Twitter Downtime

Twitter has been down quite a bit recently, and especially today. Its a real pain, since I've been using twitter more and more lately as a sort of stream-of-consciousness capturing tool!

Pretty cool new down-time picture though!

Tweets for Today

13:46 reading a cool article about about steve martin and how he broke into comedy snurl.com/1ykbx #

14:12 awesome edible Flying Spaghetti Monster! tinyurl.com/285sbd #

19:46 'i don't suffer from insanity. i enjoy every minute of it!' #

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Tweets for Today

09:08 i wonder what proportion of the country's currency is lost or misplaced at any given time? #

10:17 Survey shows Mac Users are "assured of their own superiority" haha #

10:17 Link: tinyurl.com/2sklln #

10:35 just watched a time-lapse video of the lego millenium falcon being put togethertinyurl.com/ypgkrq #

11:21 im having some trouble with the wifi and my eee...but im not sure if its just the usual shoddy wifi I have #

11:51 Haha look at this scrabble gram and see what word you see for the 1st one tinyurl.com/2tan3g #

11:53 Interesting article about the possibility of a recession and the "Great Moderation" tinyurl.com/yo9kl8 #

12:14 *sigh* I wish twitterfox's "Link this" button would let me link straight from google reader rather than having to open the site...im lazy #

12:22 Exploring the disparity between iPhones sold and iPhones activated on AT&T tinyurl.com/2dun78 #

12:34 I think its embarrassing that America -the land of liberty and freedom- has an elected president with no regard for the rule of law #

12:37 im reffering, in this case, to the controversy around retroactive immunity for telecoms tinyurl.com/yvygp9 #

12:53 im quite interested in Prologue, a Word Press based sort of group twitter. tinyurl.com/2265w4 #

12:55 I think that Prologue could work quite well in the context of a small company intranet, as a supplement to email communication #

13:08 i found this amusing: New York's "automotive Bermuda Triangle": tinyurl.com/yt4vpp #

13:33 just read about the Sullivan Nod on boing boing-found the concept extremely interesting tinyurl.com/26373u #

17:11 just picked up mum from the airport! shes been in America for almost 3 months, since her sister Denny died. #

17:12 Mum brought me back a pair of shoes from America, to replace my favourite Red Addidas i got in NY last year! #

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Tweets for Today

01:34 i believe i may have found my Eee/twitter solution! i just realised there are a bunch of firefox plugins for twitter! #

01:42 I think I've done it! Twitterfox looks to be exactly what I need www.naan.net/trac/wiki/TwitterFox #

01:47 Crossing my fingers that TwitterFox will work (I'm typing from my Eee now) #

01:49 Yes! Success! TwitterFox allows me to easily link to pages im viewing has gui notification of tweets, allows me to tweet and looks nice too! #

01:57 I downloaded a note-taking app called basket, for my Eee. Its really useful! its serving as a to-do list and for taking notes in class #

01:57 Link to Basket: basket.kde.org/ #

02:07 Reading an article comparing the effects of the creation of the printing press, and how it relates to the creation of the internet #

02:07 Link : www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jan/27/internet.pressandpublishing #

15:59 should do some blog posts in indonesian so im not so rusty when i get back to school #

16:08 ive really been into Escape Pod recently. They read a short story (sci fi) every week. The stories are always unfailingly excellent! #

16:09 Link: escapepod.org/ They also have a horror and fantasy podcast too, but I don't subscribe to those #

16:24 Gullibe.info just released a new bunch of 'facts'. -The average American's humorlessness has increased 18 percent between 2004 and 2007 #

17:36 Awesome! Mushroomy Kingdom in the new smash bros is a recreation of world 1-1 from SMB! snurl.com/1yes6 #

20:46 top gear is a really awesome show. its unique. I don't like cars, at all, but i love watching top gear #

22:08 arguing with bullywog about the iPhone. Apple should have had an SDK from the start #

23:13 playing final fight on my snes emu #

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Setting the Record Straight -- Mass Effect "Sex Scene"

With all the recent fuss by poor "journalists" about the sexual content in Mass Effect ( a 30 second clip amongst the 30-40 hours of gameplay to be had) its good to see someone setting the record straight.

