First offence, detention, then if you fail again, you get your neck crushed by Vader.
[Via assorted-goodness]
Stormtrooper in Detention [Pic]
A Behind the Scenes Look: How Memory Chips Are Made
Behold: The New HTML5 Logo
Most of you won’t really give a crap, but here it is, the new logo representing the next major revision of the HTML standard: HTML5.
It stands strong and true, resilient and universal as the markup you write. It shines as bright and as bold as the forward-thinking, dedicated web developers you are. It’s the standard’s standard, a pennant for progress. And it certainly doesn’t use tables for layout.
We present an HTML5 logo.
Thoughts?
Keep Warm with a Geeky Scarf
You can find some really fantastic handmade geeky crafts on Etsy (they do have a whole section called geekery), and one type I’ve noticed a lot of lately are scarves – probably because it’s cold outside! Though of course you can’t go wrong with emulating Doctor Who, here’s some you might want to snatch up – but be quick because Etsy goodies are often one-of-a-kind.
Friendship “Chemistry” Could be Biology
The idea that friends are the new family might go deeper than purely cultural patterns. A US study raises the possibility that genetics may contribute to who we do and don’t form friendships with.
James Fowler, an assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego, has previously looked into the way humans form social networks in “real life” as well as online. He decided to examine whether there was a genetic basis to those patterns by looking at two US studies that contain data both about the genetics and friendships of those tracked in the study.
Before going any further, it’s important to note that (even beyond the usual caveats of scientific research results), what Fowler found was far from conclusive. With four of the six genetic markers studied, there was no clear pattern at all.
However, the findings did show that people with the DRD2 marker, which is associated with a tendency towards alcoholism, were likely to form “clusters” of friendships with one another. Meanwhile people with CYP2A6, which has been linked both to the metabolism of nicotine, and openness to new ideas, tended to form friendships with one another.
How much of this pattern is genetic and how much is down to social behavior is hard to tell. For example, there’s certainly a strong argument that people who drink a lot are more likely to spend more time in bars and strike up friendships. Then again, those whose bodies are able to cope with heavy smoking should theoretically be less likely to make friends with each other according to the genetics, but in reality many smokers can form friendships through the common bond of being forced outdoors or to designated smoking areas.
The most interesting outcome of the research isn’t so much the specifics of the gene, but rather the wider pattern that it suggests: that people can be likely to form friendships not only with those who are genetically similar, but also those with genetic differences.
It follows on from previous exploration of whether the idea that “opposites attract” is purely a social phenomenon, or if there’s a genetic element to it. There is a theory that people susceptible to genetic conditions may be wired to avoid those who could be susceptible to the same condition, thus reducing the chances of passing it on to children.
(Image credit: Flickr user iDJs (CC))
Gas Mask Ring [Pic]
A cool-looking gas mask ring from Manillusion.com, complete with rubber hose and slave ring, for those of you who like… unconventional-looking jewelry.
Ten 80s Movies that Will Remind You of Your Geek Roots
For those of you who grew up at least in part in the eighties, you know that it wasn’t all about Molly Ringwald and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Though not all cinematic masterpieces, there were a lot of really fun movies that glorified the geeks of the day. Here are a few you could pick up for nostalgia’s sake – or especially if you missed the eighties, make sure you’ve seen these if you haven’t!
Weird Science (1985)
“That’s not a bad idea, making a girl.” Especially if she’s Kelly LeBrock. This movie is the geekiest of the John Hughes set, and shows us that all you need to create a hot girl in your bedroom is a hack into a government computer, a Barbie doll, and that ever-favorite plot device, a bolt of lightning.
Real Genius (1985)
Remember when Val Kilmer was one of the 10 greatest minds in the country? This movie was the best of both worlds – military conspiracy PLUS college life. And lasers.
Short Circuit (1986)
Ally Sheedy AND Steve Guttenberg? And a robot? Tick off the eighties check list! Plus this movie follows a great eighties tradition of Cold War related what ifs. In this case, what if a military robot gets hit by lightning and comes to life and is adorable? Way cuter than WALL-E.
Space Camp (1986)
Raise your hand if this movie made you want to go to space camp. (I didn’t actually go, but I wanted to.) Plus, more robot friends! Every kid in the eighties wanted a robot, except for those who wanted an alien after watching E.T. (Also did you know the kid in this movie is Joaquin Phoenix?)
The Last Starfighter (1984)
I actually don’t remember the exact plot of this movie except that it was about a teenage boy who was recruited by aliens to fight in a war in space – because he was good at a videogame. Which is even better than having a robot friend, really. Also the CGI was really cutting edge for the time.
WarGames (1983)
Because something we definitely learned from the eighties is that being good at videogames translates to, if not flying space ships, then controlling thermonuclear wars. Trivia: Wikipedia says this movie is credited for coining the term “firewall.”
The Wizard (1989)
The other thing you can do if you’re a kid who’s really good at videogames? Travel cross country, play in a championship, and debut Super Mario Bros. 3 to the world. Also remember how cool the Nintendo power glove looked in this movie? Imagine if we could have given that kid a Wiimote.
Flight of the Navigator (1986)
Yet another kid abducted by aliens and yet another awesome robot-ish friend. Actually this one kind of made me want to go to space camp too.
Tron (1982)
This one doesn’t really need much comment. A cult classic, Tron showed us what a “computer genius” movie can really be. And it’s a real shame that even after the recent release of the sequel, it’s really hard to get your hands on the original.
Revenge of the Nerds (1984)
I don’t really need to comment on this one either, do I? I mean, it’s Revenge of the Nerds. It’s Robert Carradine and Anthony Green in the most awesome fictional geekfrat ever. The sequels are pretty awful but this one is definitely a classic. Also I can’t seem to hear “We Are the Champions” without thinking of this movie.
So what was YOUR favorite geek movie of the eighties?
Gaming: Opening Doors to Other Worlds Since 1958
This short video, titled “The History of Gaming”, was created as a university project by a team of game design students from Munich. The goal of the project was to cover various eras of video game history in video format. Apparently, the whole thing was filmed in just a single shot, but it took a total of 45 takes to finish, meaning that the team had to restart filming everything each time they messed things up.