Ready, Aye, Ready

Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2008/03/farewell_gary_gygax_the_dungeo.html

Gary Gygax, the co-creator of "Dungeons And Dragons", has died.

An estimated 20 million people worldwide have played D&D, with more than $1bn spent on game equipment and books.

"I thought we would sell about 50,000 copies," Gary Gygax told me back in 2004.

Also worth reading: Woot's Jokes Not To Make About This. The two best are also probably the most obscure:

7. “With his last breath, he cursed the name of Marlon Wayans.”
...
11. “Lorraine Williams is behind this somehow, I just know it.”

xkcd's tribute.

Link: http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/25/switched-on-blu-ray-had-friends-in-high-def-places/

Interesting article on why although Blu-Ray may have outlasted HD-DVD, it hasn't necessarily succeeded.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nSB1SdVHqQ

Impressive video of what happens when the wind over powers a wind turbine tower.

(Via BoingBoing)

Link: http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/02/and-the-greenes.html

Wired has a small article on what are the twelve cleanest-running production cars in North America, as well as the twelve worst. What's nice is that there are a number of the cleaner cars I'd be happy to drive when my current (not-so-envirofriendly) vehicle finally implodes.

Link: http://www.newsfirex.com/blog/?p=201

David Watanabe, author of my favourite OSX-based news/RSS reader, "NewsFire", has made it freeware today. I highly recommend it so give it a whirl.

Link: http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/02/palm-os-emulati.html

Wired asks:

The question is, Why?

The answer is: there are a lot of good PalmOS applications that simply don't exist on the iPhone.

Link: http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/02/nature-mill-com.html

It's probably an expensive way to dispose of vegetative material, but given Calgary's climate, I like the idea of a composter that you don't need to go outside into the severe cold to feed.

Link: http://www.dailystab.com/nick-lachey-helps-out-with-hot-wheels-40th-anniversary-celebration/

Sometimes think that I need an "obscene" category when "silly" just doesn't cut it.

I suppose I should be glad they they didn't deface one of their decent-looking models while creating this hideous monstrosity.

(Via Gizmodo)

Link: http://news.wired.com/dynamic/stories/A/APOSTROPHES_IN_NAMES?SITE=WIRE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-02-21-18-20-25

Interesting article on how poorly constructed code makes a hash of legitimate names.

On the other hand, xkcd has a nice example of when you really should filter your input data...

I recently received an email with the following sentence:

No one seems to want to say the "R" word out loud, but there are irrefutable signs that a recession may be looming

When things are "irrefutable," one doesn't qualify them with a "may."

Link: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080220/NEWS/802200382

Wow. It's sad when real life not only imitates Dilbert but appears to be instigated by it.

(Via Nodwick)

Link: http://www.neatorama.com/2008/02/07/the-evolution-of-tech-companies-logos/

Link is to a neat illustration of how some tech companies' logos have changed over the years.

(Via Gizmodo)

Link: http://www.boingboing.net/2008/02/19/library-built-into-a.html

A staircase/bookshelf/reading spot. I love this design!

Link: http://gizmodo.com/353731/tsa-apologizes-for-being-douches-about-gadgets-hooray-bloggers

Forget the Gizmodo story (although it is a follow up to something I linked to earlier); just look at the associated photo and try not to think "I want that set."

Link: http://www.friday.com/bbum/2008/02/16/the-cubes-fatal-flaw/

Too bad he de-emphasized it as the reason in favour of cabling, but blogger bbum felt that one of the principal failings of Apple's G4 Cube was that of:

having a flat topped, conveniently sized, surface on top of which things will be placed, will fall, and — yes — may choose to nap.

In context he was actually talking about the design of the cooling system being very dependent on clear airflow. I liked the cat angle though.

It's a much more interesting rationale than the difficulty of having to connect cables to a box where the mounting location is on the base.

(Via Daring Fireball)