Microlog
Microlog entries posted in January 2011
Matt Webb on telepresence robots
I thought this was just Webb reporting from the future again till I followed the links and saw that THEY ACTUALLY EXIST. See also: Domestic robots and the Furby phenomenon. Permalink ·
World of Warcraft’s Archaeology Skill
“One of my fellow archaeologists in Qatar has been playing as an archaeologist in WoW. Apparently the in-game play action of archaeology is incredibly tedious, which is perhaps appropriate. He says that people complain on the special WoW archaeology chat channel about it, and he tells them, ‘this is what I do in my real life too!’” [c/o delicious.com/bldgblog]. Permalink ·
Curbing the kilogram’s weight-loss programme
This is just the beginning! It’s only a matter of time before the fabric of the space-time continuum unravels itself. Permalink ·
Yes There Are Grocery Stores in Detroit
Combatting the media’s perception of the Motor City as a blight-ridden hellhole with no redeeming qualities. Indeed, there’s better grocery shopping in Detroit than in the whole of Dublin FFS. Permalink ·
Out-Think the Fink
Take on the WWE’s resident statistician (and greatest ring announcer of all time) in a test of wrestling geekiness. Permalink ·
A manifesto for the simple scribe - my 25 commandments for journalists
Some of these can be taken with a pinch of salt — shallow, facile, glib and slick aren’t insults now? — but the first point is the most important: if you’re not writing for a reader, you’re not being a journalist. Permalink ·
Five Emotions Invented By The Internet
That third one? That’s me, that is. Permalink ·
Proposed Unicode symbols for Emoji
These are awesome. Permalink ·
The Noun Project
“The Noun Project collects, organizes and adds to the highly recognizable symbols that form the world’s visual language, so we may share them in a fun and meaningful way.” See also: Iconic, “a minimal set of icons consisting of 136 marks in raster, vector and font formats — free for public use.” Permalink ·
Fluffy McCloud
One of the animated shorts from last summer’s IADT end-of-year show that I didn’t get to see at the time; it’s like mixed-media Pixar. Permalink ·
Set Up and Get to Know Your New Camera
Saved for future reference; having not yet explored any of my camera’s manual settings after 2+ years, I think this will come in handy. Permalink ·
Set Up and Get to Know Your New Mac
Saved for future reference; a handy checklist for those who just want a spring clean, too. See also: Lifehacker’s best free Mac downloads. Permalink ·
Music for Shuffle
Short interlocking musical phrases designed to play on shuffle, making a different tune every time. Generative music a la Brian Eno (or maybe pseduo-generative; the jury’s still out) Permalink ·
Fimoculous’ lists for 2010
US-centric as always, but lots of great stuff to discover here. Permalink ·
100 exciting things you didn’t know about Dublin
Some of these are a bit silly, others quite surprising. It’s part of a project tasked with reinvigorating the city centre (I hope they’ve noted the obvious points: blight in many parts creates a bad impression; and shopping/socialising options in the suburbs have improved, keeping people closer to home). Permalink ·
Where is London?
How to define a place when there’s no consensus on its boundaries. Permalink ·
A history of Blunt Records
Dublin-based ’90s indie label once part-owned by the dude from Therapy?; never heard any of this stuff at the time. Permalink ·
BBC Documentary Podcasts
Saving this here with the best of intentions, but I’ll probably never get around to listening. Permalink ·
One year in one image
Amazing how the atmosphere in a place can change so much depending on the time of year. But then, reality is all about the lighting [c/o Interconnected]. See also: The Slow-Photography Movement — What is the point of taking pictures? Permalink ·
Bobbie Johnson’s idea for digital books
“I like this, but I fear it may be unworkable (how to provide proof of purchase, for one; and there’s so many deleted titles that will never be digitised). Permalink ·
Why you should never, ever use two spaces after a period
The two-spaces thing infuriates me. Who taught people to do that? Never happened to me. Permalink ·
The Top 10.25 Things Women (genders 1-2.5) Don’t Know About Men (genders 3-5)
“Love Advice for Extraterrestrials, from the redoubtable but unquestionably masculine (in an extraterrestrial sort of way) Xortar Cheemchim, as published in Ranflax Planet 9’s most prominent women’s magazine.” Permalink ·
My First Blog
“Recently, going through my extensive personal archives I came across my first blog, which seems to have been written when I was in kindergarten. This would have been 1991, which makes me a true early adopter of the medium.” This is brilliant stuff; just read it. Permalink ·
Dublin Bus Network Review
Staff and passengers alike critique the Network Direct scheme, which has done more harm than good to the city’s bus services; the timetables are really just a joke at our expense now (it’s a long thread; I’ve linked to the latest page). Permalink ·
How London buses are numbered
The consistency is remarkable, especially considering the haphazard numbering of Dublin bus routes. Permalink ·
The 100 Greatest Movie Insults of All Time
It goes without saying that this is Not Safe For Work. Permalink ·
Inventables
Materials for artists, designers and inventors. And they’re surprisingly inexpensive. Permalink ·
Stargazing and dark sky tourism
UK-centric, but the tips apply anywhere. Considering a weekend out west this year, somewhere nice and dark at night. Permalink ·
The Blog in 2011: More Pictures, More Words
Nine years on, and I’m still trying. Permalink ·
Ireland’s Economic Crisis: What sort of hole are we in and how do we get out?
A smart overview of the fine mess they’ve got us into. But — and it’s a big but — it fails to factor in the cost of living (and a rising one at that). One can’t honestly compare Ireland’s taxation regime with those of other European states without also comparing the cost of day-to-day basics like groceries, public transport, etc which are by all accounts much lower on the continent. Permalink ·
Wake Up, Geek Culture. Time to Die
Everybody and their dog has already linked to this, but anyway. I get what Patton Oswalt is saying (I feel his dismay at his treasured obscuria being co-opted by the mainstream) but for me, the age of Everything That Ever Was — Available Forever is a dream come true. Permalink ·
Wikipedia entry on the bootstrap paradox
Following a discussion with Bee on the Terminator paradox, which to me isn’t so much a paradox as a difference in philosophical argument. My position? “Kyle Reese always goes back.” Permalink ·
Muppets with People Eyes
Exactly what the title says. Permalink ·
3D printer kits - a great gift for the geek in your life
These exist now? For the same price as a laptop? We really are in the future (hoverboards aside). Permalink ·
Inception and Gotham
I’m seeing Gotham everywhere now; it’s becoming the new Trajan. Perish the thought. Permalink ·
Top 10 Ways to Access Blocked Stuff on The Web
Saved for future reference. Permalink ·
A Mexican, a Kiwi and a Nigerian walk into a bar…
Two things from this: every country has jokes about other countries; and the vast majority of said jokes are interchangable. The lack of uniqueness is surprising. Permalink ·
MyUS.com: Shop Without Borders
For ordering stuff that US sites won’t ship overseas. Has anybody used this one? Testimonials, please! Permalink | 1 Comments ·
24 Hours of Hardcore Punk
More hardcore and related punk-type music than you can shake a stick at [c/o MetaFilter]. Permalink ·
About
This is the personal website of MacDara Conroy, a production journalist, music writer and mediavore in Dublin, Ireland. Read more »
Details
This page is a reverse chronology of Microlog entries by MacDara Conroy published in January 2011. You will find many more in the Archives.
Continuum
↑ February 2011
→ January 2011
↓ November 2010