Fatbob

Previous research on whether playing video games can make us smarter has been mixed, but a new study demonstrates a very tangible effect of playing video games: Parts of the brain can get bigger.

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Thanks Mike (from Spain)

 

How many rappers can possibly have a name that's anchored by the word big? Or lil? Or fat? Or slim? Or any other adjective used to describe size? The answer is a lot, and if you don't believe me, check out The Massive Map of Hip Hop Monikers—an extensive visualization of names in hip hop from Pop Chart Lab.

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reddit user and Dota 2 player PAADA has successfully sold a courier for $38,000. I'm not currently drinking anything, but I want to take a swig just so I can do a spit take.

This particular War Dog is a legacy courier which features a rare pink look and ethereal flame. According to redditor ColtonisWright, there are thought to be only four other couriers exactly like this, although it's possible more Dota 2 players have one and are unaware of the value. Maybe these five-figure auction headlines will change that.

Dota 2 courier fetches $38,000, partly because it's pink [PCGamesN]

Blockbuster Video killed the mom and pop video store, and now technology has finally killed Blockbuster Video. After slowly but steadily closing down locations for the better part of a decade, the company announced Wednesday it is finally going to close the final 300 locations by early 2014, and discontinue its rental-by-mail system by the end of 2013. The brand will remain, however, offering movies digitally.

While a few indie stores will always endure, this more or less marks the official end of the video store era.

Dish Network owns Blockbuster, and released the following press release about the decision:

DISH Network Corporation DISH today announced that its subsidiary, Blockbuster L.L.C., will end its retail and by mail DVD distribution operations by early-January 2014. The company will close its approximately 300 remaining U.S.-based retail stores, as well as its distribution centers.

“This is not an easy decision, yet consumer demand is clearly moving to digital distribution of video entertainment,” said Joseph P. Clayton, DISH president and chief executive officer. “Despite our closing of the physical distribution elements of the business, we continue to see value in the Blockbuster brand, and we expect to leverage that brand as we continue to expand our digital offerings.”

The Blockbuster By Mail service will end mid-December and will serve existing customers until that time.

Over the past 18 months, Blockbuster has divested itself of assets in the United States, as well international assets, including operations in the United Kingdom and Scandinavia. DISH will continue to support Blockbuster’s domestic and international franchise operations, relationships and agreements.

DISH will retain licensing rights to the Blockbuster brand, and key assets, including the company’s significant video library. DISH will focus on delivering the Blockbuster @Home service to DISH customers, and on its transactional streaming service for the general market, Blockbuster On Demand.

The Blockbuster @Home service offers over 15 movie channels including STARZ(R) Cinema, EPIX(R), Sony Movie Channel, and Hallmark Movie Channel, plus over 20,000 movies and TV shows streamed to TVs, computers or iPads(R). The service includes access to the Blockbuster @Home ‘app’ currently available to the millions of TVs served by DISH’s Hopper(R) Whole-Home HD DVR set-top box.

Available to anyone, Blockbuster On Demand is a transactional streaming video service offering thousands of movies viewable on connected devices including PCs, tablets, smartphones, Slingbox, Roku and select Samsung TVs and Blu-ray players. Consumers can learn more at www.blockbusternow.com.

While “Blockbuster” as a brand will survive on the Dish network, and as an on-demand option, with no more retail stores anywhere in the U.S., fans of a certain age can unfortunately close a major chapter in their lives. The chapter where, if you wanted to see a movie, you had to go and get it. The excitement of a film being on the shelf, the disappointment of it being checked out, the communal ritual of choosing a movie based on the box cover. No longer can we be kind and rewind.

As someone who worked at a mom and pop video story for a decade, Blockbuster was evil for a long time. But in recent years, its perseverance was lingering heartbeat of a once-beautiful era.

• Dish Network Plans to Keep some 600 Blockbuster Stores Open
• Blockbuster Is For Sale

Thanks Mike (from Spain)

 Took me a minute to understand this.

