Holy Bejezus! I know I get excited about trivial things but this is fantastic. You know how there are multiple pages of search results and you have to click through all these pages to find a site that looks like it has what you want? Well the "Customize Google" Firefox extension now has an option that's called "stream search result pages [BETA]". It puts all the search results on a single infinitely scrolling page so you don't have to keep clicking next page for more results. I'm not sure if I'm so excited because of what this does, or because I already had it installed. Head on over and try it out, I'm pretty sure you won't miss pages of search results.
Customize Google
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
World's Largest Super Soaker.
Yes, big news today as I keep reading from source after source that some microbes got unfrozen in a lab. Unfortunately non of the articles are as amusing as my write up, or as informative as the Damn Interesting article I read first thing this morning.
In 1990 the Russians were taking ice samples in Antarctica and came across an anomaly about 2 miles deep. The temporally marked layers had stopped, and a single pristine layer persisted. They had no explanation until some aerial radar discovered that it was an under-ice lake. The water is under extreme pressure and would have burst up the drilling shaft had the Russians continued. Luckily they were convinced to stop and did not, as far as we know, contaminate this completely pristine (and maybe sterile) ecosystem. So that's why its so exciting that these guys are being reanimated. Not only are they really old and frozen it gives hope that the submerged lake does indeed have a viable ecosystem that has evolved in a separate system for millions of years. Creating god-knows-what.
Yes, I know this is the premise of Alien vs Predator.
In 1990 the Russians were taking ice samples in Antarctica and came across an anomaly about 2 miles deep. The temporally marked layers had stopped, and a single pristine layer persisted. They had no explanation until some aerial radar discovered that it was an under-ice lake. The water is under extreme pressure and would have burst up the drilling shaft had the Russians continued. Luckily they were convinced to stop and did not, as far as we know, contaminate this completely pristine (and maybe sterile) ecosystem. So that's why its so exciting that these guys are being reanimated. Not only are they really old and frozen it gives hope that the submerged lake does indeed have a viable ecosystem that has evolved in a separate system for millions of years. Creating god-knows-what.
Yes, I know this is the premise of Alien vs Predator.
July Purge.
I know, I've got a whole bunch of stuff still from July to get rid of, but it seems a shame to just junk it all. So here's a big sloppy link dropping fest.
Yeah, astronauts were drunk. How else would any of these endeavors seemed like a good idea? And everyone knows that Mir was the party space station, hurling vodka bottles at the ISS. Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is. If I need to unwind a little after a basically stressless day at work, these dudes need to get freaking tanked on the job.
We should watch out for dolphins, they're smarter than we think. And we already think they're pretty freaking smart. They use tools, they communicate, they're motivated, and they're training humans. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Some articles just scream Seinfeld to me. Garbage collection stoppage (it appears Jerry's theory was wrong) and the Today Sponge is back.
The RIAA hates everything that doesn't make them money. That's right, the RIAA hates puppies and wants to destroy them. So its no surprise that they hate and want to destroy webcasters. Especially since webcasters tend to play non-RIAA music. In a very mafioso "you'll use our service or no service at all" move the RIAA is backing royalty hikes. So smaller webcasters will be unable to pay the higher fees and driven out of business (even if they don't play RIAA music), further solidifying th RIAA's monopolistic grasp on what music is to be marketed. They don't care if they get the royalties, just that the webcasters get taken down; which makes less competition for the distribution of music whereby strengthening the RIAA's -say it with me- monopoly on the music industry.
Techdirt: Why Does The RIAA Hate Webcasters? Webcasters Don't Play Very Much RIAA Music
Iron Man the movie. Kick ass. I do enjoy how they're taking all my cherished childhood memories and turning them into usually bad theatrical representations. No, really I do. Cause it tells me there were a bunch of other dorks who were into it too; and we're all cool now cause we remember. Plus sometimes the movie doesn't suck too hard. Anyway, Audi has bought the rights to all the cars in the upcoming Iron man movie. I've got no problem with a company paying to get their car into the movie (Tony Stark can drive an R8, that's cool) buy it really cheeses me off when they buy the rights to ALL the cars in the film. I mean, come on, like for that hour and 45 minutes I'm going to forget that there are other cars in the world?
