Blogs I like: Easy Tips for Business Writers @ Wordpress

If I recall correctly, now is approximately crunch time for college essays (and applications, too)-

Here's [ http://lisakusko.wordpress.com/ ] - Articles about improving your writing.

A few recent posts of hers: [ 1 ], [ 2 ], and [ 3 ] (in reverse chronological order of publication).

Coincidentally, I'm adding this to the reading list.

200th post!

A milestone! For me, anyway. Is that a kilometerstone in countries that don't adhere to the customary system?

Here is a picture I took. It is of an apparently unremarkable white door. Make of it what you will, I suppose.

I'm just kidding, I know units! The door will make sense later, I promise.

On the slight decline in visible activity:

I'm slaving away at decent guides!

Maybe I should publish portions of them, and then a summary post later?

I'm also working on getting a few other sites up.

Until then, I'll post occasionally and with tidbits I think you'll like:

[ http://reddit.com/r/aww ] is just a colossal collection of cute.

It makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

Low-Content: The Qemists

Deviating from the recent trend of "articles", here's a simple artist recommendation:

Check out the DnB (bordering on Dubstep) group, [ The Qemists ].

Something like alternative meets moody electro, I think. Their songs aren't necessarily the "repeated listen" sort of tracks, but they're a fresh step out of my recent rock binge.

That hosting article is on its way, I promise!

Minipost, updating the reading list.

http://streetfsn.blogspot.com/
http://streetpeeper.com/
http://fuckyeahmenswear.tumblr.com
http://nadiaesra.blogspot.com/
http://www.thedriptych.com/ ( formerly theanimaltalk.blogspot.com )

Just thought I'd let you know, I'm still alive and well- I'm in Berlin now, in der Naehe von Schlachtensee. That last part would make sense if you spoke German, used a translator, and especially if you lived in Berlin.

Woohoo, traveling!

Low-content: Absolutely Pointless

[ http://www.pointlesssites.com/ ]

An occasionally-updated list of sites that are pointless, have a minimal number of advertisements, and are (usually) interesting.

More to come later.

Low-content: Recommended reading and Zeus

http://cleancutwellkept.blogspot.com/p/recommended-reading.html

Also conveniently located in the sidebar - a link to a list of things I think that people should read (or skim, anyway).

If that doesn't interest you (and if Zbot does), perhaps check out this informative article.

Low-content: Watches!

[ http://store.yankodesign.com/fashion/watches ]

Yanko Design is pretty much awesome. I'll probably drop another link here or there- but I find these designs to be fascinating~

I kinda want [ this ] watch, even though I don't really wear timepieces.

Low-content: Corporate Espionage Infographic

Food for thought, I guess. Note: Social engineering is a useful, marketable skill.

Low-content: More gizmodo links.

[ twitter in classrooms? ]
This sounds like it's encouraging the same mentality that has kids texting across the dinner table while they're out on a date, to me.

[ "Performance" bed sheets. ]
The entire bed is like the cold side of a pillow? SIGN ME UP RIGHT NOW.

[ Font designed with screens in mind. ]
Given the expanding market of portable virtual-book machines, I figure this was the next logical step. I predict we will see (at some point) font-bashing based on the screens they're designed for.

Progress!

Low-content: Crossing the "uncanny valley".

[ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLiX5d3rC6o ] is the "demo" of proprietary software that claims to be able to turn normal video into completely photorealistic animation- without the use of mo(tion)cap(ture).

There's the talk of the uncanny valley here, too.

What do y'all think?

Low-content: Infographic - Evolution of the alphabet (Animooted!)

[ http://i.imgur.com/CCNSs.gif ], taken from the shared posts of David McCandless.

In case you hadn't noticed, I <3 infographics.

Low-content: Infographic - Lunar Calendar and Charts.

A big rock in our sky, you say?

A chart to help you choose what kind of chart to use.

Low-content: Infographic - Facebook Friendships

I've heard this one's been going around for a bit, but I think it's worth sharing:

[ http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1382.snc4/163413_479288597199_9445547199_5658562_14158417_n.jpg ]

Heads-up: It's a hefty 3.8MB image.

More on the subject here.

