Church Of The Geek

Considering that over 80,000 blogs are created every day, you might think that Blog Day would be something like SysAdmin Day or any other quasi-holiday dedicated to a specific title or occupation (don’t get me started on Sweetest Day).

Unfortunately you’d be wrong, though I admit I look forward to the idea of someone giving me a “Happy Blog Day” card someday.

Anyway, Blog Day is actually meant to encourage bloggers to point out other blogs of note (i.e. blogs worth reading), which are, in my experience, few and far between.

So here’s my list of recommend reading. I keep track of all these blogs via RSS, so for you feed readers out there every one of these links will get along with your friendly neighborhood RSS client.

BoingBoing
The biggest of the big, BoingBoing covers all manner of topics. And I mean all - manner - of - topics.

Metafilter
Not exactly the most reliable site out there (mostly due to the large amount of readers), but Metafilter provides a lot of linking in a short amount of space. It’s the only place I’ve ever seen an entire post, without words, done in ASCII art where each character was a link.

ThePresurfer
A must for any gadget hound (like me).

Screenhead
Endless source of online entertainment.

Alien Loves Predator
Excellent online comic, frames composed with action figures.

User Friendly
Another online comic, featuring the misadventures of an ISP’s employees.

4 color rebellion
Quickly becoming one of the top Video Game blogs.

Monster Planet
Not really a blog, but a serialized zombie novel available via browser and RSS. Monster Planet is the latest novel, so if you haven’t read this before it’s best to start with part 1 of 3 (currently): Monster Island

AdJab
If you work in marketing this one’s a must-read.

Cool Tools
Self-explanatory
Download Squad
Another self-explanatory blog. Great software, great reviews.

Hack a day
Dedicated to the fine art of turning one thing into another, or making items for the hell of it. Some are practical, others less so.

Lifehacker
Another excellent source of applications and utilities, but also tips on how to make your day-to-day life easier.

Adam’s Journal
An old friend who I share a large, large amount of common interests with. Responsible for turning me on to some of my most favorite books, authors, and music. Currently pursuing his degree at Columbia in Chicago. He also recently discovered the joys of a flickr account.

Deadspace
Livejournal of the man I like to call “The Mad Russian”.
He isn’t mad.
But he is Russian.

Neil Gaiman’s Journal
After a lot of pestering by fellow geeks I started reading the works of Mr. Gaiman and I have to say he’s now one of my more favorite contemporary authors. I honestly don’t understand how the man can write as much as he does and still have time for large posts, usually containing answers to fan/correspondent e-mail.

Phildo’s Blog
“He was damn glad to meet you!”

Beyond the Apple-Pie Facade
My dear sister’s blog, who contributed the quote at the top of this page. She just finished her degree at SCAD and is enjoying her first break in several months.

DankPelt
Just read it. I don’t know what else to say here.

Jason Pettus
The man who started it all (for me at least). Jason Pettus kept a daily updated blog before the word had been invented, and strives to keep it daily today. Mr. Pettus gets two links: One for his personal site, and the other for his metafeed blog. Jason is an author, world traveler, and treo addict who will soon be opening a media arts center in Chicago. He was nice enough to link to me today in his Blog Day post.

written by J

Freeware Freak

“Getting it free online” doesn’t always mean porn or pirating software. And most people don’t think to check for free software online before they go out and buy something that’ll probably do a poorer job.

I’ve started Freeware Freak to help people get the best out of freeware. If you have any suggestions please let me know, and if you’d like to contribute you can sign-up and start posting!

written by J

Got tired of the old look so I updated to a new layout.

Now I think I’ll have a bagel.

written by J

music (for robots) - Andrew Thompson - We’re In Business

Download the mp3 at the top of the page above.

And the next time you see a robot, you’ll know what to do.

written by J

TV Squad - Groups angry at Family Guy AIDS song

In one of the recent new episodes of Family Guy (they’re recording commentary tracks for the new DVD box set today, yee-hah!), Peter recalls discovering his lack of breaking bad news: Earlier in life, he participated in a barber shop quartet which broke the bad news about AIDS to people who had been tested for it.

Tasteless? Maybe, but no more than Patch Adams.

This makes me think about the commentary track on the episode “I Never Saw Another Weinstein”. The episode had been completely finished and Fox, originally, didn’t air it. The show was canceled, and it was added as a bonus to the last disc of the second DVD box set.

