Yahoo Local Beta

Yahoo Local Beta is up. I must admit, for however much I like the functionality of google maps, yahoo maps are much prettier. Those google maps are far and away the ugliest maps out there, and the deafuly little info-markers are pretty hideous as well.

Yahoo Local Beta

first person

awesome collection of first person shots of this whole Gary Sheffield incident at the bosox (you might know them from the movie Fever Pitch) game in boston last night.

images via waxy

all your colonies are belong to my AIM name

So, funny story. Sitting at home, logged into AIM, when ~50 people start IMing me with questions about this "Enzo" character. At first I'm annoyed, as I typically don't like random encounters with people who I have no idea how they got my screen name.

So, I was mildly aware of this ARG out right now called our colony, which most believe to be a promo thing for the upcoming release of the xBox 2. Ok. So people keep asking me about Enzo and our colony, asking me if I'm the gamem8ker. I start off responding in the typical way: no, not the gamem8ker, etc.

Then I run into this guy called iamjeremytheblack or something. he keeps prodding me. By this point, I've started playing along, giving people shit about it, etc. But this jeremy guy is really demanding, asking me to change my profile, etc. So I come up with some silly little profile about how I'm not Enzo and what-have-you, and he gets a little steamed, demanding that I change my profile to say "Enzo shall return shortly). And this was definitely SHALL, not WILL return shortly.

Ok, so at this point, I'm betting he is affiliated with gamem8ker in some way, so I decide to play along, and he proceeds to give me directions about how to proceed, when to change my profile, and what to change it to.

So I've basically, because of my pretentiously nerdy screen name (w01110111 = w^2) become a puzzle piece in this game, which is really awesome. I envision ARG's starting to become less scripted, and start integrating random people into the puzzle/story.

Here is a link to part of the chat (kept it in a movie form) with iamjeremyblack (or something). Good stuff.

movie of chat

the S-box seeing the L-ight

Sony releasing 500 movies digit-all? What?

( I'm doing that jon stewart thing of making that strange noise and rubbing my eyes )

and then I read the rest of the article and still think that they are mostly clueless..

bandwagon

picked up a little sanyo xacti camera-corder last week.

been trying to set up a really quick / automated way to record < 10 minutes of video, speed it up, and put it in low enuf. quality for quick access on the web. Finally have some decent equipment to jump on this "vblog" bandwagon (in all my vast, inescapable amount of free time...), and I'm having fun taking strange, abstract slice of life stuff, rather than some heavy cataloging system. I'd like to add some more processes to the current max patch I'm using to run the video captured from the sanyo with -- we shall see. This thing right now looks very similar to the thing aaron posted a couple of months ago.

Link

google maps

another step in web domination.

http://maps.google.com/

to the punch

someone beat me to the punch. less work...

generate A9 panoramas:

http://brainoff.com/a9/

interactive climbing wall

another cool project from the interactive institute in sweden.

sensors on holds on a climbing wall act as an interface to a musical controler.

I think about my short-lived days as a rock climber back in utah (my friends were always better then me, and I was a tad afraid of heights...) and watching rock-climbing videos. The climbers really often times made the act of climbing look quite effortless and beautiful, and I think it would be cool to have some sort of musical representation of that. It also remindes me of this (I think) S.F. based art/music group that swings around on ropes to make what could politely be called 'abrasive' music.

it seems like kinda a strange mapping or method of interaction, this climbing wall. but those crazy swedes will do anything.

I think what would be really cool is finding one route up the wall, and having that route, and that route only, be some nice sequence of music. Makes climbing sort of more like a musical game, rather than an abstract piece... and then you could put electro-shockers on the big, easy to grip holds or something so you were forced to use the crimpers.

watch a movie of the wall in action (click the video link on the right bar when you hit this page...)

it's really pretty damn cool, you really all should check out the movie.

via we.make.money.not.art

RIP J.C

Johnny Carson moves on.

