ITwhirled

Five groovy sites for free music downloads

2008-05-27T11:07:00.001-04:00

Short of 'free food' and 'free beer,' 'free music' is one of the sweetest phrases you can hear. But getting tunes gratis doesn't have to mean ending up on the RIAA's Most Wanted list. These five sites will let you easily fatten up your music collection with tracks that creators and recording labels are giving away--all in DRM-free, MP3 format. An extra bonus: None of these sites require an e-mail address or any kind of registration. ...read more

The world's most annoying software

2008-05-27T11:06:00.002-04:00

This is a good list of software that ranges from necessary but irritatingly implemented (Windows Update) to just plain asinine (RealPlayer). And Java, oh, Java! "Programming languages are like sewage plants: if the average user becomes aware of them, something's gone wrong. Java doesn't know this." OUCH for Java! ...read more

Belgians develop urine-controlled video games

2008-05-27T11:06:00.001-04:00

If you think the Wii Remote is the ultimate in intuitive interfaces, well, get ready for Place to Pee, a new game system that will soon be arriving in Belgian urinals. A few simple games are planned that are controlled by hitting sensors in urinals ... with exactly what you'd think you'd hit a sensor in a urinal with. People can even stand at adjacent urinals for player-versus-player mode. ...read more

Raytheon building robot soldier suit

2008-05-27T11:05:00.000-04:00

Anyone who thinks that Iron Man is just fiction severely underestimates the ambition of America's defense contractors. Raytheon is working on a cybersuit that can lift hundreds of pounds, though it will look significantly less slick than the movie version. "It takes no special training, beyond learning to relax and trust the robot," said one engineer working on the suit, unsettlingly. ...read more

Tech's 10 worst entry-level jobs

2008-05-27T11:04:00.000-04:00

Would you want to be a customer support specialist for MySpace? A financial analyst at trouble Yahoo! A Windows support tech of any kind? Of course you don't. Find out why all these jobs, and more, will suck your soul out. ...read more

Poll: Do you own a Wii?

2008-05-27T11:03:00.000-04:00

- Yes, and I have the bruises to proove it.
- Yes, but I hardly ever play.
- Not yet, but I'll get one for Wii Fit.
- Puhleeze. I'm a hard-core gamer.
- Nope. I'm not into video games.
- I don't even like to say Wii.

Vote now!

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Is your job making you fat?

15.5% - I blame the man!
20.7% - I sit at my desk snacking all day, so yes.
43.1% - It's not my job so much as my slothfulness.
15.5% - Constantly putting out fires keeps me lean.
5.2% - Are you kidding? I can't keep weight on.

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Trekkies rejoice! Real live tricorder invented

2008-05-06T16:12:00.002-04:00

All right, maybe it isn't quite a tricorder, but it's darn close. UC Berkeley profs have figured out a way to attach a medical scanner to an ordinary cell phone. The scanner sends raw data over the cell network to a high-powered computer back in the lab. The set will allow people living in rural areas without access to sophisticated medical equipment to get more high-tech care. ...read more

CSI: Viking Age - Homicide charges dropped against ancient Norse

2008-05-06T16:12:00.001-04:00

For years, archaeologists have believed that one of two women found on board a perfectly preserved Viking ship was a human sacrifice. But now scientists say that the collarbone injury that was thought to have killed her had actually been healing for weeks, and that her death may have been of natural causes. ...read more

Road Kill Record Book Club

2008-05-06T16:11:00.002-04:00

Hunters have long boasted of the size of the animals they've successfully shot and killed. But what of those who hunt accidentally, with the front bumpers of their car? Or those who just find enormous animal corpses on the side of the road? Now their records too are made public to the world, thanks to this exciting new Website. ...read more

Computer languages and facial hair

2008-05-06T16:11:00.001-04:00

The weirdo-beardo Unix admin is a longstanding IT cliche. But one Israeli Microsoft blogger has set out to prove, in profusely illustrated fashion, that facial hair and programming brilliance are definitely related. ...read more

Italian salaries go online

2008-05-06T16:10:00.001-04:00

You've probably heard urban legends about people e-mailing salary lists to everyone in their company, causing chaos and dissent as people discover what their co-workers make. But what if that list was of the salaries of everyone in the entire country? That really happened in Italy, when the tax authority briefly posted every Italian citizen's taxable income on the Internet. ...read more

Geek comic of the week: Kate Beaton

2008-05-06T16:09:00.002-04:00

Kate Beaton has applied her deceptively simple style to a number of interesting comic projects. From a history-themed comic series, to a comic journal, to funny strips about Canada's Maritime provinces, this series has something for most. ...read more

20 things you can do in 20 minutes to be more successful at work

2008-05-06T16:09:00.001-04:00

Want to add to your work cred and cachet, fast? Any of these tips can help catapult you up the ladder. ...read more

The 10 most important technologies you never think about

2008-05-06T16:08:00.001-04:00

Take a peek inside the magician's hat at ten technologies that are keys to our digital age. Without realizing it, you've probably used at least one of them already today--if not all. But whether you're aware of them or not, without these technologies our world would be a very different place. ...read more

Poll: Do you read comments to posts on sites like Digg and Slashdot?