Tweets for Today

00:06 gosford park was an interesting movie. my attention was initially captured because none of the characters were at all likeable #

01:17 just finished listening to Neil Gaiman's "Study in Emerald" which is available for free in mp3 format. a jolly good detective yarn! #

01:18 You can find a Study in Emerald here, from Boing Boing: tinyurl.com/26avjf #

01:31 checking out these cool clockpunk motorbike models - made from watch pieces. tinyurl.com/ythohu #

17:25 a lot of interesting feeds coming through my reader today! Tracking pizza culture, a george orwell essay, and an article about an quirky MMO #

17:33 That quirky MMO i tweeted about is being created in collaboration with Kongregate and it sounds damn creative! #

17:34 Its called Lila Dreams. Link: liladreams.creatrixgames.com/blog/ #

17:42 Interesting George Orwell essay about bookstores tinyurl.com/2fgx6c #

17:46 Pizza Culture + the migration of regional pizza varieties tinyurl.com/2xl9yz #

18:16 lack of a twitter client for the eee is really stymying my ability to follow tweets throughout the day. #

20:00 excellent! i believe i have found a twitter client for my eee! #

22:17 well right now im back on my main computer while i continue my search for a suitable twitter client for my eee. the last one didnt work #

22:38 seems i need to download "Mono"-something to do with the .NET framework i think- in order to get most of these twitter applications to work #

22:39 i havn't had much luck, and have little experience with linux, so i've decided to use a windows twitter app using WINE #

22:41 on the plus side i'm garnering more experience with linux and the terminal! #

23:07 was reading this interesting article on the Key to Innovation a few days ago snurl.com/1ycu6 #

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Tweets for Today

12:24 another fine new day to play with my new Eee! #

12:27 i've done some fairly basic modding of the Easy Mode OS. Added a start menu, virtual desktops and downloaded zsnes to play SNES ROMs. #

12:28 now im focusing on the task of installing skype 2.0 beta and enabling the inbuilt webcam for use. #

14:19 fancy pants adventures is this weeks Card Challenge on kongregate.com and it has badges now too! wewt! #

15:56 well ive got the webcam sorted out, and am currently updating to skype 2.0 beta! #

16:52 using the eee has impacted on my ability to tweet. i'm stuck using twitter's web interface because I haven't found a desktop client yet #

16:59 currently searching for a twitter client for my eee pc...any twitter users out there who know of one? #

17:00 some good discussion taking place about monetizing RSS feeds here: tinyurl.com/24kmx3 #

17:42 just successfully installed abiword on my Eee! this has been a great learning experience with linux, even if im only taking baby steps! #

23:25 watching this really interesting murder mystery gosford park. its like thdy filmed a game of cluedo! #

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Memories

I have very few memories of my Dad's second wife Elizabeth, for which I am grateful. I did not like her. She was an angry drunk and I couldn't (and still can't) understand why my father had married her. The clearest thing I recall about her is my intense dislike; I no longer even remember her face. I retain the strong impression, however, that she was ugly- despite the fact she was described by many others as beautiful.

Despite the vagueness of my memory there are a number of moments that I recall all too clearly.

I remember the Wedding Day. There was no church, no wedding bells, no beautiful dresses, no flowers, no crowds of well wishers. Instead the marriage took place in the CBD of Perth around a large conference table in a bland room inside a blander building. There was no ceremony, or at least none that I recall. The marriage was witnessed not by a priest, but by a lawyer (I assume it was a lawyer). I remember walking through the city back to the car and the hot tarmac burning underfoot as my legs ached from the long walk.

I remember her sons, Marcus and Mathew. Marcus was a few years younger than me while Mathew was 15 or 16. Marcus was a monster of a child; ill behaved and spoiled, he threw tantrums on a whim. I owned a Nintendo 64 at the time, and I remember devoting myself to the completion of Banjo Kazooie. After 72 hours of gameplay I needed only 10 more musical notes to unlock the vital health increase that would allow me to beat the final boss. I remember arriving at dad's house one day to discover my save file missing; Marcus had erased it. I was devastated, I'd lost 72 hours of hard work and effort. I felt like crying. I could never bring myself to start anew, and I've never played Banjo Kazooie again.

I remember Elizabeth picking me up and throwing me in the pool. I was a competent swimmer by then, but I was fully clothed when she threw me in. I managed to struggle to the side. I vaguely recall her saying she didn't realise I didn't want to go in. I hated her for that lie almost as much as for throwing me in; I was wearing heavy jeans and shoes when she threw me in which is hardly swimming garb. I can't remember what happened after I was thrown in, only that I managed to pull myself out of the pool.

There is one memory in particular that is galvanised in my mind. Dad and I were sitting at the coffee table. Maybe we were playing chess? I can't recall. It was about 8 at night when she entered the room, a wine bottle in hand. She was angry and shouting, although I don't recall what she was angry about. She overturned table and smashed the wine bottle. I remember Dad yelling at me to get outside as I tried to ask what was happening. The next thing that I recall clearly is a few moments later. Dad and I are sitting in the car, still in the drive way. Elizabeth had followed us outside and was banging on the car windows. The doors were locked. She was shouting at us to open the doors. When that failed to work she tried to persuade me to unlock the door; "I've been good to you haven't I?". I responded by giving her the finger. Its ridiculous really, but above all I felt angry. Even in the midst of what was the scariest moment of my life to date I felt indignation that she thought I was stupid enough to be manipulated so easily. When I had made it clear I wasn't going to open the door she flung herself underneath the car tyres, trying to prevent us from leaving. I remember Dad waiting patiently until she was finally moved, then we backed out of the driveway. I still had no idea what was going on, and what followed was a terrifying drive through the night. I recall driving to the local police station, which was closed. We ended up spending the night sleeping in the car at the beach. Dad took me home to La Grange Road the following morning and the night's events finally caught up with me. I remember sitting in Sarah's arms, crying inconsolably.

