October 20, 2008
The Typography of Change
online services and tools
200+ Tools for Surviving the Economic Crisis l Free printable Basic Budgeting Worksheet l Building Your First Budget l How To Create a Budget l How to Make a Budget and Stick to It l Frugal Family Recipes. [more inside]
The life and times of cultic ham Romeo Stepanenko
Spy Pigeons
Iran says it caught two pigeons spying on it's nuclear reactor. It sounds crazy, but it's not as farfetched as you might think. The lowly pigeon has been used in military operations since the 12th century. Commando the Pigeon flew 90 missions in German-occupied France during WWII. Pigeons like Commando, Winkie, and Paddy had a lock on the Dickin Medal for animal bravery during WWII. Then again, maybe it's just crazy. Last year Iran said it had arrested 14 squirrels for espionage.
Triple the fun from double-fine.
Double-Fine, when they aren't creating the videogames classics like Psychonauts and the upcoming Brütal Legend, have been busying themselves putting cute mini-games online. Tasha's Game is probably the best of the bunch.
Wet photography
Personal Genome Project
Volunteers from the general public working together with researchers to advance personal genomics. 10 volunteers, among them noted author and cognitive psychologist Stephen Pinker, have open sourced (so to speak) their genetic information. [more inside]
Free music!
Celebrating 120 years, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is offering 10 symphonies as free downloads, available until November 24! [more inside]
Barbeque
Fall is here and if you're in the mood for barbeque why not make your own? Here is a helpful guide.
I said BOWLing at the White House...
Long discussed, searched for and even relocated, the White House Bowling Alley has been closed to league members since 9/11. The most avid (p)residential bowlers? Lady Bird Johnson and Richard Nixon. (his ball, previously) [more inside]
Lord Love a Duck!
Ever wonder what a quocker-wodger was? Just what did they mean when they said that you were all kippers and curtains? Worldwidewords.org has the answer. "More than 1600 pages on the origins, history, evolution and idiosyncrasies of the English language worldwide." Word geeks, say goodbye to the rest of your afternoon.
WWIII is upon us!
The warm and fuzzy one, not the end of civilization as we know it.
For the third year in a row, a whole gaggle of artists have donated original art for a silent auction to benefit domestic violence shelters and a crisis line in Portland, OR and Fleminton, NJ. One (prolific and admittedly talented) guy's obsession turned to good. [more inside]
Talkin' Sh*t
Let's talk crap. An interesting interview about toilets (NSFW, music, talking, interesting) and bathroom habits and expectations. Greasemonkey script for Salon premium-pass.
Thunderbirds Are Go!
DARPA, the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has issued a call for proposals for submersible aircraft concepts. Although the idea has some pedigree, and there was actually a flying, diving prototype called the Reid Flying Submarine RFS-1 back in the sixties, one must wonder whether it is really of any use. [more inside]
Meet the new Twin Peaks, (mostly) the same as the old Twin Peaks
The Insiders
Truth will never be denied.
Don Quixote - or a superhero? Judge Baltasar Garzón has launched a criminal investigation into the fate of tens of thousands of people who vanished during the country's civil war and General Francisco Franco' s dictatorship. This is upsetting some people. The Spanish Civil War left an estimated half a million people dead. [more inside]
Dolemite was his name, and f@#*in' up motha f$#@as was my game!
Rudy Ray Moore, known to most as Dolemite, has passed away of apparent complications due to diabetes. His movies Dolemite (1975) and the Human Tornado (1976) are Blaxploitation classics and bits of his more than 2 dozen party records have been sampled by countless rappers. Even in an era of raunchy party records Rudy pushed the envelop of taste, but always had fun doing it. (The general rule is that most things Rudy Ray Moore are NSFW).
Verve Photo
Verve Photo. Photographer and photo editor Geoffrey Hiller has created Verve to feature photos and interviews by the finest young image makers today. Verve is a reminder of the power of the still image. Verve will also point you to new photo agencies, publications and inspiring multimedia projects.
International Music Score Library Project has reopened!
Rejoice, classical music lovers! After closing in October 2007 due to copyright issues, the International Music Score Library Project (previously) has reopened! (In June, but there's no FPP about it.) From a quick overview, it seems the site has most of every major (pre-20th-century?) composer's opus - far more than any other "free sheet music" website.
If that's not enough, they're also closely related to boobies.
Gannets like sardines. Gannets like sardines so much that they will fly high in the air and then dive at speeds of up to 100 km/hr, up to 22 meters below the water, to catch them. (Youtube videos have commentary and occasional music.)
A View from Iran
A view from Iran: Golboo Fiuzi, a young resident of Tehran, talks to fellow Iranian citizens about why they think the US hasn't attacked yet, their political views, opinions about globalization and their lives under UN imposed sanctions.
Internet premier of Princess of Nebraska on YouTube
The Princess of Nebraska premiered on YouTube this weekend (unrated by MPAA, but 18A+ rating, but on YouTube, so maybe mild NSFW). Often focusing on Chinese
immigrants in America and culture gaps (NPR interview; text and audio)
between both their new country and across generations, director Wayne Wang has returned to
his roots after several more traditional Hollywood movies (Wayne Wang Is Missing). (Known
for "Chan Is Missing" and "The Joy Luck Club", he has made movies such as
"Maid in Manhattan" recently.) "Princess" is intended as a
double feature with traditionally released "A Thousand Years of Good
Prayers," "Princess" might "be
the first feature feature film by a major director to premiere" only
on the internet. Both are based on short stories by Yiyun Li.
Biblioburros
talkin' 'bout my puh-puh-puh-plagiarism...
There were four young and energetic lads (especially that drummer, wow!) who used to really get the Mods out on the dance floor over in London town, circa 1964. Called themselves The High Numbers. It must be said, though, these blokes weren't above a little bald-faced plagiarism now and again. Well, anyway, a little later they changed their name, and got kinda famous. [more inside]
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