Also, note the blackout in Russia? That's because Russia's got something that looks eerily like facebook, called Vkontakte. As for the blackout in China, I am unsure of the source but might note The Great Firewall could have something to do with it.

Low-content: Gemcraft Chapter 0

I've recently been playing [ http://www.kongregate.com/games/gameinabottle/gemcraft-chapter-0 ], which is (as it turns out) an incredibly difficult game.

I used to run an incredibly lame strategy that consisted of spamming gem-bombs and manapooling, which was essentially the easiest way to win (so long as you can move the mouse fast enough and time the waves correctly).

I've beaten levels 1, 2, 3, and 5 on "basic", and I've had too many close-but-no-cigar moments where I'm on the last wave and I'm deprived of mana.

It seems like traps are only useful in high-level reduce armor and high-level poison varieties, and even then they're only useful when deployed early-on near the main entrance of the enemy spawns.

I'm also unsure of exactly how the upgrade system works, but it seems like it's cheaper to just purchase superior gems rather than combine them, which reduces the effects of their shots.

I'm a badge junkie, sure, but this game is JAPAN difficult. This is also after "reductions in difficulty".

Do y'all have any tips on how to get ahead in this game?

Low-content: Newegg & Lenovo

I'm a Lenovo user, myself, but I've had a penchant for Newegg and the whole build-a-computer-yourself scene.

I figure I could get a decent graphics card and one of the ridiculous i7 processors, chaining in some 6GB triple-channel DDR3 for a super-fast computer.

Given my current laptop's meager 2GB dual-channel, Intel Core 2 P8700(2.53GHz * 2 CPUs), and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3400, it's not that hard to get much better.

I'm also not a very experienced PC-builder, but my requirements in a computer are very simple:

As little space consumed as possible. The less space it takes up, the better. I really like the booksize machines that Newegg offers, except for the lack of muscle that they accordingly possess.

I've been eying the newer Lenovo IdeaCentre machines (as well as other all-in-one touchscreen sorts of computers), and the interface continues to grow on me.

What sort of computer would be ideal? Would it be better to build my own? I haven't seen any well-done touch interfaces with large amounts of screen real-estate.

Your thoughts, please.

Low-content: Infographic - Blood Typing Craze

I'm a huge fan of anything remotely infographic-related. [ http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/ ] is a great resource for neat little infographics that have a basis in statistics. I may post some of the more interesting or pretty ones later.

For now, here's something about blood types:

[ http://phlebotomist.net/organization_files/1032/japanese-bloodtyping.jpg ]

I remember reading a blood-type diet book, once. It was kinda a fad thing, but some of the importance of things like how antigens work and how some food has things like antigen markers stuck with me.

I'm a B-, personally. Some foods (notably soy milk and some fruit skins) don't sit well with my throat and cause itchy sensations that are quite irritating. I enjoy cooking with other things, though, so it's not a huge deal.

Related: Do you know your blood type? If so, what is it?

Unrelated: What sorts of fruits do you find particularly tasty? I like mangoes.

Low-content: More TF2? More TF2.

I've been getting more and more "in" with the game. I like playing (and switching between) Sniper, Demoman, and Pyro. I frequent the saigns.de Hydro only server. It's modded, but it makes play fast-paced and furious.

Unrelated: the TF2s that could've been...

Low-content: Roosterteeth.

I'm a silly Texan, I suppose- but these folks aren't!

Over at [ http://rvb.roosterteeth.com ], you'll find lots of recent news, as well as the archives containing the entire Red vs. Blue series, my favorite machinima. It started years ago when some silly guys made videos of Halo with some even sillier voiceovers. With a plotline arching over several seasons and more plot twists than you can shake a grenade at, what think you?

Also, similar media in the form of webisodes- what sorts of things do you watch?

Lowbrow, low-content.

Barebones post:

TF2? Pretty awesome game.
Portal? Pretty funny sardonic humor game.
Portal 2? I am looking forward to this game, the previews are AWESOME.
Also, Half-life. The entire series? DELICIOUS.

I may be a Valve fanboy, but I like all the games, so /eh/.

I'm looking at Amnesia: Dark Descent, which I've heard is pretty interesting, too.

What recommendations might y'all have?

Picture kinda related, I love TF2 shenanigans: