friday links_08

Friday Links

Lots of chances to do something besides work, so let's get started.

First off, Jesse Leimkuehler sent in a link to a Flash version of Hunt

the Wumpus.

One other gaming link, and that's to the top 25 linux games for 2008.

From David Gloier, a link to a story about the research effort to

discover whether life evolved in ice. It's a remarkable theory, and

all the more remarkable for the amount of personal sacrifice that's

gone into its development.

From DQ Legal Advisor Lee Rawles, a link to a horrific story about the

Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an area of floating debris that is

estimated to encompass over 100 million TONS of flotsam.

The Edwin Garcia Links Machine rolls on this week. First, a story

about a Finnish patient who got a new jaw--grown from his own stem

cells. Next, a link to a story about an English who successfully hid

what he was building from his neighbors for over four years. Oh,

yeah--it was a mock Tudor castle.

George Paci sent me a link to Jonathan Coulton's song Re: Your Brains,

and it is so damn funny that you've got to give it a listen.

Here's a video of an eleven year old who can do absolutely amazing

things with a basketball. Oh, and he's also the fastest in the world

at his age for the mile run.

Vahur Teller sent in links to three comedy skits, all involving

substantial distortions of gravity, and all very funny. The Micallef

Program 1, The Micallef Program 2, and Team Antonson-Matling.

From Sirius, a link to what made brown eyes blue--a genetic mutation.

Also, a link to an infamous day in Indiana history (February 5, 1897),

when the Indiana state legislature almost passed a bill changing the

value of pi. Finally, a link to a fascinating story about the Lewis

Chessmen, a set of chess pieces dating back to medieval times whose

ownership is hotly disputed. It's a great, great read.

I saw an interesting article on how viewership of college football

bowl games dropped by 12% this year. Hey, maybe if more people stop

watching, this idiotic system will get changed.

Keith Marsteller sent in a link to a "performance" at Grand Central

Station--several hundred people, on cue, freezing in place. It's a

terrific idea and makes for a funny video.

Dan Quock sent in a link to Vader Sessions, a mash-up of dialogue from

James Earl Jones's other film roles inserted into Star Wars footage.

It's very funny, and James Earl Jones is awesome--every line of

dialogue he's ever spoken is fantastic.

Shane Courtrille sent me a link to a series over at Ctrl+Alt+Del

called It's a Gamer's Life. Yes, I agree that it's a little cliched in

places, but there are other places where where my feelings