I’m a little behind on this, I know… but it’s faster and has some very good features. Drop Internet Explorer right now, any of you left using that old donkey.

Firefox Features

See what’s new, what’s been improved and what’s just as awesome as ever.

via Firefox web browser | Features: Faster, more secure, & customizable | Mozilla Europe.

If you have to use Windows at work for some reason, hope is here – Windows 7

Pretty cool desktops for Windows…

via First Look: Windows 7 Shapes Up as Microsoft’s Best OS Yet | Gadget Lab | Wired.com.

Google Bit Torrent Search

Please Note: This site is not affiliated with Google, it simply makes use of Google Custom Search to restrict your searches to Torrent files. You can do this with any regular Google search by appending your query with filetype:torrent. This technique can be used for any type of file supported by Google.

The intention of this site is to demonstrate the double standard that was exemplified in the recent Pirate Bay Trial. Sites such as Google offer much the same functionality as The Pirate Bay and other Bit Torrent sites but are not targeted by media conglomerates such as the IFPI as they have the political and legal clout to defend themselves unlike these small independent sites.

This site is created in support of an open, neutral internet accessible and equitable to all regardless of political or financial standing.

Cheers! (Contact)

via Torrent File Search Using Google Custom Search – Scour the Entire Web for Bit Torrent Files.

Scientists Make Blackest Material Ever

Wavelengths Scientists have fashioned what may be the blackest material in the universe: a sheet of carbon nanotubes that captures nearly every last photon of every wavelength of light.

The substance absorbs between 97 percent and 99 percent of wavelengths that can be directly measured or extrapolated. It’s the closest that scientists have yet come to a black body, a theorized state of perfect absorption whose closest analogue is believed to be the opening of a deep hole.

via Scientists Make Blackest Material Ever | Wired Science from Wired.com.

Core Competency and Foundation

Twitter seems to be, first and foremost, an online haven where teenagers making drugs can telegraph secret code words to arrange gang fights and orgies. It also functions as a vehicle for teasing peers until they commit suicide. In order to become a “follower” on Twitter, teens first must flash their high-beam headlights at an oncoming motorist on the highway. Then, if that motorist flashes his or her high-beam headlights back in reply, the teen must kill the motorist in order to be initiated into “following” the online gang. The catch is that one can only use 140 sentences to plan a total of 140 events—that is, any combination of orgies, gang fights, suicides, and highway killings totaling 140 planned situations or activities.

via McSweeney’s Internet Tendency: Truly Groundbreaking Marketing Research: Understanding Twitter..

While chatting, first greet happily
Use polite words in a cordial way
During the game always be open, honest and do the right thing
Be careful on the keyboard
I know who did it (be careful) I know
I am the internet guardian angel
I will be the first to protect
I want to be the first to protect
Though faces are unknown, it’s a warm neighborhood
Precious Internet friend
Precious Internet friend (friend!)
Netiquette!

From Videogum

D’oh!

An obvious example of partial solutions not working. There’s always a knock-on effect.

…

Climate-Saving Sunshade Would Screw up Climate-Saving Solar Facilities

As global warming’s effects become evident researchers have turned to geoengineering schemes that could slow the warming process, like a global “sunshade” produced by spraying sulfur aerosols into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight back into space. But a new study points out an (obvious in retrospect) drawback of that idea: It would seriously reduce the effectiveness of some solar energy facilities, which proponents hope would reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and thus prevent further global warming.

via Climate-Saving Sunshade Would Screw up Climate-Saving Solar Facilities | 80beats | Discover Magazine.

Yahtzee has long been my favourite board game. We used to play it at Gran & Grandpas house and held off buying our own set for at home in case we spoilt the novelty.

Last week I bought Yahtzee Adventures for my iPod Touch. Only £1.79. I pretty soon completed the Adventure and then set to completing the Challenges listed in the Extras menu. A lot were already finished during the Adventure. Classic Master finished shortly after. Colour Juggler was helped by a double Yahtzee game. The tricky ones are the last two:

Fine Strategist: Win A 100 pts Battle. I.e. have all your points left at the end. This took quite a few attempts. To win, select only one opponent. Hit them hard first round with a high straight, or good four of a kind (or of course, a Yahtzee). The AI will then spend too much time defending itself by building up points rather than taking yours. If it does attack, it should be easy enough to get your points back to 100 by the time its over.

Minimalist: Score 5 In A Game. Easy, I thought. Just score 2 on my 2s and 3 on my 3s and zero everywhere else. Wrong. Oh, it needs to be a Yahtzee of 1s. But what about Chance? So, to win, you need to score zero on everything and 5 on Chance. That’s a Yahtzee of 1s. At first I thought I couldn’t be bothered, but of course you can try for 1s in every round. Believe it or not, when down to just the Chance left, on my first attempt, I got it. Yahtzee!

I am not sure I will play it anymore, with all the Challenges done. The characters are annoying, not offering any advice but spouting truisms, while delaying the play. But it’s very well made and enjoyable for a few days, and the game itself remains great.

Boots Audio Micro-Ferric C90 Cassette with Extended Dynamic Range. 90 (2×45) Minutes Playing Time at 1 7/8 ips. Oh yes!