Social loafing: A meta-analytic review and theoretical integration. - PsycNET - DOI Landing page
http://psycnet.apa.org/?&fa=main.doiLanding&doi=10.1037/0022-3514.65.4.681
"Social loafing is the tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than when working individually. A meta-analysis of 78 studies demonstrates that social loafing is robust and generalizes across tasks and S populations. A large number of variables were found to moderate social loafing. Evaluation potential, expectations of co-worker performance, task meaningfulness, and culture had especially strong influence. These findings are interpreted in the light of a collective effort model that integrates elements of expectancy-value, social identity, and self-validation theories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)"
Social loafing: A meta-analytic review and theoretical integration. - PsycNET - DOI Landing page
http://psycnet.apa.org/?doi=10.1037/0022-3514.65.4.681&fa=main.doiLanding
"Social loafing is the tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than when working individually. A meta-analysis of 78 studies demonstrates that social loafing is robust and generalizes across tasks and S populations. A large number of variables were found to moderate social loafing. Evaluation potential, expectations of co-worker performance, task meaningfulness, and culture had especially strong influence. These findings are interpreted in the light of a collective effort model that integrates elements of expectancy-value, social identity, and self-validation theories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)"
quakejs.com
http://www.quakejs.com/
QuakeJS is a port of ioquake3 to JavaScript with the help of Emscripten.
quakejs.com
http://www.quakejs.com
QuakeJS is a port of ioquake3 to JavaScript with the help of Emscripten.
How In-app Purchases Has Destroyed The Industry (by @baekdal) #opinion
http://www.baekdal.com/opinion/how-inapp-purchases-has-destroyed-the-industry/
I don't like writing negative articles that don't include a solution to the problem, but in this case, there is no solution. The state of in-app purchases has now reached a level where we have completely lost it. Not only has the gaming industry shot itself in the foot, hacked off their other foot, and lost both its arms ... but it's still engaging in a strategy that will only damage it further.
How In-app Purchases Has Destroyed The Industry (by @baekdal) #opinion
http://www.baekdal.com/opinion/how-inapp-purchases-has-destroyed-the-industry
I don't like writing negative articles that don't include a solution to the problem, but in this case, there is no solution. The state of in-app purchases has now reached a level where we have completely lost it. Not only has the gaming industry shot itself in the foot, hacked off their other foot, and lost both its arms ... but it's still engaging in a strategy that will only damage it further.
enoughalready » San Francisco Is Eating Itself
http://alexcastle.net/2014/01/17/san-francisco-is-eating-itself/#comment-432
It’s just such a bummer to see a place that I remember as openminded, laid back, creative, nonjudgmental erupting with all this anger, everyone pointing fingers, blaming people that really aren’t to blame. Come on, guys. You’re better than this.
enoughalready » San Francisco Is Eating Itself
http://alexcastle.net/2014/01/17/san-francisco-is-eating-itself#comment-432
It’s just such a bummer to see a place that I remember as openminded, laid back, creative, nonjudgmental erupting with all this anger, everyone pointing fingers, blaming people that really aren’t to blame. Come on, guys. You’re better than this.
Tina Dupuy | Column: OK, GOP, Defend Speech You Don’t Agree With
http://www.tinadupuy.com/column/ok-gop-defend-speech-you-dont-agree-with/
So here’s my plea to the “decency” police—Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Gov. Bobby Jindal and their many parrots: Defend speech you don’t agree with. Stand up for the right to an opinion you don’t share.
Tina Dupuy | Column: OK, GOP, Defend Speech You Don’t Agree With
http://www.tinadupuy.com/column/ok-gop-defend-speech-you-dont-agree-with
So here’s my plea to the “decency” police—Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Gov. Bobby Jindal and their many parrots: Defend speech you don’t agree with. Stand up for the right to an opinion you don’t share.
On Hacking MicroSD Cards « bunnie's blog
http://www.bunniestudios.com/blog/?p=3554
An Arduino, with its 8-bit 16 MHz microcontroller, will set you back around $20. A microSD card with several gigabytes of memory and a microcontroller with several times the performance could be purchased for a fraction of the price.
On Hacking MicroSD Cards « bunnie's blog
http://www.bunniestudios.com/blog?p=3554
An Arduino, with its 8-bit 16 MHz microcontroller, will set you back around $20. A microSD card with several gigabytes of memory and a microcontroller with several times the performance could be purchased for a fraction of the price.
A Great Old-Timey Game-Programming Hack - Tom Moertel’s Blog
http://blog.moertel.com/posts/2013-12-14-great-old-timey-game-programming-hack.html
You had to bang your ideas around, twist them, turn them, searching for something, anything that would help you squeeze them into the machine. Sometimes you found it, and you got one step closer to realizing your ideas. Sometimes you didn’t.
Caffeine + alcohol keeps your chromosomes just right | Ars Technica
http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/12/caffeine-alcohol-keeps-your-chromosomes-just-right/
Some telomeres are too long, and some are too short. Perhaps striking the right balance of caffeine and alcohol is the key to keeping them just right—as if you needed an excuse to have another hot toddy.
Caffeine + alcohol keeps your chromosomes just right | Ars Technica
http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/12/caffeine-alcohol-keeps-your-chromosomes-just-right
Some telomeres are too long, and some are too short. Perhaps striking the right balance of caffeine and alcohol is the key to keeping them just right—as if you needed an excuse to have another hot toddy.
Gamasutra - The new gen's most important question: Who cares?
