Blogs I like: Empty-Pocket EDH

I've been getting into Magic: the Gathering again (I mentioned this earlier).

A friend of mine, Brad, writes this neat blog about a specific format called EDH - short for Elder Dragon Highlander (and sometimes referred to as "Commander"). He, another friend, and I all play a few games of EDH- 100-card decks, three-player matches powered by Cockatrice. He's an excellent tutor, quite the deckbuilder, and a fine example of a gentleman.

I recommend Empty-Pocket EDH for folks looking to construct such decks for less than sixty dollars to a deck. As far as decks go, it's a bit limiting in terms of the higher-end cards you can purchase. As far as blogs I like go, it's an excellent and insightful read- updated at least once a week, it's a great way to get inside of EDH and tune up your game.

(FD: Brad and the Empty-Pocket EDH blog are part of the CCWK Content Network.)

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.

Stuff I Like: Electro blogs.

I'm a fan of electro, I'll admit- I found house music to be bland (something about fifteen-second samples), but this blog covers much more than that- spanning music releases like Dada Life's GF#13 and a go-to list of events to hit up.

Check it out [ here ].

Blogs I like: Ian Bowden @ bowdeni.com

I've been talking about SEO for a while. Here's someone who's been making a living off of it:

[ http://bowdeni.com/ ]

My TL;DR: Search engine optimization is important, and is something that can (should?) be utilized to drive traffic your way. When Google and other search engines are the first place people turn to for answers, it pays for your solution to be the first thing they see.

Unrelated, but neat: [ http://www.catsforgold.com/ ].

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!

Stuff I like: Bro-based advice.

[ http://www.brotipshq.com/ ]

With such wisdom as "never be afraid to risk looking stupid in order to do something awesome," and "clothing is optional; deodorant is not," Brotips is an excellent source for life advice applying to everything a bro might not already know.

On a related note: "Some say to flip a coin to make decisions- not to get an answer, but because when it's in the air, you'll know what you're hoping for."

Deindividuation: It's more likely than you think.

Check out [ http://youarenotsosmart.com/2011/02/10/deindividuation/ ].

The whole youarenotsosmart blog is actually a really good read, to be frank.

Groupthink causes serious issues- on design teams, especially. When ideas are quashed because they don't fit the ideals of the hivemind, it silences creativity and further enforces groupthink ideals.

Deindividuation is serious business- and you should be looking out for yourself and others, stopping it before it happens.

Blogs I like: Visceral Nadir @ Blogger

I recently acquired a graphics tablet (a g-pen f509, to be specific) and have spent some time fooling around with it. The results are over at [ http://visceralnadir.blogspot.com/ ]. I plan on updating it with more than doodles once I acquire a camera, but for now it's mostly an artblog.

Let me know what you think (here or there).

Blogs I like: Matthew James Taylor @ matthewjamestaylor.com

[ http://matthewjamestaylor.com/blog ]

Inside, you'll find a library of articles that cover things that range from search-engine-optimization to elegant design solutions.

Particularly of interest (for me, at least) is [ http://matthewjamestaylor.com/blog/perfect-stacked-columns.htm ], which I'm using for a bit of design work that I'm about to do.

I've been struggling with the finer points of HTML5 and CSS for a week or so, and discovered this resource while looking for others that performed this sort of task.

Speaking of HTML5, I'm wondering if it's at all backwards-compatible.

Something tells me that folks using some extraordinarily-outdated browser will end up having a terrible web experience if it isn't.

Blogs I like: KillerKun @ killerkun.com

Take a moment. Savor the lack of awe in the air. Then look at this:

If you look really close (or check out the full-sized version), you'll find that she's actually got blue eyes.

There's also a series of humorous squirtle-torture comics.

Blogs I like: Tastespotting @ tastespotting.com

I'm a bit of a foodie (in the sense that I like good food and try most new places at least once) and I am in love with the brainchild of Sarah Gim. Delicious pictures of delicious food? You betcha.

Check it out at [ http://www.tastespotting.com/ ].

To quote the L.A. Times, "she didn't invent food porn- she perfected it."

That sounds racy, but the site's totally SFW and contains pictures of mouth-watering edibles. Still sounds a bit steamy, I guess.

edit: I made a few typos when I originally posted this- I apologize and have revised the page to reflect this. Tastespotting is a completely family-friendly website that consists of pictures of delicious food.

Blogs I like: th3j35t3r @ Wordpress

Experience is the child of thought, and thought is the child of action. - Benjamin Disraeli


Taking a page out of th3j35t3r's book, I started this post with a quote.


