The Flickr "Stick Figures in Peril" group is a collection of those poor little stick people in precarious situations, often sacrificing their well being for the general safety of the masses.
Here are a few of my favorites.
To the slideshow!
The Flickr "Stick Figures in Peril" group is a collection of those poor little stick people in precarious situations, often sacrificing their well being for the general safety of the masses.
Here are a few of my favorites.
Stupid Video Tuesday strikes again!
I do it for you, squared-fans.
I love how startled mom panda looks.
(Enjoy)
I've told several people about this now, and since this blog is a medium that allows me to express and log my interests, here it goes.
You can now sync Google Calendar with Outlook, and better yet, you can choose what syncs with what. Explanation: Say you have Outlook at work, and want to be able to see if you have a meeting the next morning, but don't want people at work to know about your crazy party this weekend. So you can simply do a 1-way sync that allows you to see your Outlook schedule on Google Calendar, but keeps your super crazy light-switch rave party (that is on Google Calendar) completely confidential.
Link
Why is it then that so many Americans - and foreigners who come here - feel that the place is so, well, safe?
A British man I met in Colorado recently told me he used to live in Kent but he moved to the American state of New Jersey and will not go home because it is, as he put it, "a gentler environment for bringing the kids up."
This is New Jersey. Home of the Sopranos.
Brits arriving in New York, hoping to avoid being slaughtered on day one of their shopping mission to Manhattan are, by day two, beginning to wonder what all the fuss was about. By day three they have had had the scales lifted from their eyes.
I have met incredulous British tourists who have been shocked to the core by the peacefulness of the place, the lack of the violent undercurrent so ubiquitous in British cities, even British market towns.
"It seems so nice here," they quaver. […]
Wait till you get to London Texas, or Glasgow Montana, or Oxford Mississippi or Virgin Utah, for that matter, where every household is required by local ordinance to possess a gun.
Folks will have guns in all of these places and if you break into their homes they will probably kill you. They will occasionally kill each other in anger or by mistake, but you never feel as unsafe as you can feel in south London.
It is a paradox. Along with the guns there is a tranquillity and civility about American life of which most British people can only dream.
This communicates my feelings regarding weddings much more eloquently than I am able to.
I'm on a picture fix, check it.
Now for some extremely local news.
I heard a rumor that 3 Floyds Brewpub, my favorite brewpub, was going to close due to the hops shortage. Well I'm happy to announce this as false, I talked with a server tonight and she assured me (with a laugh and a roll of her eyes) that their doors are staying open.
Stupid Video Tuesday!
This one isn't as stupid as previous videos, but it still qualifies.
(Enjoy)
This man has warts all over his body that look similar to bark or trees, (hence his nickname "Tree Man"). He's from Java, Indonesia, and he's getting treatment for it. I might be a little behind on this story, but maybe you are too. (Alert, this story requires the Weak Stomach Warning)
(By the way, this is my 100th post, w00t!)
Want to control and access your home computer from any PC with an internet connection?
I just downloaded and installed LogMeIn on my home desktop so I can control it using my laptop, from work, and from school. It allows you to access files and run software off the host computer, while not using any of the resources from your accessing computer.
Pros:
I know for a fact I would have stopped and checked this out (unlike all these people that just keep on walking). Sure, you normally see homeless people pushing shopping carts, but half of one? That starts on fire?
"According to the survey, 45% of women were quite happy to give strangers, posing as market researchers, their email password, in return for a chocolate bar, as opposed to only 10% of men."
I agree with The Inquirer, they should level the playing field by offering beer next time.
A handset maker is outsourcing to Egypt, I guess now China finally gets a taste of it's own medicine. Full Story.
Let's see if anyone gets this (no, not just solving the integral), I was proud of my nerd-ability to figure it out right away (well, with help of my trusty TI-89).
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It's Tuesday, so of course it's time again for Stupid Video Tuesday!
Today's video is brought to you by Japan, they're into some crazy sh[edit]t over there.
Enjoy Square Fans.
"Holster" for Wii-mote: $35
Super Pii Pii Video Game: $50
Girls being able to experience peeing whilst standing up: Priceless.
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I think someone should call an ambulance, pretty sure that woman from the early 90's is dead (00:21).
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Here's some tips to make your search more effective, hopefully these will help you find what you're looking for.
Omit
If there's a word you DON'T want to show up when you search, simply enter '-' followed by your search term. For example, you're searching for Hillary, but Cankles keeps coming up, simply enter this query: Hillary -Cankles. And your search will not return results that include 'Cankles'.
Return as Specified
This operator is especially useful when searching for a person (or stalking said person). Simply surround your query in quotes and it will only return sites that include your search phrase exactly how you entered it. When not in quotes, your search will return sites including whatever terms you've entered, just not in any particular order.
Example, "Nicholas Kamm"
Define:
If you need the definition of a word or term, simply preface it with 'Define: '
Example, Define: Ankle (Cankle isn't a real word, it didn't return anything... Darnit!)
Link:
Have a website, blog, myspace, or any web address that you call your own? Find out if any other websites are linking your site by prefixing your address with 'Link:'
Example, 47squared.blogspot.com
These aren't all of the operators, just the ones I find most useful, to see all of them see Advanced Google Search Operators. If you don't consider yourself savvy enough to use these operators, simply use Advanced Search, and it will walk you through the process.
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So I think I'm going to read some Thomas Hobbes and John Locke (Yes, Hobbes from Calvin and Hobbes, and John Locke from Lost).
I was made aware of them during my Political Science class, and seeing as they're the fathers of western political philosophy, I thought it'd be good to read their stuff.
So my search started with Amazon, but I quickly remembered that Google has digitized loads of books (especially old books), so I headed over to Google Book Search, quickly found what I was looking for, and added my selections to 'My Library'.
After all of this I started reading through the books and was very impressed, all of the chapters had links from the table of contents, and it seemed very easy to navigate. Google has options to review, tag, add labels, and add notes; this was great.
Well I started reading the first few pages of the book, and I continued to think everything was great, until I decided I was finished reading for the day, and started looking for a bookmark feature, something to mark where I left off so I didn't have to remember the page number or something silly like that. I mean come on, it's Google, the Grand Master of remembering things so you don't have to. But I couldn't find it!
There is no feature to bookmark, mark, tag, remember, anything! (Unless I'm an idiot and simply can't see it!) I really think there should be something to mark where you left off, so when you want to keep reading you can simply continue where you left off, seems reasonable right?.
Pros:
Allows you to read books for free
Table of Contents has links to chapters
Searchable
Reviews/Reviewable.
Google is digitizing the classics.
RSS feeds of your library.
Cons:
No bookmarks!
I still recommend Google Library, because I think it's great they're converting classics into electronic copies, which doesn't undergo yellowing due to oxidation like lignin-based paper does.
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OMG, this story is ROFLMAO funny. Ok, maybe not, but I think it's a pretty good idea nonetheless.
The FCC just approved a plan to send nationwide emergency text message alerts. Cell phone providers will have the choice to opt in the service, which I'm sure most will do. You think it will add an additional fee similar to 911 tax?
According to CNN, the text messages will send out information concerning:
Wait a minute, earthquakes?! Tornadoes, hurricanes, sure.... What good is a text message going to do you when your house is shaking and you're diving under the kitchen table?A disaster that could jeopardize the health and safety of Americans, such as a terrorist attack; these would trigger a national alert from the president of the United States
Imminent or ongoing threats such as hurricanes, tornadoes or earthquakes
Child abductions or Amber alerts.
The paper has seeds in it, in this case wildflowers, and when you're done with the card (which for me is as soon as I've shaken the cash out of it) you can plant it and grow flowers! There are greeting cards, wedding cards, birthday cards etc... I thought this was pretty neat.
A site that sells wildflower cards.
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I love when the cop comes, takes their soccer ball, and yells at them, but he can't do anything because they're on the roof!
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"The Pentagon will issue hand-held lie detectors this month to U.S. Army soldiers in Afghanistan." They will be using the devices to interrogate anyone they feel is a suspect, including interpreters and police officers. They are already being tried out in Iraq.
I like gadgets, so at first I was all for it, but then I read some comments on Defense Tech and I second guessed its usefulness. Here's a comment by someone claiming a polygraph machine pretty much ruined his career.
While I can seriously appreciate the Army’s desire for this device, there is a basic point which need to be clarified:If it gives our troops a pretty good idea of who's lying, it's good, right?
A polygraph is not a lie detector! It is a physical response detector, a conscience detector.
Some of our nations worst spys passed annual counter-intelligence polygraphs. Some serial murders have also passed polygraphs.
A polygraph is only 86% correct in the hands of a competent polygrapher. This means that every time you take a polygraph you are playing “russian roulette” with a seven-round revolver. If your career is on the line, there is a one in seven chance of shooting your career in the head.
Ask me. I know. After five sets of “inconclusive,” my clearance was taken and my career destroyed.
Polygraphs sound wonderful until your the one being called a liar when you are not. And, how can you defend yourself when “the machine” calls you a liar?
Former CTR1(SW)
Apparently Google thinks I'm g@y (I don't want to spell it out, because when Google crawls my page again, it will give me more ads like that!). Another smack in the face by Google.
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I was just about to retire to bed before this caught my eye. This little girl was born with two faces and "is being worshipped as the reincarnation of a Hindu goddess". I guess extreme deformations are more deistic (is that a word?).
According to CNN, she uses both mouths, noses, and all four eyes blink at the same time.
She's gonna need a wicked pair, uh... double-hybrid-pair of sunglasses.
(Did you see that rating on the top right? That's from a Professional Editor, baby! I'm guessing in this case 'professional' has a definition closer to 'some guy stuck in a cubicle wishing he'd done more with his life'. "Great, another crappy blog -throws dart- 7.7 it is.")
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So I'm thinking about starting a New Feature, Stupid Video Tuesday! Yes, the videos you love to hate, but for some reason you continue to watch.
So here it is Square-Fans, a math-themed parody of Fergie, (you're welcome).
(Thanks to Steatopygous Mathophile)
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I was very excited to see that Google released Google App Engine, which they claim is to web applications as Blogger is to blogging.
So I immediately clicked to sign up, but it brought me to this page:
I posted last night about my purchasing of a laptop on ebay, I'm sure some of you read it before I deleted it this morning.
Why did I delete it? Because I awoke with this realization: unless your readers know you personally, they could give a rat's a$$ about what's happening in your life, and even if they are your friends, there's a good chance they still don't care.
Content usually fits into one of two categories, entertaining or informative. As the post about my laptop was neither, it had to go.
Hmm.... this isn't very informative, better do something quick to make it entertaining.....
I know, I'll throw in a stupid video about pets, people are idiots for puppies.
Here's a video with ~1.2 Million views, enjoy.
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Definition of Pedophile: Creepy looking guy who drives around in an old van searching for kids to lure in by the use of treats.
Definition of Ice Cream Man: Creepy looking guy who drives around in an old van searching for kids to lure in by the use of treats.
Very interesting....
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I just downloaded this 2D Physics Sandbox software, it's a lot of fun to mess around with (says the mechanical engineering student).
Check out some entertaining Youtube Phun Fan-Films
Download the Phun software and mess around, it's as easy to use as the video makes it seem.
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I find this guy extremely interesting, and just watching his videos makes me glad that I don't have a TV, there's so much thought provoking entertainment online, heck, there's plenty of free TV shows online too (and they usually only webify the good shows anyways). It makes you question, why do you need a monthly cable bill?
If you blog with Blogger, trying typing in http://draft.blogger.com instead of www.blogger.com and you'll have access to the new beta version of blogger. Feel special, you're part of the elite.
Thanks to Blogger Buzz: Blog List, Scheduled Post Publishing on Blogger in draft
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A new ringtone that adults can't hear came out on the market recently, a favorite amongst teens in school for sure. The ringtone is played at 17KHz and relies on the fact that most adults have lost the ability to hear frequencies that high. It sounds like a high-pitched buzzing noise (dubbed the 'Mosquito' ringtone) that rivals nails on a chalkboard with its irritability factor.
While I'm sure teens see this as a way to dodge old geezer-type authority figures, I saw it as a test. Now I can determine whether or not I've reached adulthood! So of course I quickly downloaded a sample of it to see whether or not I'm truly an old man (at age 23), and I was pleasantly surprised to find out I could hear it, even though just barely. I'll have to dig up some higher quality speakers to see if I can hear it better.
Test your hearing and download sample mosquito ringtone audio (use the .wav, it's higher quality than the .mp3, oh and be careful if you are younger, it kinda hurts to listen to)
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I don't normally go for musicals, I usually prefer when stuff in the film explodes, but I really enjoyed this film.
Once is a modern day musical set in Dublin, but it's not your typical dance around arm in arm with random people while all singing and dancing in choreographed scenes musical. It really captures the essence of a regular guy just trying to find his way, with some things working out as they should, and some not.
Plus, I really enjoyed the Once Soundtrack, which was almost entirely written by Glen Hansard just for the film (and it won an Oscar for the soundtrack, but awards are stupid.)
Oh and here's a video, I thought the actual trailers really sucked, so I found this promo/interview with the main characters and director, and it's much better.
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So I was digging around in some Google tools and found Google Webmaster Tools, which I quickly signed up for and clicked around in. Well they offer this feature that allows you to see various search terms that return your blog/website and what rank (what order) they are returned in. Well I was happy to see that 47Squared was at the top of the list when you search for Nicholas Kamm. I finally beat out that other Nicholas Kamm that's an AFP photographer!
So to all of my stalkers out there, I made it even easier for you to hunt me down, sit outside of my window and collect my hair...
Oh, and my article about the Sarah Connor Chronicles is ranked number 4, but when I search for it, 47Squared comes up number 2 =)
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What is this blog about anyway?
I've been trying to wrestle down a category for this blog lately, (my frustration was expressed in my "Discovering Your Inner Blog" post.) Well I think I'll take another stab at it today, more likely to satisfy my interests than yours, but here it goes anyways.
A brief History of 47Squared (skip down to the next list if you're already bored at this point):
Here are two of my favorite Youtube videos, in the first, a guy named Noah takes a photo of himself for (supposedly) 6 years, and I don't know what it is about the video, maybe it's just the intriguing music, but it kept my attention through all 6 minutes. Apparently it has kept the attention of nearly 9 million other people too.
The second video is of a guy named Matt and is aptly named "Where the Hell is Matt?". In the video Matt dances a silly jig in famous sites all over the world. I dug deeper into the story and found out he took off 6 months and traveled all over because he was bored of working the normal 9 to 5. He received so much attention from his video, that he got sponsored and is on his second tour to make another video.
I must admit, I am very jealous.
This Velvet (Spitting) Worm kind of reminds me of Slimer from Ghostbusters.
The audio is in spanish, but it's the video that is cool. The sheer amount of slime is pretty impressive. And the worm looks so soft and cuddly... (until 1:12 where you see this large, single fang emerge from its mouth).
Remember spending countless hours sitting on the living room floor playing with those toy steering wheels as a kid? Been wondering what you're gonna do with those old car seats you have lying around? Well, now your fascination with automobiles and sitting on your butt will pay off.
The next best thing to a La-Z-Boy, why not a sleek and economical car seat desk chair? Check out WikiHow’s article on How to Make a Desk Chair out of a Car Seat. For many of us, the most comfortable chair we sit in every day is in our car. Makes sense, they’re designed to minimize fatigue and seat one comfortably for extended periods of time.I bet you could even get a seat with heat and massage, maybe convert it to plug it into your PC's USB drive. Nice!
Now if you feel that this extremely thrifty and versatile project does not compliment your décor, consider making a slipcover out of some leftover fabric or decorate with wooden bead mats. Not only will you get the satisfaction of reducing waste by recycling old junk into a new functional piece, but you’ll be pleased that it reflects your personal style.
I was pretty disappointed about this one, Project Virgle is a practical joke. I really wanted to go to mars...
They also offer a Free Wake Up Kit in Google Calendar, which will text you, push you out of bed, or pour water on you to wake you up.
And don't forget the new "I'm feeling lucky" button they added to your event creator in Google Calendar, so far I have a date with Britney Spears and Pamela Anderson....