Mad props to this guy, who turned down $5,000,000,000 (AUD) for the mineral rights to his ancestral land in Australia. He said, nah mate, I've got a job and I can hunt and fish, what else do I need. The energy company who was interested in Lee's Uranium deposits is probably twisting its evil mustache right now trying to figure out another way to get "moose and squirrel" off land.
Every once in a while I'll get a wicked case of meat sweats, or some other feel-no-so-good condition. (I thought my brain was gonna turn off after a 42oz slurpee this weekend) But I rarely actually injure myself while eating. I guess that's the difference between me and the big dogs.
Yeah, astronauts were drunk. How else would any of these endeavors seemed like a good idea? And everyone knows that Mir was the party space station, hurling vodka bottles at the ISS. Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is. If I need to unwind a little after a basically stressless day at work, these dudes need to get freaking tanked on the job.
We should watch out for dolphins, they're smarter than we think. And we already think they're pretty freaking smart. They use tools, they communicate, they're motivated, and they're training humans. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Some articles just scream Seinfeld to me. Garbage collection stoppage (it appears Jerry's theory was wrong) and the Today Sponge is back.
The RIAA hates everything that doesn't make them money. That's right, the RIAA hates puppies and wants to destroy them. So its no surprise that they hate and want to destroy webcasters. Especially since webcasters tend to play non-RIAA music. In a very mafioso "you'll use our service or no service at all" move the RIAA is backing royalty hikes. So smaller webcasters will be unable to pay the higher fees and driven out of business (even if they don't play RIAA music), further solidifying th RIAA's monopolistic grasp on what music is to be marketed. They don't care if they get the royalties, just that the webcasters get taken down; which makes less competition for the distribution of music whereby strengthening the RIAA's -say it with me- monopoly on the music industry.
Techdirt: Why Does The RIAA Hate Webcasters? Webcasters Don't Play Very Much RIAA Music
Iron Man the movie. Kick ass. I do enjoy how they're taking all my cherished childhood memories and turning them into usually bad theatrical representations. No, really I do. Cause it tells me there were a bunch of other dorks who were into it too; and we're all cool now cause we remember. Plus sometimes the movie doesn't suck too hard. Anyway, Audi has bought the rights to all the cars in the upcoming Iron man movie. I've got no problem with a company paying to get their car into the movie (Tony Stark can drive an R8, that's cool) buy it really cheeses me off when they buy the rights to ALL the cars in the film. I mean, come on, like for that hour and 45 minutes I'm going to forget that there are other cars in the world?
Mad props to this guy, who turned down $5,000,000,000 (AUD) for the mineral rights to his ancestral land in Australia. He said, nah mate, I've got a job and I can hunt and fish, what else do I need. The energy company who was interested in Lee's Uranium deposits is probably twisting its evil mustache right now trying to figure out another way to get "moose and squirrel" off land.
Every once in a while I'll get a wicked case of meat sweats, or some other feel-no-so-good condition. (I thought my brain was gonna turn off after a 42oz slurpee this weekend) But I rarely actually injure myself while eating. I guess that's the difference between me and the big dogs.
That's Why We Can't Have Nice Things.
Ah, its good to see thieves getting back to basics. A gang of masked robbers stole 4 paintings at gunpoint from a museum in Nice. Those inside jobs are so played out and boring, how about a little gun waving and thrilling escapes? Of course there wasn't any planning involving a Trojan horse and cutting security wires or disabling cameras. The museum doesn't have any. Ouch, are you guys serious? No wonder these things get stolen so much.
Official statements indicate that the paintings probably won't be sold but were stolen for someone's personal collection. Hmm... If I learned anything from the Thomas Crowne Affair, this was just a cover for a different and more interesting crime somewhere else in the museum. These four will turn up but you'll find that Magritte curiously missing.
Official statements indicate that the paintings probably won't be sold but were stolen for someone's personal collection. Hmm... If I learned anything from the Thomas Crowne Affair, this was just a cover for a different and more interesting crime somewhere else in the museum. These four will turn up but you'll find that Magritte curiously missing.
Encino Bacteria.
Microorganisms found in Antarctic ice that range from 100,000 to 8 million years old have been reanimated in a laboratory. When warmed and given nutrients samples of bacteria slowly regained life. The newly thawed microorganisms learned from younger specimen in the area who helped the newcommer adapt in hopes of increasing their own survival chances. Females were attracted to the microbe's primal instincts and seeming rebellious defiance of societal rules. Subject was last seen "wheezing the juice" at a local 7-11 store.