2008-05-06T16:02:00.001-04:00

- I don't read comments. They're worthless.
- I look for comments, but I don't read them.
- I read them sometimes.
- I get sucked right in. There's great stuff in there.

Vote now!

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Have you ever been fired?

11.4% - Nope - I've been at the same job my whole working life
41.1% - Nope - I've always left on my terms
15.8% - Well, I've been part of mass layoffs, but I've never been singled out
13.9% - Yes, but I've grown as an employee since then
12.4% - Yes, due to personality conflicts with the boss
5.4% - I am unemployable

Answer another poll

Robot vigilante takes on hobos

2008-05-01T09:34:00.001-04:00

The owner of O'Terrill's pub was tired of homeless men hanging out using drugs outside his bar and at a local children's center. His solution: the "bum bot", a 300-pound remote-controlled security droid, armed with a megaphone and a water cannon. ...read more

Google domain names - the funny, strange and surprising

2008-05-01T09:33:00.003-04:00

Google owns thousands of .com domain names. There are the obvious misspellings, a number that seem totally unrelated, and other that are just plain odd. But then there are those that may foreshadow future services. ...read more

UFOs attack Phoenix (again)

2008-05-01T09:33:00.001-04:00

A series of hovering red lights were spotted in the skies over Phoenix, Arizona, this week, resulting in hundreds of phone calls to police. Similar lights were widely reported in 1997. The Air Force denies any knowledge of the incident, so the question now is: who are these space monsters, and why on earth do they care about the Southwest's largest, sprawliest metropolis? ...read more

A field guide to Internet people: Hipsters

2008-05-01T09:32:00.002-04:00

Learn how to identify and interact with hipsters when you encounter them online, as you inevitably will! Part of a larger series of descriptors of the sorts of folks you'll meet on the Internet, which also includes LOLCats and college revolutionaries. ...read more

5 easy ways to commit career suicide

2008-05-01T09:32:00.001-04:00

We're all capable of making mistakes that can send us straight to the career doghouse. Here are five big no-nos to watch out for. ...read more

Lawmaker who showed porn to kids quits

2008-05-01T09:31:00.002-04:00

Ohio state legislator Matthew Barrett was supposed to show high school students a Powerpoint presentation on how a bill becomes a law; instead, he showed them a picture of a topless a woman. Barrett claims to have no idea how the naughty pic got on his USB drive, but is resigning in disgrace anyway. ...read more

Geek Comic of the Week: King Monkey

2008-05-01T09:31:00.001-04:00

If you like adorable talking blue and green monkeys that have wacky adventures together serving their red Monkey King, then this is the comic for you! And if you don't ... then I'm pretty sure you're not really human. C'mom, they're adorable talking monkeys! ...read more 'Geek Comic of the Week: King Monkey'

10 Killer Texting Tricks

2008-05-01T09:30:00.000-04:00

To many people over the age of 30, text messaging can seem like one of those strange, complicated behaviors only teenagers understand. In reality, it's one more great tool in your productivity arsenal, right up there with e-mail and instant messaging. Let your thumbs do a little walking and you can check flight status, update your calendar, track a package, check your bank balance, and get driving directions to almost anywhere. ...read more

Poll: Have you ever been fired?

2008-05-01T09:29:00.000-04:00

- Nope - I've been at the same job my whole working life
- Nope - I've always left on my terms
- Well, I've been part of mass layoffs, but I've never been singled out
- Yes, but I've grown as an employee since then
- Yes, due to personality conflicts with the boss
- I am unemployable

Vote now!

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

How are you coping with sky-high gas prices?

9.8% - Car pool
19.5% - Take public transportation
17.1% - Walk/bike to work
11.0% - Telecommute
6.1% - My hybrid gets 50+ miles per gallon.
36.6% - I can afford it. I was hired during the dotcom boom.

Answer another poll

Which religion has the best cell phone?

