If you watch television you’re probably aware of the writers strike currently in progress which is pitting show writers against their parent companies in a fight over the value of digital content. Corporations, like Viacom, seem to feel that digital content is too new to be able to accurately assess it’s value. Yet, if it’s their digital content being wrongfully used, it’s value is astronomical. Like, let’s say, a billion dollars.
Since the Daily Show writers have nothing else going on at the moment, they’re continuing to do what they do best— satirizing current events. Check out this video they’ve put together from behind the picket line giving their two cents on the situation.
We all have our own opinion on how Barry Bonds home run record should be remembered in history, but designer Marc Ecko has decided to take a more democratic approach to solving the controversy. After purchasing the record-setting ball at a Sotheby’s auction for $750,000, Ecko started this website asking the public to vote on the balls ultimate fate.
The three options are:
A. Bestow It — give the ball to Cooperstown.
B. Brand It — brand the ball with an asterisk, then give it Cooperstown.
C. Banish It — literally launch the ball into space.
As of today, when the 200 million users of Google Earth log onto the site, they will be able to view the horrific details of what’s happening in Darfur for themselves.
In an effort to bring more attention to the ongoing crisis in Darfur, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has teamed up with Google’s mapping service literally to map out the carnage in the Darfur region.
Experts estimate that 200,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million more have been displaced since the conflict flared in 2003, when rebels took up arms against the central Sudanese government.
The new initiative, called “Crisis in Darfur,” enables Google Earth users to visualize the details in the region, including the destruction of villages and the location of displaced persons in refugee camps.
Once again Google has impressed me with their ability to leverage technology in a positive and thought-provoking way. Having compiled one of the most extensive (and feared) databases of personal information on the planet, I am glad to see that Google is using it’s unprecedented information-gathering powers for good when most people perceive them simply as tools of evil.
To me, visualizing data is the only effective way to truly realize the significance and magnitude of a number. I found it interesting that this was a collaborative effort between Google and the National Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. because the most powerful example of data visualization that I have ever seen in my life was at that very museum.
Obviously the mass genocide of the Jews during World War II was an atrocity of epic proportions, but the amount of people who were killed is somewhat incomprehensible as a number alone. People do not differentiate between numbers once they reach a large enough size. The difference between a million and a billion is nothing more than a few extra zeros if it’s not put into the proper perspective— which is where the real power of data visualization lies. As you walk through the museum you eventually come to a room that is full nothing but shoes. Thousands of pairs, each representing a life lost. Once you consider how many people it would take to fill all of those shoes you start to put that huge number into perspective. It becomes human.
As shocking as that exhibit may be, it can only affect those who actually make the trip to the museum to experience it firsthand. The reason the Darfur initiative is particularly powerful is that the message has been seamlessly integrated with existing and well-known technology, allowing for a significantly higher penetration rate. People are so preoccupied with concerns about privacy and spying that we fail to realize how powerful all of the information we have can really be. Instead of trying to keep everything a secret we should be open to what this information revolution can teach us about ourselves.
Kevin Federline has 13 million more reasons to walk around with a shit-eating grin and a false sense of accomplishment. Britney and K-Fed finally settled on the terms of their divorce. Here are some of the details, according to MSNBC:
A 2004 pre-nup called for K-Fed to get $250,000 for each year of their marriage, but Spears upped that figure to $500,000 to speed up the negotiations.
He receives half the proceeds from their Malibu mansion, which is on the market for $13.5 million.
$25,000 a month in child support for each of the couple’s two children until they reach 18. He also gets custody of the boys four days a week.
Federline gets to keep all the gifts Spears bought them during their marriage.
He’s forbidden from writing a tell-all about their marriage.
Having made one of the most epic falls from glory in pop history after marrying Kevin, Britney told Federline “You’re the biggest mistake I’ve ever made, but thank you for my babies.” Kevin retorted with “Popozão! That’s that fire, yo!”
