCs & mobile.

Following an announcement back in December and some renders that popped up a few months back, today the USB 3.0 Promoter Group announced the next-generation USB “Type-C” connector is now ready for production. That means that PC and smartphone manufacturers can now adopt the standard, which the Promoter Group describes as “the final piece in developing a single-cable solution” for the industry.

Looks good, only thing that worries me is it looks like it’s got the super thin “tongue” in the middle, which means it’s still gone one of the downsides of current USB devices with it potentially being fiddly or prone to breaking. I know a lot of people don’t like the stuff the Apple does, but the lightning cable has similar benefits (reversible, small, etc) without the middle tongue. Time will tell I guess.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:34 AM
August 08, 2014
Great Vancouver Celebration of Light Fireworks Video

Awesome Celebration of Light (the fireworks in Vancouver) video.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:04 AM
August 05, 2014
3D Object Manipulation in a Single Photograph using Stock 3D Models

3D Object Manipulation in a Single Photograph using Stock 3D Models is a bit complex, but it’s still pretty awesome. Definitely watch the video at the bottom of the post to get an idea about what they’re talking about.

Photo-editing software restricts the control of objects in a photograph to the 2D image plane. We present a method that enables users to perform the full range of 3D manipulations, including scaling, rotation, translation, and nonrigid deformations, to an object in a photograph.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:07 PM
July 28, 2014
Border Patrol Officer Points Gun at Boy Scout after Events Following the Taking of a Photo

Border Patrol Officer Points Gun at Boy Scout after Events Following the Taking of a Photo:

A boy scout coming back into the U.S. after a trip with his troop to Canada found himself at the other end of a pointed gun when he reached for his suitcase without permission. The situation unfolded when the boy scout took a photograph of a border patrol officer as they were crossing back into the U.S. The officer he was photographing “immediately confiscated his camera, informed him he would be arrested, fined possibly $10,000, and receive 10 years in prison,” Troop Leader Jim Fox said in a statement to KCCI.

The gun was drawn because the child reached into his suitcase “without permission”. I didn’t realize that when you’re waiting at the border / talking to a border guard you need to ask permission for anything.

Seriously, WTF people.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:30 PM
July 18, 2014
Amazing First Person Race Footage

Via The Loop comes this amazing first person race car footage of one car flying over the other.

Yowza.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:53 AM
July 16, 2014
Listen to Comcast torture Ryan Block and Veronica Belmont as they try to cancel service - Boing Boing

Listen to Comcast torture Ryan Block and Veronica Belmont as they try to cancel service.

Trigger warning for anyone who’s ever been through this. You will have a raging PTSD episode.

This has been going around the last day or so and I had to link it. The PTSD trigger warning is apt, and I’m four minutes in and feel ready to go into a rage. I can only imagine how many calls to Comcast go like this that haven’t been brought to the Internet’s attention by Internet-Famous people.

Wow…. just…. wow.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:06 PM
July 15, 2014
Doctor Who Series 8 trailer

Doctor Who Series 8 trailer

Oh my this looks good.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:04 PM
July 10, 2014
Elon Musk Helps The Oatmeal With The Tesla Museum

From The Oatmeal: So, I had a call with Elon Musk earlier this week:

Within a few hours of posting my review, Elon Musk tweeted that he’d be happy to help. Earlier this week I got to speak to the man directly, and he promised two things.

… head over to the page for the two things.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:16 PM
July 07, 2014
How a password changed my life

This great post on Medium.com is making the rounds this morning: How a password changed my life. I won’t spoil the article, but it’s short and worth the read. Maybe it’ll work for you too?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:20 AM
July 06, 2014
Watch a DJI Phantom Fly Through Fireworks

My brothers to the south just had their July 4 celebrations, and while a lot of the posts and videos coming out are a lot of the same, this one of a DJI Phantom Flying Through Fireworks is probably the coolest of the bunch. Happy belated Fourth of July!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:44 AM
July 03, 2014
Bookbinding Tutorial

The Best Article Every Day has a book binding tutorial. Neat to see how it’s done, even if you never plan to do it yourself.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:06 PM
July 02, 2014
Custom Built Oculus Rift & GoPro Rig Lets You Experience Life in the Third Person

Custom Built Oculus Rift & GoPro Rig Lets You Experience Life in the Third Person.

I don’t know what to say about this.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:03 PM
June 30, 2014
Flowers opening timelapse

Been a bit of a lax day, and with Canada Day tomorrow, well, here’s some Flowers opening timelapse for you to enjoy.

Flowers opening timelapse from David de los Santos Gil on Vimeo.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:51 PM
25% off Nomad Lightning Charge Cables

On the 9to5 Mac site they note that there’s a 25% off Nomad Lightning cables sale going on.

If you don’t know what these are, they’re small charging accessories to let you charge your iPhone (or Android) phone from a tiny charging accessory that’ll fit on your keychain, in your wallet, or not, from a carabiner.

Find out more here.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:55 AM
June 27, 2014
Fastest guitarist in the world

Fastest guitarist in the world

Wow.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:53 AM
June 25, 2014
Kickstarter Project of a Multimeter for SmartPhones

Voltset - World’s Smartest Multimeter for Smart Devices is a device my buddy Jim shared out. Their tagline:

VOLTSET connects to smart devices and turns them into SMART MULTIMETERS, allowing you to TINKER, LEARN and COLLABORATE with electronics

Pretty awesome.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:14 PM
June 24, 2014
Watching Random People Slap Each Other In The Face

Watching Random People Slap Each Other In The Face Is Weirdly Compelling.

It honestly is, I’m not sure why.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:01 PM
June 20, 2014
Full Motion Video on the 4.77mhz 8088

Fascinating post called 8088 Domination Post-Mortem, Part 1 discussing how it was possible to do full motion video on the ancient 4.77mhz 8088 and CGA graphics card.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:15 PM
June 18, 2014
The New OK Go Music Video is an Optical Illusion Tour de Force Shot in a Single Take

The New OK Go Music Video is an Optical Illusion Tour de Force Shot in a Single Take.

Title of the post says it all. Watch and enjoy, then go and buy some music to support these guys.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:57 PM
June 12, 2014
Tesla De-Patents Themselves

Tesla: All Our Patent Are Belong To You

Yesterday, there was a wall of Tesla patents in the lobby of our Palo Alto headquarters. That is no longer the case. They have been removed, in the spirit of the open source movement, for the advancement of electric vehicle technology.

Great news.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:14 PM
Tiger sketch in Photoshop

Tiger sketch in Photoshop. Holy crap.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:57 AM
June 11, 2014
GoPro in a Dishwasher

Ever wondered what really goes on in your dishwasher? Well, A GoPro Hero’s journey into a dishwasher reveals all!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:54 PM
May 22, 2014
Winning run in an Insane urban downhill track

Goodbye cruel world... Wow these guys are crazy... but man it looks like fun.

Random Linkage - Posted by cthulhu at 09:35 AM
May 15, 2014
2013 Moments In Time BBC Documentary

Great BBC Documentary: 2013 Moments In Time

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:53 AM
The Eternal Struggle Between Business and Programmers

Great article: The Eternal Struggle Between Business and Programmers

The Programmers plead: “If only you’d let us refactor! We have a sick design; it actively prevents us from adding features sensibly. It encourages us to do the wrong things. It encourages us to duplicate code, which makes mistakes seem inevitable. It has code that nobody understands any more, and so when we have to change it, we need weeks to read, to research, to gain confidence that changing it won’t anger our existing customers. If you’d let us refactor, then we could spot design improvements that would unblock new features, that could reduce the cost of new features by 20%, 30%, 40%, and more! Why don’t you let us refactor?!” They appear to have a point.

Especially relevant for someone who just spend 10 minutes telling his bosses “it depends” when they ask questions and wanting simple and clear answers.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:03 AM
May 13, 2014
In Other News, Reality TV isn't Real

Unless you’re a complete moron, you know that any “reality TV” bears little resemblance to reality. The 5 Details They Cut from My Season of ‘The Biggest Loser’ show nicely just how much telling the story overrode “reality”.

And sometimes the “healthy habits” you saw on the show were no such thing: My season made a big deal of showing us all drinking our milk to prove how nutritious it was. But as soon as “cut” was yelled, the trainers made us spit it out. Calories do not trump calcium, apparently.

Random Linkage , TV - Posted by Arcterex at 01:39 PM
The Sound of a Ferrari F40 LM

I never knew the name of the car, but the sound of the Ferrari F40 LM stirred the little kid who wanted to be a race car driver.

Wait, that came out wrong.

You know what I mean.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:35 AM
May 10, 2014
Live Video from the ISS

So you’re telling me, that today I can go to my computer or phone and watch LIVE VIDEO from a space station orbiting the earth. In high def. With a real time video tracker.

What a crazy world we live in.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:29 PM
May 06, 2014
App.net In Trouble

From the App.net State of the Union:

As many are aware, the first major round of subscription renewals from the original App.net launch happened a few weeks ago. We have been anxiously anticipating what our subscription renewal rate would be in order to do budgetary planning. Since we have not been sure what to expect the renewal rate to be, we mentally prepared ourselves for a wide variety of outcomes. The good news is that the renewal rate was high enough for App.net to be profitable and self-sustaining on a forward basis. Operational and hosting costs are sufficiently covered by revenue for us to feel confident in the continued viability of the service. No one should notice any change in the way the App.net API/service operates. To repeat, App.net will continue to operate normally on an indefinite basis.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:20 PM
May 02, 2014
The illusion of life - Disney's core animation principals

Disney’s core animation principals shows how some simple (well, for animators I suppose) ways to make your animations more lifelike/realistic/appealing/disney-like.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:33 AM
A Flying Dune Buggy

When CNN says DO NOT Let Your Husband See This, they’re right.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:58 AM
April 29, 2014
Flying with the Thunderbirds

Saw on twitter that @blairbunting, a photographer I follow, has a great page and video up of Flying with the Thunderbirds. Seriously cool stuff, head over and watch the video (embedded below) but only if you have a big monitor and promise that you’ll watch it full screen and in HD.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:31 AM
April 25, 2014
How to Lie with Data Visualization

How to Lie with Data Visualization is a great article with fine examples of what I learned in my university stats class…. “never trust statistics”.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:07 PM
April 23, 2014
OpenSSL Source Code Rampage / Analysis

OpenSSL Valhalla Rampage is a great, uhm, rampage through the OpenSSL source code, and ripping it apart a bit at a time. From their site:

Tearing apart OpenSSL, one arcane VMS hack at a time.

The awareness recently on OpenSSL has been a great catalyst to look at some of the “but it’s there and it works” for some of the most used Open Source software.

Programming , Random Linkage , Security , Software - Posted by Arcterex at 02:41 PM
Twitter New Profiles Available To Everyone

Your new web profile is here says the twitter blog. The new look is facebook / g+ like, and pretty damn sexy.

Remember to follow me at @alanbailward for random photography and geeking out stuff, and @ufies for a feed of stories as well as random announcements and information.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:42 AM
April 17, 2014
How Americans Die

How Americans Die. Amazing visualizations.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:27 PM
Samsung Galaxy S5 Review

Speaking of bashing Samsung, here’s The Samsung Galaxy S5: When a Committee Builds a Smartphone review of their newest smartphone.

Actually, not like that one. It’s not nearly as good. The iPhone can learn five fingers; the Samsung only three. The iPhone doesn’t care about the angle of your finger; the Samsung requires you to place it perfectly straight every time, aligned with the screen. The iPhone reads your fingerprint with a touch on the Home button; the Samsung requires you to swipe your finger — the full height of your finger across the button.

Not pretty…

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:37 AM
The Pinnacle of Fitness Failure: Samsung's Gear Fit Activity Tracker

While I started reading The Pinnacle of Fitness Failure article via The Verge, I originally figured it was a bit of a hit piece, but as I read more and more, it really sounds like a complete lack of design and set up sense purveyed the entire product.

Here, let me re-word the ludicrous nature of this again: The Gear Fit device can’t actually by default transmit step data to Samsung’s premier fitness app on their premier phone.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:56 AM
April 14, 2014
15 Amazingly Cool 3D Tattoos

I’m not a fan of top 10 lists, but this top 15 list of 15 Amazingly Cool 3D Tattoos has some pretty incredible examples.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:03 PM
April 10, 2014
Firefox OS 2.0 UI Revealed

The Firefox OS 2.0 UI.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:39 PM
April 07, 2014
The Fallacy Of Android-First

Very interesting read on The Fallacy Of Android-First, if you’re looking at doing development. This is from guys who abandoned their iPhone prototype and decided to go Android-First, and then some time later went back.

And yet, according to Google Analytics, our app has been installed on over 300 different devices since October. In some cases, those “devices” might be different variants of the same device, but bear in mind that, for instance, the Verizon Galaxy S4, the AT&T Galaxy S4, and the direct-from-Google Galaxy S4 are running at least somewhat different operating systems.

Very good read on some of the challenges of developing for both major platforms, and no, it’s not all about “fragmentation”.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:34 AM
April 03, 2014
Moon - Typeset In The Future

Moon | Typeset In The Future is a fascinating look at the typography (and some inner details, as well as spoilers) about the movie Moon (2009). Great stuff for you designer types, or anyone who appreciates little details in a great movie.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:39 AM
April 01, 2014
Reddit Introduce "Headdit" Mode

Normally these april fools jokes fall flat, but when I saw reddit introduce a revolutionary new way to browse reddit, and it actually works, that impresses me.

Not so much with the facebook friends saying “my truck got broken into and I lost all my camera gear” though. That’s not an AFJ, that’s just silly.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:25 AM
March 31, 2014
Mysterious Fluid Appears to Freeze and Boil at the Same Time

We all learned in elementary school about how water has three states, solid (ice), liquid (water) and gas (boiling). How about this Mysterious Fluid that Appears to Freeze and Boil at the Same Time?

Witchcraft I say!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:50 PM
March 28, 2014
Crazy and Dangerous Australia

37 Pictures That Prove Australia Is The Craziest over on buzzfeed.

I think I’ll just hide at home.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:49 PM
March 26, 2014
Amazing Video of A Rescue From a Fire Near AIG Campus

Jim at Loop Insight calls it a Harrowing rescue. I call it an OMGWTFHSOMGOMG rescue. Make sure you watch it to the end, it’s not over when you think it’s over.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:47 AM
March 25, 2014
Microsoft open-sources MS-DOS

Microsoft open-sources MS-DOS. Wow.

You can grab the code and re-live the world of single user, single tasking, not having to worry about shutting your computer down, rebooting to “fix” things, or just search through the source code comments for naughty words.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:22 PM
Gulf Photo Plus 2014 Shootout Video is Live

Gulf Photo Plus 2014 Shootout Video is Live. I wish I could express how excited I am that this is posted.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:35 AM
March 24, 2014
How to Build a Maze

How to Build a Maze:

Our objective here is to create a perfect maze, the simplest type of maze for a computer to generate and solve. A perfect maze is defined as a maze which has one and only one path from any point in the maze to any other point. This means that the maze has no inaccessible sections, no circular paths, no open areas. 

If you’re bored today, here’s something to pass the time.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:17 PM
March 20, 2014
My Experience using a Bitcoin ATM

My Experience using a Bitcoin ATM:

In my opinion, the current state of Bitcoin ATM machines are a stark reminder of how raw bitcoin is at the moment. It is simply not ready for normal consumer use yet.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:58 AM
March 13, 2014
Drone with Camera Flies Into Active Volcano

Oh wow: Dji Phantom flies into Volcano

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:39 PM
March 12, 2014
Behind the Scenes of Obama's "Between Two Ferns"

Behind the Scenes of Obama’s “Between Two Ferns” is a great look at how they got the president to play along and really embrace doing the show. Pretty amazing.

To find out exactly how it happened and what it was like to work with the Commander-in-Chief, we spoke with Scott Aukerman, host of IFC’s Comedy Bang! Bang! (the third season premieres on IFC on May 8) and executive producer and director of “Between Two Ferns.” He talks about how the White House let them get away with basically everything, how the president was easier to work with than some celebrities, and what it was like to give notes to the most powerful man on earth.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:10 PM
March 10, 2014
Facebook Revamps Pages

The Next Web: Facebook revamps Pages on the desktop with new one-column Timeline design to match user profiles

The biggest change is that the Timeline for Pages now puts all posts into one column, just like on user profiles. As a result, posts will appear the same on your Page as they do in the News Feed.

Looking forward to this. I’m still waiting for the March 2013 announced new timeline look though too.

Remember you can follow UFies over on Facebook as well, if you’re interested in that.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:55 AM
Bill Gates's Accomplishemnts

Most of what I know about Bill Gates is from the Dark Days of the Linux / Windows battles of the late 90’s and early ’00s. Reading through the list of stuff he’s done I have to say he sounds like a pretty kick ass guy. Though I don’t know about his kids ‘making their own way’ with only the $10m…..

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:59 AM
March 07, 2014
Behind the stick of the SR-71

Flying the world’s fastest plane: Behind the stick of the SR-71 is an amazing writeup about flying one of the most awesome planes built, ever.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:06 PM
March 06, 2014
Bitcoin Creator Identified

Newsweek has found The Face Behind Bitcoin by, shockingly, looking him up.

“I don’t think he’s in any trouble,” I say. “I would like to ask him about Bitcoin. This man is Satoshi Nakamoto.” “What?” The police officer balks. “This is the guy who created Bitcoin? It looks like he’s living a pretty humble life.”

Turns out Satoshi Nakamoto is the guys real name.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:24 AM
March 05, 2014
Solar System Map If the Moon Were Only 1 Pixel....

If the Moon Were Only 1 Pixel - A tediously accurate map of the solar system. I’ve linked to items like this before, and I will again I’m sure. It’s fascinating to see just how tiny we are in the universe.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:13 PM
March 04, 2014
Windows 8 and the Microsoft Surface

A really interesting look at Windows 8 and the Microsoft Surface from someone moving from an iPad

Basic things that should really not be complicated are borderline impossible on Windows. For example, how do you create a bootable clone of your hard disk, so that you can boot from an identical external USB hard disk in case the internal disk goes belly-up? On a Mac, you just download Carbon Copy Cloner or Super Duper17 and run it. In case of emergency, connect the external disk, start the Mac, hit Option, select the external disk, you’re done.

Also:

That’s not an isolated example. Finding software for Windows is a nightmare. Windows users sometimes complain that Mac software is expensive. Maybe it is, but on the plus side, it generally tends to work, and typically doesn’t fill your computer with adware and browser toolbars and background processes that install weird buttons in the toolbars of all of your freaking windows.

It’s definitely not a Windows 8 / Surface hate-fest, or an iPad love fest. He finds lots wrong on both sides of the fence, with the conclusions reached fairly interesting.

Microsoft , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:26 PM
Radio Shack Catalogs Archive

Now that Radio Shack is shutting down, you may want to reminisce by going through an archive of Radio Shack Catalogs from 1939 to current.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:29 PM
February 25, 2014
The internet is Fucked

The internet is fucked is a great opinion piece at The Verge. My favorite quote is this:

(And if anyone tries to tell you that ultra-expensive mobile broadband is somehow competitive with wired service, ask that person to buy you a nice dinner and tell you the story of when they realized dignity had a price. You’re talking to a cable industry lobbyist; they can afford it.)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:57 PM
Above San Francisco By Chopper

What happens when some photographers rent a helicopter and go Above San Francisco?

This:

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:50 PM
February 24, 2014
Samsung Galaxy S5

So the new Samsung Galaxy S5 has been revealed to the world.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:43 PM
February 20, 2014
The Story Behind that Insane Shanghai Tower Climb

The 500px blog has the The Story Behind that Insane Shanghai Tower Climb which produced this amazing image.

Best viewed full screen on a big ass monitor, but not for anyone afraid of heights. In fact, I’m not afraid of heights and got a bit queasy in a few places!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:41 PM
How Scammers Manipulate Apple's Top Charts

This story of How One Scammer Manipulated Apple’s Top Charts To Earn Tens Of Thousands Daily Using A $10 Template shouldn’t come to a huge surprise to anyone, but it’s still a great read.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:02 PM
Why Facebook needed WhatsApp

Remember how Facebook spent $16 Billion on a messaging service? The Verge has some good thoughts on Why Facebook needed WhatsApp to explain just why such an ungodly sum of money went to it instead of say, feeding the hungry, providing medical for a small town for a year in the US, cancer research, or something more interesting than the acquisition of 450M active monthly users.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:31 AM
February 19, 2014
Facebook acquires WhatsApp for $16 Billion in Cash and Shares

Holy shit.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:26 PM
February 17, 2014
First Person View of a Skeleton Run

Gary Wozniak (Woz’s son) takes us on a thrilling skeleton run.

I honestly had no idea that they were quite this crazy.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:04 PM
February 11, 2014
Facebook Puts a Downer on Upworthy

Bloomberg says Facebook Puts a Downer on Upworthy

Facebook Inc. changed its newsfeed algorithm. You’ll never believe what happened to Upworthy’s traffic next.

So this means either:

1 - My newsfeed will be flooded with all the clone sites looking to capitalize on the way that upworthy worked.

2 - My newsfeed will return to sanity

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:39 PM
February 06, 2014
Are You Hacked The Second You Enter Sochi?

Welcome to Sochi. Bam, you’re hacked. How real is this scenario?

Yikes. Can this possibly be true? At first blush, this sounds like an incredible overreaction. This report was filed by NBC’s Brian Williams and Richard Engel, not some novice journalist. There’s background assist from Kyle Wilhoit, a Senior Threat Researcher at Trend Micro.

I saw the original video yesterday, and other than the abhorred way that they opened that poor, defenseless MacBook Air box, it just smelled of sensationalism and…. something was off. Glad that some more real information was tracked down.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:21 PM
February 05, 2014
A Bachelor Contestant Speaks Out

Love that someone’s been willing to speak out and talk about the show’s weird sexual issues.

The show assembles a harem of attractive women who attempt to woo one man not just with their charm, but their bodies, their insecurity, and their willingness to suppress any part of their personality that might make them seem difficult—in particular, their innate discomfort that this man is availing himself of numerous other women as he speaks to each of them about feeling a “real connection.”

I love that this is more morally pure and acceptable to children than a gay version of the bachelor.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:35 AM
February 03, 2014
Racism Still Alive And Well in USA, Shown By Coca-Cola 'America the Beautiful' Ad

Racist Revolt As Coca-Cola Airs Multilingual ‘America the Beautiful’ SuperBowl Ad. I know that this isn’t everyone, and I am sure none of my american friends would say anything like that, because they’re not racist, small-minded assholes… of which there are apparently a lot still out there.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:52 PM
The Pebble App Store Opens

Pebble says It’s time to explore the Pebble appstore. The post says that the new app is available in the App Store, but for me I’m only seeing the old version so far. Looking forward to playing though!

Gadgets , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:36 AM
January 31, 2014
Fonts of 2001: A Space Odyssey

Typeset In The Future has a great peice for you font and design nerds out there about the typsetting and fonts of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:59 AM
January 30, 2014
Great Commercial for Star Wars Lego

Ok, this commercial for lego Star Wars microfighters is really good.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:09 AM
January 24, 2014
iFixit Tears Down the Macintosh 128K

Only 30 years later, iFixit has a Macintosh 128K Teardown:

Join us as we live the time-traveler’s dream—the deep, lucid, Orwellian vision of hope, fear, and nostalgia that is 1984. Just in time for its 30th anniversary, we laid hands on an ‘84 original: the Macintosh 128K. And, you guessed it—we’re tearing it down like it’s the Berlin Wall.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:47 AM
January 23, 2014
New York's Graffiti-Covered Subway in the 1980s

15 Rare Photos of New York’s Graffiti-Covered Subway in the 1980s:

New York was a very different place in the 1980s. Throughout America, and the world, it had a reputation for being a crime-riddled, dirty metropolis - one much changed from its bustling, mid-twentieth century prime. And nowhere was this more evident than on the city’s subway trains and platforms. Once the pride of Manhattan and the boroughs, the network had become a virtual no-go area both at night and during the day. Indeed, even a cursory glance at crime statistics shows us that in 1985 there were approximately 14,000 underground felonies - a far cry from today’s approximate 2,000. 

Great shots.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:46 AM
January 21, 2014
Super Fantastic Nerd Hour Podcast

I’m pimping Super Fantastic Nerd Hour! for a friend, but if you’re on this page, chances are you’ll be interested. Have a look at the preview for episode 1:

It’s the first episode of the Super Fantastic Nerd Hour! We discuss the forces that turned us into super nerds, why we created this show, and break down origin stories from Gilgamesh to Luke Skywalker. We throw Man of Steel’s Clark Kent against Monsters University’s Mike Wazowski in the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER and countdown our top 5 favorite origin stories.

Subscribe now and listen. Do it for the power of Greyskull!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:13 PM
January 16, 2014
1927 Video of London Re-Done Shot For Shot in 2013

London in 1927 & 2013 is a great mashup of a great color film from 1927 showing parts of downtown London and the same shots re-done in 2013.

London in 1927 & 2013 from Simon Smith on Vimeo.

Fascinating to see just what’s changed and what hasn’t in the last 87 years.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:41 PM
Winnie-the-Hulk

Winnie-the-Hulk is exactly what you think it is, and it’s awesome. Thanks to Jim for sharing this originally.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:32 AM
January 15, 2014
Most Photographed Locations

Sightsmap is a very cool site, which gives you an overlay “heatmap” for photos taken in a particular location, and using data from panoramio shows you the images all geolocated on the map. Very cool, though if you take the time to look at the images, you’ll realize there is a lot of crap out there :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:09 PM
January 14, 2014
Confessions of a Recovering Windows Phone User

Pretty cool article from a Recovering Windows Phone User, comparing the Windows Phone world with the iOS one (though sounds like it’s easy enough to lump in Android as well). Some interesting observations, such as:

Xbox music sucks.  In every way imaginable.  It’s not like iTunes is so great - it’s not - but XBOX music really is terrible.  Zune was and still is the best music app - why can’t we get that experience on our phones/tablets?  It’s not like they don’t already have the code!  Get a grip and get it right.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:13 PM
January 07, 2014
Upgrading through every version of windows

Chain of Fools is a video of the install / upgrade procedures for every version of Windows. How far we’ve come…

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:35 PM
How a Mechanical Watch Works

Ok, this video of how a mechanical watch works answers questions I’ve had in the back of my head for the last 38 years, and is utterly fascinating.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:16 AM
January 06, 2014
Pebble Announces Steel Version

I’m not a huge fan of metal watches, but I have to say that when Pebble Steel was announced I had the “new shiny” syndrome, now my original pebble looks and feels completely inadequate, even though other than a new form factor and a single LED is the only difference between the Steel and original version.

Still, the announcement keynote had some goodies about what’s going on and coming next. Sadly nothing immediate, the apps (FourSquare / Yelp / etc) are all coming soon. No word on changes to the 7 faces/app limit as well, but still, I’m excited about what’s coming next.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:34 AM
January 03, 2014
All About Batteries and Charging Them

To quote MacSparky, you have to respect a blogger who can keep you interested for 1,500 words on charging of your batteries.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:32 AM
December 23, 2013
Alan Turing posthumously pardoned of gross indecency charges

After more than 60 years, Alan Turing is given posthumous pardon of gross indecency charges, here’s the PDF document from the Queen, reversing one of the most offensive things done, where after breaking codes for the allies during World War 2 Alan Turing was prosecuted for being a homosexual, including chemical castration.

Enough? No. A start? Yes.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:07 PM
December 18, 2013
New Nokia Ad Is Weird and Stupid

Comparing the newest Apple, Nokia marketing spots makes us weep for humanity. Sure it’s a biased source (9to5mac), but seriously, watch the ad and tell me what it’s trying to tell us. One thing that Apple has always (mostly) done well is show in their ads what they want the buyer to feel, show an advantage of the product, etc.

This one is about a creepy babershop and has only the barest connection to the product.

Oh, and showing the tablet rotate a square image a) shows how much lag their is in the rotation and b) why do you rotate a square image!

Microsoft , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:46 PM
December 16, 2013
Bangladesh sets largest human flag record

Saw today that Bangladesh set the record for the largest human flag. I was in Dhaka this May for work and took lots of pictures and had a great time with the people, so a big congrats goes out to the country!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:45 AM
December 12, 2013
Surfing the Web on a 27 Year Old Computer

How I introduced a 27-year-old computer to the Web is a great writeup on the challenges (some more expected than others) of surfing the web on, in this case, an original Mac Plus.

I’d love to see the equivelant for a windows machine. IE: Windows 3.0 (or 3.1?) and see how it does.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:54 PM
Instagram Blog

The new version of Instagram today introduced Instagram Direct, a way to send pictures directly to people. Kinda like DMing an image via Twitter, which was just allowed a couple of days ago as well.

Instagram direct is in Instagram 5.0, which is available on Google Play and the iOS App store today.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:28 AM
December 11, 2013
Epic DUI Prank

Epic DUI Prank. I realize it’s making a point, but still, maybe something a bit more “legal” and less “youtube pranky”. Still, ballsy.

Kids, don’t be dumbfucks and drink and drive, k?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:32 PM
Free Fonts and Icons for Christmas

Hongkiat has a nice list of Design Resources For Christmas if you are needing to do some rebranding for Christmas.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:26 PM
500px / Blog / Announcing 500pxArt.com

Today 500px (my favorite photography site online) announced an evolution of it’s marketplace, called 500pxArt.com:

500px Art offers 28 options for base materials, styles, frames and multiple sizing options to choose from. Payment processing is available in over 20 currencies and shipping is world-wide (your most requested option is here!). As a dedicated site, 500pxArt.com is accessible to anyone looking to purchase and sell exceptionally beautiful photographs.

Site looks awesome. Remember that you can of course follow my work there at 500px.com/AlanBailward

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:58 AM
December 09, 2013
Award Winning Sandwiches (With Recipes)

If I was a southern bell I’d be fanning myself furiously and saying “lawd, lawd” at this list of Award Winning Sandwiches (With Recipes).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:51 PM
Three helpless deer rescued by hovercraft

Three helpless deer rescued by hovercraft. Pretty cool.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:32 PM
December 05, 2013
Go-Pro strapped to a MiG-31 "Foxhound"

Seeing the Go-Pro strapped to a MiG-31 “Foxhound” video for an old school fighter jet nerd like me? Epic.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:43 PM
December 04, 2013
MailChimp's Analysis of Email Addresses

Fascinating look from MailChimp about What Does Your ISP Say About You? Not only does it tell you a lot from your email, but shows what type of user users what ISP and what browser. Point of fact: people still use AOL, AND the AOL browser.

Seriously people?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:51 AM
December 03, 2013
On the failure of Healthcare.gov

512pixels has some excellent thoughts On the failure of Healthcare.gov. I too am a web developer and even in the small scale sites I’ve dealt with have these issues, and I can only imagine that on a site like healthcare.gov the issues would be multiplied a bazillion-fold.

Instead of trying to repeal the law, if the government should be spending time revisiting how it purchases and deals with IT. If that can’t happen, more than just healthcare will suffer in the future.

It’s sad that the over-legislation of everything government-oriented means that reasonable and sane things, like having affordable healthcare for everyone get lost in a complete clusterfuck caused by horrible contracting, bad project management, and what I can only imagine is the farthest possible thing from “agile” that you can imagine.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:44 PM
Drool-Worthy $99 Kit Lets Kids Build Their Own Computer

Good buddy and sometimes-contributor Jim sent me this wired article on a Drool-Worthy $99 Kit Lets Kids Build Their Own Computers. It’s a kickstarter for the Kano, a kickstarter campaign to build a computer that’s as easy and fun as lego.

It’s already at $1,000,000 of it’s $100,000 goal, and based on the video, well worth it.

Hardware , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:36 PM
Starwars on Instagram

Who wouldn’t want to follow Starwars on Instagram when the first pic is a Darth Vader selfie?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:26 PM
December 02, 2013
China's Chang'e-3 rocket launch

io9 proclaims that China’s Chang’e-3 rocket launch is one of the sexiest you’ll ever see. And they’re right!

The Chinese National Space Administration has successfully launched its Chang’e-3 lunar probe to the moon. If all goes well from here, it’ll be the first Chinese spacecraft to land on an extraterrestrial body — and the first rover to land on the moon in four decades.

Random Linkage , Space - Posted by Arcterex at 01:13 PM
November 29, 2013
Smartphone Controlled Paper Airplane

As someone who as a kid had more than one book on paper airplanes, I had to immediately back the Smartphone Controlled Paper Airplane by Shai Goitein on kickstarter.

Seriousoy, how f-n cool is this?!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:46 AM
November 27, 2013
Star Wars: The Apprentice Concept Video

Found on the net is this Star Wars concept video (nothing official or to do with Episode VII, just a fan film): The Apprentice.

STAR WARS: THE APPRENTICE from Todd Sandler on Vimeo.

That said, it’s a really friggin’ good fan film.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:09 PM
Scary Bikers Protect Child Abuse Victims

So what happens when you’re a child and a victim of terrible things, and don’t feel safe in your own house? Turns out the simple solution is you have a tough-as-nails biker gang hanging around you to protect you.

She never feels safe, even with her parents just downstairs. The unruly-looking mob in her driveway is there to help her feel safe again. They are members of the Arizona chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse International, and they wear their motto on their black leather vests and T-shirts: “No child deserves to live in fear.”

Seriously, how amazingly cool are these bad ass mofos?

If the man who hurt this little girl calls or drives by, or even if she is just scared, another nightmare, the bikers will ride over and stand guard all night. If she is afraid to go to school, they will take her and watch until she’s safely inside. And if she has to testify against her abuser in court, they will go, too, walking with her to the witness stand and taking over the first row of seats. Pipes will tell her, “Look at us, not him.” And when she’s done, they will circle her again and walk her out.

I want to be part of a gang like this. It seriously brings a tear to my eye just reading the story.

“Are you afraid?” No, the boy said. Pipes says the judge seemed surprised, and asked, “Why not?” The boy glanced at Pipes and the other bikers sitting in the front row, two more standing on each side of the courtroom door, and told the judge, “Because my friends are scarier than he is.”

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:20 AM
November 25, 2013
Miss Ping video demystified

Very cool pair of videos that Jim found on the Loop. First is a great viral video called Miss Ping, and then the second is the Miss Ping video demystified where it’s all dymistified.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:58 PM
November 24, 2013
The History Of OS/2 on Ars Technica

Ars Technica has a great article, Half an operating system: The triumph and tragedy of OS/2 all about the rise (kinda) and fall, and everything in between of this ill fated OS (of which I was a great supporter and really thought was better in the pre-Windows 95 days.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:04 PM
November 22, 2013
Batman: The Deal

Fan made comic: Batman: The Deal.

Wow. Amazing.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:58 PM
November 21, 2013
How and Why To Journal

Day One (the iOS and Mac app) has a nice Journal Series which is more about how and why to keep a journal or diary than about their (excellent) app. Good read.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:23 PM
Thomas Hawk's First Impressions on Flickr's New Book Publishing Service

Thomas Hawk has his First Impressions on Flickr’s New Book Publishing Service.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:51 PM
November 19, 2013
Monty Python to reunite for stage show

BBC Brings the great news that Monty Python is going to to reunite for stage show.

All of the surviving members of comedy group Monty Python are to reform for a stage show, one of the Pythons, Terry Jones, has confirmed.

Epic.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:45 AM
November 12, 2013
Activity Tracking Your Dogs

So to me this approaches the “Going too far” zone. Quantifying my dogs: Four weeks with Whistle’s canine activity tracker. Basically it’s the fitbit for your puppy.

Really world? Have we reached the hipster phase where tracking your own steps is old and boring, you have to track your dog too?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:33 PM
November 06, 2013
I've Never Been Excited About an Ice Cream Scoop Before This

The Belle-V Ice Cream Scoop by Belle-V Kitchen on kickstarter is really the only innovation in the ice cream scoop industry I’ve ever seen, and I’m a big fan of ice cream. Seriously cool. They’re over halfway to their kickstarter goal too, lets make this happen!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:31 AM
November 05, 2013
Biker Point of View Cam: Backflip Over 72ft Canyon

Somehow I missed posting this last week when I saw it…. don’t watch on a bit monitor full screen and high resolution if you get vertigo at all, bit if you do, this Backflip Over 72ft Canyon, plus the rest of Kelly McGarry’s bike run is insane to watch.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:28 PM
Photography Service Everpix Shutting Down

Sad news today on the Everpix Blog that the photo storage and sharing service is shutting down :( I’ve followed Everpix for a while now and really thought they had “made it”. They were well loved by the photography community.

Some more information about the shutdown over in this Verge article.

The upside is that the guys involved are talented, so you know whatever they create next will be awesome. Best of luck in the future gentlemen.

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:49 AM
November 04, 2013
Super Cute Lioness Hugging Her Rescuer

Really incredible heart-warming bond with two conservationists who rescued a lioness in Africa. Super cute pics.

She is now a beacon for hoped success of the Modisa Wildlife Project, founded in Botswana, Africa, by Mr Gruener, from Germany, and Mr Legarth, who is Danish, with the hope of saving the lion population.

Via this reddit story.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:58 PM
October 31, 2013
Guy Drives Across the USA in 28 Hours

Meet The Guy Who Drove Across The U.S. In A Record 28 Hours.

You might think the hardest part of setting the cross-country driving record is driving across the country. You might think the hardest part is staying awake for more than 24 hours, or constantly keeping your foot on the floor. You might think the hardest part is round-the-clock vigilance for law enforcement. You’d be wrong.

Wow.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:24 PM
Guy Blogs About Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury

This was posted on reddit this morning: I survived a Traumatic Brain Injury with a 10% chance of recovery. I couldn’t eat, walk, or talk for 4 months. I compiled a visual journey of my experience, with some pretty amazing and inspiring images. He’s got a blog over at http://cavinb.wordpress.com/ with more information and details. Very cool to see the power of someone moving forward after surviving something like this.

His project, Lights, Coma, Action, has not only a great title, but a cool video to go along with it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:38 PM
October 28, 2013
Great Ad Uses 3d Sidewalk Paintings and Other Illusions

Mind-Bending Ad Uses Anamorphic Illusions & Forced Perspective To Fry Your Brain.

Very well done.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:18 AM
October 24, 2013
jwz: Justice is done!

Justice is done! No, not really. Seems the cop that pepper sprayed the protesters a couple of years ago got $38k in workers comp. Some of the details are a bit crazy to be believed, read JWZ’s commentary here as well as the link to the full story.

It must have been so hard for him to get his salty, salty tears out of his riot helmet after all of those mean, mean emails.

Crazy.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:29 PM
Vancouver City 2 Time Lapse in 4K - YouTube

Vancouver City 2 is a gorgeous time lapse video done in 4K. Those with big monitors might be able to tell when they set the Youtube quality at “original”. Very beautiful to look at!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:48 PM
Faded + Blurred Gets A Facelift

Big shout out to my buddy Jeffery Saddoris for his excellent facelift to the best photography site on the internet, Faded + Blurred. A great responsive layout and a great focus on the images. Excellent work!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:27 PM
October 21, 2013
BlackBerry announces BBM for iPhone & Android

BlackBerry announces BBM for iPhone & Android, with a reservation system. So if you’re a BB addict and can’t wait to get back into your BBM, now’s your chance.

Via 9-5 Mac.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:26 AM
October 18, 2013
Wolfram|Alpha's Adds Pokémon Data

Wolfram|Alpha’s New Data about Pokémon was announced today:

Given those two facts, we thought it was a good time to add data about Pokémon to Wolfram|Alpha. In many ways, Pokémon are an ideal subject for a computable knowledge engine. They have a set of well-defined characteristics with lots of numbers to which we can apply our analytic capabilities. Heck, Pokémon come complete with their own unique identifiers from the game’s internal database, the Pokémon Index, or Pokédex.

I have no idea about Pokemon, but this does look cool to have all this info in a searchable, computable, form.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:59 PM
October 17, 2013
Excellent Video On What the NSA Is Doing And Why It's Bad

Great job by John Koetsier in his latest article all about this crowdsourced anti-NSA video. Worth the watch.

Random Linkage , Security - Posted by Arcterex at 09:05 AM
October 16, 2013
Square Announces Square Cash

Square Cash Sounds too good to be true. Email someone an amount, CC cash@square.com, and they get the money (after signing up with Square if they haven’t already). There is no step 3. Also, notice that if you send them $20 they get $20, and you pay $20, no fees.

No more pricing grids. No more fine print. Sending and receiving cash is free without gimmicks.

Nice review of the service at All Things D. The biggest catch right now is that it only works in the US with debit cards from MasterCard or Visa. Still, even if this is just a play by Square to get a huge number of signups, it sounds like a great deal, and it concludes with:

[…] Square Cash is the quickest, simplest method I’ve seen for sending money from one person to another.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:06 PM
October 15, 2013
Godaddy Buys Media Temple

In the latest blog post, it’s announced that Godaddy has bought Media Temple.

Hmm… not sure how this is going to end.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:27 AM
October 11, 2013
Maciej Cegłowski XOXO Talk

Great talk by Maciej Cegłowski, inventor of Pinboard at this years XOXO. Very funny and insightful.

Funny Stuff , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:09 AM
October 08, 2013
Nest Reinvents The Smoke Detector

Nest, who re-invented the termostat a couple of years ago today introduced the Nest Protect, a new take on the classic smoke detector with a few new tricks.

  • Smartphone connectivity and control
  • Smoke and CO detector
  • Voices tell you what’s going on
  • Easy to shut it up if you burn a pot roast (no more jumping up and down waving a towel)
  • Motion detectors light up to help you find your way at night
  • Sexy design
  • Will talk to your Nest thermostat in the event of a CO detection
  • more….
Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:59 AM
October 07, 2013
Disconnect Search, Built By Ex-Google And Ex-NSA Engineers, Lets You Use Google, Bing And Yahoo Without Tracking | TechCrunch

Disconnect Search is a search engine without tracking. You can head over to https://www.disconnect.me/search to check it out. From the Techcrunch article:

The extension works both on the search portals’ main sites, as well as through a browser’s omnibox (in the case of Firefox) or browser bar (in the case of Chrome). (The “search from everywhere” feature is still in beta.) Disconnect says that it has applied for patents to protect the proprietary way in which it does this.

I like this as an option, but honestly, the fact that google is tracking me means that I get personalized search results that tend to be more relevant and therefor, more valuable. This isn’t the case for everyone though, and having a nice and easy option like this is a great thing to have available.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:36 AM
October 04, 2013
Bugzilla Bug #923590 - Pledge never to implement HTML5 DRM

I’ve expressed my opinions of open source bug reporting systems before, but Bugzilla Bug #923590 is one I can get behind wholeheartedly.

It’s very simple. Pledge never to adopt, implement or assist the W3C’s EME specification.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:56 AM
September 30, 2013
Interactive Timeline of The History of the World Wide Web

Web History, a timeline. Very cool.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:18 PM
September 24, 2013
Popular Science Shuts Off Comments

Popular Science] explains [Why We’re Shutting Off Our Comments(http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-09/why-were-shutting-our-comments):

Everything, from evolution to the origins of climate change, is mistakenly up for grabs again. Scientific certainty is just another thing for two people to “debate” on television.

Via Daring Fireball.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:28 PM
September 23, 2013
Characters, Symbols and the Unicode Miracle - Computerphile - YouTube

Unicode and UTF-8 explained in 10 minutes, on the back of a napkin.

A fantastically good explanation of just how it works, why, and how damn good it is compared to other systems.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:45 AM
September 20, 2013
Camera Phones and Megapixels

How many megapixels do you need?

So how many megapixels do you need? Here’s the shortest answer we can muster: for most purposes 3MP is plenty, but you might want to shoot at around 8MP for the crispest possible details. 8MP is a sensible minimum for big prints and 4K TVs, and even higher resolutions allow you to crop photos without sacrificing quality too much. However, make sure that very high resolutions are matched by an equivalent increase in sensor size. 

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:30 PM
FreeBSD 10′s New Technologies and Features

Just to prove we’re not all about Apple, or Linux, or Windows, or mobile, or Movies, here’s FreeBSD 10′s New Technologies and Features.

