He thinks he's a mouse!!

biomes!!

http://notch.tumblr.com/post/1417193203/biomes-theyre-not-final-yet-but-this-is-about

http://i54.tinypic.com/fbjrex.jpg

nooooo...! #minecraft

(warning, boring story follows).

so i have a little single player world. i haven't been there there
long. i found an amazing cave a few minutes walk away from my base. i
explored it for a while and loaded up on iron and coal, carefully
marking my path so i could find my way back up. (there was some gold
there too but i hadn't made an iron pick yet).

it was getting late (irl) so I decided to go back home. got almost
to the surface when i was ambushed by a skeleton! i noobishly
had no bacon or other means to restore health and i ended up full of
arrows and dead. when i respawned it was daylight (thankfully) so i
bolted as quick as i could back to the spot to get my loot before it
disappeared.

but i couldn't find the entrance! it was kind of hard to see; just a
flat hole in grass and i hadn't had the sense to mark it. eventually i
found it but it was too late and all my stuff was gone. this includes
a heap of glass that i had made and all my torches, my tools, my wood,
some flint. everything. :(

(the end)

holy crap (kyü)

Watch KYU and other great gigs on Moshcam.

this could be an amazing new band: kyü

listen to pixiphony on their myspace. kind of
bat-for-lashes-vs-animal-collective-y:
http://www.myspace.com/kyusounds
friday show in brisbane:
http://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=17821
itunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/au/album/kyu/id391988362
(i will let you know if the hype is justified)

a sweet minecrafter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUGbhGF4SlA

Moon

Sweet Lego

Scruffy

Mandelbrot's Ted Talk, Feb 2010

http://www.ted.com/talks/benoit_mandelbrot_fractals_the_art_of_roughness.html

Benoît Mandelbrot (1924 - 2010)

ob mandelbrot video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGxbhdr3w2I

the photo parts are a little tacky LAME but i like the way there is zooming, panning and rotation (instead of just the traditional endless zoom)

more...

minecraft

i might try to explain to you how amazing this game is. but not now. now it's just these links, (which don't really explain it either):

a fan's attempt at a trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaMTedT6P0I

train ride

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asImTDkPWKA

crafting guide

http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Crafting

sc_791

http://www.doublefine.com/comics/Scott_C/dfac_791/

fremnet manor by night

my first ever diamond

fremnet help me shore it up so i could mine it without the diamond falling into lava

beginning_of_fortnight method for Ruby on Rails

You might know that Rails provides a bunch of useful extensions to the Time class with methods like beginning_of_week, beginning_of_month, etc.

For my application (a thing with fortnightly billing periods) I wanted to define a beginning of fortnight method to consistently calculate the beginning (and end) of a fortnight. Here's how it ended up (both short and sweet):

(Note that there's no special reason to use epoch. Any other day would work just as well probably).

Does it work?

Put beginning_of_fortnight.rb in config/initializers.

Note that there is already a Numeric#fortnights method in ActiveSupport so we can use things like 2.fortnights without needing any extentions.

sleigh bells!

tell 'em (track 1)

never has a song intro more effectively communicated the message "WAKE THE EFF UP AND LISTEN TO THIS! :)"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kJ05P-71gY

riot rhythm (track 3)

mad chromatic gee-tar riff ftw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ld-0na1mpI

rill rill (track 7)

delicious summery chill-out without even trying

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLRnmQ-4Yp0

and the rest of it is as good

check it out

Sleigh Bells

Treats (2010)

(Content owner: Liberation Music)

Sunset

night 4 (minecraft)

My cave hideout has a top storey lookout and a walled courtyard.

Pic 1: "everything under control here. stupid exploder below me isn't going anywhere. stupid zombie at the back is just roaming up and down outside my wall.

Pic 2: HOLY WHAT THE.. ZOMBIE CLIMBING UP TO GET ME..?!  AIIEEEE..

Then I think it started shooting me with arrows.

movie review: tomorrow when the war began

this movie is surprisingly good. it has a thought provoking premise and some real depth while still managing to be a solid action film. the script, casting and acting is first class, which sadly you can't always count on in australian films. the premise is that australia is invaded by indonesia (though they don't actually state the country). some high school kids escape to the hills and deal, each in their own way, with the fact that they are now fugitives in their own country. they resolve to become a resistance force in a plot involving improvised explosive devices which has to make you think about situations in the world right now where an invading force enters a country and how things might appear from the other side. the conclusion is satisfying and again let me mention the excellent performances of the cast, especially robyn, the churchy one. four stars.

update: i should mention that it's a bit teen-oriented, as were the original books. but there is enough violence that you probably don't want to take younger kids.

