Jonathan Coulton was just the beginning. Now it’s business time.
Flight of the Conchords will play Overture Center for the Arts on April 26. No ticket prices are yet listed, and the tickets are not yet available on Overture’s web site.
The Grammy Award-winning duo from New Zealand gained notoriety in part due to their successful HBO show named after the band. She show recently began its second season.
So what’s your favorite Conchords song or moment? Post your thoughts in the comments.
Media: Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition–to make $$ on YouTube (Ars)
Rather than sue users, Monty Python decided to upload good-quality copies of the most popular clips from its Flying Circus TV show.
Science: Want better sex, fellas? Have a stiff drink (news.com.au)
IT gives the phrase “a stiff drink” a whole new meaning: Australian researchers have made the surprise discovery that alcohol improves, rather than damages, men’s performance in the bedroom.
Rumor: Google to buy Skype (techradar)
Despite this success, parent company eBay is rumoured to be looking to offload its cash-cow to none other than Google.
Tech: iShovel, Worlds Smartest Snow Shovel (i-shovel.com)
Just plain cool.
What is the one song — or couple songs that hit you right in the heart?
Songs about that “special feeling” of love are prominent in our culture. Some are cheesy, some reflective, and others have memories associated with them. They are the songs that shape and influance us.
As John Cusack’s character in High Fidelity points asks, “Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable, or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?”
So what are your favorite love songs? Which ones move you — maybe bringing a tear to your eye or at least a warm feeling to your heart? I’m looking for some favorites other than my own for a project I am working on which will eventually be revealed on this page. Please list your favorites in the comments.
Tech – Obama poised to be first ‘wired’ president (CNN)
As the first president-elect with a Facebook page and a YouTube channel, Barack Obama is poised to use the Internet to communicate directly with Americans in a way unknown to previous presidents.
Games – The First Wii: Obama brings video games to the White House (Joystiq)
The New York Times reports that the President elect — who even took his campaign to the streets of Burnout Paradise — gifted his daughters, Sasha and Malia, with a Nintendo Wii for Christmas
Net - New White House website, New White House blog (WhiteHouse.org)
Sensing a trend?
Food - Inaugural Luncheon Recipes Available as Free Download (Lifehacker)
Media – Facebook and CNN: The Power of the Social Web Revealed (ReadWriteWeb)
The integration of the status updates on CNN.com Live was powered by Facebook Connect, Facebook’s relatively new platform for porting your online identity anywhere on the web.
Games – A Real Portal Gun (Well, Sort Of) (Gizmodo)
Sadly, this post won’t make any sense to you if you missed Valve’s acclaimed videogame Portal from last year. But then again, if you missed that game, your life is devoid of meaning anyway.
Media – Capital Newspapers cuts staff (WI State Journal)
Capital Newspapers, which publishes the Wisconsin State Journal and The Capital Times, said Monday it is reducing its staff by about 12 full-time equivalent positions, most from the two newsrooms
Geek-esque singer Jonathan Coulton makes a return trip to Madison Thursday, February 26. Coulton will play the Barrymore Theater with opening act Paul and Storm. Tickets are $18.
This is Coulton’s first return visit since his May 2 show last year.
Known for his lyrics involving super-villains, math, zombies and technology, Coulton has established himself as the premiere geek folk singer of his time. He recently traveled with Jonathan Hodegman (best know as “PC” from the Mac vs. PC ads) to help him promote his book “More Information Than You Require.”
To listen to Coulton’s complete collection for free, check out his website. Also, check out my Cap Times article prior to his last appearance for more fun information. A quick review of Coulton’s May show can be found here.
Sitting in a conference room with members of the editorial and sales staff, I watch Aretha Franklin sing ‘Let Freedom Ring.’ The television I’m watching the inauguration on sports both UHF and VHF knobs, and will likely be a paperweight in a month. The wood paneling surrounding us probably contains asbestos, and is potentially older than our incoming President.
The decor is reminiscent of a better time in politics. A time before hard-core partisan rhetoric divided the country. A time when politicians worked to improve the country despite their affiliation, rather than pushing their party’s agenda first and foremost.
A time that I hope President Barack Obama can resurrect.
Apparently the owner had a change of heart.
The Bar Next Door staff now reports that they will stay open for the next month while management renovaes the Coliseum bar.