Given the nature of the few memories I do recall clearly, I'm glad I don't remember any more.

Tweets for Today

00:10 watching senator Dodd talk out against the bill that would give immunity to telecoms who broke FISA wiretap laws snurl.com/1y5bf #

00:17 "In order for us to be more secure, we must give up some rights...I think that false dichotomy is dangerous." - Senator Dodd #

01:11 ive FINALLY picked up Susanna Clarke's Ladiex of Grace Adieux. I bought it more than a month ago, and have only just gotten round to it #

17:33 well, i did it- i went and purchased an Eee PC; the 4G model. Its charging as i type! #

17:35 The charger eschews a brick for a bulky plug- yet not so bulky as to cover other plugs. I wish all chargers were this thoughtfully designed! #

17:57 patiently waiting for my Eee to charge...well maybe not patiently, but certainly waiting #

18:56 woopee! im twittering from my new Eee PC! The keyboard is going to take some getting used to but im very pleased so far! #

19:15 im already far more used to the Eee keyboard. touch typing is now significantly easier than only half an hour ago #

21:01 playing around with my Eee PC. so far ive made no changes, but soon i think i might start tinkering around in the console #

21:34 still playing around with my new Eee. the battery life is quite decent #

22:20 well ive fully discharged the battery on my Eee, and im letting it charge back up now. my overall impression so far is extremely positive #

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Links n Pics

Here is a couple of links that I've found interesting recently.

First stop, Candy Minas Tirith!


This is amazing. Last year this guy built the Battle of Helms Deep, cool huh?

Then there is the cool Goomba home-knit beanie.



Awesome, no?

Finally is this nifty article on the why you should run an open Wi-Fi network.

"People In Order", which I saw over on Boing Boing, shows people from age 1 to 100 hitting some drums. I thought the video was oddly life affirming, particularly when it shows the delight of those in their 70's and upwards as they beat and play the drum kit.

Tweets for Today

00:57 working on my CV #

15:12 looking at the awesome Wii mote projects Penny Arcade linked to.Interactive whiteboard? Check. Minority report style control schemes? Check! #

15:13 Wiimote project Link: snurl.com/1y4ei #

15:59 just got back from the shops where we got ingredients for baking pizza tonight! and right now i'm preparing the muffins we're going to bake! #

17:38 just finished the icing on the cupcakes! unfortunately, no where near as awesome as the videogame cupcakes featured on Boing Boing recently #

21:26 corey doctorow linkd to this excellent blog on boing boing and im thoroughly enjoying it jtaplin.wordpress.com/ #

21:41 latest facts from gullible.info: 98.73 percent of mobile telephone owners admit to having called their mobile phone in order to locate #

21:59 @motownmut I can never figure out for sure if the facts on gullible.info are true, but theyr so damn interesting i follow the rss anyway! #

22:11 playing fancy pants adventures world 2 (yet again!). brilliant game, anyway who hasnt played it yet should check it out on kongregate #

22:41 ive been following the Hans Reiser trial on Wired since it began. its extremely interesting snurl.com/1y536 #

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Wiimote Projects

This guy is a genius. Using just the wiimote and a few basic, home made Infra Red LED hacks he demonstrates how you can create Minority Report style interfaces or even emulate a cool interactive whiteboard or tablet PC! Check it out below.



Link to his Blog
Link to Wiimote Projects

Tweets for Today

00:13 talking with Fitzy about Orwell's 1984 #

00:17 reinforcement learning teaches computer to play Mrs. Pac Man www.robotworldnews.com/100389.php #

12:27 canadian drug "victim" (read: user) succesfully sues her dealer? wtf! snurl.com/1y1ae #

13:07 watching ITidiots episode 60, where they check out the Eee PC snurl.com/1y1ci #

14:31 i think i might finally get around to reading the Ladies of Grace Adieux #

14:31 or i could make a start on Jennifer Fallon's Demon Child Trilogy...hmmm decisions decisions... #

14:32 alternatively i could be a good student and get started on my textbooks...hmm #

14:50 scanning all my old notes onto the computer #

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Video Game Cupcakes

Boing Boing spotted these delicious looking video game cupcakes baked by Flickr user Hello Naomi. They look absolutely delectable!