Trailer (a shorter one -- better to not watch the long one, too many spoilers...)

read this about a blind user's iphone experience

"Can he get text messages on this?" she asked. "Well, yes, but it doesn't read the message." the salesman said. Mom's hopes sunk, but mine didn't, since I understood the software enough. "Well, let's see, try it." I suggested. She pulled out her phone, and sent me a text message. Within seconds, my phone alerted me, and said her name. I simply swiped my finger and it read her message: Hi Austin. She almost cried.

Someone should get this kid an iPad:

Adding the ability to touch anywhere on the screen and hear it adds a whole other dimension, literally. For the first time, the blind can actually get spacial information about something. In the store, Mom could say "Try that button" and I could. Blind people know what I mean. How many times has a sighted person said "I see an icon at the top of the screen?" Now, that actually Means something. I want to find a way to browse the web with a touchpad on my computer. 

His vision is very poor but he can see light and shadow. He finds an app that names colours using the camera and it causes him to start becoming more aware of colours:

The next day, I went outside. I looked at the sky. I heard colors such as "Horizon," "Outer Space," and many shades of blue and gray. I used color cues to find my pumpkin plants, by looking for the green among the brown and stone. I spent ten minutes looking at my pumpkin plants, with their leaves of green and lemon-ginger. I then roamed my yard, and saw a blue flower. I then found the brown shed, and returned to the gray house. My mind felt blown.

Read the article here:
http://behindthecurtain.us/2010/06/12/my-first-week-with-the-iphone/


Update: He did get an iPad. And then a Macbook:
http://behindthecurtain.us/2010/09/11/rejoining-the-apple-family/

(via gruber, via phil)

first aid kit review

http://www.collapseboard.com/first-aid-kit-live-the-spiegeltent

Otamatone!!!

:D

"Silversun Pickups will be performing in support of Birds Of Tokyo"

WHAT. THE. EFF.

dear silversun pickups. on behalf of australia, i apologise for this embarrassing mix up. (and perhaps you should have a serious chat with your management).

http://www.silversunpickups.com/tour/

(apart from the obvious fact that birds of tokyo are rubbish, see attached supporting evidence)

restore truthiness etc

http://tv.gawker.com/5640424/jon-stewart-announces-the-rally-to-restore-sanity

(skip past the stephen hawking part)

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/359382/september-16-2010/march-to-keep-fear-alive

city cycles

i saw a couple of city cycles at a cycle station on tuesday. for a moment i was excited, thinking they were finally here. then a few seconds later i noticed a camera crew filming them. (so i guess it was just for the cameras and they aren't here after all).

so for $60 a year you can take unlimited trips less than 30 minutes. (something like that). too bad they aren't go card compatible. the coverage is impressive: http://www.citycycle.com.au/All-Stations/Station-Map

still not sure on the helmet issue. is it byo helmet?

JOURNEY 178

Alex Stewart burns and smokes Bible and Koran on YouTube, causes controversy

See article

(Forgive me for paraphrasing Dawkins...)

Somehow it's become ingrained in all of us that "respect for religion" must be some fundamental tenet of right-thinking societies. Religion does not deserve respect. Religion is a scourge. Religion is destructive. Religion is poison and lies. So why is it protected by the invisible "respect religion" shield by our societies and governments?

Update:
(In case I'm not clear), respecting the right of people to believe what they wish to believe is correct and proper. But what does that have to do Alex Stewart? They are saying he may lose his job. This is shameful.  

First Aid Kit

Spiegeltent, Brisbane, 11/9/10

actually i support the burning of the quran

i also support equally the burning of the bible, along with any other religious texts and related propaganda you can lay your hands on. (though obviously not if they are especially old or rare copies).

inside a cruise liner in very rough seas

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=975_1283799588

i zoomed it in so you could see the grey parts

they've drawn crook as a blue bar by the looks of it

...in which i get some more value from my GOMA membership

(...which frankly paid for itself that time we saw Tim Finn).

It's 7-ish and we've walked all the way to GOMA for drinks, djs and the Valentino retrospective. There's a sign near the door. 'Sold Out'. Everyone's like 'I told you buy tickets online!'. I'm like, 'just a minute' and walk up.

"Oh, we are too late to get a ticket?"

"Afraid so. It's very popular"

"Aw, we've walked all the way here"

"There are some reserved tickets, but they are only for gallery members"

"Oh, excellent! I have two plus-ones. Is that okay?" [Turning around and beckoning]

"Ahem, these tickets are for gallery members only"

"Yeah, cool. We have two members, and two plus ones. Thanks!" [Moving towards ticket desk]. 

 

"I don't think you understand. You need to be a gallery member."

...

 

Etc. I played it out a tiny bit longer for my own amusement. Anyway, there were a lot of very impressive frocks there, some on mannequins, some walking around.  The patronage broke down roughly like this (imagine as a pie chart): female: 90%, gay male: 9.9%, me: 0.1%. Someone said one dress was worn by Julie Roberts in Pretty Woman. The mannequins have abnormally long necks and are slivery-grey. There are many security guards and 'no camera' signs. The walls are painted black. If you like fashion and beautiful dresses then you should definitely go there. Here is a link and some pictures on flickr.

Freelance Whales - Generator 2nd Floor

(via rage this morning)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSkjibDu8kM

http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858801742/

And since you are my friend
I would ask that you lower me down slow
And tell the man in the black cloak
He doesn't need to trouble his good soul
With those latin conjugations
And if it's all the same to them
You should tell your gathering friends
Please not to purse their faces grim
On such a lovely sunday

VALENTINO

At GOMA. It's worth a look.

is there anything cooler than this?

no. there is not.

http://i.imgur.com/rqVka.jpg

jónsi and grinchy

:(

:D

first aid kit

the girls who did that fleet foxes cover on youtube are playing the spiegeltent
http://www.brisbanefestival.com.au/Events/0,298,4747,029800906.aspx
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMrqBldlqzA

more bon iver

skinny love on letterman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRWbdZltELg

how to be alone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7X7sZzSXYs
A video by filmmaker, Andrea Dorfman, and poet/singer/songwriter, Tanya Davis.

direct from christchurch, nz

nice

the song that got me into 'for emma, forever ago'

Bon Iver - Re: Stacks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePatJIwB-sI

very beautiful. try it if you haven't already

Update:
Apparently it's about poker? Hmm.

Update:
It's not just about poker.

plain packs

the government wants to force cigarette companies to use plain packaging for cigarettes, ie, no colour, no logo. the cigarette companies are running commercials in protest. they claim it won't work. follow my train of logic here: cigarette companies care about making money. so if they care about this, then they think they will make less money, which means selling less cigarettes, which means it will work. so by caring about it they are proving they think it will be effective. no doubt the tobacco companies (or their advertising teams) are aware of this paradox so their campaign is based on the premise that shop keepers will have difficulty picking out the correct pack. they have formed some kind of bogus 'shop keepers alliance' and made commercials supposedly on behalf of them. will anyone buy this? who knows. maybe it would help if they said coloured packs would help stop the boats.

Yak shaving. Literally.

No, really.

Perhaps you can use this in your next PowerPoint. :)

(This was on "Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe". Cool show btw).

(for non geeks: "yak shaving")

f--k yeah democracy

three seats in doubt:

they were calling brisbane for the libs early on. not so apparently. my vote is in there. it's being counted and recounted. fuck yeah democracy.

scrapbook entry

horses on mary st

mind. blown.

iWatch?

this isn't real.

or is it?

sweet fixie

Notice purple chain.
This fixie belongs to Marcus the coffee maestro at Bunker Coffee in Milton.

Thoughts on Whyday

See: http://whyday.org/

I read a sarky tweet something like 'oh, let's delete our blogs and remove all our code in honour of _why'. It make me pause for a second. Let's face it, what _why did was pretty uncool. In fact you could say it was massively douchey. (There i said it). So the tweeter has a point.

In some ways the date of  _why's online self destruction seems more suited for mourning, perhaps a minute of sombre and respectful silence.

But, putting that aside, Whyday is (or should be), a celebration of the other things _why is known for, not the one last unpleasant (and unfortunately most headline grabbing) thing.
 

