The best bits – February 15, 2009

February 15, 2009

The best bits – February 14, 2009

Here's what has excited me from the blogosphere today.

February 14, 2009

Race around in blocks

Little sister number two has a long held, deep seeded (or seated?) ambition to install lego boards into her car’s dash and keep pieces for passengers to play with in the glove box. She’s been outdone. Check out this Flickr set. There are a bunch of other car modification ideas here. 
 

February 13, 2009

People say she’s crazy she’s got diamonds on…

The soles of her coffee machine? Well, that’s one way to solve these economic blues.

What do you buy the coffee lover that has everything? How bout a Swarovski crystal encrusted coffee machine? Why? I don’t know.

February 13, 2009

Autocomplete this sentence…

Autocomplete based on popular google searches is a pretty dangerous thing. Don’t type random vowels into YouTube – you’re likely to be shocked by what other people are looking for. 

I don’t know if this is a photoshop job – I haven’t tested it yet. But I will.

Update – I tested these phrases in the autocomplete searchbar in Chrome. It seems they’re legit.

Gizmodo has shared a couple of pretty funny stories about Google autocomplete this week. Pictures below. Click them for a link to the full sized image if you can’t see the hilarious autocomplete results. 

February 13, 2009

A short history of the internet

Everything you didn’t need to know about the internet but may have been curious about… I saw this a few weeks ago and ummed and ahhed about posting it. I decided it is worthy.

February 13, 2009

Vader after dentist

There’s a growing trend of reply and counter reply videos being made for popular YouTube videos. Here’s a great response to the “David after Dentist” video I posted last week… It made me laugh. Out loud.

February 13, 2009

Rethinking the classics

A few weeks ago, or was it only one or two, I posted a bunch of movies re-envisaged as old books. There’s now a gallery of computer games given the same treatment over at Kotaku. A game focused blog that’s worth reading if you’re that way inclined. Here are two of my all time favourite games.

I like how World of Warcraft looks like a toilet.

February 13, 2009

The best bits – February 13, 2009

Here's what has excited me from the blogosphere today.

February 13, 2009

Will it blend: coffee

Will it Blend is the viral marketer’s dream. Who’d have thought getting the managing director of the company to blend cool stuff with this magic blender would capture the attention of hundreds of thousands of regular viewers. 

Now, Will it Blend’s Blendtek blender takes on the high end coffee grinder market. 

February 13, 2009

How to keep track of what you’ve read

I have a great deal of respect for John Piper. Which reminds me of a post I was going to write about all the sermons we listened to on the road in New Zealand. I’ll get to that one day.

John Piper is the “preaching pastor” of a wildly successful evangelical church in the US. He gives very few interviews. He’s old(ish) and seems pretty humble, passionate and level headed. He recently did do an interview online and here’s a great tip for keeping track of important bits from books. Create your own index. Piper doesn’t reread anything – but here’s how he keeps track of ideas:

When you finish a book, what system have you developed in order to remember and reference that book in the future?

“I index books as I read them, by writing short notes in the front of the book with page numbers beside them. In a good book there may be over a hundred such notes.”

February 12, 2009

This is why you’re fat: deep fried peanut buttered cookie dough brownie edition

This guy’s series of photos on Flickr made it to Digg and This is Why You’re Fat… The popularity of this concept – a deep fried peanut buttered, cookie dough covered brownie ball – perhaps demonstrating once and for all why America has an obesity problem. I guess this is where my toasted mars bar sandwich concept fails. It’s not deep fried.

February 12, 2009

Force sale: Q&A

The bidding war for Luke Skywalker continues to rage. At the moment it’ll only set you back $3.76.

It is attracting some important questions from ebay user Bluesky_Mike. I have two theories for the identity of Bluesky_Mike based on some revealing previous purchases. I have one friend named Mike who is a VirginBlue employee and a Parramatta Eels fan, I have another friend named Mike who is also a Parramatta Eels fan. Bluesky_Mike purchased some Boeing memorabilia and a retro Eels Jersey so my money is on the first candidate.

Here are some important questions you may want/need answered if considering a purchase:

Q: Is ok for a grown man to make the lightsabre “woosh” with this figurine? 12-Feb-09
A: I would think it’s always ok for a grown man to make the lightsabre “woosh”. I’m not sure the figurine is required for that. It will however help you figure out the best grip and stance for your lightsabre bouts. But be careful, making the lightsaber “woosh” at inappropriate times can have serious consequences. I would recommend warning people prior to “wooshing” in order to minimise the effect.
Q: After the purchase of this item, can I change my name to be known as Luke Skywalker? 12-Feb-09
A: You can do that before you purchase the item. A quick trip to court and a small fee and you’d be set. However, I suggest purchasing the item is a good way to help start your new life as Mr Skywalker. The figurine provides an essential guide to dressing like a Jedi and Jedi posture.
Q: Just enquiring about local pickup?? 11-Feb-09
A: As I said above – local pickup can be arranged. There is a tax on people who ask the same question twice.
Q: Will I become a Jedi if I buy this item? 11-Feb-09
A: I can’t really answer that question – except to say that you almost definitely won’t become a Jedi if you don’t buy this item. Purchasing for an exorbitant price and placing it on your mantel piece as something to aspire to will no doubt take you small steps closer to your Jedi dream. Failing that you can tick “Jedi” on the next Australian census and your dreams will become a reality. You should still definitely buy it though. It will be a useful token of your progress to fully fledged Jediism – and a real seal of authenticity to ratify your quest. Thankyou for your question. I look forward to doing business with you. I will be selling more of my unopened Star Wars collection in coming days. Stay tuned. May the Force be somewhat closer to you.
Q: Does it include “The Force”? 11-Feb-09
A: No, the Force will cost extra. Please contact me upon completion of the auction to negotiate a rate. Being trained in use of the Force requires licensing and registration of your mind as a weapon under Australian law. Please check with your state’s criminal code to see if you can actually engage in this training in your home state.
Q: Just enquiring about local pickup?? 11-Feb-09
A: Local pick up is available.