At this point it’s a toss-up as to who the children would be less safe with, but with Kevin getting 4 days of quality time with the boys each week they will surely learn how to back-up dance their way to the top like their old dad. While it’s easy to despise Federline for the way he dresses, his music, or just his general disposition— you can’t say you’re not a little jealous. I mean, he’s living the American guy’s dream. He got the pop star, the mansion, the Ferrari’s, a rap album (and apparently a record label) with none of the typically prerequisite talent. Now he’s walking away with a enough money to buy Newports from himself AND his boys for the rest of their lives! But not until they’re 18. What kind of parent do you take him for— Britney Spears?
Could it be possible that the guy we’ve always considered to be talentless white trash is actually a genius incognito? Haha, hell no. Dad’s— hide your daughters.
If you grew up with the last name “Tootoo”, chances are you know how to throw a punch. Dallas Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas learned that the hard way after an unsuccessful attempt to defend Stars pretty boy, Mike Modano. Not only did he cleanly level one of the leagues premier forwards, but he had the instinct to know that reinforcement was not far behind. Without hesitation, he stood up and blindly delivered a ‘one hitter quitter’ to Robidas’ chin— not even bothering (or needing) to drop his gloves. Well done.
Mark that one in my book as ‘Five Minutes for Being a Total Badass’.
The Guinness Book of World Records was originally established to settle the drunken arguments that were previously settled with good old fashion brawls in British and Irish bars. In 1991, alcohol related entries were banned from the book due to fear of litigation. Luckily, the 1979 edition printed these records, which have been reproduced below. Updated records and their sources are included when available.
Strongest Beer
Bavarian brewer Harald Schneider, from southern Germany, brewed a beer that was 25.4% alcohol (2005). Source
Weakest Beer
The weakest liquid ever marketed as a beer was a sweet ersatz beer from Germany be Sunner, Colne-Kalk in 1918. It had less than 0.2 percent alcohol.
Speed Beer Drinking
Steven Petrosino of New Cumberland, Pennsylvania on June 22nd, 1977, drank 1 liter of beer in 1.3 seconds. Peter G. Dowdeswell of Earls Barton drank two liters in 6.0 seconds on February 7th, 1975.
Fastest Beer Drinking Relay
Czech patriots drank 2,662 half-litres of beer in less than 17 hours. Drinking at a rate of over 156 beers per hour, or 2.6 mugs per minute, the Czechs can now claim to be the fastest “relay” drinkers in the world (2004). Source
Highest Documented Blood Alcohol Level
An unidentified middle-aged Latvian man was unconscious but stable after a blood test showed 7.22 parts per million (0.7%) of alcohol, police spokeswoman Ieva Zvidre said. “An average person would vomit at around 1.2, lose consciousness at 3.0 and stop breathing at a level of about 4.0 parts per million” Zvidre said (2003). Source
Most Alcoholic Person (actual name of record)
It is recorded that a hard drinker named Vanhorn (1850 – 1911) averaged more than four bottles of Ruby Port per day for 23 years prior to his death at 61. He is believed to have emptied 35,688 bottles.
Beer Consumption
The nation with the highest beer consumption per person is West Germany, with 39.8 U.S. gallons per person in 1976. In the northern territory of Australia, the annual intake has been estimated to be as high as 62.4 U.S. gallons per person.
Youngest Recorded Death from Alcohol Poisoning
A 4 year old boy, Joesph Sweet, in Wolverhampton, England, in died 1827 from alcohol poisoning, reported in the Stafford Assizes case R. v. Martin.
Most Alcoholic Drink
During Independence (1918 – 1940) the Estonian Liquor Monopoly marketed 196 proof potato alcohol. In the United States, Everclear (190 proof) is marketed by the American Distilling Company.
I knew it was only a matter of time before I wrote my first post about the Buffalo Sabres— and after the amount of heart they showed tonight, I couldn’t deny them any longer.
I’ve been a Sabres fan for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Buffalo you don’t really have a choice. We live and die with our sports teams— and games like tonight make me understand why. The Sabres came into tonight’s game against division rival Ottawa with a laundry list of injuries to many of our key players. Most teams wouldn’t stand a chance against an elite team like Ottawa with a bench full of rookies. But not Buffalo.