Dana Carvey always did a good impression, but it's really hard to come up with anyone who seemed to have such a grip on a single medium like carson did. he was before my time, but I'm amazed by the legacy he left. And for some reason, even though I have no really knowledge of his life other than that legacy, I feel sad that he's gone. That is all.

the other powell

Hurrah! Michael Powell is stepping down today.

but as defamer notes:

While this may signal a reduction in the indecency fines that Powell hurled at Hollywood like bolts of lightning from atop Mount Olympus (the Greek mythology one, not the neighborhood above Hollywood Blvd.), we probably shouldn't hold our breath for a more fun-loving successor. And Fox should probably hold off on airing the two hour premiere of My Big Fat Obnoxious Show of Fucking and Godlessness, where Satanists with Tourette's repeatedly copulate with a King James Bible, while simultaneously trying to determine which preschooler was the product of a sperm donation made for rent money. We're not out of the woods yet.

Exactly.

Fitness Celebrity

Thank God You are Alive, John Basedow

(Man this picture cracks me up...)

Also, doesn't John Batter from EA LA look a little like John Basedow?

computer me

was talking to my dad today while driving, and I asked him to send me an email address I need. He changed the subject or something, or trailed off as he tends to do, then before he hung up he was like, "yeah, that address - I'll computer it to you."

I started laughing, and my dad was annoyed, but I thought that the phrase was awesome. He's not even computer illiterate or anything, but his mind must've been wandering as he thought about our computer and email.

But actually, these days "computer me" makes much more sense. I no longer email myself files much. Sometimes I do, but I think that I could easily say that I "computer" myself files quite a bit. It takes into account ftp, wireless networks, thumb drives, etc.

So "computer me" is my new phrase. I'm hoping it will catch on.

Olsen the camera, not the anorexic twin

This seems like a cool idea: position an automatic camera in the middle of some situation. The camera listens with a mic for "interesting" events such as laughter and can spin quickly around it's base.

No word yet on what exactly, other than laughter, it counts as interesting. Maybe it has voice recognition for discussions about the latest Celebrity Breakup (I'll miss you Brad and Jen), while ignoring discussions about postmodernism or what people had for dinner or what the weather is like.

I think the thing should be anthro'ed though. That might be a good wa to make sure that the camera isn't taking pictures of people's midsections or feet.

apparently right now, you are supposed to stick it on empty beer bottles. I hope this thing is robust...

Link via Near Near Future, or We-Make-Money-Not-Art or whatever that site is called.

whistler's delight

so this is well done.

One of these whistles is killing me trying to figure out what it is... it's about half-way through, right before the AIR whistle from Talkie Walkie. Please help me out!

(although maybe a little variation in the drum beat? would it kill you DJ Riko? Jeez...)

SpongeBob + Ween = explicit

So, I was curious to hear the spongebob soundtrack, since some of my favorite bands (wilco, flaming lips, shins, etc.) have contributed songs to it.

was very surprised, and delighted, to find that Ween also is on the disc, along with Motorhead!

So was browsing at iTunes music store, and found that the ween track was labeled explicit!

So I illegally downloaded purchased the album, and found that (somewhat to my disappointment) the ween song, "ocean man" while being the 2nd best track (after the wilco cut), is not explicit at all -- just typically strange. So, basically, it seems as though iTunes just flags all Ween songs as explicit. I guess when it comes down to it, all ween songs are probably explicit in some form or another (even if only in intention...).

my colorstrology

ok, my masculinity is in serious jeopardy after learning that the pantone color that corresponds to my astrological sign (aquarius...) is Lilac. I suppose that if I were in Reservoir Dogs I'd be Mr. Lilac. And then my actual pantone color corresponding to my birthday is wisteria... Sigh. Anyway, this site is hilarious... and quite a decent design.

Link to Colorstrology.com, via coolhunting

rock and / or roll

so, sorry for missing seminar tonight. I've been spending a perhaps unhealthy amount of time in the valley (deep in the heart, like Van Nuys, Canoga Park...) at Stagg Street studios, sitting in on some recording sessions being run by mark's illustrious brother Niko (produced records by some of my all time favorites, including neil young, warren zevon, spinal tap... the list goes on). Anyway, the experience reminds me of why I love recording studios -- probably the most creative spaces that I've ever been in. Not quite sure why it works out that way, maybe has something to do with the fact that there are engineers working hard every moment, just in case you think of something great and it needs to be laid down that instant. Anyway, it was great fun, and I was able to grab about 30 minutes or so of drums to sample for project-x. So a public thanks to Niko, Erich (snd. engineer), and especially the guys in the band, who let me take time out of their sessions to get me some nice rock drums. Actually, the band was pretty damn good, and the guitarist and I were able to share our experiences with drunk people and rioting at University of Colorado (he got his master's degree in psychology from there because he "was in a rock band with his professor, and he didn't want to quit").

