Hockey goal that was more like a soccer goal [video]. - http://www.wimp.com/crazygoal/
The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable - http://www.goodreads.com/review...
I'm reading 1984 (for the first time believe it or not), and just finished Fahrenheit 451 (for the 3rd time or so). Anyhow, I was thinking about that old saying about how you can slowly boil a frog and it won't jump out because the change in temperature is too gradual. I was thinking in relation..
... to the books, it would be nice if we had a "liberty thermometer". So for example, a set of metrics that stayed constant and were measurable, that we could rate our country's (or any country's) liberties against. So we could look back and see.. "know what, our liberties used to be at 50, now we are down to 45. Hm, is that acceptable?" - Shannon Bauman
Have you read Catch 22? My College English part 2 instructor said that it was, "probably the best novel of the 20th century..." And I honestly believe it to be one of the best books I've ever read. - LarchOye
Weird event of the day: Just moments ago I got into an elevator. As the door was closing... the elevator rang, and the Call button lit up. It only rang once, and then a voice came on, and said something along the lines of "This is not an attempt to collect debt. If you however...
"... are having problems with debt, we can help. Our service allows people to...." And so on. It freaked the hell out of me. I got right back out of the elevator and took the stairs :) Anyhow, now I want to find the phone number that connects to the elevator, so I can spook other people. - Shannon Bauman
That is spooky. My weird event of the day is having two different friends randomly flying on my flight to Boston... *in the same row.* Are you listening M. Night Shamalamadingdong? - Keith Pelczarski
What are your thoughts on opening up your (phsyical) mailbox, and getting snail mail? Are you one of those people who love getting snail mail, regardless of if it's garbage - or do you just hate the thought of dealing with mail ("it's probably bills anyhow")?
Always check the mail, I often get checks in the mail.... Hate junk mail and try to get off all possible lists. - amelia arapoff
An interesting way to compare JS speed across browsers (must have HTML Canvas capabilities). Chrome destroys other browsers in processor intensive ones. - Shannon Bauman
This is a good one to compare across browsers with: http://deanm.github.com/pre3d... - Shannon Bauman
FF staffers - I'm curious to hear what the theory was on quotes. Specifically, why the main post item gets quotes automatically, but the comments do not. Seems like most people have been using the convention of - put quotes around it if you are quoting the article, otherwise...
... without quotes it is you talking. But it is strange because the main message auto gets quotes, as is seen in this example, but my follow up comment does not. Seems like I am accidentally being inconsistent. - Shannon Bauman
Who are Terms of Service type pages really for? They are written as if for lawyers to read, but with the expectation that non-lawyers are going to be the primary readers. It's like writing out instructions for how to use your wind-up toy using complex mathematical equations involving torque...
...sure it may be more accurate, but totally useless for the target audience. - Shannon Bauman
They are also questionable from a legal standpoint given many are subject to change without notice at any time. No one reads them much less checks them for updates! - Ryan Miller
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin - http://www.goodreads.com/review...
Man oh man, that dude had some mad skills. This book is written somewhat sloppily - changing narrative styles throughout, carrying on from time to time, and not even finishing it - but the content is truly amazing. Why didn't I learn in school about how awesome Ben Franklin was? In addition to his kite flying escapade, he invented a better type of wood burning furnace, and a better street lamp. He created the first public university in America (U. Penn), helped create one of the first public hospitals, and came up with the idea for the first fire department, and the first public library. His main profession was a printer and newspaper man (which served him well in marketing many of his projects), but he also served as a colonel, a postmaster general, and an assemblyman. His career is just astounding. Also - it isn't covered in this book, but he was one of the core founding fathers. - Shannon Bauman
According to Wikipedia, "He is the only Founding Father who is a signatory of all four of the major documents of the founding of the United States: the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Paris, the Treaty of Alliance with France, and the United States Constitution." Ever wonder why he is on the $100 bill even though he wasn't a president? It's because the dude pretty much single handedly built America :-) - Shannon Bauman
Lost in the Jungle: A Harrowing True Story of Adventure and Survival - http://www.goodreads.com/review...
Army Of Darkness: Old School - http://www.goodreads.com/review...
The Fall of Hyperion (Hyperion, Book 2) - http://www.goodreads.com/review...
My old SF roommate Ted Farnath just won "Best Comedy Feature Script" at LA Comedy Shorts 2009 Film Festival for his script "The Rock Thrower". I'm psyched for him.
Blurb: "Throwing rocks. Most people stop at puberty, but not Drew Putz - a sardonic male pushing 30 who is exceptionally skilled in the art of rock throwing, and needs to find a way to utilize his peculiar talent into making a living, and ultimately, making a difference." - Shannon Bauman
Interesting tidbit of the day - time line of a chicken egg development within first 26 hours (while egg is still in chicken):
"In hens, ovulation usually occurs in the morning, and almost never after 3:00 PM under normal daylight conditions. The total time to form a new egg is about 25-26 hours. This includes about 3-1/2 hours to make the albumen coats (the "white"), 1-1/2 for the shell membranes, and about 20 hours for the shell itself." - Shannon Bauman
Four and a half years ago, Gmail was ahead of its time, but now its just... wait, it's still ahead of its time. What gives? Four and half years? That's an eternity in internet time. Why hasn't the web caught up? Is Internet evolution finally slowing down to normal speed?
These are the thoughts I had in my shower before my hot water finally ran out. All of my decent thinking happens in the shower :) - Shannon Bauman
I've been meaning to get one of those waterproof writing boards scuba divers use; I read about that somewhere as a tip for people who want to write down their great shower ideas. ... sorry for the threadjack. - Andrew C (✔)
Brachiosaurus Brains: Like me, did you learn as a kid that some dinosaurs (such as the really big/long Brachiosaurus) had two brains? One in its head, and one in its butt? I was always so amazed by this fact. Sadly - sometime between my childhood and now, they have decided that it isn't true.
From one site: "Paleontologists now think that what they thought was a second brain was just an enlargement in the spinal cord in the hip area." - Shannon Bauman
@Jim Funny poem. - Anne Bouey
A resume review service - http://www.samreadsresumes.com
Former Googler (but current friend) Samantha Crow started a new service to review people's resumes for them. I think it is a really good idea (especially in this economy), so I figured I would share with FF. Check it out, let her know your thoughts. - Shannon Bauman
Machine. Unexpectedly, I’d invented a time - http://www.sixwordstories.net/2009...
I read this sentence 10 or so times before I finally got it. - Shannon Bauman
I like SixWordStories. - Tudor Bosman
It's -Canada Geese- not -Canadian Geese-, although, so many people use the second version that it is probably going to be an acceptable alternative rather soon. Had to get that off my chest. :)
There must be a law somewhere on the books that states that pilots must have mustaches.
Aviator glasses and aviator 'staches - Bret Taylor
ROFL. We always make bets on if our pilot will have a 'stache or not. - Anika
The Faithful Spy: A Novel (John Wells, Book 1) - http://www.goodreads.com/review...
The Stuff of Life: A Graphic Guide to Genetics and DNA - http://www.goodreads.com/review...
What profession would stay employed, regardless of how bad an economic collapse was?
I was thinking something like janitors, but they would probably get tossed if it got too bad. Maybe something like a nuclear power plant engineer? Any other ideas? - Shannon Bauman
Tech/proposal writer - Shevonne
Best new startup 2008!!!!
?? were you voted best new startup? your own opinion? - Amanda Nance
@amanda - ha, no. It was FriendFeed. They were voted best new startup of 2008 at the Crunchies award ceremony. Nothing to do with me, I was just excited on their behalf. - Shannon Bauman