firehose

The Evolution of Video Game Controllers

KFC Introduces New Boneless CEO

Joe Biden's 7 Techniques For Enlarging Your Member

A runner caught the first explosion on camera.

The Wallpapers of Sherlock

There’s a lovely design sense here.

uberwench:

skokielibrary:

teen-stuff-at-the-library:

A Great Guide on How to Cite Social Media Using Both MLA and APA styles

You’ll probably find this useful at some point.

Man, where was this chart when I was in library school?

Peanuts

tvlinux writes "The web is becoming more than just a media display; there is more interaction and more special things that need to be done. Right now, jQuery is the preferred method of a very dynamic user interface. There is a W3 standard called XBL2.0. It is the macro language of HTML. To me it seems like a great idea — reusable HTML widgets, where each one is a separate object contained with in itself. You can define properties, methods, and events, each of which is self-contained. If the browsers supported XBL2, I can envision a whole ecosystem of new widgets, charts, grids and inputs that people could add to web pages just like any other HTML element. I see less experienced developers being able to create fancy websites by just using DOM and not having to learn jquery. My question: why is XBL dead? I think a macro-language for HTML is a good idea." XBL is alive and well, but only for XUL. Looks like another casualty of HTML5's rejection of XML.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

By Nathan Grayson on April 16th, 2013 at 9:00 am.

Just as the grass grows and the ocean gently laps against the shore, triads will rise. It is simply nature’s way. For eons, however, top scientists have pondered what role rhythmic triad undulations play in the greater order of our universe. Do they hold up the planet in much the same fashion as long-dead Greek titans before them? Are they responsible for the complex set of physics interactions that make ice cream flavors that don’t taste like ice cream possible? Do they allow jokes that should’ve ended a long time ago to just keep going and going? We may never know. But I just had a crazy thought: maybe Rise of the Triad‘s purpose is shooting dudes really, really fast. Sometimes with a baseball bat that’s also the devil. No, that’s impossible. It’s probably the ice cream thing. See for yourself in the form of an appreciably meaty video after the break.

HE IS DUDESHOOT MANKILL, AND HE WILL TRIUMPH.

(Note: I do not actually think that’s the main character’s real name. If only, if only.)

That multiplayer deathmatch is looking about as old-school as they come, though – by which I mean blindingly, blitzingly, brutally fast. Similarly, there’s basically no thematic continuity to the levels, because who needs dumb stuff like that? Castles are cool, and so are volcano lairs, and the bland military facility wouldn’t stop begging to hang out with the other levels, so they were like, “Ugh, fine. Get in the car. But god damn it you get to talk only when we say you do.” But yes, as per tradition, ROTT’s driving design philosophy seems to be “Why the fuck not?”

Weapons, meanwhile, vary from absurd to “there’s no way that won’t be completely overpowered in nearly every situation imaginable.” I mean, did you see the multi-rocket in the upper nook of the military level? It literally rained down death from on-high. But then, Interceptor CEO Frederick Schreiber told me that balance isn’t necessarily top priority anyway. “We have balance in the game,” he explained in an interview, “but we want the player to feel like ‘Whoa, this is nuts.’”

And it does look a little nuts. As long as it’s fun, though, that’s no problem in my book. So here’s hoping. It’s out this summer.

Image by Ferrari

Online dating giant OkCupid is the latest in an increasingly-long line of companies to accept Bitcoin for payments. The site has teamed up with Bitcoin wallet site Coinbase to allow singles to subscribe to its premium service using the digital currency. Other sites that have recently opened their doors to Bitcoin payments include Reddit and expense report site Expensify. OkCupid may not seem like a typical fit for Bitcoin, but as Coinbase puts it, "this is one more step forward for bringing Bitcoin to the masses - one date at a time."