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/205224/The_new_gens_most_important_question_Who_cares.php
It's unpopular to say you don't care about consoles, to suggest you don't need to care. It feels like disloyalty to the industry. But what's becoming clear, even if it feels controversial and treacherous to say -- even if it threatens the industry and its loyal consumers, galvanizes them to internet arguments -- is that the console business and the industry models that built it are no longer the main avenue for the medium of games. They're probably not even the most important, even though they remain the most visible to your average person.
thenightwatch.pdf
http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/people/mickens/thenightwatch.pdf
As a systems hacker, you must be prepared to do savage things, unspeakable things, to kill runaway threads with your bare hands, to write directly to network ports using telnet and an old copy of an RFC that you found in the Vatican.
Faith in science and religion: Truth, authority, and the orderliness of nature.
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/11/faith_in_science_and_religion_truth_authority_and_the_orderliness_of_nature.html
The conflation of faith as “unevidenced belief” with faith as “justified confidence” is simply a word trick used to buttress religion.
Switzerland’s Proposal to Pay People for Being Alive - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/17/magazine/switzerlands-proposal-to-pay-people-for-being-alive.html?hp&pagewanted=all&_r=0
There are strong arguments against minimum or basic incomes, too. Cost is one. Creating a massive disincentive to work is another. But some experts said the effect might be smaller than you would think. A basic income might be enough to live on, but not enough to live very well on. Such a program would be designed to end poverty without creating a nation of layabouts. The Mincome experiment offers some backup for that argument, too.“For a lot of economists, the issue was that you would disincentivize work,” said Wayne Simpson, a Canadian economist who has studied Mincome. “The evidence showed that it was not nearly as bad as some of the literature had suggested.”
Switzerland’s Proposal to Pay People for Being Alive - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/17/magazine/switzerlands-proposal-to-pay-people-for-being-alive.html?_r=0&hp=&pagewanted=all
There are strong arguments against minimum or basic incomes, too. Cost is one. Creating a massive disincentive to work is another. But some experts said the effect might be smaller than you would think. A basic income might be enough to live on, but not enough to live very well on. Such a program would be designed to end poverty without creating a nation of layabouts. The Mincome experiment offers some backup for that argument, too.“For a lot of economists, the issue was that you would disincentivize work,” said Wayne Simpson, a Canadian economist who has studied Mincome. “The evidence showed that it was not nearly as bad as some of the literature had suggested.”
Willa's World: The Six Most Common Species Of Code
http://www.willa.me/2013/11/the-six-most-common-species-of-code.html?m=1
Paul O’Shannessy - Do We Need Node?
http://zpao.com/posts/do-we-need-node/
So what do I want? I want a world where the core JS engine is swappable. Maybe I’m deploying on an architecture not supported by V8 (Node on SPARC came up while working on SpiderNode). Maybe my employer only wants to use the JVM. Or maybe Microsoft can get some performance wins by using Chakra for Windows Azure. Back to modules, I don’t want to get rid of npm. Or maybe I do and I want something that only supports ES6+ modules.
Paul O’Shannessy - Do We Need Node?
http://zpao.com/posts/do-we-need-node
So what do I want? I want a world where the core JS engine is swappable. Maybe I’m deploying on an architecture not supported by V8 (Node on SPARC came up while working on SpiderNode). Maybe my employer only wants to use the JVM. Or maybe Microsoft can get some performance wins by using Chakra for Windows Azure. Back to modules, I don’t want to get rid of npm. Or maybe I do and I want something that only supports ES6+ modules.
The Art and Animation of Kurt Hartfelder: Batman: The Animated Series Storyboards
http://kurthartfelder.blogspot.com/2010/08/batman-animated-series-storyboards.html
The storyboards above are the original production boards for the series intro. The camera work, screen design, transitions, and compositions are fantastic - and the infamous Batman music playing above it all really tops it off. I knew that this show was great when they were still producing episodes for it back in the early 90's, but after looking at this book again, I have a whole new respect for the artists who designed it and the producers who made it possible.
With A Brooklyn Accent: Letter to Governor Christie from the New Jersey Teacher He Screamed At
http://withabrooklynaccent.blogspot.com/2013/11/letter-to-governor-christie-from-new.html
You are setting up teachers to take the blame for all of this. You have portrayed us as greedy, lazy money-draining public servants that do nothing. I invite you to come do my job for one week Governor Christie. I invite you to come see my students, see how little they really have during the school day as they are being forced to keep learning for a single snapshot of their educational worth. For that one end-all, be-all test, the NJASK. The one that the future of my job and my life is now based upon.
Kopi Luwak is crappy coffee | Chazzano Coffee
https://shopchazzanocoffee.com/kopi-luwak-is-crappy-coffee/
If you ask me about Kopi Luwak, I will supply the usual answer, “Why would I want to drink crappy coffee?” However, the true reason is that there is no food product that is worthwhile if it causes undue stress or pain to an animal. However, if anyone wants to buy some of the best specialty coffee ever, I am willing to sell any of my coffees for $200/ lb.
Kopi Luwak is crappy coffee | Chazzano Coffee
https://shopchazzanocoffee.com/kopi-luwak-is-crappy-coffee
If you ask me about Kopi Luwak, I will supply the usual answer, “Why would I want to drink crappy coffee?” However, the true reason is that there is no food product that is worthwhile if it causes undue stress or pain to an animal. However, if anyone wants to buy some of the best specialty coffee ever, I am willing to sell any of my coffees for $200/ lb.
Crockpot Slow Cooker Freezer Cooking – 40 meals in 4 hours
http://whoneedsacape.com/2012/11/crockpot-freezer-cooking/
Freezer cooking! Have you heard about this? You spend one day preparing meals for the month to keep in your freezer so you don’t have to think about it later.
Crockpot Slow Cooker Freezer Cooking – 40 meals in 4 hours
http://whoneedsacape.com/2012/11/crockpot-freezer-cooking
Freezer cooking! Have you heard about this? You spend one day preparing meals for the month to keep in your freezer so you don’t have to think about it later.