Via OSNews.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:16 PM
September 17, 2013
Evernote Introduces Referral Program

Yesterday Evernote introduced a Referral Program:

Today, we’re launching a new program to say thanks for spreading the word. Now, whenever you invite your friends, family and coworkers to Evernote, you’ll earn points that you can use towards Premium subscriptions, monthly upload limit increases and more.

Basically if you’re an evernote user, you can get access to premium features by getting your friends to sign up to evernote through a referral link. You collect points which you can redeem against a ton of interesting stuff.

As an evernote user, and someone who is a huge fan and has written about them a lot in the past, I’ll encourage you to now go and sign up and check out the benefits of Evernote.

https://www.evernote.com/referral/Registration.action?uid=90885&sig=756f4426e004e37b970c976ba6289eb3

Not only do you get bonuses, but if you sign up through a referral link like this one, you’ll get a month of Evernote premium and all the benefits associted with it. Hard to say no at the deal.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:45 AM
September 15, 2013
Animated Map of Europe: 1000 AD to present day

Map of Europe: 1000 AD to present day.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:45 PM
September 12, 2013
Voyager 1 Enters Into Interstellar Space

NASA Spacecraft Embarks on Historic Journey Into Interstellar Space

PASADENA, Calif. — NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft officially is the first human-made object to venture into interstellar space. The 36-year-old probe is about 12 billion miles (19 billion kilometers) from our sun.

Which is more awesome/freaky:

  • Voyager is only two years younger than me
  • Something that we meat bags built is in intersteller-freakin’ space

I’ll go with a little from column A, a little from column B…

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:50 PM
September 11, 2013
The 4-Hour Chef Audiobook Released For Free on Bittorrent

Tim Ferris, author of the “4” series (4 Hour Body, 4 Day Workweek, and 4 Hour Chef), has released the audiobook (and more) for his latest book The 4-Hour Chef for free on bittorrent.

I am today releasing the audiobook of The 4-Hour Chef…for free.

He goes into some of the reasoning behind things in the blog post.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:17 PM
September 09, 2013
Live-Action 'Mirror's Edge' Parkour Video

bsolutely Insane Live-Action ‘Mirror’s Edge’ Parkour Video](http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2013/09/08/because-awesome-absolutely-insane-live-action-mirrors-edge-parkour-video):

Awesome. Big screen required.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:40 PM
September 06, 2013
Yahoo's Logo Dissected

Yahoo’s Logo Reveals the Worst Aspects of the Engineering Mindset from the Glog is a dissection of the thinking process in a very geeky way.

If there is one sentence in the entire blog post that tells the whole story, that is it. This shows that not only does she lack an understanding of design — which is fine, it’s not where her strengths lie — but that she also doesn’t know it; that designers consulted were unable to disabuse her of this ridiculous notion; and that the final result pleased her, when it is obviously flawed in this regard.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:13 AM
September 05, 2013
Yahoo! Introduces New Logo (Finally). No One Cares

Either I’m missing something, or The New Yahoo! Logo is not exciting enough to save the company. Did anyone else wait breathlessly for the new and final logo to be announced?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:23 AM
August 30, 2013
BlackBerry Q10 Disappoints

When your product gets people to start blogs called How the fuck did the Q10 ship? you’ve made more than a small mistake.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:11 PM
August 29, 2013
Paramount Screwing Over Customers with the Star Trek Into Darkness Blu-ray

Why the Star Trek Into Darkness Blu-ray is going to rip you off:

The official Blu-ray has seven mini-featurettes. Seems kind of bare bones for such a major summer release, eh? Indeed it does, because Paramount has divvied up all the other features — including the commentary tracks with the cast and director J.J. Abrams, and several additional featurettes — have been given exclusive to the Target release, the Best Buy release, and the iTunes download. Meaning 1) if you buy the normal version you’re getting less than half the special features created for the home video release, and 2) if you want all of them you’re going to need to purchase at least three separate versions.

I’m sure that this sort of thing has nothing to do with people pirating movies. Heavens no.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:12 PM
Instapaper Rolls out new Website

Nice work by the Instapaper team (no longer @marco, but now the Betaworks guys), on their Redesigned Instapaper on the Web.

When I got the opportunity to redesign the Instapaper website my goal was to do justice to the service Instapaper provides. In the FAQ quoted above, Marco referred to the “information-skimming, speed-overload mode” we often enter while surfing. I think of Instapaper as a place I can go to take a break from that mode, and I wanted the design of the website to signal and support that break.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:32 AM
August 27, 2013
Craft And Vision 50% off Sale on All Photography eBooks

To celebrate the 4th year in business, Craft & Vision is having a 50% off sale on all their eBooks, presets, etc. To celbrate this, David duChemin put on a pink tutu and let it all hang out, at least figuratively. Figuratively hanging out, he’s literally in a pink tutu.

Clothing choices aside, C&V has excellent eBooks for cheap, and now at 50% off it’s time to collect the ones you don’t have.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:38 AM
August 26, 2013
Stunning Timelapse Will Make You Love Travel Even More

Stunning Timelapse Will Make You Love Travel Even More

Not much more to say than that. I knew I’d love it within the first few seconds. HD and a big screen highly recommended.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:42 PM
The Apollo Guidance Computer

Fantastic old school documentary video from the 60s about The Apollo Guidance Computer.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:57 AM
August 21, 2013
Big Fish Games Shuts Down

Sad to hear: Big Fish Games lays off staff, shuts Vancouver office, and closes cloud business.

Since the founding of Big Fish more than a decade ago, we have continually evolved to meet the ever-changing landscape of casual gaming and the needs of our customers. Thanks to the incredible drive and dedication from all of you, our company remains healthy, with steady growth across multiple lines of business, and we have hugely popular games that are enjoyed by millions of paying customers. In fact, 2013 will be our 11th straight year of record revenue and we remain profitable with a positive cash flow. I am truly grateful and proud of what we have accomplished together and excited about the new opportunities ahead of us, which is why this message is especially hard for me to write.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:13 PM
August 20, 2013
Inspiring Work: Humans Of New York on Faded + Blurred

Wanted to share this writeup over on Faded + Blurred about the photographer in New York Brandon Stanton, who makes Humans Of New York. This last paragraph is great writing, and inspired me (note: emphasis mine) -

There is power in photography, not just for Rumi, but for each of us. Each individual who has their photo taken by Brandon, for that moment, they are seen, they feel important, they feel like they matter. For all of us who look at these photographs, we are reminded that the world does not revolve around us, but we are all a part of a community. All of this happened because a guy with a camera decided to go out on the street and take photographs of strangers.

Make sure you subscribe to both Faded and Blurred and HONY, on all the social media places.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:41 PM
August 19, 2013
Space Glasses Claim to Be The Future of Computing

Shown by my coworker this morning is Space Glasses, which claims to be the future of computing, and which if the glasses work half as well as the video shows, will be awesome.

You are Tony Stark

Two things stuck out for me in the video though.

  • Why is the lady putting the 3D virtual object down carefully? It looks silly.
  • The part with the lego would be worth the $667 price tag.

As with any technology like this, I’ll believe it when I see it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:16 AM
August 17, 2013
Get 1G more Dropbox Storage By Linking to Mailbox App

Want 1GB of Free Dropbox Storage? Link your Account to Mailbox.

Dropbox now offers users 1GB of free extra storage space by linking your account to Mailbox. It’s the easiest and fastest way to earn extra storage, in seconds. Here’s how to do it.

If you don’t have a dropbox account already, you can use this dropbox signup link to set it up.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:30 PM
August 15, 2013
New Game of Thrones FX Reel

This New Game of Thrones FX reel reveals the magic of season 3 and shows you just how much (or little) is actually happening in the awesome scenes you watch each week.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:54 AM
August 14, 2013
Alan Turing to be given posthumous pardon

Enigma codebreaker Alan Turing to be given posthumous pardon. A bit old news, but good to hear that justice will be served.

Alan Turing, the Enigma codebreaker who took his own life after being convicted of gross indecency under anti-homosexuality legislation, is to be given a posthumous pardon.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:49 AM
August 12, 2013
XKCD 1190: Time - Comes To An End

Perhaps the most ambitious project from XKCD has come to and end. The author talks about XKCD 1190: Time in the latest blog post.

I have to admit that I saw this when it came out, and with a lot of people sort of said “huh”, and continued on. I’m glad that there was follow up and an ending, as well as great resources (viewers, discussion forum links) to make you feel like you can participate and see things as they went along.

Case in point, look at the astronomy section of the wiki. People figured out what year the comic took place in by examining comic star fields. Seriously, this is deep(ly awesome) nerd territory.

I love it :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:38 PM
The New Walmart Ballpit Meme

So apparently the new cool thing (and I use “cool” with huge implied airquotes) to do is climb into the cages with balls on the floor of Walmart (not what I think of as a “ballpit”, but whatever). This is apparently The New Walmart Ballpit Meme on Vine.

I think this is great. Use this to figure out what people should be sent to [insert remote land here] to remove them from the general population. Easy!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:19 PM
David duChemin Gives Away His Photography eBook 'Ten'

A fantastic photographer and internet friend of yours truly (kinda) announced today that his first eBook TEN is now free. This is a great deal, and even at the $4 or $5 that his eBooks over at Craft & Vision normally it’s a great deal. It’s an eBook all about creativity and getting out of the ‘gear rut’ of photography and back into the Vision side of it.

Short version, just go download it, hey, it’s free right?

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:13 AM
July 18, 2013
The Tumblr Porn Crackdown Yahoo Told Us Wouldn't Come Is Here

The Tumblr Porn Crackdown Is Here:

Oh, did the users screech and holler when Marissa Mayer’s purple people-eater bought Tumblr for $1 billion about how she was going to take away their nudie pictures forever. Ads were swiftly thrown into the Tumblr dashboard and now, a few months later, the crackdown on Tumblr porn has begun. “Tumblr welcomes free expression, but we have to be sensitive to the millions of readers and bloggers from different locations, cultures, and backgrounds with different points of view concerning mature/adult-oriented NSFW content,” the Tumblr team says on a page explaining the new guidelines that appeared today.

Via The Atlantic Wire.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 06:32 PM
Of Beards and Men: A Portrait of Man by Joseph D.R. OLeary

Of Beards and Men is a kickstarter project for a photo book of, well, bearded men. Great looking images, support this guy!

Note: I am in the process of growing an epic beard.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:17 PM
July 17, 2013
View of Niagara Falls from a remote helicopter

View of Niagara Falls from a remote helicopter…. you’ll want a big screen (and enable HD) for this one:

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:33 PM
July 16, 2013
The Verge on the new AT&T "Next" Plan

The Verge asserts that AT&T’s Next phone upgrade plans are a huge ripoff.

Shocked?

No, I didn’t think so.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:38 PM
July 14, 2013
The Pixar Theory By Jon Negroni

Jon Negroni writes his grand unifying The Pixar Theory:

Every Pixar movie is connected. I explain how, and possibly why. Several months ago, I watched a fun-filled video on Cracked.com that introduced the idea (at least to me) that all of the Pixar movies actually exist within the same universe. Since then, I’ve obsessed over this concept, working to complete what I call “The Pixar Theory,” a working narrative that ties all of the Pixar movies into one cohesive timeline with a main theme. This theory covers every Pixar production since Toy Story.

This blew my mind.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:53 AM
July 11, 2013
Lego Super Star Destroyer Timelapse

Lego Super Star Destroyer Timelapse from TWiT.

Oh god I want this.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:37 PM
July 10, 2013
New Rogers $35 Connection Fee Launches Today

I’m not exactly sure how the New Rogers $35 Connection Fee will “bring me more value”, but if it’s that awesome, I can’t wait to get in on it, especially at the bargin price of only $15.

*sigh*

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:28 AM
July 06, 2013
Astrid Todo App Announces Service Shutdown August 5, 2013

Astrid Says Service Shutdown Date Set for August 5, 2013

[…]When we built Astrid, we sought to help as many people as possible become happier, healthier and more productive - and we certainly hope we helped you. Thank you again for your support.

Another victim of acquisitions…

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:29 PM
July 03, 2013
Samsung Buys Boxee

Samsung Acquires Media Box Company Boxee For $30 Million.

In what’s likely an effort to bring improvements to its Smart TV software, Samsung has reportedly just acquired Boxee, a company which specializes in creating home media center devices, for the tune of $30 million.

Hopefully they can make it so you can actually reboot a boxee box through the menu, which it seems you can’t do right now.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:18 PM
The Nikon Symphony

I don’t care if you’re a Canon person, a Nikon person, or a Pentax person, the Nikon Symphony is just awesome!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:33 AM
July 02, 2013
Parkour POV Video

So what’s more awesome than watching parkour? How about a Point of View parkour video?

Definitely don’t watch this full screen on a huge monitor if you get queasy or motion sick ;)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:53 PM
June 25, 2013
Facebook Phone Near Death?

9-5 Mac says that the Facebook phone experiment is over as AT&T clears stock and nobody else steps forward.

AT&T had earlier denied that any plans had been made to discontinue the handset, but there had seemed little doubt about the handset’s future after the carrier dropped the price from $99 to 99 cents. Even Facebook itself went as far as telling users that the  front-end could be switched off …

Hardly shocking, if it’s true.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:22 PM
Sony SmartWatch 2

The Sony SmartWatch 2 has been unveiled:

[…] The Sony Smartwatch 2 has officially been unveiled, sporting a new design, new interface and a cornucopia of new features. Specs include a 1.6-inch (220 x 176) touch display, NFC for easy pairing with your Android phone, Bluetooth 3.0 wrapped inside a dust and water resistant (IP57) aluminum body with a design reminiscent of the Sony Xperia Z. Sony will also include a stainless steel wrist band with the Smartwatch 2, but users will be able to personalize the device with any standard 24mm strap.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:42 AM
June 24, 2013
Google Adds Street View of the Burj Khalifa

John over on Venture Beat writes that Google has added a stunning ‘Street View’ of the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa:

At 2,717 feet, 160 floors, and almost a kilometer in height, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest manmade structure in the world. Now you and I can tour it without ever visiting Dubai, courtesy of Google Street View. But with heights like these revealing the city of Dubai, the sea, the interior passages of the building, and the highest pool in the world, Google is going to have to find a new name for “Street View.”

I think that if you click on this link you can start the street view journey. Or just search for “Burj Khalifa” on google and go in through the normal maps interface.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:48 AM
June 21, 2013
Kickstarter Admits Wrong In Allowing "Seduction Guide" to Complete Funding

We were wrong:

Let us be 100% clear: Content promoting or glorifying violence against women or anyone else has always been prohibited from Kickstarter. If a project page contains hateful or abusive material we don’t approve it in the first place. If we had seen this material when the project was submitted to Kickstarter (we didn’t), it never would have been approved. Kickstarter is committed to a culture of respect.

Fourth, today Kickstarter will donate $25,000 to an anti-sexual violence organization called RAINN. It’s an excellent organization that combats exactly the sort of problems our inaction may have encouraged.

Well worth the full read, and good on Kickstarter for coming out and laying it on the table. Sucks they didn’t act fast enough to stop the funding for this project, but they have done what they can I think.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:37 PM
June 20, 2013
Inside Digg's Race to Build the New Google Reader

Pretty fascinating story of Inside Digg’s Race to Build the New Google Reader.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:48 PM
June 17, 2013
Digg Reader Update

Remember how Google is killing Google Reader at the end of this month? Well, there haven’t been a huge number of updates on alternatives yet. Feedly updated to use their own cloud recently, and today Digg posted a Digg Reader Update:

Over the last 90 days, the Digg engineering team — all 5 of them — has been heads-down building an updated take on the RSS reader. For our first public release, in time to (just) beat the shutdown of Google Reader, our aim has been to nail the basics: a web and mobile reading experience that is clean, simple, functional, and fast. We’re also introducing a tool that allows users to elevate the most important stories to the top.

The biggest challenge in getting a “new” Google Reader alternative is not a good web interface. It’s important, but it’s getting that and a backend interface that’s supported by all the third party clients. IE: Reeder, Mr. Reader, and the tons of other iOS and Android feed readers that need a backend. For example I use Reeder on the iPhone and Mr. Reader on the iPad, and both have to use the same backend system or I’m screwed in my daily feed reading.

Sigh. I’m still hoping that Google will change their mind and keep Google Reader around for another few years.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:29 AM
IFTTT Launches 500px Channel

Saw this morning that IFTTT has launched a 500px channel. This lets you add 500px as a source or target for any If This Then That recipes that you have.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:24 AM
June 14, 2013
Free Lynda.com Course: Black & White with Photoshop and Lightroom

Passed on via facebook: Free Lynda.com Course: Black & White with Photoshop and Lightroom

Lynda.com has a free post-processing course, Black and White with Photoshop and Lightroom, now through June 21 from Photoshop Product Manager Bryan O’Neil Hughes. 

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:14 AM
June 07, 2013
The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald

The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald

Amazing song.

Music , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:05 AM
June 06, 2013
Google Explains Why They Killed Google Reader

Google Explains Why They Killed Their RSS Reader: It’s Your Fault. I disagree. I’ve been reading in Google Reader since it came out. Consistently. Daily. Hourly.

Google wants people to move away from the old “passive” model of sitting down and reading nows. Instead they’d like us to take an “active” approach, such as having artificial intelligence services such as Google Now tailer news and alerts based on our search preferences.

I read this as “we need to push people to Google Plus, and if they don’t have an RSS reader maybe they’ll use it more.”

:(

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:49 PM
June 03, 2013
Feedly Vying To Be Your Google Reader Replacement

Feedly is listening and posts about their next moves in the Google Reader issue.

But we still have a long way to go. We have been turning to the community to finalize the roadmap for the rest of this year - thanks for the 3,500+ ideas and the tens of thousands of votes you casted on uservoice. This is what it looks like:

[…]

We have been working behind the curtains with the developers of Reeder,Press, Nextgen Reader, Newsify and gReader as design partners for our Normandy project[1]. Today we are excited to announce that you will be able to access your feedly from all these apps before Google Reader retires and that the access to feedly API will be free. More details soon.

Honestly I’ve still got my head in the sand about Google Reader going away in less than a month, hoping that they’ll change their mind. I’ve played with a few alternate feed readers, but the issue is that without a single dominant backend to sync everything. I use Reeder and Mr. Reader on my iOS devices, and the web, all backed by Google Reader. I’ve played with Feedly but it looks (to me) too…. “magazine-y” for my taste. My big worry is that feed readers will adopt a backend that had a crappy web experience, and as a user of multiple Operating Systems, I’ll end up getting a crappy experience when I’m not on Mac or iOS.

Google , Random Linkage , Software - Posted by Arcterex at 03:22 PM
May 31, 2013
Patrick Stewart's Touching Response To A Fan's Question

Saw this across my facebook feed this morning: Patrick Stewart’s Touching Response To A Fan’s Question:

While at Comicpalooza, a girl asked Sir Patrick Stewart a question about what the most important thing he’d ever done besides acting was. His answer was his work with campaigns against violence toward women, which led to this impassioned answer and wonderful gesture.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:40 AM
May 29, 2013
All About Big Ice Cubes

I had no idea that Big ice cubes were a thing now…

I’m not sure when the current fetish for huge ice cubes started, but I’ve been noticing it for a few years now. And when I say I’ve “noticed” it, I mean I’ve seen people touting huge ice cubes on the internet—in real life, the ice cubes I come across are the same size they’ve always been. Perhaps my circle of friends is hopelessly old fashioned.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:50 AM
May 24, 2013
Apostrophes Needed?

Apostrophes and when to use them over on Slate says that they arent needed anymore.

One hundred and eighteen miles north of London, in the town of Boston, England, there lives a retired newspaperman named John Richards who is experiencing an unusually rotten spring. Richards is the founder and chairman of something called the Apostrophe Protection Society. His world, at least as related to the tiny mark that denotes possessives and the omission of letters from certain words, appears to be crashing down around him.

  • Total apostrophes count in the article on how they arent needed anymore? 45
  • Total apostrophes in this article: 0

Via Staticred.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:59 PM
May 23, 2013
Wonderful Colorful House iPad app [Plug]

Just a quick plug for my buddy John who just launched his Wonderful Colorful House iPad app.

The trip started about 15 years ago when I made up a bed-time story for my daughter, Gabrielle. It was about a kid in the great white North, Tullik, who hated cold and hated white, and who was looking for a better — more wonderful — home.  She loved the story, and asked me for it repeatedly, and suggested that I write it down.

Launching an app is hard, and huge kudos go to him for the launch!

Of course, he never reads ufies and eshews it as a source of news and breaking stories, so realistically, he’ll never see this :P

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:11 PM
Full Scale Lego X-Wing Is the Largest Model In History

From my buddy @jtstrocel comes this amazing story on Gizmodo of an Incredible Full Scale Lego X-Wing Is the Largest Model In History.

Seriously, how cool is this.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:26 AM
BBC: Coffee Addiction

BBC News - Coffee addiction: Do people consume too much caffeine?

I’d read this but I’ve only had one and a half cups since I got into the office an hour ago.

(I really wish I was just joking about that)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:31 AM
May 22, 2013
Chris Hadfield's Post-landing Interview With NASA

Speaking of awesome people, check out Chris Hadfield’s Post-landing Interview With NASA.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:28 PM
May 20, 2013
Flickr Makes Big Site Changes

Flickr’s new stuff:

  • A terabyte of storage
  • A new look

Looks very pinterest-y, with a look similar to google+ and the “masonary” photo layout. Looks good so far, hopefully it’s more than a coat of paint and they’re going to really drive Flickr to be a great site.

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:26 PM
May 17, 2013
Star Trek: Science mistakes

Celebrating the fact that the new Star Trek movie is out this weekend, here’s a list of Star Trek Science mistakes from Slate.com.

The problem is distance. Unless Delta Vega were a moon of Vulcan (and in the original series Spock says his planet has no moon), the planet would be way, way too far away to see as anything but a point of light in the sky. And that’s if it’s in the same star system; from another star, even Vulcan’s star might be too far away to see (also, Delta Vega is established in the original series as a remote planet, the location of a dilithium mining station).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:49 AM
May 15, 2013
3-D Scans Reveal Caterpillars Turning Into Butterflies

Possibly the coolest page you’ll read today: 3-D Scans Reveal Caterpillars Turning Into Butterflies.

Science!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:47 PM
May 13, 2013
Yahoo! acquires Astrid

I missed that Yahoo! acquired Astrid, a popular cross platform todo list manager.

Of course, as things like this go, they’re sunsetting it. No more premium subscriptions, and the team is joining the Yahoo mobile team to work on their apps.

If you’re not happy about this, you can also check out the Wunderlist Astrid import to pull your todos into the Wunderlist app.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:18 PM
The Most Detailed Picture of the Internet Ever

This Is the Most Detailed Picture of the Internet Ever (and Making it Was Very Illegal):

Why would you need a map of the Internet? The Internet is not like the Grand Canyon. It is not a destination in a voyage that requires so many right turns and so many left turns. The Internet, as the name suggests and many of you already know, is nothing but the sum of decentralized connections between various interconnected computers that are speaking roughly the same language. To map out those connections and visualize the place where I spend so much of my time may not have any clear use, but it intrigues the pants off me. 

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:59 PM
May 06, 2013
Beautiful Steampunk Link Cosplay by Molecular Agatha [Pic] | Geeks are Sexy Technology News

Beautiful Steampunk Link Cosplay by Molecular Agatha

Gaming , Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by cthulhu at 09:53 AM
May 03, 2013
Hong Kong giant inflatable rubber duck

Hong Kong giant inflatable rubber duck

Why do I feel like singing the rubber duckie song?

Funny Stuff , Random Linkage - Posted by cthulhu at 02:04 PM
May 02, 2013
Robotic Insects Make First Controlled Flight

Robotic Insects Make First Controlled Flight

Need to add a Science category.

Random Linkage - Posted by cthulhu at 03:47 PM
April 30, 2013
DNS Black List at njabl.org Shutting Down

Any FYI from njabl.org that they’re shutting down their DNSBL.

March 1, 2013: NJABL is in the process of being shut down. The DNSBL zones have been emptied. After “the Internet” has had some time to remove NJABL from server configs, the NS’s will be pointed off into unallocated space (192.0.2.0/24 TEST-NET-1) to hopefully make the shutdown obvious to those who were slower to notice.

So grep through your mailserver configs for “dnsbl.njabl.org” and comment it out lest any issues pop up.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:46 AM
April 24, 2013
100 Year Old Time Capsule Opened

Great set of images from a 100 year old time capsule. Most interesting I think was that they included a player for the gramophone recorded greetings, knowing that technology would have progressed past wax cylinders in 100 years. I wonder if our “current” time capsules include the power and adapters needed to play / use whatever “modern” tech we’re including in it. How far up the chain do you go? A hand crank in case power standards have changed in 100 years?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:24 PM
Samsung Galaxy S4 Review

The Verge posted their Samsung Galaxy S4 review, with a final score of 8/10. Mostly good, though Gruber points out a few interesting bits in the review (ie: the display being horribly over-saturated but still getting a 10/10) as well as a snipe at the easy mode.

Still, if you’re ready to upgrade and in the Android camp, this sounds like the phone to get.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:58 AM
April 19, 2013
Roof Topper Photographers on 500px

Nice selection of Roof Topper Photographers on the 500px blog. Definitely something not for the weak-stomached :)

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:18 PM
April 18, 2013
Twitter rolls out #Music app for iPhone and Web

Twitter rolls out #Music app for iPhone and web, with iTunes, Spotify and Rdio integration. Interesting, I’m not sure it’s for me, and how it’s not Just Another Way To Advertise. I can definitely see this as a way to move in on the ‘myspace music’ mindspace that I think still exists, and maybe a bit on band’s facebook pages as well.

We’ll see how this goes.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:51 AM
April 17, 2013
PSA: Ignore the news

Great article on Charlie’s Diary: PSA: Ignore the news

[…] publicly available news media in the 21st century exist solely to get eyeballs on advertisements. That is its only real purpose. The real news consists of dull but informative reports circulated by consultancies giving in-depth insight into what’s going on. The sort of stuff you find digested in the inside pages of The Economist.

First, there’s photographic evidence and rumour. Then there’s some initial information—immediate numbers of dead and injured, scary photographs. But the amount of new information coming out tapers off rapidly after the first hour or two, and gives way to rumour and speculation.

Seriously, once you start noticing the pattern you’ll see that this happens with everything. I even saw a 30 minute long video posted by a “friend” on facebook today about how the Sandy Hill massacre (you know, a bunch of children killed by a nutcase) was in face perpetrated by the government (and covered up) to help ban assault rifles and continue on the world government. Or something. The 10 minutes or so I could stand of the video (think tin foil hat folks) was basically piecing bits and pieces of news from different networks and different times and you could just tell that they were grasping at straws and using what kids were telling the news right after it.

Anyway, it was disgusting and you should stay away from the 24 hour news stations. Seriously, you’ll be happier. De-friend stupid people on facebook as well.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:36 AM
April 11, 2013
The No More Voices Project

No More Voices is a very cool project.
Things to do with your voices will explain it a bit more.

Everyone has them, those nagging voices of fear and doubt. They only get loud when you do things that matter. And since we’re going to do a lot of things that matter, we can expect some voices headed our way. So what do we do?

Stuff like this is awesome. Contribute. Create.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:07 PM
April 10, 2013
"Firefly" Hat Triggers Corporate Crackdown [updated]

jayne_hat.jpgSaw this this morning: “Firefly” Hat Triggers Corporate Crackdown. The short (and slightly wrong) version is that ThinkGeek got the official license to make the hats commercially, so Fox started cracking down on the homebrew DIY folks selling the hats on Etsy etc.

“The irony of it is that it’s the fans of the show who have propelled the hat into the iconic symbol that it is. The hat itself had only a few measly minutes of screen time in one episode— an episode that Fox didn’t even air.”

My response:

Dear Fox:  Screw you.

I got my hat from a facebook friend who has made over a hundred of them and I will continue to support her and not ThinkGeek in this case.

Update: ThinkGeek has responded, including the promise to donate all proceeds from the Jayne hat sales to charity. Good on them.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:52 AM
April 09, 2013
How Google Glass Really Works

This Is How Google Glass Really Works over at mashable.

Google , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:01 PM
Rands In Repose On Headphones

Nice review of different types of headphones: Regular Audio Human

As the cables hanging from my ears drag across the wool coat I’m wearing, the scratching sound races up the cords with perfect, annoying fidelity. If I happen to be eating peanuts while wearing these headphones, I hear the death cry of each and every peanut I consume.

Via DF.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:29 AM
Happy Dog!

Just a happy dog to start your morning!

(Also me testing the connectivity of the UFies.org Facebook Page) :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:56 AM
April 08, 2013
Beautiful Jet Fighter Video

Les Chevaliers du Ciel is cut together footage, and looks awesome, and is all (as I understand) real fighters, no CGI.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:09 PM
April 05, 2013
Funny Thoughts on the FaceBook Phone

Over at Inspired By Apple an amazingly reasonable post shows the craziness of tech bloggers while remaining completely rational (despite the blog name). Case in point (emphasis mine):

But plenty of LOLs at the yawning, Silicon Valley-sized gulf between the techbloggers (“OMG! Facebook will steal YOUR SOUL AND YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR PRECIOUS, PRECIOUS, PERSONAL DATA!”) and, well, everyone else (“It’s a phone. With Facebook. And Android. And it looks like an iPhone.”) I might be wrong, but I don’t think people actually care that much.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:42 PM
April 04, 2013
Georgia high school to host first integrated prom

Georgia high school to host first integrated prom, via this reddit story.

Seriously, what the hell Georgia? This sort of crap is why the rest of the world thinks you’re a bunch of backwards hicks, and why the US gets looked down at by other countries. Not because you deserve it, but because stories like this get out and all people see is this sort of stupid, backwards behaviour instead of the good people, great deeds, and amazing advances in science, medicine, and technology that you make.

But seriously, congrats on having a prom that lets both white and non-white students be in the same place, that’s really awesome of you.

Note: based on comments on reddit (and if you don’t read the story) it seems that the school doesn’t have an official prom, so it’s up to the community to do it, which makes it a private event, which lets them keep the black people out invite whomever they want.

Still not convinced this isn’t yet another April Fool’s Day joke however.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:01 PM
Facebook Phone Introduces Home

Chat-Head-Thread.jpgIntroducing Home at the Facebook Newsroom explains just what it is:

Our answer is Home. Home isn’t a phone or operating system, and it’s also more than just an app. Home is a completely new experience that lets you see the world through people, not apps.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:47 AM
Tokyo Roppongi Gigapixel

This Tokyo Roppongi Gigapixel image is amazing. Not only for the view itself, but for the fact you can read street signs at the far end of the shot. Wow.

Via RiceHigh.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:34 AM
April 03, 2013
How Far is it to Mars?

How Far is it to Mars? is a great look at just how amazingly vast space is.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:20 PM
Forging He-Man's Sword

Holy nostalgia trip batman! Watching Forging He-Man’s Sword I was instantly transported back to watching the TV show as a kid.

Thanks to my buddy Jim for the link and the trip back down memory lane.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:30 PM
Rdio Introduces Vdio

Over at the RDio blog: Introducing Vdio:

The first thing you’ll notice about Vdio is that it’s designed to solve the “what to watch” problem. It’s not just that we’ve got amazing content, but that the experience is now geared to get you from searching to watching faster. We’re introducing the notion of Sets — playlists for TV shows and movies — so anyone can make and share lists of their favorites, making it easier than ever to discover new stuff. Or, you can just check out what your friends are watching in the moment and jump in. Beyond that, Vdio has the beautiful design and social features that people love about Rdio, with plenty more to come.

First of all, cool idea, levering the “what to listen to” technology towards video. Secondly, horribly name to pronounce…. Is it just “video” or “veedeeoh” or “veedio”?

Only available in the US and UK right now of course :(

Via @brian_pearce.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:03 AM
Firefox 20 Released

Firefox hits 20 and is now allowed to drink in Canada and the UK, but not in the US yet.

Top new features are a new download manager (looks a lot like the one from Safari) and per window private browsing (like in Chrome). Both awesome additions.

Mozilla/Firefox , Random Linkage , Software - Posted by Arcterex at 09:41 AM
Luke and Leia Had Sex?

Luke and Leia Had Sex says The Good Men Project.

A couple years back, I was watching Star Wars and several things became apparent to me. I’ve since explicated these revelations to a number of other people, and all of them have been persuaded. Now, to help ruin the childhoods of that many more people, I offer for posterity my proof that Princess Leia had sex with both Luke Skywalker and Han Solo after the battle of Yavin.

Via JWZ.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:33 AM
March 31, 2013
April Fool's Day Kicks Off With Google Nose

Well, Google Nose (in beta of course) is the first of the April 1st pranks I’ve seen so far.

Coming to your senses: go beyond type, talk, and touch for a new notation of sensation.

Remember, for the next 24 hours or so, don’t believe anything you read on the Internet.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:46 PM
March 26, 2013
Chromatic Typewriter

The Chromatic Typewriter is a very cool modification and new medium for art. Or something like that. Easiest to just click the link and enjoy. Also check out http://www.tyreecallahanpaintings.com/enter.

Found via reddit.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:49 AM
5 Mind-Blowing Facts Nobody Told You About Guns

man card revokedI know cracked.com is normally where you go for 7 hotties from the 80s or 4 mindblowingly cool video game moments, but their 5 Mind-Blowing Facts Nobody Told You About Guns is actually pretty damn intereting. For example, here’s some info about the clock tower sniper, discussing the profile of a mass murderer.

Except Whitman didn’t just “snap.” In the last months of his life, he experienced terrible headaches and violent urges he couldn’t explain. He went to a doctor, who turned him away, and in his suicide note he even suggested that they look at his brain to figure out what had suddenly changed. Sure enough, when they opened him up, there was “a tumor the diameter of a nickel” pressing on his amygdala, the part of the brain that “is involved in emotional regulation, especially fear and aggression.”

Anyway, it’s not really pro or con for guns, but more just “about” them (though I’m sure your own beliefs will color what you think the article is about. A good read regardless.

Credit goes to long time UFie RoundTop for the link showing up in my news feed originally!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:00 AM
March 22, 2013
Amazing Video: Forward

Forward is pretty mind-binding.

Full screen, high resolution recommended.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:01 AM
March 21, 2013
The dire state of Wordpress

Interesting read on The dire state of Wordpress:

The kind of rewrite I’m talking about would require a fundamental rethink of the entire platform. We’re talking thousands of man-hours for no direct financial reward. If Automattic were to do this it would require a shakeup of their business model, given they don’t make any money directly from the WordPress codebase.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:57 PM
March 19, 2013
Video: Insane Office Escape 2

OK, don’t let the thumbnail of Biting Elbows - ‘Bad Motherfucker’ (Insane Office Escape 2) fool you, it’s not about boobs, it’s about pure awesome. Just watch it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:31 PM
The Folly Of Options

I want options, but I also want a good experience. In Checkboxes that kill your product Alex Limi goes through some simple checkboxes in Firefox that will, in a couple of clicks, make the browser completely unusable, and for anyone not just a little technical, completely “break” the internet.

It’s a fine balance you need when you design a software product to give people options, but not too many, resulting in them shooting themselves in the foot. For me, KDE is one extreme (every option exposed) and GNOME / mac are close to the right mix (for me), but sometimes going too far towards the “too few options” direction. Some people whine and cry about removing options, but if you’re pissing off 1% of your users and making things easier and better for you and 99% of the rest of your users….

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:38 AM
March 18, 2013
Stuff Blowing up On High Speed Camera

The video is called Phantom Flex Highlights but really should be simply “stuff blowing up shot by high speed cameras”.

Thanks Staticred for the link!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:45 AM
March 15, 2013
Dropbox Acquires Mailbox.app

Dropbox says Welcome Mailbox as they acquire the very cool new Mailbox.app which has some new and interesting ways of dealing with mail (if you use gmail). They say:

After spending time with Gentry, Scott, and the team, it became clear that their calling was the same as ours at Dropbox—to solve life’s hidden problems and reimagine the things we do every day. We all quickly realized that together we could save millions of people a lot of pain.

Very cool, though I’m interested to see what the business model is here. I get a bit nervous sending all my email through someone else’s servers when I’m not paying them for the app or service. One might wonder what they’re doing with all the data to make money.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:26 AM
March 13, 2013
Pebble Watch Teardown

iFixit has a full Pebble Teardown if you’re wondering what’s going on inside your new smartwatch.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:01 PM
March 07, 2013
Dove Creates Fake 'Beautify' Photoshop Action Reverts Women's Bodies to Un-retouched State

Saw this this morning: Trojan Horse Hidden ‘Beautify’ Photoshop Action Reverts Women’s Bodies to Un-retouched State. Viral marketing at it’s best of course. While I’m all for people being satisfied with themselves, young girls not being pressured by the media, etc, blaming “photoshop” is just silly. So much of what people consider “unphotoshopped images” these days are really just “bad pictures”. You can do a ton to change perception with just a pose, good lighting, and a pretty model before you start doing massive body alterations with the liquefy filter.

But lets call this what it is, a viral marketing add to get you to buy beauty products from Dove. Altruistic as they are, their goal is to get you to give them money in the end.

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:18 AM
March 04, 2013
Twitter discontinuing iPhone, Android, and Air versions of TweetDeck

Twitter discontinuing iPhone, Android, and Air versions of TweetDeck.

Twitter has announced that it will be discontinuing several TweetDeck apps in favor of the web client. The Android, iPhone, and Air-based desktop clients will all be affected; the apps will be removed from their stores in early May, and stop functioning soon after. Facebook integration will also be removed.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. The clients haven’t gotten any more than a handful of updates recently, and twitter is definitely more interested in having users use their (controllable, unable to remove ads and promoted tweets on, able to push “partner content” on users from) web platform.

I’m not hugely sad about this, I haven’t used TweetDeck in ages. However I do see this as the harbinger of things to come for the also unloved desktop Twitter official apps.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:12 PM
March 01, 2013
Lego Hogwarts

I don’t say “holy crap” to lego creations that often, but when I saw Lego Hogwarts I did indeed say “holy crap”.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:50 PM
February 27, 2013
Pictures of Being Led Around

Hard to describe in the title, but you’ll want to check out some great images by muradosmann on Instagram of his girlfriend yourleo.

Found via this reddit thread.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:09 PM
February 26, 2013
Unclutterer Compares Distraction Free Web Readers

Comparing low-distraction readers over on Unclutterer and looks at the top few, with pros and cons.

Each has its own pros and cons, but which is the best? Everyone has their preferences, but I took a look at three options and picked my favorite. Here’s what I found while comparing Safari Reader, Instapaper Text, and Clearly:

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:59 PM
Lightsaber Duel First Person View

Awesome Video of What It’s Like To Be In Lightsaber Duel Between Darth Vader and a Jedi.

The Stunt People created a short first-person perspective video on a GoPro camera in which you start as Vader himself fighting a Jedi, and then eventually transition over to the Jedi’s perspective. The results are pretty awesome…if you can get past this all going down in what appears to be an office building or something. They pulled it off in a half hour, what do you want?!

What are you waiting for? Watch it now!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:49 PM
February 25, 2013
App.net Introduces a Freemium Model

App.net today Introduced a free tier, allowing anyone to take part in the twitter-like service.

The free tier has some significant limitations:

  • Have to get an invite from an existing (paid) user
  • Limited to following 40 users
  • 500mb of file storage
  • 10mb max file upload

There are incentives though, if you invite someone and they invite others, you both get additional file space.

This is an interesting play, but I’m not sure if it should be seen as doom and gloom: “App.net is struggling for users and has resorted to giving the service away” or exciting: “App.net is livening up the ecosystem and bolstering their position as a social network.”

Either way, if you want to through me an invite at @arcterex I would love you forever :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:16 PM
February 21, 2013
320-Gigapixel London Panorama Breaks Record for Largest Panoramic Photo

Amazing 320-Gigapixel London Panorama Breaks Record for Largest Panoramic Photo. Pretty sure I can see my house in there, and I live in Canada!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:18 AM
February 20, 2013
3D Printing Pen Smashes Kickstarter Goal

World’s first 3D printing pen smashes Kickstarter goal in a few hours via The Verge. I somehow missed this. It looks like the absolute coolest thing I’ve ever seen.

Anyone else getting one?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:52 PM
February 18, 2013
New Looney Toons Roadrunner Cartoon

I’m not sure if this is new or not, but it’s new to me! A new style Looney Toons animation… same content, but modern animation.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:23 AM
February 14, 2013
Tesla vs. The New York Times

So the summary of the Tesla vs. The New York Times story is that the NYT wrote a story about a test drive in a Tesla electric car and how they ran out of juice at the wrong times, had issues, etc. It’s worth the read. However, read it with a big grain of salt, because it wasn’t 100% true.

Tesla responded because they have all the data from the drive and so they know exactly what happened on the drive, and their facts definitely didn’t match up with the reviewers, not only some little details, but some big details.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:42 AM
February 13, 2013
The "Hobbit Hole Litter Box"

I have to agree with io9 when they say that The “Hobbit Hole Litter Box” is even more beautiful than we imagined.

We didn’t even know we wanted a Hobbit-themed litter box until we heard it existed. Now we can’t imagine our without it. We’ll be sure to let you all know when this bad ass box is available for purchase.

Could not agree more. TAKE MY MONEY!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:42 PM
Opera Moves Rendering Engine to WebKit

Kinda big news from Opera Developer News this morning, they posted that they are going to move to WebKit for the rendering engine for Opera.

The short answer is that it shouldn’t affect your day-to-day work. Keep coding to the standards, not to individual rendering engines; test across browsers - Opera, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Internet Explorer; use all vendor prefixes and an unprefixed form in your CSS and JavaScript. However, it remains important to keep the following in mind:

(Via Reddit).

The reasoning they give is:

The WebKit project now has the kind of standards support that we could only dream of when our work began. Instead of tying up resources duplicating what’s already implemented in WebKit, we can focus on innovation to make a better browser. Opera innovations such as tabbed browsing, Speed Dial and data-saving compression that speeds up page-load, have been widely copied and improved the web for all.

This is interesting. On one hand, I agree with the top reddit comment about how it’s got to suck for the people who have been working on the Opera rendering engine since 1994. It was the first “alternate” engine that I used and had, and still has, some pretty awesome stuff, and it’s still (I believe) one of the fastest browsers, and has some great performance on low end machines.

On the other hand though, maybe the market has spoken and crowned WebKit the third browser engine and said there’s just no place for another engine. In reality I think this is the better way. Web developers have enough to deal with writing cross platform compatible code for:

  • Mozilla rendering engine
  • Webkit (Safari, Chrome)
  • IE
  • Old versions of IE
  • Opera
  • Mobile
  • Three different operating systems
  • All the minor differences between different versions of all the above

I dislike redundancy, so I applaud this move. While I love openess and choice, having 18 different media players, all 3/4 baked and none complete or fully tested is a far worse thing (in my opinion) than having 2 or 4 really awesome media players that have full communities and momentum behind them. Sounds like Opera is up with this too.

Of course, really respectful web developers will still have to support Opera (which is pretty standards compliant already, so it’s not a huge deal) for a few years, as I hear there’s a fairly vocal Opera user group out there :)

Programming , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:53 AM
February 12, 2013
How the Star Wars Kessel Run Turns Han Solo Into a Time-Traveler

How the Star Wars Kessel Run Turns Han Solo Into a Time-Traveler.

You’ll hear any reputable Star Wars fan point it out eventually: Han Solo’s famous boast that the Millennium Falcon “made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs” may have sounded impressive, but from an astronomical perspective, it made no sense. A parsec is a unit of distance, not time, so why would Solo use it to explain how quickly his ship could travel?

Just read it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:05 PM
How to Hang a Sweater

How to Hang a Sweater, for the hipster in your life.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:34 AM
February 08, 2013
I Found Your Mitten - Lost Mitten Site

i found your mitten. Just click on it, it’s cool. Then head over to I Found Your Mitten.com.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:39 PM
February 07, 2013
The 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

The 2013 Sony World Photography Awards at In Focus from The Atlantic.

Wow. Some amazing work in here.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:03 PM
February 05, 2013
Introducing Your Instagram Feed on the Web - Instagram Blog

The Instagram Blog announced that there’s now an Instagram Feed on the Web.