Links: Pac Man Cupcakes, SMB Cupcakes

Tweets for Today

00:34 bout 3/4 the way thru scrubs season 6. i dont find this season quite so funny unfortunately #

14:05 ugh, sarah left the bread out so the ants got all thru it. now i need to think of something else to have for breakfast #

14:14 cooking up eggs and fried potato! i couldnt find any hash browns so thats as close as im getting #

14:21 success! i have managed to flip the eggs without breaking them into unrecognisable remains OR accidentally flicking them out of the pan #

14:43 ive completed fancy pants adventures world 2 at least once a day since it came out. absolutely BRILLIANT flash game #

15:29 im so psyched about Penny Arcade's On the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness. i cannot wait until its out #

16:18 just finished watching season 6 scrubs. so saw the ending coming #

19:04 grrr internet keeps cutting out. i hate my router so much, but have never gotten around to getting a new one #

19:41 "Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." --Antoine de Saint-Exupery #

20:15 im the victim of gadget fever...i'm still aching to run out and purchase an Eee PC #

22:18 arguing with my girlfriend about whether scrubs is better than friends haha #

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Joel Johnson on The Hugh Thompson Show

Boing Boing gadgets writer Joel Johnson recently appeared on AT&T's The Hugh Thompson Show in order to - not surprisingly - discuss gadgets. However, he instead decided to apply some pressure about AT&T's plans to inspect the data of their customers.



Link via Boing Boing

Miscommunication

I found this article to be a very interesting analysis of the different methods of communication employed by men and women, and why it can lead to arguments or misunderstandings.

As a specialist in linguistics, I have studied how the conversational styles of men and women differ. We cannot lump all men or all women into fixed categories. But the seemingly senseless misunderstandings that haunt our relationships can in part be explained by the different conversational rules by which men and women play.

Whenever I write or speak about this subject, people tell me they are relieved to learn that what has caused them trouble - and what they had previously ascribed to personal failings - is, in fact, very common.

Learning about the different though equally valid conversational frequencies men and women are tuned to can help banish the blame and help us truly talk to one another. Here are some of the most common areas of conflict:

Portal: A Day in the Life of a Turret

This is a hilarious Portal based machinima about "A Day in the Life of a Turret". A must watch.




Link

Tweets for Today

12:01 ive been extremely lazy the past few days; lounging around the house with nothing to occupy myself. im reading the Amulet of Samakarand atm #

14:26 i just cannot get enough of fancy pants adventures: world 2 ! #

14:52 looking into writing up a CV #

19:35 im attempting to cook pasta for myself tonight...fingers crossed i dont burn down the house... #

19:37 ok a large portion of the pasta stuck to the bottom of the pot...thats clearly something i will have to work on #

20:30 pasta with fried potatoes and cereal on top, with a light drizzling of ketchup...i cant believe i ate that #

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Tweets for Today

16:29 finished Orwell's 1984 today. i found it to be pretty thought provoking, with some marked parallels to modern China #

17:14 playing fancy pants adventure: World 2 on kongregate. one of the most polished flash games i've played, and quite as addicting as Sonny #

17:14 link to fancy pants: snurl.com/1xu4e #

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Tweets for Today

11:14 i must say, vomiting is perhaps my least favourite activity ever. thank god thats all over, im feeling much better this morning #

11:25 this appears to be an excellent research/note taking tool, available as a firefox plugin. www.zotero.org/ #

11:27 + useful Eee PC Forum forum.eeeuser.com/ #

11:30 I am really tempted to buy the Eee PC. It's irresistable, and so cute. #

13:01 played a very corrupt game of Nomic, ending in me commanding 5 votes, and a majority in my own right :-) Nomic Rules: snurl.com/1xrgf #

21:49 well...its been an eventful day. took Kane back to the airport, finally got the sickness out of my system, and made up with Annie #

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Tweets for Today

08:10 taking the train to the city this morning. going to meet up with dad and go get my eyes checked. #

09:07 at dads office in legal aid perth #

09:41 just got my eyes tested, and they're just fine! thats a relief, cos dad has terrible eyesight. #

12:29 listening to the penny arcade podcast #

18:04 ugh, been sick all day. not fun #

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Tweets for Today

00:08 downloading the latest Penny Arcade podcast. god those two are hilarious #

12:49 omg just saw the asus eee pc at the store. had NO idea it was that small. i'm so tempted to buy it. #

21:26 picked up scrubs season 6 today, watching it now #

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Tweets for Today

09:22 it would feel almost obscene to twit the funeral so i'm not going to #

16:14 just got back from the funeral. we're all exhausted, its been a big day #

17:06 browsing newgrounds for something to play #

17:42 i'm starting to read Patrick O'Briens Aubrey/Maturin series. Right now im on book 1 (Master and Commander) #

17:42 its been a bit difficult to get into; as a historical novel the language is a far cry from what i'm used to reading. #

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Hilarious Phobias!

Was just browsing Gullible Info

Its an odd little site, which provides interesting statistics and factual tidbits every few weeks. However, given the name, and my inability to verify many of the facts, I'm not too sure they're real. Nevertheless its a great site!

I remembered this hilarious list of phobias from a while back, and thought I might post a few.