February 12, 2009

Black mark on green movement

While the green movement are trying not to jump up and down screaming “I told you so” when it comes to climate change and the fires/floods covering parts of Australia at the moment, and the loony “Christian” fringe is out blaming abortion laws, the right wing of the Australian media is lining up its ducks and preemptively declaring it open season on the green argument.

Arch conservative Herald columnist Miranda Devine – the paper’s attempt at providing “balanced” coverage – has weighed into the debate early. Blaming the green movement for the fires. I’m unsympathetic to anyone trying to advance their ideologies on the basis of tragedy. And giving air to this just “fans that flame” so to speak. Perhaps a poor choice of words…

The Herald ran this story alongside a piece on a resident who became an environmental vandal hero – after illegally clearing trees on his property to create a firebreak.  Perhaps the Fairfax group has decided inflicting “earth hour” upon the whole world wasn’t enough to give their environmental credentials any credibility next to News Ltd’s “One degree” committment. Maybe they’ve decided to throw out the centre left contingency and pitch to the Telegraph’s established right wing core… but here’s some of what Miss Devine had to say (readers from Townsville should note that she’s the columnist who said people who live in the tropics shouldn’t get cyclone aid because of their choice to live in a cyclone zone)… She’s shaping up as the Germaine Greer of the right (funnily enough she’d consider Greer as a nemesis in the true sense of the word).

“It was the power of green ideology over government to oppose attempts to reduce fuel hazards before a megafire erupts, and which prevents landholders from clearing vegetation to protect themselves.

So many people need not have died so horribly. The warnings have been there for a decade. If politicians are intent on whipping up a lynch mob to divert attention from their own culpability, it is not arsonists who should be hanging from lamp-posts but greenies.

Governments appeasing the green beast have ignored numerous state and federal bushfire inquiries over the past decade, almost all of which have recommended increasing the practice of “prescribed burning”. Also known as “hazard reduction”, it is a methodical regime of burning off flammable ground cover in cooler months, in a controlled fashion, so it does not fuel the inevitable summer bushfires.”

Scarily, Devine actually makes a bit of sense regarding what is a stupid green policy. It’s just not the right time to be launching ideologically motivated political attacks.

February 12, 2009

Deconstructing Dawkins

I’ve just, for reasons unknown, read an article by Dawkins that made me angry. Dawkins on “Atheists for Jesus”. Dawkins is a tool. Probably a tool of Satan. But really, a tool in the urbandictionary (language warning if you follow that link) sense of the word.

Dawkins is trying to claim Jesus for atheism the same way the homosexual lobby claimed the pejorative  “queer” as a label.

He’s reinterpreting everything Jesus had to say about God as just the “cultural norm”. Jesus was apparently a radical who only spoke about God because that was the done thing. Dawkin’s relies on biblical accounts of Jesus’ teaching for his argument – but no doubt dismisses the accounts of his trial, where he was essentially killed for believing that he was God. This is postmodern deconstructionism gone bonkers. Well, it was crazy to begin with. But this is ridiculous.

“I think we owe Jesus the honour of separating his genuinely original and radical ethics from the supernatural nonsense which he inevitably espoused as a man of his time.”

Umm. What?

He basically wants to adopt Jesus because having lots of people acting like Jesus would be good for society. Except of course for the parts where Jesus claims to be God… but of course, those were just the bits where Jesus was being crazy because of the culture he lived in… WHAT? I think if you separate out all the supernatural bits about Jesus you’re left with a guy who’s not very radical at all. He’s a carpenter who hangs out with fishermen and prostitutes. Jesus without a divine aspect is not even an impressive moral teacher.

The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 – 7) which is arguably Jesus’ most admired speech from a secular standpoint (it regularly makes the “best speeches of all time” lists… is pretty rubbish if you remove all the bits that refer to God.

For example if you took out every bit that could be seen to refer to the actions of God, the beatitudes would be reduced to:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

That’s a lot of “blessed” people with no actual “blessing”

And that famous bit about loving your enemies without any reference to God, well, that’s a real moral imperative…

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.“

Taking the God bits out of Jesus’ message leaves us all wanting to be pagan tax collectors – hardly the Utopian society Dawkins is pushing for with his piece of rabid (ill)logic.

February 12, 2009