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Interwebs enthusiasts are no doubt familiar with the phenomenon that is Tumblr. This once miniscule network now has their sites plundered and pored over daily by thousands of sites netwide, and for a good reason- many Tumblr blogs are full of great content!
Sure, there’s some junk thrown in with the rest, but the gems are surprisingly good, and fun to explore. Flavorwire has just put together a collection of their favorite Tumblr blogs from 2011, so take a gander and be entertained as we say hello to 2012.
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One of the great things about this hi-tech world we live in is the fact that most software applications have a multitude of other uses that have yet to be discovered, and even the programmers that created the software don’t know the full extent of what their software can do.
Case in point-this mod of SwapNote, a Nintendo 3DS chatting program that was modded by game design student Ben Gray and turned into a fully customizable text based roleplaying game.
Ben’s hacked version is so cool that each session can be custom created, and Ben even created a Dungeon Master template, to help with encounters and map creation. Dungeons and Dragons for the portable gaming crowd, now that’s an innovation I can get behind!
–via Destructoid
Comments Off I had never thought of it before, but yes: if tomatoes are vegetables, then ketchup is a smoothie. Thank you, Philosoraptor, for expanding my mind. Here’s a video from Bucky Studios that collects his wisdom and presents it as a soft pop song.
-via Geekosystem
In an effort to pull the old “I’m not up to no good! See, I can prove it!” routine, North Korea has released a FAQ page to answer all your questions about the dark and mysterious country, and alleviate any global concerns at the same time.
This fun, informative and easy to read page includes the following hits:
24. Is it true that all citizens of the DPRK work for the government?
Government and people are one. There is no distinction of them.
8. Can I travel to North Korea as a backpacker?
No. You must travel as a group only, even if you are the only participant you must be with Korean guides at all times.
…and many more hilarious answers to seemingly simple questions. Will it make you trust North Korea more?
Probably not, but you’re guaranteed to enjoy the circular logic and evasive answers, all while cracking up at the very thought of a country like North Korea having a FAQ page!
It was recently discovered that if you use Google Earth to view the Salford Lads Club in the UK you will find an image of the Mozster hanging out in front of the club, just like in this iconic photo of the Smiths from their The Queen Is Dead LP.
Now that’s what I call a dedicated Morrissey fan! I wonder who will have their image hacked into Google Earth next? My prediction- Elvis at Graceland.
The best thing about Fark is definitely its headlines, which is why the site’s Headline of the Year contest is so darn fun -especially the one in the Geek tab.
While you can click over to the site to find your own favorite and to see the winner, I personally like “Gene fights cancer, but also causes cancer. What the hell is your problem, Gene?”
Have you ever wished for a way to filter through all the crap on YouTube and find the music videos you’re craving in a world devoid of music television? (MTV is clearly no longer about the music, thanks guys).
Well, the makers of Tubalr want to help, and their service will make cutting through the nonsense, and getting to those sweet music videos by your favorite bands, a snap. Here’s a bit more about how it works:
Looking past the fact that Tubalr has a downright ridiculous name (is that supposed to be tubular? Tuba Lore? Two-baller? No idea), it’s quite great. You punch in an artist name, then pick either “only” (to play only that artist’s videos) or “similar” (to play videos from similar artists.) It queues up a big playlist, and you can go about your business as the tunes play on. Think Pandora’s concept, mashed up with Youtube’s music video archive.
I wonder if this will become popular enough to make stations like MTV reconsider their reality TV programming in favor of playing music videos all the time like the good old days. Probably won’t happen while there is still money to be made off the Jersey Shore phenomenon, but a guy can dream can’t he?!
Link –via TechCrunch
We all know Danny Trejo is a badass as far as actors go, but now he’s going to star in a movie that casts him officially as Badass.
