[Thanks to Deltacubed]
This is just wonderfully nuts.
Making Future Magic: iPad light painting from Dentsu London on Vimeo.
(Click the four small arrows to view full-screen.)
Saturday, September 18, 2010
A new form of animation
This is just wonderfully nuts.
Making Future Magic: iPad light painting from Dentsu London on Vimeo.
(Click the four small arrows to view full-screen.)
The Fat Man Conundrum
Or: the trolley problem. Article.
This article has the best example I've yet seen to illustrate what a strange relationship humans have with morality, especially when killing is involved.
I would tentatively suggest that the two cases are the same in terms of pure ethics, the only thing separating them is how active you have to be. Killing stirs up our subconscious guilt, and the stirring is directly related to how actively we are doing it.
This article has the best example I've yet seen to illustrate what a strange relationship humans have with morality, especially when killing is involved.
- Invented by moral philosopher Professor Judith Jarvis Thomson, who taught at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Case one: A runaway tram is heading towards five people tied to tracks. You are a bystander. Would you flick a switch so it turned down a line where one person was tied to the tracks?
- Case two: Same problem, but you are watching from a footbridge. You could push a fat man next to you off the bridge, and his bulk would stop the tram. Would you do it?
I would tentatively suggest that the two cases are the same in terms of pure ethics, the only thing separating them is how active you have to be. Killing stirs up our subconscious guilt, and the stirring is directly related to how actively we are doing it.
Netflix
I'm very envious that Americans can get that amazing deal with Netflix, tons of streaming content just included in the price.
But how the heck they can make money on it is a mystery. See this article for instance.
If I had set it up, I would have charged at least a tenner more for getting the streaming. It would still be an excellent deal. As it is, I don't see what their strategy is.
But how the heck they can make money on it is a mystery. See this article for instance.
Lets say the average cost to stream and license a movie is $0.50. All it takes is one user streaming ten movies a month and Netflix's cost is five bucks. And with their cheapest DVD offering with unlimited streaming being $8.99 a month, how much can Netflix realistically charge for a streaming only service? Maybe $5.99? So far, the economics of a streaming only service don't work unless Netflix can get very good licensing terms and hope that users who don't stream a ton of movies each month make up for the ones that do.
If I had set it up, I would have charged at least a tenner more for getting the streaming. It would still be an excellent deal. As it is, I don't see what their strategy is.
Laptops Look Like Racecars — and Not in a Good Way
Laptops Look Like Racecars — and Not in a Good Way, David Pogue article.
David talks about the "Times Square" look of all the stickers on laptops.
Apple refuses to put Intel stickers on its computers, even though there’s Intel inside. In doing so, it leaves millions of dollars a year on the table.
I suspect that Steve Jobs is a bit of a minimalism-aesthetic-control-freak similarly to myself (up to a point). I have many times over the years been offered money to put advertising on various of my web sites, but I never did so. I guess I have three reasons: 1) it dilutes the message and integrity of the site. 2) It f***s with the aesthetics of the site, such as it is. 3) it would no longer feel like my own site.
And I must admit I would actually lose some respect for Apple and its machines if the beautiful laptops came with advertising stickers.
I must add that I don't disrespect all advertising. Many sites have tried subscription models and failed, and the only way to get monetary returns on their work seems to be advertising, and I don't think less of them for that. Of course it can be done well or badly. Just for instance, to only take advertising for products that you can get behind seems to be basic.
Deep inside me, though, it seems an odd world where advertising brings more money than just selling the content which brings in the eyeballs. I never really got that.
Fase said:
I dislike those laptop stickers as well. Does anyone know if they will come off without causing damage?
Eolake said:
Use lighter fluid. Works perfectly.
In some cases they may have to soak for five minutes. You'll have to cover it with a sandwich bag or something, because it's very volatile.
David talks about the "Times Square" look of all the stickers on laptops.
Apple refuses to put Intel stickers on its computers, even though there’s Intel inside. In doing so, it leaves millions of dollars a year on the table.
I suspect that Steve Jobs is a bit of a minimalism-aesthetic-control-freak similarly to myself (up to a point). I have many times over the years been offered money to put advertising on various of my web sites, but I never did so. I guess I have three reasons: 1) it dilutes the message and integrity of the site. 2) It f***s with the aesthetics of the site, such as it is. 3) it would no longer feel like my own site.
And I must admit I would actually lose some respect for Apple and its machines if the beautiful laptops came with advertising stickers.
I must add that I don't disrespect all advertising. Many sites have tried subscription models and failed, and the only way to get monetary returns on their work seems to be advertising, and I don't think less of them for that. Of course it can be done well or badly. Just for instance, to only take advertising for products that you can get behind seems to be basic.
Deep inside me, though, it seems an odd world where advertising brings more money than just selling the content which brings in the eyeballs. I never really got that.
Fase said:
I dislike those laptop stickers as well. Does anyone know if they will come off without causing damage?
Eolake said:
Use lighter fluid. Works perfectly.
In some cases they may have to soak for five minutes. You'll have to cover it with a sandwich bag or something, because it's very volatile.