Somewhere between greyhat and patriot, you'll find this slightly off-beat hacktivist who went on an extensive anti-jihad campaign and took down the Westboro Baptist Church websites for more than 1 month.


Some say that he doesn't actually take down sites, but simply claims responsibility for such things as maintenance.


I'm unsure of (and have no way of directly verifying) how he takes websites down from a relatively low-spec computer, but I would presume that he uses his expertise for the greater good (of America, at least).


Patriotically speaking, I'm glad that he took down WBC, because I'm not particularly fond of their hatespeech. While it is their right to be assholes (see: Amendment I), they don't have the right to be liked  by me.


I'm also appreciative of his campaign against the enemies in the Middle East- it's a war I'd like to win, and shutting down their electronic campaign brings us a step closer to that goal.


Information is power- this, I'll admit. I think that information wants to be free- everyone should know everything about everything (or should be able to learn everything about everything), but I draw the line when it endangers people who are wagering their life on my behalf.


th3j35t3r seems like a relatively educated neighbor, to say the least. 


I actually like the whole quote-before-a-post thing, I might continue this.


He doesn't explain much about how he does what he does- but in that sense, no information is probably prudent (to prevent someone from pre-emptively erecting defenses against his attacks).


( I assume that th3j35t3r's male. )


also of note: Slowloris. Information, power. Power, responsibility. Responsibility, strength.

Stuff I like: DRT's Rising Sun and DJ Okawari

For reference, I like DRT's 16-bit Rising Sun, available here.

Having discovered DJ Okawari from a post by a friend of mine, I was immediately smitten with the style.

A quick search on youtube yielded this freely available playlist, composed of mellow piano music and laid-back hip-hop beats. Turn on RainyMood in the background, and you've got a recipe for deliciously relaxing background music.

It's not quite the same as, say, Ride of the Valkyries, which is also fantastic music that makes everything you do seem incredibly important.

Blogs I like: Culture Shock Survival @ Blogspot

An expatriate living in Costa Rica, [ http://cultureshock-survival.blogspot.com/ ] is a healthy perspective from the outside looking in- and an interesting source of content from someone who isn't a run-of-the-mill American (like myself).

Worth a read, certainly.

Blogs I like: Videuphoria @ Blogspot

Knowing [ http://videuphoria.blogspot.com/ ] means I don't need to trawl YouTube for cool videos any more. I can just drop in and pick up intriguing tidbits of the internet!

LOAD LINK, HILARITY ENSUES.

That is all.

Blogs I like: Dogblog @ Tumblr

[ http://dogblogsf.tumblr.com/ ] is 99% pictures of puppies with the occasional chuckle-worthy caption.

It started over on [ http://www.automatedredemption.com/flavorcountry/dogblog/ ], where some older pictures are available.

Puppies!

Blogs I like: NerdSpiffy @ Blogspot

[ http://www.nerdspiffy.com/ ].

That's the link for an entertaining otaku-gamer-blog. The author's also something of an artist, but I'd prefer that their work be allowed to speak for itself.

Conveniently enough, there's also a neat (if somewhat new) cafepress with some cool products.

GET A LIFE? I HAVE TWO EXTRA.

Blogs I like: The Animal Talk @ Blogspot

Interested in fashion? Check out [ http://theanimaltalk.blogspot.com/ ]. Isabel Legate runs a deliciously picture-heavy blog and maintains a thorough blogroll covering the (somewhat more eclectic) fashion trends.

My personal tastes are perhaps not as well-educated or in-tune with the current trends. I see bits and pieces that I like, but most of the design choices just fly over my head.

What do y'all think?

Blogs I like: Simply Scotches @ Blogspot

By popular demand, here's a shoutout to a broseph out there who knows more about good scotch than I ever will...


"The true men's drink" is Scotch, apparently. I'm more of a water guy myself, but I've yet to encounter a more informative resource than Chris's blog. Folks thereabouts don't just "comment" on his posts- they keep it classy.

If you're attentive enough, you can even notice some subtle wordplay and accents hidden within his posts.

Definitely of interest if you enjoy libation.

Something I didn't know: scotch is delicious.

Blogs I like: Raconteurism @ Tumblr

I'll admit that most of the stuff posted on [ http://raconteurism.tumblr.com/ ] is reblogs. That being said, it's run by a friend of mine who posts things that are somewhere between funny, interesting, strange, and beautiful.

Nothing specific, I'll admit, but it's something worth looking at.