The Man Who Would Teach Machines to Think - James Somers - The Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/11/the-man-who-would-teach-machines-to-think/309529/
Douglas Hofstadter, the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Gödel, Escher, Bach, thinks we've lost sight of what artificial intelligence really means. His stubborn quest to replicate the human mind.
The Man Who Would Teach Machines to Think - James Somers - The Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/11/the-man-who-would-teach-machines-to-think/309529
Douglas Hofstadter, the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Gödel, Escher, Bach, thinks we've lost sight of what artificial intelligence really means. His stubborn quest to replicate the human mind.
Why Fundamentalist Christians Fear Intellectualism - The God Article
http://www.thegodarticle.com/7/post/2013/10/-why-fundamentalist-christians-fear-intellectualism.html
Intellectualism invites the constant assessment of the “correctness” of a person's belief system. That's dangerous ground for a fundamentalist Christian. When you confront them on a particular belief you are not only confronting them on an idea that they have held to more rigidly for a longer time than most other folks but you are confronting the very core of who they understand themselves to be. For them, it is on those core beliefs upon which their salvation hangs in the balance, at least in part. Questioning it doesn't just question the thought but, for them, it puts into question a lifetime of holding on tightly to that thought.
Astronaut and a Writer at the Movies - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/01/science/space/an-astronaut-and-a-writer-at-the-movies.html
As we recall from bitter memory, the Hubble and the space station are in vastly different orbits. Getting from one to the other requires so much energy that not even space shuttles had enough fuel to do it. The telescope is 353 miles high, in an orbit that keeps it near the Equator; the space station is about 100 miles lower, in an orbit that takes it far north, over Russia.
To have the movie astronauts Matt Kowalski (Mr. Clooney) and Ryan Stone (Ms. Bullock) zip over to the space station would be like having a pirate tossed overboard in the Caribbean swim to London.
NextDraft: Adolescence in the Age of Pay-Per-Minute Porn
http://nextdraft.com/2010/09/08/adolescence-in-the-age-of-pay-per-minute-porn/
The four-finger method worked for seven days. And during that unforgettable week, my neighborhood shut down. Nerf footballs sat untouched on driveway blacktops, tumbleweed rolled across emptied bike paths, dust gathered on Intellivision gaming consoles, zero progress was made on bar mitzvah haftorah portions.
NextDraft: Adolescence in the Age of Pay-Per-Minute Porn
http://nextdraft.com/2010/09/08/adolescence-in-the-age-of-pay-per-minute-porn
The four-finger method worked for seven days. And during that unforgettable week, my neighborhood shut down. Nerf footballs sat untouched on driveway blacktops, tumbleweed rolled across emptied bike paths, dust gathered on Intellivision gaming consoles, zero progress was made on bar mitzvah haftorah portions.
Tuition Aid From a Zombie Elf - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/08/nyregion/tuition-aid-from-a-zombie-elf.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Last year, Mr. Johnson received one of the first two grants given by Gamers Helping Gamers, a nonprofit organization founded by a group of successful young New Yorkers to assist a very specific group of students: those who play the fantasy trading card game Magic: The Gathering.
Tuition Aid From a Zombie Elf - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/08/nyregion/tuition-aid-from-a-zombie-elf.html?_r=0&pagewanted=all
Last year, Mr. Johnson received one of the first two grants given by Gamers Helping Gamers, a nonprofit organization founded by a group of successful young New Yorkers to assist a very specific group of students: those who play the fantasy trading card game Magic: The Gathering.
A Few Thoughts on Cryptographic Engineering: A note on the NSA, the future, and fixing mistakes
http://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2013/09/a-note-on-nsa-future-and-fixing-mistakes.html
The question to me -- as an American and as someone who cares about the integrity of speech -- is how we restore faith in our technology. I don't have the answers to this question right now. Unfortunately this is a long-term problem that will consume the output of researchers and technologists much more talented than I am. I only hope to be involved in the process.
Why cards are the future of the web | Inside Intercom
http://insideintercom.io/why-cards-are-the-future-of-the-web
Guelph family lives like it's 1986 | Toronto & GTA | News | Toronto Sun
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/08/31/guelph-family-lives-like-its-1986
their house has banned any technology post-1986, the year the couple was born.
No computers, no tablets, no smart phones, no fancy coffee machines, no Internet, no cable, and – from the point of view of many tech-dependent folks – no life.
BrewPony Coffee Powers The Interwebs | BrewPony
http://brewpony.com/brewpony-coffee-powers-the-interweb/
If you’re in the United States and have ever contributed to a Free/Open Source project in any way, please email our hospitality Ponies telling them to which project(s) you’ve contributed and how and we’ll email you back with a coupon code worth 10% off any BrewPony product. For as long as you (or we) live.
BrewPony Coffee Powers The Interwebs | BrewPony
http://brewpony.com/brewpony-coffee-powers-the-interweb
If you’re in the United States and have ever contributed to a Free/Open Source project in any way, please email our hospitality Ponies telling them to which project(s) you’ve contributed and how and we’ll email you back with a coupon code worth 10% off any BrewPony product. For as long as you (or we) live.
Why the Star Trek Into Darkness Blu-ray is going to rip you off
http://io9.com/why-the-star-trek-into-darkness-blu-ray-is-going-to-rip-1222160195
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.
Measles outbreak tied to Texas megachurch sickens 21 - NBC News.com
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/measles-outbreak-tied-texas-megachurch-sickens-21-8C11009315
An outbreak of measles tied to a Texas megachurch where ministers have questioned vaccination has sickened at least 21 people, including a 4-month-old infant -- and it’s expected to grow, state and federal health officials said.