States Balance Budget.
Brilliant! We'll just stop properly maintaining our bridges and when they collapse congress will just buy us another, bypassing disaster relief limits. Sounds like a plan to me.
Friday, August 03, 2007
G.T. Phone Home.
Great, I've been reading rumors all day about the will-they-won't-they GooglePhone. And just after I just read a bunch of wireless crap and psyched myself up enough to maybe change carriers. I'm not gonna let this dissuade me though, cause if its anything like the iPhone rumors, it should roll out just about the time my 2 year contract expires.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
My Kingdom For A Contact Manager.
Also phone related today, I've backed up my contacts with Verizon's Backup Assistant. This might be the most impressive thing to come out of Verizon since the wireless telephone call. You download an app on the handset, set some options, and then head to a website where all your contacts are there, just begging to be managed in a more efficient way. There are automatic backups and two way syncing, so there's no way I'm gonna lose all my numbers again. Plus I just pasted them all into a csv and uploaded them to my GrandCentral account, so now it knows all the numbers that might call me and can set up filters accordingly. Very exciting.
Makes me think about getting a new phone. So I went over to the Helio site again to drool over the gps enabled maps and web searches they have there. And just to be fair I priced out a Verizon plan. Helio for two years at $65 a month (gotta get the data plan) plus a $245 phone puts me at $1805, while the Verizon $39.99/ month with a $69.99 phone totals out at $1029.75. So the question is, do I need to have access to my email, blazing fast Internet, IM, gps, buddy beacon, and streaming media; and is it worth $800 to me? The adult in me says no but the "goddamn that's cool shit" in me says pony up.
Makes me think about getting a new phone. So I went over to the Helio site again to drool over the gps enabled maps and web searches they have there. And just to be fair I priced out a Verizon plan. Helio for two years at $65 a month (gotta get the data plan) plus a $245 phone puts me at $1805, while the Verizon $39.99/ month with a $69.99 phone totals out at $1029.75. So the question is, do I need to have access to my email, blazing fast Internet, IM, gps, buddy beacon, and streaming media; and is it worth $800 to me? The adult in me says no but the "goddamn that's cool shit" in me says pony up.
I'm A Screener, Are You A Screener Too?
So I got a call this morning from my GrandCentral number. (Grandcentral is a servivce that forwards a call to numerous phones, and provides voicemail with other options) I was using my mouthwash and gathering my items for the day when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I didn't recognize the caller ID, so I raced to the bathroom and spit before answering. When I answered I was glad to hear the GC voice remind me of my options: hit three to send the call to voicemail and listen in. Which is the option I picked and then heard a sheriff's deputy begin to leave a voicemail for me. Odd. I pressed * to break into the call and identified myself for the officer.
"Good morning sir, I'm looking for a Jose {something-or-other} do you have any information on his whereabouts?"
"Uh... No officer, I don't."
"I see, well he gave this number as a point of contact so we could reach him."
"This... isn't even a real number. I mean, this is an Internet forwarding service. I live in DC."
"Oh, so you don't know Mr. {something-or-other}?"
"No I've never heard of him before."
"...hmm"
"...yeah"
"Alright, sir, thank you for your time. Have a nice day."
"My pleasure."
Odd.
And Jose {something-or-other}, if you read the DP, as I assume you do, quit giving my fake phone numbers to the cops. Its not a nice way to start your day; even if they're not really after you.
"Good morning sir, I'm looking for a Jose {something-or-other} do you have any information on his whereabouts?"
"Uh... No officer, I don't."
"I see, well he gave this number as a point of contact so we could reach him."
"This... isn't even a real number. I mean, this is an Internet forwarding service. I live in DC."
"Oh, so you don't know Mr. {something-or-other}?"
"No I've never heard of him before."
"...hmm"
"...yeah"
"Alright, sir, thank you for your time. Have a nice day."
"My pleasure."
Odd.
And Jose {something-or-other}, if you read the DP, as I assume you do, quit giving my fake phone numbers to the cops. Its not a nice way to start your day; even if they're not really after you.
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