The games fast-paced momentum went back and forth until about 5 minutes into the 2nd period when Sabres captain Chris Drury caught an elbow to the face, causing a deep cut and a puddle of blood on the ice. From the second he hit the deck I knew this wasn’t going to be pretty. When the puck dropped on the ensuing face-off, it was on. What started as a few scattered fights turned into a brawl for the ages when goalies Martin Biron and Ray Emery left their creases to join the action at center ice. After the goalies were separated, Sabres enforcer and my personal hero Andrew Peters went toe to toe with Emery to prove a point.
Somewhere between the repeated haymakers to Emery’s face I realized something— this is what Buffalo is all about. This is why we have 18,000 screaming fans at every home game when other clubs can’t give their seats away. I’m not talking about the fighting (although it was awesome), but the loyalty that these guys have to each other. It’s a rare thing to find anymore, especially in professional sports, but something that is of the utmost importance to all Buffalonians. We go to the grave with our loyalties, and watching our team defend their fallen captain made me proud, honestly. Judging by the cheers from the crowd, I have a feeling I’m not alone. There’s a reason we are currently the best team in the NHL. It’s not just raw talent; it’s the never-say-die attitude that they play every game with. Few teams can match our skill, but even fewer teams can match our heart and determination. That’s what makes us the BUFFALO Sabres. Not any other team. Not any other city.
It’s easy to sing the praises of star talents like Ryan Miller, Danny Briere and Chris Drury. They are phenomenal players that have made us one of the most dangerous teams in the league. But, tonight was proof that sometimes a team needs more than someone to light the lamp. They need emotion. I’m sure as the playoffs get closer I will have more than enough opportunities to talk about Miller’s mind-boggling saves and Briere’s ice-cold blood, so I would like to dedicate this post to the goons. The guys whose passion to win exceeds their on-ice talent.
Thank you Andrew Peters, Adam Mair and the rest of you guys who have the balls to stand up to anyone and everyone in defense of a teammate. That’s something I can’t help but respect. Wear the Buffalo sweater with pride.
Oh, and we won 6-5 in a sudden-death shootout, incidentally. Had the outcome been different, the time spent writing this post would have instead been spent with a bottle of Jack Daniels. Did I mention we drink to solve our problems in Buffalo? Go Sabres!
For over a decade the Starbucks franchise has been spreading like a virus throughout the world, with new chains popping up daily. If you live in New York City, a Starbucks is no more than a block or two away, regardless of your location. In fact, my office is within 5 miles of 197 stores. (Yes, you read that correctly)
Aside from serving overpriced coffee, Starbucks now offers a wireless internet service through a partnership with T-Mobile. This service, which is used by many on-the-go New Yorkers, is offered for the not-so-nominal cost of $10 a day. Leave it to Starbucks to find an industry, severely overprice its product/service and still have people running back for more. I can’t understand stand it and I won’t support it. But, I would be more than happy to profit from it.
It is for these reasons that I would like to introduce you to FON. FON is offering a free router to anyone who lives within range of a Starbucks Wi-Fi signal. The idea is that you would use this router to share your broadband connection with Starbucks customers, or anyone in the area for that matter. While Starbucks is charging their customers $10 a day for their service, you can offer yours for a much more reasonable $2 a day. Of that $2, you collect $1 per user for your troubles. What an opportunity!
If $1 isn’t incentive enough, think of the feeling of satisfaction that comes with undercutting a faceless corporation! Although, that feeling will undoubtedly vanish when you spend your earnings on your morning latte. Damn this addiction!
I was glad to see the Orlando Magic big man find a way to innovate in a competition that often feels repetative. It’s a simple fact— you can only do so much while airborne. Participants have attempted to add originality to the competition with props, but nothing replaces a 40″ vertical.
Now this is definitely something I can support. Good to see the boys have a sense of humor about the situation over there. They’ve got some decent rhymes too.
As long as we’re on the topic, shout out to my boy Joey D. holding it down in Iraq. Stay safe bro. And as much as those sunglasses and new tats might make you look tough, we all still know bees make you scream like a girl.