 

Our man from the North ventures into a humid Texas

Sysadmin blog My second Spiceworld has wrapped up. I've safely returned home to Edmonton, trading the smothering humidity and overwhelming heat for a far more civilized 15cm of snow. This year's Spiceworld has some differences from the last; the biggest change being that it has moved into the Austin convention center. In many other ways Spiceworld remains Spiceworld, wild and whacky as ever.…

While we were all busy Halloweening it up, drinking pumpkin spice Four Loko and throwing rocks at ghosts, Nintendo unceremoniously maimed its 3DS drawing app, Swapnote. It removed SpotPass functionality from the service, which used to allow 3DS friends to send notes (drawn pictures or photos shot with the 3DS camera) to each other over the internet

Swapnote still exists, but images can only be traded locally, through StreetPass, at which point you might as well scribble on bar napkins and pass them out. No more Special Notes, personal letters and drawings from Nintendo staff, will come through the systems, either. 

Nintendo acting backwards with respect to online communication isn't new, but usually people have some idea going in of the limited options they'll have. Nintendo actively removing an established feature because it was misused by some and because children use the system is heavy-handed and irritating.

You're not my real dad, Nintendo.

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Daniel_Stuckey writes "Silk Road is rising from the dead. After the FBI seized the deep web's favourite illegal drug market and arrested its alleged founder Ross Ulbricht last month (for, among other things, ordering a hit through his own website), the online-marketplace-cum-libertarian-movement has found a new home and opened for business at 16:20 GMT this afternoon. In the wake of the original Silk Road's closure, everything became a little turbulent for its users. First, they had to get used to not getting high-quality, peer-reviewed drugs delivered direct to their sofas. (Though presumably they didn't stop getting high, instead forced back to the 'mystery mix' street dealers and surly ex-Balkan war criminals who have spent years filling cities with drugs at night.) Some users were pissed off that they'd lost all the Bitcoin wealth they'd amassed, or that paid-for orders would go undelivered, while small-time dealers freaked out about how they suddenly lacked the funds to pay off debts owed to drug sellers higher up the food chain."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

You've got a project to do. Let's get to it! First, pre-planning. Then prepare both your mind and your body. Then take a little break.

Jacob Andrews of For Lack of a Better Comic helpfully wrote and drew the 15-step process to accomplishing nothing over time. At some point, I'm going to read them all--right after I take care of a few other things first.

Digg went from being one of the biggest Internet sensations, to being reportedly sold off for a mere $500,000. At its height, Digg was a major traffic driver for websites before Twitter and Facebook went mainstream. Sites wanted to be featured on the Digg front page because it resulted in a traffic explosion known as the ‘Digg Effect.’ Last year, MakeUseOf’s Dave Parrack took a look at the big Digg revamp, as the site has attempted to regain its former glory. While the site doesn’t appear to be anywhere near as popular as it once was, Digg’s traffic has steadily grown, with...

Read the full article: Digg Reader Is A Beautifully Minimal Alternative To Feedly

During its Analyst Day today in Seoul, Samsung has been trying to coin a new term. Brace yourselves, because if you thought 'phablet' was bad, then the 'fonblet' is something else entirely.

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THATS MA FLOVA YO ASSHOLE

AMC was careful to specify that Better Call Saul would be a prequel when it first announced its plans for the spinoff series, but the ending of Breaking Bad left us wanting to know what happened after that grand finale. Luckily, Bob Odenkirk says there’s a chance we could still find out.

According to him, Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould have also discussed the idea of doing Better Call Saul as a sequel, or perhaps a prequel/sequel hybrid. Hit the jump to read his comments. (Spoilers for Breaking Bad follow, duh.)

Although Saul was one of the characters to survive the series, his current life is a mystery. The last time we saw our favorite sleazy TV lawyer, he’d called the vacuum cleaner repairman, and was leaving Albuquerque behind to start fresh in Nebraska.