I read other tweets like 'gotta do some ruby for whyday'. This is cool, sure, but I think people should know that _why wasn't really all about ruby. He was about being creative. He was about beautiful code. (Which explains why he liked ruby a lot ;). He was about the joy of programming. And the sharing of that joy.

Also, did anyone cringe slightly reading this: "(just as Camping and Hpricot led to Sinatra and Nokogiri)". It comes close to implying that our creative and beautiful code is mostly good for being thrown away and replaced by practical and mundane code. (No offence to Sinatra and Nokogiri people). (As well as that, _why's final tweets seemed to imply that he was a bit down about the Hpricot/Nokogiri thing).

Anyway, here is my clock demo (as tweeted earlier):

clock demo now more awesome and less buggy http://bit.ly/ayLkC0 #whyday

And some why the lucky stiff linkage:

• http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/05/15/why-a-tale-of-a-post-modern-genius/ 
• http://why.usesthis.com/

fixies

i've recently become aware of the 'fixie'. have fixies been slow to
catch on in brisbane, or am i just out of touch with local hipster
cyclists? (likely). i'm taking about fixed wheel bicycles. these are a
trend now i think. only they have to be old and restored or converted.
new is not cool for a fixie. here are some sydney fixies outside uber
cool surry hills coffee shop, remy and lee's, possibly belonging to
remy and lee themselves. (i sense a correlation between hipster coffee
shop owners and fixies).

new song of the week (last week to be honest)

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - Home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HNY0rx2fw4

here they are on letterman (warning: hippies)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb9jY8yAxgs

perhaps the best mandelbrot zoom ever

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sSm53Q9Jws

here's some nice joanna newsom (on kimmel)

http://stereogum.com/468422/joanna-newsom-on-kimmel/news/

does this service exist?

it's a mail digitising service.

you set your postal address to, say

Box 182745

C/- Digipost

123 Whatever St

Somewhere 4000

then, for a few dollars a month Digipost will scan every piece of mail you get and send it to you by email.

their web site lets you access all your old mail digitally, suitably tagged and indexed, (maybe ocr'ed)

the web site also gives you a 'shred it' button which destroys the hard copy and a 'really send it to me', for when you get a new credit card, or your car rego sticker

the shred it button has some nice sound effect when you click it and maybe an animation.

there is some kind of eco friendly paper recycling done (at least the marketing claims this ;)

there is also an iphone app (of course).

this would be great if you wanted to travel and still be able to pay your rates bills.

of course you don't use your Digipost address for package deliveries or birthday cards from your grandma, only for bills and statements.

i think this would be pretty useful.

less this...

update:


yes it does and it looks exactly like i imagined it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BtAnp9EXuU

looks like they are targeting businesses mainly

and there are others, reportedly less good. see here... (thanks @unixbigot)

filing

rainy fog

lisa mitchell

i'm going through a little lisa mitchell phase. she's really surprisingly good. her album is packed with highlights. here are a couple:

Pirouette:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65wt6LUuxsk

Clean white love:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aidTSdgPYqE

Bonus flashback: 16 year old lisa mitchell australian on idol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-SbxawuGTI

I don't understand imnfinity

song of the week is superfast jellyfish by gorillaz

i have this on single track repeat on my iphone

it is a commentary on the numerous evils of fast food

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4UtbrbsrjY

the song dies without the bass though so laptop speakers are NO GOOD for this song. like don't even bother!

delicious lemon pistachio friand type of thing

first mexican sunrise #reddead

(this game is amazing btw)

wagon toaster

context

river city view

home sweet home

some kind of Maori hip hop crew

They are goin' OFF

"hitch your wagon toaster"

in big letters on the back of a t-shirt this morning:

HITCH
YOUR
WAGON
TOASTER

now that i think about it the last E might have been an A

new cut copy

i quite like it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfhwDmCXeXE

Some more Jónsi

Jónsi - Grow Till Tall from fadryke on Vimeo.

needs no introduction

can you see how this could be confusing?

time lapse video showing the beauty of red dead redemption

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-red-dead-redemption-time-lapse

More from Prudence Mapstone

http://www.eject.com.au/e-motive/prudence/whatis.htm

@amoebamusic, 17/07/10 11:04 AM

Amoeba Music (@amoebamusic) 17/07/10 11:04 AM New video from Jonsi @AmoebaSF! He talks about his solo debut, writing in English, Iceland's influence & more http://bit.ly/cy0EUW @iamjonsi

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