Loosely based on the true story of Epic Beard Man, a guy who valiantly defended himself on the bus and became an internet sensation because of his actions, this looks like the good old action flicks you know and love, and Danny Trejo is once again in a starring role so I’m definitely on board.
Hopefully if this movie does well, they will consider making Badass 2: Trejo vs. Chuck Norris!
–via Ology
The guys from Epic Meal Time are no strangers to bacon, in fact, it’s safe to say that their entire career rests on the back of those sizzling strips of pork.
But this time they have stepped up their game to an epic level, creating this monster Christmas tree made from over 2000 pieces of bacon, and registering at a whopping 272,000 calories! See if you can stomach this NSFW foray into culinary insanity.
–via GeeksAreSexy
Have you ever wondered what your online life was like a year ago? Well then, Timehop might just be for you. Just enter a bit about yourself and the program will email you a summary of everything you posted on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Foursquare.
Link Via Laughing Squid
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About a year ago, we were introduced to a Tumblr blog called Kim Jong-Il Looking at Things. Now that Dear Leader has died and passed the torch to his 27-year-old son, there’s a new Tumblr blog that follows in the first blog’s footsteps. Kim Jong-Un Looking at Things already has plenty of material of the new North Korean leader inspecting this and that. Link -via Dangerous Minds
Got
an embarassing drunk photo of yourself posted on Facebook? You're in good
company:
On average, adult users of the social networking website said they were under the influence of alcohol in 76 per cent of the pictures in which they were "tagged".
With Christmas party season in full swing, more than half of those surveyed said that there were photographs of them on Facebook they would not want colleagues or employers to see, and 8 per cent admitted to appearing in pictures that could get them into "serious trouble" at work.
Despite such fears fears for their own image online, the poll also found that two thirds of Britons had intentionally tagged friends in embarrassing photos so other friends would be alerted.
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Google has installed another Easter egg, except this one’s more appropriate at Christmas than Easter. Go to Google search and type in Let It Snow, and watch your wish come true! I’ve even made a shortcut for you. Link -via mental_floss
From the idle fertile minds behind Geeks Are Sexy comes a new site that focuses on the world of IT professionals and the funny stuff they encounter in their work. FailDesk has, of course, those clueless co-workers, resourceful workarounds, and clients that will surprise you.
I had a very nice lady call me completely in tears one day because she had spilled an entire can of soda on her keyboard and it had quit working properly (aside from being just nasty – lol). One of the tricks I had learned was to have the customer put the keyboard in the dishwasher, after which, they should let it dry for a day or two. I explained to her this was perfectly safe to do and she was elated that it could possibly be so simple. Several days pass and she calls me back in tears because it didn’t work and NOW her computer won’t even turn on! After a few minutes of interrogation I determined that I needed to overnight her a new replacement computer.
What tripped me off? It was at the moment when she stated that she was able to get her keyboard AND box (CPU) in the dishwasher but the monitor didn’t fit so she had to remove the top shelp of her dishwasher and run a separate load just for it!
You’re invited to send in your IT stories, pictures, and other funny stuff and share it with those who will understand. Link
College Humor presents new superheroes for the internet. Or, internet sites as superheroes. Besides Google here, check out the powers of The Facebook, Reddit, Huffington Post, and Google Plus. Link -via reddit
(L) Mickey
Mouse and Jack Skellington, as drawn by Derrick
Dent, based on (R) the
sketch by Sarah Straub
What a marvelous idea! The blog Ten Paces and Draw by Philadelphia-based illustrators Alyssa Nassner and Rachel Dougherty is an ongoing collaboration between artists, who turn each other's sketches into drawings.
Take a look: Link - via Hey Oscar Wilde!
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You’ve heard of First World Problems, but now here’s a site for cat problems. The problems of pampered, indoor cats with permanent homes, that is. After all, misery is relative. Link -via I Can Has Cheezburger
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Amy Sheridan sells lovely but subversive embroidered items in her Etsy shop, including Kanye West Tweets, preserved for all time in framed embroidery. Her entire existing inventory sold quickly, and Sheridan issued a message about ordering one.