2008-04-18T16:16:00.002-04:00

Religious devotees around the world enjoy expressing their faith with customized cell phones, which may play religious ringtones, carry scripture or provide guidance, content filtering and other services specific to each religion. These phones are customized and marketed directly to religious communities in various parts of the world. But which of the world's great religions - Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Judaism (listed in order of size) - has the best cell phone? ...read more

Women more likely than men to trade passwords for chocolate

2008-04-18T16:16:00.001-04:00

A new survey by Infosecurity Europe finds that women are four times more likely than men to sell their passwords to total strangers in exchange for chocolate. The genders were nearly equally likely to trade their contact information for a chance to win a trip to Paris, though. ...read more

Geek love: In-game marriage proposal succeeds

2008-04-18T16:15:00.000-04:00

Tammy Li apparently has a hard time tearing herself away from Bejeweled, her favorite video game; so, in an attempt to attract her attention, Bernie Peng reprogrammed the game so it would flash up a marriage proposal when she hit a certain score. She said yes, and the company that makes Bejeweled is so pleased that it will fly the couple to Seattle for their honeymoon. ...read more

Green search engine plants trees for clicks

2008-04-18T16:14:00.001-04:00

A new Australian search engine that claims to be the first 'green' search engine launched Monday, offering users in 14 countries the ability to contribute to offsetting carbon emissions through tree planting schemes simply by using it to query the Web. ...read more

Scientists achieve one small step for moon-farming

2008-04-18T16:13:00.002-04:00

You may think of the moon as a harsh, unforgiving place. But scientists have succeeded in growing plants in a very close simulation of lunar soil! Turns out that all you need to do is add bacteria. And water. And air. ...read more

Poll: Parents fear in-game sex more than decapitation

2008-04-18T16:13:00.001-04:00

This week's online poll from parental gaming site What They Play finds in-game sex more offensive than 'a graphically severed head.' ...read more

Gas geek gang tries to run over cop

2008-04-18T16:12:00.002-04:00

Who says Americans aren't tech innovators? A group of Florida thieves came up with a computerized device local police say they've never seen before to hack electronic gas pumps and get unlimited petrol. But their criminal skills turned out to be not on the same level as their engineering smarts: when spotted by a police officer, they attempted to run him over with their car. ...read more

The best graphic novels you haven't read yet

2008-04-18T16:12:00.001-04:00

If you're looking for graphic novels aimed at a young adult audience, this list offers a wide selection of genres. From lovelorn mummies to aliens in the icy oceans of Jupiter's moons, you'll meet a variety of heroes and villains in these pages. ...read more

Top 10 mistakes entrepreneurs make

2008-04-18T16:11:00.001-04:00

Part of the fun of being an entrepreneur is striking out on your own, but that doesn't mean you should ignore the wisdom of others. Here's a list of pitfalls to avoid; techies should particularly heed #5: "Too much belief in the saving grace of 'miracle' technologies" ...read more

A new kind of Web -- don't miss these 11 sites

2008-04-18T16:10:00.000-04:00

Here are 11 Web 2.0 sites or mashups or whatever you want to call them that show what the new Web can do, from helping you organize your life to adding some personalized fun to it. ...read more

5 gadgets that make you seem artistic

2008-04-18T16:09:00.000-04:00

In this modern age of techno toys, it's easy to get in touch with your inner artist. If you're itching to create sublime, meaningful works of art -- or at least something with a beat you can dance to -- here are five gadgets worth a look. ...read more

Poll: How are you coping with sky-high gas prices?

2008-04-18T16:08:00.000-04:00

- Car pool
- Take public transportation
- Walk/bike to work
- Telecommute
- My hybrid gets 50+ miles per gallon.
- I can afford it. I was hired during the dotcom boom.

Vote now!

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

What are you most sick of hearing about?

15.1% - The economy
15.1% - The war
32.1% - The democratic primary
9.4% - Microsoft/Yahoo
7.5% - All things Google
5.7% - All things Vista
15.1% - All things iPhone

Answer another poll

Researchers: Glasses aren't geeky

2008-03-28T16:09:00.002-04:00

For too long, those who wear glasses have been stigmatized as dorkwads and lame-os. But now, scientists have declared that glasses-wearers are no more likely than the population at large to be introverted, and are slightly more likely than average to be "agreeable." There's no word on whether these geeky scientists are themselves four-eyed types with an agenda to push. ...read more

Scientists train suicidal fish

2008-03-28T16:09:00.001-04:00

Seeking to resolve the environmental impact of fish farms, scientists are working to train fish to return to a specific point from their home in the open sea in response to an audio signal. The fish would be fed after the noise was broadcast until they were conditioned to associate that sound with good times -- until they got fat enough, and then they'd be killed and eaten, obviously. ...read more

Japanese astronaut tests boomerang in zero-g

2008-03-28T16:08:00.000-04:00

Takao Doi spent most of his 18 days in space helping attach a new Japanese laboratory to the International Space Station. But during his free time, he was able to engage in a little research of his own, throwing a boomerang inside the station and determining that it did in fact come back to him as it would have on earth. The experiment was conducted on the behest of his friend Yasuhiro Togai, a world boomerang champion. ...read more