Anyway, thanks guys. I think the band is playing Dec. 2nd at the Viper Room, deep the heart of the Strip.

too cool for school

Mark, I only did this because you showed me the image... but I think that you should probably have this image projected on all of the screens for your presentation.

purple

Perry's working on a gradient color map of the electoral college. I found this one here:

http://www.princeton.edu/~rvdb/JAVA/election2004/

and I've seen another one floating about: do post any others if you see them floating around.

So here's another political post for you, Steffen. Sorry.

couple of links

Rumaging around the internet today has left me with a couple links to share with you all.

1) MP3 LINK to a radio show -- air talk -- with an interesting interview by Jason Squire about the Movie Business, and how radically it is changing with digital technologies -- sort of a condensed version of his wonderful "Movie Business Book." Squire is also a professor here at USC Cinema, and is currently Kurt, Erin and my instructor for the internship class. Anyway, check this stuff out -- very interesting.

2) LINK to a piece of freeware (LONG LIVE AMBROSIA!!!) called WireTap. WireTap lets you record anything coming from your mac into an audio file -- would have so helpful for creating the above MP3!

bye.

bash bush

Ah Ha! I always suspected Bush was a giants fan...

image via (the absolutely best site on the vast webernet...) dodgerblues.com

No, really

So, this comes from the guardian, so it would be a pretty elaborate hoax...

Germany's version of the Big Brother reality TV show will take a giant leap next spring with the opening of a small town mimicking The Truman Show concept.

In the Jim Carrey movie, a man called Truman is unwittingly the subject of a 24-hour TV programme that monitors his every living moment for the gratification of a worldwide audience.

In the city currently being built outside Hamburg the only difference will be that contestants will be willing participants in this next-generation leap into voyeurism.

There will be a forest, a town square complete with shops and a church tower, schools and businesses. Contestants will, it is hoped, live there for years; falling in love, going to school, even getting married. The producers hope to lure in businesses to employ them, teachers to teach them and doctors to care for the sick.

read the rest of the story here (registration now required...)

Link

embedding cc licenses in files

very cool extension of the cc license.

One of the difficulties with Creative Commons licenses for music and images is that the images and the music are often copied or forwarded without the licenses. By embedding the license information inside of the mp3 or jpeg data itself, it makes it easier to keep the license attached to the file.

link via joi

buldge

link via joi

infrared

Nothing particularly exciting here -- just some nice infrared images from terraserver.com. I've really been spending way too much time with this service, but it's really fascinating. that is all.

sycamores = privacy

Been using terraserver.com a lot lately to grab high resolution, color, aerial maps of LA, but I was bored this afternoon to I decided to see what my house in Salt Lake City looked like from the air. The Red Dot tells it all. Those crazy sycamore trees -- not only good for shade, but good for privacy!

pixel moon

isometric moon.

link via reblog

maybe this is only funny

maybe this is only funny because it's 2:30 am.

Rest in Pieces

A note from the deceased. My family forced me to write this, selfishly shying away from the thought of collecting my life's fragments and puzzle piecing them together. They also insisted that I write in the third person, as the thought of my words springing from the sunday paper one day, seemed a little too personal to them. We bargained down to a 1st person forward followed by a 3rd person account of my dirty life and times (to quote warren zevon). So, on this sunny september morning, I swipe a quick look out the window, long enough to see my dog terrorize the neighbors, then take a step back.

William Carter departed this world on October 10, 2050, while descending a trail in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. At the age of 70, he couldn't go up anymore, but if somebody got him to the top, he could still go down. He must have gone too fast this time. Sigh.

Will is outlived by his father, and looks forward to not being called "wilson" anymore.

He lived the way he wanted to live, exploring new paths as they come into view and never getting bored. His career reflected those values, reflecting an ambition and desire to contribute, the best way he knew how, to his field and the world at large. Moving fluidly between entertainment, academica, and research, he was happy to explore, create, and work hard his entire career.

He destroyed pop-up ads, started calling flight attendants stewardesses again, and lived through 3 80s revivals. Eventually he stopped working and devoted himself to reading more and seeing what was left of the real world.