Today, I’m very excited to announce the launch of a product we’ve been wanting to build for quite some time now. Since our launch in October of 2010, we’ve focused on building a simple app that has inspired creativity while capturing everyday moments through the lens of your mobile phone. In fact, our focus on building out a mobile-only experience is a unique path that we’ve chosen for many reasons, the most important of which is that Instagram, at its core, is about seeing and taking photos on-the-go. However, to make Instagram even more accessible to our growing community, at the end of last year we started to expand to the desktop web, giving you the ability to see profiles from instagram.com. To continue that path, as of today, you can now browse your Instagram feed on the web - just like you do on your mobile device. Go to instagram.com and log in to your account to give it a try.

So no more mobile only. Interesting…

Note that this is only your feed, not the ability to upload images. Looks good though.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:10 PM
February 04, 2013
Evasi0n Jailbreak Analysis

Accuvant LABS Blog has a cool analysis of the Evasi0n Jailbreak’s Userland Component.

The latest jailbreak is out, and it’s time to dissect it and document all the exploits and techniques it contains.  These days, jailbreaks are so well tested that it’s easy for people to forget all the complexity that goes into them.  There are numerous exploit mitigations in iOS userland, such as sandboxing, ASLR, and code signature requirements that make jailbreaking incredibly difficult.

Via Daring Fireball

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:13 PM
February 01, 2013
Incredible Footage of a Thought Being Formed

First-Ever Incredible Footage of a Thought Being Formed via Gizmodo.

A team of Japanese researchers has achieved something incredible: they’ve captured, for the first time ever, a movie which shows how thoughts form in the brain.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:16 PM
January 31, 2013
Tapbots Makes Netbot a Free Download

Tapbots Makes Netbot a Free Download to Spur App.net Adoption.

Cool stuff, I love their twitter apps, and Netbot is really just tweetbot with a grey skin. Course, you’ll need the $36/year app.net membership to use it. However, the scheme of making the best app.net client free is a good scheme, I wish them good luck.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:51 AM
January 30, 2013
"Voice Over" Short Film

Found via Jeffrey at Faded and Blurred is the brilliant short film Voice Over. It’s subtitled, but well worth the watch.

VOICE OVER (English subtitles) from Kamel Films on Vimeo.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:32 PM
BlackBerry 10 Launch Reactions

lseries_white_eng_gen_sideangleright.jpg
Fairly good look from gigaom: BlackBerry 10 smartphone launch gets a few cheers, a bunch of jeers and a lot of meh. I particularly liked the “feature parity to 2010” tweet :)

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I think that BB10 is a nice looking smartphone OS, and their new hardware looks good. But to be a plausible third player in the market they have to not only keep current BB users, attract new smartphone users, but also maybe pull some users from iOS and Android. That’s a tough road, especially when the behemoth Microsoft isn’t even in double digit market share after 2 years.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:07 PM
Interview With Kim Dotcom On Piracy, Copyright

Great interview with Kim Dotcom. He obviously has an axe to grind, but I think that anyone who doesn’t think that the Megaupload takedown was amped up because of the RIAA/MPAA and their ties to the government is deceiving themselves.

Kudos to my buddy Jim for the link.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:40 PM
Story of a Russian Family Cut Off From Human Contact For 40 Years

For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact, Unaware of World War II. They were discovered in 1978, and it’s a fascinating read of a real life “unaware of the rest of the world” story.

That was in 1936, and there were only four Lykovs then—Karp; his wife, Akulina; a son named Savin, 9 years old, and Natalia, a daughter who was only 2. Taking their possessions and some seeds, they had retreated ever deeper into the taiga, building themselves a succession of crude dwelling places, until at last they had fetched up in this desolate spot. Two more children had been born in the wild—Dmitry in 1940 and Agafia in 1943—and neither of the youngest Lykov children had ever seen a human being who was not a member of their family. All that Agafia and Dmitry knew of the outside world they learned entirely from their parents’ stories. The family’s principal entertainment, the Russian journalist Vasily Peskov noted, “was for everyone to recount their dreams.”

Just imagine how terrified you’d be if someone appeared after you hadn’t seen another soul in decades, with strange devices and technology. Other details like how their language diminished into “blurred cooing” and how they had no replacement for metal (and how cooking became more and more difficult) are fascinating.

Something to think about the next time you think of leaving all technology behind and just living in the woods :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:37 AM
The sound of the dialup

Ok, this is the most awesome thing I’ve seen in a while. The sound of the dialup, pictured shows in both audio and visual forms what’s going on when a dialup modem connects.

The full size image is pretty awesome, and really shows what’s going on. Huge kudos to Oona Räisänen for putting this together.

I spent 4 years doing tech support Back In The Day(tm) supporting a dial up modem pool at the local Real Estate Board, and more than one time I asked the end user to put the phone at the back of the computer so I could hear what the modem was doing. I can still tell if hardware error correction fails or not.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:54 AM
January 29, 2013
Sweet MySQL Tuning Script

Just discovered MySQLTuner, a very nifty little perl script that will (read-only) analyse your MySQL install and suggest different configuration changes to make it work better. Going to be using this a lot I think.

MySQLTuner is a script written in Perl that allows you to review a MySQL installation quickly and make adjustments to increase performance and stability. The current configuration variables and status data is retrieved and presented in a brief format along with some basic performance suggestions.

Random Linkage , Software - Posted by Arcterex at 01:09 PM
January 28, 2013
The Verge Reviews The Pebble Smartwatch

The Verge has a Pebble smartwatch review, for you kickstarter backers frothing at the mouth for your watch to arrive.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:58 PM
January 25, 2013
Another Song For Ridicule From the "Friday" and "Thanksgiving" Songwriter

… and I use the term ‘songwriter’ loosely. I’m not going to embed the video, but here’s a link to Tweenchronic-Skip Rope for ridicule. Seems that the writer of Rebecca Black’s “Friday” and “Thanksgiving” is at it again.

To quote Ralph on Hollywood Babble On, “aren’t the rappers shooting each other still?”

I made it through about 12 seconds of this before I had to turn it off. I cry for the children of today.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:04 AM
January 23, 2013
Guy Pranks All Internet Media with Fake X-Box Story

X-Surface: Don’t believe everything you read is the story of how a guy basically just faked a new Microsoft X-Box rumor and how the collective tech press took the bait hook, line, and sinker.

Note that the high journalistic integrity of the UFies.org staff prevented us from putting any such story up.

Course, I’m waiting for the guy pranking the media with a prank about pranking the media.

Prank-prank-prank.

News , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:39 PM
January 22, 2013
Firefox Announces OS Developer Preview Phone

Mozilla is Announcing the Firefox OS Developer Preview Phone!

Developer preview phones will help make the mobile web more accessible to more people. Developers are critical to the web and to Mozilla’s mission to make the web accessible to everyone. Hundreds of millions of people worldwide use Firefox to discover, experience and connect to the Web. A web based on open standards and open technologies. We couldn’t have done this without web developers. Now we are working on bringing the power of the web to mobile, through Firefox OS, along with all the power of open standards and an open community, and once again, we’d like to invite web developers to join us.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:36 AM
January 21, 2013
John Moltz on Apple: Every empire crumbles

‘Every empire crumbles’ by John Moltz is a fantastic read. Make sure you read the punchline.

Apple is losing its hip and unpredictable edge as it risks being left behind by the very technology it helped to proliferate…

Definitely a good look at how people look at Apple’s position in the market.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:25 PM
January 19, 2013
Definitive Proof of Why the Moon Landings Could Have Never EVER Been Faked

You know those friends who still have a tiny bit of doubt about the moon landings in 1969? The ones what whip out random things about carvings on rocks, or shadows not lining up, and how scientists that were involved died mysterious deaths? Yea, we all know at least one.

Found while surfing through FlipBoard while waiting for friends to show up at dinner is this great video of Why the Moon Landings Could Have Never EVER Been Faked: The Definitive Proof

This video is so good, so incredibly brilliant, solid and simple, that you will want to paste it all over your Facebooks and Twitters just to piss off all the IMBECILES who still claim that the Moon landings were faked.* The reason is simple: the technology to fake it didn’t exist.

The video is good enough to embed right here for your watching pleasure.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:58 PM
January 18, 2013
Mega Launches

Kim DotCom’s new site Mega has launched. Torrentfreak has the story: Brilliantly Secure, But Not Anonymous. Main site is down right now sadly.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:33 PM
Kim Dotcom On How To Stop Piracy

Kim Dotcom response to the Record Labels saying that the Only Way to Stop Piracy is Suing File-Sharers.

Of course, what they should’ve done - a full 10 years ago - is outlined in Dotcom’s Tweet.

I won’t spoil the tweet, but he’s boiled it down to 140 characters (and no one will listen). It’s what we all know already, but something ignored by the “old media”.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:19 PM
January 17, 2013
MaKey MaKey: An Invention Kit for Everyone

Got to see a MaKey MaKey in person last night, thanks to one of the guys at the FV.rb meeting last night.

MaKey MaKey is an invention kit for the 21st century. Turn everyday objects into touchpads and combine them with the internet. It’s a simple Invention Kit for Beginners and Experts doing art, engineering, and everything inbetween[…]

Basically it’s a circuit board with a USB connector to plug into a computer, and it acts as a keyboard. It has several connectors (wsad and up down left right, plus a few others) that when they’re connected, translate into that key being pressed.

This kickstarter project was overfunded by about 20x, and for what it is, I think it’s pretty damn cool.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:41 AM
January 16, 2013
Why Programmers Work At Night

Very interesting read on Why Programmers Work At Night from Business Insider. I always figured it was because it takes me about 8 hours to properly wake up in the morning.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:50 PM
January 15, 2013
The new Myspace is now open to the public

The Next Web points out that The new Myspace is now open to the public. Now the big question is “will anyone care?”

Random Linkage , Web 2.0 - Posted by Arcterex at 05:59 PM
Facebook Launches Graph Search Beta

Via iPhone in Canada: Facebook Launches Graph Search Beta (It's Not a Phone):

What is Graph Search? Graph Search is a new way for you to find people, photos, places and interests that are most relevant to you on Facebook.

What is Graph Search useful for?
Graph Search will help you instantly find others, learn more about them and make connections, explore photos, quickly find places like local attractions and restaurants, and learn about common interests like music, movies, books and more. All results are unique based on the strength of relationships and connections.

What can I search for?
With Graph Search, you can search for people, photos, places and interests.

Very interesting.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:20 PM
January 14, 2013
Video Example of Pickpocketing

Video of Apollo Robbins Pickpocketing from the New Yorker:

In this video, Apollo demonstrates some of his tricks and techniques, using Green as his victim.

Well worth the 6 minutes to watch it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:46 PM
January 12, 2013
Whitehouse Responds to "Death Star" Petition

Well, it got over 34,000 signatures, but sadly, the Whitehouse Responded for the petition to build a death star, and This Isn’t the Petition Response You’re Looking For :(

Some of their (faulty, IMHO) reasoning is:

  • The construction of the Death Star has been estimated to cost more than $850,000,000,000,000,000. We’re working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it.
  • The Administration does not support blowing up planets.
  • Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?

That said, there’s a lot of good stuff in the response about the current state of technology that’s good to see. Kudos for to the white house for responding.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:19 PM
January 09, 2013
Meowbify Any Site To Add Cats

Meowbify by Mobify lets you put in a site and get back the site, but with cats.

“I can’t tell the difference between Ufies.org and the meowbified version!” — an unnamed friend.

You can also hack the source yourself if you need to.

Funny Stuff , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:10 PM
January 08, 2013
Qualcomm's Insane CES 2013 Keynote Is Insane

Qualcomm’s insane CES 2013 keynote in pictures and tweets, and the video below.

When having Big Bird come out during your keynote isn’t the weirdest thing in your key note, you’re doing something… uhm…. something. Seriously, go through the tweets and pictures then watch the video, I can’t believe that this isn’t a parody.

Just watching the video made me feel uncomfortable. I love how there’s no applause or laughs at the carefully crafted breaks (at least they didn’t show up on the edit).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:28 PM
Amazon Prime Launches in Canada

Amazon-prime-canada Amazon Prime Launches in Canada, Unlimited 2 Day Shipping for $79 Per Year. Nice, finally some of the conveniences coming to the great white north.

Now when will the full selection of electronics and other gear be available as well…? :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:38 AM
Jon Stewart Tears Apart House GOP Over Sandy Aid

Jon Stewart: If You Can’t Vote For This, ‘Then We’re F*cked’ | Mediaite. Color me naive, but I didn’t think that this would be an issue. Also, who doesn’t love a good Jon Stewart rant?

Go ‘murika?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:24 AM
January 07, 2013
Hulahoop Cam At Burning Man 2012  

Via forgetfoo comes HulaCam at Burning Man 2012.

Hope you don’t have a weak stomach for spinning things. Also note there are (covered) boobies in the video, as it seems most women at Burning Man go as close to topless as they can.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:16 PM
Notch.Me, A New Way To Visualize Your Health

Notch.me is an interesting new way to visualize your health. It connects with a variety of online services (RunKeeper, FitBit, etc), and creates cool visualizations of the data it can pull from there.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:29 PM
January 04, 2013
Starving polar bear attacks BBC cameraman in Plastic Pod

Starving polar bear attacks BBC cameraman in pod in Arctic Norway. Seriously, you approach someone in that contraption and what the heck do you think is going to happen!

The perspex ‘ice cube’ the photographer was housed in for much of the filming was ‘pretty much bombproof’. But there was a risk it could get brittle when very cold - making the task of filming the polar bears even more perilous. He said: ‘There’s no doubt polar bear cubs are the cutest animals in the world and even the adults have an aesthetic which isn’t threatening.

Trust the BBC to remain calm while a 9’ tall man eater is a sheet of perspex away from eating you for dinner.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:51 PM
Indian Rape Victim's Protest Images

The Big Picture has a set of powerful images of the outrage over the recent Indian rape victim’s death.

Number 21 got to me.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:33 PM
Snowboarding In Downtown Montreal

I’m all for bitching about the cold and snow as the next guy, but this video of Snowboarding In Downtown Montreal has got to be the coolest thing I’ve seen lately.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:42 PM
January 02, 2013
Good News Story: Man with Iron Man costume makes autistic boy's Christmas wish come true

Time to get out the excuses for rolling a tear while at work while you watch this story of a Man with Iron Man costume makes autistic boy’s Christmas wish come true.

Cameron, a 13 year-old boy with down syndrome, had his Christmas wish come true thanks to the kindness of a guy with an Iron Man suit and the internet.

Via Hollywood Babbleon.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:58 PM
December 28, 2012
Damascus steel knife making Video

Pretty amazing video called The Birth Of A Tool. Part III, with John Neeman making a knife out of Damascus steel (from scratch).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:41 PM
December 22, 2012
Free 3 Months of Flickr Pro

http://www.flickr.com/holidaygift

Capitalizing on instagrams issues, and no doubt their increased attention from yahoo. Good on them.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:06 PM
December 21, 2012
Back to the Future DeLorean Time Machine

LEGO® Back to the Future DeLorean Time Machine.

Awesome.

Via here.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:28 PM
Facebook tests $1 fee for inbox Spamming. I mean access

Saw on C|Net via reddit this morning that Facebook is testing a $1 fee for inbox access. Note that this isn’t for you to send a facebook message to your friend, this is to allow others to message you even if you’re not connected (remember that on facebook only your friends can send you messages).

Translation: “We’re going to allow big companies to pay us a wheelbarrow full of cash to spam you to hell and back.”

This combined with the recently announced auto play video ads coming soon, might be time to drop Facebook. I thought they were making a ton of money already, but I guess greed begets greed begets more ads.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:27 AM
December 20, 2012
2012: What Brought Us Together On YouTube

Want a bit of a tearjerker? Watch this 2012: What Brought Us Together video on youtube.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:42 PM
December 19, 2012
The Big Picture's 2012 Year in Pictures: Part II

2012 Year in Pictures: Part II from The Big Picture. Don’t forget to hit Part 1.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:18 PM
December 18, 2012
Instagram Vs Flickr And They're Listening

If you’ve been all angsty about the new Instagram terms of service, you’ll want a look at Instagram vs Flickr, however they (Instagram) wants you to know that they’re listening to your concerns.

Also lets be honest, no one is selling your crappy pictures of a latte no matter how artistic they are.

Photography , Random Linkage , Software - Posted by Arcterex at 03:30 PM
December 17, 2012
Cards Against Humanity Results From Pay-What-You Want Experiment

First of all, dammit, I missed this, I was just talking about CaH and even went to the page to show a friend and saw the “pay what you want” as I scrolled by, but never really registered it. Apparently they had a ‘pay what you want’ event and here are the Cards Against Humanity Statistics for what people paid, what they made, and what they did with the money.

Via reddit where we also are shown how envelopes are addressed when you pay $0.

7Z02c.jpg

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:47 PM
2012 Year in Pictures: Part I - The Big Picture

Boston.com’s The Big Picture has 2012 Year in Pictures: Part I. Great stuff.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:09 PM
RIM Sends Out Media Invites for BlackBerry 10 Event Set for Jan. 30

RIM’s getting ready for their new line of devices and OS by Sending Out Media Invites for a BlackBerry 10 Event Set for Jan. 30.

Earlier today, Rogers announced they would be offering BlackBerry 10 in the new year and noted the Rogers Reservation System will let you reserve a device if you want one.

Very interesting to see how RIM and Blackberry does in this new smartphone world we live in.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:46 AM
December 14, 2012
Pinokio - A Lamp That Understands You

Pinokio is basically the Luxo Jr. lamp from Pixar, brought to life.

TAKE MY MONEY I WANT ONE OF THESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:26 PM
Dear Open Source Project Leader: Quit Being A Jerk

Dear Open Source Project Leader: Quit Being A Jerk, via my buddy @milesforrest on twitter.

What I saw on twitter was yet another comment from an open source “elite” - a person of high visibility with a project that is well known by tens or hundreds of thousands of people - making fun of someone else trying to contribute. Again. And again. And again. Over and over. And it makes me very very sad.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:49 PM
How Obsessive Fans Built a Better Han Solo Blaster

Great story on How Obsessive Fans Built a Better Han Solo Blaster. If you like this, you’ll love Adam Savage’s Ted talk about obsessions and building.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:01 PM
December 12, 2012
Amazing Video of The Largest Ever Iceberg Breakup

Chasing Ice movie reveals largest iceberg break-up ever filmed. Looks like these guys had no idea what they were about to catch on video.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:49 PM
December 11, 2012
2012 Year on Twitter

2012 Year on Twitter, cool to look around and see what’s been going on on twitter this last year.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:17 PM
Jón Gnarr, Mayor of Reykjavík, Did an AMA on Reddit

The AMA (Ask Me Anything): I am Jón Gnarr, Mayor of Reykjavík. AMA. If you don’t know why this is completely cool, you’ll want to read the 12 reasons why Jon Gnarr is the world’s most interesting mayor.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:13 PM
December 10, 2012
Amazon Kindle Ebook Store Launched Canada

Saw that Amazon Kindle Ebook Store Quietly Launched Canada recently.

Amazon has quietly launched the Kindle Store in Canada over the weekend. First spotted by the Digital Reader last Friday, Amazon’s landing page revealed the debut of the Kindle Store to allow Canadians to purchase ebooks with their local account, instead of going through a US portal.

Nice that we now start getting at least a tiny bit of the US gets in terms of Amazon content. You can hit the kindle store directly here.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:33 PM
An iOS user migrates to Android

Fascinating view (through tweets and commentary) of An iOS user migrating to Android via Storify. Really interesting to see the pain points and the places where iOS has fallen down.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:59 AM
December 06, 2012
The Development of OS/2

The Register has a great look at the development of OS/2, with all sorts of interesting little tidbits.

Microsoft developers on the OS/2 team were promised a week in Hawaii if they got the thing finished and, of course, had share options. IBM tried to compete with a trip to the Azores, which wasn’t quite as good. It was irrelevant anyway because Big Blue’s HR vetoed our prize on the grounds that IBM rules prohibited that many IBMers being on the same aeroplane.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:03 PM
November 27, 2012
Great System Debugging Tool for the Mac: Consultant's Canary

Just discovered the Consultant’s Canary, a nice little script that will print out a report of, well, pretty much everything on a mac system. Very helpful for debugging questions like “why is my my friend’s computer running so slowly?”

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:02 PM
November 22, 2012
7' Serenity Model in Lego

Great imgur album of a 7’ Serenity Model done in Lego. Reddit discussion here.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:24 AM
November 20, 2012
Wired: Internal Videos Show Why the Microsoft Kin Cratered

Fascinating set of Internal Videos Show Why the Microsoft Kin Cratered:

Given Microsoft’s slew of new releases that break from the past, like Windows 8, Windows RT, Surface, and Windows Phone 8, these Kin videos seem worth a second look to see why the company so badly needed to start over from scratch. Also? They’re kind of hilarious.

Really interesting to see “real people” using tech gagets.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:14 PM
Self-Cleaning Fish Tank That Grows Food by Nikhil & Alejandro

Via a facebook link is a kickstarter project for a Self-Cleaning Fish Tank That Grows Food. Now I’m not a fan of mushrooms at all, but anything that lets me have green things, fish, and not have to do any work to do cleaning? I’m in.

Check out their video below.

Only big downside is $50 shipping to outside the US? Boo!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:46 AM
November 16, 2012
What happens when a Twitter client hits the token limit

Commentary from Marco on What happens when a Twitter client hits the token limit. Remembering a while back when Twitter seemed to go thermonuclear on client apps, but left a lot of questions about what exactly “work with us” would actually mean.

The real rule, if Twitter was honest and direct, is simple: “We don’t permit anyone to exceed the limit unless we feel like it.” But even then, it would be stupid for anyone to build a business on Twitter with such unstable footing. And if your plan is to stay under the 100,000-token limit, you’d be a fool to believe in the safety and longevity of that exemption.

I wonder what happens when a higher visibility client like TweetBot hits the limit? I’m going to guess the same thing.

App.net here I come…

Full story.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:30 AM
November 13, 2012
"It's Thanksgiving" Is the Most Blatant Rebecca Black Rip-Off Ever

I’m pretty sure a large part of this video / song is parodying itself, and I pray deep down in my soul that the singer and songwriter know it’s horrible, terrible, and an indicatino of the fall of wester society. I present for your consideration Nicole Westbrook’s “It’s Thanksgiving” Is the Most Blatant Rebecca Black Rip-Off Ever.

Why, dear god why.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:47 PM
Racist, Or Just Dumb?  

Via forgetfoo: - Racist, Or Just Dumb? I’m going to go with “yes”. Gotta love the flippant attitude towards human life, just because she doesn’t agree with his politics. Go America.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:41 AM
November 12, 2012
Extreme Rube Goldberg

Extreme Rube Goldberg.

Yowza.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:18 PM
The Smartphone Robot by Romotive Kickstarter Project

Ok, my birthday is coming up and I just found the perfect gift for me: Romo - The Smartphone Robot for Everyone. Sure you need a second smartphone to control your smartphone controlled robot, but that’s a small price to pay for a freakin’ personal robot (especially one with that cute a face).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:36 AM
Inside Team Romney's whale of an IT meltdown

Fascinating look Inside Team Romney’s whale of an IT meltdown, via my buddy Staticred.

Instead, volunteers couldn’t get the system to work from the field in many states—in some cases because they had been given the wrong login information. The system crashed repeatedly. At one point, the network connection to the Romney campaign’s headquarters went down because Internet provider Comcast reportedly thought the traffic was caused by a denial of service attack.

Sounds like a cluster-fuck of presidential proportions (pun intended), but also one that could have been avoided with more time, testing, and all the other things that IT people ask for but rarely get.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:32 AM
November 07, 2012
Reginald the Kitten Getting Blown Dry in Slow Motion After a Bath

To take a break from the Apple loving, Microsoft hating, and random tech stuff and here is a great post from Laughing Squid of Reginald the Kitten Getting Blown Dry in Slow Motion After a Bath.

Seriously, the cutest thing I’ve seen all day.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:16 PM
Get Alerts When The Space Station Is Above You

NASA - Spot The Station is a site where you can sign up for email and text alerts when the ISS is above you.

NASA’s Spot the Station service sends you an email or text message a few hours before the space station passes over your house. The space station looks like a fast-moving plane in the sky, though one with people living and working aboard it more than 200 miles above the ground. It is best viewed on clear nights. For more information on the International Space Station and its mission, visit the space station mission pages.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:48 PM
GoPro HERO2: Cats vs. Laser

All this time I thought I needed to be a skydiver or a racecar driver to get good use out of a GoPro, but turns out all you need to be is a cat owner to make good use of it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:56 AM
November 06, 2012
Amazing Model Railroad Display in Hamburg

Via facebook, check out the Miniatur Wunderland which is a huge model railroad installation. Seriously, this is enough to give model railroaders a heart attack.

Even if you’re not interested, it’s worth the watch just to see the size of the install and the tiny details all over it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:45 AM
November 05, 2012
Instagram Announces Web Profiles

Instagram has taken a page from Microsoft an has Announced Instagram Profiles on the Web.

Sadly they aren’t available to everyone. Mine looks like this:

Blank Instagram Profile

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:13 PM
November 02, 2012
LEGO Milling Machines

Quite possibly the coolest use of lego I’ve ever seen: LEGO Milling Machines from my friend Fozbaca.

Special mention to the milling machine… wow!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:19 PM
No One Cares About Your Decision to Leave Apple Products and No One from Apple Will Read Your Poorly-Written Open Letter

Nice open leter and rant: No One Cares About Your Decision to Leave Apple Products and No One from Apple Will Read Your Poorly-Written Open Letter.

It is an odd relationship with a few companies now share with the so-called “tech press” where rants and complaints aren’t presented as stories, but often as these silly open letters to Apple/Google/Amazon/etc.

Great read regardless.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:26 AM
November 01, 2012
Block I Apollo Guidance Computer Replica

A DIY Block I Apollo Guidance Computer Replica. Not a bad sunday afternoon (times 4 years) project.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:00 PM
Kim Dotcom Picks Me.Ga for New Megaupload

Apparently Kim Dotcom is avoiding “Unsafe” .Com, Picks Me.Ga for New Megaupload. Nothing there but a splash page right now. Interesting to see what results.

I don’t think that his assertion that .com are any less safe or unsafe. If it’s hosted on US servers, I assume that a three letter agency will be able to grab the server, and regardless of it’s domain, if it’s deemed as something against Big Brother, I presume that a three letter agency will be able to sneak into all the main DNS servers and block the domain or TLD.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:51 AM
October 31, 2012
Twitter Fact Checking on IsTwitterWrong.Tumblr.com

Is Twitter Wrong? is a great tumblog of the various images you find on twitter (and around the net) to see just how accurate it may (or in most cases, may not) be.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:35 AM
October 26, 2012
The Most Insane Lego Machine I've Ever Seen

Think you built cool stuff with Lego? Well, via gizmodo is The Most Insane Lego Machine I’ve Ever Seen.

Wow.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:44 PM
October 24, 2012
500px Teams up With Blurb Books

Cool stuff from my buddies over at 500px… they have teamed up with Blurb to allow you to produce photo books directly from your 500px account.

Great news everyone! We’ve teamed up with Blurb to make your upgrade experience even better. Now when you upgrade to Awesome or Plus membership you get a complimentary Blurb gift code - $25 worth for Plus upgrade and $50 for Awesome upgrade. That’s like getting a membership for free :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:46 PM
Square Canada Launches With Free Mobile Card Readers

Square Canada Launches With Free Mobile Card Readers. If you’re not familiar with Square, it’s a personal point of sale system that lets anyone with the reader and an iPhone to take credit card payments. Think Craigslist transactions, friends that owe you money, etc. Glad to see it’s finally hit Canada.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:18 AM
October 23, 2012
The Full Scale Millennium Falcon Project

Ever think your dreams aren’t big enough? I certainly think that now after seeing The Full Scale Millennium Falcon Project, a project to build, you guessed it, a full scale copy of the Millennium Falcon.

Hat tip Geeks of Doom.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:14 AM
10 Most Creative Matching Costumes for Halloween

Tis the season for the lists of things like the 10 Most Creative Matching Costumes for Halloween.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:13 AM
October 22, 2012
Anatomy of a Hoax - The Sony Nexus X

Anatomy of a Hoax is a great look through how someone created a non-existant phone, the Sony Nexus X, and brought it into the world (virtually) and “got” pretty much all the major tech publications, wasting about 1500 hours collectively. Very interesting to see just how little work is required to put a hoax like this out there.

As far as I know, nothing of any notable significance occurred on Monday, October 15, 2012. The social web was still abuzz from the spectacular achievement in human ingenuity from the night before, brought to you by Red Bull and science. People continued to predictably politick and Rainn Wilson did an AMA. However, for an infinitesimal segment of the human population, October 15th was marked by a frenetic search for answers fueled by an anxiety that can only come from leaked photos of an up-and-coming piece of shiny new tech.

Glad it’s not just hitting Apple fans with fake new hardware :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:41 AM
Amazon DRM Backfires

In the article Outlawed by Amazon DRM, probably the worst of all cases of DRM is exposed. This is the sort of thing that gets your Open Source friends will use as a prime example of why DRM is bad, and quite frankly, they’re right.

The short version is a friend of the author had her Kindle wiped and her Amazon account closed with no explanation and no recourse. Talking to Amazon was like talking to a brick wall in terms of either a) getting it reversed or b) figuring out why.

Not cool Amazon, not cool at all.

Random Linkage , Security - Posted by Arcterex at 10:29 AM
October 17, 2012
Pirate Bay Moves to The Cloud, Becomes Raid-Proof

Torrent Freak has the explanation of this blog post from The Pirate Bay. Apparently as Pirate Bay Moves to The Cloud, it Becomes Raid-Proof.

Makes sense to me.

“The communication between the load balancer and the virtual servers is encrypted. So even if a cloud provider found out they’re running TPB, they can’t look at the content of user traffic or user’s IP-addresses.”

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:40 PM
Sci Fi Tattoos

Great list of 11 Wonderfully Out There Sci Fi Tattoos. That’s body art I can get behind.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:26 PM
October 16, 2012
Mapping The Entertainment Ecosystems of Apple, Microsoft, Google & Amazon

Mapping The Entertainment Ecosystems of Apple, Microsoft, Google & Amazon is really a look at what countries are available depending on where you get your content from.

Most of the big sites and writers seem to be based on the US, and forget that their favourite music/tv/movie provider may not be available to everyone. The Amazon tablet might be the best thing in the world, but as a Canadian I don’t have access to any of it’s movies, TV, or music content. Ditto with things like Google Music. This might be part of the Apple success, while people in the US can turn their nose up at the company (or not, depending on which side of the fence you’re on), and wonder why the world loves Apple so much, looking at the charts it’s easy to see why. The music coverage of Apple vs the rest is pretty amazing, and that combined with them being able to launch new phones simultaneously in 20-30 countries on launch day is pretty impressive.

However once you get down a bit farther into Apps and eBooks, things get more even. Still a very interesting look at the world’s access to “content” when you’re not in the US, also known as the center of the Universe.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:23 AM
October 15, 2012
Ejecting From A SR-71 At Mach 3.2

So Forgetfoo found a nice counterpoint to the parachute jump from space: Ejecting From A SR-71 At Mach 3.2.

I don’t think the chances of surviving an ejection at Mach 3.18 and seventy-eight thousand eight hundred feet were very good. However, g-forces built up so rapidly that my words came out garbled and unintelligible, as confirmed later by the cockpit voice recorder.

Yowza.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:31 PM
A Space Shuttle on the Streets of Los Angeles

A Space Shuttle on the Streets of Los Angeles from The Atlantic.

Man what I would have given to be in LA when this was happening.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:25 PM
Helmet cam shows Red Bull Stratos skydive from space

Found a non-region restricted and not taken down copy of the Helmet cam showing Red Bull Stratos skydive from space.

Sphincter clenching.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:49 AM
October 14, 2012
Supersonic Freefall From Space Video

It’s finally done and you can now watch the Supersonic Freefall From Space over at mashable.

All this to advertise your energy drink? Really?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:31 PM
October 11, 2012
Incredible LEGO Batcave Built Out of Over 20,000 Pieces

Think you’re hardcore into Lego? Check out this Incredible LEGO Batcave Built Out of Over 20,000 Pieces. Wow. The little 12 year old in me just sang a little happy song.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:24 PM
October 10, 2012
Rescuing the Prince of Persia from the Sands of Time

Fascinating talk from Derbycon 2012 on Rescuing the Prince of Persia from the Sands of Time, and the story of what happens when you have an old floppy disk with original source code from the late 80s.

Earlier this year, Jordan Mechner, the creator of such games as Karateka, The Last Express, and Prince of Persia, was sent a box of old material from his father’s closet. In it was the original source code to Prince of Persia for the Apple II, a 1989 game he’d sold after years of work. The only problem was, he had no idea how he could rescue it from the fading floppy disks. In a fast-paced storytelling atmosphere, computer historian Jason Scott talks about how that source code was rescued, what it means to bring something lost back from the shadows, and what lessons can be learned from the process.

Note: there is swearing and this guy has an epic beard.

Kudos to the Linux Outlaws for pointing to the link.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:24 AM
October 09, 2012
Tiny Cameras Mounted to Birds Capture What Life is Like With Wings

Tiny Cameras Mounted to Birds Capture What Life is Like With Wings, another awesome video from the BBC. High def and full screen is the only way to watch this.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:59 PM
A soldier and his squirrel

A soldier and his squirrel. Definitely the cutest thing you’ll see all day.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:49 AM
October 05, 2012
Is Your To-Do List Killing You?

Very interesting read: Is Your To-Do List Killing You?, basically advocating ditching todo lists completely.

I’ve spent the last 10 years using to-do lists, and you know what? I’m absolutely EXHAUSTED from them. It’s time to stop using them.

I understand that for some people starting a to-do list can be beneficial (especially if you happen to have chaotic organisational skills). To-do lists can certainly help focus and structure the insanity … for a while at least.

I’m going to switch to starting each day by just doing what I feel like I want to do. That can be a bit scary and overwhelming initially, but eventually I believe I’ll get used to the sudden mental freedom.

I’m not sure if something like this would work, however I know I have a Todo list on the front page of my iPhone with 7 undone items that has been staring at me and guilting me for the last year or more.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:06 PM
October 04, 2012
F1 Car in Lincoln Tunnel

I’m not a very manly man, not into rebuilding engines or chopping down trees, but watching and listening to the video of an F1 Car in the Lincoln Tunnel I have to admit it turned me on in a very manly way.

Instructions for viewing:

  • Buy 30”+ monitor
  • Set to full 1080p view
  • Hit the ‘fullscreen’ button
  • Use good speakers or headphones
Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:36 PM
October 01, 2012
The CD Player Turns 30

As The CD player turns 30 this is a nice look back.

Wow, 30 years. I didn’t know just how crazy expensive it was when it first came out, but then again, I suppose any new technology is stupidly expensive when it first comes out (case in point, iPhone version 1, the first BluRay players, the first DVD players, the first personal computers, etc).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:14 PM
September 29, 2012
Chalk art by David Zinn

Chalk art by David Zinn is pretty awesome. No, not the same old set of ‘3d street chalk art’ either.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:30 PM
September 27, 2012
Revealing more of North Korea From The Big Picture

The Big Picture has some great images Revealing more of North Korea. A very cool look, and not slanted (as previous “revealing insights” have been) in the “hey look at how there are pictures of Dear Leader everywhere and these people are living in the past”. Just a bunch of normal people doing normal things in normal looking places.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:25 AM
September 26, 2012
Megabox Music Download (maybe) Service Teased by Kim Dotcom

TorrentFreak has the story about Megabox, teased by Kim Dotcom. It seems to be a new music sharing / production / something service with the goal of kicking the asses of the old school music industry.

Kim Dotcom is determined to put the major music labels out of business with Megabox. At the same time he promises to give artists full control over their own work and a healthy revenue stream. Today Dotcom released a video on the making of Megabox which unveils some of the service’s features. The video also shows “The Black Keys,” “Rusko,” “Two Fingers” and “Will.i.am” as exclusive artists.

From the video it definitely looks very cool, I can’t wait to see what results!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:00 AM
September 24, 2012
Valve's Epic Gift from Weta Workshop

Valve’s Epic Gift from Weta Workshop - via Forever Geek.

Seriously, that’s friggin’ awesome. I’d sell my firstborn for something like that.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:12 PM
September 21, 2012
A Show

Creative guy Ze Frank has outdone himself again, with the help of over 2000 people. The 2601 People Wrote This Song episode is truly a masterpiece. Video is embedded below.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:59 AM
September 19, 2012
International Talk Like A Pirate Day - September 19

Just a reminder that today (Sept 19) is International Talk Like A Pirate Day. Ensure you be talkin’ like that. Or something.

Nice to see reddit making some minor modifications in honor of it.

reddit-talk-like-a-pirate-day-2012.png

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:13 AM
September 17, 2012
Seagull Steals Camera, Films Itself Flying Off Into the Sunset

Seagull Steals Camera, Films Itself Flying Off Into the Sunset via Petapixel.

French tourist Nathalie Rollandin came across a camera-happy seagull recently. She was visiting the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, when she set her GoPro camera down while its was recording. Before she knew it, the camera was being carried away in the mouth of an artsy gull. Once the bird was a safe distance away, it set the camera down and recorded some beautiful footage of itself flying away into the sunset.

Wonder if all gulls are as artistic as this one? :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:36 PM
Google Maps Inside the TWiT Cottage

How cool is this, you can use Google Street Maps to go on a walking tour inside the TWiT cottage. The This Week In Tech guys have got one sweeeeeet setup.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:13 PM
September 16, 2012
GoPro Camera Freefall From 12,000 Feet

I’m not convinced this isn’t a cunning PR move by GoPro Inc., but even if not, it’s impressive. The gopro freefall from 12500 feet without case is due to it being bumped at the door of the plane by a skydiver, and then it filmed it’s own freefall to the ground, where it survived just fine.

From the YouTube description:

bumped my head on the door frame on exit unclasping the latch on the box. The camera popped out on exit at 12.500 and fell straight down onto the landing area at the DZ and was recovered by a fellow skydiver. It even caught our landings. Not one scratch on the body or lens. Still can’t believe that I got it back and that it is totally fine. A buddy the same day who is one of our camera flyers had the same thing happen but with his SLR….not the same result. I’m definitely a gopro fan for life these little guys are bomb proof

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:40 PM
September 14, 2012
Can you pass the Chinese driver's license test?

Maybe you make fun of people new to the country for “only” having to pass the drivers test in their country, so the question is, Can you pass the Chinese driver’s license test?

I’ve been driving for 20 years now and I got 4 out of 10.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:30 AM
September 12, 2012
Live Online Flight Tracking

So Flightradar24.com is the coolest thing I’ve seen so far today (granted, the day is young). It’s exactly what it sounds like, a mashup of google maps and flight tracking in real time, allowing you to see as planes move across the map (I assume this is all projected data based on departure / arrival times and not true “real time tracking”). Very cool. Want to freak out? Zoom out over Europe and see how England basically disappears completely under a mass of aircraft.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:41 AM
September 11, 2012
NBC's 'Today' Skips 9/11 Moment Of Silence For Kardashian Interview

Found on Reddit: NBC’s ‘Today’ Skips 9/11 Moment Of Silence For Kardashian Interview.

At 8:46 AM, in New York City and at the White House in Washington DC, there was a moment of silence to remember when the first plane hit the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. In New York, the NYPD, FDNY, Port Authority Police and the families of the victims were present, while in Washington the President and the First Lady led the moment.

The cable networks all carried it, with ABC’s “Good Morning America” and “CBS This Morning” carrying it as well. The only national general news program to not carry the moment of silence was NBC’s ‘Today,” which, in an odd bit of counter-programming, opted to air an interview with “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” star Kris Jenner, who talked about the new season of the reality show, and her breast implants.

Sounds like a good use of time to me.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:22 AM
September 10, 2012
Interview: Star Trek's Nichelle Nichols On Uhura's Groundbreaking Kiss With Captain Kirk

Great stuff over at Geeks of Doom: Interview with Star Trek’s Nichelle Nichols On Uhura’s Groundbreaking Kiss With Captain Kirk.

It’s hard to imagine that after only one season of playing the now iconic character, Nichols actually considered quitting the show because she felt Uhura didn’t have enough to do. “I thought she was a glorified telephone operator in space,” she once said, before she was famously convinced to continue doing the show by none other than Dr. Martin Luther King himself. “Dr. King was a big fan of the show,” Nichols told me. “He felt it was important that children of all races see an African American female appearing on television as an equal.” “Meanwhile, the NBC guys keep talking to the director about how the station affiliates in the South might react, which just made us all the more tense.”

In the end they were asked to do a kiss and kissless version, and William Shatner to his credit, apparently sabotaged the kissless version, forcing NBC to air the (at that time, 1968) completely shocking and unheard of act of a white man kissing a black woman on TV.

One can only hope that this sort of fear is long gone, or will be soon, and we (the collective viewership and media moguls in general) can start worrying about things that actually matter.

An aside, my favorite story about Nichelle Nicols is her influence on Whoopi Goldberg, found here (at almost the bottom of the page) upon seeing a woman of color on the TV in a position of power.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:30 PM
The Instapaper vs. 9-to-5 Mac Battle

Whoah, leave the office for a half hour for a quick walk around the block and come back to a full on battle between Instapaper and 9to5Mac, relating back through a few different posts and disagreements between @marcoarment and 9to5 Mac, which as one reader notes seems to have turned into a bit of a shit storm.

For the record, I think it’s a whole lot of misunderstandings all around and while I’ve never met Marco, I love Instapaper and respect him for what he does not only in his blogging but his other projects as well.

Update: Seems everyone has calmed down now.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:07 PM
September 07, 2012
A DeLorean Hovercraft Appeared At Last Night's Giants-Rockies Game

My “TAKE MY MONEY” moment of this morning happened when my buddy Aryk send me the link of A DeLorean Hovercraft Appeared At Last Night’s Giants-Rockies Game.

Our friends over at Productive Outs let us know about this, one of the more astounding things of the many bizarre ones we’ve seen in McCovey Cove. It’s a DeLorean DMC-12 hovercraft, live and in action.

Via autoblog.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:25 AM
September 05, 2012
Nifty Fake Video Footage in Nokia's New PureView Ad

The Verge: Nokia’s new PureView ad is amazing, too bad it’s faked. The commercial, designed to show you how the optical image stabilization in the new Nokia smartphone works, uses a professional film crew.

Update: We spoke with a Nokia spokesperson who agrees that the PureView ad is misleading. They stressed that it was “never the company’s intention to deceive anyone,” but only to demonstrate the benefits of optical image stabilization. Nokia says it’s now looking into updating the original video with a footnote so that it’s clear that the images are simulated, and the original Nokia Conversations blog post that announced the video has been updated with the following text: “the OIS video, above, was not shot using the Lumia 920.”

To be fair, the fact that any ad on TV demonstrating anything isn’t “fake”, done in completely controlled conditions, or is all CGI should be of no surprise to anyone. Biggest advantage of HDTV these days is that you can actually read the fine print like: “screen sequences shorted”, “images simulated”, “lashes enhanced in post production”, etc.

TL;DR - don’t believe anything you see or read.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:50 PM
September 04, 2012
Random Lion Hugs

Something cute to break up your day. You’ve probably seen the .gif of this before, but I haven’t seen the lion hug video in raw format before, or heard the story behind it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:04 PM
September 03, 2012
Wolfram|Alpha Personal Analytics for Facebook

On the Wolfram|Alpha Blog there’s news about their Wolfram|Alpha Personal Analytics for Facebook, which requires you to connect the WA app to your facebook account and then it number-crunches down all your facebook history. Pretty amazing to see.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:24 PM
August 31, 2012
MARS Curiosity Rover Color 360 Panorama

If you’re not viewing this full screen on a huge 27” or large screen you’re missing out: MARS Curiosity Rover first Color 360 Panorama.

Random Linkage , Space - Posted by Arcterex at 02:26 PM
The Facebook Timeline of a Photograph

This has been passed around a bit over the last couple of days. The Facebook Timeline of a photograph is a fun look back through history, all the way back to 1000 AD.