Phalloanthropomorphiphobia fear of a penis becoming a sentient being

Terminolectolibriphobia fear of reading the last page of a book

Dipatiphobia fear of stepping on cracks in the sidewalk

Tactile pseudofecalphobia fear of touching fake poop

The full list is available here. Enjoy!

Blu Ray has Won

This hilarious video clip replaces Hitler's dialogue with cutting commentary about the Blu Ray/HD DVD format war. A while ago I saw a similar clip- using the same footage- about the Xbox 360 / PS3 which I thought was funnier. Unfortunately, I can't find that one.

Links

Intelligence
Intelligence comes from "effortful study" and a "growth mindset", say researchers.

Link1: The Secret to Raising Smart Kids

Link 2: Effortful Study


The Dunbar Number
Interesting blog post about the Dunbar Number


Dumbest Stunt at CES

Gizmodo managed to get their hands on a few TV-B-Gone remotes just prior to CES. While turning off the wall of TV's was an interesting stunt, interrupting the Motorola presentation was just moronic and unnecessary.
Link

Tweets for Today

13:09 cooking breakfast today was a difficult business- i think i ruined the pan, the freezer wouldn't close, and i broke the fridge door...twice #

13:11 also i just finished Terry Goodkind's Confessor! I found it to be pretty enjoyable throughout and a decent ending to the series #

13:23 whew well having finished Confessor, i've just read 11 books, 7886 pages, and a very enjoyable series :-) #

14:41 y do pants so often drop as loot in RPG's?i don't want your freaking pants buddy-i just killed you, in all likelihood you just soiled urself #

15:09 apparently the average person spends 1 year of their life looking for things they've misplaced #

17:00 one thing i wish snitter did was let me click on an @ link, and view the twit the @ refers to, so i could more easily follow conversations #

19:02 going to Jens dads viewing tonight. i've always thought that was a bit of a morbid custom #

21:39 dad just tried to pretend he was my big brother because someone thought he was 30 #

22:57 the world is a different place at night. #

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Tweets for Today

11:56 cooking some hash browns and eggs. my favourite breakfast! #

12:27 accidentally knocked my book off the table. it survived the trip down to the floor, and landed face down open on the right page :-) #

16:39 i'm just about finished Phantom (terry goodkind). its one of the more enjoyable reads of the series imo. only Confessor to go! #

18:34 about a fifth of the way through Chainfire now. I'm looking forward to finally being able to finish this series! its one of my favourites. #

21:54 browsing kongregate.com for something to play. Sonny is probably the best flash game I've played in quite some time: snurl.com/1xdln #

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Tweets for Today

19:24 back at jens mums house again. and i just finished chainfire today so i've only got phantom and confessor to go! #

19:41 woke up at 10 today- much better than 2 or 3 oclock! i'll get to another reasonable night again tonight and be back to normal habits #

20:39 i think dad just perfectly summed up Jens family. "The Hons are so wholesomely good. if not for Bossy B they would be perfect" #

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Tweets for Today

03:21 been playing Sonny for quite a while now. really good for a flash game #

05:43 ive decided to stay up around the clock so i can get my sleep pattern back into order. its 5:40 am atm. i'll go to bed tonight at 10 #

11:59 well, jen's dad died last night. the funeral is on wednesday #

14:21 my deepest conversations with dad have always been in the suzuki to or from mums. its the only time we really get to spend talking alone #

14:29 i'm sitting outside with silk and emmy reading chainfire #

19:51 marvelling at how absorbed cammy is with his toy dinosaur #

20:29 Jens family are devout christians. all the Hons gathered to say hail marys and pray together for tier father. it was very moving experience #

22:04 trying to explain twitter to dad. hopeless #

22:41 i decided not to go to bed at 4 am yesterday and instead just stayed awake right thru so i can be tired enough to fall asleep early tonight #

22:43 its now 10 30, i've been awake 30 hours and i'm very ready for bed. also i can't believe i did this. #

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Tweets for Today

00:17 i love scrabble #

01:26 watching scrubs season 5 #

02:03 absolutely excellent article about the American election www.scripting.com/stories/2008/01/09/whatIfOurPoliticalProcessB.html #

03:51 i can see JD from scrubs using twitter. it would be the perfect tool to get him out of his own head! they already did an ep like that tho #

14:45 and i'm up. probably going to dads today. jenn's dad was in hospital last night, and is now in a stable but serious condition #

17:32 playing final fight 3 #

17:33 and just finished a game of scrabble with dad and kane. lost by 2 points to dad :-( #

18:32 just realised i had Earthbound in my collection of ROMS. i'll give that a try #

20:27 need to pick up scrubs season 6 #

20:41 playing solitaire scrabble on scrabulous.com #

21:55 jingo, jute, parve, eme...the random words discovered in todays game of scrabble! #

21:56 and now nard #

23:28 checking out Sonny, an RPG where you play the zombie #

23:29 oops. link to Sonny snurl.com/1x5ur #

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Cut the Crap

I just read an interesting article about the upcoming American Election; the message that I took from it was "cut the crap".

