Offbeat posts

Proponents on both sides of the fence will argue feverishly about how the benefits of their chosen energy preference are better for the environment and the economy. Fukushima put a damper on the arguments for nuclear and the solar community is coming out full force to remind everyone about it. Case in point: this infographic by our friends at 1bog. In it, you’ll see some of key points that make their argument strong in a hypothetical format. Some may consider it unfair to look back with 20/20 hindsight and say “shouldacoulda” but one can’t help to wonder if the situation would be completely different…

There are many reasons why people get into hacking. Some want to change the world, to fight for the little guy, to make corporations and governments pay for their crimes against humanity. Others just think it’s cool. Regardless of the initial intent, hackers often go into other areas. It’s not a black and white skill – some can be harmless while others are malicious. Some even do it for good reasons. Understanding the different intentions and motivations can make for an interesting study into these enigmas of the online world. This graphic by our friends at ZoneAlarm does just that – breaks down…

Sit back, and relax. For the rest of your life. Quite possibly the coolest Kinect hack yet has come from Microsoft itself – in the form of this Kinect-powered motorized armchair, built using the soon-to-be-released Kinect PC SDK. With a flick of the wrist, the chair reclines, adjusts, and even becomes mobile, all while you laze about. If this blatant incarnation of slothdom isn’t the reason technology made it to this point, nothing is. Behold! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RewJHNkjog0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X-ZJWqmaes Alright, so the operation of this thing is still a little…

I only managed 30 seconds, but for those of you who are willing to sacrifice the next 30 minutes of your life to the power of our geek overlords, this video is for you. The video, titled “unicode,” displays all 49,571 unicode characters in a single blast session. Watch for too long, and you’ll soon feel like Shia Lebeouf in the movie Transformers, with hieroglyphics shooting out of your eye sockets. Now if only I could come up with some funny joke to end this paragraph……

Few things say “geek cred” as loudly as invoking the Linux lifestyle. Those of us who are embedded in its use understand the inherent beauty within its complex nature, the warm and devastating force within its simplicity, and the sheer power that the open source movement has acquired since its casual launch in 1991. To celebrate the anniversary, the Linux Foundation has put together some material for us all to help look back at the last 20 years. Watch this video and then examine the infographic they designed – both are clever enough to carry the Linux badge. Speaking of badges, you can help commemorate…

Segways provide reliable, efficient transportation for mall cops and the elderly. Additionally, these clever devices could be used for the ultimate new sport: Segway jousting. A new television commercial for Washington’s Lottery asks “what have you and your friends always wanted to do” and shows two medieval-style knights jousting on Segway scooters in lieu of horses. The new campaign, featuring the tagline Play Together, Win Together, aims to position the Lottery as a social experience and encourages friends to play it together to make their dreams come true. To add a bit of drama, the commercial…

There is simply no way to write a story about a Commodore 64 revival without getting a little choked up. You see, it was the first computer that I ever worked on, the first computer game I ever played, and it got me through the early years before I discovered Apple. In short, the Commodore 64 was my “blankie.” It’s back and now with modern functionality as you can see by the images below. Head over to Commodore and buy one. Not sure what it can be used for, but the memories, oh sweet memories. (via: Walyou)…

I once heard that ships in bottles are built in a collapsed state outside the bottle, and then simply ‘unfolded’ once slipped inside. My heart broke when I learned of such cheatery. Hats truly go off, then, to Julia Morley, who honest-to-Odin built this Lego ship in a bottle legit-style – with really long tools on sticks and stuff. Julia used Lego’s Bricksmith software to design the ship using only pieces that would fit through the mouth of the bottle (duh), and then over the course of three days, painstakingly pieced it together with the aforementioned tools on sticks. The end result is deceptively…

The parody amongst technology companies continues to make everyone look like everyone else. Brands persist, but services and products seem to blend into each other. Everyone is starting to offer what everyone else has. This comic from JoyofTech puts it all into perspective for us. Who is going to be in social? Who will be a player in search. This guy wants to be like that guy, but this other guy is already looking like something else. It’s a mess. As humorous as it all seems, it’s starting to become a reality. …

Is it possible to be in touch with the world of high technology and still hold true to the vintage, nostalgic roots from which we came? That is the question that Hipsters face on a daily basis, trying to balance moving forward with staying in touch with our past. Thanks to the good folks at Spinning Hat, it’s possible to have your iPad and keep your hipster-cred intact. As an officially licensed Apple product, the Limited Edition Typescreenâ„¢ offers all the style and quality that you’d expect from Apple with the playful design and innovation expected from Spinning Hat.  Compatible with both…