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:39 PM
August 29, 2012
Homemade Lava Poured on Ice

Make your own lava, then pour it onto ice. Yup, exactly that. Very cool.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:01 PM
President Obama's doing an AMA on Reddit today

President Obama’s doing an AMA on Reddit today, invites the people to pose their digital questions. In case you wondered why the site was down.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:27 PM
Google Fiber Speed Test

ForgetFoo has a video of the Google Fiber speed test.

Uhm… “wow”.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:43 AM
August 27, 2012
Diaspora* Will Now Be A Community Project

Saw on the Diaspora blog that Diaspora* Will Now Be A Community Project.

Today, we are giving control of Diaspora to the community. As a Free Software social project, we have an obligation to take this project further, for the good of the community that revolves around it. Putting the decisions for the project’s future in the hands of the community is one of the highest benefits of any FOSS project, and we’d like to bring this benefit to our users and developers. We still will remain as an important part this community as the founders, but we want to make sure we are including all of the people who care about Diaspora and want to see it succeed well into the future.

Or if I were to translate “we have no idea how to make this work so we’re making it open source. Rings a bell somehow.

I have the best of hopes, but honestly Diaspora didn’t have a hope from the start, they got a metric shit-tonne of money (that’s how I measure things) because everyone hated facebook, but just couldn’t deliver. They had some interesting ideas, but no hope of “beating” facebook.

Random Linkage , Software - Posted by Arcterex at 02:34 PM
Life Covers Apollo 11: To the Moon and Back

RIP Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon. First man on the fucking moon. Seriously, assuming you’re not a conspiracy theorist who thinks it’s a sound stage, how epic is that? In honor of this, LIFE has republished their Apollo 11: To the Moon and Back edition.

Neil Armstrong, the first human to set foot on the moon, died on August 25, 20012. In honor of his life and career, LIFE.com is republishing the page spreads — and, in effect, the entire issue — of LIFE magazine’s famous August 11, 1969, special edition, “To the Moon and Back.” For millions of people who witnessed the Apollo 11 mission, watching on television or following it on the radio as humanity improbably, marvelously, actually walked on the moon, the event perhaps did not feel quite real until, more than two weeks later, LIFE published its definitive account of the epic journey.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:02 AM
August 24, 2012
The New Furby Review: Absolute Horror

The New Furby Review: Absolute Horror.

If you’re not five years old, and dumb, exposure to the Furby is about as bad as smallpox spores. The gimmick quickly wears off, and it’s then a constant, gnawing source of aggravation. It’s like a device designed specifically to annoy. In that sense, it’s sort of brilliant, in the same way a crossbow is a brilliant way to shoot an arrow through someone’s neck.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:46 PM
The Oatmeal Raises Over 1 Million Dollars to Build a Goddamn Tesla Museum

The Oatmeal asks Now what?.

I know I’ve said this before, but to everyone who donated: THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO GODDAMN MUCH. WE ARE GOING TO BUILD A GODDAMN TESLA MUSEUM.

I say “wow”.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:09 AM
Video of the Curiosity Mars Rover Dropping From Orbit

If this video of Curiosity landing on Mars in High-Res (downward view from the rover itself) doesn’t bring a slight tear to your eye you are dead inside. DEAD.

This movie from NASA’s Curiosity rover shows most of the high-resolution frames acquired by the Mars Descent Imager between the jettison of the heat shield and touchdown.

Seriously one of the most awesome things I’ve ever seen.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:20 AM
August 22, 2012
Amazing Velociraptor Costume in Melbourne

To the Velociraptor in Melbourne all I can say is “oh wow that’s great”.

Some other content here from this reddit thread.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:46 AM
August 21, 2012
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Review

With reviews like this, why is Apple bothering to go after Samsung? Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Review: An Embarrassing, Lazy, Arrogant Money Grab.

On the software side: Samsung desperately wants to develop the next version of Android themselves, but they lack the technical ability, vision, ecosystem support, and design chops to make it happen. They want to add features, and maybe even have a good idea or two, but they just can’t execute those ideas in a way that makes them good. Split screen, for instance, needed to be a core OS function, but it’s clearly a hack that was tacked on at the UI layer. It’s a bunch of tricks that look like split screen, but you’re never really running 2 apps at once.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:59 PM
August 20, 2012
Four Clicks to a Less Annoying YouTube

OMG so much better! Four Clicks to a Less Annoying YouTube.

You know what’s awful about YouTube videos? Sure you do! Annotations are awful. Because more often than not, they’re less “annotation” and more “HEYDIDYOULIKETHIS?!!? SUBSCRIBE NOW BUY ON ITUNES!!!!!” Most of you probably click off annotations (and to a lesser degree captions) nearly every time you watch a YouTube video. Do yourself a favor and turn them off for good, right now.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:49 PM
August 17, 2012
Twitter Updates New API to 1.1, Issues 3rd Party Smackdown

The Verge has a good story on the twitterpocolypse that’s ongoing now that twitter announced it’s new 1.1 API, and has a good take on the story:

Twitter has been broadcasting for quite some time that it would be making changes to the API that developers use to access it for apps and today the company is finally beginning to detail what those changes are. First and foremost, developers who create apps that perform traditional 3rd party Twitter client functions (like Tweetbot) will be limited to 100,000 users total before the developer must get “permission” and/or “work with [Twitter] directly.” Current apps will be able to continue to function as normal, however once their “user tokens” double whatever they are today, these new restrictions will apply. Essentially, once any 3rd party app hits its user limit, the developer will need to have a “come to Twitter” moment at which something will happen, and the most likely scenario is that the app simply won’t be able to take on more users.

In essence, twitter wants to control the twitter experience for the end user, and cut out 3rd party developers who create new clients who may or may not mimic the current UI, or may make it better. Of course, they also want to make sure that the display is strictly controlled, as noted by Gruber in the display guidelines. This will of course mean that twitter won’t be letting any clients that do things like say, remove “promoted tweets”, slim down the rapidly-getting-bloated web UI, or do things like create a better twitter UI.

In their rules for the number of clients, they are also essentially limiting the max amount of money that a developer can earn making a twitter client (100,000-200,000 * $), making it unattractive to pour development efforts into a twitter client, and of course that’s a good thing for twitter.

A bold move, lets see if anyone but the geeks and developers care or not. Interesting that they do this right on the heels of paid twitter alternative app.net getting funded.

Random Linkage , Software - Posted by Arcterex at 09:37 AM
August 15, 2012
Government "Run Hide Fight" Videos Target Bombers + Photographers

Dear America… the people who put out this sort of Government “Run Hide Fight” Videos are part of the reasons that you are mocked. This video seriously sounds like something out of the book 1984. I’m not as offended by the implication that people “taking suspicious pictures” are terrorists as the idiocy of it all.

I say fight back against the idiocy. Report everything. See someone leave their car to run in and get a coke? Report it. See someone wearing jeans on a day when the temperature is over 20C? Report them. See someone you’ve never seen before near your building? REPORT THEM.

Sigh.

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:05 PM
Help Raise Money to Buy and Protect Nikola Tesla's

The oatmeal is on a mission: Help me raise money to buy Nikola Tesla’s old laboratory.

Do it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:59 PM
Curiosity rover: Martian Solar Day 2 Panorama

Another awesome panorama from Curiosity rover: Martian solar day 2. Also works on your iOS device with gyroscope support.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:15 PM
10 Years of Daring Fireball Visualized

Pretty neat data visualization of Grubers posts over 10 Years of Daring Fireball.

Via, unsurprisingly, Daring Fireball.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:48 AM
August 14, 2012
Daring Fireball At Ten Years

Saw this nice long post on resolution and displays at Daring Fireball and didn’t realize until I read Shawn Blanc’s post that it was a ten year anniversary for John. Congrats for the years of great posts, sarcasm, and not feeding the trolls!

I can’t help but say something along the lines of “10 years, yea, that’s not too bad I guess” :) Of course, I have a feeling that Mr. Gruber has done a hell of a lot better with his ten years than I have with my 13….

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:33 AM
August 13, 2012
Mars Science Laboratory High Resolution Panorama

The Mars Curiosity Rover sent back today a great panorama of the martian crater.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:02 PM
Paid Twitter Replacement App.net Meets Funding Goal

According to Join.App.net, this kickstarter-like-funded, paid twitter replacement has met (and exceeded by $246,000 as of this writing) it’s funding goal of $500k.

The big question now is, will it take off and be successful, or will it be a small island of folks in an island corner unto themselves? Can’t wait to see.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:37 PM
August 10, 2012
Ars Interviews TextMate Author

Ars Technica interviews Allan Odgaard, TextMate author who showed up in the spotlight yesterday for open sourcing TextMate 2.

Ars Technica:

Lead TextMate developer Allan Odgaard’s decision yesterday to open source the code for the long-awaited version 2.0 was met with a lot of criticism. Ars readers chimed in via comments, our Open Forum, and Twitter, questioning Odgaard’s motives and slamming his current choice of GPLv3 license. We spoke to Odgaard hoping to clear the air on the matter, though he wasn’t very confident that his explanations would “affect public perception of the project.” However, he was adamant that his decision to open source TextMate 2.0 was not a sign that he was giving up on the now six-year-long endeavor to build a new version from scratch.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:59 PM
August 09, 2012
1956 Aston Martin DBR1 1:1 Scale Model Kit

Pretty awesome if you’re into model building and want a 1:1 scale Aston Martin.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:12 PM
Pinterest Out of Invite Only

Good news that Pinterest is finally out of invite-only mode, and you no longer have to wait for an invite to get on the site (not that it seems to have taken that long for people).

For those of you who haven’t joined Pinterest yet, this means you can sign up without waiting for an invite: all you have to do is go to Pinterest.com to get started. In addition to using your Facebook or Twitter login, we’re also opening registration so you can sign up with just your email address.

Looking forward to seeing how well the site handles the no-doubt huge influx of new users.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:39 PM
August 08, 2012
Kim Dotcom Raid Video

Pretty interesting to see that the Kim Dotcom raid video has been released.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:32 PM
Mars Greeley Haven 360 Panorama (2011)

While it's not a new image from the Mars Curiosity rover, this MARS Greeley Haven 360 Panorama is still pretty damn impressive to see. I can't wait to see what comes from the newer tech and better cameras :) From the 'about this image':

This is the latest panorama released by NASA July 2012. It was assembled from 817 images taken between Dec. 21, 2011, and May 8, 2012, while Opportunity was stationed on an outcrop informally named 'Greeley Haven'. on a segment of the rim of ancient Endeavour Crater.

Read more: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-196.

Via my buddy @brian_pearce.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:54 AM
August 03, 2012
Working, Life Size WALL-E

Guy spends two years building amazing life-size, working WALL-E

Ever since he first rolled into our lives back in 2008, we’ve loved WALL-E, the lovable trash compactor robot at the heart of the Pixar film of the same name. He’s cute, he’s loving, he’s brave, and he’s just plain neat. Too bad he’s only a cartoon, right? Well, not anymore.

No other comment but: TAKE MY MONEY

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:19 AM
August 02, 2012
Suidobashi Heavy Industry

Suidobashi Heavy Industry, via JWZ.

Shut up and take my money!!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:35 PM
BREAKING: David Pogue Has Lost His iPhone

Gizmodo has the story of how David Pogue Has Lost His iPhone. He announced it via a tweet several hours ago) and Gizmodo has been scouring as much information as they can, posting shots of the house where the phone is from google maps, contacting police, etc.

New York Times technology writer David Pogue has lost his iPhone. He has posted a screenshot of where it might be on Lockerz.com, though. Won’t anyone help him find it?

Friggin’ fascinating. Best of luck getting the phone back.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:53 PM
Flowchart on How To Choose The Perfect Bottle Of Wine

Interesting Flowchart for those of us not completely into wine.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:09 AM
July 31, 2012
Digg.com Re-Launches with Version 1

In the Digg Blog, Welcome to Digg v1 post, they talk about the new Digg.com, what they set out to do and accomplished.

On July 20, we announced that we were turning Digg back into a startup and rebuilding it from scratch in six weeks. After an intense month and a half, we managed to get the new Digg up and running on a fresh code base and infrastructure. We now have a solid foundation on which to build, and we expect to build fast. Yesterday, we previewed the new Digg applications for web, iPhone, and mobile web and today we’re happy to share Digg v1.

The new new digg has a google plus / pinterest vibe going on, combined with a minimalist, almost Windows 8 feel. The question is, is it enough to re-launch digg as “relevant” or has it now lost any forward momentum at all and will revert back to a once great, but now struggling to reclaim it’s glory, website.

Time will tell. I loved the pre-new Digg v4 and I have hopes that the new new digg will do as well!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:00 PM
July 30, 2012
Cool / Scary Augmented Reality Future

Depending on how you look at it, this cool video called “Sight” is either a terrifying view or the future or geek nirvana. I say sign me up!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:31 PM
July 27, 2012
Awesome Video of Amazing People

Passed on from $boss: PEOPLE ARE AWESOME 2011.

If you want to feel inadequate about your athletic skills, this is the video to watch.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:15 PM
Timelapse Video of the Olympics Aquatics Centre

Great timelapse of the Contruction of the Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympics.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:03 AM
July 26, 2012
Emails to My Unborn Daughter And Why Use Email

Great conversation about email the the long term viability of online resources such as FourSquare and Facebook. Emails to My Unborn Daughter is not the “Dear Sophie” google ad that you might be thinking of, but instead a real person who has been sending emails to his son for the last 5 years.

For the past five years, I’ve been writing emails to my son. Shortly after he was born in 2007, I created an email account in his name so I could write to him throughout his childhood and then turn the account over to him when he was of age. Upon opening the account for the first time, he’d be greeted with an archive of his childhood as seen through his father’s eyes.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 06:33 PM
Imaging at a Trillion Frames per Second

Ever wonder how it looks when light moves? Well, Ramesh Raskar has developed a camera that lets him do Imaging at a trillion frames per second. Another amazing TED video.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:20 PM
Sysadmin Appreciation Day, Tomorrow, July 27, 2012

My buddy Khensu pointed out that tomorrow is Sysadmin Day! While I joked that sysadmins consider the normal day to day abuse as love, seriously, take a second to appreciate that without the neckbeard you keep in the basement you wouldn’t be able to:

  • Play your silly clicky games on facebook
  • Download your porn
  • Surf reddit all day instead of doing your real work
  • Do the research you need and get answers to the questions you need answered when you are doing real work
  • Get on the internet at all
  • Not have your computer full of viruses and adware because you love clicking on every attachment that comes into your inbox
  • Restore your files when you answer “yes” to “delete this really important file” and then “yes” to “are you really really sure you can’t undo this”
  • Remove 17 or the 18 extra toolbars installed in your IE
  • Not cry (out loud) when you insist that you have to keep using IE

So don’t hug them, we don’t like human contact, but a bit of love for your resident sysadmin is always appreciated!

Here are some other links to all things Sysadmin Day.

Sometimes appreciation could be a donation to help keep the servers running, say, by paypalling with the link to the right to the guy running this server, alan@ufies.org…

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:47 AM
July 19, 2012
Yahoo Responds To Dear Marissa Mayer Site

So you heard that Yahoo has a new CEO. Thomas Hawk wrote an open letter and then someone put up Dear Marissa Mayer.com, asking her to make Flickr awesome again.

This morning Yahoo responded with flickr.com/dearinternet:

dearinternet.png

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:21 AM
July 18, 2012
Five Men Agree To Stand Directly Under An Exploding Nuclear Bomb

Five Men Agree To Stand Directly Under An Exploding Nuclear Bomb.

On July 19, 1957, five Air Force officers and one photographer stood together on a patch of ground about 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas. They’d marked the spot “Ground Zero. Population 5” on a hand-lettered sign hammered into the soft ground right next to them.

Not sure what’s bigger, their balls or the tumors no doubt growing in their brains… :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:14 PM
Cat and Dog Friendship Evolution Video

Here’s your dose of super-cuteness for the day, from Interspecies Friendships is Evolution Of A Friendship. Seriously, almost too much cute to take all in one.

Also glad to see that my cats aren’t the only ones that drink out of water glasses.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:34 PM
July 17, 2012
Karma Comes Around For Cyanide & Happiness Author

Well, I wasn’t expecting to see this, but I was browsing r/askreddit today and found this thread asking people about how long it’s taken for “Karma” to kick in (ie: getting asked for a job by someone who used to bully you).

I was really surprised and encouraged to read the top comment by Dave McElfatrick, author of the Cyanide & Happiness cartoon, talking about how he was violently bullied and now draws an amazing online cartoon (with todays strip being completely relevant).

Cyanide and Happiness, a daily webcomic
Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

His TL;DR:

TLDR: Bullied at school, wanted to kill myself, somehow used how it shaped me for good and now draw a hugely popular online comic for a living, thanks to kind people like you. Basically, fuck bullies.

I love it when karma comes around. Still waiting for mine though :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:10 PM
July 12, 2012
Digg Bought By Betaworks

Digg and Betaworks, together for the low price of $500,000.

Yea, I don’t think the future looks too bright for Digg.

In other news, Digg is still around.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:08 PM
George & Noriko - Second Final - Australia's Got Talent 2012

My buddy Aryk pointed me to this video from Australia’s Got Talent: George & Noriko who are buskers who play…. “fusion music” is about as cloase as I can describe it. Really it has to be seen to be believed:

You can see more of them here in the finals.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:59 AM
July 09, 2012
Coding Horror: Betting the Company on Windows 8

Great article from Jeff Atwood: Coding Horror: Betting the Company on Windows 8

I’d argue that the last truly revolutionary version of Windows was Windows 95. In the subsequent 17 years, we’ve seen a stream of mostly minor and often inconsequential design changes in Windows - at its core, you’ve got the same old stuff: a start menu, a desktop with icons, taskbar at the bottom, overlapping windows, toolbars, and pull-down menus.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:21 PM
July 05, 2012
How to fix the Patent Mess

How to fix the patent mess, an excellent editorial by Thom Holwerda over at OSNews.

Software patents will not be granted under any possible circumstance; software is code, code is written, writing is protected by copyright, and that’s all the protection it needs. All existing software patents will be declared invalid. This will not be done ‘actively’ (i.e., there will not be groups of clerks sifting through granted patents), but rather, ‘passively’; software patents are simply declared invalid, so if someone brings them to court, they will be tossed out immediately. Within 15 years, the system will be purged of all software patents either by the courts, or simply by patents expiring.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:50 PM
July 04, 2012
The Higgs Boson Explained

Wondering what the whole deal with the "God Particle" is? The Higgs Boson Explained has a pretty good explanation about what it is and why it's important.

The Higgs Boson Explained from PHD Comics on Vimeo.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:36 AM
July 01, 2012
Happy Canada Day!

Happy Canada day to my fellow Canadians! Hope your day is full of fun, fireworks, beer, and whatever you have planned!

AJB_20080321_1580.jpg

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:56 AM
June 27, 2012
Inspiring Book & paper Sculptures

40+ Inspiring Book & paper Sculptures. Amazing.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:24 PM
June 26, 2012
Flickr Enhancing Goodies Via Alien Skin Software

Great post from Alien Skin with a list of Flickr Enhancing Goodies, some of which are really cool.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:32 PM
June 22, 2012
Moving from OhLife to Day One

Great post on Moving from OhLife to Day One if you happen to be doing this like I am. OhLife is a nifty online journalling tool, and Day One is a nifty cloud-synced Mac desktop/iOS journalling tool. If you happen to want to go from one to the other, here’s a nifty little perl script to help you do it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:36 AM
June 19, 2012
Drobo CEO Tom Buiocchi Responds to Scott Kelby's Drobo Data Demise

Drobo CEO Tom Buiocchi is the guest blogger this week at scottkelby.com, and speaks regarding Scott’s I’m done with drobo blog post and the data problems that led up to it.

As I mentioned on the phone, my apologies and it should not have happened. By the way, if any of your readers (or their readers or colleagues or friends or whatever) experiences what you saw on your video, just contact us or ping me directly (tom@drobo.com) and we will take care of it immediately.

Tom responds well. I almost wish that my now-several-year-old Drobo version 1 was having massive issues so that I could call them up and see if I got similar love. Of course, it’s stubbornly hanging in there, though has been relegated to backup only, due to it’s slow transfer speed (caused by the USB2 connection) compared to my less cool, but gig-e connected DNS-323.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:05 PM
Brickworld 2012 Guided Tour

Brickworld 2012 Guided Tour - for all you lego fanatics.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:22 PM
June 18, 2012
The IKEA TV Reviewed: Really, Really Bad

In a shocking turn of events Gizmodo’s IKEA TV Review turns out not so good.

Uppleva, Ikea’s magical TV-cum-entertainment center meatball, won’t be arriving in America until next year. Fortunately, we’ve got an early review from friends in Sweden. The bad news: it’s really bad.

Anyone shocked by this? Anyone?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:57 PM
June 15, 2012
Microsoft Buys Yammer

YammerSoft: What the industry thinks of Microsoft’s rumored Yammer buy by my buddy John at VentureBeat.

Although nothing is certain until cash is in the bank, Microsoft’s $1.2 billion acquisition of Yammer looks pretty much like a done deal. VentureBeat asked some industry analysts and experts what they think this deal will do to Yammer, Microsoft, and the enterprise social networking industry as a whole.

In other news…. people still use Yammer?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:25 PM
June 14, 2012
Epic Rap Battles of History puts up Gates vs Jobs

Epic Rap Battles of History puts up Gates vs Jobs.

That’s pretty awesome, whether you hate Microsoft, Apple, both or neither.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:20 PM
June 13, 2012
Meetup.com Contest To Send A User To Any Meetup Anywhere

Saw this morning on the Meetup HQ Blog that for their 10th anniversary they’ll send a winner to any meetup anywhere, which I have to admit, is pretty cool. Who wouldn’t want to attend the Atlantis Photo meetup or the Martian Capital City Rails meetup?

Just RSVP and attend a local Meetup happening between now and July 15th, and you are automatically entered to win. We’ll cover the cost of the winner’s hotel and airfare up to $5,000. You can enter up to five times by going to five different Meetups — but of course, you have to RSVP and attend the Meetups to win. Get all the rules below.

You can see the full details on their blog post. Lucky for me I’ve got a weekly Fraser Valley Ruby on Rails meetup, so I’m set :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:59 AM
June 11, 2012
Cheatsheets Wallpapers for Web Designers and Developers

Nice collection of Cheatsheets Wallpapers for Web Designers and Developers including everything from Lightroom to Drupal to HTML5. Here’s another post with Adobe suite app cheatsheets.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 06:54 PM
June 08, 2012
How to drink whisky Properly

Before I watched this Whyte & Mackay Whisky video I had no idea I was drinking my Scotch so, so wrong.

Bonus: You get to find out the origin of the term “on the rocks”.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:05 PM
Scamworld: 'Get rich quick' schemes mutate into an online monster

Great article on The Verge: Scamworld: ‘Get rich quick’ schemes mutate into an online monster. Fascinating stuff.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:55 AM
June 07, 2012
ScanCafe Deal From 1000memories - $0.19/scan For 1000 Images

Cool deal, if you’re looking for image scanning services, you can get a deal with ScanCafe through 1000memories which gets the price down to $0.19/scan for 1000+ scans. Included is saving the images to your 1000 memories “shoebox” account.

I’ve written about 1000memories.com back when they updated their site in April.

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:10 AM
Mister Rogers Remixed

Thanks to my buddy Bryan for sending me over this video of Mister Rogers Remixed. Great stuff. Funnily enough I never watched Mr. Rogers as a kid, but the more I learn about Fred Rogers the more I admire him.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:06 AM
June 06, 2012
Diamond Jubilee: UK celebrates 60-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II - The Big Picture

Images of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II over on The Big Picture. The old girl is still looking great!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:21 PM
Inside the death of Palm and webOS

Pre to postmortem: the inside story of the death of Palm and webOS @ The Verge.

In an effort to return the company to its glory days, Hurd had just finished trimming as much fat as he possibly could and he knew that HP’s cash cow — the printer business — wouldn’t last forever. He was looking to grow businesses that had a future, and he understood that mobile was a keystone to that strategy. And Bradley may have had a soft spot for Palm — he’d left it several years prior to join HP, so he had a healthy understanding for the company, its challenges, and what it had been through.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:49 AM
Zombie Apocalypse Now Has Its Own Google Map

Nice to see someone has gotten around to making a Zombie Apocalypse Google Map. Gonna keep an eye on this, and head north to Alaska where it’s cold, far from Florida (you had to know that this shit would start in Florida), and is full of crazy Americans with guns. Just sayin’.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:59 AM
Twitter (Slightly) Re-Branding Their Logo

I’m not sure if I really see the difference, but the Twitter blog posted today about Twitter rebranding the blue twitter bird.

Starting today you’ll begin to notice a simplified Twitter bird. From now on, this bird will be the universally recognizable symbol of Twitter. (Twitter is the bird, the bird is Twitter.) There’s no longer a need for text, bubbled typefaces, or a lowercase “t” to represent Twitter.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:25 AM
June 04, 2012
PBS: The Culture Of Reddit

Great 7 minute video from PBS on The Culture Of Reddit. As a reddit user I was hoping for more in depth (ie: dwelving into some of the awesome users like Shitty Watercolour or Reactiononmy_nub, but it’s still a pretty great look at how this awesome website is as awesome as it is.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:11 PM
May 29, 2012
Twitter Speed Improvements and Death of HashBangs

Good info linked from my buddy John Koetsier about new #NewTwitter and metrics used to determine site speed, and what they’re doing to improve it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:49 PM
Canadians Can Buy Nest Learning Thermostat

Canadians Can Buy Nest Learning Thermostat For USD $249. Yay!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:05 PM
May 28, 2012
Objects of Beauty, 4. - "He who brings good"

Once again Vancouver photographer David DuChemin makes me want to sell almost everything I own, pack my bags, leave my life, my job, and everything I know behind and take a camera around the world.

I really really want to do this, and have no idea if I ever will be able to.

His post this morning, Objects of Beauty is a great look at his life. That bastard :)

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:57 AM
May 25, 2012
Samsung Galaxy S III Review

For some strange reason neither Google or Samsung has provided me with a demo version, so I’ll leave you with the Samsung Galaxy S III review from The Verge.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:57 AM
May 23, 2012
Alex Kenjeev Paid His Student Loan In Cash

Alex Kenjeev Paid His Student Loan In Cash - Business Insider

“I just plopped the bag down (on the counter),” he said. “They also didn’t know how to handle it. At first the manager didn’t want to accept the money.” 

Via this reddit post.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:33 AM
May 22, 2012
SpaceX Takes Flight

SpaceX Takes Flight:

After experiencing its fair share of setbacks, SpaceX has finally done it. At 3:44 a.m. EDT, the company successfully launched its Dragon capsule into low Earth orbit atop its towering Falcon 9 rocket. In doing so, it has become the first private company in history to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station.

Via my buddy Jim.

Very exciting.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:57 AM
May 21, 2012
What Happened to The Talk Show on 5by5?

You now can hear in his own words what happened to the show.

Via this update where Brooks Review broke the non-story story.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:34 PM
May 18, 2012
The Talk Show Moves To Mule Radio

The Talk Show has moved! One of my favorite podcasts from 5by5 has moved (without explanation so far from either @gruber or @danbenjamin) to Mule Radio and have the premier episode What If the Dolphins Had Thumbs posted.

If you’re looking for the old episodes, head over to the Talk Show on 5by5 to catch up. One enterprising user picked out (what might have been) the awkward goodbye from Gruber on the last show.

Really wish there was some explanation about this, Gruber was a staple of the 5by5 network and the “new” Talk Show sounds (from the first few minutes anyway) similar to the old show. I’d expect at least a note about what happened from one of them, even if the parting was bad.

Sigh

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:50 PM
May 11, 2012
Dropbox Announces Dropquest II: The Future is Now

Dropbox announced some details of Dropquest II: The Future is Now:

Many of you were around for last year’s Dropquest, where we sent y’all on a magical journey through Dropbox and the interwebs. Wordokus were solved, music puzzles were deciphered, origami cranes were folded, and dragons were slain. All in all, nearly half a million Dropquesters were rewarded for their craftiness, skill, and effort. That was well over a year ago, and since then we’ve been holding our cards and toiling away to craft a Dropquest successor worthy of the first.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:15 PM
May 09, 2012
Ars Technica Redesign

The awesome site Ars Technica reveals version 7.0. Great look, kudos to the team.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:57 AM
XLR8 Smartphone App Makes Your Car Sound Like A Supercar

Make Your Car Sound Like A Race Car, via iPhone in Canada.

Ever wish you owned an exotic supercar? Now you can with XLR8! Pronounced as “accelerate”, XLR8 is a super cool iOS app from 2XL Games that makes your car sound like an exotic supercar as you drive (via FSM). The universal app for iPhone / iPod touch and iPad uses your device’s GPS and accelerometer to track your speed, braking, and cornering and convert that data into the sounds of a gas-guzzling V-8 through the speakers of your car (requires audio connection). The app even lets you unlock engine sounds produced by Ferrari, Lamborghini, a NASCAR vehicle, and a Ford GT40 via in-app purchases.

I know it’s completely useless, but I’m so tempted to spend the $0.99 on this.

Random Linkage , iPhone - Posted by Arcterex at 10:02 AM
May 04, 2012
Numbers Show dot-XXX Sites Are A Sham

Interesting post on ZDNet on how little adoption the new .xxx TLD has gotten. You’d think that these would be now a hotbed of porn, but it seems that only about 133,000 adult domains were registered under .xx, and of those only 27,555 are actually developed. I know that 28k is a lot, but compared to the rest of the domain world, that’s nothing. Expected for something like a .bob or .arcterex domain, but .xxx?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:22 PM
Review of the cardboard camera from IKEA

Remember that cardboard camera from IKEA that was floating around not that long ago? Well, someone wrote up a Review of it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:17 PM
May 01, 2012
RIM Offers Developers $10k For Not Sucky Apps For BBOS10

Wow, RIM has got themselves in the news a bunch this week. First claiming responsibility for the “Wake up” stunt, then releasing news about BlackBerry OS 10 (impressions here), and now they have said To Developers: We’ll Make Sure Your App Earns At Least $10K In Its First Year. Techcrunch says it like it is:

Translation: the apps can’t completely suck. Sorry fart app devs, that means you.

It’s a good proposition for a company desperate to get high quality apps like those on iOS and Android, because I think that good apps do matter (just look at the flack that Microsoft has gotten over the crappy Metro apps included with Windows 8 Dev and Consumer previews). However the question really is, who is going to hitch their wagon to that sinking ship?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:42 PM
Programmer Hiring Tips

5 signs that you should hire a programmer on the spot over at the More Than Coding blog.

Good stuff there, both for prospective employees and employers.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:00 AM
April 27, 2012
Amazing Glass Bottom Bathroom

JWZ found the most amazing glass bottomed bathroom you’ll see today.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:05 PM
FanExpo Vancouver Gallery Part 2

James over at RainGeek has the FanExpo Vancouver Gallery Part 2 gallery online. You can find part 1 here.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:56 AM
April 25, 2012
NASA Apollo Program Source Code and Manuals

Virtual Apollo Guidence Computer, a collection of scans, documents, etc from the NASA space program.

Here you’ll find a collection of all the AGC, AGS, LVDC, and Gemini spacecraft computer documentation and software that I’ve managed to find whilst working on Virtual AGC.

Amazing resource. Via this reddit thread. Debugging something like this would have been a bitch.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:37 PM
April 24, 2012
Miss Aniela Composite Video

Great “making of” video from Miss Aniela of one of her projects: From Pixels to Vogue: Making of Surreal Fashion by Miss Aniela. Great stuff if you’re into photography and skills in Photoshop work.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:41 PM
April 23, 2012
Time Lapse of Birth to 12 Years

Great time lapse of video every week from Birth to 12 years in 2 min. 45. Not a new concept, but a cool implementation.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:20 PM
April 11, 2012
Coding Horror on Physical Books vs Ebooks

Awesome article by Jeff onBooks: Bits vs. Atoms, all about how eBooks are better (and worse) than physical books.

More specifically, so many beautiful ideas have been helplessly trapped in physical made-of-atoms books for the last few centuries. How do books suck? Let me count the ways[….]

One thing missed in the ‘how much do they cost’ section is the reason my… uhm… “frugal” parents gave for buying physical books. You can get them for a quarter at a garage sale, which pretty much nukes even the best (legal) price for an ebook out of the water by about 2000x.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:16 PM
April 10, 2012
Joss Whedon Does a Reddit "AMA"

Geek Legend writer and directory Joss Whedon posted an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit today: I am Joss Whedon - AMA. Awesome.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:37 PM
April 03, 2012
Stephen Fry - Four and Half Years Of The iPhone

Great post by Mr. Fry called Four and Half Years On about his time with the iPhone, and some reflections of smartphones in general, not all with kind words.

In mid to late 2007 the Redmond Behemoth had just come up with Windows Mobile 6 for Pocket PCs, as they charmingly called their absolutely fucking dog of an operating system. Pardon the language, but nothing else will do. CEO Steve Ballmer and others at MS were the first to admit it when they launched Windows Phone 7 a year and a half ago […]

Random Linkage , iPhone - Posted by Arcterex at 10:14 PM
Preserving The Internet... and Everything Else

Awesome article on Coding Horror on Preserving The Internet… and Everything Else, all about the Internet Archive and what it does and how gargantuan the task is.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:47 PM
1000memories Updates Their Site

The cool site 1000memories has updated their site. See the blog post with more detail.

If you’re not familiar with 1km (as I like to call them), it’s a “shoeboxing” site where the idea is you are over at Aunt Martha’s and see some old family photos in an album. You don’t have time to do a full proper scan of them, but you have the shoebox app on your phone and whip it out, take pictures of the images (and if you have a decently new phone and good lighting conditions, these probably will be adequate, and the app helps with nice intuitive cropping and filtering). Images are stored forever through a partnership with the Internet Archive. More info on the 1000 memories.com about page.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:12 PM
Wind Map

Wind Map. Via Daring Fireball.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:16 PM
March 29, 2012
Decommissioning the Space Shuttles :(

Very sad set of images of the Decommissioning of the Space Shuttles.

End of an era :(

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:42 PM
The Tricorder Project

The Tricorder project. Presented without comment. You know you want this. NOW.

Hardware , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:01 AM
March 28, 2012
50 Creative MacBook Decals and Stickers

50 Creative MacBook Decals and Stickers via @moo.com.

I’ll take the portal one please!

Apple/Mac , Funny Stuff , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:16 PM
Student-created "Bing Automatic" Concept Impresses

I have to admit I was sceptical of this Student-created “Bing Automatic” app concept (which essentially uses data you’ve already written or the context of your browser or document or selection to auto-search for you)… then about halfway through I thought “wow, that is pretty cool”.

First and foremost, “Bing Automatic” is a completely conceptual idea envisioned by what appears to be a team of marketing students for a college coursework assignment, so apply a generous coating of salt. I’m not even sure if Microsoft’s Bing team has seen this.

Of course, as described in the concept video, it’s a privacy nightmare waiting to happen, and frankly I think that Google should take this idea and run with it, as they have been pushing the “we’re a decision engine too” idea.

Still, ignoring the multitude of privacy problems with this, if it were to work and be created as shown, it’d be a pretty cool program (and frankly the search engine behind it is completely irrelevant, so it could be Bing, Google, Ask, Wolfram Alpha, etc.).

Microsoft , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:54 AM
March 27, 2012
Amazing Complete Face Transplant Completed

The Most extensive full face transplant to date has been completed after a marathon 36 hour surgery.

The face transplant recipient, 37-year-old Richard Lee Norris of Hillsville, Virginia, was injured in 1997 in a gun accident. Since that time, he has undergone multiple life-saving and reconstructive surgeries. Due to the accident, Mr. Norris lost his lips and nose and had limited movement of his mouth. Mr. Norris first came to the University of Maryland Medical Center in 2005 to discuss reconstructive options with Dr. Rodriguez.

Wow, looking at the before and after images (slightly disturbing) show what an amazing age of medicine we live in today.

Via this reddit thread.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:29 PM
5 Ways Modern Men Are Trained to Hate Women

Shared out by my buddy James of RainGeek fame, here’s 5 Ways Modern Men Are Trained to Hate Women. Not sure I agree with them all, but it’s a compelling argument, especially #4, concerning the comments made about fucking supreme court justice Elena Kagan, the fourth female Justice1 (I presume by other women, but that’s just how I read it).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:11 AM
March 24, 2012
Trailer For Hammond's New BBC America Show "Crash Course"

Trailer For Hammond’s New BBC America Show “Crash Course” from Finalgear.com.

If you haven’t heard, Richard Hammond is hosting a new show on BBC America called Crash Course. It’ll premiere Monday, April 16th at 10/9c immediately following the US premiere of Top Gear season 18.

Oh hell yes. Thanks Aryk!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:40 PM
March 23, 2012
What If the Earth Had Rings?

Cool video about what things would look like if the earth had rings like saturn.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:02 PM
March 22, 2012
A Real-life Battlestar Galactica Viper Built in the Bay Area

So there’s a kickstarter project out there to build full motion Real-life Battlestar Galactica Viper simulator.

OMG I want this so much. Amazing that this is being built by juniors in high school. When I was that age I wasn’t even thinking about girls, I think I was probably still more concerned with riding my bike or something like that. Really glad to see these guys have almost doubled their required $2,500 goal.

Via Raingeek.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:10 PM
March 21, 2012
What it's like to be a jump rope

What it’s like to be a jump rope. Very cool video.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:11 PM
March 20, 2012
World's First Flying File-Sharing Drones in Action

You can now watch the World’s First Flying File-Sharing Drones in Action. These are similar to The Pirate Bay’s LOSS (Low Orbit Server Stations).

I’m still not convinced this isn’t an April Fool’s Joke.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:37 PM
Twitter Promoted Tweets To Show Up For Brands You Don't Follow

Twitter Advertising: Promoted Tweets on mobile: more options, starting today.

We recently began testing Promoted Tweets and Promoted Accounts on iOS and Android devices to make it easier for brands to reach consumers anytime, even when they are on the go. As with the launch of Promoted Tweets in user timelines on Twitter.com, we started by showing them in the timeline only for those users already following the advertiser. Since we began testing three weeks ago, reactions have been positive. Starting today, we are expanding this test, enabling brands to target Promoted Tweets to mobile users that share similar interests with their existing followers

Read: “we’re gonna start spamming you”.

Oh great.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:49 PM
March 19, 2012
Using Evernote As a Photographer

I try not to pimp my own stuff here a lot, but I did write up an article on Managing Photography using Evernote over the weekend. Have a read and let me know what you think, and even if you’re not a photographer, model, or creative in anyway, Evernote is an awesome product and everyone should use it!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:38 AM
March 16, 2012
Skydiving From Friggin' Space!

Amazing shot of a Red Bull dude about to skydive from really high up.

Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria seen before his jump at the first manned test flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, USA on March 15 2012. In this test he reach the altitude 21800 meters (71500 ft) and landed safely near Roswell.

Badass is right.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:54 AM
March 15, 2012
Scientific Proof That Women Hate Beards

Scientific Proof That Women Hate Beards from Gizmodo.

The results were conclusive. Women—both Europeans and Polynesians—said that the men looked significantly more attractive when clean-shaven. They also reported that bearded men looked older and of higher social status. When men were asked to look at the same photographs, they reported that bearded men looked more aggressive.

Sadly without mine I look like a chubby 12 year old boy.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:55 AM
March 14, 2012
Battlestar Galactica Roller Coaster at Universal Studios Singapore

Battlestar Galactica Roller Coaster at Universal Studios Singapore. I need say no more (other than I’m not sure exactly what makes this awesome roller coaster a “BSG” roller coaster and not just an awesome roller coaster…).

Via RainGeek.

So say we all.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:24 PM
Oink is Dead, Long Live Oink

Macgasm reports that Oink is dead. Oink is a social network / recommendation app for the iPhone that was the first product from Kevin Rose’s startup incubator Milk.

Kevin Rose told All Things D, “We started Milk Inc. (the company behind Oink) to rapidly build and test out new ideas. Oink was our first test and, in preparing to move onto the next project, we’ve decided to shut it down to help focus our efforts.” Clearly that’s PR speak for “no one was using our application, and it’s not profitable.” Had Oink been profitable, there’s no way they would be closing down the application and service so quickly. It just wouldn’t happen. Don’t let the PR speak fool you, Oink was a major disappointment.

I used Oink a tiny bit and while it was an interesting take on checkin/social networking, it just didn’t do it for me, and it sounds like it was a similar story for the rest of the users. Hopefully we’ll still see good stuff come from Kevin and his gang.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:58 AM
March 12, 2012
Dissecting A Digital Camera

Fascinating set of images of Undressing a Sony NEX Camera and revealing the innards of a modern digital camera.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:07 PM
March 07, 2012
George Takei's Fireside Chat With Tennessee LawMakers

George Takei has a nice fireside chat with Tennessee Lawmakers on some of the ridiculous stances on homosexuality that are going on.

Personally I’m offended that this sort of thing is still being discussed.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:34 AM
March 03, 2012
First Look at the TWiT Bricks

As the tech people know, as a fundraiser for the new studio, TWiT sold bricks with your choice of inscription on them. Now we get our first look at the The TWiT Brick Wall Of Honor via some pretty cool Gigapan images.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:06 PM
February 29, 2012
Waldo The Movie

Waldo The Movie. I’d watch the hell out of this.

Via Laughing Squid.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:53 PM
Awesome Portal decal for your iPad

Check out this snazzy Portal decal for your iPad from MacGasm.

Funny Stuff , Gaming , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:19 PM
February 28, 2012
Bieber On Instagram

If you want to cry for the sake of humanity check the comments on Justin Bieber’s Instagram account.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:52 PM
More Cops Harassing Photographers

Shooting Time Lapses In Pennsylvania? Have A Reason Or Get Busted apparently. Great video showing both unreasonable cops (hopefully the exception not the rule) and a reasonable photographer (again, hopefully the rule not the exception). Sadly it turns out even if you’re in the right and know the law it still doesn’t mean anything when you’re up against the ones who can arrest you and have the guns. Related to the recent strobist post.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:51 PM
Flickr Introduces New Contact View

Not sure if it’s too little too late, but today the Flickr From your Contacts page has a “justified” setting. More details on the flickr blog.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:01 PM
A Show with Ze Frank Coming Back

Ze Frank has hit his goal of $50,000 on kickstarter to bring back The Show. If you don’t remember the most awesome The Show, you can hit the archives and catch up.

Congrats to Ze and don’t forget if you want some of his…. “unique” rewards, there’s 9 days to go still in the kickstarter campaign.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:26 AM
February 23, 2012
The Lies Behind the Lens: Photography in Before/After Images

Nice little Behind The Scenes video of The Lies Behind the Lens looking at photographers shooting those before and after images for things like diet pills etc.

Check out this clip from, “Bigger Faster Stronger”, where photographer Rich Schaff explains how some companies hire him to take before and after photos on the same day, for misleading supplement advertisements. Is this why some photographers get into photography? Is this even legal? I mean, how far are you willing to go to make a buck? Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to disparage shooters who make a living doing this type of work but is this the kind of thing shooters actually aspire towards? Why did you get into photography? Is there anything you won’t shoot? What would it take for you to hang up your lens? I’d really like to hear answers to some of these questions from our readers. So please leave your comments, thoughts and rants below.

Short story (and you, my audience, are smart people so you know this already) - the camera lies not only through “legal” means (lighting, posing, etc) but also through good old photoshop. Some of the before and after images were even taken on the same day. So yea, don’t be stupid and believe advertising :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:21 PM
Fox Business News Accuses 'Arriety' and 'The Lorax' of Brainwashing Children

Fox Business News Accuses ‘Arriety’ and ‘The Lorax’ of Brainwashing Children.

Joining Dobbs to discuss the insidious liberal plot to use popular forms of entertainment to educate and enlighten the leaders of tomorrow are three right-wing radio show hosts. Wow, what a shining panel of “experts.” After Dobbs and his sniveling yes men finished laughing and shaking their heads at the latest antics of liberal Hollywood they all went over to Lou’s house for a sleepover with Rick Santorum.