The electorate doesn't need messages, just as Doc says there is no demand for messages. What the electorate needs is to hire someone to lead us for the four years between elections. It needs someone who will ground our collective behavior in something resembling reality, so we deal with the problems that are collectively in front of us.

My advice to candidates going back to Dean was and is to start implementing the change you seek before the election, while you have the full attention of the electorate. Ask us to give money, not to buy ads, but to buy health insurance for 50,000 uninsured people in a particular state, so we can see how powerful we are collectively, how we can do good, starting right now. We yearn for this, to feel our muscles flex collectively, and individually to make a difference, not just in your hype, but in real terms. Hillary Clinton could have gotten up yesterday and said "There's no time to waste. We can't wait until January 2009 to solve the problems. Let's start right now."

Cut the crap and actually show us what you can do for the people; I think that's a message that Kevin Rudd could have taken note of.

Link

Tweets for Today

00:15 finished the Pillars of Creation a couple of hours ago. I'm up to Naked Empire now. Once I finish Confessor I'm going to read 1984 #

00:42 im trying to turn off the automatic twitters about my blog updates, which get piped through twitterfeeds, but ive forgotten my login! #

00:43 i find the automatic updates annoying as hell, so im sure that goes double for anyone else following my twitterstream. #

00:59 aha! the snippet of code that should have been in my blog was somehow absent, and i couldn't log in with my openID. it should be solved now #

01:19 tooling around with feedburner for my blog #

16:28 browsing through the tweets since i went to sleep #

16:39 trying to figure out which SNES ROM i want to play...that or back to reading Naked Empire #

17:28 im so hungry i could eat a horse #

17:28 decided to play Chessmaster on the SNES :-) #

17:59 playing Super Mario the Lost Worlds (SNES) #

20:25 can't believe rock band isn't out here yet #

21:16 playing scrabble...and my knee hurts. it plays up now and then since i fractured it #

22:36 checking out scrabulous.com #

22:58 just about to have a game of scrabulous with Duncan #

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Hug Failed

I found this comic particularly amusing.

The Life of a Social Relationship

Andrew Chen over at Futuristic Play has written an interesting blog post about the deeper nuances of social relationships that Facebook is currently incapable expressing. The post points out how inadequate current systems can be.

The point is, most social networks and your e-mail addressbook allow you to list out your friends, but really you need some more dimensions than that to capture the reality of that relationship, including:

* A notion of an "active" friend versus a "stale" friend, which is a time dimension
* Another might be the actual strength of those relationships, because you might be active with someone at work, but not be very good friends with them
* Similarly, friendships need to have some grouping to them, but they can't be exclusive groups - instead, what group someone is might be fluid or encompass multiple definitions
* Yet another subtlety is the professional versus personal distinction, and the social protocols that come into those interactions based on the groupings

Tweets for Today

00:32 reading The Pillars of Creation (goodkind). its my least favourite book in the entire series #

00:57 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:05 i forgot how long monopoly took! i just went bankr.. tinyurl.com/34q99g #

14:44 amusing crime scene chalk-outlines using ipod earphones tinyurl.com/2xjgl9 #

14:54 From my Blog: Ipods at the Scene of the Crime: The NSW Government has produced a series .. tinyurl.com/ywqco4 #

18:13 just played some more scrabble #

20:36 hilarious blind ferret short from least i could do tinyurl.com/2nfos7 #

22:00 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:30 if we had a purifier that dispensed a drink in und.. tinyurl.com/2rawfd #

23:00 From my Blog: The Mystery of the Face on the Cake: This is a really cool and kind of mov.. #

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Least I Could Do Shorts

Least I Could Do will be releasing animated shorts fortnightly, for a grand total of 26 hilarious episodes. Check out the first below.

Ipods at the Scene of the Crime

The NSW Government has produced a series of clever adverts to combat what they are calling an "epidemic" of Ipod related road-crossing deaths. I've always though the Australian Government produced decent ads, but I don't quite believe we're in the midst of an epidemic just yet.

Tweets for Today

00:05 i forgot how long monopoly took! i just went bankrupt after 6 hours of play #

01:00 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:30 if we had a purifier that dispensed a drink in und.. #

03:08 reading about monopoly strategies...im so sad #

13:52 i must be crazy; we're going to have another marathon game of monopoly tonight #

19:11 just won 2 monopoly games. the first in under an hour. i guess studying up on some strategies wasn't such a bad idea. <3 google #

20:26 and now im back to playing diablo II. i really dont do much on holidays... #

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Tweets for Today

00:30 if we had a purifier that dispensed a drink in under 3 minutes, i would use it more often #

00:54 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:55 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:20 just downloa.. tinyurl.com/2oua9o #

01:54 i need to put on some muscle, and some weight. in an age of obesity, im too skinny by far! #

01:56 From my Blog: The Misadventures of P.B Winterbottom!: The Misadventures of P.B Winterbot.. tinyurl.com/27lmwf #

02:15 the internet has been cutting out all day for no apparent reason. extremely annoying #

12:56 playing a few games of chess with dad #

14:48 now moving on to scrabble! #

18:43 moving on to monopoly now. i love board games! #

19:07 "going to the golden globes without actors is like going to a zoo without animals"- unintendedly accurate comparison imo! #

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The Misadventures of P.B Winterbottom!

The Misadventures of P.B Winterbottom looks like an absolutely brilliant up and coming indie game. The game is a quirky, pie-loving, exploration of non-conventional time mechanics with an eerie silent-film look. I'm going to be paying close attention to this as it develops!

Tweets for Today

00:55 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:20 just downloaded the expansion to Diablo II. im sta.. tinyurl.com/3ym9vy #

04:01 god i love Scrubs. my favourite TV series of all time #

14:56 watching summer heights high- funny high school mockumentary #

17:28 summer heights high was funny, but i didn't think it was as good as i had been told #

22:25 i need to pick up season 4 of Black Adder. as well as season 1 of Seinfeld #

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Tweets for Today

00:20 just downloaded the expansion to Diablo II. im starting to enjoy the game more and more, but it really ticked me off at first #

00:57 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:59 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:57 From my Blog.. tinyurl.com/2lpsrs #

01:44 the most amazing line rider clip ever snurl.com/1wkqf #

01:53 equally awesome line rider clip: snurl.com/1wkri Followed by dissapointing DS/Wii remake: snurl.com/1wkrj #

02:19 bought Summer Heights High yesterday, along with Seasons 1-3 of Black Adder and Season 5 scrubs. I'm looking forward to them #

02:56 From my Blog: Pretty Porcelain Pieces (and awesome alliteration!): Check out these prett.. tinyurl.com/273wf8 #

03:01 really cool and kind of moving interview about a man and an enigmatic face snurl.com/1wkyr #

03:24 drool worthy Nintendo DS 2 (fake) mockups...ohh if only, if only! snurl.com/1wl12 #

05:56 From my Blog: The Mystery of the Face on the Cake: This is a really cool and kind of mov.. tinyurl.com/3dkfgw #

14:52 From my Blog: Pretty Pictures: Gizmodo has some truly drool-worthy (fake) mock ups (abov.. tinyurl.com/ys74k7 #

15:32 heading off to the shops...better not bring too much money lest i come back overburdened with books #

16:08 i hate grocery shopping above all else #

17:53 From my Blog: Citation Needed: Biphenyl has a very clever project aiming to attach wikip.. tinyurl.com/34m6p7 #

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Citation Needed

Biphenyl has a very clever project aiming to attach wikipedia style [citation needed] stickers onto dubious advertisements, signs etc in the real world. This is a really cool example of culture jamming; the act of transforming media in such a way as to produce a commentary about itself.

One of my favorite quirks about the site are the little [citation needed] tags that users can place in an article, indicating that a dubious claim needs a reference. One day an idea struck — what statements are more dubious or outright ridiculous than those in advertisements? Thus, an OM project was born.

Pretty Pictures- DS 2 Mock Up

Gizmodo has some truly drool-worthy (fake) mock ups (above) of what the DS 2 could look like. Oh, if only! That is the sexiest damn mock up I have seen this year!

The Mystery of the Face on the Cake

This is a really cool and kind of moving interview about a man and an enigmatic face!

Amusing Infographics - You Can't Walk on Water!

The amusing infographics to the left - which among other things cautions you that your air purifier cannot be used to walk on water - can be found for various products on amadana. I wish more Western companies had this sort of sense of humour.

Link via Boing Boing

Tweets for Today

00:59 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:57 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:53 From my Blog.. tinyurl.com/2jz6tj #

02:32 just devoured Faith of the Fallen...finished off the last 600 pages today. im looking forward to reading Confessor soon #

03:57 From my Blog: Freeing the Scoble 5000: Twitter and the blogosphere are up in arms after .. tinyurl.com/3cetap #

14:32 step-brother kane is coming over from NZ today. i don't mind him, but i hate losing my solitude... #

16:34 really behind on reading my feeds lately... havn't checked them for a couple of days #

16:38 was just walking around my room trying to find my phone, when i realised i was talking on it... #

16:52 From my Blog: Bunch'o Links: Here's a bunch of links...if I'm not too lazy I might even .. tinyurl.com/32cojy #

17:34 at the airport now to pick up kane. perth airport is such a piddling place #

21:35 watching kane and dad play guitar hero-truly a battle of titans! watching newbies playing is always interesting and fun for all parties #

23:12 watching scrubs season 5. scrubs is THE most hilarious show ever #

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Bunch'o Links

Here's a bunch of links...if I'm not too lazy I might even edit this post later and tell you what they are.

5 Short Video Game Industry Key Notes


Advice on the process of play-testing from a developers viewpoint


World of Goo


World of Chinese MMOs


Top 5 Most Significant Moments in MMOs


Cool Indie Games/Prototypes


Independant Games Festival, '08 Finalists


Tips for Startups


Priests brawl in the birthplace of the Lord


Seeing with the Tongue

Freeing the Scoble 5000

Twitter and the blogosphere are up in arms after Facebook disabled uber-blogger Robert Scoble's account for data scraping. Scoble was working to move his social-graph - all the data, friends (of which Scoble has close to 5000) etc. - to other sites. Facebook disabled his account accompanied by an email informing him that his actions constituted a violation of their Terms of Service. The cause of such fuss is that the information he was attempting to scrape is his own; his account has been disabled for the crime of accessing his own information.

The whole debacle has raised debate about issues of data privacy, ownership and portability. Scoble posted the email he recieved on his blog, and it appears to be nothing more than a standard violation notice.

Hello,

Our systems indicate that you’ve been highly active on Facebook lately and viewing pages at a quick enough rate that we suspect you may be running an automated script. This kind of Activity would be a violation of our Terms of Use and potentially of federal and state laws.

Scoble openly admits to using an automated script in an attempt to free his social graph; clearly this is a violation of the TOS. Despite this, support for Scoble has been strong, with many people outraged that his account has been disabled. This indicates that people are dissatisfied with Facebook's current position on data privacy and ownership. They can't afford another scandal akin to the launch of Beacon. Unfortunately, they could have found no better way to turn the entire blogosphere against them than by banning Robert Scoble, and I don't think this will end well for them.

Tweets for Today

00:57 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:53 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:31 checking out.. tinyurl.com/2f3nsm #

01:57 h-uh, our power just went out but the lights are still working...probably a western power failure #

12:31 *yawn* i need to stop staying up until 5 am #

12:47 it is boiling upstairs...i can barely stand it up here in the summer #

20:31 just picked up the first 3 seasons of black adder- yet another classic i haven't seen yet #

21:35 black adder is hilarious! watching the third episode just now #

22:40 black adder, black adder! beware the deadly flashing sword unless you want to end up shorter! #

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Tweets for Today

00:53 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:31 checking out a bunch of really cool games/"to.. tinyurl.com/ys8ks8 #

01:19 about halfway through soul of the fire #

01:40 pondering whether i can use twitter to aid note-taking in classes... #

15:21 *yawn* im up and about, just starting on faith of the fallen (terry goodkind). im giving diablo a bit of a break #

16:25 well, firefox 3 beta 2 just crashed on me for the first time...but its certainly more stable than firefox 2 has been #

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Tweets for Today

00:31 checking out a bunch of really cool games/"toys" here snurl.com/1w7k6 its currently covering the indie games festival #

00:57 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:20 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:18 arguing with.. tinyurl.com/394nf7 #

00:58 From my Blog: New Year: There goes the new year! My new years resolution is to find some.. tinyurl.com/2of4sk #

03:01 having an excellent time checkin out the finalists from the independant games festival www.igf.com/02finalists.html #

14:01 had a bit of a dip in the pool #

15:00 started a sorceress on diablo ii #

17:08 downloading an 800 strong library of SNES roms has a downside...hmm what to play, what to play... #

17:24 playing lemmings! #

17:42 @loiclemeur i think its vietnamese #

19:07 i just realised that the kokiri blocking the entrance to the deku tree at the very start of OoT looks+acts exactly like the lemming blocker #

19:08 he stands there, shaking his head and tapping his foot exactly like the lemming ...that truly is a cool touch i never noticed #

23:26 greek orthodox and armenian priests were involved in a brawl in the bethlehem church of nativity. hilarious! snurl.com/1w9vr #

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New Year

There goes the new year! My new years resolution is to find something productive to do! Maybe I'll learn a programming language. Like Actionscript; I'll program a flash game! Or I'll blog something useful...

Tweets for Today

00:20 From my Blog: Tweets for Today: 00:18 arguing with Juliet about whether WoW is competiti.. tinyurl.com/2nv8vu #

00:56 just about to grab the new version of snitter! #

00:59 woo avatars appear on notifications, and they no longer que up after being idle :) #

01:47 heading to bed, now that i've spent some time getting my blog back into order again #

16:26 playing some Diablo II #

19:14 check out this cool physics based indie game World of Goo; due to be released Valentines Day snurl.com/1w6v0 #

19:22 reading about Chinese MMO culture snurl.com/1w6vo #

19:54 about to finish Act I on Diablo II #

21:36 just watched a doco about what would happen if a "super coment" hit earth #

21:44 @motownmutt i find the @ function to be relatively mystifying too... #

22:55 well just got started on Act II in Diablo 2 #

23:22 i mentioned World of Goo earlier. Tower of Goo is their original working prototype, and basis. download here: snurl.com/1w7cx #

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