What would I say if I ever met an espresso bean? | Chazzano Coffee
https://shopchazzanocoffee.com/espresso_bean_myth/
Any expertly, fresh roasted, and freshly ground coffee, ground finely for espresso may be used for brewing espresso.
What would I say if I ever met an espresso bean? | Chazzano Coffee
https://shopchazzanocoffee.com/espresso_bean_myth
Any expertly, fresh roasted, and freshly ground coffee, ground finely for espresso may be used for brewing espresso.
How to trap a whistleblower - Salon.com
http://www.salon.com/2013/08/16/how_to_trap_a_whistleblower/
Drake’s story puts the lie to the notion that internal channels serve as anything other than a trap for unwitting whistleblowers. What is so revealing is that if Snowden had gone through internal channels, the outcome would have been worse: the United States would have charged him with espionage and he’d be in jail for, in essence, spying on his own country on behalf of the public. It should not require martyrdom for a free citizen to challenge government abuses of power. It should not require choosing one’s conscience over one’s career, citizenship, or freedom.
How to trap a whistleblower - Salon.com
http://www.salon.com/2013/08/16/how_to_trap_a_whistleblower
Drake’s story puts the lie to the notion that internal channels serve as anything other than a trap for unwitting whistleblowers. What is so revealing is that if Snowden had gone through internal channels, the outcome would have been worse: the United States would have charged him with espionage and he’d be in jail for, in essence, spying on his own country on behalf of the public. It should not require martyrdom for a free citizen to challenge government abuses of power. It should not require choosing one’s conscience over one’s career, citizenship, or freedom.
The Stranger • Certain Doctor Who Phrases and how Olive Garden Customers React: An Experiment Done by a Server
http://strangeronbakerstreet.tumblr.com/post/46821798132/certain-doctor-who-phrases-and-how-olive-garden
As a server, I did an experiment tonight, I was saying basically only Doctor Who quotes to my tables, some understood, others did not
nuxx.net » Not Just The Numbers
https://nuxx.net/blog/2013/08/16/not-just-the-numbers/
Recently I was working on a high visibility end user problem with computer performance that ended up having a somewhat-unexpected cause: the laptop’s external power supply.
nuxx.net » Not Just The Numbers
https://nuxx.net/blog/2013/08/16/not-just-the-numbers
Recently I was working on a high visibility end user problem with computer performance that ended up having a somewhat-unexpected cause: the laptop’s external power supply.
Did You Know that Mozilla is Hijacking the Internet? - Open Enterprise
http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/open-enterprise/2013/08/did-you-know-that-mozilla-is-hijacking-the-internet/index.htm
the IAB is back with a new assault in the form of a full-page ad placed in Advertising Age (and also available online for your delectation [.pdf]) that is bigger, better - and barmier.
I'm 13 and None of My Friends Use Facebook
http://mashable.com/2013/08/11/teens-facebook/?utm_cid=mash-prod-email-topstories
I decided to get a Facebook just to see what it was all about. I soon discovered that Facebook is useless without friends. My only friend is, like, my grandma.
I'm 13 and None of My Friends Use Facebook
http://mashable.com/2013/08/11/teens-facebook
I decided to get a Facebook just to see what it was all about. I soon discovered that Facebook is useless without friends. My only friend is, like, my grandma.
Dude falls off skateboard, cat takes over
http://31.media.tumblr.com/1a183ecccd8fec8e30b8b48e45115621/tumblr_mr3ea6Y5lI1s2yegdo1_400.gif
The rich really are different: Their bodies contain unique chemical pollutants - Quartz
http://qz.com/111834/the-rich-are-different-from-you-and-me-their-bodies-contain-unique-chemical-pollutants/
“Tell me what kinds of toxins are in your body, and I’ll tell you how much you’re worth,” could be the new motto of doctors everywhere.
The rich really are different: Their bodies contain unique chemical pollutants - Quartz
http://qz.com/111834/the-rich-are-different-from-you-and-me-their-bodies-contain-unique-chemical-pollutants
“Tell me what kinds of toxins are in your body, and I’ll tell you how much you’re worth,” could be the new motto of doctors everywhere.
A Chronological Presentation of Fucks I Give., My sister asked if the events of “The Labyrinth"...
http://glamdamnit.tumblr.com/post/55713093884/my-sister-asked-if-the-events-of-the-labyrinth
Sarah is Hebrew name. So, it is common, and has been in use for thousands and thousands of years. It does not take long (for him) to find a dark haired girl named Sarah, who has a younger sibling, and who feels that she is treated unfairly by her step mother. In a fit of rage he kidnaps this other child and spirits it away to the fairy world. Perhaps this new Sarah dies in the quest to find the child, perhaps she wins her sibling back and flees.
Why Go Out? — Human Parts — Medium
https://medium.com/human-parts/f5c7d9d06be6
For many years I have asked myself, Why do you spend time with other people? but I never really attempted to come up with an answer. I always believed I was asking myself a rhetorical question, but this week I thought I would try and find an answer, because a question you ask yourself a thousand times eventually deserves to be answered.
Hard-Coded Bluetooth PIN Vulnerability in LIXIL Satis Toilet
https://www.trustwave.com/spiderlabs/advisories/TWSL2013-020.txt
Attackers could cause the unit to unexpectedly open/close the lid, activate bidet or air-dry functions, causing discomfort or distress to user.
Ken Shirriff's blog: Tiny, cheap, and dangerous: Inside a (fake) iPhone charger
http://www.righto.com/2012/03/inside-cheap-phone-charger-and-why-you.html
Stay away from super-cheap AC adapters built by mystery manufacturers. Spend the extra few dollars to get a brand-name AC adapter. It will be safer, produce less interference, and your device's touchscreen will perform better.