The idea of loud, obnoxious, flamboyant Saul trying to “manage a Cinnabon in Omaha,” as he imagined it, seemes rife with comedy gold, so IGN asked the actor whether his new show might incorporate scenes from the character’s post-”Granite State” life. Odenkirk acknowledged that it was a possibility.

Well, I’ve talked to Vince (Gilligan) and Peter (Gould), who are writing and creating the series, about this and I’ve said that a lot of people do want to see what happens to next to Saul. So, I don’t know what they’re going to do. I know they’ve talked about prequel, but they’ve also talked to me about sequel, and they’ve also talked to me about a mix of prequel and sequel.

AMC previously described Better Call Saul as centering on “the evolution of the Goodman character before he ever became Walter White’s lawyer,” but of course that was before we knew whether Saul would even live through the end of the season. Odenkirk’s comments suggest that the decision hadn’t actually been made at that point. Perhaps the network felt compelled to confirm that it’d be a prequel just to avoid dropping a potential spoiler.

Either way, Gilligan and Gould should be setting a course soon. “Well, supposedly the writers are starting up in two or three weeks, so they’re trying to get that ready,” said Odenkirk.

And while Gilligan has said that Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul could pop up from time to time, Odenkirk stressed that “this is its own thing.” “Oh my God, I told Peter and Vince, right away I said, ‘Look man, let us make this fresh for everyone,’” he said. “There might be a cameo here or there, but I don’t know. We’re going to do a new show.”

Would you rather see pre-BB Saul, post-BB Saul, or both? Or neither?

• Saul Goodman Show Greenlit, Will Be a ‘Breaking Bad’ Prequel
• 10 Things We Learned From ‘Breaking Bad’ S5E13 “To’hajiilee”
• 10 Things We Learned From ‘Breaking Bad’ S5E12 “Rabid Dog”
• Better Call Saul: AMC Considering ‘Breaking Bad’ Spinoff
• POTD: See Every Single Outfit Walt Wore in Five Seasons of ‘Breaking Bad’
• Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul Likely to Cameo on ‘Breaking Bad’ Spin-Off ‘Better Call Saul’

Even an intelligently designed watch is right twice a day, or something

Topflight boffins say they have discovered that life - or anyway the necessary complex precursor chemicals without which life cannot appear - probably originated in ancient "clay hydrogels".…

Well, this is some real bullshit. Mexican Coke is ditching its key ingredient, cane sugar, for high-fructose corn syrup. This is objectively awful.

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From the great film Young Frankenstein.

Thanks TPR

 

Maybe we can't build the world's deepest undersea tunnel in seven years like some cities, but New York still has some serious mega-construction chops. Behold: The latest photos from 120 to 160 feet below Grand Central Station, where workers are building the largest public transportation project in the US.

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From Drinks

Pablo Kovacs of Tin Roof Bistro, Manhattan Beach CA

Working with as many spirits as they do, bartenders have the opportunity to become acquainted with some that aren't necessarily appreciated by the broader drinking public. We asked bartenders from around the country: What spirit or liquor do you feel is underappreciated?

Here's what they had to say.

Anthony Bohlinger of Chefs Club by FOOD & WINE, Aspen

"I feel that vermouths are under-appreciated, but at the same time are making a tremendous comeback, as bartenders and customers are learning how to take proper care of these spirits and use them to their full potential."— Anthony Bohlinger (Chefs Club by FOOD & WINE)

"At this point in time I think gin is a little under appreciated. It has a great history, it kept British sailors alive during the World Wars, James Bond drinks it for Christ's sake, and who is cooler than James Bond? Maybe James Dean but it's tight." — Pablo Kovacs (Tin Roof Bistro)

"Right now I feel like grappa is both under-appreciated and not used enough. It's such a beautifully spiritual thing, coming from what's left of the wine-making process. It's an awesome distinct flavor that works wonders with anything from gimlets to standing on its own feet. I'd love to learn new cocktails using grappa!" — Kenneth Gray (Fishing With Dynamite)