• Via The Next Web
• Source Coinbase
• Related Items bitcoin okcupid coinbase online payments online dating

New York Times

Pat Summerall, NFL Star and Broadcaster, Dies at 82 New York Times Pat Summerall, the Giants' outstanding place-kicker who went on to team with John Madden for 21 seasons in network television's most prominent N.F.L. broadcast twosome, died on Tuesday in Dallas. He was 82. Pat Summerall dies at age 82FOXSports.com Pat Summerall, called a 'broadcasting giant,' has diedUSA TODAY "Voice of football" broadcaster Pat Summerall diesReuters Washington Post -Fort Worth Star Telegram -CNN all 97 news articles »

cmstitching:

Cheesecloth Experiment

Microsoft is planning to change the way its Start Screen operates with the release of Windows 8.1. Sources familiar with Microsoft's plans have revealed to The Verge that the company is currently testing builds of Windows 8.1, known as codename Windows Blue, that include an option to boot directly to the traditional desktop. We're told that the option is disabled by default, allowing users to simply turn on the functionality should they want to avoid the Start Screen at initial boot or login.

We understand that the hot corner functionality, for access to the Charms and Start Screen, will remain intact if the boot to desktop option is enabled. References to a "CanSuppressStartScreen" option in early builds of the Windows 8.1 registry were recently discovered by members of the My Digital Life forum, but a UI to enable the feature doesn't appear to be present.

Microsoft's change of heart follows criticisms of its approach to Windows 8 for traditional desktop PCs with keyboard and mouse usage. Accessory makers have attempted to ease the situation, but Microsoft has faced pressure from businesses and desktop users for options to suppress the Start Screen or bring back the traditional Start Menu and Start button UI. Third-party tools to revive the Start button have proved popular, but it's highly unlikely that Microsoft will opt to bring the Start Menu back to life itself. We're told that the boot to desktop option is simply designed to appease desktop users who wish to avoid the Start Screen environment.

• Related Items windows 8 windows 8.1 boot to desktop desktop ui

Expected to launch in the summer, Facebook's new video ad units may prove to be a revenue success for the company, but they may also become another nuisance for users. According to AdAge, Facebook is currently in talks with various agencies to secure its first video ad partners ahead of a June/July launch, with a view to displaying three video advertisements in users' News Feeds each day.

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No user will see more than three video ads per day

AdAge reports that Facebook is currently selling four daily video ad slots, splitting demographics into four categories: women over 30, women under 30, men over 30, and men under 30. The ads are reportedly priced at around $1 million, suggesting that Facebook could make as much as $4 million a day — if all of its advertising inventory is purchased.

Last year, we reported that Facebook was looking to sell its new ad units on both the web and in its mobile apps. The company is said to be capping video autplay ads at 15 seconds, expanding from the main News Feed to cover the left and right columns on the desktop when an ad is played. However, now that Facebook has begun rolling out its new redesigned feed and is working out ways to display video ads on mobile devices, this could be set to change. By offering video ad units, Facebook will attempt to capture the major TV ad budgets but it remains to be seen if agencies will bite at the current price tag. If they do, it's almost certain that a user backlash will follow.

• Source AdAge
• Related Items facebook video ads autoplay news feed users advertising

In the wake of the news that Google is shutting down its RSS reader, Github user fotcorn has created StarRSS, a page that will turn any RSS feed into the stylized scrolling text of the Star Wars opening crawl, complete with the films’ iconic opening score.

via Nerdcore

Microsoft has launched a new service in its latest attempt to reclaim a share of the cloud storage market from Amazon with the public unveiling of its Windows Azure Infrastructure Services hybrid cloud platform. The new service, which has been in testing over the past year, is Microsoft's attempt to make it easier for customers to migrate applications and existing platforms into its cloud.

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Microsoft will match Amazon pricing on compute, storage and bandwidth

Amazon's offer of enterprise-grade cloud services for a low cost has seen it become the cloud platform of choice for many high-profile startups including Dropbox, Foursquare and Instagram. Recognizing Amazon's dominance, Microsoft has pledged to match Amazon Web Services (AWS) prices on "compute, storage, and bandwidth," resulting in price reductions of between 21% - 33% on its virtual machine instances and cloud services.

Microsoft calls today's launch a "significant step in [its] cloud computing strategy," which finally brings it on par with its cloud rivals. The company believes it has a wider set of tools and services — which includes software that bigger companies can install in their own datacenters — which could provide the platform for businesses looking to combine in-house solutions with cloud computing, luring them away from the likes of Amazon.

• Via NY Times
• Source MSDN Blogs
• Related Items microsoft azure cloud storage compute bandwidth amazon aws servers

Tig.

“How many times, Elijah? You can’t double tig-a-tag!”

lotr cast commentary

by Tim Sale

Following the bombings Monday at the Boston Marathon that killed three people and injured 176 others, organizers of Boston Comic Con have confirmed the event will go on Saturday and Sunday as planned.

“The 2013 Boston Comic Con will be held this weekend!” they said in an email to attendees. “Despite the tragic events that recently occurred at The Boston Marathon, The Boston Comic Con will continue as scheduled.” A portion of proceeds from an art auction will be donated to the American Red Cross for Boston Marathon relief efforts.

The Hynes Convention Center, where the event will be held, is located on Boylston Street, less than two blocks away from the second explosion; the nearby Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Lenox Hotel were evacuated shortly after the bombings. However, The Boston Globe reports some areas of downtown will reopen today.

Boston Comic Con’s guest lineup includes such creators as George Perez, Mike Mignola, Carlos Pacheco, Amanda Conner, Mark Bagley, Nate Bellegarde, Jimmy Palmiotti, Amy Reeder, Frank Cho, Tony Daniel, Don Rosa, Colleen Doran, Bill Willingham, Sean Gordon Murphy and Chrissie Zullo.

Snap, Snap, Go! for iOS is a self-described “picture game for awful people.” The game challenges players to take photos or find images online to complete associations like “McGyver could make it out of yarn” and “On the internet, nobody knows you’re a ____.” Once players submit their answers, the game’s other players vote on the best response similar to popular card games like Apples to Apples and Cards Against Humanity. The app is currently available for download in the iTunes App Store.

images via Snap, Snap, Go!

Danny Woodburn of "Seinfeld" and "Bones" fame has signed on to play Master Splinter in Paramount Pictures’ "Ninja Turtles," produced by Michael Bay and directed by Jonathan Liebesman.

American Airlines is having computer problems that are causing widespread delays. Some passengers are stuck on planes while others can't make reservations.

SI.com

New Eagles coach Chip Kelly issues statement on 'major violation' at Oregon The Star-Ledger - NJ.com The University of Oregon agreed its football coaches committed at least one major violation while Chip Kelly was coach, according to reports. The Ducks have proposed to self-impose a two-year probation for the program and a reduction of scholarships. Kelly ... Oregon Ducks rundown: NCAA investigation continues to drag alongOregonLive.com Documents: Oregon proposed 2-year probationThe Missoulian Report: Oregon committed recruiting violations13WMAZ all 40 news articles »

By Nathan Grayson on April 16th, 2013 at 5:00 pm.

Yes, a document thriller. Papers, Please is a compelling, edge-of-your-seat game about carefully scrutinizing forms. And it’s so clever that I don’t even know where to begin. But I suppose you’ll need to know what it is first, won’t you? Papers heralds from Lucas Pope, creator of the similarly socially conscious Republica Times, but this time you’re in charge of your maybe kinda probably definitely fictionalized Soviet homeland’s border. Or rather, you’re the person who makes sure everyone else has their paperwork in order. If you mess up, you get fined, and that means your family withers to chalky bone under the weight of starvation and sickness. Also, there are some very sinister sorts looking to slip past your iron stamping hand of ultimate justice, so perhaps more hangs in the balance than your benefactors are letting on. Read on for my impressions of the beta demo, and then – if you’re feeling so inclined or swollen with fictional nationalistic pride – give it a try yourself here.

