Tuesday, October 31, 2006

New Rules

New Rule: When I ask how old your toddler is, I don't need to know in months. "27 Months." "He's two," will do just fine. He's not a cheese. And I didn't really care in the first place.

All right, New Rule: If you forgot to buy Halloween candy, just say so. Don't hand out random crap from your kitchen. Last year, there was a guy on our block who was handing out batteries and mini-packets of soy sauce. I got so pissed, I had half a mind to poke him in the eye with my fairy wand. [photo-shopped photo of Maher in fairy costume]

-- Bill Maher

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Scott Adams gets his voice back

, while helping on a homework assignment, I noticed I could speak perfectly in rhyme. Rhyme was a context I hadn’t considered. A poem isn’t singing and it isn’t regular talking. But for some reason the context is just different enough from normal speech that my brain handled it fine.

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick.
Jack jumped over the candlestick.

Darwin Search

This site contains every Darwin publication as well as many of his handwritten manuscripts. All told there are more than 50,000 searchable text pages and 40,000 images. There is also the most comprehensive Darwin bibliography ever published and the largest manuscript catalogue ever assembled. More than 150 ancillary texts are also included, ranging from reference works to contemporary reviews, obituaries, descriptions of Darwin's Beagle specimens and important works for understanding Darwin's context. Free audio mp3 versions of his works are also available.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Name your lane in Toronto

http://www.newmindspace.com/nameyourlane/step2.php

Choosing a Name
The city has prepared an informational document on choosing a name for a street or lane called Street naming/renaming. Its contents are summarized here.

Acceptable Names
In general, street names should reflect local history or the environment. This means honouring great Torontonians, remembering events from local history, celebrating diversity or reflecting local plants and animals.
Certain names are unacceptable, including names that are duplicates or similar to existing streets, offensive and advertising. If you cannot think of a name, we have prepared a short list of street names. The City Surveyor also keeps a list of proposed names on file. You may also consider visiting the Toronto Archives (255 Spadina Rd.) for names of important Canadians or events.

Street Type Designation
The following are recommended when considering what kind of street it is.

Street, Avenue, Road, Boulevard - for major thoroughfares or streets of several blocks in length
Drive, Trail, Way - for streets which are winding or curved
Terrace, Gardens, Grove, Pathway, Heights - for minor or short streets
Lane, Mews, Close - for narrow streets generally used for service
Crescent - for streets which form a crescent
Court, Place - for cul-de-sacs
Circle - for streets that are circular
Gate - for a short street that provides an entrance to a subdivision
Square - for streets that form part of a square
You may also choose North, South, East, West and Upper & Lower if it is appropriate.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

World Map of Innovation

This is a Google maps mashup of Alexa traffic.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Wynn elbows away $139 million

"Smack in the middle ... was a black hole the size of a silver dollar. 'Oh s---,' he said. 'Look what I've done. Thank goodness it was me.'"

Monday, October 02, 2006

Is Google a God?

Google raises my IQ around 15-20%. Consistently people ask me questions that I would answer with a few key hacking terms against Google.

Windows bluescreen? search for site:microsoft.com BSOD
MP3s? search for filetype:mp3 hendrix (blogsearch.google.com of course!)
Video? video.google.com
What is the population of Tuva? Google "wiki Tuva Feynman"
How much is a stock? Google "YHOO"
What car shouldn't I buy? Google misled

Now you just burn out on knowing the answer to everything. This is what God must be like knowing everything. How many times have I been in a restaurant and wanted to clap my hands and have Google come down from ceiling and solve an argument?

Is Google a God

And why isn't Yahoo considered as smart?