During this commentary it’s apparent that several of the production staff were rightfully pissed that this episode hadn’t aired (it later aired on Cartoon Network and has since been shown several times) and during the course of their heated discussion on the matter they make one very good point:

Peter’s an idiot.

Seriously, they even devoted an entire episode to it (Petarded).

Why would anyone ever think that this fat cartoon serves as a role model for ANYONE? Any kid who watches this show and thinks “gee, I need to act just like that guy” has parents who need to have their heads examined.

The whole point here is that this joke isn’t targeted at the AIDS patients. The funny bit is, simply put, taking one of the most awkward situations anyone can be put in (on either side) and turning it into a complete farce.

written by J

BBC NEWS | Americas | Convicted sniper ‘must be fed’

“Good afternoon sir… we’re here to address your recent hunger strike. After reviewing your case, we’ve determined that you don’t want to eat. Unfortunately your victims didn’t want to be shot.

So… how are you at swallowing plastic tubes shoved down your nose?”

(not an actual quote, just what I’d say in the judge’s seat)

This moment of justice is brought to you by the BBC and Judge James Ryan.

Have a nice day

written by J

“TURN OFF YOUR CAMERA NOW!!!”

I first heard about this debacle a few days ago when a DJ participant notified BoingBoing of the whole thing, but now there’s a video (quicktime) as well as an in depth Wikipedia news article.

Some comments:

“In a press release from the Sheriff’s Office in Utah County, the department states that previous allegations of sexual abuse at other raves, as well as various firearm and theft violations, were reasons for the investigation.”

Wow… and here I thought those little lollipop pacifier suckers didn’t want anything more than to spin in a circle for 9 hours. Turns out they just wanted guns and to steal stuff.

Note the press release’s use of “theft violations.” I can imagine that one now: “Hey! I stole that first! Give it back!”

“The release continues on to state that the proper permit was not obtained before the event started. The promoters deny this allegation and insist that all permits were legally obtained before the event.”

The DJ on BoingBoing said that troopers (let’s be honest, that’s what a man dressed like this is) actually tore the organizer’s permit up in front of him. Even if the permit was legally obtained, destroy his copy and there isn’t much preventing you from wiping out everything else back at the office, all of which is under your control.

“Among the confiscated items and drugs found were cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana, mushrooms, alcohol, and drug paraphernalia. Some of the drugs may include those confiscated from attendees by private security guards - who were also arrested.”

Yes, you read that correctly. Security Guards were arrested because they had drugs on them; drugs they had confiscated from attendees at the entrance to the show.

Brilliant.

Witness statement:

“I saw at least two people being beaten on the ground while barking, snarling dogs are held just a few feet from them. Weapons were being pointed at unarmed, peaceful civilians. A friend of mine was forced at gunpoint to put his hands on his head and turn around, because he asked if he could get his things from the tent.”

Nothing to see here… move along

We aren’t making progress people. The human race isn’t treating each other any better than we did several decades ago, and for all our advanced technology and new awareness of the world around us it doesn’t count for squat unless we can learn to get along better.

written by J

Inside the Iraqi constitution: 3 main points still in dispute - Yahoo! News

Yahoo has an in depth article covering the ins-and-outs of the Iraqi constitution currently being debated by the interim government. You’ll probably see a lot of coverage out there on this constitution, but this isn’t a moment-by-moment slug fest coverage a la CNN, just a good look into what’s already done, what’s being debated, and where the country is headed.

On a related note, I read recently that Bush thought most Americans feel a near-future pullout of U.S. forces in Iraq would “weaken the United States.”

*blank stare*

Sorry, the sheer stupidity of that statement made me zone out in “whaaaa?” mode as I typed it.

A quote I read today on the mad Russian’s blog:

“Why, of course, the people don’t want war, why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don’t want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.”

-Hermann Goering April, 18, 1946

Now granted Goering was a Nazi, and I’m not trying to push anyone’s particular agenda or political views here. But don’t those last couple lines strike a scarily familiar tone for how our own government is portraying the situation?

written by J

Doom on Yahoo! Movies

Just a quick note that the Doom trailer is up for viewing at the link above.

Get your BFG’s ready. And watch out for those big pink flying mouths shaped like a ball with one eye. I hated those jerks.

written by J

Flickr: Uploading Tools

At long last, a minor update to the Flickr Uploadr for Windows.

Unfortunately OS X users are still officially out in the cold, but they have a link on the same page to 1001, a third-party client that will work with Macs.

written by J