Friday, September 17, 2010
45 lessons
[Thanks to Ray]
Written by Regina Brett, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio
To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.
My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and
parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16.. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't
save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will
this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd
grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
- Regina Brett
(This is often circulated on the Net with the added claim that Ms. Brett is 90 years old, which isn't true. Yet at least.)
Devices on the bookshelf
[Oops, I posted this on the wrong blog... the full post is here.]
(I left the photo on here, though, I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. Canon 5DII, 50mm macro, ISO 3200, F:4.5, 1/80 second. Desaturation and vignetting done in Photoshop.)
(I left the photo on here, though, I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. Canon 5DII, 50mm macro, ISO 3200, F:4.5, 1/80 second. Desaturation and vignetting done in Photoshop.)
A payment for a tee-shirt
I wanted to buy a tee-shirt, and found one from a UK company quickly, and was pleased to see they take Paypal, so I don't have to give cc details to yet one more company.
But then on the Paypal confirmation page, it said:
WTF? Would you accept that?
It's unlikely that they would misuse it, but why the heck would they put such a stupid clause in their payment terms?
But then on the Paypal confirmation page, it said:
"By clicking the button below, I authorise the payment of any future amounts due to Zazzle Inc. from my PayPal account."
WTF? Would you accept that?
It's unlikely that they would misuse it, but why the heck would they put such a stupid clause in their payment terms?
Housing Associations
Here in the UK, it seems apartments are usually grouped into "housing associations", whatever the heck they are or do. I suspect they are the real owners of the flats. The problem is, the tenants, even though we have "bought" the apartment, we really don't have any power outside the apartment, so if the street door need fixing and they don't care, we're just f***ed.
Back in Denmark, they have a different system, "boligforeninger" (which also means housing associations). I must admit, I don't really understand how they work, but it must be something government mandated, because if you're in one and have waited long enough (years) to get an apartment, you can get it much cheaper than if you buy one.
But they do have this going for it, those who manage the apartments is a group of people actually living in the apartments, they see the other tenants all the time, so they pretty much have to care.
That can suck too, but sometimes I miss it. Because the Association where I live now have been promising me for years to put up clearer numbers by the apartments so drivers can find where they're going, but it just keeps not happening. And now they are being bought up by a bigger company for the second time in a few years, it's clear that is it's just a cold business where nobody cares about anything other than the bottom line in the bank statement.
Back in Denmark, they have a different system, "boligforeninger" (which also means housing associations). I must admit, I don't really understand how they work, but it must be something government mandated, because if you're in one and have waited long enough (years) to get an apartment, you can get it much cheaper than if you buy one.
But they do have this going for it, those who manage the apartments is a group of people actually living in the apartments, they see the other tenants all the time, so they pretty much have to care.
That can suck too, but sometimes I miss it. Because the Association where I live now have been promising me for years to put up clearer numbers by the apartments so drivers can find where they're going, but it just keeps not happening. And now they are being bought up by a bigger company for the second time in a few years, it's clear that is it's just a cold business where nobody cares about anything other than the bottom line in the bank statement.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Scottevest
I think I've been wanting something like this for a long time.
Not that funny, but the product is highly interesting.
I always buy combat pants for the pockets. But they can't carry an iPad, and they don't have that excellent special iPod pocket that you can operate the iPod *through*. And the vest can hold the earphones, so they don't tangle in everything.
Scottevest.
Not that funny, but the product is highly interesting.
I always buy combat pants for the pockets. But they can't carry an iPad, and they don't have that excellent special iPod pocket that you can operate the iPod *through*. And the vest can hold the earphones, so they don't tangle in everything.
Scottevest.
Search technology and synonyms
I hope that search technology will evolve to include synonyms (as optional).
If you search for - Bill angry Joe - , you're boffed if it was written with "upset" or "pee'd off" or "miffed" or whatever. So under the straight results, if any, a search engine (on the web or in an app) could present the results which have the same or similar meanings.
If you search for - Bill angry Joe - , you're boffed if it was written with "upset" or "pee'd off" or "miffed" or whatever. So under the straight results, if any, a search engine (on the web or in an app) could present the results which have the same or similar meanings.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Looking for classic toys
For a while, I've been wanting some toys to photograph. I want some classic toys like they did it 100 years ago, made of wood or metal, not plastic. And with nice colors, not just bright colors. (The clashing neon colors on modern toys make me puke.)
And what makes it really difficult is that I'm looking for things that are visually arresting. Things I consider beautiful. And complex is good. I know they exist, I have seen them, but they are so durn rare.
I've tried in toy stores, and I've searched on eBay, but don't fin' nottin'!
Anybody know a source, either for actual old toys, or somebody making fine toys today? (Maybe for collectors instead of children.)
Toys that move might be especially interesting.
And what makes it really difficult is that I'm looking for things that are visually arresting. Things I consider beautiful. And complex is good. I know they exist, I have seen them, but they are so durn rare.
I've tried in toy stores, and I've searched on eBay, but don't fin' nottin'!
Anybody know a source, either for actual old toys, or somebody making fine toys today? (Maybe for collectors instead of children.)
Toys that move might be especially interesting.
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