Five videos too good for YouTube

2008-03-28T16:07:00.000-04:00

Tired of the YouTube scene? Would you rather watch something a little more...movielike? Well, fire up the popcorn. Here are five flicks you can legally download that YouTube won't have up anytime soon. ...learn more

Lawsuit over stolen Second Life sex toys ends in settlement

2008-03-28T16:06:00.001-04:00

Eros LLC, a company that manufactures virtual genitalia for Second Life players, settled its lawsuit against Second Life denizen "Volkov Catteneo," who was reproducing and reselling the virtual naughty bits. But the lawsuit ended in a settlement, frustrating both those who wanted to see some legal precedent set in regards to virtual property and fans of funny lawsuits involving virtual genitalia. ...read more

Geek comic of the week: The Ten Doctors

2008-03-28T16:03:00.000-04:00

Dr. Who fans who have dreamed of a grand meetup of all ten of the Doctor's reincarnations -- along with 45 years worth of companions and villains -- will enjoy this comic. It's already on chapter 85, but you'll want to start from the beginning. ...read more

Top 10 most pathetic ITT Tech "campuses"

2008-03-28T16:02:00.000-04:00

The ITT Takes Time blog dedicates itself to mocking the ITT Technical Institute chain of for-profit tech universities. This photo list finds the saddest campuses in the chain, in strip malls and senior citizens' homes (really!) across America. ...continue reading 'Top 10 most pathetic ITT Tech "campuses"'

Poll: Do you wear glasses?

2008-03-28T15:53:00.000-04:00

- Yes. Can't see a thing without them.
- I've had corrective surgery
- I wear contact lenses
- I wear them for fashion
- I probably need them but haven't had my eyes checked
- Nope. My vision is perfect

Vote now!

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

How do you manage work stress?

11.3% - Lash out at coworkers
31.0% - Bottle it up
12.7% - Meditation and yoga
19.7% - Beer
16.9% - Video games
8.5% - I'm impervious to stress

Answer another poll

Aussie puts life up for sale on eBay

2008-03-24T16:59:00.002-04:00

Have you ever wanted to be an assistant rug store manager who enjoys motorcycling and skydiving and lives in a three-bedroom home in Perth, Australia? Well, you can be -- if you bid on Ian Usher's life on eBay. Usher, desperate to start his life fresh after a rough divorce, is offering all his worldly possessions, a two-week trial period at his job, and even the names and addresses of his friends. After the auction closes, he plans to walk out the door with his wallet and passport and nothing else. ...read more

Housing market woes affect flying saucers

2008-03-24T16:59:00.001-04:00

Chattanooga's famous space house -- a livable home shaped like a UFO -- sold for a mere $135,000 at auction last week, despite the worldwide attention the sale caused. One thing that might have given potential homeowners pause: the only way in or out is via a retractable ladder underneath the spacecraft. Also, it can't fly to other solar systems, or even to the next state. ...read more

Japan names cartoon ambassador

2008-03-24T16:58:00.002-04:00

The latest member of Japan's diplomatic corps is named Doraemon, is blue, and is a cartoon robot cat. He's the nation's first official anime ambassador, and he represents the country ... we're not sure how, exactly, but we're sure its very exciting but confusing. ...read more

Top 15 ways to reduce stress

2008-03-24T16:58:00.001-04:00

If you spend your days in a cube glowering at a computer screen, there's no question that you need this list. The "stretching" one is particularly key. In fact, I'm going to go stretch right now. Aaaaahhhhhh...

YouTube morons get 30 days in jail for taco theft

2008-03-24T16:57:00.000-04:00

Master criminal Robert Echeverria and some of his friends cooked up a diabolical scheme in which they pretended to be a corporate CEO and his flunkies in order to scam awful fake Mexican food from Del Taco. Their biggest mistake: bragging to YouTube -- and thus to the Internet at large -- at their success in getting sub-$5 tacos for free. Now Echeverria will be going to jail to contemplate his misdeeds. ...read more

Geek comic of the week: Questionable Content

2008-03-24T16:56:00.001-04:00

This venerable and wildly popular Webcomic has a certain geek appeal, not least because of the presence of an anthropomorphic computer (AnthroPC). Plus, there's plenty of indie rock talk and romantic melodrama to keep you entertained. ...read more

The 10 video formats HD DVD will meet in heaven

2008-03-24T16:55:00.002-04:00

In case you missed it, the epic battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray came to an end after HD DVD was unceremoniously dumped by NetFlix, Best Buy, Walmart, Sony and Warner Brothers. But HD DVD is in good company. Here's a list of 10 other promising technologies the buying public ultimately didn't put their weight behind. ...read more

Poll: How do you manage work stress?

2008-03-24T16:54:00.000-04:00

- Lash out at coworkers
- Bottle it up
- Meditation and yoga
- Beer
- Video games
- I'm impervious to stress

Vote now!

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

If you hadn't chosen a career in IT, what would you be doing now?

