bumptop
The bumptop physical desktop is an excellent execution of an alternative method of interacting with files. While not very practical or usable, it’s a beautiful mix of real physics and digital organization.
Add comment July 5th, 2006
Archive for July 5th, 2006
The Art of Espresso
I own an espresso machine, and making a good espresso definately seems to be a fine art that is a balance of good beans, the right grind, a quality machine, and perhaps most importantly, knowing all the little tricks that help you get it right. I certainly wouldn’t pretend to know how to make a truly great coffee (though it mainly has to do with how much I’m not willing to spend on speciality coffee gear!). Check out the Boing Boing story and links and you can see what I’m talking about.
Add comment July 5th, 2006
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya | Dance Steps Video
I’ve started watching The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. I’m a few epsiodes in, and am enjoying it thoroughly - The ending song is really cute and has the characters from the show doing a cutesy dance number.
The funniest thing is the SOS-Dan fansite that shows the dance steps so that you can learn the dance too! Then you can teach your socially awkward male friend. And once he’s mastered the steps, teach it to his Gundam figures, and also to the random cosplayers from Finland. Go Fin anime fanatics, go!
Add comment July 5th, 2006
Modern Empires
Imomus at Click opera has a piece called ‘Empires and Dance’ which provided a new perspective on what I am used to from living in the USA, offering Berlin as the location where a new model is being worked out. Imomus:
Berlin is in fact a laboratory for future ways of doing things. This city is not just post-industrial, but post-imperial. It’s a divergence machine.
Add comment July 5th, 2006
Anime Fansubbing & P2P .. or .. Automate Downloads with Azureus and RSS Feeds
The BasuGasuBakuhatsu Anime Blog has a tutorial on How to: Automate Anime Downloads with Azureus and RSS Feeds. This is a pretty nifty way to get your Daily Recommended Dose of Fresh Squeezed Anime without having to check on new torrents (though the true Anime nuts will check daily anyway!).
I think it’s quite interesting how the Japanese Anime industry has not caused a fuss about the whole p2p paradigm and the efforts of fans (perhaps as part of their marketing strategy?). Until anime series are officially released in the USA, the overseas studios seem OK with groups of fans translating the shows, fansubbing them, and releasing through p2p (Usually BitTorrent) Once the shows are released in the US, the fansub groups cease distribution of the titles - the subs themselves often include a statement to this effect also. Of course, this is all probably far from legal. There has been one US company that sent cease and desist letters to fansub groups. And anyway, torrents don’t usually survive until a title is released - that specific p2p delivery depends greatly on the link have a heavy activity. I have watched some great series through seeing fansubbed versions, and then bought the box sets. Though i can understand misgivings by studio execs worried about loss of revenue … It’s a fascinating case that I think only serves to increase the popularity of anime, and must certainly drive up the revenue of the merchandises… An would totally love to read an in-depth piece done on this topic, with proper investigation and interviews with the heads of Japanese and US companies.
Add comment July 5th, 2006