Seriously America, it’s this sort of bullshit that makes the rest of the world laugh at you.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:02 PM
Pilot Lands Plane With One Wing Missing!

Ok, so this is an old link, but at the end I called over my coworkers to watch the video of a Pilot losing a wing at an airshow.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:14 AM
February 22, 2012
500px Rolls Out New Browsing And Sharing Features

Details of the new features over at Techcrunch: 500px Rolls Out New Browsing And Sharing Features - Plus A Market

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:59 PM
February 21, 2012
Time in the 10,000-Year Clock

» Time in the 10,000-Year Clock

Keeping time for 10,000 years isn’t tricky just because its hard to build a really durable clock. It also forces us to recognize and account for changes in things we normally think of as immutable, like the length of a day.

Via JWZ.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:21 PM
February 19, 2012
Everything is a Remix Part 4

Everything is a Remix Part 4 has been released. If you haven’t watched the previous 3 episodes, you should, right now. It’s a fascinating look at how ideas and things are created and transformed, from music to lightbulbs.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:26 AM
February 14, 2012
Canada Kiss Map

Canada Kiss Map, powered by google maps.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:05 PM
February 07, 2012
Path uploads your entire iPhone address book to its servers

Path uploads your entire iPhone address book to its servers is the story of the day.

Upon inspecting closer, I noticed that my entire address book (including full names, emails and phone numbers) was being sent as a plist to Path. Now I don’t remember having given permission to Path to access my address book and send its contents to its servers, so I created a completely new “Path” and repeated the experiment and I got the same result - my address book was in Path’s hands.

The reasoning behind it is obvious, those notes you might get saying something like “your friend blah blah has joined Path, would you like to friend them?” is only possible if they know who your friends are. Even so, not cool without disclosure. Course, I’m sure that there are a ton of other apps that do this exact same thing, just we don’t know about it.

The bigger question is do they do anything other than this…

Note that the CEO of path has replied with their reasons.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:56 PM
February 06, 2012
BTJunkie Shuts Down :( RIP 2005 - 2012

All requests to btjunkie.org now to go a “goodbye.html” page.

This is the end of the line my friends. The decision does not come easy, but we’ve decided to voluntarily shut down. We’ve been fighting for years for your right to communicate, but it’s time to move on. It’s been an experience of a lifetime, we wish you all the best!

TorrentFreak has more details, basically the legal actions against other sites prompted them to shut down, even though they were never directly involved in any sort of legal action. This is too bad, they were my go-to site for any sort of file sharing for years now, and it’s sad that all the BS lately has prompted their shutdown.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:25 PM
February 03, 2012
The Pirate Bay Moves to .SE

The Pirate Bay blog explains why they have moved from .org to thepiratebay.se. Hint: blame the US.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:56 AM
Redditor Breaks Himself Skydiving, Videotapes the Whole Thing

I know it’s a bit intense for first thing on a Friday morning, but wow, holy crap. Title of the story is: I broke my neck skydiving. This is the video I was taking when it happened.

Note: Probably best not to watch this if you’re planning on going skydiving for the first time :) …. very intense at the end.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:31 AM
February 01, 2012
Adobe Photoshop CS6 Sneak Peek #2

The second Adobe Photoshop CS6 Sneak Peek shows off background saving and new performance improvements with the liquefy filter. The first sneak peek we brought you was back in january (I know, soooo long ago :)

Random Linkage , Software - Posted by Arcterex at 02:28 PM
January 31, 2012
Hipstamatic-Created Mesmerizing Stop Motion Film

Pretty amazing: Using Hipstamatic on iPhone, Talented Filmmaker Vitùc Creates Stunningly Mesmerizing Stop Motion Film.

This film reaffirms why I believe the iPhone is the single most amazing tool ever - in the palm of your hand you have a digital darkroom with an astonishing array of inspiring post-production tools. In one device you have a camera, post-production editing suite, and music production studio. If you hit a creative mental roadblock, you can relax with a game of Angry Birds.

Via The Digital Convergence Podcast where even someone not interested in video can get pretty enthralled :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:32 AM
January 30, 2012
Alien Brain Hemorrhage Cocktail

I think I’d try one just to say I did.

Doesn’t that look like a disgusting thing? It’s so disgusting it becomes good! And actually, if you think about it, the Alien Brain Hemorrhage Cocktail seems rather complicated to make. That is, if you base it on the looks of the drink. (Then again, I am no bartender, so I really have no idea.)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:38 PM
January 27, 2012
How Reddit Saved an Orphanage

Simple story about How Reddit Saved an Orphanage in Kenya. I am proud to be part of this, giving $50 I didn’t have. The results and seeing the pictures of the results made it all worth it though.

While the initial goal was $2,000, TheLake posted an update: “Over $9,000 and I’m in a state of shock.” The next update showed Reddit users contributing a total of $11,000. Donations continued to pour in through the organization’s website, Longonot Education Initiative, was upgraded to a Pro account for two years from its host, Weebly. The company also donated $10,000.

$65,000 in two days. Amazing.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:00 PM
January 25, 2012
Yosemite Time Lapse

Wow is right: Yosemite Time Lapse. If you don’t have a huge monitor to see this on you’re missing out.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:59 PM
January 24, 2012
Vimeo Redesign

The New Vimeo looks damn sexy.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:14 PM
January 19, 2012
MegaUpload Shut Down by the Feds, Founder Arrested

Interesting timing that MegaUpload Shut Down by the Feds and the Founder Arrested the day after the internet protested about governments getting too much power to do things like, say, take down websites in other countries.

Just sayin'.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:54 PM
January 18, 2012
Apocalypse Later, Surf Now, An Apocalyptic Surf Music Video

Apocalypse Later, Surf Now, An Apocalyptic Surf Music Video. Not much to say, other than needs to be watched full screen and in high def :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:47 PM
The Mind-Boggling Upside-Down World Beneath the Surface of a Frozen Lake

Super trippy to watch: The Mind-Boggling Upside-Down World Beneath the Surface of a Frozen Lake

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:32 PM
January 16, 2012
Amazing 3D CSS Design Magic

Making Love to WebKit via Daring Fireball. Pretty amazing use of CSS magic.

Wow.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:23 PM
January 12, 2012
Don't Watch This Video If You Don't Like Heights

Thanks to JWZ for linking to the I believe I can fly video, embedded below. Best watched in high def and on a huge monitor.

Those guys be crazy!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:01 PM
January 11, 2012
Quantum Levitation Slot Cars

JWZ points to Wipeout Quantum!, using the cool (literally) quantum levitation from a while back in it's completely natural application: slot cars.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:46 PM
January 10, 2012
Photoshop CS5 simulator built with HTML 5, CSS 3 and Javascript

Photoshop CS5 simulator built with HTML 5, CSS 3 and Javascript. I'm honestly blown away by what can be done with modern code. I admit I'm by no means a Photoshop expert, but this pretty much matches what I see when I use it!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:12 PM
Minecraft Meets 3D Printer

Color me there! Now I just need a 3D Printer. And to play Minecraft. Looks awesome though :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:04 PM
Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Time

Articles like Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Time make up for 10 of the "tweet choir".

[...] 4. You live in the past. About 80 milliseconds in the past, to be precise. Use one hand to touch your nose, and the other to touch one of your feet, at exactly the same time. You will experience them as simultaneous acts. But that's mysterious -- clearly it takes more time for the signal to travel up your nerves from your feet to your brain than from your nose. The reconciliation is simple: our conscious experience takes time to assemble, and your brain waits for all the relevant input before it experiences the "now." Experiments have shown that the lag between things happening and us experiencing them is about 80 milliseconds. (Via conference participant David Eagleman.)
Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:48 PM
January 09, 2012
Personal Motorized Shoes Now A Reality

According to mashable the spnKiX motorized shoes are now a reality, thanks to their kickstarter campaign. The fact they raised $71k astounds me, if only because I find it hard to believe that that many people are potentially going to be actually using these things in real life. I can't wait.

Also I hope the flying cars are coming soon.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:32 PM
January 05, 2012
Free Facebook Cover Images From Digital Blasphemy

Have the "new new" Facebook timeline but don't have the photo chops to put up a super-awesome cover image? DB is giving away a few Free Facebook Cover Images to get you started with an epic cover image for your facebook timeline.

Random Linkage , Web 2.0 - Posted by Arcterex at 09:08 AM
January 04, 2012
Former Employee Sued for $340K for Taking 17,000 Twitter Followers With Him

Tasty story my friend @curtismchale sent over to me: Former Employee Sued for $340K for Taking 17,000 Twitter Followers With Him

A man in California is being sued for $340,000 by his former employer. What did he do? This isn't a case of bringing home the stapler from his cubicle. After resigning from the company, he took his Twitter followers with him--all 17,000 of them.

Scary stuff.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:58 PM
January 03, 2012
Add Instagram Photos to your Twitter Background

Nice pointer from Forever Geek on how to Geek Up Your Twitter Profile with an online app called InstaBG, which will pull in images from your Instagram feed and dynamically update your twitter background image.

You can pull down your own images, by category, by tag, or anything from your feed. A very cool setup and a neat app in need of further investigation.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:29 PM
January 01, 2012
Rollerman, French Daredevil With a 31 Wheel Roller Suit

So to kick off 2012, and in an apology for it being so quiet around here over the holidays, check out the video below of Rollerman, a French Daredevil With a 31 Wheel Roller Suit.

Or as I'd call him, a crazy mother....

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:22 PM
December 21, 2011
Does Airport Security Really Make Us Safer?

Nice article from Vanity Fair on Does Airport Security Really Make Us Safer?.

Bruce Schneier's exasperation is informed by his job-related need to spend a lot of time in Airportland. He has 10 million frequent-flier miles and takes about 170 flights a year; his average speed, he has calculated, is 32 miles and hour. "The only useful airport security measures since 9/11," he says, "were locking and reinforcing the cockpit doors, so terrorists can't break in, positive baggage matching"--ensuring that people can't put luggage on planes, and then not board them --"and teaching the passengers to fight back. The rest is security theater."
Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:08 PM
The Icon Handbook

The Icon Handbook is a great site with all sorts of information about the new book from Jon Hicks. Also of note is the awesome scalable website (try resizing the browser window down to smartphone width and watch how everything resizes and rearranges appropriately).

Books , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:01 AM
December 20, 2011
Doctor Who Infographic

A great Doctor Who Timeline / Infographic over on Forever Geek.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:42 PM
Lego Production Factory in Billund, Denmark

Wowza, the Lego Production Factory in Billund, Denmark looks a lot like nirvana to me.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:10 PM
December 14, 2011
20 Most Shared Ads of 2011

Nice collection from Best Article Every Day. Some are a bit lame, but some (such as the Art of Flight one embedded below) are epic, and require 1080p and large monitor playback.



Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:28 AM
December 13, 2011
7 Awesome Bits of Tech That Just Freakin' Disappeared

7 Awesome Bits of Tech That Just Freakin' Disappeared.

It got me thinking about awesome technology that we somehow ditched. The airship? Awesome. Slide rules? Awesome awesome. Mir Space Station? Boss-level awesome. And now just thinking about wristwatches with calculators makes me suffer a sense of short-term nostalgia (as in Douglas Coupland's Generation X).

Here are some of the coolest features and products that we've lost along the way to 2012.

Nice article.... Unsurprisingly a lot of the cool tech was killed by larger industries such as the RIAA and MPAA as it would make people happier and give them less money. As usual.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:53 PM
December 06, 2011
Shaw Launches WiFi Trials in Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton

Cool, Shaw is launching WiFi Trials in Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton. Course, you have to have an @shaw.ca email account (and who uses those?). Still, free wifi is nice, and better than all the "free" wifi that pops up unprotected and then gets you to pay for it when you join. Here's a list of more info and hotspot locations.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:30 PM
December 05, 2011
Eight Ferraris in $4M pile-up

Thanks Aryk - Eight Ferraris in $4M pile-up.

Eight Ferraris and a Lamborghini -- plus a Toyota Prius -- were among the vehicles involved in the crash, which witnesses said happened when a speeding car slid across a wet road surface.

All I can say is "oh my".

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:06 AM
November 29, 2011
Great Short Video About Marriage

Called: It's time.

Via Daring Fireball.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:38 AM
November 22, 2011
All About Infomercials

But Wait...There's More is a great article over on the Farnam Street blog (great design btw, check out what happens when you resize your browser thinner to smartphone width). You'll never look at infomercials the same, or advertising in general.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:16 AM
November 17, 2011
Canada's New Plastic $100 Bill

Must be I do everything with credit cards (or just don't get an opportunity to see $100 bills that often), but looks like Canada's new plastic $100 bill is all tricked out.

Watch out counterfeiters: Canada is planning to abandon paper money.

Looks sexy, someone want to send me a stack of these... for journalistic purposes only of course ;)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:24 PM
Hollywood MegaMercial Video

I honestly have no idea what DC SHOES: KEN BLOCK'S GYMKHANA FOUR; THE HOLLYWOOD MEGAMERCIA is, but holy crap it looks awesome. Like someone sprayed a special effects department all over a video. Or something.

Wow.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:51 AM
November 16, 2011
The 2011 InfoWorld geek IQ test

Take The 2011 InfoWorld geek IQ test, see how geeky you actually are.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:49 PM
November 15, 2011
Back to the Future Before/After Photos

Some pretty awesome Back to the Future photos (ie: re-creating a photo from years ago) by Irina Werning.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:04 PM
November 10, 2011
A Brief Rant on the Future of Interaction Design

A Brief Rant on the Future of Interaction Design, by a UI guy on the Microsoft Office vision of the future video from a few weeks ago.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:23 PM
November 07, 2011
Coding Horror on Lighting

Great article from Jeff Atwood on Bias Lighting over on Coding Horror.

The one thing that we can't abide is direct overhead lighting. Every time the overhead light gets turned on in this room, I feel like a Gremlin shrieking Bright light! Bright light! Oh, how it burns!
Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:12 PM
November 04, 2011
Project Ratway

Next time you think you or anyone else has too much time on their hands, check out Project Ratway and think again.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:51 PM
November 03, 2011
Trailer for the GoPro HD

Found the Sick Trailer for the New GoPro HD Hero2 over on F-Stoppers. Makes me realize just how boring a life I lead, and I'm hoping that if I were to get one of these little helmet mounted cams I'd spend my day base jumping, flying in a plane, swimming with sexy girls, and travelling to exotic locations.

That said this video needs to be played at 1080p and full screen on the biggest monitor you have.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:51 AM
Brazilian Police Car Rams Smugglers' Plane

Brazilian police car rams smugglers' airplane, via jwz.

Your moment of "OMG that looks like it was out of a movie" for the day.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:39 AM
November 01, 2011
Twitter Introduces Twitter Stories

The Twitter Blog has the scoop on Twitter Stories, a way for people to tell a story behind a single tweet. Similar to Storify it looks like. Has potential though, looking forward to seeing where this goes.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:55 PM
BlackBerry Future Visions - Ugh

Via Daring Fireball again, the BlackBerry Future Visions 2 leaked video (apparently) is embedded below:

My god, could they make the future look any less boring? Setting up role based authentication?! Hazzaa! That's exciting! OMG you can use your own (blackberry) device?! The future is here now! Facetime Video communication between smartphones and desktop!? What brave and unbelievable future is this now!!

Seriously, a "future vision" video that has a large chunk dedicated to what happens if your phone is stolen and the smiling IT guy doing a remote wipe of it? Where's the excitement, where's the coolness? I know that it's probably more like the future than a lot of other of these "future vision" videos, but yea gods, give it a bit of life!

Course, those who manage large infrastructures full of people in suits carrying blackberries are going to be very excited about this :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:30 AM
October 24, 2011
Star Trek Is Just Around the Corner

Great infographic via Forever Geek: Star Trek Is Just Around the Corner.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:25 AM
October 21, 2011
MobileMount Kickstand for Phones/Tablets on Kickstarter

Just wanted to say that I just became a backer of the MobileMount a Suction Cup Mount & Kickstand for Phones/Tablets on Kickstarter. They are within $200 of their goal of $20,000 and I'm more than happy to say that based on what I've seen, it's a nice little project that will fix the "man I wish I had a way to have my phone GPS work while I'm driving" thing. It's just a mount (not power/audio), but for a mere $25 pledge, there's no way to lose. Grab one yourself!

Update: And 20 minutes later they hit the $20,000 goal, though I doubt somehow I was a huge amount of help :) Looking forward to getting my MobileMount though :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:42 AM
October 20, 2011
6Wunderkinder Announces Wunderkit

The Wunderkit show is about to start from 6Wunderkinder, the company that produces the excellent cross platform task list application Wunderlist. Wunderkit is to help organize as and it appears that the task list is the first step towards this. Information on the page is a little light, but looking at the screen shots it looks likes a fully formed task / calendar / collaboration and note taking system (probably).

When you sign up for the beta you get a special code (ie: www.wunderkit.com/9JYWOq) which when others sign up with (please and thankyou) will bump you up in the waiting list a bit.

Random Linkage , Software - Posted by Arcterex at 02:09 PM
October 19, 2011
Michael Winslow gets the Led out

Michael Winslow gets the Led out.

The first 28 seconds are like, oh, I've heard this before yawn zzzzzzzzzz WHOA, WHERE THE HELL DID THAT GUITAR NOISE COME FROM??!

Uhm.. Wow.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:48 PM
October 14, 2011
'Rome Sweet Rome': Reddit Thread Gets A Movie Deal

From the Huffington Post: 'Rome Sweet Rome': Reddit Thread Gets A Movie Deal. Here's the original thread that spawned the movie (someone started writing a story in the comments in response to the question of "could a team of modern day marines destroy the Roman empire?").

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:56 AM
October 06, 2011
The Ultimate 80's Tribute Video

If you're a child of the 80s you'll definitely want to check out The Ultimate 80's Tribute video. Amazingly awesome.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:06 PM
Mark Pilgrim commits "Infosuicide"

Via a coworker a story on slashdot about Searching For Mark Pilgrim as the notable author of the "dive into mark" and "dive into html5" sites has apparently committed infosuicide and deleted all his online presence, sites, twitter, etc, in a move similar to what Why the lucky stiff did in 2009.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:33 AM
October 04, 2011
A lesson in typography.

Nice lesson in typography for those who don't know their kerning from their serifs. Like me.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:24 AM
October 03, 2011
Whatever Happened to the iPad Rivals of 2010?

A look at Whatever Happened to the iPad Rivals of 2010?

Spoiler: If you like happy endings, you should stop reading now.
Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:31 PM
September 29, 2011
Rendering Synthetic Objects into Legacy Photographs

Very impressive video of Rendering Synthetic Objects into Legacy Photographs shared by my friend James over on his google+ stream.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:37 PM
Google Analytics Adds Real-Time Traffic Data

Sounds like Google Analytics has added Real-Time Traffic Data, similar to Woopra.

Real-Time reports are available in the new version of Google Analytics, and administrators with Analytics accounts will get Real-Time reports. Google turned the new feature on Thursday for "a number of you," John Jersin, product manager at Google Analytics wrote on the Google Analytics blog.

It hasn't shown up on my analytics dashboard yet, has it for anyone else?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:24 PM
September 28, 2011
Introducing Flickr Photo Session and the Flickr Android App

Flickr has introduced a shared photo viewing system called Flickr Photo Session as well as an Android App.

Update: Thomas Hawk has his own take, probably more realistic than the story told by the Flickr video.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:30 PM
September 27, 2011
Homemade Octocopter Using Bike Engines

Awesome gentleman builds homemade flying contraption powered by eight motorcycle engines. Not much more to say than this. Thanks to my coworker JS for passing it on.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:28 PM
September 26, 2011
'Kindle Fire' Rumored

512 Pixels points to the 'Kindle Fire' story over at TechCrunch.

Fully customized Android, $250-300, shipping second week of November, Amazon app store, etc, etc. Could be cool for sure, definitely interesting.

A coworker pointed me to the Pixel Qi display technology and lamented Amazon not utilizing this in their tablet. Pixel Qi allows switching from "normal" LCD mode to a low power, sunlight readable setup (sort of like e-ink, but not). Unfortunately while they did get an investment from 3M recently, I haven't heard of them. The tech looks awesome though, hopefully we'll see it utilized in some e-reader/tablet hybrids soon.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:10 PM
TextMate Blog - 2.0 Alpha This Year

The Macromates blog has been updated with the first (I think) news about the next version of the much loved Mac text editor Textmate. What's Next says there will be a public alpha release this year, before Christmas (for registered users).

I really wonder how much of this is in response to the (apparent) slew of users dropping textmate for BBEdit and Vim as it has appeared that work on the much anticipated 2.0 (talked about as far back as 2006) was never coming and people were jumping ship to an editor that is being developed and doesn't have the danger of a) not supporting newer OSs and b) muscle memory being "wasted" on software that is EOL.

Via Shawn Blanc.

Random Linkage , Software - Posted by Arcterex at 11:24 AM
September 19, 2011
Skydivers on The Flickr Blog

Great set of images of Skydivers over on the Flickr Blog this week. I particularly love the last one and the user of what I assume is a flash attached to his foot :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:48 PM
Netflix Blog - "I Messed Up"

Reed Hastings, co-founder and CEO of netflix, posted a letter on the netflix blog called An Explanation and Some Reflections regarding the whole streaming / DVD split mess that they've been dealing with over the last few months.

It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming, and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology. I'll try to explain how this happened. [...]

Hit the link for the full story.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:09 AM
September 16, 2011
Experience Human Flight

Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of great videos of slow-mo base jumping. Hard to describe more, other than "awesome".

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:58 AM
September 15, 2011
Coolest Fountain Ever

I Want This Fountain In My House. I can't disagree Forever Geek, I can't disagree.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:48 PM
September 08, 2011
Different Views on Climate Scientists' Views

Unsurprisingly there's differences in what people believe in terms who believes about climate change.

Holy cow. This is a straightforward factual question, and the correct answer is something in the neighborhood of 98%.1 But even among Democrats, only 42% think that most climate scientists believe global warming is happening. It's even worse among the other groups.

It wouldn't be so bad if America wasn't so polarized politically, and so influential in the world.

Kudos again to Gruber.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:36 PM
Cool New Webservice: ifttt

Kudos to Shawn Blanc for pointing out ifttt (if this then that), a pretty cool website service that simplifies some pretty complex interactions. It's hard to explain so hit the previous link, or check out their blog for more information about the beginnings as well.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:02 AM
Is Nike Taking Us 'Back To The Future'?

Credit this morning goes to my boss, John, for pointing me to NiceKicks.com with a story about some shoes that Nike is apparently going to be announcing today. Normally I'd say "you realize I don't care about shoes right? Mine have holes in them [sadly this is a literal and not figurative statement] and you can tell by the rest of my appearance day to day that I can't care less about fashion."

However he then pointed me to the link.

"Welcome to Los Angeles. If my calculations are correct, over the next 24 hours you are about to see some SERIOUS SH*T!"

The images and contents of the box that the reporter got indicate that Nike may be announcing a "back to the future" shoe of some sort, either in throwback style or (pleasepleaseplease) the self-tying shoes from the movie.

Other resources is the gizmodo story.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:57 AM
September 01, 2011
Photo Manipulation and Caricatures

Discovered RWPike's Photo Manipulation and Caricatures through Google+ and Rodney Pike. Fantastic work turning images into caricatures.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:55 AM
August 26, 2011
Walking On A Cube Shaped Planet

Awesome essay on The Straight Dope about What would it be like walking around on a cube-shaped planet?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:48 PM
August 25, 2011
The Biggest History Mindf**ks

The Biggest History Mindf**ks. Collected from an ask reddit question.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:48 AM
August 24, 2011
Stocking Is the New Planking

Stocking Is the New Planking. Duplicating stock photography images.

Fantastic.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:40 PM
August 23, 2011
The History of Copyright Law

Laughing Squid links to a great video on The History of Copyright Law.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:59 PM
August 22, 2011
Creative Minimalist Business Card Design

Very sweet Minimalist Business Card Design with URL, twitter and email all in one. Nice!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:27 PM
Evernote Developer Competition Winners

Evernote's developer conference is over and they have a nice list of their Developer Competition Winners, some of which are pretty awesome.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:35 AM
August 15, 2011
Visa Exposed As Massive Credit Card Scam

It took me entirely too long to realize that this article was from The Onion.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:58 PM
40 Unhealthiest Coffees

Sure, of the 40 Unhealthiest Coffees there are a ton of >1000 calorie drinks, but I call it looking delicious!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:50 PM
Elephant Befriends Sheep

So it's been a slow monday, just something about Motorola being bought by Google. Way more important though is a series of super-cute images of an elephant who befriended a sheep.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:56 PM
August 09, 2011
Want free coffee and got an iPhone? Use Jonathan's Card

Cool social experiment with a starbucks card online for you to use. It started off with $30 and more than $3000 has been charged to it, with people filling up the card as it gets low. There's even a twitter feed to show the current balance.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:18 AM
World War II in Color

Nice find by Aryk - World War II: The American Home Front in Color, with some amazing shots in full color.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:03 AM
August 08, 2011
How to Love the Taste of Water: 8 steps (with video) - WTF?

I'm pretty sure this is just part of the "demand media" generation we live in, but articles like How to Love the Taste of Water: 8 steps (with video) over at wikiHow just baffle me. What's next, "how to breath in 14 easy steps" or "walk or drive, a handy decision tree infographic for your iphone for those though decision making times."

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:46 PM
August 05, 2011
Achieve Ultimate Butter Distribution in Your Movie Theater Popcorn with a Straw

Awesome: Achieve Ultimate Butter Distribution in Your Movie Theater Popcorn with a Straw.

So doing this when I can afford to go to a movie again....

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:00 PM
July 26, 2011
Picture of Quasar Contains Largest Water Reservoir In The Universe

Well, an artists rendering anyway of the Largest Water Reservoir In The Universe.

Astronomers have discovered a reservoir containing 140 trillion times the amount of water in all the Earth's oceans, making it the largest mass of water ever detected in the universe.
Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:56 PM
This is Why Your Newspaper is Dying

Great cartoon on Why Your Newspaper is Dying.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:52 AM
July 25, 2011
Top Gear: On Making The Show

Via Aryk - Top Gear: the motoring show in quotes (by the producer).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:43 PM
July 19, 2011
Minecraft Cruise Ship

All I can say is Oh. My. God..

Via this reddit thread. I think the only caveat is that the builder didn't build it "by hand" (or at least didn't mine all the materials).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:16 PM
Robot Mouth is Freaky

When Forever Geek says that this Robot Mouth is the Freakiest Thing You'll See Today he's not kidding. Cool to see how your throat works, but geez, some things are supposed to be a mystery.

The bigger question is how long till someone uses this for.... "other" purposes....

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:14 AM
Lady Gaga's solo piano performance of "The Edge Of Glory" on Howard Stern Show‬‏

I'm not a big Lady Gaga fan, but I'm a huge Howard Stern fan, and her ‪solo piano performance of "The Edge Of Glory" on yesterday's show was fantastic.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:29 AM
July 13, 2011
Babes of the '80s: Then and Now

Time has a gallery of Babes of the '80s: Then and Now. Interesting to see who has and hasn't aged since they were the hot babes of the movies of my youth.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:50 PM
July 11, 2011
Space Shuttle Discovery 360 View of Cockpit

Super cool VR view of the Space Shuttle Discovery cockpit.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:04 AM
July 05, 2011
Thomas Hawk Compares Photo Sharing

Thomas Hawk does a cool Google+ vs. Flickr vs. Facebook vs. 500px vs. Twitter comparison.

I will try to compare, the best I can, the attention that the same photograph received from each of these sites over the course of 24 hours. If as a photographer you are looking at photo sharing sites, in part, as a way to promote your work to a wider audience, the engagement your photographs receive online may be of interest. This case is very specific and of course everyone's circumstances will differ, but this is my experience.
Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:34 PM
How the Dukes of Hazzard Ripped off Star Wars

A compelling argument on How the Duke Boys ripped off George Lucas.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:29 PM
The History of the Space Shuttle

Fantastic photo-essay on The History of the Space Shuttle by Alan Taylor at The Big Picture. Via Shawn Blanc.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:00 AM
July 04, 2011
Awesome Star Wars Guitar

Saw a great pic on reddit of this great Millenium Falcon guitar. Epic.

BTW, happy Fourth of July to all my American readers! Make sure you celebrate by blowing lots of stuff up ok? :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:07 PM
July 03, 2011
The Sound of Tau: The first 126 digits in musical form

Turns out that numbers make beautiful music. Someone used some simple rules to turn the numbers of Tau into music.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:13 PM
June 27, 2011
A Guy, a Girl, and 3 iPhones

Pretty cool use of timing and video in a nifty little video called A Guy, a Girl, and 3 iPhones.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:29 AM
June 22, 2011
Cats Unimpressed by Bathing

Great gallery on Flickr: Cats Unimpressed by Bathing. Via Forgetfoo.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:40 PM
June 21, 2011
Windows Phone Tattletale

Windows Phone Tattletale is a nice site for WP7 users to point out retailers that are either ignoring or downplaying WP as a viable alternative and directing people to Android or iPhones. Via DF.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:13 PM
Everything is a Remix Part 3

Another great video in the series, Everything is a Remix Part 3 is out. The next time that someone complains that Apple copied the Android notification system, or that Windows copied the Linux virtual desktops, or that Ubuntu is trying to be both Apple and Microsoft (I've done all of these things BTW), watch this, and realize that pretty much everything is a copy of something, and it's more about how you put these copies together that makes things interesting.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:59 AM
June 17, 2011
Wall of Forgiveness Post Vancouver Riot

My buddy Nigel has a nice post up on the Wall of Forgiveness in Vancouver in the post-riot days. Lots of messages from people asking forgiveness, etc.

Also here's good info from Darren on the story behind the kissing couple. Lastly a collage of the people helping clean up (FB album here for those FB-inclined).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:34 PM
June 14, 2011
1950′s Instructional Film on How To Dial a Telephone

Watching this 1950′s Instructional Film on How To Dial a Telephone it reminds me a bit of the "your TV will now be all digital" commercials of not that long ago. Cool to see how similar old and new tech problems can be.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:38 PM
The TWiT Brick House Walkthrough

Fans of the TWiT podcasts will have been hearing about the new TWiT studios for a while, and Leo today posted a walkthrough video and images for you to admire. Looks good!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:23 PM
Comparing Cloud Services

A comparison of Apple iCloud vs Google vs Amazon Cloud Drive vs Dropbox vs Microsoft SkyDrive from Pocket-lint.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:32 AM
June 13, 2011
awesome people hanging out together

awesome people hanging out together - Great tumbler to follow.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:57 AM
June 07, 2011
Cool Behind The Scenes Photos From Famous Movies

Awesome photography by Angus R Shamal.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:43 PM
June 03, 2011
Introducing Hopefully Sunny

Minimal Mac introduces Hopefully Sunny, a simple site that will mail you a weather forecast every day. Only zip codes though, so once again Canadians get left out. Eh.

Very cool idea though.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:50 AM
June 01, 2011
Canucks Pride Around BC

A bit off topic for normal fare, but both Vancouverites and Bostonians (Bostonions?) know that tonight game one of the Stanley Cup Playoff starts. Some great pics of Canucks Pride Around BC were collected on the Vancouver Blog Miss 604.

Go Canucks Go!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:45 PM
May 30, 2011
VLT (Very Large Telescope) HD Timelapse Footage

Shared by my buddy Rob is this Very Large Telescope HD Timelapse Footage.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:24 AM
May 26, 2011
Star Wars Beds

Tell me you wouldn't kill to have one of these 6 Killer Star Wars Beds. Thanks ForeverGeek.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:48 PM
Flickr Blog on Data Deletion

After the kerfuffle a while back about flickr accounts being deleted without warning or chance of retrieval, the flickr blog has responded with their new policies and procedures.

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:34 PM
May 25, 2011
City Maps. Locals vs Tourists

Very cool set of 6 Unusual City Maps. Locals vs Tourists based on flickr. Red is a tourist area, blue are the locals.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:33 AM
Ranulph Fiennes Top Gear Interview

My boss at work passed on this Top Gear interview with Ranulph Fiennes. Amazing stories and this guy makes tough guys and superstars go "whoah, this guy is tough". Just a few notes:


  • Thrown out of the british SAS (tough buggers to start with) for blowing up a movie set
  • Circumnavigated the globe a few times
  • Climbed Everest to get rid of his vertigo
  • When he realized that Everest was just walking slowly uphill he figured that the north face of the Eiger was a better match
  • Did 7 marathons in 7 days a few weeks after triple bypass surgery
  • Cut off the frostbitten tips of his own fingers in the garden shed
  • Considered for the role of James Bond

Not sure what else you can do to be defined as "all around tough ass adventurer".

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:33 AM
May 24, 2011
20 Reasons Why Your Website Design Sucks

Ironic that a site with an article 20 Reasons Why Your Website Design Sucks is the same site that pops up one of the "web 2.0 popups" (overlay asking if you want to sign up for a newsletter or some crap). Factor that in when you read the article. Via Forgetfoo.

Random Linkage , Web 2.0 - Posted by Arcterex at 09:04 PM
May 19, 2011
How To Get Things Done Faster

When they say that this is possibly the most useful video you'll ever watch in terms of saving you time in your life, they're not kidding. The shirt removal video alone is worth the price of admission.

The 'bonus' video of the greatest proposal ever though, don't let your girlfriend, wife or fiance watch that lest they be very jealous and ask "why didn't you do something like that for me? Don't you love me as much as he does her?" (might be just me projecting though).

Funny Stuff , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:46 PM
A "How I drew it" Video

I've always been fascinated by people who are skilled in art, and this "how I drew it" video over on myextralife.com is pretty awesome (though the video quality for the first half or so isn't the best resolution). Well worth the 7 minutes for sure.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:29 PM
May 15, 2011
Skiing Off The Top Of A Mountain In An Avalanche

That's one of the videos that was posted on Vincent Laforet's Blog related to how small and easy high quality video is getting. Completely recommend watch that first video in high quality on a big screen. Not for the faint of heart though!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:55 PM
May 10, 2011
New World Record Set for Rubik's Cube

Uhm.... wow.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:52 PM
May 06, 2011
Animated Gifs

Amazing animated gifs via Shawn Blanc.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:33 AM
May 02, 2011
Summary of the Amazon EC2 Outage

From the horses mouth, the Amazon team goes into just what led to the Amazon EC2 and Amazon RDS Service Disruption not that long ago.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:15 PM
April 29, 2011
TeeFury - Cheap Geek T-Shirts

Just heard about TeeFury where they sell one geeky themed t-shirt for $10 every day until they sell out. Check out the archive for some of their previous designs. Via Forever Geek.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:16 PM
Lamborghini Aventador Video

I'm not a big car person, but this video was pretty awesome.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:21 PM
April 28, 2011
Meet The Cast Of The UK Version Of Jersey Shore

For the love of all that is good and kind in this world please tell me that this is a spoof.

Please.

please....

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:00 AM
April 27, 2011
TomTom user data sold to Dutch police For Speed Traps

TomTom user data sold to Dutch police, used to determine ideal locations for speed traps. More or less evil than the Apple "Locationgate" debacle?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:23 PM
April 15, 2011
Expo 86 Anniversary Party

Friend of mine on Facebook pointed me to the Expo 86 anniversary party at Science World. If you're a 30-something Vancouverite you definitely remember Expo 86 and should get in on this. Live 80s music, Expo 86 Films, etc.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:05 AM
"It Gets Better" Video

Great video from Adobe: It Gets Better. Beautiful and true all at once.

My personal note to people who have nothing better to do than make fun of / insult / torture / oppress people because of their sexual orientation: "Grow the fuck up, this world has way more screwed up things to freak out about than man on man or woman on woman love".

That is all. Merry Friday.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:55 AM
April 13, 2011
Video shows young girl receiving full pat-down From TSA

Video shows young girl receiving full pat-down, drug test from TSA.

Dear USA, you disgust me sometimes.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:46 AM
April 12, 2011
Sorting Algorithms in Folk Dancing

Many thanks to loyal UFies reader Zacsek for passing on this note:


I recently received these links, and I thought of sharing them with you, maybe they are interesting enough that you will post them: different sorting algorithms illustrated with traditional folk dances from Transylvania.
I think it's an awesome display of culture and worst case performance of the algorithms :))


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmPA7zE8mx0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyZQPjUT5B4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROalU379l3U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns4TPTC8whw

Definitely worth the link! Thanks for compiling the selection for me!

Programming , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:47 PM
April 11, 2011
AT-AT for America

Now this is an inspirational project I can get behind! AT-AT for America via Forever Geek.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:31 PM
March 31, 2011
Coffee Lovers Blog

Yay! I'm back and ready to post up a storm... well, at least a minor drizzle, but it's starting up again! Lets start up with Dear Coffee, I Love You, a blog all (all) about coffee and coffee related things. Via Shawn Blanc.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:20 PM
March 18, 2011
Vancouver Japan Relief  Walk of Hope

I'm not all that good at organizing things, but if you want to help support Japan in the crisis that I'm pretty sure you've heard about, check out the Vancouver Japan Relief Walk of Hope:

We encourage all participant to wear their red and whites, to show off the colors of both countries flags. Having a huge network of photographers, Christopher and his team will be covering this event from many angles and perspectives, capturing the true spirit of giving in action. Opportunities for direct donations can be made along the walk and also at the final destination where a team of volunteers will be meeting the arrivals. This Campaign will continue even after the Walk of Hope has completed.

This will be a great photo walk for Vancouver photographers looking to help out and have fun day, and you'll help a good cause. I'm looking forward to this big time! I know there are at least a few of UFies.org readers in Japan and while I don't know you I hope you and your families are safe, and I hope that I can support in this small way.

I'll repost this again as time gets closer, but again, please do sign up and donate!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:03 PM
How The Cable Companies Are Screwing You

7 ways the cable company's trying to screw you. My response.... "only 7?"

Given the speed with which companies shift names, it's not unlikely that the new Quebecor arena will be renamed something else within a few years. And, once again, we'll all feel like idiots when we can't remember what to call that big ugly building thingy where the dudes on the skates hit that rubber thingamajig.

Sadly because of the monopolies these companies have, and the gobs of cash, there's not really a lot you can do about it, because even if you (eg) cut your cable, you still need an internet connection to download your TV shows (assuming you don't just quit cold turkey of course) and guess who you give money to for that.... the cable company, and with caps and net neutrality coming down, you'll be ending up giving them even more money.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:29 AM
Microsoft Shuts Down Spam Behemoth Rustock

Cool news that Microsoft shut down the spam behemoth Rustock, reducing worldwide spam by 39%. Can't say that I've noticed it, but it's good to know. Sadly I'm sure another network will pop up to take it's place, however it does feel lately that spam is moving off of email and onto IM/Mobile more.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:46 AM
March 16, 2011
Chatroulette Love Song

Pretty awesome YouTube - Chatroulette Love Song. Best line in it is the "I'm so glad you're not a naked guy".

Via Best Article Every Day.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:48 PM
March 14, 2011
Happy Pi Day!

Thanks for wiebedj for reminding me that today (3/14) is Pi Day! May your radii be merry and your circumferences be bright. Or something like that.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:32 AM
March 10, 2011
Lost Pictures of New York Blizzard Find Their Home

Pretty cool video of how some Found Lost Pictures of New York Blizzard found their way home. Via this reddit story.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:40 AM
March 09, 2011
James Bond Dresses as a Woman for International Woman's Day

For a good cause and everything, and pretty damn funny. James Bond Dresses as a Woman for International Woman's Day. Sorry but Daniel Craig just doesn't pull that dress off. :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:06 AM
March 08, 2011
Evocative Photos of Star Wars Toys

I wasn't sure what to expect when I clicked on the Daring Fireball link entitled Evocative Photos of Star Wars Toys, but after looking at Avanaut's Photostream, that's exactly how I'd describe them too. Fantastically executed shots.

More proof that with a bit of ingenuity and imagination you are never in the "nothing to take pictures of" zone.

Update: An article on his setup and how he creates the images in Gizmodo.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:26 PM
March 07, 2011
Traditionally Animated Superman Film

Very awesome Traditionally Animated Superman Film, complete with a pretty cool explanation of the how and why at the end.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:17 PM
March 06, 2011
Battlestar Galactica Timeline

Pretty great visual of the BSG Timeline. Found via Laughing Squid.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:14 PM
March 03, 2011
Awesome Bookshelves

Seen on There, I Fixed It.com, possibly the most awesome bookshelf design ever. Want!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:32 AM
March 02, 2011
2012 Lamborghini Aventador

OK little boys and little boys who have grown up, you will want to look at the 2012 Lamborghini Aventador. Truly a pinup I'd put on my wall. Check out this shot to see just how sleek it is. Thanks to H at work for passing it on to me this morning.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:57 AM
February 28, 2011
Everything Is a Remix: Part 2

I linked to part 1 in September of last year, and finally a couple of weeks ago, I see that Vincent Laforet found Everything Is a Remix: Part 2.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:14 PM
February 21, 2011
Amazing Ford Mustang Amateur Movie

Very awesome independently created mini-movie about the Ford Mustang. Embedded below, but make sure you view HD and full size :)

Thanks to H for passing it on.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:17 AM
February 14, 2011
Great Old School Pixel Video

Thanks to H for passing on this video entitled Pixels Old School. Pretty awesome.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:36 PM
February 11, 2011
CodeReddit - Reddit or Work?

My buddy H sent me to codereddit, and while I would never advocate redditing while at work (it's like stealing from the company), but if you enjoy a quick reddit break, reading this page will look, from a distance, a lot more like work than the normal "skin" on it.

Now they just need multiple language options, and perhaps a text to speech version as well...

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:28 AM
February 10, 2011
Google for Weddings

Google for Weddings is a site set up to show you how to use the various google tools for wedding planning. Not sure if this is more about using the existing tools, or a new set of tools using picasa/blogger/etc under the hood. Still, it'll help keep engaged nerds happy :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:23 PM
February 07, 2011
Rants About Software Chrome

3quarksdaily has a nice long look at software "chrome" (not the browser as they point out several times) and why obsession on making digital analogs to physical objects really really sucks.

This is the iBooks app. Notice how lovingly the designers have made it look like you are in the middle of reading a physical book by drawing a little pseudo-3D evocation, down each vertical side, of the pages you have read and the pages you have still to read. What do you think this looks like when you are on page 2 of a book, or 2 pages from the end? I'll tell you what it looks like: exactly the same.
Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:27 AM
February 05, 2011
Removing All Visual Advertising From Times Square

No Ad: New York, a cool crowdsourcing idea to remove the visual clutter from Times Square.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:35 PM
February 03, 2011
Growing is Forever (Video)

Here's a video two-fer for you, via Gruber at DaringFireball this time, check out Growing is Forever. Makes me want to get into film making to be honest.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:53 AM
February 01, 2011
Google Says Bing Is Cheating, Copying Results

Interesting look at Google saying Bing Is Cheating, Copying their Search Results. Not so interesting from the fact that search engines use each other for results, but more from how Google did their "sting" to determine it.

Google , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:40 AM
January 27, 2011
Don't Follow Your Passion

In a cool diversion from the standard "you can do it, follow your dreams!" type articles, UnicornFree says instead Don't Follow Your Passion:

It's an age-old story: Boy meets passion, boy follows passion, passion turns out to be a mirage and/or actually a big pain in the ass, despite how rosy it may have seemed from a safe distance.

Now, it's not so cut and dried, or depressing, but it's a different take on things that anyone with entrepreneurial endeavors should take a look at.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:13 AM
Facebook Enables HTTPS Security

A Continued Commitment to Security is the Facebook blog post on how they are enabling HTTPS security on their system.

Starting today we'll provide you with the ability to experience Facebook entirely over HTTPS. You should consider enabling this option if you frequently use Facebook from public Internet access points found at coffee shops, airports, libraries or schools. The option will exist as part of our advanced security features, which you can find in the "Account Security" section of the Account Settings page.