19.8% - Videogame tester
37.2% - Teacher
4.2% - Sports writer
4.7% - Circus performer
16.4% - Musician
7.8% - Audio/video salesperson
9.6% - Bartender

Answer another poll

Over 50% of companies fire workers for e-mail, 'Net abuse

2008-03-11T11:05:00.000-04:00

Think you can get away with using e-mail and the Internet in violation of company policy? Think again. A new study conducted by the American Management Association and The ePolicy Institute found that more than 25% of employers have fired workers for misusing e-mail and one third have fired workers for misusing the Internet on the job. Sure, the vast majority (84%) of firings involved porn, but simply surfing the Web led to a surprising number of firings. ...read more

UK computer store finds encrypted disc in eBay buy

2008-03-11T11:04:00.003-04:00

The British government has suffered a series of high-profile losses and thefts of disks containing confidential personal data. That's why the technicians at a computer shop in Bolton called the cops when they found a CD hidden behind the keyboard of a laptop they bought on eBay. The disc contained encrypted data and was whisked away by counterterrorism officers. ...read more

Scientists seek to create "robo-turtle"

2008-03-11T11:04:00.001-04:00

Most sea turtles who lose three flippers simply can't survive in their watery environment. But Texas conservationists have managed to nurse one such critter back from the brink. Now they want to equip it with a cyborg flipper that will presumably allow it to swim normally -- and hunt down and destroy the motorboat that took its biological limbs. ...read more

6 passed-over Star Wars promotional products

2008-03-11T11:03:00.001-04:00

How could there not be a market for Princess Leia's Hair Headphones (especially if they're the fancy noise-cancelling kind)? And what about the Han Solo in Carbonite Mini Fridge? Or the At-At Walker Chair Caddy? ...read more

Mystery man breaks into woman's apartment, downloads porn

2008-03-11T11:02:00.002-04:00

An Ottowa woman awoke at 4 a.m. confronting what for most of us would be a nightmare: a stranger had broken into her apartment. But instead of looking for valuables or threatening her life, he was looking at porn on her computer. The man fled when confronted, leading some to wonder if 24-hour cybercafes would be a good business. ...read more

Geek Comic of the Week: Kinkofry

2008-03-11T11:02:00.001-04:00

Mushrooms are pretty amazing -- so says the tagline for this comic, anyway. Looking vaguely like Super Mario's mushroom enemies, the fungal heroes and villains in this comic navigate their way around its strange world. ...read more

10 broken technologies - and how to fix them

2008-03-11T11:01:00.000-04:00

Sometimes a technology idea is too good to be true. A flexible keyboard, Internet voting and watching feature films on your smart phone are examples. Today, these concepts are still evolving, but they're broken right now. Here's why and what could be done to fix them. ...read more

Poll: How do you treat your repeptitive strain injury?

2008-03-11T10:59:00.000-04:00

- With the same painkiller I use for my headache
- Total rest
- Stretches, exercises, and ergonomics
- I work through the pain
- I don't have RSI - I control my computer with my mind

Vote now!

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

The first computer I ever owned...

1.0% - Ran Windows XP/Vista
5.1% - Ran Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000
9.2% - Ran Windows 3.x
35.2% - Ran DOS
0.4% - Ran OS X
5.7% - Ran the Classic Mac OS
26.5% - Was made by Commodore
9.6% - Was made by Atari
7.3% - Took up the better part of a room

Answer another poll

Fashion gaffes that keep geeks out of the boardroom

2008-03-03T16:00:00.003-05:00

Some geeks pride themselves on a lack of fashion sense. But if you've got plans to get out of your cube and into that corner office, you'll want to learn how to clean up nice. This handy slideshow gives you a list of dos and don'ts -- from pigtails to concert t-shirts. ...read more

Crackpot technologies that could shake up IT

2008-03-03T16:00:00.001-05:00

Nanotech! Pervasive computing! Wireless power! Just a few years ago, these ideas sounded like something out of a sci-fi novel, but today they're on the threshold of reality -- and will really mix things up if they come to fruition. Will 2008 be their big year? Or will they always be the next big thing? ...read more

Computer learns to appreciate art

2008-03-03T15:59:00.001-05:00

OK, maybe "appreciate" is the wrong word, but an Israeli scientist is trying to train a computer to recognize the techniques of specific artists so that it can detect forgeries or hidden masterpieces. But once computers start to learn about the finer things in life, like great art, what will become of Antiques Roadshow? ...read more

Geek Comic of the Week: Pictures for Sad Children

2008-03-03T15:58:00.004-05:00

Some harsh words for nerds in the most recent set of comics on this one. But isn't it something nerds need to hear? We'd say yes! ...read more

10 cubicles that are cooler than yours (and one that isn't)

2008-03-03T15:58:00.003-05:00

If you're like most techies, you spend way too much time in your cube. Check out this series of pics that take the idea of "decorating your cube" a little too far... read more

Top 10 Ballads for Product Launches

2008-03-03T15:58:00.001-05:00

Imagine how much better the world (or at least the IT industry) would be if companies used ballads, instead of dance music, to introduce their breakthrough products. Sure, a lot of IT guys are metalheads, but even the heaviest thrash-rockers have been known to take it down a notch or two occasionally. And so, here's a list of ballads that could help set the tone for a new kind of relationship between vendors and the kind of IT managers they hope to woo. ...read more

Poll: The first computer I ever owned...

2008-03-03T15:40:00.000-05:00

- Ran Windows XP/Vista
- Ran Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000
- Ran Windows 3.x
- Ran DOS
- Ran OS X
- Ran the Classic Mac OS
- Was made by Commodore
- Was made by Atari
- Took up the better part of a room

Vote now!

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Would you spill your guts online?

73.0% - No way - I don't need the world knowing my business
18.9% - Maybe under a pseudonym - sharing might be cleansing
0.0% - Sure - We all live under the spotlight today
8.1% - Already doing it - That's what my blog is for

Answer another poll

Hero inventor to drag Canada into the space age

2008-02-25T16:00:00.001-05:00

Canada is a great nation -- so shouldn't it have its own rocket-launch capabilities? One British Columbian aims to provide just that with his own brand of high-tech bottle rockets. The current models only go up a few hundred yards (or "metres," as they call them in Canada) but he has plans for a polymer-based version that can go into orbit. ...read more

Harvard profs attempt to fool college students with "science is sexy" lie

2008-02-25T15:59:00.001-05:00

In an attempt to coax young people into their profession, a group of Harvard-based scientists threw a "science is sexy" party, in which they demonstrated the scientific basis for romantic attraction. Suckers who are conned into the sciences by this front will discover too late that the job mostly involves applying for grant money and fudging data. ...read more

The online relationship obituary database

2008-02-25T15:58:00.002-05:00

People's willingness -- nay, eagerness -- to share their raw emotional stories online with the world never ceases to amaze. One New York public radio employee found a great deal of closure after writing her father's obituary, and so decided to write one for a past relationship as well. She started a site for others to do the same -- which has gotten dozens of entries. Warning: ADDICTIVE!

New underwater car is a convertible

2008-02-25T15:58:00.001-05:00

Amphibious cars are definitely on the list of sci-fi advances we've been waiting for. Now that one's finally arrived, there's only one problem: it's a convertible! Apparently it's only "safe" if you do it wearing scuba gear. How would James Bond keep his tuxedo impeccable? watch the video

Geek Comic of the Week: Industrial revolutionary

2008-02-25T15:57:00.002-05:00

Another comic aimed making the cubicle-dwelling life absurd, but this one goes way beyond Dilbert. We have two words for you: Vampire temps. ...read more

Band-O-Rama Name-O-Matic

2008-02-25T15:57:00.001-05:00

Before you can ditch that lousy day gig and become a musician, you'll need the kind of weird, righteous band name that attracts concert promoters like flies to honey. Here's a tool to make that all-important name selection a breeze. Promise you'll remember me when you're famous. ...give it a whirl!

Top 11 obsolete skills

2008-02-25T15:56:00.000-05:00

Robert Scoble offers up a series of tech skills for your consideration that no longer have any real use -- in his opinion, anyway. We admit that slide rules and carbon paper have gone the way of the dodo, but we think that shorthand would be useful to know, and we still adjust our TV's bunny ears, darn it! ...read more

Poll: Would you spill your guts online?

2008-02-25T15:55:00.000-05:00

- No way - I don't need the world knowing my business
- Maybe under a pseudonym - sharing might be cleansing
- Sure - We all live under the spotlight today
- Already doing it - That's what my blog is for

Vote now!

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Favorite non-porn spam subject line?

10.5% - Been saved lately
5.3% - Swim in punchy
15.8% - No sing gawky
15.8% - For work the approximate eaves
47.4% - This going to expolad
0.0% - Enormous cider
5.3% - Baron usual

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Finite Simple Group (of Order Two)

2008-02-14T10:44:00.000-05:00

Two of the dorkiest things known to humankind -- math jokes and collegiate a capella -- are combined in this video to adorable effect. The Klein Four will send any heart that cares about higher mathematics a-pitter-patter with a series of romantic mathematical gags. You could steal the lyrics for your own serenade, but your harmonizing almost certainly won't be this good. ...watch 'Finite Simple Group (of Order Two)'

Facebook Stalker (a parody of Enrique Iglesias' song Hero)

2008-02-14T10:43:00.000-05:00

For anyone who's ever posted their pictures on Facebook or MySpace and worried that some creepy dude is spending way too much time "poking" them -- well, they probably are. Stick around for a laugh-out-loud Photoshop moment towards the end of the video. ...watch 'Facebook Stalker (a parody of Enrique Iglesias' song Hero)'

Can A Geek Find True Love And Be Himself?