So you have the what, and now here’s why you’re wielding a trained eye and laser-focused stamping hand with extreme prejudice:

“The communist state of Arstotzka has ended a 6-year war with neighboring Kolechia and reclaimed its rightful half of the border town, Grestin. Your job as immigration inspector is to control the flow of people entering the Arstotzkan side of Grestin from Kolechia. Among the throngs of immigrants and visitors looking for work are hidden smugglers, spies, and terrorists. Using only the documents provided by travelers and the Ministry of Admission’s primitive inspect, search, and fingerprint systems you must decide who can enter Arstotzka and who will be turned away or arrested.”

There are so many things to laud in the demo. The incredibly minimal, strikingly stark art and sound design do an excellent job of bringing Arstotzka to life – you know, in a suffocatingly uncomfortable sort of way – and there’s a surprising amount of grim, sometimes grimly humorous personality that bleeds onto its pages. It is, however, the less immediately arresting bits that are really pulling me in so far.

Stamping is so damn satisfying. I want to stamp everything. Sometimes I do. Think you can slip a faulty document past me? WRONG. Now your artlessly falsified picture and suspiciously expired date are quadruple rejected. And you thought you could pressure me into getting sloppy with all your whining and complaining about places to be. If you ever try it again, I will stamp your family. I will stamp your dumb gray cat. I will stamp your life.

It’s all done via movable, intoxicatingly physical documents, too. Seriously, when I say that, I mean the grand majority of everything in the game. One booklet is essentially your tutorial, telling you things like what constitutes a legitimate form and which regions produce real papers – not fraudulent ones. Maybe you’ll need to keep it out for cross-referencing purposes, or maybe you’re a faster learner than me. Usually, though, it helps to have multiple books handy, because discovering falsified documents means connecting facts (or “facts”) that just don’t add up. After a brief interrogation or two, it’s then up to you to decide whether or not your glum new friend makes the cut. Rinse, repeat, discover. Oh, but don’t take too long doing it. The clock’s ticking, after all.

Regardless, it all feels so good. It strikes me as a bit strange that a game that’d never exist outside our paperless, all-digital society so wonderfully hearkens back to the near-sensual crispness of good paper. It’s such a natural, compulsive thing, though – far more tangible than a basic series of interchangeable menus

A surprising amount of story comes through in these rather simple (though increasingly complex) interactions. Background, culture, profession, patience, temperament, health, wealth, whether or not someone’s totally inviting you to a strip club (to be fair, that one’s pretty easy), etc. A lot of it, however, comes down to interpretation, and that’s when you realize those heaping mountains of paper don’t really contain much important information at all. So then, is a worrisome hunch enough reason to totally violate someone’s privacy? That’s your call. Good luck.

There is, however, also the matter of your family, and that’s where the game gets most interesting, but also stands to completely come undone. Without spoiling too much, I will say that things become very gray (in the moral sense; everything is already incredibly gray from the standpoint of, you know, color) over time. Not everyone trying to slither between cracks in your mighty wall of red tape is a terrorist or criminal, so maybe you opt to favor your raw, aching conscience over your pocketbook. Because of this, I initially found providing for my family to be exceedingly difficult, a tightrope chainsaw juggling act of illness, hunger, and creeping cold. Once I really got into the swing of things, though, it was actually somewhat manageable. And if I can stockpile money this early in the game, I have to wonder what that’ll mean for the rest.

But even with that dribble of soiled milk stinking up the otherwise pristinely desolate alleyways, there’s an immense amount of promise here. Papers, Please is a tiny game with enormous ambitions, and it has something very important to say, on top of everything else. Please be good, Papers, Please. I still have a healthy amount of skepticism, but I wish you only the best. Glory to Arstotzka.

Papers, Please will emerge from beta this summer. Also, it’s on Steam Greenlight right now, if all this communism has you itching to vote for something.