If you're concerned about security, things like Firesheep, and not allowing people to get into your facebook account fairly trivially, then this is a good thing. Head to the settings page on your facebook account and enable this now.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:08 AM
January 19, 2011
Comparing $your_country to $other_country

If you wanted to see what life would be like if you moved somewhere, check outifitweremyhome.com. You could see, for example, that Comparing Canada to The United States you'd have more babies if you lived in the US, but pay more for health care. Very cool site! Thanks to @milesforrest for the link!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:51 PM
January 18, 2011
Ben Goldacre at Nerdstock On Placebos

Great video of Ben Goldacre at Nerdstock talking about placebos, studies, quackery, and all things involved. Hard to describe, great to watch.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:04 AM
January 17, 2011
Dropquest 2011

Dropbox has a nice little contest going - Dropquest 2011 which will let you have lots of prizes and some free extra space. If you don't have dropbox yet, get on it! Thanks to @hawkeye @halkeye for pointing me to it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:31 AM
THX Intro Kinect Hack

Cool stuff sent over from a buddy at work... The audience is listening to this Kinect hack which lets you control that "the audience is listening" THX intro thing. Looks very fun!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:11 AM
January 13, 2011
Video of Australian Flood Sweeping Away Cars

Bloody hell mate.... this Video of an Australian flood sweeping away a parking lot full of cars is pretty brutal. The commentary from the people taking the video is the best. "Glad I parked at the front today" and "think we should move the cars?".

The craziest thing is the degree to which the flood was at before they started to get worried. It wasn't until the cars were starting to be swept away before they started to get worried, but up until then it was more like "wow, what a quaint little river we have running through our parking lot." Course, in an insane a place as Australia with their man eating birds and 8,000 types of things that can kill you, this is probably normal. Bonus points to the guy who went into the flood to drive his Range Rover away.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:02 AM
January 10, 2011
Impressive Bandsaw Skill

The title of Bet You Can't Do That Twice pretty accurately describes the bandsaw skill shown in this demo.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:16 PM
January 05, 2011
Put a Monolith on the Moon

Someone started a kickstarter fund to have a mission to put a monolith on the moon. Agree with Gruber, best idea ever, especially when you think about how it worked and why in 2001.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:49 PM
James Van Der Memes

Some might say that the James Van Der Memes site is just a rip off of the classic Eric Conveys an Emotion, but as a fan of Dawson's Creek from back in the day (and of course Katie Holmes before she went insane and married someone other than me), I gotta pimp his site a bit. Cool stuff and a great idea.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:59 AM
Incredible Space Pics From The ISS

Via Twitter comes some Incredible Space Pics from the ISS by NASA astronaut Wheelock. Amazing stuff, love the one of the astronaut working outside.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:20 AM
January 04, 2011
Cool DOS Based Homepage

Gotta say that the new (old) DOS UI on stopwilson.com is pretty nice.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:56 AM
January 02, 2011
Boardwalk Empire Visual FX

Fantastic video of Boardwalk Empire VFX Breakdowns, showing what you can do these days with computer technology and a green screen or 7.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:37 PM
December 15, 2010
Can You Work Entirely from Chrome OS

If you've wondered if the new Chrome OS is enough to do "real work", you'll be happy to know that Lifehacker spent Six Days Working Entirely from Chrome OS to answer that exact question.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:02 PM
Facebook Profile Picture Hack Coolness

Definitely some cool new looks you can give your facebook profile page with this Facebook Profile Picture Hack Tutorial. From The Best Article Every day.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:44 AM
This is Your Brain on Vim

Very cool blog article on learning vi and vim - This is Your Brain on Vim.

Programming , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:02 AM
December 13, 2010
Doctor Who T-Shirt 'Count the Shadows'

Awesome find from Geeks of Doom - a Doctor Who T-Shirt 'Count the Shadows'. In case you were wondering, yes, this would make an excellent Christmas gift for your friendly neighborhood Arcterex! :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:32 PM
Aliens: TRONitized

Great mashup of two of the best sci-fi movies ever :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:21 PM
December 10, 2010
Google Zeitgeist 2010: Year in Review

Great video from google of 2010: Year in Review.

Great stuff, brings a tear to the eye...

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:14 AM
December 09, 2010
VariablySFW - A Safe For Work Checker

Ever surf around at work and see a link that's marked as "NSFW" but really want to check it out? Enter VariablySFW, which lets you put in a link and check it safely. Kudos to heyhermano on reddit.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:48 AM
December 02, 2010
Great iPhone App Website Design

It's been all around the net, so I figure I'll link to it as well. Ben the Bodyguard.com is the website for a new iPhone app that will protect your sensitive iPhone data. There's not much else there in terms of details, but when you hit the site just scroll down and be amazed at what you can do with HTML/Javascript (HTML5?) and other nifty (non-Flash) web technologies.

Seriously, most of the iPhone apps I'll buy on a whim are from well designed and informative websites. I think if this was a $2.99 app I'd probably buy it sight unseen just from the site. Kudos to the designer. Make sure you run through it a couple of times as well there's a lot of small subtle (and gorgeously done) detail in there that I missed the first time through.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:01 AM
November 25, 2010
Gum Artist

Proof that there's a niche for everyone.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:34 PM
November 24, 2010
Walking with Johnnie

A bit old, and yes, it's an ad for booze, but this short movie called Walking with Johnnie is pretty awesome. Thanks to Robert for emailing this to me.

And in case you don't notice it, it's a single friggin take.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:17 AM
November 23, 2010
You Can Trust the TSA (Video)

Great video find over at the Secret Diary of Steve Jobs - In case you are traveling this week.

Related is this article in case you were thinking that the body scanners weren't all that bad. Glad I live in Canada and right now can't afford to fly anywhere, much less in or out of the US.

Funny Stuff , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:52 PM
November 22, 2010
Buying Advice From $1 to $1Billion

Awesome Buying advice from Andy I.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:10 AM
November 18, 2010
Scale of Universe - Interactive Scale of the Universe Tool

Thanks to my buddy Cat5 for passing on this Scale of Universe interactive site, very sexy smooth flash app.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:21 AM
November 16, 2010
Penn (Of Penn & Teller) Against the TSA

Seems this whole "go on a trip get groped at the airport" backlash is gaining some momentum. The latest has been from Penn of Penn & Teller and his story of calling the real cops on the screener for grabbing his crotch.

I say, "I can take an early morning flight or a private jet. " The cop says, "If I have a citizen who is saying he was assaulted, you can't just send me away."

Good stuff. Interesting to hear if this goes anywhere, or if the "but we're doing it to prevent [insert horrible images from 9/11] this from happening" will get all the sheeple back in line.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:20 PM
Why Facebook badly needs Steve Jobs

A great article on what Facebook did recently with their big messaging announcement, and how they could take it in a different direction. Honestly I don't totally understand what FB messaging will be until I see it, but this article gives a pretty good idea what it's not.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:34 AM
November 15, 2010
Live From Facebook's Massive Messaging Announcement

The morning is starting out interesting, with a Live From Facebook's Massive Messaging Announcement blog, where Facebook is redoing their messaging system to what looks like a unified sms/mail/messaging system.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:34 AM
November 09, 2010
Best Underwater Photographs 2010

The latest In pictures feature has some pretty great shots.

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:22 AM
November 01, 2010
The T-Mobile Welcome Back

Coo viral video from T-Mobile called The T-Mobile Welcome Back.

It's another one of those "people start singing / dancing in a public place" things, still cool though. Thanks @danaepp for pointing to it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:30 AM
October 28, 2010
Rescued Baby Hummingbird

Pretty awesome video of a Rescued Baby Hummingbird and it's interactions with a person after hand raising it.

Gets a 9.5 on the cute-o-meter.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:49 PM
October 27, 2010
Mind Hacks

Some cool brain hacks if you wanna give yourself hallucinations, get rid of pain, or otherwise mess with your head.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:37 AM
October 26, 2010
How To Build an Optimus Prime Costume For $5 Out of Used Cardboard Boxes

Nice find on /Film, a video of how to Build an Optimus Prime Costume For $5 Out of Used Cardboard Boxes. Looks pretty good too.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:11 AM
October 25, 2010
AWS Free Use

Just found out today that as of Nov 1, Amazon web services are going to have a Free Usage Tier.

Below are the highlights of AWS's new free usage tiers. All are available for one year (except Amazon SimpleDB, SQS, and SNS which are free indefinitely).[...]

Cool stuff! Interesting to see if they pull in new users with this model.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:16 PM
October 19, 2010
Bridge Eaters Tilt-Shift Video

Bridge Eaters on Vimeo is another video in the vein of the ones posted the other day. This one demonstrates a couple of key points that you need for good TS video (I took some random iPhone video footage and played with a TS Video app yesterday)... View from above and a view of big things far away, both of which enhance the "view of tiny toys" feeling. Embedded below, full screen and HD recommended.

Bridge Eaters from Sam Javanrouh on Vimeo.

Hat tip Daily Dose of Imagery.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:28 AM
October 18, 2010
Carved Pumpkin

If you are in a pumpkin carving contest, sad to say you already lost to that guy. Wow.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:20 PM
October 17, 2010
Awesome Example of TiltShift in Video

Video that is a great example of a tilt-shift effect. Pretty commonly seen in images, not so often in video, but it seems to be more popular now, I think there's even an iPhone app to do it :)

Two more great examples here and here.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:54 PM
October 14, 2010
Project Intrepid - A 23 Foot Long Lego Battleship

INTREPID COMPLETE (On show)Amazing photoset of Project Intrepid, which will put even the strongest Lego Maniac's heart to shame. Wow.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:21 AM
Dollhouse Music Video "Remains"

Awesome music video from the Dollhouse Season 2 DVD, both sad and creepy all at once, great music though. Good to see Topher up and around again :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:25 AM
October 13, 2010
Food Ad Tricks

Cool video to Help Kids Understand Food Ads. Of course, if you think this is some sort of grand scheme by fast food places to make sure the pictures of their burgers look 100x more awesome than in real life, you're right, course, this is no different than pretty much every other industry and every other commercial image or video. If you look at any product of any sort in any sort of ad and think they're not manipulated in some way or other, think again. Every screen image is simulated, lash inserts are added, and every bit of food has some gross and disgusting goop applied to make it look succulent, and I'm pretty sure half the time cars in ads are all computer generated.

Reddit story source.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:41 AM
October 12, 2010
Amazing Video Photoshopping

The Daily What has a video of an amazing video Photoshopping tool called MovieReshape, allowing you to reshape actors in essentially realtime. Hard to describe, hit the site to view the video.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:36 PM
October 11, 2010
Death-defying Wingsuit Video

Amazing and Death-defying wingsuit video shows what it's like to be a real-life superhero. The part where he skims by the statue of Christ The Redeemer in Brazil is possibly the most awesome thing I've seen.

That said I have no idea how they manage to find areas where land is sloped just right so that they skim above it while falling (with style).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:23 PM
October 08, 2010
Watch This Man on Fire Leap Out of a Skyscraper

Watch This Man on Fire Leap Out of a Skyscraper.

Uhm. Wow.

Two questions:


  1. How does he walk around normally? I mean, it's gotta be hard with balls made of steel and the size of basketballs!
  2. I can see myself as a stuntman and I can see doing a long jump. I can see being lit on fire. I can see jumping through a glass window. I cannot see myself doing all three.

Kudos to my buddy Jim for sharing this on facebook.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:34 PM
October 06, 2010
Six Months with Opera

Addoula on OSNews talks about his Six Months with Opera 10.5.

Since the launch of Opera 10.5 in March 2010, I've been using it as my primary browser, whether at work or at home. Using Ubuntu at work, and a Windows netbook at home, I wanted a fast browser for my netbook and a coherent browsing experience on both operating systems. And this is where Opera 10.5 (and newer) fits perfectly.
Random Linkage , Software - Posted by Arcterex at 01:38 PM
Vizeddit - Reddit Votes/Comments in Realtime

Vizeddit is a very cool javascripty magic thing that lets you see reddit votes and comments in realtime. Works on chrome and FF (possibly others). Note: If it's just falling reddit aliens, give it a bit more time, soon it will show up properly (unless the server's crashed again of course). Very cool stuff!

Reddit discussion here.

Programming , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:08 AM
October 04, 2010
Homemade Video Camera Into Space

Awesome video of a home project to send an HD video recorder into spaaaaaace. Seriously though, it's pretty amazing what a couple of guys with some consumer grade equipment and a tiny bit of knowhow can do these days. Video embedded below.

Homemade Spacecraft from Luke Geissbuhler on Vimeo.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:29 PM
September 30, 2010
Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Concept Car (2010)

All I have to say is "wow". Check out this from Paris 2010, the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Concept car in detail.

Wow.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:37 PM
Ars Technica On The IPv4 to IPv6 Transition

There is no Plan B: why the IPv4-to-IPv6 transition will be ugly. That title doesn't instill confidence, and the article does a good job of going into the why.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:13 AM
September 28, 2010
Playing Asteroids and Destroying Ads

http://erkie.github.com is hard to describe, but I thank @dkubb for pointing me to it. Basically it's a bookmarklet that lets you destroy ads on a webpage by playing asteroids. I didn't get it at first either, but now that I do, I'm using it on every page :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:58 PM
September 27, 2010
Amazing Demo Reel

Check out this amazing Blizzard-meets-300 Demo Reel from 2008 by Nareg Kalenderian.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:11 PM
Art From Car Parts

Image of the day has a great set of images of sculptures created from old car parts.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:28 PM
September 26, 2010
Logan's Run In Lego

Pretty cool Lego diorama of Logan's Run.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:08 PM
September 24, 2010
Youtube Time Machine

Very simple concept, and awesome for the nostalgics out there. Pick a year, click refresh, and TRAVEL THROUGH TIME. Great for re-living the news for the year you graduated high school for example.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:17 AM
September 17, 2010
iPad Light Painting

Cool light painting technique using the iPad. Not what you expect.

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:31 PM
Dark Patterns

Darren sent me DarkPatterns.org, a nifty list of design patterns to get people to do things they wouldn't normally do.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:42 AM
September 16, 2010
64bit Adobe Flash Player

The Flash guys at Adobe have given us A Sneak Peek into Flash Player "Square" which:

This preview includes support for two new areas, namely enhanced support for Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9 Beta and native 64-bit support for all major desktop operating systems including Linux, Mac, and Windows.

Assuming it doesn't completely explode, woo!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:11 AM
September 13, 2010
How a Watch Works (Video)

Very cool video of how a watch works, laid out in intricate detail.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:45 PM
Biolab Disaster - Pure HTML5 Game

Darren pointed me to Biolab Disaster, a cool little sidescroller game, it's difference being it's done in HTML5 and Javascript, not flash, which is the standard for this fare of browser game.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:52 PM
Mac vs. PC: Mythbusting Guide for Consumers

Some interesting mythbusting on the (now completely boring and who-cares) Mac vs. PC debate.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:16 PM
September 10, 2010
Stop Action Lego Movie

The most awesome stop action lego movie you'll see this morning.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:23 AM
September 09, 2010
HDR Video

In case you were looking for an excuse to buy a second DSLR that does video, you can check out this HDR video accomplished using dual 5D Mark IIs. I'm not a fan of overdone HDR, and overdone HDR in video is just as bad. This isn't overdone per-se, but it could be easily abused. That said, if trends go as trends go, I see this being a built in feature to DSLRs in 5 years....

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:19 PM
September 08, 2010
Making of Blade Runner Hades Landscape

Great video on the making of the Blade Runner Hades Landscape, from Douglas Trumbull's Immersive Media and Visual Effects site. Via Daring Fireball.

Pretty amazing when you consider they did this in the days before you could just throw it to your 12 year old neighbor with the fast computer to whip up in a couple of hours in Maya or whatever is the go-to app for 3D modelling these days. Still, doing it the old way with miniatures has more "soul" than these new fangled CG effects...

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:00 AM
Stig Sacked!

Wow, I didn't hear this... I knew that The Stig (from the awesome BBC car show Top Gear) revealed his identity in a tell-all book, but I hadn't heard that he had been sacked. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to read the book, and think that Stig's story would be awesome, but I don't like how he went about it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:40 AM
September 07, 2010
Vancouver Using 3D Optical Illusion To Scare Drivers

Interesting tactic that they're taking in my home town of Vancouver... using 3D optical illusion to scare motorists into safer driving. I wonder if this is one of those cool 3D paintings or if it's some high tech hologram. Are we living in the world of tomorrow?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:04 AM
September 06, 2010
Calvin and Hobbes + NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

Cool little thread over at reddit got someone to create a Calvin and Hobbes + NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day script that combines an image of Calvin and Hobbes looking at the sky with the APOTD. Very neat stuff. Check out the rest of the reddit thread for other images and scripts to do similar things.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:35 PM
September 03, 2010
Websites For Scifi's Famous Evil Corporations

Nice gallery at IO9 of Websites for scifi's most famous evil corporations, based on real-life corporate websites.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:16 AM
September 01, 2010
$0.01 iPhone Cases

FAQ), so it's not really that cheap, but still, a $4 iPhone case where they normally go for the $20-30 range? Hard to beat. Cases don't seem too bad either.

No shipping to Canada sadly, would love to get a review unit up here to see what they're like (hint hint) :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:14 PM
August 31, 2010
Unboxing and First Impressions With the Parrot AR.Drone

From Aryk - Unboxing and First Impressions With the Parrot AR.Drone.

WANT!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:52 PM
Save The Words

Save The Words is a cool concept to help un-dumb-down the airwaves (as it were). You can pledge to adopt a forgotten or unloved word in the English language and pledge to use it and spread it. The "pick me" and "oh me me!" are cute too.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:44 AM
August 30, 2010
Lightsaber Build Logs

You don't have to be Star Wars nerd to see from the massive number of pictures that these lightsabers are built and crafted to be just gorgeous.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:01 PM
Google Reader Goes Fullscreen

Not sure if I'll use it, but it's nice to see via the Official Google Reader Blog that Google Reader now has a fullscreen mode, via 'f'.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:54 PM
Mike Tyson's Push-up workout!

A buddy of mine, brianpwins pointed me over to Mike Tyson's Push-up workout from the early 90s. A taste:

3pm: more ring work and 60 mins on the exercise bike (again working those huge legs for endurance) 5pm: 2000 sit-ups; 500-800 dips; 500 press-ups; 500 shrugs with a 30kg barbell and 10 mins of neck exercises 7pm: steak and pasta meal again with fruit juice (orange i think it was)

This guy must have been in insane good shape, I don't think I can do 800 dips in a week. Course, when your job is to be in shape, I guess doing nothing but eating and working out 7 days a week is the way to go :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:38 PM
The Wilderness Downtown Chrome Experiment

The Wilderness Downtown is a very cool HTML5 (ie: Chrome/FF/Safari only) experiment that has a neat setup that's a bit hard to describe. Just check it out.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:04 AM
August 25, 2010
Digg v4 Launches

Congrats to Kevin and the gang as Digg.com has launched with the new version 4 codebase. Check out Kevin's post with some more details. Some interesting stuff from the war room at launch time.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:22 PM
August 18, 2010
Imgur Works With Stack Overflow

Cool to hear that Imgur, the image posting service used a lot by the reddit.com crowd is supplying the New Image Upload Support over at Stack Overflow. Great stuff!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:26 AM
August 16, 2010
Mac Lipstick For Windows

If you love your Mac enough that you'd do anything to feel like you're using it while at work or on a windows machine, you will be interested in this transformation pack that turns your windows system into something that looks (a bit) like OS/X. Sadly as I've found in the year or two I've had a mac it's really not the "bling" that makes the mac nice to work on, but the underlying framework, interface guidelines, and apps. But if you have a jones for a dock and menu bar along the top, this might be for you.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:52 AM
August 13, 2010
Video of Shark Circling Surfer

After watching this video why would you ever go anywhere near the water again!?!?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 06:08 AM
August 10, 2010
Statistical Analysis of the Attractiveness of User Profile Pictures

Another great Daring Fireball Linked List link to a Statistical Analysis of the Attractiveness of User Profile Pictures, asserting, among other things, that iPhone users have more sex (presumably with other people that is).

As an iPhone user, I must agree with this.

</troll>

Some other interesting stuff as well, including analysis of sexiness by camera make, class, flash or no flash, etc.

Funny Stuff , Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:51 AM
Cooking Diary Website

Great looking and informative site called My Cooking Diary. Super simple and a gorgeous design.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:23 AM
August 04, 2010
OhLife Lets You Record Your Day

Blogging a bit too much of a commitment for you? Check out OhLife, described as:

Every night we'll email you the question "How did your day go?" Just reply with your entry and it's saved here instantly.

Via Shawn Blanc.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:26 AM
August 03, 2010
64 Things Every Geek Should Know

Cool and useful list of 64 Things Every Geek Should Know. Via someone on twitter.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:37 PM
July 28, 2010
View From a Car Carrier

Fantastic shot and description over on flickr called View From a Car Carrier. Read the description to see what it's like steering one of those huge cargo ships. I also encourage you to go through the rest of the My Office Window set of images showing the varied life of a cargo ship driver who does nothing but ferry these boats in and out of the harbor. This was featured on the flickr blog today.

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:07 AM
July 26, 2010
Coolest Motorcyle Ever!

If this is even remotely real, this bike is the most awesome thing ever!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:53 PM
Movie Characters That Were Real People

Cool list from Odee on 10 Movie Characters That Turned Out To Be Real People.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:01 AM
July 22, 2010
The "God Hates Fags" Counterprotest

Great shots over at io9 of the comic-con "God Hates Fags" counterprotest with awesome geek oriented signs. Seriously, can't we pack these Westboro Baptist Church assholes off to a mining colony somewhere where there isn't enough air? Just sayin....

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:11 PM
July 20, 2010
Paradox Free Time Travel

Physicists reveal how the universe guarantees paradox-free time travel. Yay!

Time travel isn't just science fiction: Albert Einstein's general relativity suggests it could exist. And now we might have solved the tricky matter of time paradoxes. It's all just a question of adjusting probabilities.
Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:43 PM
July 14, 2010
Get a Free Year of Amazon Prime with an .EDU Address

Get a Free Year of Amazon Prime with an .EDU Address via Lifehacker.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:35 PM
Design Process

Very cool look at the design process as someone redesigns the HTC 1.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:54 AM
July 12, 2010
Skype Blocks fring

Not sure if this is the next big scandal, but I've seen a couple of stories on how Skype has blocked Fring. Fring is an iPhone app that's been around for a few years now and connects to a bunch of different messenger services, including skype. With the iPhone 4 they've recently shown off how they too can do video calling over skype (which, I believe, skype doesn't do yet).

From the Fring blog:


Needless to say, we are very disappointed that Skype, who once championed the cause of openness is now trying to muzzle competition, even at the expense of its own users.

We're sorry for the inconvenience Skype has caused you.

Another story on this is here. Not sure if this is maybe some "oops" and it'll turn out to be a non issue, but I can see a lot of Fring users, and general internet rage about this.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:13 AM
July 06, 2010
Back to the Future DIY Power Laces

Power Laces- the Auto lacing shoe and full how to build instructions. Need I say more?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:58 PM
July 05, 2010
Eating Well On $1 A Day

Story from a true food buying ninja: Eating Well On $1 A Day.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:49 PM
Big Bang Big Boom, New Wall-Painted Animation

Another amazing New Wall-Painted Animation by BLU. You've seen the other one I'm sure, this one is just as good or better.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:41 PM
July 04, 2010
iOS vs. Android vs. webOS

A nice take on iOS vs. Android vs. webOS, at least, if you ignore that webOS and Palm are all but DOA of course....

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:19 PM
July 02, 2010
Secrets Behind Old Spice Commercial

The "I'm on a horse" guy Reveals Secrets Behind Old Spice Commercial.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:02 PM
June 25, 2010
Hybrid Disk: Half Vinyl Half CD

Very cool Hybrid Disk, thanks Laughing Squid.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:37 PM
Tom Cook, "A Day in the Life of Facebook Operations"

Great, though long, talk on YA Day in the Life of Facebook Operations by Tom Cook.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:36 PM
Bionic Cat Gets World's First Implant Paws

Great to know that medical science is helping our four legged friends as well. We can hope that the tech created for cat paws will move to people hands soon too.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:59 AM
June 23, 2010
4Chan, Zach Anner and the Oprah Contest

I've only recently become aware of the happenings on the interwebs with Zach Anner and the Oprah Contest. From the article:


There's a lot of anger and snark on the internet (I should know, I write some of it), so it was great news that this weekend gave us an internet story that just makes you smile. That story is the tale of Zach Anner, a young man with cerebral palsy, who became the internet's latest celebrity when he entered Oprah Winfrey's contest to give a regular person their own TV show. Anner's audition video was hilarious and his overall good nature won over the internet and soon a few well-placed links had landed him more than two and a half million votes!

Read on there, and then check this out, and then the answers to reddit video, which might explain things a bit more.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:31 PM
Farewell to the Notification Area

Farewell to the notification area.... what Ubuntu is doing to make this happen and why.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:06 PM
Flickr Updates Their Photo Pages

The Flickr Blog writes about their New Photo Experience. Looks good!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:15 PM
Tumbler Golf Cart

Remember Batman's Tumbler BatMobile from the latest Batman movies? Well, now there's a Tumbler Golf Cart.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:06 PM
June 21, 2010
Multi-Blog Sites with Wordpress 3.0

Thanks to Curtis for pointing me to this article on Everything you wanted to know about creating a network of multiple sites in 3.0. This is something I've been looking for to possibly combine all my various personal sites into one management system, should I decide to leave Movable Type that is.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:43 AM
June 19, 2010
Kittenify Any Webpage

For some people, this Kittens Bookmarklet will simply be the best thing ever. Via http://teabass.com/.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:59 AM
June 15, 2010
Adobe Flash Update Tries to Install McAfee

Adobe updates Flash against security flaw - but watch out for the extras. Seriously? A company as big as Adobe has to do this crap?

Sneaky, that - trying to get you to install McAfee Security Scan Plus when all you actually want is an update of Flash.

I can understand if you're a small company trying to get a bit of extra revenue from installing crapware like the Ask toolbar, etc, but Adobe seems a bit big to do this sort of thing. The only justification I can see is that they are truly concerned about user's security and feel they aren't going to listen to a "hey, you know you should have an AV program installed" type message, and figure it's better to just shove AV software down their throats. I pity the IT workers that are going to have to deal with uninstalling this or dealing with conflicts or other really bad things resulting from users randomly installing things on their computers.

Random Linkage , Security - Posted by Arcterex at 01:09 PM
5 Gun Myths

List of 5 Ridiculous Gun Myths Everyone Believes (Thanks to Movies) at Cracked.com. Everything from silencers to bullets exploding everything they hit, with real life video examples :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:54 AM
June 14, 2010
Picrap Offers No Hassle TV Show Streaming In and Outside of the US

From Aryk: Lifehacker has some tips on how Picrap Offers No Hassle TV Show Streaming In and Outside of the US. I'm told it works well, haven't tried it yet myself.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:09 PM
10 Craziest Green Ideas

Oddee.com has their list of the 10 Craziest Green Ideas, from brothels offering discounts for bike users to electricity generating dancefloors.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:55 AM
June 10, 2010
The Problem With White Space

Great essay called My Problem With White Space over at the Echo Enduring Blog.

Now, I know that white space is an important element in layout and design. Yet, somehow, it seems that when that empty space is sitting there, staring back at me, I find myself struggling with the need to fill that space.
Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:07 PM
Working Lego Sniper Rifle

Holy crap. I'm not a fan of people owning high powered sniper rifles, but making your own lee enfield sniper rifle out of lego? Hell yes!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:22 PM
R/C Millennium Falcon Will Give You Nerd Wood

Thanks to Aryk for showing me this R/C Millennium Falcon Now Available For Pre-Order and draining both my wallet and my dignity as I scream out "OMG I MUST HAVE THIS" in the middle of the office.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:02 AM
CS vs Tetris Video

Sort of like the Animator vs Animation videos a bit ago.... kinda. Check out CS vs Tetris, pretty damn good (and has a great ending, so don't miss it).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:57 AM
June 09, 2010
The Next Mortal Kombat Re-Imagining

kotaku.com has a trailer for a new Mortal Combat re-imagining, featuring Jeri Ryan. They also have an update with some more details about what this is all about.

Movies , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:38 AM
June 04, 2010
LA Without Cars

Very cool video of LA Without Cars showcased on slashfilm. The home site of the video has more info and a description and examples of how it was done.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:00 PM
Aliens vs Human Intelligence

Absolutely brilliant video of a talk on Aliens vs Human Intelligence related to DNA.

Great stuff.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:43 PM
On Ballmer / Jobs At D8

Good post on the 37 Signals blog on Steve Ballmer at D8. I'm not an MS fan by any means, but based on the clips out of Ballmer when asked about the future of computing, tablets, etc, he did seem to be kinda talking out his ass and not making sense at all, especially compared to Jobs. Not that MS is in any danger of going out of business any time soon of course :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:45 AM
Chimpanzee Problem Solving

Sad thing is that I think the chimp solved this faster and with a better solution than I would have come up with.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:24 AM
June 03, 2010
35 Lego Mega Constructions

35 Lego Mega Constructions You (Probably) Haven't Seen Before over at hongkiat.com.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:14 PM
Early 1900s in Colour

Awesome set of images: Early 1900s in Colour.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:16 PM
Zed Shaw on Flash

Based on the title of Fuck Flash In The Fucking Neck With Barbed Wire Coated In Arsenic, I'm guessing that Zed Shaw has some strong feelings about flash. Just sayin. Great read.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:10 AM
June 02, 2010
Lego Printer

This Lego Printer is very cool.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:55 AM
June 01, 2010
New Concept In Banking - Banksimple

If you read the FAQ for BankSimple, you'll probably be sold with the 'how do I deposit a check' question. No idea if anyone is going to buy into a "new" bank, but if they come to Canada I'd probably give them a chance, based purely on their attitude towards customers (well, at least on the webpage).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:46 AM
May 28, 2010
Autonomous Quadrotor Flight

Via @milesforrest is this video of Aggressive Maneuvers for an Autonomous Quadrotor Flight. Bad description really, just watch the awesomeness:

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:49 PM
Gary Coleman Dies

Sad to hear that Gary Coleman has passed on.

Utah Valley Regional Medical Center spokeswoman Janet Frank said life support was terminated and Coleman died at 12:05 p.m. MDT.

More on CNN. Very sad to hear, I used to rush inside every afternoon at 4pm to make sure I could catch the new episode of Different Strokes. Bye bye Arnold, we'll miss you.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:31 PM
May 27, 2010
50 Informative and Well-Designed Infographics

Hongkiat has a list of 50 Informative and Well-Designed Infographics. My favorite one is the space exploration one (of course).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 06:47 PM
The FlashBake Project

I heard about FlashBake a while back on TWiG. Basically it will periodically commit all the "stuff" you're doing, along with context (music playing, that sort of thing) to a GIT repository. Basically a private "life backup" system. Something to play with for the geeks out there.

Random Linkage , Software - Posted by Arcterex at 04:25 PM
Nikon 6mm Fisheye

Photographers are probably the only people who will understand the awesomeness that is this Nikon 6mm fisheye that has shown up on ebay and is making it round the blogs lately.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:37 PM
May 26, 2010
Parrot AR.Drone Gets Price and Release Date (Almost)

Remember that awesome iPhone controlled flying drone from a few months back? Well, at E3 it will get a price and release date.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:12 AM
May 25, 2010
List of Real Life Cheat Codes

Reddit has their list of Real Life Cheat Codes. Everything from how to play a DVD and get straight to the movie to getting out of speeding tickets. Of course, your mileage may vary with some of these :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:01 AM
May 19, 2010
A Real Iron Man Suit

If you have some free time and $4000, you too could build A Real Iron Man Suit. Thanks to Aryk for the link. My only comment? "OMGWTFWANT!"

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:32 AM
May 18, 2010
Kevin Rose Gives A Glimpse Of The New Digg

Deep analysis on techcrunch as Kevin Rose Gives A Glimpse Of The New Digg.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:57 PM
The Pirate Bay Back Online

In case it's gone when you read this, you can see bythis image that The Pirate Bay is back online and mocking the entertainment industry for trying to shut them down. Silly multi-bazillion-dollar industry can't even stop some guys in Sweden from running a server....

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:40 AM
May 17, 2010
A "life-changing" Can for the Blind

Cool story about some young inventors from the West Bank, A "life-changing" invention.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:56 PM
The Hacker's Code

Haven't seen this one before: The Hacker's Code - from reddit.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:26 AM
IBM Model M Keyboard Simulator

Reminisce about the good ol' days when a men had real keyboards that went clack clack? You'll love the IBM Model M Keyboard Simulator which is pretty much exactly what you think it is. Just make sure your sound is turned up to "manly".

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:06 AM
May 16, 2010
The Geek Alphabet

Joey the Accordian Guy posted a great list of The Geek Alphabet. In this link much awesomeness lies.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:43 PM
May 14, 2010
Random Awesome: Jewel - The Needle And The Damage Done

Found from some conversation on the Howard Stern show this morning, here's Jewel doing a live cover of The Needle And The Damage Done

That's just awesome.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:08 AM
May 12, 2010
Amazing Gymnasts

Wow, you thought you had some skills? Check out these crazy gymnastics!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:02 PM
May 11, 2010
Techniques to Extract Anything from its Background

Another nice fozbaca find is this Photoshop tutorial: 6 techniques to extract anything from its background.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:00 PM
The Attempt to Leave Apache Forever Fails Painfully

Eric Harrison has a great writeup on his attempt to replace Apache with Cherokee, and the challenges (and painful fail) he encountered.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:48 PM
The Humble Indie Bundle

When the "pay what you want" Humble Indie Bundle came out a while back, I noticed, but since the games weren't "big titles", I was kinda "meh". However, today when coming back to the site I noticed that the games are all cross-platform, and after watching the video, the games actually look pretty good. Hey, if you don't want to play them gift them to a friend or neighborhood kid who could use something nice. Remember that it goes to help the Child's Play and EFF charities.

Gaming , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:11 PM
Motor Trend pits Lexus LFA against Nissan GT-R

In the mood for some awesome car porn? Check this this video where Motor Trend pitted Lexus LFA against Nissan GT-R in epic drag race from Autoblog.com. That's some sexy car right there. Recommended watching in the 720p version!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:36 PM
May 10, 2010
Simple Desktop Wallpaper

Simple Desktops is a collection of simple desktop images for people who like a more clean system to work on.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:42 PM
May 06, 2010
Opera Software Offers Thoughts on Future of Flash

Seems like everyone is weighing in on Flash after Steve Jobs put up his open letter a few days ago. Today there comes Opera Software Offers Thoughts on Future of Flash where they basically say that they'll continue to support it, but sees it taking a backseat to HTML5 in the future.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:56 AM
May 05, 2010
The Largest Electric R/C Model (One Of)

Great video of a 19 foot spanning B-50 bomber model, flown by Tony Nijhuis and is one of the largest R/C Models in the world.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:43 PM
May 04, 2010
Amazing Remote Control Helicopter Tricks

A video of some pretty Amazing Tricks done by someone who I would never let fly me in a real chopper (or car for that matter) :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:42 PM
May 03, 2010
Inc. Live Live Video Chat with 37 Signals Founder

Inc. Live is doing a free video webcast in just under an hour:

Jason Fried, co-founder of 37signals and Inc. columnist returns for a live video chat on business innovation. Join the conversation on Monday, May 3rd at Noon EST / 9 am PST.
Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:09 AM
Connect Designers and Developers

Build It With Me is an interesting idea.... say if you are a designer or developer, put in an overview of your project, and what you're seeking, and.... uhmm... profit? It's a cool looking idea, and a sexy (but a bit slow) website. I'm not sure if it's really just a way to get free work on your project, or potentially a great way to connect people to work on projects. If you're looking for a project to help out on or something to do in your free time, this is the place to get it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:04 AM
April 29, 2010
Video: Princess Leia. Car Wash

Star wars + car wash + lots of Princess Leias ==
Princess Leia Car wash. I think I'm in love.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:08 AM
April 27, 2010
Stack Exchange 2.0

I somehow managed to miss the announcement of Stack Exchange 2.0, even though I listen to the StackOverflow podcast every week.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:00 PM
April 26, 2010
Buying Stock Vs. Product

Kyle Conroy asks Should I have bought that Apple Product? and compares what you'd have now if you had bought the same amount of Apple Stock instead of that first MacBook Pro. Of course, it's a pretty silly comparison, as you're comparing something that has a value that goes up (stock) compared to something that's value goes down (sometimes like a rock) (computer hardware).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:18 PM
Awesome Video of Shock waves and Eruptions at Eyjafjalajökull

Found on reddit is a great video with some of the crazy stuff going on inside the crater during eruptions.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:08 AM
April 22, 2010
Stunning Images from Eyjafjallajokull

The Big Picture has STUNNING images from Eyjafjallajokull. Wow.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:16 AM
April 20, 2010
The Scariest Pricing Idea Ever. That Works.

Great post on twitter from someone on The scariest pricing idea ever. That works. The "pay me what you think it's worth" model is something you'd think is crazy, but apparently works. Case in point: Radio Head's "pay us what you think it's worth" album.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:51 PM
What a Tweet Looks Like

Cool look at What a Tweet Looks Like. Amazing amount of data crammed into there.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:59 PM
Selecting Hair with Refine Edge in CS5

Another "holy crap" video on the new Photoshop CS5 with the video look at Selecting hair with Refine Edge in CS5.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:24 AM
April 19, 2010
What The Surface Of The Sun Looks Like

Cool picture and explanation at io9.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:21 PM
April 16, 2010
The 7 Most Soul-Crushing Series Finales in TV History

The 7 Most Soul-Crushing Series Finales in TV History from cracked. Some gems in there.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:02 PM
April 15, 2010
Volcano in Iceland

Amazing Volcano in Iceland images and video on the Flickr Blog.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:46 PM
April 14, 2010
Mona Lisa & Leonardo Da Vinci: The 3D Truth in old Masters

Sure it's an ad for 3D TVs, but this Mona Lisa & Leonardo Da Vinci: The 3D Truth in old Masters is epic. Thanks to grizzled for sending it over, and the suggestion of 720p and full screen.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:06 PM
10 Neat Hermit Crab Houses

Very cool to see some of the wild (and the coolest, the clear ones) Neat Hermit Crab Houses.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:02 PM
April 13, 2010
KittehRoulette: Random Kitten Videos

Kudos to @pennyminder for sending me KittehRoulette to give me an afternoon injection of cute.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:54 PM
The Music Industry & Online Piracy by the Numbers

The Music Industry & Online Piracy by the Numbers. Great infographic.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:06 PM
April 12, 2010
50 Hot Designer Desktop Wallpapers

Some Mac specific of course, but some great looking wallpapers on the Appstorm post of 50 Hot Designer Mac Desktops.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:58 PM
April 08, 2010
60 Fascinating AppStorm Reader Setups

Some pretty sweet AppStorm Reader Setups with all sorts of lustworthy hardware and desktop art. Wish I could get my office that clean!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:35 PM
April 07, 2010
Things to do with an Old computer

Two cool articles:


Mac specific, but most of these can be completely Mac/PC agnostic :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:25 PM
The Thrill of Flying the SR-71 Blackbird

Great writeup on Gizmodo on The Thrill of Flying the SR-71 Blackbird from a pilot who flew it and who did some pretty awesome stuff.


She likes the high Mach, as we penetrate deeper into Libyan airspace. Leaving the footprint of our sonic boom across Benghazi , I sit motionless, with stilled hands on throttles and the pitch control, my eyes glued to the gauges.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:46 AM
April 05, 2010
Web Design Time-Lapse

Buddy of mine or IRC posted a cool Web Design Time-lapse. I'm pretty sure if you freeze frame you can see me chatting to him on IRC :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:58 PM
Download 700+ Free Scifi Books Onto Your iPhone

IO9 tells us how to Download 700+ Free Scifi Books Onto Your iPhone.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:23 PM
Three Monitors For Every User

Jeff Atwood is advocating Three Monitors For Every User over at Coding Horror. Outside of the fact that I don't have enough video ports to make this work at home, I have to agree. The "center focus" issue for me is hardest, though the downside is the lack of desk space.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:26 AM
April 01, 2010
2010 April Fool's Jokes

Today is normally a day to avoid the internet entirely, but I did venture out and find a couple of cool things. I'll try to catalog the good stuff as I find it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:51 AM
March 31, 2010
Why You Should Never Pay More Than $10 For HDMI Cables

Why You Should Never Pay More Than $10 For HDMI Cables. Something to pass on to your Monster Cable loving friends and family.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:03 PM
March 30, 2010
50 Inspiring, Awesome & Stylish Mac Setups

Via @curtismchale (again) comes 50 Inspiring, Awesome & Stylish Mac Setups. Mac fanboy or not, these are some sweet setups. I particularly like the iPhone holder in this shot.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:01 AM
March 25, 2010
Video - Rush Hour Dream

Pretty epic video about hanggliding: RUSH HOUR DREAM. Ah, I wish.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:37 PM
March 19, 2010
The 20 Greatest Shows Canceled By Fox Before Their Time

Great list of The 20 Greatest Shows Canceled By Fox Before Their Time. Some real classics in there, but some that I've never heard of (though the 'counting with Bruce Springsteen' sketch on the Ben Stiller show clip is great).

Sadly it looks like most of the video clips have been pulled by.... Fox. *sigh*. Tell me again how video clips of cancelled shows is going to threaten them?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:48 AM
March 18, 2010
2010 Winter Paralympics @ The Big Picture

Another great set of images of the 2010 Winter Paralympics at The Big Picture. Pro tip (thanks MacBreak Weekly) you can use the j and k keys to move up and down the pictures.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:37 PM
Chat Roulette Video

This chat roulette video from Casey is good and goes in and defines what this new phenomenon is all about.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:59 PM
Get a Real Human On The Phone

GetHuman.com is a directory of numbers and tips to get a real person on the phone when calling those big companies.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:19 PM
March 15, 2010
Flickr Color Picker

The Color Fields Colr Pickr allows you to select a color, and it will show you images from Flickr with that color. Pretty simple, but really cool.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:38 PM
Rock Climbing Photography

Nice video showing some great Rock Climbing Photography. Well, the videos are ads for Nikon, but the video and stills are awesome, and the scenics out at Yosemite are gorgeous.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:33 PM
March 09, 2010
Energizer Battery Charger Contains Backdoor

I read this story about how the Energizer battery charger contains a backdoor and I have a few issues with it. First, agree with Reddit in this is why the world needs open source. Second though, is WTF do you need your battery charger to plug into the computer, or have it do anything but pull power from the USB. Seriously, am I an old fogey when I say that back in my day you plugged your battery charger into the wall socket...

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:35 AM
March 05, 2010
Awesome iPhone Looping Performance

The title this is under is: This is possibly the coolest thing I've seen one man and an iPhone do, and while I don't understand the french it's being done in, damn, that is pretty awesome.

Random Linkage , iPhone - Posted by Arcterex at 09:06 AM
March 04, 2010
15-Year-Old Sven Junga Creates Starships From LEGO Bricks

IO9 has a gallery of pictures from 15-Year-Old Sven Junga who Creates Starships From LEGO. Wow, I miss being 15 :(

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:05 PM
March 02, 2010
Blockbuster Brings Back Late Fees

Great job Blockbuster, Bringing Back Late Fees after all the big "no more late fees" marketing campaign. Of course, they claim they aren't "late" fees, they are and "additional daily rate". Yea, I totally see the difference there.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:56 PM
Vancouver 2010 @ The Big Picture

The Big Picture from Boston.com has put up part 2/2 of their Vancouver 2010 series of excellent pictures. For me #3, #6, and #38 and #39 of course (sorry USA :)

Thanks again for the great shots boston.com.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:10 AM
March 01, 2010
Happy Holi!

To all my Indian friends, happy Holi (the festival of colours)!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:42 PM
February 25, 2010
Tom Brokaw Explains Canada to Americans

Cool video of Tom Brokaw Explaining Canada to Americans. Apparently Canada kicks ass!