Amendum:
Oh, and he was also a rock star. Being a rock star was awesome for him.

Presidential Discombobulator

by Justin Manor. very nice. mix and match the respective peeps, v peeps and dems.

link

input

hey, everything else is going retro, why not USB devices...

http://www.sealiecomputing.com/retrozone/

dev challenge for haptic device

SensAble Developer Challenge:

Win 10K for developing "the most compelling" app for the SensAble Phantom Series of Haptic Devices.

If we get our hands on one of these things, I'd love to get some people together and start playing around, maybe try and enter this competition. When you buy a device, they give you the SDK, so it's pretty sweet. Any takers? I guess we need to verify a purchase first, but at $800 each for a nice smooth haptic device, I think the question should be not if we get one, but how many.

Ed. Note: I spend long nights spending dept. money in my mind.

Link to Press Release

Link to SensAble

sprawl typography

ok, maybe this doesn't have much to do with anything, but...http://users.pandora.be/brakkepie/brecht/font.htm

singapore

in leu of posting anything more about singapore, I figured I'd post some pics including the coolest chinese buddist torture park ever.

futurama panoramas

This site has a collection of great futurama panoramas made from taking stills from extended pans. Very nice.

via boingboing

output

so appropriate and relevent I can't handle it., esp. concerning the recent annenberg symposium and the collection of material for our submission of a Siggraph sketch. Taken from Micheal McDonough’s 10 Things They Never Taught You at Design School via archinect

9. It all comes down to output. No matter how cool your computer rendering is, no matter how brilliant your essay is, no matter how fabulous your whatever is, if you can’t output it, distribute it, and make it known, it basically doesn’t exist. Orient yourself to output. Schedule output. Output, output, output. Show Me The Output.

more zml pics

a couple of zml photos

more virtual characters - Caroline Online

interesting discussion threads related to the fictional protagonist of a narrative created by Tim Wright and Rob Bevan, for the siteonline caroline. So here we have a virtual character online who is fooling thousands of people. Is this ok? Check the following:

I Got Played by Caroline Online

Time To Stop Playing Now?

webcams save life

a woman gets kicked by a horse, and people watching via webcams call emergency response. a benefit of breaching privary.Link via Smart Mobs/

textamerica

just in case nobody saw this comment:

Try changing themes for the page. It looks like you might have discovered a bug in the default theme. We will look into it. Thanks!

Posted by Shawn Honnick at November 19, 2003 11:29 AM

Awesome. Ask for Google Ads, and thou shalt receive (although I was half joking).

See a related post by Stephen Johnson on the google ads topic.

Ronchamp

Fusing the Organic with the Modern, the technological. I just posted this building as an influence of mine in response to tripp's post. The fusion of traditional and modern / technological aesthetics is my thing, and there are few pieces that communicate this idea better than this building.

watch those robots dance!

Sony has done it again, believe it or not.

http://www.tokyodv.com/news/index.html

Ok, this is probably one of the coolest things I've seen in approx. 1 or 2 million years (not to exaggerate or anything). Or maybe it's just the really bad techno music that has me in "shock and awe" (sorry for the inappropriate reference).

The first three movies are from the Robodex conference, which apparently is a "Robot Dream" Exposition, which as far as I can tell, envisions a world in which Robots rule the world and force awful 10 second techno loops on the entire sentient human population. Actually, the exposition is probably more than that but my ignorance diallows the comprehension of japanese, so I can't really give an accurate picture of what the expo was about- other than Sony and Honda showing off their vision of a robot utopia. For my money, though, it doesn't get any better than seeing 3 or 4 robots attempt to operate on a 6 ft. tall plastic cartoon character wearing 3 ft. high red boots and black and green underwear.

The control of robots with mobile phones? Also an interesting idea, albeit a less funny one. Actually, now that I think about it, among other things, that mobile capability would be great for april fools day jokes. And I'm envisioning this world where kids have their robots go to school for them (think: telepresence!) and then you have these groups of popular jock kids having their robots gang up on smaller robots, and breaking their glasses or giving them robot wedgies or something. Which brings up the question - when robots become avatars for us all, will nerds still have thick-rimmed glasses? Or will those be relegated to those robots whose owners are indie-rockers and thift-store dwellers?

Ok, enough of this.