Overnight Crockpot Steel-Cut Oatmeal - Ann Kroeker. Writer
http://annkroeker.com/2008/03/25/overnight-crockpot-steel-cut-oatmeal/
With only a few seconds of preparation the night before, you can awaken to steamy, creamy, perfectly prepared steelcut oatmeal. It’s like you’re suddenly transported to a cozy bed-and-breakfast where the hostess bustled around in the kitchen early in the morning in order to serve you this healthy breakfast treat at the moment you’re ready.
Overnight Crockpot Steel-Cut Oatmeal - Ann Kroeker. Writer
http://annkroeker.com/2008/03/25/overnight-crockpot-steel-cut-oatmeal
With only a few seconds of preparation the night before, you can awaken to steamy, creamy, perfectly prepared steelcut oatmeal. It’s like you’re suddenly transported to a cozy bed-and-breakfast where the hostess bustled around in the kitchen early in the morning in order to serve you this healthy breakfast treat at the moment you’re ready.
Stardock acquires Star Control franchise rights, plans new game « Brutal Gamer
http://brutalgamer.com/2013/07/23/stardock-acquires-star-control/
Awww yuss. “We expect the new Star Control to come in the form of a reboot, similar to what Firaxis did with the XCOM series last year. We are looking at Star Control II as a major source of inspiration.”
Stardock acquires Star Control franchise rights, plans new game « Brutal Gamer
http://brutalgamer.com/2013/07/23/stardock-acquires-star-control
Awww yuss. “We expect the new Star Control to come in the form of a reboot, similar to what Firaxis did with the XCOM series last year. We are looking at Star Control II as a major source of inspiration.”
Baer’s Odyssey: Meet the serial inventor who built the world’s first game c
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/07/in-the-beginning-ralph-h-baer-and-the-birth-of-the-game-console
Mini Arcade featuring slideshow | Dave Nunez's Blog v2.0
http://davenunez.wordpress.com/2013/07/10/mini-arcade-featuring-slideshow/
Steve and I had talked about making a tiny arcade machine for his little chibi Street Fighter guys (street fighter guys fighting each other but in their own game – very meta).
Mini Arcade featuring slideshow | Dave Nunez's Blog v2.0
http://davenunez.wordpress.com/2013/07/10/mini-arcade-featuring-slideshow
Steve and I had talked about making a tiny arcade machine for his little chibi Street Fighter guys (street fighter guys fighting each other but in their own game – very meta).
A Raspberry Pi can be powered by fire | Chips | Geek.com
http://www.geek.com/chips/a-raspberry-pi-can-be-powered-by-fire-1561917/
if the CampStove produces enough power to charge a battery over USB, it should also be capable of powering a Raspberry Pi.
A Raspberry Pi can be powered by fire | Chips | Geek.com
http://www.geek.com/chips/a-raspberry-pi-can-be-powered-by-fire-1561917
if the CampStove produces enough power to charge a battery over USB, it should also be capable of powering a Raspberry Pi.
In the House, a Refusal to Govern - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/12/opinion/in-the-house-a-refusal-to-govern.html?_r=4&
A refusal to even to sit at a bargaining table is another way of refusing to govern. The nation’s founders created two chambers for a reason, but Republicans, in their blind fury to harm the least fortunate, are forgetting even those fundamental national values.
In the House, a Refusal to Govern - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/12/opinion/in-the-house-a-refusal-to-govern.html?_r=4
A refusal to even to sit at a bargaining table is another way of refusing to govern. The nation’s founders created two chambers for a reason, but Republicans, in their blind fury to harm the least fortunate, are forgetting even those fundamental national values.
The Secret to Finland's Success With Schools, Moms, Kids—and Everything - Olga Khazan - The Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/07/the-secret-to-finlands-success-with-schools-moms-kids-and-everything/277699/?single_page=true
"It seems to me that people in Finland are more secure and less anxious than Americans because there is a threshold below which they won't fall," said Linda Cook, a political scientist at Brown University who has studied European welfare states. "Even if they face unemployment or illness, Finns will have some payments from the state, public health care and education."
The Secret to Finland's Success With Schools, Moms, Kids—and Everything - Olga Khazan - The Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/07/the-secret-to-finlands-success-with-schools-moms-kids-and-everything/277699?single_page=true
"It seems to me that people in Finland are more secure and less anxious than Americans because there is a threshold below which they won't fall," said Linda Cook, a political scientist at Brown University who has studied European welfare states. "Even if they face unemployment or illness, Finns will have some payments from the state, public health care and education."
A few words on Doug Engelbart
http://worrydream.com/Engelbart/
If you attempt to make sense of Engelbart's design by drawing correspondences to our present-day systems, you will miss the point, because our present-day systems do not embody Engelbart's intent. Engelbart hated our present-day systems.
A few words on Doug Engelbart
http://worrydream.com/Engelbart
If you attempt to make sense of Engelbart's design by drawing correspondences to our present-day systems, you will miss the point, because our present-day systems do not embody Engelbart's intent. Engelbart hated our present-day systems.
Men's Wearhouse icon won't like the way he looks -- he's out! - NBC News.com
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/mens-wearhouse-icon-wont-way-he-looks-hes-out-6C10378086
Men's Wearhouse has fired George Zimmer, its bearded executive chairman famous for his TV ad line: "You're going to like the way you look. I guarantee it."
Persona and Surveillance - Identity at Mozilla
http://identity.mozilla.com/post/52729477874/persona-and-surveillance
It’s also worth pointing out that we do take certain technical measures to limit the data we collect. We’ve designed Persona so that the identity provider – including the fallback Identity Provider that we run – does not learn your browsing history. We consider that a good security practice, not specifically because of surveillance, but generally because collecting data without a user benefit just creates risk.