This is a complete turnaround from what management told employees on Thursday. I’m still waiting for confirmation from the owners before I post more. Stay tuned.
Multiple sources have reported that Saturday night will be the last night that Capone’s Bar Next Door will be open before shutting down and reopening February 21 as a steak house. The staff was alerted today that Saturday would be their last day of normal operation.
Come one, come all for one last glorious night, and watch for my piece about the pub Tuesday on Dane101.com
Tech – Microsoft’s new vision: a computer in every… coffee maker? (Ars)
The two companies (Microsoft and Fugoo) are working on “the next generation” of household appliances, gadgets, and accessories that are not only connected to the Internet, but also utilize a standard API for communicating with each other.
Film - An Open Letter From ‘Watchmen’ Producers (HitFix)
Shouldn’t Warner Brothers be entitled to the spoils – if any — of the risk they took in supporting and making Watchmen? Should Fox have any claim on something they could have had but chose to neither support nor show any interest in?
Media – Wisconsin State Journal and Lee Enterprises – Bleaker Than I Thought (Slogan)
The stock of Lee Enterprises was worth about $1.5 billion when the company borrowed almost an identical amount of money to buy the Pulitzer newspaper group in the summer of 2005. Today, Lee’s shares are worth only $13.5 million…
Insanity - Porn industry seeks federal bailout (CNN)
Hustler publisher Larry Flynt and Girls Gone Wild CEO Joe Francis said Wednesday they will request that Congress allocate $5 billion for a bailout of the adult entertainment industry.
Tech – Logitech G19 Hands On: I Watched YouTube on a Gaming Keyboard (Gizmodo)
Just plain cool!
Music (?) - David Lee Roth vocals + Microsoft Songsmith = AAAAAAAAAA! (Mefi Music)
Media – Ziff Davis Sells 1UP Network To UGO/Hearst, Closes EGM (Gamasutra)
Around 30 employees of Ziff Davis’ Game Group were laid off immediately following today’s announcement, including the staff of EGM Magazine, but also some elements of the 1UP Network’s web staff, including podcast and video producers.
DIY – Giant Atari Joystick Lamp (instructables)
Instructions to build your own.
Computers – Macworld.Ars: Keynote day coverage wrap-up (ars technica)
All the lame that was the MacWorld keynote 2009.
Sports – Utah attorney general: BCS may violate antitrust laws (Sports Illustrated)
Utah’s attorney general is investigating the Bowl Championship Series for a possible violation of federal antitrust laws after an undefeated Utes team was left out of the national title game for the second time in five years.
Science – Science celebrates 400 years of Galileo, 200 of Darwin (Ars Technica)
Both revolutionized their fields—astronomy and biology—and they had impacts far beyond the scientific community. Not content to pick between life and the heavens, another group has simply declared this the Year of Science.
Net – Top 500 worst passwords (boing boing)
Here’s the whole shebang:
Games – Downloading your games? Get ready for extra fees (Ars Technica)
Allowing customers to access these records and re-download what they’ve already paid for seems like a no-brainer; charging people for that option just seems slimy.
Net – Firefox Tops 20% in November, IE Now Under 70% (ReadWriteWeb)
Even though Net Applications’ global data for December is still preliminary, IE’s decline during 2008 is remarkable, especially given its former dominance of the browser market.
Science – Scientists: True love can last a lifetime (CNN)
Using brain scans, researchers at Stony Brook University in New York have discovered a small number of couples respond with as much passion after 20 years together as most people only do during the early throes of romance, Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper reported.
It has been a while since I have had the opportunity to game.
During the past two years, I was a full time student, part time web geek and lived in a city where every night was a Saturday night. One of my favorite passions – gaming – suffered. I determined once I graduated I would play catch up; play the great games I missed over the last year or so.
That time is now.
Starting this weekend, I will play and review one video game per week. You can find the reviews posted here each weekend. I will continue for 14 weeks, playing a minimum of 14 games. These will be some of the top games that I’ve neglected from the past year and a half, plus anything exciting that surfaces during that time that strikes my fancy. On April 15 – tax day – I will choose my game of the year and compile my “best of” list. I am limiting this to mostly 360 and computer games, unless I find a place that rents PS3’s where I live. So check back for updates on what I’m playing and weekly reviews.