Hopefully we can have that "uncharacteristic act of patriotism" today as our Women go up against the US Women's team in the gold medal hockey game and kick their asses :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:06 AM
Darren Barefoot on Cool Tim Hortons Ad

Darren Barefoot has some interesting thoughts on Tim Hortons and the Immigrant Experience in regards to the following ad that's been airing here lately.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:28 AM
The Who's Baba O'Reily, Played on Think Geek Items

WWDN put up this great video of The Who's Baba O'Reily, played using only items from Think Geek. So maybe it's no Kirsten Dunst, but I find this one even more awesome :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:19 AM
February 23, 2010
Anti-Procrastination Article

If You Want to Be Fit, Don't Buy New Running Shoes by Scott H Young (via @johnkoetsier is a nice look at how to get stuff done without being bogged down in the details (and therefor not getting things done).

When you get caught up in minutia, the really important stuff gets left undone. Often simply because in buying the low-carb salad dressing, you give yourself a mental checkmark in the "healthy eating" column and proceed to violate the truly important issues.
Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:55 PM
Very Cool Flash / Music Mashup

Labuat, passed on from a buddy of mine on IRC is a nifty mashup of music and art, essentially an interactive song. Or something. Hard to describe, just hit play :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:03 AM
February 22, 2010
15 Things You Should Know About Breasts

From The Best Article Every day comes 15 Things You Should Know About Breasts, presented without comment or crude remarks.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:37 PM
The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Photo Group Pool

Got an olympic shot from the Vancouver 2010 games? Submit it onto the Flickr The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Photo Group Pool.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:20 PM
Email Phishing Flow Chart

Lifehacker has a nice Phishing Flow Chart that none of the people reading this (all 3 of you) will need, but might be something to pass on to your parents or relatives.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:46 AM
February 19, 2010
Women Secretly Desire Hairy Geeks

An article on slashdot confirms something I've long suspected!

From the article: 'Most women claim to be attracted to tall, dark and handsome men, but a new study has revealed that facial stubble and a geeky personality are their biggest secret turn-ons.
Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:39 PM
February 18, 2010
5 New Rules of Productivity

Interesting look at some new(ish) thinking about productivity, with The top 5 new rules of productivity. Sometimes I wish the people around me grokked this stuff....

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:35 AM
World Record Kick to the Groin

Male readers encouraged to not watch the following Sports Science: "World Record Kick to the Groin" video.

Seriously, just don't watch it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:30 AM
February 17, 2010
The Big Bang Theory T-Shirt Database

SheldonShirts.com - now you too can dress in the same shirts as your favorite TV geeks.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:52 PM
February 15, 2010
Largest Lightsaber Fight EVER

Slashfilm has info and video of the Largest Lightsaber Fight EVER at a british FlashMob. Looks epicly awesome, I'd love to be there to see the expressions on the "normal" patrons faces when all of a sudden lightsabers appeared all around them!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:30 PM
February 12, 2010
Pattie Maes Demos The Sixth Sense

Cool TED talk on the Sixth Sense, involving a webcam, finger markers, and a mini-projector that allows all sorts of great metadata/real world/gargoyle type data access.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:41 PM
10 Facts you Didn't Know about Living in Outer Space

Cool post on Oddee with 10 Facts you Didn't Know about Living in Outer Space. #6 was the most surprising to me.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:50 AM
February 09, 2010
Aerial Photo Panorama of the Olympic Village, Vancouver

Very sweet Aerial Photo Panorama of my town of Vancouver, centered on the Olympic Village.

Here are two other panoramas from Squamish, BC:

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:41 AM
February 08, 2010
Reddit ProTips

Know when that snarky bastard says "protip, just [something something]"? Check out the list of reddit supplied protips at the What is your best PROTIP? discussion.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:49 PM
February 05, 2010
The Thickness of Napkins

Contrast The Blog has a nice little look at The thickness of napkins and compares it to computer software and hardware.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:19 AM
February 03, 2010
Latest on Oscar Pirating

Another great post from waxy.org on Pirating the 2010 Oscars.


Avast, ye scurvy dogs! The Oscar nominees were announced yesterday, which means it's time again to revisit the eternal war between the MPAA and Internet movie pirates.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:50 PM
February 02, 2010
Interview With A 419 Scammer

Very cool Interview with a scammer over at Scam Detectives. Excerpt:


John: First you need to understand how the gangs work. At the bottom are the "foot soldiers", kids who spend all of their time online to find email addresses and send out the first emails to get people interested. When they receive a reply, the victim is passed up the chain, to someone who has better English to get copies of ID from them like copies of their passport and driving licenses and build up trust. Then when they are ready to ask for money, they are passed further up again to someone who will pretend to be a barrister or shipping agent who will tell the victim that they need to pay charges or even a bribe to get the big cash amount out of the country. When they pay up, the gang master will collect the money from the Western Union office, using fake ID that they have taken from other scam victims.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:31 PM
January 28, 2010
Vancouver City feat. Linda Ganzini

Fantastic video of Vancouver shared by a bunch of friends on Facebook. Completely recommend the HD version, but embedded here for your pleasure.


I'm very happy I live here, rain, grey and all!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:56 AM
January 27, 2010
Catching an iPhone Thief

Another cool story about How to catch an iPhone thief, this with more detective work than the last one. Still cool use of technology.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:32 AM
January 25, 2010
Bottlenose Dolphins Mud-ring Feeding

Pretty damn awesome video of Bottlenose dolphins mud-ring feeding (from the new BBC series "Life").



I tell you all they need is thumbs and we're all screwed!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:01 PM
January 24, 2010
Demonoid Is Open To All Without An Invite

Torrentfreak reports that Demonoid Is Open To All Without An Invite as part of their promise to come back bigger and better than before.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:56 PM
10 Outdated Desktop OS Elements

Really good article over at Engadget of 10 outdated elements of desktop operating systems. Especially when you think about how far technology has come (the iPhone, etc) since the whole "window mouse" paradigm came into the forground of conciousness in the 80's.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:17 PM
January 20, 2010
Puppy Cam Season 2

The puppy cam is back!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:05 PM
TED Talks: David Blaine: How I held my breath for 17 min

JWZ links to a TED Talk from Magician David Blaine on How I held my breath for 17 min. Very cool to see. TED Talks FTW.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:12 PM
How To Tell a Scam on Social Networking Site

Nice run through that may help the "normies" to tell scams on social networking sites. Similar rules that I send to people who (still!!) pass around the Microsoft will give you $100 if you forward this email scam. The new web 2.0 world has made some changes to confuse new users about what they're doing though. From the article:


Next thing, he asks you to invite all your friends (standard stuff, almost every group wants to be famous!). But here he asks you to paste what is called "JavaScript" (it doesn't start with HTTP://" so it's not a link). Now here all it does is select all of your friends, but it could just as much infect your computer with a virus, make you go to any site he wants, etc. Don't ever type in any JavaScript directly into your address bar.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:43 AM
January 19, 2010
101 Ways to Lose Your Gut From Men's Fitness

101 Ways to Lose Your Gut over at Men's Fitness has a bunch of small tips that in theory, can do some help. Not sure if they can help you without some willpower and ambition (two things I'm sorely lacking right now) but they are at least a list of nice, concise tips.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:55 PM
Why Your Twitter Followers Don't Matter

Nice post on some things to do and not do on twitter, and Why Your 4,243,564 Twitter Followers Don't Mean Jack. Speaking of which, these people who follow thousands and thousands of people I don't understand, there's no way you can read or get any decent content from all those people, and quite frankly it's just annoying because I know you're not following my tweets (at @arcterex) because you care about me or what I have to say, you're just absorbing me into you mega-twitter feed for your SEO (or TEO?). Meh.

Ironically I got this link from looking at one of those people's feeds while trying to see if they were all SEO spam or random links or not :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:48 AM
January 18, 2010
Martin Luther King, Jr. Sings in Memphis. Happy MLK Day!

Hopefully not an offensive use of auto-tune is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Sings in Memphis mashup.


Happy Martin Luther King Day my American friends!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:48 PM
1001 Noisy Cameras Going Ad-Free

One of the (sad IMHO) realities these days is that if you have either a site that gets a non-trivial amount of traffic, or want to have the time available to you to run a site as more than a hobby, you need to run ads. Google ads are the most common, and are easily blocked with Adblock. Note: I both use adblock and also run google ads on this site. Anyway, the very cool site 1001 Noisy Cameras is going ad-free.

The site is a plethora of camera related news, with an amazing amount of content each day and while I had to put 'maybe' in the poll, I definitely wish them the best of luck and look forward to seeing how the endeavor goes.

As an aside, over here in UFies land, the income from having ads on the blog is somewhere between $0.07 - $3.50 a day on average (that's $0.008/h to $0.44/h) . Though I do appreciate everyone who goes to visit some sponsors :)

Photography , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:59 PM
Revision3 Woos Conan O'Brien

In the Revision 3 Blog, they have An Open Letter to Conan O'Brien, introducing him to the internet and working conditions at Revision 3. Personally I think it'd be interesting to see a "mainstream" celebrity go from TV to the internet, and see if the alteration in the payment model, which in theory would give more money to the personality instead of the studio for advertising, etc, would make a real difference and allow the celeb to make a real go of it.

Good luck to Rev 3 in their hopeful aquisition :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:32 PM
Football Games Have 11 Minutes of Action

In the article saying that Football Games Have 11 Minutes of Action this confirms what I've always suspected.... that there's a hugely disproportionate signal to noise ratio (or in this case, game to crap ratio) in football:


According to a Wall Street Journal study of four recent broadcasts, and similar estimates by researchers, the average amount of time the ball is in play on the field during an NFL game is about 11 minutes.

I wonder if there is a similar study for something good, like Hockey?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:01 AM
January 15, 2010
Crash test 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air VS. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu

Who'd thunk who the winner would be?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:39 PM
Someone's American Idol Experience @ Reddit/r/iama

Very cool story of My American Idol Experience by someone over on the "I Am A" section on Reddit. An excerpt:


I was immediately ushered into a room and forced to sign the second contract of the process, which gave away most of my body and most of my soul to Fox.

[...]the producers were shameless in reminding us that American Idol is a television show first, and a talent competition second. If we wanted to be on TV, we'd have to tell a compelling story and do and say crazy shit.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:40 PM
Skateboarders Are Nuts

As this image illustrates.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:41 PM
January 14, 2010
Star Wars Burlesque

Slashfilm has some more pictures of the Star Wars Burlesque that I mentioned a couple of days ago.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:47 PM
January 13, 2010
Sexy Boba Fett

It's a slow morning so I give you a hot and sexy Boba Fett.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:31 AM
January 11, 2010
Creative Billboard Advertising Campaigns

Web Urbanist has a great list of Creative Billboard Advertising Campaigns.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:10 PM
WW1: Experiences of an English Soldier: The Last Letter

Anyone who has been following the WW1 blog, a timeshifted blog of letters from a soldier in The Great War posted in real time (well, 90 years later) will be sad (and happy) that Harry's Home. The last letter was posted today. The author, Bill Lamin, has done an excellent job of creating a unique blog that has given me (and others I'm sure) great joy to read. He updates the post with his plans and what's next. If you haven't read it, head over and read from the start, or skim, as it's a unique look at a life that seems like it's from another world, but in fact wasn't that long ago.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:15 PM
January 07, 2010
Science Tattoos

Boing Boing links to the gallery of science tattoos over at Discover Magazine.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:16 AM
Drop of Water At 2000 FPS

Who knew a video of a drop of water filmed at 2000fps would be so freaky?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:09 AM
January 06, 2010
YouTube Porn Day

So looks like the infamous 4Chan has declared today (January 6, 2010) "Porn day". Seems YouTube is facing a 4chan porn attack after the removal of a kids account who, among other childish things, posted about how he was going after 4chan and had God on his side. Techmeme also has the story.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:12 AM
January 05, 2010
The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs

Great (though a bit long) slide presentation on The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs. Mac fanboy or Windows fanboy you have to admit he is a king of the presentation, and there are a few gems in there that I think anyone can take away to use in their professional life.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:22 AM
January 04, 2010
India Monkey King Rock Climber

Anyone will be impressed by this video of the India Monkey King, with rock climbers being probably even more so, cause they know just how insane this guy is. This guy taught himself to rock climb to escape poverty in India, watching monkeys and Spider-man for inspiration. All I can say is "wow".

Via this reddit link.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:28 PM
January 01, 2010
Welcoming 2010 - The Big Picture

Boston.com's "The Big Picture" has an excellent display of Welcoming 2010 with a great selection of images from NYE celebrations around the world.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:16 PM
Year 2010 Windows 7 Theme

The Windows Blog has a pointer on how you can Celebrate the Arrival of 2010 with a New Windows 7 Theme. Pretty nice!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:11 PM
December 30, 2009
Threats to Boing Boing Over Demi Moore Cover Photo Analysis

Seems that Demi Moore's dogs are being set on Boing-Boing over several posts of photo analysis of the infamous "missing hip flesh" cover shot.

Speaking as a photographer, every single cover image on every single fashion magazine cover has been photoshopped and manipulated. Hell, every magazine cover has been photoshopped in some way or another. Seriously, anyone with half a brain can clearly see that fashion mags take liberties (sometimes more than others) with skin smoothing, enhancements, de-hancements, etc. Demi needs to just chill the f out and bring back the dogs, and say to the world "yea, my image was manipulated to make me look my best, same as every other cover girl out there, deal with it". I think this has gone down a road that will be hard to gracefully back out of though.

Great article though with lots of pics, info and links.

Related: Analysis of a photshopped image.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:25 AM
December 24, 2009
ISP Ads Lie (Shock!)

Basically Every ISP Is Trying to Scare You Into Paying for Internet You Don't Need. A shocking example of advertising at its worst from your favorite Internet service providers.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:01 PM
December 23, 2009
Backupify Cloud Backup Free

Ah, more deals... Backupify Cloud Backup is free until January 31. I've never heard of this service before, but it allows you to back up your cloud services (facebook, twitter, flickr, etc) to another cloud service. I'm not sure it totally makes sense, but backups are good right? The deal is free and unlimited backup after you're signed up, which is nice. Still cool (but remember that you need to trust any service you give over the keys to your online services to).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:28 AM
December 21, 2009
Amazing Metal Models From Young Park

Great article and pictures on Model Makers of Young C. Park and his amazingly crafted model aircraft.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:03 PM
12 Fascinating Motorcycles

It's not often I go "oooh" when looking through these "top X of Y" lists on the net, but the 12 Fascinating Motorcycles over at Oddee.com is pretty good, especially the first one.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:36 PM
December 17, 2009
Rogers 3G Data Down in BC and AB Canada

According to this tweet (and others if you search for rogers on twitter say that there's a data network outage on Fido/Rogers in BC and Alberta. So if you can't get your twitters or email on your smartphone, that's probably the reason.

Also this link has some more info (well, tweets from people experiencing the same thing anyway).

Update: Looks like it might have just come back. Fingers crossed that's it. To be fair this is the first issue I've had in over a year of Rogers data service.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:23 PM
Seth's Blog: What Matters Now: Free eBook

Seth is pimping out his new ebook: What Matters Now available for free on his site. The book is on what to think and do to make a difference, gain friends/influence people, that sort of thing (from what I can see).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:19 PM
December 16, 2009
Great Interview with Photoshop Genius Erik Johansson

My coworker H threw me over to an Impact Lab Interview with Photoshop Genius Erik Johansson. If you don't recognize the name you may recognize the work, I've seen some of his amazing photoshop work around the net.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:50 PM
Barrel Roll in a 707

Cool video from 1955 of Tex Johnston doing a barrel roll in a 707 (!!!) a "perfectly safe, 1G maneuver" to show off the capabilities to the Boeing execs.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:22 AM
December 15, 2009
Wallcovering Lust

Awesome post from Andy Ihnatko on his Lust For Wallcovering. Great poster, if I had a bit of extra cash I'd probably dot he same thing :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:27 PM
December 10, 2009
Sushi Etiquette

Great info-graphic of sushi etiquette. Good thing to know about the wasabi + soy sauce combination.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:07 PM
How to Start Running

Oh man I so need this: How to Start Running - Without Feeling Like a Failure. I've been running weekly for a while now and still feel like a failure!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:10 PM
Google Earth Sightseeing Spots in Vancouver

The Google Earth blog has a nice selection of a few spots in Vancouver to check out if you're interested in the city that will host the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:33 AM
December 07, 2009
Presents for Hipsters

Do you have one of those annoying "apple" people in your life? You know, the macbook lugging, starbucks swilling, must have a clean aluminium and glass desk or he cries types? (Also known as a hipster) If you do you'll be happy to know that Shawn Blanc has a great list of presents for you. From iPhone holders to $40 notepads to coffee, it's a great list :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:37 AM
December 06, 2009
New Painted Face Every Day

I'm all for people having hobbies, but this guy, who face paints himself every day with a different face, seriously is either the coolest guy ever or someone who really needs to get out more. Ironically, the whole project started one day he was stuck at home.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:28 PM
Great Geek Tattoos

io9 has a gallery of Geek Tattoos,The Good, The Bad, And The Just Plain Crazy. I don't know about some of them, but I'd totally get a 'Don't Panic' tattoo. Also I think that while I'm sure she's insane, I'd totally marry this girl (if my wife said it was OK of course).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:31 PM
December 01, 2009
Use Google Analytics Asynchronously

Ever get tired and pissed off or the google analytics holding up a web page loading? Now that they have Launched Asynchronous Tracking this might be a thing of the past. Folks, go forth and update thy page templates!

Random Linkage , Web Programming - Posted by Arcterex at 03:12 PM
November 26, 2009
Mininova Goes Legit

Mininova, the bittorrent search engine which rose up and replaced suprnova.org Back In The Day, has limited its activities to Content Distribution service. IE: Gone legit.

In other news, mininova's traffic has disappeared and will be replaced by one of the other not-quite-so-legit bittorrent sites.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:12 AM
November 25, 2009
The Matrix's Bullet-Dodging Scene In Lego

Filed under Random Awesomeness is The Matrix's Bullet-Dodging Scene, Faithfully Recreated in Lego.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:50 AM
November 23, 2009
LHC Has First Results, Look Like Bad Drawings of a Mountain

The CERN Press Release has details of the first collisions at the LHC. Turns out it didn't create a black hole, destroy the world, galaxy, or universe, which is a good sign. Instead it did a bunch of.... uhm... sciency stuff that you should read the press release or the slashdot story for. Again, world not destroyed, no black holes either.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:50 PM
November 18, 2009
Do Speedy Math in Your Head

Cool wired article on how to Do Speedy Math in Your Head. Reminds me a bit of the Mathamagician at TED a couple of years back.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:25 PM
Scroll Clock

Not that I'm advocating useless use of technology, but the Scroll Clock is pretty damn cool!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:07 PM
November 17, 2009
Pirate Bay Shuts Down Tracker

Well, as predicted when The Pirate Bay was first "bought" by a gaming company a while back (and I only put that in "air quotes" because there seems to have been some dispute about stock fraud, etc in the deal) it's as good as dead. Slashdot notes that it's Tracker has shut down and switched To Distributed Hash Table.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:42 AM
November 13, 2009
Hackers Give Palm Treo 650 an Android Brain

Holy cool, check out this feat of hax0r ability in a video of a Palm Treo 650 with an Android brain . Thanks Aryk.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:16 PM
Balancing Rocks

Cool video about Bill Dan Balancing Rocks. Pics in his flickr stream as well.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:58 PM
November 12, 2009
Win $100,000 for 140 Seconds of Film

I don't normally put up stuff about contests here, but hey, Chase Jarvis is the man when it comes to great photography and he blogged about how you can get $100,000 in 140 Seconds through a Nikon sponsored contest showing your day, through your lens (literally and figuratively) in 2 minutes and 20 seconds. Pretty cool idea. Sample videos from both him and Rainn Wilson (from The Office) on the link.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:35 PM
Researchers Take Down a Spam Botnet

Slashdot story about how Researchers Take Down a Spam Botnet. Not saying it's related, but my rejected spam went from 22% in yesterday's report to 31% in today's report.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:00 PM
November 10, 2009
@Stuff My Dad Says Gets SitCom Deal?

Definitely a sign of the world we live in, the twitter account @shitmydadsays has been picked up as a sitcom. I'm not sure if this is really that outside of the standard sitcom formula of "family with crank old man dad character", but the fact they attribute something to twitter is interesting.

Course, it could also be the whole thing is a scam and the twitter account was setup when the show was quietly created. The account has only been active since August 3rd, and somehow 73 tweets in three months isn't something that I could see a high powered TV exec picking up, but hey, stranger things have happened.

Random Linkage , TV - Posted by Arcterex at 01:14 PM
November 09, 2009
Big Cat Pets

Some awesome videos and pictures of Kevin Richardson and his Lions. They really act with their human the same way my cats act with me, just that they are a weeeee bit bigger. Course, I still wouldn't be surprised if some day you hear that this guy mysteriously disappeared and only a toe was ever found. Still, immensely cute :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:33 AM
Man Gets "Planet Sized Brass Balls" Award For Punching Shark To Escape

Seriously, how does this guy walk with the huge brass clankers he must have to have punched his way out of shark attack? I love the reddit article title of Man escapes shark attack by being fucking awesome. Too true.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:17 AM
November 05, 2009
100 Different Evernote Uses

Great list of 100 Different Evernote Uses. I've been a user/lover of Evernote for a while now, and some of these are pretty awesome.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:47 AM
Big imagery releases for Google Earth and Bing Maps

Big imagery releases for Google Earth and Bing Maps, with the ones hitting close to home being the Vancouver area in preparation no doubt for the Olympics here in under 100 days.

Sadly Google still hasn't got up to date imager or maps for the new Golden Ears Bridge, even though you can see in Street View that the street view car clearly drove over it (hit your up arrow twice and see how the street view jumps to the top of the bridge and then back down). Bing maps at least have half the bridge....

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:24 AM
Bikini Leia and Stunt Double Suntanning

This picture of Bikini Leia and stunt double catch some rays just blew my freakin' mind. My love for Carrie Fisher still remains.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:25 AM
November 04, 2009
DIY Wrist Mounted Flame Thrower

OMG this is the most awesome thing ever!

Seriously, anything that has "DIY" and "flame thrower" in the title, how can you resist!? Via forgetfoo.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:49 PM
November 03, 2009
Why do we have an IMG element?

Dive Into Mark has a great look at Why do we have an IMG element? and traces its origins back to the original proposal, manages to fit in the history of more than a couple of browsers, and ties it all up nicely with a look at the state of the HTTP/HTML/Browser world today.


Some of the operating systems from 1993 still exist, but none of them are relevant to the modern web. Most people today who "experience" the web do so on a PC running Windows 2000 or later, a Mac running Mac OS X, a PC running some flavor of Linux, or a handheld device like an iPhone. In 1993, Windows was at version 3.1 (and competing with OS/2), Macs were running System 7, and Linux was distributed via Usenet. (Want to have some fun? Find a graybeard and whisper "Trumpet Winsock" or "MacPPP.")

As a note, I shudder thinking about Trumpet Winsock..... not sure if those are shudders of reminiscing joy, or repressed fear. Definitely makes me glad things have moved on!

Great stuff Mark!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:07 AM
Stack Overflow Launches Careers

Coding Horror notes that Stack Overflow Careers: Amplifying Your Awesome has launched. This is a free CV hosting system which builds on their peer reputation system. Very cool idea.

Programming , Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:54 AM
November 02, 2009
How to Really Browse Without Leaving a Trace

Cool lifehacker guide on How to Really Browse Without Leaving a Trace. Perfect for all your secret-gift-buying needs! ;)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:46 PM
Eye Tracking Studies and Web Design

John Koetsier over at Sparkplug9 points to a few tips from 3 eye tracking studies and their influence on web design. Some really simple stuff too, like making forms vertical, not horizontal.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:22 PM
New Site: The Internet Movie Firearms Database

Based on the site name, the purpose of the internet movie firearms database should be pretty obvious. Wish I'd thought of it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:02 PM
October 30, 2009
Costs Around The World for Internet Access

Neat info-graphic of Costs Around The World for Internet Access.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:13 AM
Juggler Michael Moschen Performs The Triangle

Laughing Squid has a great video Juggler Michael Moschen Performing The Triangle. I remember seeing this on "Just For Laughs" years ago and being amazed at how simple and yet how awesome it was.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:32 AM
Sequoia Voting Systems Source Reveals Hijinks?

Daily Kos has a story about how Sequoia Voting Systems hacks self in foot by revealing source code stripped of what they thought was information vital to let others read the data. They were foiled by the magic of the UNIX "strings" command. Whether or not the data that was revealed shows logic for rigging elections though.... well, read the article.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:20 AM
October 28, 2009
Cell Size and Scale

Pretty amazing display of Cell Size and Scale comparing the size of a coffee bean to that of a carbon atom.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:26 PM
October 26, 2009
Film Footage of San Francisco in 1958

Hows this for cool and retro.... Laughing Squid points to Wonderful Film Footage of San Francisco in 1958.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:11 AM
Gay-Dar Explained, and 10 Things You Didn't Know About Sexual Biology (Couples Edition)

Another great post about sexuality is the 10 Things You Didn't Know About Sexual Biology (Couples Edition), via the Don't Feed the Animals blog.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:06 AM
October 21, 2009
Don't Feed the Animals: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Sexual Biology (Male Edition)

10 Things You Didn't Know About Sexual Biology (Male Edition). An excerpt:


The more promiscuous, the bigger the balls.

Definitely interesting reading :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:18 AM
October 20, 2009
False God of Coffee

The Quantified Self has a great look at coffee and concentration, as the author weened himself off The Juice and saw his concentration improving. Interesting read.

*slurps coffee*

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:11 PM
October 19, 2009
Helicopter Scans Indoor Environment

Remember I was joking the other day about the next steps for Google Maps / Earth being mapping the insides of buildings? Looks like they already have a Helicopter that Scans Indoor Environments autonomously,

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:37 AM
October 16, 2009
Visualizing Life In The Cloud

The Mozy blog has a very cool visualization of Life In The Cloud that's cool for geeks as well as people explaining cloud computing to non-geeks :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:21 AM
October 15, 2009
Amazing Goal in Pee Wee 1on1 Hockey

Great video as a 9 year old scores the greatest goal in Boston this season. Pretty amazing, not sure if you could use something like that in a real game though. Still, amazing stick handling.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:06 AM
October 13, 2009
Downtown Vancouver Fire

There's a big ass fire in the downtown Vancouver area. Twitter hhas lots of people talking about it, looks like it's three boats down in coal harbor. I tweeted about this with pics from my office building. Not a bad win for real time news I think!


Kitscam also has both a streaming view and a static view (1 minute refresh).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:08 AM
10/GUI's Take on the Desktop

10/GUI has a new imagining for the desktop, not something uber-radical, but different enough and utilizing the new technology we have coming in such as multi-touch, etc. They seem to take a lot into consideration, and I'm interested to see if anyone adopts this. Personally I would see this coming into the GNOME desktop if there were the multi-touch devices that they use (and need) to make it work.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:51 AM
October 09, 2009
Social Engineering and Taking the Stairs

Very cool video pointed to by Darren Barefoot on Social Engineering and Taking the Stairs. For some reason the video makes me happy, and I'm not sure why :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:35 AM
Author of "Beginning Ruby" Tells All

Peter Cooper, who wrote Beginning Ruby, tells What he's Earned (And Learned) From Writing "Beginning Ruby", including pretty frank talk about numbers, earnings, and his publisher.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:44 AM
October 07, 2009
Awesome Sci-Fi Concept Art

io9 has Concept Art That Reimagines The Greatest Space Epics from Star Wars to Superman to Planet of the Apes.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:37 PM
Wil Wheaton Open Letter To A Pirate

World Famous Wil Wheaton put up an open letter to the guy who put just a geek the audiobook on his website for people to steal.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:58 AM
October 06, 2009
Hidden Fees Discovered for "Free" Windows 7 Upgrades

In a shocking and completely expected turn of events, the "get a PC with Vista and get a free upgrade to Windows 7" offers that have been trying to convince people not to wait till Windows 7 is released to buy a new PC, can come with some Hidden Fees. Some pretty hefty for a DVD being shipped out to you. As I understand it, it's a free upgrade from Microsoft as far as they are concerned, but if you get it from a PC manufacturer (ie: Dell, Lenovo, etc), they basically get to charge you what they want for it (in the form of "service fees").

So either wait till after all the super-cool Windows 7 launch parties are done before buying a PC, or be careful and find out exactly what you get for free or not for free. Or download a real free OS.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:05 PM
Tips for an Optimal Running Workout at Runner's World

If you're some sort of sadist, you might enjoy some Tips for an Optimal Running Workout. You'll note a few things wrong with the list though, first is the wake-up at 5:30am... does that time of day really exist?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:05 PM
Photosketch - (Almost) Auto-Generated Scenes

Pretty mindblowing technology to allow a user to hand sketch a scene, and the system almost-automatically creates the scene from an internet image search. It seems kinda simple unless you've ever tried to composite several images together and had to deal with lighting color, texture, and the raft of other things that tend to go completely wrong.

It's only a matter of time before all the user interaction is gone in selecting appropriate images and the system can automatically create dirty pictures of me and Megan Fox (stolen joke from Reddit).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:45 AM
October 02, 2009
Asgarda - Lesbian Ninja Tribe

Asgarda are apparently a tribe of lesbian ninjas. How cool/hot/awesome is that!?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:21 PM
This Insane Photo Destroyed a Camera Lens

Aryk send me a link to this gizmodo story on how This Insane Photo Destroyed a Camera Lens. I'm actually more surprised it didn't kill the whole camera! Well worth it though, it's an amazing picture.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:03 AM
Cool Flash Demo

This flash demo is simple and cool. Use your mouse, figure it out. Via reddit, under the title of What it must be like to be a kitten.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:52 AM
October 01, 2009
Snails As Pets

I though the Snails As Pets title was a bit of a joke, but holy crap, look at the size of those things!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:03 AM
How to Photograph a 300 ft Tall Tree

Great article from Fozbaca on How to photograph a 300 ft tall tree without getting a splinter. Short but good video from the National Geographic.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:39 AM
September 29, 2009
Algorithm Generates a Virtual Rome in 3D

Popular Science has a neat article on how they had an Algorithm Generate a Virtual Rome in 3D from 150,000 Flickr Users' Photos. Pretty amazing stuff.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:56 AM
September 25, 2009
COMBO Amazing Stop Motion Video

COMBO is another amazing stop motion animation/video.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:38 AM
September 24, 2009
DIY iPhone Paper Clip Stand

Nifty little DIY iPhone Paper Clip Stand.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:40 PM
September 22, 2009
Cool Wallpaper Switching App

John's Background Switcher was pimped out on Lifehacker as a very cool utility for giving you some more variety in your Windows wallpaper. My only request to it would be I want combined functionality of it and Display Fusion and it's great multi-monitor support. Maybe even an option to only download dual screen formatted images and automatically set both monitors. Still, noted here for coolness and freeness and usefulness.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:16 PM
September 21, 2009
New BMW Concept Car

BMW EfficientDynamics tells the tale of a new BMW concept car that does 90mpg and has BMW M3 performance. Now I don't truly know that much about cars, but I've watched a lot of Top Gear lately and know that a) M3's are good (though not cool anymore), and b) rarely do concept cars become real cars. With rare exceptions of course :) Warning, don't watch that last link after eating.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:32 AM
September 20, 2009
Three Keyboard Cats Howling At The Moon

If you've ever wanted two memes smashed up on your t-shirt, check out the Keyboard Cat howling at the moon t-shirt.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:15 AM
September 19, 2009
Shock: Idol Screws Over It's Winners

I know it's shocking, but seems that "Idol" (in this case Australian Idol) screws over it's winners such that they somehow didn't make a cent on 300,000 CDs. Either all the CDs were comped out to industry execs and the winners' parents, or the deal you sign screws you over. Either way, interesting article.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:59 PM
September 18, 2009
Software Detection of Currency

Some really interesting stuff on how Photoshop does it's Software Detection of Currency with examples and various method used to try to defeat it (jpeg compression, histogram manipulation, etc).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:56 AM
September 17, 2009
Gigagalaxy Zoom

Gigagalaxy Zoom is a gigapixel, zoomable / interactive image of the milky way.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:59 AM
September 16, 2009
3 Pixel High Typeface

Check out the First handmade subpixel type family, ever. Pretty amazing when you consider just how small it actually is, and how readable it is still!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:40 PM
Ars Has Hands-on Haiku, Open Source BeOS

Ars Technica has a nice Hands-on: Haiku, the open source re-implementation of BeOS.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:31 PM
The Future Is Now (again)

Most of this Digital Photographers, Welcome Back to 1999 is about what's going on in the digital photography world, but at the bottom are a few good Youtube videos about how OLED and Harry Potter style newspapers are (almost) here.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:43 AM
September 15, 2009
DC Protest Footage

Call me a commie, but the level of credibility of the folks at the DC Tea Party March is.... how do you say... "lacking". That said, I'm in Canada. Definitely an amusing look at the folks who go to this sort of thing. Cherry picked I'm sure for the more amusing/radical/crazy folks. The guy with the "Joe Wilson for President" sign saying "well, I don't support Joe Wilson for president" was particularly amusing.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:21 AM
September 14, 2009
Send To Links in Google Reader

The fine folks over at Lifehacker have gone to the trouble of collecting a bunch of good Google Reader with Send To Links for you.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:55 PM
DropBox Tips and Tricks

Some very cool ideas on how to Use Dropbox for More Than Just File Syncing from LifeHacker.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:50 PM
September 12, 2009
Imagining the Tenth Dimension

Very cool video: Imagining the Tenth Dimension which is pretty much guaranteed to turn your brain to goo.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:37 PM
September 11, 2009
Mapping the 7 Deadly Sins

Wired has a great Mapping the 7 Deadly Sins . I find it funny where "Lust" is concentrated....

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:18 PM
September 08, 2009
Big Daddy Costume To Die For

OMG, what an amazing Big Daddy costume (from BioShock). Complete with pics, plan and video.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:21 PM
The Stuff Of Nightmares

Seriously, do not click on this link if you hate spiders, or specifically, nightmare inducing huge ass probably-from-space spiders...

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:53 AM
September 07, 2009
Comparing Windows 7 & Snow Leopard Icons

Neat look Comparing Windows 7 & Snow Leopard Icons. A neat look at not only the beautiful icons in W7 and SL, but also to look the different philosophies of how to present the icons.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:50 PM
September 03, 2009
HOWTO Bild a Retro Tube Clock

Seriously, who wouldn't want to make this Glowy retro tube clock. Assuming you don't electrocute yourself in the process of course. Warnings abound...

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:32 PM
Computer Repair Flowchart

BoingBoing pointed to some pretty awesome Computer Repair Flowcharts.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:41 PM
30 Rock Salutes Science Fiction On IO9

IO9 has nicely collected the great clips where 30 Rock Salutes Science Fiction. Truly great stuff.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:13 PM
The Classiest Star Wars Action Figure Displays

Green with envy describes me in terms of some of these Star Wars Action Figure Displays. I'm not an action figure collector by any means, but man, some of those just look awesome!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:09 PM
Los Angeles Fire On Flickr

Some amazing shots and time lapse movies of the Station Fire, Los Angeles over at the Flickr blog.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:09 AM
September 02, 2009
Ars On Dock vs Taskbar

Somehow I missed this article on ars technica on The Windows 7 Taskbar versus the OS X Dock. Nice article, goes into some of the UI issues with either method, as well as the design differences and similarities.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:55 AM
September 01, 2009
Consumerist Article Cash4Gold Doesn't Want You To Read

The Article Cash4Gold Doesn't Want You To Read is a good read, if you've been seduced at all by the companies high cost ads.


The actual offers, however, were miserly. Cash4Gold sent back checks ranging from $7.60 to $12.72 (or 11% to 18% of melt value), the lowest amounts of any firm. But others weren't far behind: GoldKit offered $7.81 to $20.59, and GoldPaq $8.22 to $13.11.

Best comment on this was on Digg.com, where a commenter stated "pro tip: don't do business with a company that substitutes the number 4 for the word 'for'.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:34 PM
August 31, 2009
Astrophotos By Phil Hart

Digital Photography School has a nice set of 10 Astounding Astrophotos by Phil Hart, and Australian photographer. These aren't easy to get, if you check the details for this impressive image you'll see that a total of 13 hours was required to capture the image, along with a host of impressive sounding equipment.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:27 PM
Pingdom Free For 1 Site

Blogscoped reports that PingDom, a performance and uptime monitoring system is now free for one site (after the initial trial).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:10 AM
James May's Lego House Is Awesome

First of all, if you don't know who James May is, sequester yourself inside for a week and watch all of Top Gear. When you're done, check out the Lego House he's building. Why? No clue. It's pretty awesome though :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:31 AM
August 27, 2009
@Sockington Celebrates One Million Followers

In a thrilling video, @sockington celebrates his one millionth follower. A cat. Who posts things like "A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR WHAT OF YOURS I JUST BROKE ACCIDENTALLY what oh nothing". Has (as of 4pm thursday the 27th of August in the year of our lord 2009) 1,082,191 people and spam bots watching his posts. Holy crap.

That said, I'm intruiged by this cat and his tweets and videos, and pissed off (still) that I didn't think of it first.

Random Linkage , Web 2.0 - Posted by Arcterex at 03:59 PM
100 Years Of Movie Special Effects In 5:00

Cool little video of 100 Years Of Movie Special Effects In 5:00. Neat to see how some things are done in the far ago days.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:38 PM
Baby Animals We Rarely See

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:59 AM
Mininova Ordered to Filter Torrents

AfterDawn.com reports that Mininova is dead, must filter torrents. A judge has ordered the site to either pay 5m Euro or delete copyrighted torrents:


Mininova notably removed links if copyright holders flagged them, but as with all trackers, when one went down, five would take its place, making the whole situation redundant.

It's not dead just yet, and lets be honest, once it is, one of the other sites on the net will rise up to take it's place, just as it once did to replace suprnova.org.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:41 AM
August 25, 2009
Gaming Stack Overflow

Codexon gives 6 Simple Tips to Get Stackoverflow Reputation Fast, and shows why Stackoverflow.com has some social-engineering errors in the way they present the information and some of their rules. Of course, reputation and karma on the site aside, it's a great site with good information, and hopefully this will show them a bit of information on how to avoid the social engineering bugs.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:35 AM
August 21, 2009
Plex Media Center for OS X

Anyone heard of Plex Media Center for OS X before? Looks pretty sexy... the only thing that these are all missing are support for decoder cards (a la MythTV) or something to auto-torrent download to give the impression of recording TV. MythTV is kinda old and busted looking and in terms of some of the features (especially compared to the new sexiness that these media center apps have), but it will record TV which none of the other systems do (for the most part).

I want it all dammit! In the form factor of a mac mini. And a pony!

Apple/Mac , Random Linkage , Software - Posted by Arcterex at 08:13 AM
August 20, 2009
Sweet Costume, Bro: Bumblebee Transformer

Sent over by S is this Sweet Bumblebee Transformer Costume. Guarantee it's the best one you see today :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:23 PM
Zed Shaw on Why The Lucky Stiff

Zed Shaw (famous for his anti-Rails rant a while back) has some great thoughts on The Impermanence, Karma, and Bad Behavior of Why The Lucky Stiff. "Why" or "_why" as you may or may not have heard basically suddenly and unexpectedly removed all his online "stuff" which in this day and age is fairly unusual. Zed has a good wrap up of what he did and some thoughts on why.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:06 PM
Star Wars West Coast Defense

Star Wars West Coast Defense on Flickr via Laughing Squid.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:19 PM
Epic FAILs in Star Wars Design

Via BoingBoing is a list of John Scalzi's Guide to the Most Epic FAILs in Star Wars Design.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:06 PM
August 19, 2009
How The Pirate Bay Will Be Legalized

How The Pirate Bay Will Be Legalized from TorrentFreak.


To please the entertainment industry GGF will install a system that will allow the copyright holders to either authorize the 'illegal' torrent or have it removed from the site. If the copyright holder opts to choose the first option they will be compensated every time the file is downloaded. In addition, the board says that it will pay penalties if it has to.
[...]
One of the pitfalls of this new reactive system is of course that copyright holders might start to remove content en masse instead of authorizing it, so that there is nothing available for the (paying) users to download and share. Without content the users will walk away and The Pirate Bay will slowly die.

And by "slowly die" I think you mean "quickly die".

Somehow this doesn't seem like it'll be "business as usual" as TPB promised when they first announced the buyout.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:59 PM
Sockington - Or, How Someone Figured Out How To Monitize All Those Cat Pictures on Flickr

I had not heard of Sockington, @sockington, the Sockington Army, the most popular cat on flickr, or anything related to a blog "by" a cat.

However I am impressed that someone managed to acquire over 1 million twitter followers and at the same time basically be a guy posting cat pictures to flickr. Guess you need a story to go with those cat pictures. Sadly this means it's too late for me to start the Corny and Rex blog (or the Corny and Rex and Zoon and Munchkin and Bump and Bear blog).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:20 PM
YouTube Comment Snob Plugin

Anyone thinking IE is a better browser who ever reads YouTube comments is simply wrong. Check out the YouTube Comment Snob extension and have your experience be that much better. Or just don't go to YouTube....

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:08 AM
August 17, 2009
Siberian Tiger Back from the Brink of Extinction

Good news read today that the Siberian Tiger is no longer in as much trouble as it was a few decades ago. According to vertex (a blog) and their source (MoscowTopNews), there are more animals alive than 100 years ago. Good news, if you believe it. I say let the hunting begin! I'm going to make cat beds and throw rugs out of tiger hides!

(I kid of course)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:58 AM
August 14, 2009
Top 10 Tricks for Making Your Playlists Rock

Top 10 Tricks for Making Your Playlists Rock from lifehacker.

Music , Random Linkage , Ubuntu - Posted by Arcterex at 08:22 PM
Lightsaber Chopsticks

Lightsaber Chopsticks, something you didn't know you needed until you saw them :)

Available in three colors, the $10 sticks are the perfect utensils for devouring tauntaun and Ewok dishes.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:38 PM
August 13, 2009
Flickr On The Perseids

Flickr Blog has some good stuff from the Perseid meteor showers.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:17 PM
Pirate Bay Site and Logo Changes

Torrent Freak has news on some of the Pirate Bay site changes coming in the next few weeks.


Two weeks from now The Pirate Bay as we know it will cease to exist. To gain access to the site users of the new Pirate Bay will be charged a monthly fee, and even then it remains to be seen what files they will have access to.

It'll be interesting to see what the changes are and for my own morbid curiosity, how soon TPB will die and be eclipsed by MiniNova, BTJunkie and friends, same as SuprNova before it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:20 PM
Brain Hacking

Peejay send this over. From the World Science Festival is a video of Bobby McFerrin hacking your brain with the pentatonic scale. Looks a bit like the TED videos. Cool stuff.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:22 PM
Recycled Wine Bottle Torch

Another link from Aryk is a DIY project of a recycled wine bottle torch. Looks like something neat to have on your deck to set the mood on a night of relaxing outside.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:21 AM
August 12, 2009
Computer Generated Plant Images

Inorganic flora is a very cool collection of computer generated images of plants and flowers. Looks potentially perfect for a iPhone or phone wallpaper.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:29 PM
Star Wars Trash Compactor Bookends... WANT!

Star Wars trash compactor bookends over at Boing Boing. Seriously, how cool is that!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:28 PM
August 11, 2009
Top 100 Nude Scenes

Mr. Skin's knowledge of nude scenes and slips in movies is amazing and legendary (I'm listening to his appearance on Howard Stern right now), and he has his Top 100 Nude Scenes with some classic, uhm... watching material.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:24 PM
August 10, 2009
YouTube HTML5 Demo

Remember how one of the promises of HTML5 is to allow video to play without having to use flash? Looks like YouTube, who you could say uses Flash video "a lot" is flirting with it. They have an HTML5 Demo page showing off their interface playing a video with no flash involved. Looks good, it's basically YouTube and the only reason you'd know it's not Flash is if you don't have the flash plugin installed or look at the source code.

Once again this is something you'll need a modern browser to see (IE users are left out again :( Hopefully an update sometime soon will include HTML5 in IE).