I’m currently accepting a limited number of orders for tweets (**not for the holidays**) – if it’s sold out in the shop, but your life won’t be complete without it (**not for the holidays**), send me a message and I would be happy to add you to my queue (**not for the holidays**)… queue is a funny word, isn’t it? I mean, that last “ue” is kind of extraneous, isn’t it? I guess the first one is, too, since it’s pronounced “Q”… anyway, where was I? Oh, right, I’m a middle child and a people pleaser, and I really hate disappointing people, so basically, if you ask nicely, you’ll probably end up with one (**not for the holidays**).
Oh, and in case I haven’t mentioned it, there is absolutely no way I can guarantee that it will be there for the holidays.
Also, in case you’re wondering, the tweets are $40 plus shipping (but the price is eleventy bajillion dollars if you ask for one for Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa/Thanksgiving/Boxing Day)
You can still see pictures of the other Tweets already sold at her shop. Link -via Boing Boing
Did you know that at one point entering the Konami code on ESPN’s website would release a flurry of unicorns? Or that you can set your FaceBook language to English (Pirate)? There are more over at BuzzFeed for your Easter Egg enjoyment.
2011 has been another year of internet surfing for amusement. What will we remember about this year on the ‘net in the future? Maybe some of the top memes. Even now, considering the shelf life of an internet meme, going through the 2011 list is like a stroll down nostalgia lane. Ranker lists the top 50, which you’ll want to bookmark, as it is quite extensive. Link
VibrantNation.com is an information website for older women. Its editorial director, Susan Lee Ward, works hard and produces a lot of the content herself. But she doesn’t exist. She’s a profile under which the other site authors publish. Susan Lee Ward is “a summation of what our members tell us about themselves”, so she serves as the embodiment of the site’s target market.
Virtual employees could be everywhere on the web, even here. For example, if Alex Santoso, the “owner” of Neatorama, didn’t exist — if he was just a virtual construct — how would you know?
As workplaces move increasingly online, expect more of this practice.
Article Link and Vibrant Nation Staff Page -via Glenn Reynolds
We’ve all — and by ‘we’ I mean my more inebriated co-bloggers at last year’s Christmas party — would like to avoid being photographed while relaxing in public. So this beer holder developed by the Argentine ad agency Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi could come in handy. When a sensor built into this beer chiller detects a flash, it emits its own flash in order to overexpose any photograph:
The agency says the device, which has so far only been planted in regional bars, is a real product that has been field tested and actually works. “We placed several beer coolers in different bars in the North of Argentina,” says Maxi Itzkoff, executive creative director at Del Campo. “People took lots of photos that ended up being blurry beyond recognition and then uploaded them to social media anyway.”
Link -via Glenn Reynolds
It's
certainly inconvenient if your password is hacked and your identity stolen.
But if the CIA's password is hacked, it may mean a death sentence for
its covert operatives.
Recently, there was a huge setback for the CIA when its spies in Iran and Lebanon were caught because their password was cracked. What was that password? PIZZA:
In Beirut, two Hezbollah double agents pretended to go to work for the CIA. Hezbollah then learned of the restaurant where multiple CIA officers were meeting with several agents, according to the four current and former officials briefed on the case. The CIA used the codeword "PIZZA" when discussing where to meet with the agents, according to U.S. officials. Two former officials describe the location as a Beirut Pizza Hut. A current US official denied that CIA officers met their agents at Pizza Hut.
From there, Hezbollah's internal security arm identified at least a dozen informants, and the identities of several CIA case officers.
When
things are tough, excuses plenty, and you're ready to give up, read this
inspiring story about Peter Winkler and his red plastic chopstick.
In the virtual world, Winkler roams free. He blogs. He comments. He write articles about film.