Appeals Court Makes Monsanto Promise Not To Sue Organic Farmers | ThinkProgress
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/06/11/2133121/appeals-court-monsanto-not-sue-farmers/
On Monday, a federal appeals court dismissed organic farmers’ lawsuit against the biotech firm Monsanto Company — but extracted a binding promise from Monsanto that they would not sue farmers whose crops were inadvertently contaminated with their product. Monsanto, which owns the patents to the vast majority of genetically modified staple crops in the U.S., devotes $10 million a year and a staff of 75 specifically to investigate and sue farmers who use their GM technology without paying royalties. To date, they have pursued more than 800 patent infringement cases.
Appeals Court Makes Monsanto Promise Not To Sue Organic Farmers | ThinkProgress
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/06/11/2133121/appeals-court-monsanto-not-sue-farmers
On Monday, a federal appeals court dismissed organic farmers’ lawsuit against the biotech firm Monsanto Company — but extracted a binding promise from Monsanto that they would not sue farmers whose crops were inadvertently contaminated with their product. Monsanto, which owns the patents to the vast majority of genetically modified staple crops in the U.S., devotes $10 million a year and a staff of 75 specifically to investigate and sue farmers who use their GM technology without paying royalties. To date, they have pursued more than 800 patent infringement cases.
The Greatest Science Fiction-Themed Bars and Restaurants on Earth
http://io9.com/the-greatest-science-fiction-themed-bars-and-restaurant-512256764
You may never get to drink at the Cantina — but you can still visit some real-life watering holes that celebrate your favorite stories. We've already shown you science-fictional bars we'd like to visit and people whose homes are based on spaceships, but here are real joints that boast a TARDIS, AT-ATs or the Martian landscape.
Sparkle Donkey Tequila
http://www.sparkledonkey.com/
The story of the Sparkle Donkey — or El Burro Esparkalo as he is better known — began as little more than a local anecdote about a humble-yet-noble creature that, in dire times, delivered liquid salvation to many who were in need. But as time passed and word of his strange, lustrous aura and invigorating, ambrosial drink spread, the Sparkle Donkey became a powerful symbol of hope — an iconic and inscrutable totem that resonates to this very day.
Sparkle Donkey Tequila
http://www.sparkledonkey.com
The story of the Sparkle Donkey — or El Burro Esparkalo as he is better known — began as little more than a local anecdote about a humble-yet-noble creature that, in dire times, delivered liquid salvation to many who were in need. But as time passed and word of his strange, lustrous aura and invigorating, ambrosial drink spread, the Sparkle Donkey became a powerful symbol of hope — an iconic and inscrutable totem that resonates to this very day.
Neil Gaiman's Journal: Iain Banks. With or without the M.
http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2013/06/iain-banks-with-or-without-m.html
If you've never read any of his books, read one of his books. Then read another. Even the bad ones were good, and the good ones were astonishing.
[liberationtech] Why didn't tech company leaders blow the whistle?
https://mailman.stanford.edu/pipermail/liberationtech/2013-June/008815.html
Dave asks some great questions about why the people who had power over these networks didn't blow the whistle instead of some anonymous insider having to do it. Here's one possible answer.
New Study Confirms Obamacare's Birth Control Mandate Will Reduce Abortion Rate | ThinkProgress
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/10/05/966121/obamacare-birth-control-abortion/
A new study focusing on low-income women in St. Louis, MO concludes that expanding access to free contraception — just as the health care reform law does through its provision to provide birth control without a co-pay — leads to significantly lower rates of unintended teen pregnancy and abortion. Researchers found that when women weren’t prohibited by cost, they chose more effective, long-lasting forms of birth control and experienced many fewer unintended pregnancies as a result.
New Study Confirms Obamacare's Birth Control Mandate Will Reduce Abortion Rate | ThinkProgress
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/10/05/966121/obamacare-birth-control-abortion
A new study focusing on low-income women in St. Louis, MO concludes that expanding access to free contraception — just as the health care reform law does through its provision to provide birth control without a co-pay — leads to significantly lower rates of unintended teen pregnancy and abortion. Researchers found that when women weren’t prohibited by cost, they chose more effective, long-lasting forms of birth control and experienced many fewer unintended pregnancies as a result.
Mad Men recap: Solving the mystery of Bob Benson. - Slate Magazine
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/tv_club/features/2013/mad_men_season_6/week_9/mad_men_recap_solving_the_mystery_of_bob_benson.html
My bet is that the joke is on us, that there is no great reveal. Bob Benson is a way for the writers to show us how, in the world of Mad Men, the very qualities that define a real go-getting American businessman, here, in this office, with these people, look like vile perversion. To propose that Bob Benson is a spy is, frankly, to dance on Dutch Reagan’s grave. If you suspect Bob, you suspect the backbone of American commerce. If you suspect Bob, you suspect opportunity itself.
The Secret Apartment in the Mall
http://www.trummerkind.com/mall/What_Happened.html
Starting in 2003 I committed to the idea of creating a luxury apartment in the mall. Over the course of the years to come I systematically coordinated the movement of the core elements that start to define a home. The space in the mall achieved a base-level of comfort, with enough amenities to qualify itself as a livable domestic space. Life from within the mall was committed to the pursuit of normalcy and the purchase of objects and clothing that would help define me an active participant in the great things the mall has to offer. The apartment was a superb space for hosting guests and I only regret that we didn’t have a working toilet. I will do my best to share thoughts about its creation and the aftermath with regular writing here.
BBC News - Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22751415
For 75 years, Finland's expectant mothers have been given a box by the state. It's like a starter kit of clothes, sheets and toys that can even be used as a bed. And some say it helped Finland achieve one of the world's lowest infant mortality rates.
