Jun6
The moon in HD
Via Kottke
HD video of the Moon from 13 miles above the surface taken by Japan’s KAGUYA probe. The probe’s orbit has been decaying since it began circling the Moon and will crash on the surface at 18:30 GMT on June 10.
Archive for the ‘Media’ Category
Apr29
Converting the entire world to electric cars
This guy really wants to do it, and he’s got the plan to make it happen.
I think the thing I like most about this talk is that Shai isn’t blowing smoke up anyones ass. He took a long look at the constraints of trying to get the entire world converted to electric cars (that could only run on green energy – ie, wind, solar, etc.) and he worked through each in turn.
In short, he’s coming up with solutions, not just screaming like a demonstrator. The G20 protesters would do well to take a page from that book – they’d probably get less police beatings then.
Apr5
My Animal Home
Very cool single purpose site. Not sure if it is officially from Animal Collective or not…
Apr2
Too much time on your hands
Don’t get me wrong, I think this video is awesome, but does anyone else wonder what obligations and/or prior commitments these guys had to shirk off in order to spend every waking hour herding sheep around and video taping it? Still, I guess you have to hand it to them; herding sheep into a mural of the Mona Lisa is seriously impressive.
Nov26
The Girl Effect
Quick post since I’m nearing the end of my NanoWriMo novel. I’ll be back soon, I promise. This is just too good to pass by though, both from a design standpoint and from an amazing cause standpoint. Check out the video then got to their webpage and check out the stories of a few girls. The idea isn’t new (check out Greg Mortenson for more info), but I’m really glad that it is finally gaining momentum
Oct20
Alpinist is gone.
Alpinist, the best climbing magazine ever produced, has gone under. A brief statement on the website points to the current economic crisis as a factor. I’ve read elsewhere that the relcutance to publish shit is what really drove them down. Let’s be honest, Rock and Ice and Climbing are still in business because they publish the same reports of some 14 year old flashing some choss pile somewhere that no one cares about. Ok, I’ll give, that may be a bit harsh, someone, somewhere, must like that crap.
Unfortunately, the main problem for Alpinist is that the advertisers that pay the bills at magazines love pointless reports and big-breasted girls climbing in jeans, sports bras and beanies. And who has ever seen someone climbing a legitimate route in the mountains wearing a sports bra and nothing else, that’s right, you haven’t. This was the real death sentence for Alpinist, no advertisers = no money.
What about subscribers you say? Let’s take a look at the explosion of climbing in recent years. Sport, Bouldering, and to a increasing degree trad. How many people jump right into suffering in the mountains. Not many. Not too many “climbers” these days would willingly go and subject themselves to the freezing temperatures, rockfall, avalanches or having your buddy spooning you on a ledge that is smaller than the back seat of my volvo. “Why in God’s name would I go do all of those at once?”, most would ask. No, there never really was a large base to pull subscribers from for Alpinist. Especially at $12 an issue.
As a subscriber of four years, I bid you farewell Alpinist. All of us subscribers and readers will miss you dearly.
Oct8
Really bad marketing or brilliant viral video?
Well Microsoft has come out with a new ad, and this one is a little different than the Seinfeld one. I guess it is probably easiest if you watch first and then we can discuss.
I know. Nails on chalkboards, ball-peen to the kneecaps, or as one other blogger put it, “your teeth so on-edge that it feels like you have been rubbing a mixture of Ajax and cocaine into them for the past week. With a wire brush.”
But from an advertising perspective, is this what Microsoft wanted? It certainly has shock value. It is very quickly making the rounds of the blogosphere, although most posts are blasting it as simple, horribly produced and just plain bad. But backup. Is this what Microsoft wanted? They have certainly made Windows 7 known and they have made it known that at PDC they will be handing out hard drives with Windows 7 installed on them. Maybe that was all they wanted to accomplish?
From another perspective – I would argue a more well-balanced one – this is yet another wrap on the old “hang Ballmer” noose. Honestly, you’d not be surprised to hear that Microsoft was on a campaign to alienate all of their developers, users and employees. Oh, wait, they are.
Seriously though, Microsoft used to be the big kid on the block. Anyone remember that old Simpsons episode where Bill Gates buys out Homer’s internet company ”Compuglobalhypermeganet”? Bill comes in with two hulking thugs and “buys out” Homer, breaking all his pencils and destroying his office. Microsoft was the 800 pound gorilla in the room. What has happened since then? Well as they say, its better to go out with a bang than fade into the background – and Microsoft can’t even get that part correct. They are slowly killing any and all goodwill that they had with developers, users and the general public. Even their ad campaigns seem hell bent on making everyone just cringe and look away. Like the guy who always gets too drunk at the Christmas party and then starts hitting on the boss’ wife. Everyone knows what happens next – but no one wants to watch, it’s just too pathetic.
Oct6
James Nachtwey on XDR-TB
A very haunting three and a half minutes. James Nachtwey is a photojournalist that has been working in some of the most destroyed places on the plant. Wars, famine and disease are all old hat. He’s recently been shooting and reporting on Extreme Drug Resistant (XDR) Tuberculosis.
Check out the XDR-TB org site and see what you can do to help. http://www.xdrtb.org