In the physical world, he increasingly is trapped — dependent on his sister and a long, red plastic chopstick.
Rheumatoid arthritis has battered him for 46 of his 55 years.
His neck won't turn. His head is pitched down, chin to chest. His elbow and wrist joints are so fixed in place, he cannot touch his face.
Sitting up in bed, he can no longer extend his arms far enough to place his fingertips on the keyboard of the MacBook Pro propped on a lap desk across his thighs.
Instead, he braces the chopstick between several fingers on his right hand and uses it to tap, tap, tap one key after another.
Winkler has just released a biography of Dennis Hopper
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Getting crafty to avoid punishment is what most kids do best, but I wonder if this list is really a new texting code used by the young folk, or a code used only by the kids who were caught up in this particular incident? Either way, I’ll never look at the number 8 the same way again.
Remember
your first time driving? For most Americans, nothing symbolizes freedom
more than the open road. But that's changing: for more and more teenagers,
freedom doesn't mean a fast car. It means a fast Internet:
If Ferris Bueller had a day off now, would he spend it on Facebook?
Recent research suggests many young Americans prefer to spend their money and time chatting to their friends online, as opposed to the more traditional pastime of cruising around in cars. [...]
But with money tight in many households, and the cost of gas and insurance soaring, some youngsters are having to choose between buying a car and owning the latest smartphone or tablet.
In a survey to be published later this year by Gartner, 46% of 18 to 24-year-olds said they would choose internet access over owning their own car. The figure is 15% among the baby boom generation, the people that grew up in the 1950s and 60s - seen as the golden age of American motoring.
A new study from the Pew Research Center confirms what seem fairly obvious to most of us: people go on line for no reason at all.
That should explain all those kitten videos.
The report finds that the amount of time people spend tooling around on the Web doing nothing corresponds with age. Only 12 percent of people over 65 say they went online the previous day for no particular reason. Of those aged 50 to 64, the study found 27 percent answered yes to the same question.
In all, 58 percent of all adults said that they use the Internet to pass time or have fun at least occasionally. Of adults who use the Internet, nearly three-quarters surf the Web for no reason.
And those are the people we aim to serve. Link
Did you know you can make Google do a barrel roll or go askew? Even if you did, you probably didn’t know at least a few of these funny Google Easter Eggs.
The Nicest Place On the Internet is a place where you can cheer up after a hard day. After all, it’s hard not to feel good when random strangers keep giving you a virtual hug.
Are you unemployed? More to the point, are you underemployed and have extra time, but no job to fill it? A website called TaskRabbit is one of several that are hiring people to do immediate, temporary jobs for anyone. Need someone to do a chore for which you don’t have time? There might be someone who has time right now to do it:
Erika Dumaine, 24, logged onto TaskRabbit this April and saw the following plea for help: “Buy me shoes ASAP. I stepped in dog poop.” So Ms. Dumaine, now a full-time nanny, bought and delivered a requested new pair of navy blue Toms shoes from Nordstrom’s to the poster, Guillermo Rauch. (Her payment: $17.) Aura Montano, a 21-year-old nursing student, stood on the Brooklyn Bridge holding an “I heart Anie Lewis” sign one Friday evening in August so she could attract the attention of Eric Lewis’s wife and hand her flowers as she walked home from work. (She earned $19.)
Those handful of dollars per job can add up to a substantial sum:
After submitting an online application, completing a video interview and going through a Social Security number trace and a federal criminal background check, Ms. Greenham joined the San Francisco-based company’s crew of about 2,000 “TaskRabbits.” She does odd jobs via the service every day, aiming to clear at least $25 an hour. So far, she’s completed about 250 jobs and has racked up around $1,500 a month.
Like the guy who started renting out his personal possessions, we’re seeing more and more people using the Internet to create their own jobs and run microbusinesses. Isn’t that awesome?
Link -via Marginal Revolution | Photo (unrelated) via Flickr user mahalie
