So for those of you who don’t know, PBS funds a show on youtube called ideachannel. It features some fantastically out there ideas, usually backed by pretty solid evidence. It’s pretty entertaining to watch, and they just did an episode on Community… so… you know I’m all over that. Anyway, take a look. video after the jump. Continue reading “This is just Dean-lightening”
Category: Internet Resources
Ze Frank has words of wise
I’ve always worked backwards in finding new things or people to admire and explore; I guess I’m weird that way. I heard Nirvana’s cover of  ‘The Man Who Sold The World’ before I heard it in the original Bowie (for the record, Bowie’s version is superior, and I’m saying that in spite of the fact that I heard Nirvana’s first – suck it).
Then, when I was thirteen, I discovered Denis Leary. I became obsessed with his comedy; dry, bitter, raunchy and unforgiving, it seemed a perfect fit for the person I was in the process of gloaming my way into (i.e. angsty teen stereotype #984,643). I continued to admire his wit and sarcasm until I discovered his source, Bill Hicks.  Bill Hicks was everything Leary was, but more, and better, and smarter – and possessed of a wry affection for his fellow human beings, which was never in evidence with Leary’s work. Unfortunately, I fell out of love with Leary’s comedy when I discovered Bill Hicks’, because Leary had ripped off almost an entire album of material almost word for word, something I considered an unforgivable theft.
Ze Frank is a video blogger on YouTube who has inspired some of the most recognized names on YouTube Both John and Hank Green of *deep breath* vlogbrothers, crash course education, Sci-show and Nerdighteria (etc.) fame, claim Ze Frank’s YouTube channel as a constant source of inspiration. Fortunately for me, however, Ze Frank wasn’t ripped off by the vlogbrothers – they don’t roll that way. They did what any good fan does – expand, alter, express themselves; they used what they knew from their own lives and made something truly great, and I honor THEM for that, and I honor Ze for being even partly the inspiration for that.
And he is truly an inspiration. watch this video of him, and then Fyeah, Ze Frank will happen. I love his videos. So I want to share.
On Steam Tech Support
So I’m a big fan of tech support in general. Lots of really good people work this frustrating job, and I’m used to the fact that they’re going to do things like assume I’m an idiot and ask if I’ve turned the device off then on again, because a) they have to, and b) most people ARE idiots. or functionally close enough with technology, anyways.
But Steam’s tech support no longer gets the benefit of the doubt on this issue any more.
Before I go any further, you should know the history of my tech support woes with Valve, and why it was a definite last resort this most recent time. Continue reading “On Steam Tech Support”
Graduation
(>^.^)> <(^v^)> <(^.^<)
I am sooooo…. glad…. It’s OVER! No more tests for a while, no more stuffing my brain with homework on the side…
On the other hand, I’m so looking forward to starting up again… SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE OUT THERE…
I feel like the guy from that Twilight Zone episode did, right before he broke his glasses.
Yeah, that guy.
I said BEFORE he broke his glasses. Jesus.
I’ve seen so much that I’ve wanted to show you all… I don’t know where to start. I’ve been building up since about mid-quarter, but school and homework (and my boyfriend ^^) came first.
So to start off, a little something on maturity.
http://www.viruscomix.com/gotes.jpg
I love the fact that whoever did this captured everyone at their best and worst… Maybe these should be renamed Barnum goats.
http://www.3steg.com/images/stories/super_human_expirence.gif
Talk about timing. That right there is something I can only admire… as long as it isn’t shooped, which it most likely is.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirpan
That up there is about the only reason I can think of to become affiliated with a religion, even though I couldn’t actually believe in it. Being allowed to carry that bowie-esque sonuvabitch any-damn-where I want in public? and it’s my religious freedom, so law be damned? Freakin’ sweet.
Lastly, a little something to make up for that remark, because really, I promise I wouldn’t sell out my principles for a knife (unless it was Excalibur and the zombie apocalypse was at hand, at which point my principles would have a fire sale – you still wouldn’t be able to make me believe, but I’d say any damn thing you wanted to get my hands on a magic sword if evil undead were on the horizon).
http://lolgod.blogspot.com/2010/05/this-is-not-difficult-concept.html
So there ya go. I’m still Arthur from the block, or whatever.
See y’all soon!
STEPHEN FRY: WHAT I WISH I’D KNOWN WHEN I WAS 18 on Vimeo
Vodpod videos no longer available.
The Real Savoy: Inner Game Great Stephen Fry Video, posted with vodpod
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Great little (atheist) site
I found a site recently – http://www.optatio.net/#quote19
It’s a site of random atheist quotes. Quotes like the following:
The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully. Richard Dawkins
People will then often say, “But surely it’s better to remain an Agnostic just in case?” This, to me, suggests such a level of silliness and muddle that I usually edge out of the conversation rather than get sucked into it. (If it turns out that I’ve been wrong all along, and there is in fact a god, and if it further turned out that this kind of legalistic, cross-your-fingers-behind-your-back, Clintonian hair-splitting impressed him, then I think I would choose not to worship him anyway.) Douglas Adams
I have examined all the known superstitions of the world, and I do not find in our particular superstition of Christianity one redeeming feature. They are all alike founded on fables and mythology. Thomas Jefferson
We must question the story logic of having an all-knowing all-powerful God, who creates faulty Humans, and then blames them for his own mistakes. Gene Roddenberry
An Open Letter to ABC and Comedy Central
To Whom It May Concern:
This letter is regarding your decisions to let your content broadcast contract lapse with Hulu in favor of broadcasting streaming content on your own websites.
Your companies are smart, tech savvy and moving forward to be on the edge of modern entertainment. You’ve done an admirable job so far of making sure that your income from advertisement stays reasonably steady, and that your content stays available, reducing the draw for illegal download.