2008-02-14T10:32:00.002-05:00

Diggnation hosts Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht offer some relationship advice to a troubled fan whose girlfriend can't accept his geekiness? The two geek gurus urge the young man to be himself. Do you think they've averted disaster, or ruined a perfectly good relationship? ...watch 'Can A Geek Find True Love And Be Himself?'

Computer Camp Love

2008-02-14T10:32:00.001-05:00

Norwegian electronic rockers Datarock pay tribute to such diverse sources as the Revenge of the Nerds films and Grease in this epic tale of true love blossoming at a computer camp, circa 1984. Sometimes your loved one looks best over the cold, blue glow of the Commodore 64's display. ...watch 'Computer Camp Love'

A Linux Guy's Guide to Valentine's Day Mods

2008-02-14T10:31:00.001-05:00

"Even us Linux guys are romantic sometimes!" declares the hero of this video. We leave it up to you to decide whether his wife will be impressed when he installs RFID chips in the coffee-maker (she doesn't drink coffee) or creates open-source themed candy hearts for the occasion. ...watch 'A Linux Guy's Guide to Valentine's Day Mods'

Internet Love Song

2008-02-14T10:30:00.000-05:00

Ever had an IRC session with that special someone that you just didn't want to end? This sweet little ukulele-fueled ditty will bring you back to late-night chat sessions that may or may not lead to love IRL. Notable for successfully rhyming "LOL" with "ROFLMAO". ...watch 'Internet Love Song'

The Internet Love Story

2008-02-14T10:29:00.000-05:00

But obviously there's a certain sadness to an all-online romance. This song actually manages to capture the weird contradictions -- the safety and the limits -- of Internet love. It's funny but manages to take the subject matter seriously, and is well sung to boot! ...watch 'The Internet Love Story'

A Love That Knows No Limits

2008-02-14T10:27:00.001-05:00

Maybe you don't have a significant other to share Valetine's Day with, but that doesn't mean your February 14th can't be full of joy. All you need to do, according to one enthusiast, is head down to the nearest authorized LEGO dealer. ...watch 'A Love That Knows No Limits'

8 Must-watch geek Valentine's Day videos

2008-02-13T13:26:00.001-05:00

Valentine's Day is traditionally imagined as a holiday for romantics and smooth operators, and geeks are traditionally imagined as, well, not romantics or smooth operators. As with any stereotype, there's a germ of truth to this, but we know that geeks can reach the same heights of passion as anyone else -- sometimes, they just express it differently. And so, in honor of building understanding towards our community this Valentine's Day, we offer this collection of videos that will help you better understand the love between two geeks, or between a geek and a non-geek, or between a geek and ... some toys.

1 - Finite Simple Group (of Order Two)

2 - Facebook Stalker

3 - Can A Geek Find True Love And Be Himself?

4 - Computer Camp Love

5 - A Linux Guy's Guide to Valentine's Day Mods

6 - Internet Love Song

7 - The Internet Love Story

8 - A Love That Knows No Limits

Bonus Track: Ze Frank Valentine's Day video

Bored astronauts to play with paper airplanes

2008-02-11T16:16:00.001-05:00

Sure, space travel sounds exciting - but when you're on the International Space Station for months and months you're not actually going anywhere, so you can imagine that it might get a bit tedious. Now Japanese scientists are anticipating ways to stave off space boredom, by working on a series of origami airplanes that astronauts can actually launch out into space. ...read more

Robot servants to fill our cars with gas

2008-02-11T16:15:00.002-05:00

Everyone still complaining about the demise of full-service gas stations, take note: a Dutch scientist has developed a robotic arm that can pump gas, allowing the driver to stay comfortably behind the wheel. Look for these gas-bots to keep filling up our tanks until they achieve sentience and rise up and enslave us or we run out of oil - whichever comes first. ... read more

Woman charged after killer Craigslist ad

2008-02-11T16:15:00.001-05:00

A Michigan woman has been charged with using the Craigslist classified-advertisement Web site to find a killer for a romantic rival. The job title? Freelance. The price? $5,000. ...read more

iPod thief uses social engineering to loot Target stores

2008-02-11T16:14:00.002-05:00

You can often see Antonio McKenzie around Target stores in South Florida. He's the one wearing khaki pants and a red polo shirt, and he'll helpfully answer your questions about where store items are located. But he doesn't work there. You just think he does, because he acts like it - maybe more so than actual Target employees. That's why he's been able to walk out with $17,000 worth of iPods. ...read more