Random Linkage , Web Programming - Posted by Arcterex at 11:20 AM
HDR Pictures That Don't Suck

Just a random collection from someone of Beautiful and Attractive HDR Pictures that (for the most part) don't suck with that "hey look at me I'm an HDR picture!!!!" look.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:15 AM
August 09, 2009
Live View of Twitter Posted Images

PingWire defines itself as:


PingWire is an (almost) live feed of images being posted to twitter with Twitpic, yfrog, and Twitgoo. Clicking on a thumbnail will take you to the full sized photo.

Cool and mesmerizing at the same time.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:11 PM
August 08, 2009
Awesome Bedroom

This is possibly the most awesome bedroom I've ever seen.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:44 PM
August 06, 2009
Government Cars System Or Technical Understanding Fail?

Found a Glenn Beck video on the government cars system over at ForgetFoo. Basically there's a 'I agree' page when you go into some US government car site that these guys interpret to mean that Uncle Sam has legal ownership of your computer while it's connected to the site, and has access to all your files on the computer and they can continue to monitor and track you and you after. First of all, not really technologically possible unless you're running some sort of app on the system and secondly, I'm pretty sure clicking an 'I agree' icon wouldn't hold up in court :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:04 AM
August 05, 2009
Feel-Good Story of the Day

Found this one at Image Of The Day.... a story from the Sarvey Wildlife Center about a guy and an eagle.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:53 AM
Information Visualized

Information Is Beautiful does very cool information visualization. Kinda like a serious version of Graph Jam.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:31 AM
July 31, 2009
Staples and Mirror Project

Pretty awesomely random, it's a mirror and stales arranged in such a way as to reate a city full of skyscrapers. Again, pretty rad to look at.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:01 PM
July 30, 2009
Pimping The Kick-Ass Comic

First of all, I don't read comics. As geeky as I am, comics have just never thrilled me, and other than borrowing a bunch from a friend years ago, I've basically ignored them. However, The Totally Rad Show mentioned Kick-Ass and it's associated movie at Comic-Con, and I grabbed the first 6 episodes.

Fucking Brilliant is my conclusion. Basically it's a "what if a nerdy kid wanted to become a superhero, in our universe". Issues of school, explaining fight-related injuries to your dad, that sort of thing. Absolutely fantastic and awesome, amazingly well drawn, violent, gory, and awesome.

About the closest I've found to any more information on the movie is over at slashfilm. Seriously - go get this comic, totally worth it.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:50 PM
July 29, 2009
Microsoft and Yahoo Partner Up

Sounds like Yahoo Gives In to Microsoft, Gives Up on Search and the two are now in control of 30% of the search business (compared to the 60% that Google has). The ever-opinionated John C. Dvorak Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:05 AM

July 27, 2009
Kid Drinks Gas To Be Like Transformers

OK, first of all if this is true, you really have to wonder how completely fucked up the kid and parents are. Seriously. The story is: Kid Drinks Gasoline To Be More Like the Transformers. A 9 year old figured that since the transformers drink it, he could get super-energy from it.

Sounds more like a fake "ha ha look how screwed up Chinese kids are" story that something real.... if it is real though, you know those stories that talk about "kids who play video games don't kill people, you have to be messed up to think that and video games don't have anything to do with it"? Yea, this is one of those kids...

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:53 PM
Interactive Electronic Tattoo

OK, this is potentially the coolest thing ever. The Interactive Electronic Tattoo over at Neatorama is something that's inserted under the skin and uses glucose to electricity.

The device is bluetooth and allows touch control through the skin. Imagine being able to walk up to a computer and getting a terminal login that you can type commands into, or use an iPhone like touch-screen. Or have it talk to your car, cell phone, or whatever else you can think of. Also as it's computerized you would be able to update it with new functionality....

Some potentially awesome uses for this, you just have to be OK with a permanent non-natural, electricity powered addition under your skin :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:47 PM
Happiness Tracking

Interesting site to study happiness. Track Your Happiness has both a questionnaire section as well as an iPhone component which lets you track how happy you are at any particular time. Interesting idea, as long as you don't mind them getting some personal information about your financial situation, etc.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:39 AM
Airliner Landing Pictures

Digital Photography School has a nice post with a collection of Airliner Landings. Some pretty awesome images there to enjoy and get some inspiration from!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:14 AM
Win "Guess The M&Ms In The Jar" Contests Using Physics!

Your random science video link.... How to shark a 'guess the number of M&Ms in a jar' contest.... Yay science!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 06:54 AM
July 25, 2009
TwitterPoop and the Value of The Internet (and Twitter)

My buddy @bdobson pointed me to TwttrPoop, which is, well, exactly what you think it is. Also related is this Penny Arcade cartoon.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 06:28 PM
Snow Leopard Wallpapers Posted

Uneasy Silence has posted the Snow Leopard Build 10A421 New Desktop Pictures. Some good stuff in there.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:09 AM
July 24, 2009
Drum Machine Robot

Via reddit.... Robot Drummer is sort of hard to describe, other than an object finding drum machine bot. Kinda. Takes him a bit to get it in the video, but when you see it, it's pretty cool :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:08 PM
Google Latitude For iPhone

Google Latitude is now available for the iPhone. Looks good too, the mobile web design they've done is second-to-none in my opinion, though there are a couple of odd niggles I saw, nothing that won't be fixed or a non-issue though.

For those who don't know, latitude is basically an awesome stalking app, which lets you see where your friends are and share your location with them. In theory great for coordinating meetups with friends, or seeing where the hot party is. Even better to use as a stalking app to find out where your ex-is now that the *sniff* bitch left *sniff* you for that bastard Ronnie!!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:17 AM
July 20, 2009
Teen Spirit + Rick Astley

Really, how freaky is this.... @bryandobson pointed me to a video where someone mashed upNever Gonna Give You up and Teen Spirit, with some bizarre results.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:39 PM
The Moon in Google Earth

For some reason I thought they had this already, but seems that Google Earth now has the moon in it as well. You can get more information from the website linked above or the @googleearth twitter feed. The cool things are proper 3D models (taken no doubt from the soundstage where they were first used) of the landers, interactive views like the panoramic views you can "fly" into a-la earth on google earth, and other nifty things. Check out the video on the splash page, or grab the version 5.0 to check it all out. If you already have Google Earth 5.0, just go to the planet dropdown and select 'moon' and voila, there you go.

Other coverage is on the Financial Post and of course, Google News.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:35 AM
July 19, 2009
Wathing The Daily Show Links From Canada

Instructions on how to watch theDailyshow.com videos in Canada that actually work from Reddit. Confirmed to be working, just awesome!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:21 AM
July 17, 2009
New Fring (iPhone App) Adds Push Notification

Multi-IM free app fring just got itself updated with newly added push notification.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:54 PM
Huge Aquarium Tank Video

Holy crap, gorgeous HD video of the 2nd largest aquarium tank in the world (shot on 5dmk2 on Vimeo).

Via JK.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:14 PM
July 16, 2009
Crimson Dark Comic

Crimson Dark, a very cool looking comic that I'd never heard of, just like reddit said.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:33 PM
July 15, 2009
Google Reader Updates

The Google Reader blog has some details of some of the changes to the Google RSS reader (my main page BTW). Following, liking and people searching are on the plate. The liking is basically what you get from facebook, and I'm a bit surprised that this wasn't added earlier. Looks to work well, and will give people some more ways to find interesting stuff online. The people searching I'm kinda "meh" on though, as the only people who I know who use the Google Reader I'm already following their shared updates :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:03 PM
Penguin Gay Couple Split Up

Seems that not only do same sex human couples have to deal with the same things that traditional couples do, seems that same sex animal couples have issues as well. SF Zoo's Same Sex Penguin Couple Split Up. Seems one of the girls was actually bisexual, and started flirting with a boy, which led to fighting, etc. Someone think of the chicks! Hopefully this ends well though.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:08 AM
July 14, 2009
Send Your Name to Mars

The Mars Science Laboratory site will let you Send Your Name to Mars. Well, kinda. You'll be included on a microchip, so as soon as the martians learn to create / clone the technology to read human microchips, they'll see a huge ass list of people's name, country and postal code.

Assuming of course their death fleets haven't been learning earthling technology for the invasion already.... :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:02 PM
Hide Torrents in a .PNG

hid.im is an interesting service that will turn a .torrent file into a .png. Un-searchable, postable anywhere, and decodable with a nifty firefox extension.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:45 PM
iPhone Running Windows 95?!

What madness is this!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:27 AM
July 11, 2009
Awesome Photoshop Howto

Found an awesome photoshop Army Squirrel Tutorial over at DeviantArt. Good stuff, great subject and amazing results.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:00 PM
Largest Image of Moon Taken

Lunar World Record 2009 is a huge image of the moon, stitched together from 288 high resolution images out of the 1000 or so taken (about 1.1T of data).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:07 PM
July 09, 2009
Google Maps Adds "My Location"

The Google Maps blog points out that the blue circle has come to the desktop. The "my location" blue dot you're used to from the iphone/mobile maps, now if you're using a supported (ie: modern: chrome or Firefox 3.5) browser that supports geolocation, right above the zoom bar on the left of the map will be a weeeeee little blue dot that'll get you to about where you are.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:42 PM
Gizmodo Visualizes a Petabyte

Gizmodo has a nice typographical display of How Large Is a Petabyte? In this day and age getting a petabyte isn't that far away (IMHO), so knowing just how huge an amount of data it can hold is a Good Thing.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:50 AM
July 08, 2009
Bonsai Inspiration

10 Bonsai Masterpieces to inspire you. Via reddit.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:52 PM
July 07, 2009
Stranger Than Eviction

Gary: Landlord of the Flies is a tumblog of someone's tale of their dealings with their landlord. Can't we all just be friends?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:43 PM
World Record Vagina

A title I never thought I would write. However, the World’s strongest vagina breaks own record lifting 14 kilos:


The embarrassing first experience did not scare Tatiana off. She developed quite a taste for vagina fitness, and now she has her exercising balls custom-made.

Read the full article for more things you only imagined could be written with a straight face.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:09 PM
Amazing Wood Replicas

Title says it all. Via Reddit: 10 Most Amazing Replicas That Bring Life To Wood.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:17 AM
July 06, 2009
Big COSPlay Swords

Speaking of crazy cosplayers, check out the big ass swords that some of them have!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:32 AM
July 04, 2009
Video For Everybody Demo

Fozbaca tweeted about Video for Everybody, a very cool system for embedding video on web pages. It uses a cool system of fallbacks from the HTML5 <video> to flash to quicktime and so on, all without Javascript. It claims to work in pretty much every situation in every OS, even iPhone. Sadly, the iPhone version for me just shows the 'there is a movie here but we won't let you view it' broken icon. Still, very cool.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:11 PM
Happy 4th Of July!

Just a quick note to say a happy 4th of July to my friends and readers in the good 'ol USA!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:46 AM
July 02, 2009
Better Evernote Web Clipping Bookmarklet

I do like EverNote as I've mentioned before, now someone has modified the evernote web clipping bookmarklet so it works with the Readability bookmarklet I previously mentioned to create a Bookmarklet to reformat text for reading and Clipping.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:13 AM
July 01, 2009
More Sony Walkman Stuff

After the cool Giving up my iPod for a Walkman that was passed around a bunch in the last couple of days, Forever Geek has posted a bunch of other cool walkman photos of hacks, sculptures, old ads, etc.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:39 AM
Facebook Penguin Robot

I found what I want for my birthday this year... the Cute penguin robot has motion sensors and can connect up to facebook for various interesting things. How cool! Thanks Cali over at Geekbrief.tv.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:00 AM
Multi-Touch Tab Switching In Firefox

Holy crap this is the coolest thing ever!!! If you have a moderately recent macbook or other laptop with a multi-touch trackpad you can set up multi-touch tab switching in Firefox! Basically you can set it so that if you twist two fingers on the trackpad it'll switch tabs left and right. Awesome!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:39 AM
June 29, 2009
Internet Mapped Like a Tokoy Metro

Mapping the Internet is a cool project that Uses the Tokyo Metro as a guide to create a map of the world's most influential websites as a virtual subway system.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:28 PM
June 26, 2009
1/6th Scale Working V8 Engine

Think you're bored and have time on your hands? This guy made a working 1/6th Scale Chevrolet V8.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:24 PM
3D iPhone Photos

Neat little app for the iPhone called 3D Camera. Linked not so much for the app as for the concept of the 'cross your eyes and see 3D' thing.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:57 PM
June 22, 2009
Rain Gutter Cable Management

Vinyl Rain Gutter Cable Management, a set on flickr from Iambe via Fozbaca.... Another good looking solution to cable clutter.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:03 PM
June 19, 2009
Crazy Baseball Bat Trick

Random linkage on Reddit led me to this Crazy Baseball Swing. Is that 'shopped? Fake? physically possible?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:19 PM
June 18, 2009
Stupid Simple Fitness Rules

The Simple Fitness Rules is just that, stupidly simple... Not as simple as "eat less, exercise more", but close. Worth a read anyway.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:05 PM
Opera's Next Big Thing, Opera Unite

A while back we heard that Opera was going to change the web with some special new feature. Looks like that feature has dropped, and it is Opera Unite.

The description is this:


Opera Unite is a unique technology that turns any computer or device running Opera into a Web server. In other words, your computer (running Opera Unite) is truly part of the fabric of the Web, rather than just interacting with it, and it’s something anyone can use.

Doesn't really say what it really is though. Basically the idea is fairly simple, code in the browser runs a small server, which then uses technologies like uPnP and DNS CNAME records to allow users at large to get right to your browser. So if you enable the 'music player' application the browser runs a little webserver that lists music on the computer (in a directory you point it to) and then points <yourusername>.operaunite.com/music to your routers external IP. Combine this with password protection and you can now listen to your music from work. Fairly simple, still fairly revolutionary.

Guess we'll see if it catches on (and if Opera's past has shown, this means "this feature will appear in Firefox 5.0 and IE 11 :)

Some more good analysis over here. Pay attention to the pictures illustrating how things all fit together.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:50 PM
Amusing Pictures of Photographers

Anything for the Perfect Shot! is part 3 of a series of sets of amusing images of people making images. Some hilarious.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:42 PM
June 17, 2009
Rubik's Cube Stop Motion Video

Incredible Rubik’s Cube stop-motion animation. Nothing more to say but "yes, it is".

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:20 PM
Crossover 8.0 Released

CodeWeavers announced version 8 of their software for Linux and Mac. Crossover is software that allows you to run windows apps on non-windows platforms (if you didn't already know). The new version boasts a bunch of new apps available out of the box, plus lots of improvements in the ones there already (ie: office, outlook, IE7, etc).

Sadly I think the need for Crossover isn't nearly as great anymore. With things like Evolution's Exchange connector and OpenOffice.org out there for free, dealing with an emulation layer just isn't as imperative. Course, there are some apps that have nothing like them in the non-windows world that put Crossover in a good spot.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:10 AM
June 16, 2009
Almost iPhone OS 3.0 Time

Sorry for the lack of linkage all day, been out on the job hunt. Anyway, as mac fanboys and iPhone lovers know, tomorrow is iPhone OS 3.0 day. Looks like iPhone 3.0 Update for iPod Touch Page Appeared in iTunes, but then was quickly pulled. I believe things should all be up sometime tomorrow. Looking forward to the update myself, as long as I don't see any "3.0 nuked my phone" posts :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:53 PM
June 14, 2009
FotoPedia - Wikipedia for Photos

Fotopedia describes itself as the first collaborative photo encyclopedia. You can contribute, rate, etc. Pretty cool stuff, check it out!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:14 PM
Dangerous Search Terms

Lifehacker has a list of The Web's Most Dangerous Search Terms in terms of Malware results.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:06 PM
June 13, 2009
THE Most Awesome Parrot You Will See All Weekend

DEATH METAL PARROT. No more needs to be said, this is awesome.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:38 PM
Free Photo EBook From Neil Creek

For the SoFoBoMo (Solo Photo Book Month) project, the most talented Neil Creek has put a great looking free eBook called A Roadtrop Through SE Australia out for the world. Great work Neil!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:22 AM
Mobile iGoogle Gets Sexier

Speaking of Google..... they've made the new iGoogle for Android and iPhone nicer. More support for the widgets, fully ajaxified, etc.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:43 AM
June 12, 2009
Blue Angels Cockpit Video

Wanna see Inside a Blue Angel Cockpit during a show? Now you can. Barf bag not included.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:43 PM
Get Your Custom Facebook URL Tonight

Looking for a easy URL to send people to like facebook.com/userfriendly ? Well, tonight at 9pm (your time zone) you can go to Facebook.com/Username and sign up for your own. Currently it's only a countdown though. See the facebook blog for some more details.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:51 AM
June 09, 2009
Custom Facebook URLs

Do you want your own facebook.com/username URL? Well, hit Facebook.com/Username to see a countdown until you can use it to grab your own!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:56 PM
June 06, 2009
Bigfoot Twitters!

In case you were wondering about him, Bigfoot is on twitter at @TheBigfoot.

Having yard sale today. Selling entire stock of terrified children. Prices so low, Bigfoot must be crazy.

And they say the internet isn't good for anything....

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:03 PM
Lifehacker's Desktop Tweaks

Lifehacker has a nice article with lots of links to various Desktop Tweaks, from wallpaper to encourages productivity to fancy schmancy GeekTool setups and everything in between.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:18 PM
June 05, 2009
Find Similar Sites with SimilarSites.com

SimilarSites.com finds sites like other sites. Nice and simple :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 05:12 PM
Astalavista Hack News

I didn't know anything about this, but here are some details about the Astalavista.com hack, including details. More reason to a) secure your site and b) learn to use the tools that the blackhats use to ensure that you're secure. Fascinating read (the pastbin link is where you want to go for the good stuff).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:59 AM
What Job Postings Really Mean

Don't despair job-seekers, most of those ridiculously high requirements in job ads are all bunk.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:49 AM
June 04, 2009
Andy Ihnatko On Google Wave

Andy Ihnatko, of TWIT fame, has a great look at Google Wave.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:22 PM
June 03, 2009
Blindness Cured with Stem Cells?

As one of the nation's bespectacled folks, seeing a story entitled Stem Cell Contact Lenses Cure Blindness in Less Than a Month, got me excited. It's not quite so cut and dry of course, but it's a potential huge leap forward.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:52 PM
May 30, 2009
Which Movies Have Extra Scenes?

Great little site that is a Post-Credits Scene Database, showing which movies have extra scenes, pictures, etc. Very cool, especially combined with RunPee.com, the "when can I pee" movie database.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:31 PM
Chameleon Changing Color

Watching this Cool Chameleon video I have to wonder if it's fake or if they really do change that quickly and just because someone stuffs some colored sunglasses under them? Is this 'shopped, or are they that awesome?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:23 AM
Google Wave Keynote Video

The video of the Google Wave keynote is now online, Andy Wibbels has it, but it's also up at wave.google.com.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:38 AM
May 29, 2009
LX3 Firmware 1.3 Update

Any Panasonic LX3 owners will be happy to know there's a new firmware update (1.3) available just around the corner. DPReview has the details and the link that'll work on the first of June. Minor changes it sounds like, white balance and "general performance" improvements.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:25 AM
May 28, 2009
Home Built Lamborghini Update

Basement Lamborghini Hits The Road - update about the story from a couple of days ago. Thanks Aryk.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:28 PM
Google Announces "Wave"

Google today announced Google Waves, a new social collaboration, email, twitter, something or other. :) The webmonkey article has a decent description of it though.


As the new user is leaving a comment, everyone involved in the wave can see the comments being typed in, in real time, letter by letter. Edits can be made concurrently, so two or more users can see one anothers’ changes flowing in, even as they’re leaving their comments, making edits or uploading images.

It'll be interesting to see how this does or where it competes when it comes out, that's for sure! Hit wave.google.com for a video and signup page.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:50 PM
Holy Crap, I Want This Desktop!

Lifehacker is highlighting The OS X Alpha Geek Desktop. It's full of hardcore nerdery. Want!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:01 PM
Typekit and Fonts on the Web

Found an article on the typekit blog today Introducing Typekit. Looks like they are working on a way to solve the "font problem" that web designers have been facing. An excerpt:


As a Typekit user, you’ll have access to our library of high-quality fonts. Just add a line of JavaScript to your markup, tell us what fonts you want to use, and then craft your pages the way you always have. Except now you’ll be able to use real fonts. This really is going to change web design.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:36 PM
May 25, 2009
Decade DIY Lamborghini Project

Building a lamborghini for dummies, if you have, you know, a few years to spare :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 06:30 PM
Song Lyric Search Wiki

LyricWiki is a fairly reliable source of lyrics for songs (without the crap that goes along with other sites). So far it's passed the "Arcterex search" test (Johnny Cash and U2), and the quick glance at the lyrics seemed reasonable.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:41 PM
May 22, 2009
Slow Loris Dining

Slow Loris Update is the cutest video of something eating grubs you'll see all day :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:21 PM
May 20, 2009
Deadliest Shotgun Video

Hows this for a horrifying gun? The AA-12, World's deadliest shotgun! shows why you do not want to be a bad guy on the other end of this!

Via forgetfoo.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:26 PM
May 18, 2009
Wordpress Launches Video Sharing System

Wordpress (the blog system) has launched Videopress, their New Video Sharing Service. Features include automatic sd/dvd/hd quality conversions, automatic video podcast conversions, and other goodness. Very sexy looking little system. The only fail I found so far was hitting the 'hd' button doesn't continue on from the current location in HD (like youtube) but rather restarts the video in HD.

Still, a very minor thing, and a very cool looking service.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:40 PM
May 16, 2009
Wolfram Alpha Live

Wolfram Alpha is live and going. Neat to play with, with very cool visual representation of some things (ie: a number has a "visual representation" display, tides show a curvy graph, etc). It's not like google fore searching for information about something, but about pure information. There are exceptions though, such as when you ask it what is the answer to the meaning of life, the universe, and everything for example.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:02 PM
May 15, 2009
Most Amazing Demo I've Seen

Passed on from Dave B, check out debris, a PC demo which is amazing, not only in content, but in the fact it fits in 200k and has a better framerate and content than most games you see today. Truly spectacular!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:24 PM
American Media is Insane - America's Worst Mom

Holy crap... this stuff is amazing. This mom let her child ride the subway alone! What's amazing you ask? Well, how about the media sh-t storm that has come up about it, calling her (among other things), "America's Worst Mom". Some of her article is below:


A day later, there across from me was Ann Curry looking outrageously pretty and slightly alarmed, because her next guest (the one right before George Clooney) just might be criminally insane. By way of introduction, she turned to the camera and asked, “Is she an enlightened mom or a really bad one?”

When I was a kid my parents let me run around in the woods alone. I rode my bike 5-10 km to the lake and back. I explored around the gravel pit. Sometimes I carried around an axe, or a knife. I'm still alive and (though some may argue) turned out perfectly normal. Maybe it's different in places like NYC though, apparently "experts" think this was akin to throwing your child into a pit of hungry wolves. Fascinating article anyway, love this quote too:

"[...] he was safe! That’s why I let him go, you fear-mongering hypocrite, preaching independence while warning against it!”

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:16 PM
Wolfram Alpha Launching Tonight

The Wolfram Alpha search engine, a new concept in fact based searching will be launching tonight. Link has video and more information.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:14 AM
Robot Short Video

Reach, The Story of a Robot With a Very Short Power Cable is a very sweet little video done by animator Luke Randall. Via Laughing Squid.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:48 AM
9 Year old Guitar Player

Via Boing Boing is a story about a Nine-year-old playing Ozzy on the guitar. Now ignoring the fact he's on the Ellen show, playing guitar is going to get this kid all the chicks he can handle (well, when he gets interested in them of course, I mean, he's only 9).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:35 AM
May 12, 2009
Pizza Box of the Future

Well, it's not the pizza delivery system found in Snow Crash, but The Pizza Box of the Future is actually really inventive and even gave me a "wow, that is cool" after I watched the 45 second video.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:00 PM
May 11, 2009
Favorite Tweet T-Shirts

Twitshirt is another one found via Daring Fireball. Get your favorite tweets printed on a shirt, and the author of the tweet gets a cut. Cool idea, neat business model. Hope it takes off!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:45 PM
Inside The F-35 Fighter Helmet

Gizmodo has a story on How the F-35 Demon Helmet Looks Inside. If you're a plane geek of any kind, this'll rock your socks off. The story has some other background information and links for you too.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:07 AM
May 10, 2009
Follow Tweets... From SPAAAACE...

Via IO9: NASA Astronaut Mark Polansky Will Be Posting To Twitter Live From The Space Shuttle. Follow @Astro_127 for the twitter goodness.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:52 AM
May 07, 2009
Childhood Nightmares Photoshopped to Life

Joshua Hoffine has created some terrifying imagery. You may not want to watch if you plan on getting sleep tonight :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:59 PM
Simple Financial Advice (Free PDF eBook)

Everything You Ever Really Needed to Know About Personal Finance On Just One Page has a free eBook with simple financial advice. Good read, good advice, download it now :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:57 PM
Design Snippet Site

DevSnippets is a cool site for CSS and Javascript snippets for doing cool things on websites.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:35 PM
Kitten Cam

Snuzzy.com has it's own live stream where you can Watch 7 Week Old Kittens On Their Kitten Cam . For all your daily cuteness needs!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:51 PM
Ariel Tour of New York

A very awesome and gorgeous looking Aerial Virtual tour of New York. Found via Forgetfoo.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:38 AM
May 06, 2009
The Creepiest Guy On the Internet

Saw this subject on Fark: You don't need to search any longer, the creepiest person on the internet has been found (possible Not safe for work language).

This intrigued me of course, and I had the compulsion to watch. Currently I'm only about 2 minutes in and I have three words for you.

Horri-fucking-fying.

I kid you not. You must watch this. I only really feel sorry for the guy and anyone in his family. Please watch with caution. I do these things for you, the audience :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:32 PM
May 05, 2009
A Procedurally Drawn City

Via Reddit... Pixel City, a completely procedurally drawn city. If you're interested in how it was done, you can get all the details :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 06:37 PM
May 04, 2009
Homemade Wolverine Claws

Aryk pointed me to Gizmodo's story on some homemade Crazy Dangerous Retractable Wolverine Claws. All I can really say is... WANT.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:23 PM
Monthly Firefox Wallpapers

Foxkeh's Blog has a nice (very cute) set of wallpapers with calendar in them.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:48 AM
May 03, 2009
Typography Video of "Still Alive"

This goes under the "Random Awesomeness" category.... check out Still Alive in Typography.

Related: Jarratt Moody's excellent (and NSFW audio) Say What Again (from Pulp Fiction).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:04 PM
Official Transformers 2 Trailer

The official Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer is out on Yahoo's movie site. Holy crap that looks awesome. Recommend watching the HD version of this as well :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:22 AM
May 02, 2009
iPhone Controlled RC Planes - iFly

Very cool stuff found on TUAW: Controlling radio control aircraft with an iPhone. Fairly complex, and not something for the everyman, but very cool to see.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:56 AM
April 29, 2009
Random Links: Windows 7, Android, Star Trek

Links this morning from Aryk and Len.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:42 AM
April 28, 2009
Productivity Magazine

Into the lifehack, GTD, productivity lifestyle? Check out Productive! Magazine. Free PDF downloads which not a huge amount of ads in amidst the content. Worth checking out for sure.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:53 PM
Mac Image Editing Options

The Apple Blog has a neat article onPhoto Editing Options When iPhoto Isn’t Enough. Basically non-photoshop solutions for the mac for when you need something a bit above what iPhoto gives you. Personally I'm a lightroom guy, though I will whip out the GIMP when I need something quick and dirty.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:34 PM
Star Wars Travel Posters

‘Star Wars’ Retro-Inspired Travel Posters. Awesome, I need these in my home :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:28 PM
April 25, 2009
Awesome Model Rocket Launch

Gizmodo has pictures and video of the 36-Foot Saturn V Model Launch. Very cool looking.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:06 PM
Eagle Nest Live Webcam

Hancock Wildlife has a live streaming webcam of an eagles next, with fairly newly hatched babies.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 07:42 AM
April 24, 2009
A Man and His Bear (Pics)

Via reddit comes a set of 25 images entitled Brutus and Me, a photographic story of a man and his bear, Brutus, a bear raised from a cub. My favorite pics are six and nine for their pure surrealness :)

Of course, I really expected to read something about the man mysteriously being mauled and eaten! Sounds like this story has a happy ending though.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:53 AM
April 22, 2009
Apple and Microsoft Quote - Both Evil

Sent to me from Darren is a great quote, found here in the comments of a Chuck story on io9 from "LittleBigSteve".


Smart people know Jobs and Gates are BOTH evil. Just different flavors. Microsoft is vanilla evil, and Apple is chocolate evil. Rich, CREAMY chocolate! But still evil.

That's awesome.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:42 AM
April 20, 2009
Two New Offerings from Google

Two new services were announced by google today. First check out Google Similar Images (which is pretty much what it sounds like) and then Google News Timeline, which displays google news in a... uhm... timeline, to help you visualize how news has happened in relation to the rest of the day/week.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:53 PM
April 19, 2009
No Parachute

Wanna see a video of a guy jumping out of a plane with no parachute on and surviving? There you go. Holy crap the size of that guys balls must make it really hard to walk!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:36 PM
April 18, 2009
Stopped Action Video

Very hard to describe video done in the stopped-action motif that a couple of the Halo 3 videos was done in. Very cool. Go watch it now.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:21 PM
Talk About Big Lenses

Next time you think your camera is too heavy, or you don't want to go on your photo walk with that heavy 18-250 zoom lens, check this monster out and count yourself lucky. Course, a 600mm/2.8 might not be a good walkaround lens come to think of it....

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:00 PM
Gordon Ramsey's Perfect Scrambled Eggs

Saw this morning on Lifehacker, Gordon Ramsay Demonstrates the Perfect Scrambled Egg Breakfast. Tasty looking, except for the mushrooms of course!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:10 PM
April 17, 2009
Awesome Creative Design

Creativity stuff all around us. Amazing stuff. Anyone want to send me one of each of these?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:34 PM
Zoo Pics

Scenes from the zoo from Aryk. Great cute pics for you if it's Friday and you just got knocked in the gibblies by the economy!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:12 PM
April 15, 2009
The 4Chan Time Hack

A fascinating look Inside the precision hack that the 4chan folks set up a bit ago. Details and history in the link.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:00 PM
Lego Battleshipo

Lego battleship Yamato. Holy crap!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:52 PM
April 14, 2009
The Real Columbine Story

Looks like 10 years later, the real story behind Columbine is coming out. Turns out pretty much everything you know, thought you know, and were told about it was mostly wrong. Hell, complete books were written about incidents that simply never happened. Isn't modern communications and information dissemination awesome? :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:32 PM
Susan Boyle from Britains Got Talent

Speaking of twitter and trends, found out about Susan Boyle on Britains Got Talent 2009. It's reminiscent of Paul Potts (the opera guy) from a couple of years ago. It's one of those unexpected things that it is pretty awesome to watch/listen to, if for nothing more than to see the look on the judges faces just before she starts singing... the looks of "what is this old bat doing" followed quickly by "WTF she's awesome" is great to see.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:07 AM
April 08, 2009
Very cool robot chariot

The first comment says it all "Sweet. Now I won't have to wear pants to work. " ... Gizmodo - A Wearable Robot Chariot - Chariot

Sweet. Now I won't have to wear pants to work.

Random Linkage - Posted by aryk at 07:14 PM
April 05, 2009
Slurm Shirts

Now you too can wear a Slurm shirt thanks to Thinkgeek.

Random Linkage - Posted by aryk at 10:09 AM
April 03, 2009
Thoughts on TinyURL Services

Nice article on Joshua's blog on url shorteners.


The worst problem is that shortening services add another layer of indirection to an already creaky system. A regular hyperlink implicates a browser, its DNS resolver, the publisher's DNS server, and the publisher's website. With a shortening service, you're adding something that acts like a third DNS resolver, except one that is assembled out of unvetted PHP and MySQL...

I have to concur. I feel this way about the Digg service, which not only does the above, but also keeps you "on" the digg page with their toolbar of "services". Kinda like framing someone else's page ("deep linking"?) with your own ad banners. Of course in this case it's not ads, but digg-ing tools. Still, it's a logical next step (and I'm sure some tinyurl services do just this. Personally I want my tinyurl services to just give me a bookmark to the page I really want to go to, nothing more.

Joshua goes through a bunch of other issues that exists, both for the user and the publisher of the page that you're going to. Well worth a read.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:16 PM
Reddit Interview with Adam Savage

Adam Savage Answers Your Questions over at reddit's blog.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:26 PM
MacBook Reverse LED Mod Tutorial

Remeber that cool mod that surfaced a couple of weeks ago where a guy hacked a macbook to replace the apple logo on the back with a full LCD screen? Well, if you're wanting to try it out yourself, a tutorial has been posted with parts needed, etc. This isn't a simple change mind you, and it's very possible you're going to void your warranty ;)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:31 AM
April 02, 2009
The Digg Toolbar

Digg released their new DiggBar product, another URL shortening service which additionally gives you "digg stuff" in a toolbar when you go to the page with the short URL form.

Likes for me is as a digg user, it might make things more convenient. Dis-likes is that it keeps you "in" digg when you might not want it. URL shortening services should (IMHO) just do that, shorten the URL for easier twittering or facebooking, and when you click on the short URL, it takes you to the normal URL. This keeps you in the short URL and puts extra stuff on top that you might object to or you might not.

Interesting to see if the size of digg will give this more traction than the tons of other short-url services out there.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:50 PM
50 Totally Free Lessons in Graphic Design Theory

Great info in the form of 50 Totally Free Lessons in Graphic Design Theory via Curtis.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:00 AM
March 31, 2009
Lifehacker Interviews Adam Savage

MythBusters: MythBusters ' Adam Savage Talks Tech, Obsessions, and Science in a lifehacker interview.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:24 PM
March 30, 2009
'Dead Pixel in Google Earth'

The Map Room: ‘Dead Pixel in Google Earth’.

Edit (Arcterex): Sadly this piece of conceptual art is not actually visible on google earth, as it is just ... conceptual art.

Random Linkage - Posted by aryk at 06:37 PM
ermm..I think your dog has melted

Pic of a very pillowy pooch.

Random Linkage - Posted by aryk at 11:09 AM
The Las Vegas Strip, Before and During Earth Hour

Iotd: The Las Vegas Strip, Before and During Earth Hour

Random Linkage - Posted by aryk at 10:26 AM
March 27, 2009
Wanna Be Duke Nukem'?

And not in the "not seen for a decade" sort of way. The Duke is Back site is looking for someone to play Duke for ..... well, some reason anyway.


We're reaching out to the fans with a 3 city nationwide search to find the next real life Duke Nukem.

As Darren says, Vaporware awards don't win themselves!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:41 AM
March 26, 2009
"Landscape" Aquariums

Holy crap! Check out these "Landscape Aquariums". How the hell does that survive after you put the water in is what I want to know!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:07 PM
March 25, 2009
Super-Cute Baby Leopard Pics

Super-cute pics of two baby Leopards born: Rare Cubs Born Against the Odds is the title. Seems that in captivity the mothers often do damage to their cubs, which I wonder is an instinctual thing based on being in an undesirable place to have offspring (ie: a zoo) or if it's something that "just happens". Regardless of this, those babys are damn cute!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:16 PM
March 20, 2009
Coolest Jedi Car EVER!

Found a series of pics via Reddit of the coolest Star Wars Car you will see this week. I promise.

Now to do this to my car......... :) (I wish!)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:40 PM
"Spacebat Tribute" Video Will Make You Cry Like "We Are the World"

Spacebat: "Spacebat Tribute" Video Will Make You Cry Like "We Are the World"

"Spacebat Tribute" Video Will Make You Cry Like "We Are the World"

Random Linkage - Posted by aryk at 01:06 PM
Amazing amateur photography from a balloon

Another case of putting a camera in a big-ass balloon and sending it to the edge of space.

Random Linkage - Posted by aryk at 10:05 AM
March 19, 2009
GMail "Undo Send" Feature

GMail has announced a new feature in their "Labs" area - Undo Send. Basically it doesn't send your mail for 5 seconds, giving you a chance to reconsider it :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:12 PM
March 18, 2009
March 17, 2009
Windows 7 New Beta UI Changes

Via Paul Thurrott at the WinSupersite I found a UI changes from Windows 7 beta to build 7057. Mostly tweaking and filling out it looks like, but some other interesting changes.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:25 PM
Google Earth Mars "Live" Imagery

According to the updates on the Google Earth Blog, there is now Live Imagery from Another Planet. According to the update there is a layer available on the mars imagery that contains the latest data from satellites which can be as fresh as a few hours. Not quite live, but close!

Now we need that on earth, for all our non-alien stalking needs.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:23 PM
Shuttle Launch from the ISS A Plane

How cool are these pics.... the Shuttle Launch Seen From ISS a Plane. You may remember a similar view from a plane a while back.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:04 PM
The Geek Handshake

I've been an advocate of something like The Technical Support Secret Handshake for ages now.

Fizzbin.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 01:40 PM
March 12, 2009
Images of what life will look like as our climate changes are often disturbingly beautiful.

Dystopia: The Gorgeous Terror of Global Warming

Random Linkage - Posted by aryk at 05:21 PM
Images of what life will look like as our climate changes are often disturbingly beautiful.

Dystopia: The Gorgeous Terror of Global Warming

Random Linkage - Posted by aryk at 05:21 PM
OS Design 1981-2009

Cool visual look at Operating System Interface Design Between 1981-2009. From Xerox PARC to Vista.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:55 AM
March 11, 2009
High Res Animal Wallpapers

Some cool Animal themed Wallpaper images.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:47 AM
March 09, 2009
Trippy Papper Sculptures

The trippiest set of Paper Sculptures you'll see today.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:24 PM
75 Albums Everyman Should Own

Best Music Albums Ever, well, at least according to Esquire. Thankfully not an album-a-page, but it's flash, with ads inserted randomly. Interesting list though.

To get around the ads every 5 albums, hit the back button (the one in the page, not the browser back button) and then forward again, and you can continue.

Sadly the list is a FAIL as there's no inclusion of any U2 (ie: Achtung Baby or Joshua Tree). At least they included a Johnny Cash album, which got a tiny bit of cred back....

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:11 AM
March 05, 2009
Adam Savage to Answer Reddit Questions

Adam Savage, or MythBusters fame, will answer reddit.com questions.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:15 AM
Readability Bookmarklet

Via my buddy Fozbaca is a very cool bookmarket system called Readability.

The concept is super-simple, setup how you want to read things (font size, style, margins), and then when you go to a page that's filled with crap that interferes with the content (ie: 99% of the webpages out there, except UFies.org of course), hit the bookmarklet button, and boom, perfectly readable with no crap around it. Pretty awesome stuff. Another blog entry about it here on if:else.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:03 AM
February 26, 2009
Great Office Setup

Lifehacker has pics of a Barren Attic to Programmer's Paradise conversion.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 12:05 PM
February 25, 2009
The Internet in 1996

Great article on The unrecognizable Internet of 1996. Story via slashdot. Man, 1996 I was in University, was probably working in my first tech job doing tech support, and may have heard of that free unix "linux" thingy. My time was probably more likely spent putting in dirty domain names into the web browsers on campus during class and seeing if "bigboobs.com" was a real site or not. If only then I'd thought of buying up domain names!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:26 AM
Safari 4 Tech Demos

A comment on slashdot posted links to some Safari 4 demos of uses for the new HTML5 support it has. The second comment has direct links to a bunch of very cool things. Sadly I doubt you'll see any of these in the wild simply due to the small Safari market share.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 10:03 AM
February 23, 2009
Exploding Chair

As the article says, sweet merciful crap - Man Vs Machine: Boy Killed Anally When Office Chair Explodes. I'm sitting on the front edge of my chair from now on. Or finding something safe.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 02:44 PM
February 18, 2009
iPhone Headphone Replacement Options

Perfectly timed.... a review of Replacement iPhone earphones. I tried out the TuneBuds myself, but the chord somehow managed to fray at the plugin connection and I lost my left earphone :( Too bad too, they were pretty nice.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:16 PM
February 16, 2009
NYT Article Skimming Interface

Very cool Article Skimmer concept from the NYT. Via Daring Fireball.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 03:08 PM
Internet Justice... Cat Abuser Found

OK, here's the story. Lowlife scum fucktards video tape themselves abusing a cat. Lowlife scum fucktards post to Youtube. Story is picked up by various news websites (reddit, digg, etc). Internet has outcry over abuse to cat by lowlife scum sucking bastard fucktards. Then the power of the Internet is harnessed away from porn and Internet memes and it's power is used for good.

Lowlife scum sucking loser bastard fucktards have their youtube video Zaprudered to hell and back, their identities connected through various social networking sites, their likenesses compared, backgrounds in the video are compared to other images they've posted, (think of this as a 2 minute montage of hackers working away desperately) and then the evidence all compiled and authorities, PETA, and local news are contacted.

Happy ending Fucktard loser lowlife scum sucking animal abusing bastards are caught.

The better news is the cat (Dusty) is alive and has been put in the care of the animal shelter and away from the aforementioned fucktards. Sadly the abusers were released to their parents custody instead of being in jail with some nice men who can give them a bit of abuse to see what it's like to be helpless and being picked on by someone 100x their size. Please note that the video is a newscast but still does show some disturbing images and audio (even though it's edited for TV) which personally I had to fast forward through. I'm very glad that this had a happy ending.

Here's a great comment on reddit about how the people at 4chan.org tracked these guys down, as well as some of the early findings. It's also nice to know that anytime anyone does any sort of checking on these two (Kenny Glenn Cat Abuser and Weston Glenn to help with the google juice... someone put up kenny-glenn.com but it's down now, you can check google cache for it though) the first Internet hits will (hopefully) be about senseless animal abuse.

Nice quote from quote from 4chan about how on the Internet you do not screw around with cats.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:43 AM
February 15, 2009
Alberta Sends Balloon and Camera to 121k Feet

Crazy Albertans and their crazy SABLE-3 Balloons. Who things of sending a camera attached to a balloon up to 121,000 feet? This is a bit old, August of 2007, still very cool (and it showed up while I was surfing reddit this morning).

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:49 AM
Debian 5.0 Released

Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 released. This one is "Lenny", and comes with Gnome 2.22, KDE 3.5.10, Xen 3.2.1 for virtualization, and a bunch of other stuff. Download, upgrade, enjoy.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 08:41 AM
February 11, 2009
Skittles Infused Vodka

I have no idea why, as I'm not a vodka drinker (unless it's mixed with orange juice), but this Skittles Vodka Tutorial screams "do this!" to me for some reason. How would you drink this? Just plain vodka? Is that kosher?

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 06:51 PM
February 09, 2009
The Case for Adblock

Adblock plus, the adblock extension for Firefox, makes a case for themselves in their anatomy of ads.

Personally I very rarely use a browser without adblock installed on it, and when I do (or use something that's not Firefox) I always have a feeling of "oh gads, is this what normal people have to deal with?" I realize I'm stealing from the pockets of web developers and the little guy (hey, I run google adsense on this site, and notice a decrease in the meager return I get from it over the last year or so (hint hint)), but the arms race of the advertisers adding more and more ads to pages has just made a non-adblocked Internet unbearable.

Sidenote: please support the sponsors of UFies.org :)

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 04:00 PM
February 05, 2009
New logos after the financial crisis...

Kem Meyer on Less Clutter & Noise: New logos after the financial crisis...

Random Linkage - Posted by aryk at 09:55 AM
February 04, 2009
Google Latitude... Real Time Stalking Tool

See where your friends are with Google Latitude. Sadly no iPhone version yet :( Great for real time stalking though!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:04 AM
February 03, 2009
Twitter Timeline of Super Bowl

Very cool interactive twitter Map of Popular Super Bowl Words.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 11:04 AM
February 02, 2009
Students Call ISS

How cool is this, and how good of a grade do you think these guys are going to get? Students call space station with home-built radio. How long before I can buy a ISS radio at Radio Shack and bug the astronauts too, or they start getting peppered with penis enlargement spam messages?!

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 06:51 PM
January 29, 2009
London From The Air

Amazing shots of London from above, at night found via @wilharris on twitter.

Random Linkage - Posted by Arcterex at 09:52 AM
January 24, 2009