Monopoly auction rule: Official? Yes. Smart? No.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/06/03/monopoly_auction_rule_official_yes_smart_no.html
An old blog post about an “unknown” Monopoly rule has been making its way around the Web the past few days, starting with a piece on BuzzFeed, then spreading to MSN, Yahoo, HuffPo, and a slew of other places. The gist is simple: When landing on a property, you’re allowed to auction it off, with the highest bidder paying the bank, rather than just purchasing it yourself.
Endless Play, Endlessly Pursued Goals, and Just Remember: “Don't Starve” | PopMatters
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/170280-endless-play-endlessly-pursued-goals-and-just-remember-dont-starve/
This is a game that provokes only existential angst in me through its reflection of endless maintenance within a system. I feel like if Franz Kafka had created a game, this would be exactly his kind of game.
Endless Play, Endlessly Pursued Goals, and Just Remember: “Don't Starve” | PopMatters
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/170280-endless-play-endlessly-pursued-goals-and-just-remember-dont-starve
This is a game that provokes only existential angst in me through its reflection of endless maintenance within a system. I feel like if Franz Kafka had created a game, this would be exactly his kind of game.
JavaScript is Web Assembly Language and that's OK. - Scott Hanselman
http://www.hanselman.com/blog/JavaScriptIsWebAssemblyLanguageAndThatsOK.aspx
As our great philosopher Kosh from Babylon 5 once said: "The avalanche has already started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote."
Pibow Belt Base for Raspberry Pi by pburgess « adafruit industries blog
http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2013/03/08/pibow-belt-base-for-raspberry-pi-by-pburgess/
REQUIRES PIBOW CASE – this is ONLY a replacement bottom layer. Laser cut from 3mm (1/8″) acrylic.
The belt is made from 1.5″ nylon webbing (better-equipped hardware, sewing or camping stores will stock this and related fittings), but it’s also perfectly suited to most camera straps if you have a DSLR + Raspberry Pi project in mind. The USB battery pack is an item from the Adafruit shop, held in place with cable ties.
Pibow Belt Base for Raspberry Pi by pburgess « adafruit industries blog
http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2013/03/08/pibow-belt-base-for-raspberry-pi-by-pburgess
REQUIRES PIBOW CASE – this is ONLY a replacement bottom layer. Laser cut from 3mm (1/8″) acrylic.
The belt is made from 1.5″ nylon webbing (better-equipped hardware, sewing or camping stores will stock this and related fittings), but it’s also perfectly suited to most camera straps if you have a DSLR + Raspberry Pi project in mind. The USB battery pack is an item from the Adafruit shop, held in place with cable ties.
Make a plug hub for your Macbook - the future needs fixing - sugru
http://sugru.com/us/gallery/make-a-plug-hub-for-your-macbook
I love my Macbook, but I hate connecting and disconnecting 5 cables over and over again when I need to leave my desk. sugru to the rescue!
The Weird Stuff Warehouse is where old tech goes to retire | Ars Technica
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/05/the-weird-stuff-warehouse-is-where-old-tech-goes-to-retire/
Tucked neatly between Yahoo! headquarters and Lockheed Martin is a row of unmarked warehouses. To the common passerby, it's nothing more than an office park surrounded by perfectly manicured lawns. But to those who are in on the secret, there's a place full of technology treasures waiting to be unearthed. It's called the Weird Stuff Warehouse, and for more than 27 years it's been providing the Bay Area with a surplus of old and new technology. It's not just a Goodwill for antiquated hardware, though—it's also a step back through time. Inside this warehouse, it's an era when RAID controllers were the size of a modern-day sound card and Windows 95 reigned supreme.
The Weird Stuff Warehouse is where old tech goes to retire | Ars Technica
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/05/the-weird-stuff-warehouse-is-where-old-tech-goes-to-retire
Tucked neatly between Yahoo! headquarters and Lockheed Martin is a row of unmarked warehouses. To the common passerby, it's nothing more than an office park surrounded by perfectly manicured lawns. But to those who are in on the secret, there's a place full of technology treasures waiting to be unearthed. It's called the Weird Stuff Warehouse, and for more than 27 years it's been providing the Bay Area with a surplus of old and new technology. It's not just a Goodwill for antiquated hardware, though—it's also a step back through time. Inside this warehouse, it's an era when RAID controllers were the size of a modern-day sound card and Windows 95 reigned supreme.
Cereal Box Design: New Closure | New Republic
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/113319/cereal-box-design-new-closure
But here's something you may not realize (or if you do, it's probably on a subliminal level): There are actually two different types of tabbed box-closure mechanisms out there. One is the kind described above, with a perforated slot. The other format involves two interlocking box flaps that snap together without the need for a perforated slot. You can see the differences between the two designs by looking here.
Play Misadventure, a FREE online game on JayIsGames
http://jayisgames.com/games/misadventure/
Don't know if it's the nostalgia factor that makes this so immersive for me, but this game is actually vaguely scary
Play Misadventure, a FREE online game on JayIsGames
http://jayisgames.com/games/misadventure
Don't know if it's the nostalgia factor that makes this so immersive for me, but this game is actually vaguely scary
Understand How It Works - Martin Rue
http://martinrue.com/posts/12/understand-how-it-works
If you simply remember how to do something, then all you can do is use it the same way over and over, but if you understand how it works, you can reason about it. Once you can reason about something in your mind you can contemplate why it is the way it is, you can apply your entire creative mind to making the most of it, and you can implement and question improvement – you own it intellectually.