Humans taunt space aliens with Beatles music

2008-02-11T16:14:00.001-05:00

Last week, NASA beamed the Beatles' "Across The Universe" across the universe using the Deep Space Network of antennas. This might seem like a nice tribute to a great band, but think of the potential consequences: What if superpowerful ETs hear the song and journey here wanting more, only to discover that the band hasn't produced any new music in nearly 30 years and the current top Billboard song is by "Flo Rida Featuring T-Pain"? ...read more

Geek Comic of the Week: Exploding Dog

2008-02-11T16:04:00.003-05:00

An interactive Webcomic! You send in the title, the artist draws the comic based on it. Very few exploding dogs within, but many interesting results. ...read more

Top ten rules for building online communities

2008-02-11T16:04:00.001-05:00

Web 2.0 is all about user interactivity, but you can't just throw together a blog or bulletin board and get results. These rules help you figure out how to turn your readers into a community. ...read more

Poll: If you were Microsoft, would you buy Yahoo?

2008-02-11T15:57:00.000-05:00

- Yes - MSN isn't cutting it, they need to catch up
- No - It's throwing money at winning the last Internet battle
- They should make a play for AltaVista or HotBot

Vote now!

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

What's the dumbest thing you've ever done with your cell phone?

Dropped it in the toilet - 16.7%
Accidentally hurled it across the room - 9.3%
Found out the hard way that it was still on during a movie or play - 7.4%
Stepped on it - 1.9%
Ran over it - 1.9%
Drunk- dialed - 16.7%
Bought one in the first place -- I used to have privacy! - 46.3%

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Mayor faces recall over sexy MySpace pics

2008-02-06T13:04:00.001-05:00

Carmen Kontur-Gronquis, mayor of a small Oregon town, caused quite a stir when she posted pics of herself on her (public) MySpace account posing on the town's fire engine wearing nothing but her bra and panties. Now she's facing a recall election -- though most observers think the real motivation has less to do with Internet naughtiness and more to do with boring political questions like water issues and the town golf course. ...read more

The Internet's strangest communities

2008-02-06T13:03:00.000-05:00

"There's a lid for every pot," the old saying goes, and the Internet sure allows the oddest-shaped lids and pots to find one another and discuss lid-pot relations at great length. Many of the communities discussed here will probably be old hat to you by now (Second Life? please) but then there are the ice chewers -- and the "boytaurs." Not for the faint of heart! ... read more

Rubik's Cube-solving robot still can't beat humanity's best

2008-02-06T13:02:00.002-05:00

Supercomputers may routinely beat human grandmasters at chess, but, as this video shows, there's one game of skill where the best organic brain can still beat a machine: the Rubik's cube. We think perhaps a bit too much effort was put into the robot's flashing lights and not enough into its AI. ...read more

Woman posts ad on Craigslist for hit man

2008-02-06T13:02:00.001-05:00

They say you should be cautious when you meet anybody new online. For instance, if you're soliciting for someone to kill your Internet boyfriend's wife you probably should get to know that person before you tell them exactly what sort of "freelance" job you're advertising. Otherwise, they might go to the cops. And that wouldn't work out well for you, trust us. ...read more

5 ways not to use tech in real estate

2008-02-06T13:01:00.000-05:00

...or any other line of work, really. (The cell-phone-in-the-back-pocket one too many have learned from grim experience.) ...read more

Geek comic of the week: Heroes Happen Here

2008-02-06T13:00:00.000-05:00

Are you ready for a corporate Webcomic? This strip, featuring superhero IT staff hunting down a rogue computer virus, is being launched by Microsoft, with a name to match its launch campaign for the latest version of SQL Server, Windows Server, and Visual Studio. Artwork is done by DC Comics alum Jordan Gorfinkel, and readers can submit their own tales from the trenches for future storylines. ...read more

Top 10 useless inventions

2008-02-06T12:59:00.000-05:00

Just because you can get a patent on it, doesn't mean it's a good idea. Still, sometimes I feel I could use some mustache or lip guards. ... read more

Poll: What's the dumbest thing you've ever done with your cell phone?

2008-02-06T12:58:00.000-05:00

- Dropped it in the toilet
- Accidentally hurled it across the room
- Found out the hard way that it was still on during a movie or play
- Stepped on it
- Ran over it
- Drunk-dialed
- Bought one in the first place -- I used to have privacy!

Vote now!

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Who owns [your last name].com?

14.1% - Me! I was quick on the draw in the '80/'90s and/or I have an obscure last name
3.8% - Someone in my family
21.8% - An individual I don't know
37.2% - Some company or other organization that has my last name as part of its name
15.4% - Some company or other organization that owns the domain for puzzling reasons
2.6% - A porn site, shamefully
5.1% - Who cares? The important thing is that I own [my last name].org, [my last name].net, and [my last name].info!

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