TwopTwips

Mailbox, the popular email client for iPhone, is finally doing away with its reservation system and accepting new signups immediately. The app launched in February to widespread acclaim, but Mailbox's staggered rollout scheme proved to be an annoyance to many users. It also failed at its fundamental purpose of preventing the app from experiencing downtime. At its peak, the reservation queue swelled to more than one million users. That massive popularity led Dropbox to scoop up Mailbox to the tune of $100 million, promising to keep the product alive and evolving in the future. Ten weeks of "around-the-clock" work combined with whatever resources Dropbox is pumping into Mailbox seems to have done the job, with the app now scaled to deliver up to 100 million messages per day. Considering there's no waiting involved, now could be a good time to test out the Mailbox's unique approach to inbox management.

• Source Mailbox (iTunes)Mailbox
• Related Items email app dropbox mailbox

Google is testing a simple, visual interface to replace its text-based black navigation strip, and you can try it out right now with a small tweak to your browser. The experimental design replaces Google's ubiquitous black bar with the Chrome OS app launcher, which drops down into a grid of icons for sites including Gmail, Drive, and Calendar. While there's no suggestion as to Google's intention to fully implement this, the company has already begun to bring the Chrome OS app launcher to the Chrome browser itself, and it has previously enabled a site-wide redesign featuring a drop-down navigation menu.

For now, the experimental launcher is a tweak that seems to have slipped through to non-employees, and it requires a user to edit a piece of website data to view it. Google Operating System discovered how to enable the tweak and provides instructions on doing so in Chrome, Firefox, and Opera, which involve installing a browser extension and copy and pasting a line of text. While the implemented experiment is simple in style, it has the effect of hiding links to everything but Gmail and Google+ inside of a menu, and it doesn't appear to work for signed-in users at the moment. Though eyes have been on Google to integrate Chrome OS and Android, it appears that we're first seeing a promotion of Chrome apps through more prominent placement on other platforms.

• Via Gizmodo
• Source Google Operating System
• Related Items google chrome os google search experiment navigation app launcher

“

And there are millions of teens who read because they are sad and lonely and enraged. They read because they live in an often-terrible world. They read because they believe, despite the callow protestations of certain adults, that books-especially the dark and dangerous ones-will save them.

As a child, I read because books–violent and not, blasphemous and not, terrifying and not–were the most loving and trustworthy things in my life. I read widely, and loved plenty of the classics so, yes, I recognized the domestic terrors faced by Louisa May Alcott’s March sisters. But I became the kid chased by werewolves, vampires, and evil clowns in Stephen King’s books. I read books about monsters and monstrous things, often written with monstrous language, because they taught me how to battle the real monsters in my life.

And now I write books for teenagers because I vividly remember what it felt like to be a teen facing everyday and epic dangers. I don’t write to protect them. It’s far too late for that. I write to give them weapons–in the form of words and ideas-that will help them fight their monsters. I write in blood because I remember what it felt like to bleed.

”

-

Sherman Alexie, Why the Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood (via thefirstgentleman)

“I write in blood because I remember what it felt like to bleed.”

Quote of the night, y’all.

(via womanwithaflowerhead)

Kitchen Portraits by Erik Klein Wolterink via Amusing Planet

“A well-stocked kitchen refers to Turkish cookery with goat’s cheese and halal sausage. But the mix for homemade apple pie is a witness of an open attitude towards other customs. A mother shows her African roots with a plastic Voltic Sparkling Water bottle filled with palm oil. Female students undermine our prejudices with a spotless kitchen. In the kitchen of a family with growing children, a packet of Korma curry of Pakistani descent and cardamom pods try to square themselves with Dutch kitchen habits. Here the Dutch sandwich culture leaves its traces in the sandwich wrappers in the drawer, the sandwiches in the fridge and the Nutella chocolate paste in the sink cupboard next to the abrasive agent. The kitchen as metaphor of a complex, multicultural reality.”

-Erik Klein Wolterink

Sketch artist experiment proves you are more beautiful than you think