DIY: Shovel AK - photo tsunami warning!
http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/build-yourself/179192-diy-shovel-ak-photo-tsunami-warning.html
On this Thanksgiving Day, let me say this: God Bless America the only country on this shitty planet where you still have the freedom to build AKs in defense of Motherland! The only country where a shit shovel can become an awesome weapon of death and destruction.
This rose is smaller than a strand of hair
http://io9.com/this-rose-is-smaller-than-a-strand-of-hair-509268149
Harvard engineers have a devised a technique for designing and producing intricate microscopic models, called "hierarchical microarchitectures," and the tiny sculptures it produces are nothing short of incredible.
Project Longhaul - KdN - Kokes dot Net
http://www.kokes.net/projectlonghaul/projectlonghaul.htm
Once upon a time, a boy met a girl. Then a short amount of time later, the boy decided to design and build a ring for the girl, because doing things in the most complicated way possible is just what he does to show the love. This is that story.
Thread: Working without servers
http://threads2.scripting.com/2013/may/workingWithoutServers#pq=SSfZu9
One of our fetishes at Small Picture is getting cool stuff working with no servers.
Proposal: LDAP password resets as a unit of measure - Will's blog
http://www.bluesock.org/~willg/blog/mozilla/ldap_pwd_resets_as_a_unit_of_measure.html
The 3 month LDAP password reset is such a large part of our lives that I propose it become a standard unit of measure for elapsed time.
ClippyJS - Add Clippy or his friends to any website for instant nostalgia
https://www.smore.com/clippy-js
Add Clippy or his friends to any website for instant nostalgia. Our research shows that people love two things: failed Microsoft technologies and obscure Javascript libraries. Naturally, we decided to combine the two.
XBMC OS on Stealth Nighthawk F-117A TVDongle | Indiegogo
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/xbmc-os-on-stealth-nighthawk-f-117a-tvdongle
Stealth Nighthawk F-117A is an easy to use XBMC device, with the same soc as the Raspberry PI, that makes it easy for you to run Open Source software that are supported by Raspberry PI, but with a nice, small and fancy design not bigger than your car keys.
Daily Download: Skinny Puppy, 'saLvo' | Music News | Rolling Stone
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/salvo-by-skinny-puppy-free-mp3-20130514
"With the theme of a full circle return to our electronic roots and equipment, everything seemed right, and like the buzz of something new it brought us back," Skinny Puppy's cEvin Key tells Rolling Stone.
Ben's Blog » μJoypad [+ ..]
http://blog.benbergman.ca/2012/11/01/%CE%BCjoypad/
A couple months ago I saw an article or video of the world’s largest game controller and thought to myself “I bet I could make the smallest” and so I did.
Ben's Blog » μJoypad [+ ..]
http://blog.benbergman.ca/2012/11/01/%CE%BCjoypad
A couple months ago I saw an article or video of the world’s largest game controller and thought to myself “I bet I could make the smallest” and so I did.
A Nation of Wimps | Psychology Today
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200411/nation-wimps?fb_action_ids=10200996900466134&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B10150092467549083%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.likes%22%5D&action_ref_map=
Parents are going to ludicrous lengths to take the bumps out of life for their children. However, parental hyperconcern has the net effect of making kids more fragile; that may be why they're breaking down in record numbers.
A Nation of Wimps | Psychology Today
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200411/nation-wimps?action_object_map=[10150092467549083]&action_ref_map=&action_type_map=[%22og.likes%22]&fb_action_ids=10200996900466134&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline
Parents are going to ludicrous lengths to take the bumps out of life for their children. However, parental hyperconcern has the net effect of making kids more fragile; that may be why they're breaking down in record numbers.
MPEG1 Video Decoder in JavaScript - PhobosLab
http://phoboslab.org/log/2013/05/mpeg1-video-decoder-in-javascript
An MPEG1 decoder sounded like a relatively simple and fun weekend project. While the real world use cases for this are of course a bit limited, I still learned a whole lot about video codecs in the process. The size of the source is just around 15kb gzipped and the performance is quite okay-ish - a 320x240 video easily plays with 30fps on the iPhone5.
Yahoo Struggles to Find Way Out of Microsoft Web-Search Deal - WSJ.com
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424127887323372504578469401316209428-lMyQjAxMTAzMDAwNzEwNDcyWj.html
Yahoo Inc. has been quietly trying to find a way out of its struggling Web-search partnership with Microsoft Corp., a person familiar the situation said, but has so far failed in that effort.
Elizabeth Smart: Abstinence Education Teaches Rape Victims They're Worthless, Dirty, And Filthy | ThinkProgress
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/05/06/1967591/elizabeth-smart-abstinence-ed/
abstinence-only education programs have a long history of imparting harmful messages that shame youth about their sexuality instead of teaching them the facts they need to safeguard their health
Elizabeth Smart: Abstinence Education Teaches Rape Victims They're Worthless, Dirty, And Filthy | ThinkProgress
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/05/06/1967591/elizabeth-smart-abstinence-ed
abstinence-only education programs have a long history of imparting harmful messages that shame youth about their sexuality instead of teaching them the facts they need to safeguard their health
Ode to James Socol | morgamic.com
http://morgamic.com/2013/05/06/ode-to-james-socol/
James Socol is a force of good. He can usually be found getting shit done and pushing forward every day. I’ve worked with James for about four years as his manager. He possesses both sound principles and a wicked work ethic. He was reliable and never said, “that’s not my job.” He’s the kind of guy you want on your side.
Ode to James Socol | morgamic.com
http://morgamic.com/2013/05/06/ode-to-james-socol
James Socol is a force of good. He can usually be found getting shit done and pushing forward every day. I’ve worked with James for about four years as his manager. He possesses both sound principles and a wicked work ethic. He was reliable and never said, “that’s not my job.” He’s the kind of guy you want on your side.