Kris Straub goes Halfpixel

Not sure how I missed this, but I’m glad I caught it now. The lovable Kris Straub of Starslip Crisis and Checkerboard Nightmare has started up another website called HalfPixel. At HalfPixel, Straub appears to be tossing around quick, short webcomics like they’re Pez, and I’m loving it! The offerings so far include Time Friends, Egyptian Gothic, and the ever-elusive Interweb P.I., which is shaping up (after just two strips) to be my absolute favorite. It looks fantastic so far, and knowing Straub, it can really only get better from here.

Google Reader search?

On Robert‘s many glowing recommendations, I’ve switched from using Flock’s built-in RSS feed reader, to using Google Reader, and so far, I’m loving it. It’s a fast, dead simple, “river of news” format that just clicks with me. But after using the tool for a couple of weeks, I have to ask: where’s the search function?

I use Google Docs, Google Calendar, Gmail, and various other Google-based tools. Every single one has a huge search bar at the top that allows you to effortlessly search and sift through your content. Now, doesn’t an RSS feed reader seem like the perfect tool in which to include a search function? I would certainly think so, but a search bar appears to be completely absent from the design of Google Reader, which is definitely a shame. There’s been several moments in forums or talking with colleagues where I’ve wanted to refer back to a news item I had read just a few minutes or even a couple of hours ago. But I can’t remember where I read it, or when. Man, wouldn’t it be nice to just type in the search term and have my relevant news from the past hour, day, or week just pop up for me?

Just a little tip for you, Google. Just in case you’re reading.

Nintendo Wii first impressions

Well, I got the fantastic opportunity to unpack my new Nintendo Wii console last night, and I have to say, I am impressed on many different levels.

First of all, setup is a breeze. Seriously. Getting the Wii on my wireless network was so enormously simple, it just about made me cry. It basically went like this:

  1. How do you want to connect? Wireless or wired? Wireless.
  2. Searching for network… Okay.
  3. X number of networks found in range. Select one to connect to. Sure.
  4. This network requires a security code. Please enter it now. Right.
  5. Connected! Let’s get on the internet. Uh. Okay.

Yeah. I liked that a lot.

I spent the rest of the evening creating Miis with my son and playing Wii Sports. I’ve discovered quite a few things:

  • The Mii channel is a game unto itself. We spent far too long there creating new Miis of everyone in our family and thensome. It was insane and fun. Insanely fun!
  • I am out of shape. Jumping around my living room, playing tennis, boxing, and baseball, I used muscles I haven’t used in quite some time. I’m worn out, and I can’t wait to do it all again tonight.
  • My son can box. Better than I can. Should I be worried? Nah!
  • I’m good at tennis. Of course, we’re talking about fake Wii Sports stand in one place “tennis”. Put me on a real court, and I’ll be smacking myself in the face with the racket.
  • Golf sucks. This goes for both Wii Sports golf AND real golf. Yeah, you heard me.

I’ll be playing more tonight, hopefully inviting a couple of friends over to experience the fun. Within the next couple of weeks, I’ll be picking up the Legend of Zelda and Super Monkey Ball in a concentrated effort to extend my loving relationship with both the Wii AND the wife.

Evil Avatar Comic 37: Either process can result in carpal tunnel syndrome

So, two brand new consoles launched this past weekend, and I’m not playing either of them. But some people are, and really, that’s good for them. But don’t think this means the console wars are anywhere close to being over.

Read more Evil Avatar Comics @ evilavatarcomics.com! New comics posted every Monday (by yours truly) and Thursday (by someone else)!

Vandalize the chicken article!

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Ryan North?

HOW IT WORKS:

Simple! I just said. Instead of vandalizing Wikipedia in general, we all just vandalize the chicken article.

How does it work? Dudes already know about chickens. Ladies also already know about chickens. Does an encyclopedia really need an article about nature’s tastiest birds? You know the answer is “no it most certainly does not”.

Wikipedia simply GIVES UP that article to vandals, and in return the other articles, like the one about octopods (Humanity’s Underwater ChumsTM), do not get vandalized.

Instead of a quantum encyclopedia, with vandalism and falsehoods peppered throughout at various locations AND at various times, Wikipedia becomes a consistently RELIABLE encyclopedia that covers every topic in the universe, except chickens. We say it again: dudes already know about chickens.

Democrats take the House and (maybe) the Senate

The jury is still out on the Senate (we’re hoping to pickup Webb in VA after a vicious recount there), but we can easily and happily claim the House and place Nancy Pelosi as Speaker–and third in line for the presidency, I might add–starting this coming January. Along with that, we kept a Democrat as governor in Iowa, and added a few Democrats in local races, as well. I’m a happy liberal.

On a related side note, I know exactly how Heather feels:

My dad asked if we had voted yet, and at that point in the day we hadn’t. I told him not to fret none, because the day would not end before I had done my civic duty. And not just because it’s important to vote, but because the most motivational aspect of this here democracy is the fact that my vote? It will cancel out his. And I take a little too much pleasure knowing that when he lies down to go to sleep tonight, he’s going to linger a few seconds on the infuriating thought that because he contributed to the birth of such a liberal daughter, he most likely has a sperm or two or twelve hundred in his body that, if given the chance, would vote in favor of gay marriage.

My parents are solid Republicans. The combined votes of my wife and I cancel out my parents’ votes. And that would be just fine in and of itself, but add to that the fact that my two sisters and one brother (and his wife) push that liberal slant just a tad bit further. And really, that’s all that really matters. That our parents spawned several children that think nothing like them. We take solace in that thought.

So much solace.

I’ll update later when there’s more word from the Senate races.

The fight to get noticed

Interesting. Both Robert and Michael are talking about small companies and start-ups trying to get attention in an accelerating web-based market. The main difference is that while Mike is trying to figure out a solution, Robert is simply giving up.

Arrington:

MothersClick is a perfectly good startup that we would normally cover. Lots of other people did, if that means anything. But we missed it, and I’m pretty sure we miss a lot of others, too. I don’t know what the right answer is to fix this, but it’s something I’m thinking about.

Scoble:

Anyway, it’s a real problem for a small company (or even a big one) to get noticed in today’s world. I don’t know what to do about it. I’ve given up.