"A couple of great spirits out there missing the limelight. One I am experimenting with a lot now is mezcal. It's totally overshadowed by its cousin, tequila, but an authentic mezcal (generally one without a gimmicky worm in the bottom) is really great. They have a smokiness about them which make them really interesting as sipping spirits, but also gives them enough body to hold up to some great blending for cocktails." — George Reilly (The Twisted Tail)

Mariena Mercer of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

"It's really a draw for me currently between eau de vie and cachaça. I absolutely adore what Novo Fogo is doing to reenergize the craft cocktail world's perception of cachaça. And I could drink St. George's Thai Basil Eau de Vie every day of my life. Overall, I'm a huge fan of St George's masterful hand of blending and melding flavors, but this is really their defining spirit for me." — Mariena Mercer (The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas)

"Dry vermouth; there is endless usage for a good vermouth in recipe building. If all else fails, I dare you to try it over a large rock with a twist of lemon." — Beau du Bois (The Corner Door)

"Drambuie. I sneak it into lots of things." — Richard Woodruff (Chambers Eat + Drink)

"I still feel Benedictine is under-utilized at cocktail bars. We use it quite a bit a my place, but it could use a little resurgence." — Justin Fairweather (Evelyn Drinkery)

"Gin ... People are scared of it for some reason. Gin is a tastier spirit than vodka. Vodka is essentially flavorless and gin has great flavor for creating new drinks." — Ergys Dizdari (Filini Bar and Restaurant)

Elizabeth Powell of Liberty Bar, Seattle

"Something that I am incredibly fond of, but don't see used that much in bars, is Batavia Arrack. I dig the slightly funky flavor that it adds as well as the aromatics." — Elizabeth Powell (Liberty Bar)

"I am a big believer in the rise of cachaça, the national spirit of Brazil. It has complexity not found in most other spirits and is incredibly versatile in its application—from the classic caipirinha and batida cocktails to more replacing the more traditional spirits in Daiquiris, Mai Tais, and other tiki-style drinks." — Chris Hopkins (The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas)

"I am still blown away by how gin is viewed by people. I even had one person this weekend say she couldn't drink gin because she would get crazy so she wanted vodka in the drink instead. It's not like I was serving Navy Strength gin! It's a shame. She has probably never understood the beauty of a gin gimlet on a nice sunny day!" — Jeff Faile (Fiola)

"Aquavit! I like using it as a rinse in sherry or vermouth heavy cocktails that are already sweet and herby." — Lauren Lathrop Williams (Jsix Restaurant)

"St Elizabeth's Allspice dram. It's incredibly dry, but also adds a very subtle sweetness to drinks. Even just a barspoon can completely change a cocktail." — John Henderson (Scholars, Tavern Road)

Vincent Stipo of Vernick Food & Drink, Philadelphia

"Becherovka. It is a potable bitters from the Czech Republic. I was introduced to it as a server when I worked in Boston and haven't stopped working with it since."— Vincent Stipo (Vernick Food & Drink)

"Absinthe. There is something of a resurgence in absinthe's popularity right now, but in many instances, for all the wrong reasons. People are drawn to absinthe for its incorrectly documented and perceived nefarious history, but in reality proper absinthe is a beautiful, complex spirit that requires an incredibly talented distiller to produce well." — Ben Anderson (The Corner Office Restaurant)

"By the drinking public? Rum. Too many people have had a bad night with the old Captain (whose surname we won't mention here) and, subsequently, their stomachs turn at the mention of rum. But I feel that both drinkers of lighter booze and those of deep, aged ones will find a spirit that is very satisfying here." — Keith Kenji Cochran (The Narrows, King Noodle,)

"It's not under-appreciated as such, but people need change how they feel about tequila. You could sip on a Hornitos on the rocks just as you could some Maker's and it's brilliant and tasty." — Kahil Nayton ( Larry Lawrence, Terminal 5 )

What spirit do you think deserves a little more love?

So many drinks, so little time. Keep in the loop on Twitter, or sign up for our weekly newsletter.

GoPro enthusiast Mitch Bergsma films a lot of dogs from the front.


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