All this leaves me with one question: What bonehead tech company did you contract with to assemble your website and stream your videos?
The websites are overdone, cluttered messes. The videos, when they work, have bugs in the interface that make them almost unwatchable – shading into completely unwatchable. Videos and advertisements sometimes don’t stream at all.
Go ahead – check. Ask your viewers what they think. Watch the videos themselves. Go to your own website. I’ll wait.
I don’t download content illegally. I also don’t choose to support badly put together websites. And since I’m not willing to support your network’s website, I’m not going to buy your content on DVD either – which is sad, because I enjoy having a DVD copy of my favorite shows.
You have good shows, but unless you can get your website together or give streaming licenses to the people who know how to do it (i.e. Hulu), you’re going to lose a lot of viewers like me.
With Sincerest Regrets,
Arthur
A video I shouldn’t show
I’m posting this video up (even though I probably shouldn’t) for three reasons:
1) It happens to be the funniest review I’ve seen in a loooong time, from one of the best film reviewers on the web. Seriously, I have a huge amount of respect for this guy (Doug Walker, also known as the Nostalgia Critic or That Guy With The Glasses).
2) This movie has got to be the worst movie I’ve ever seen. Seriously. Including made for TV. Including Lifetime channel made for TV. Including Freddie Got Fingered, for Chrissakes. This thing is AWFUL. Which only makes the review that much better.
3) This review has been removed from Doug Walker’s site (http://thatguywiththeglasses.com) due to a copyright infringement claim by the creator of the movie – a claim I believe to be fraudulent and dangerously close to perjury. If this movie goes back up, or if Mr. Walker asks me to remove it, I’ll do so ASAP. Until then, I don’t think I can stand idly by and watch this excellence disappear.
To Mr. Walker: I mean it when I say that if you have any sort of problem with this, I’m more than happy to take it down. This is just my way of protesting the bullshit. I don’t want to add to it. ^^
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Nostalgia Critic: The Room, posted with vodpod
Ҥ 107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use
Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include —
(1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
(2) the nature of the copyrighted work;
(3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
(4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.”
For the Nostalgia Critic’s response to Mr. Wiseau’s tantrum, see this video (http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatguywiththeglasses/nostalgia-critic/26252-the-tommy-wiseau-show for those who like to enter the address themselves) . . . and check out the rest of his site, too! Doug Walker is one of the reasons I get on the net – He’s irresistably funny, clever, and spot-on in his reviews.
In closing: Mr. Wiseau, get a life.
Lots of really cool Atheist-themed stuff and sites ^^
The Arguing Atheist
I stumbled on this site recently that takes the atheist v. theist debate into a completely different mode – the mode of the choose your own adventure book.
For those who don’t like hyperlinks, here’s the site: http://www.arguingatheist.com/
As the title of the website may suggest, you take the point of view of an atheist interrupted on his day off by a missionary knocking at his door. As you progress through the story, you — in the position of the atheist — will make decisions about how to respond to discussion points you are presented with.
And as the Choose Your Own Adventure series were fond of saying, ‘You’re The Star Of The Story!’
This is such a great concept. I loved it so much that I spent the last four hours going through each scenario and every possible answer, just like I used to do when I was a kid ( I always cheated at the damned things ’cause I didn’t want to have to retread the same ground ^^).
What’s great about this is that it gave me a much more holistic, in depth view of the opposition’s opinions. It also gave me many many more good, solid counter-arguments – based on solid, rigorously applied logic and science.
I can’t recommend this site highly enough. It’s interesting, thoughtful, and it even manages to be extremely respectful (while still not pulling punches) – so you might be able to get a few religious nuts to sit down and realize what jackasses they are! ^^ *crosses fingers* I know it isn’t likely, but… hey, I can hope.
Either way, I certainly recommend it to anyone with atheist or agnostic leanings, anyone who argues with theists on a regular basis, or anyone who wants to better understand theist/atheist debate points.
Check it out!
Why do atheists debate, anyway? What’s in it for them?
If you’re wondering why an atheist would want to debate with a theist, check this answer out – it’s the most accurate one I’ve found.
IAMANATHEIST.COM BLOG
Brilliant stuff. just brilliant. well worth a stop by. link here.
SWAG! STUFFS! AWESOME AND NIFTY PURCHASABLES!
This is all stuff based around (and i believe going to support) iamanatheist.com, a really nifty little site about… you guessed it… atheism. They’re very unapologetic, and have a really funny sense of humor, too.
So of course the stuff is awesome. check some of this niftyness out.
QUALIA SOUP
Youtube user QualiaSoup is famous in atheist circles, and infamous in religious ones, for being meticulous, carefully researched, and damning in his proofs against religion and supernatural wibbly wobbly woo-woo set thinking.
here’s one of his videos as an example. I use him heavily as a resource when trying to figure out how to explain why something isn’t good logic. He’s very thorough and very easy to understand.
What if People Actually Treated Religion as Just a Metaphor?
And finally, an article about the religious secularism movement (Jewish Atheism, for instance), and how to tell the real secularists from people who just want an excuse to keep on keeping on with that old time religion.
Really good advice on bad deals and better options
I don’t usually like Yahoo articles.
They tend to be heavy on style, light on footwork – where they aren’t guessing, or wrong altogether. This article turned out to be the exception. Some things were obvious, but I have to admit some weren’t. With some of those that were, there were better options I’d never heard of. I heartily recommend you read this article. It’s got some good advice… and it’s short. What’s five minutes compared to a better credit score, better finances in general, and a more savvy outlook?
Not much to me, at least.
But for those of you who are terminally lazy, at the very least check these links out for your free, annual, government guaranteed credit report from the three credit agencies, and a calculator to help you figure out your credit score.
The Blog For Everything by Arthur 
