Hi, I'm David.

Tyler Ward (the guy in the bandana, I think) has covered all...

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 00:50:30 -0400

Tyler Ward (the guy in the bandana, I think) has covered all sorts of songs, and he’s really, really good. I frequently like his covers more than the original songs - someone give this kid a record deal.

UPCeption (via Gizmodo)

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 18:05:36 -0400

UPCeption (via Gizmodo)

"Almost every dimension of cognition improves from 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, and creativity is..."

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 17:48:41 -0400

“Almost every dimension of cognition improves from 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, and creativity is no exception. The type of exercise doesn’t matter, and the boost lasts for at least two hours afterward. However, there’s a catch: this is the case only for the physically fit. For those who rarely exercise, the fatigue from aerobic activity counteracts the short-term benefits.
—-
Those who study multi-tasking report that you can’t work on two projects simultaneously, but the dynamic is different when you have more than one creative project to complete. In that situation, more projects get completed on time when you allow yourself to switch between them if solutions don’t come immediately. This corroborates surveys showing that professors who set papers aside to incubate ultimately publish more papers. Similarly, preeminent mathematicians usually work on more than one proof at a time.
—-
According to University of Texas professor Elizabeth Vandewater, for every hour a kid regularly watches television, his overall time in creative activities—from fantasy play to arts projects—drops as much as 11 percent. With kids spending about three hours in front of televisions each day, that could be a one-third reduction in creative time—less time to develop a sense of creative self-efficacy through play.”

- From Newsweek, three awesome ways to be more creative and get more done. The exercise one, in particular, fascinates me. This article, and one from the99percent called “The Cure For Creative Blocks? Leave Your Desk” make it awfully clear that the best way to work smarter and better is to stop working sometimes.

Another article on the subject, which I loved (partly because it’s fascinating, and partly because my mind gets blown every time I read Jonah Lehrer) was about Why We Travel. From the article:

When we escape from the place we spend most of our time, the mind is suddenly made aware of all those errant ideas we’d suppressed. We start thinking about obscure possibilities – corn can fuel cars – that never would have occurred to us if we’d stayed back on the farm. Furthermore, this more relaxed sort of cognition comes with practical advantages, especially when we’re trying to solve difficult problems.

The Neuroscience of Inception

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:23:53 -0400

The Neuroscience of Inception:

A must-read if you’ve seen Inception. A must-avoid if you haven’t, because it ruins everything it possibly can for those who haven’t seen it.

Either way, it’s fascinating. Again, if you haven’t seen it, don’t read it - just trust me. It’s awesome.

Can “Houndog” really be self-titled? I’d like...

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:11:26 -0400

Can “Houndog” really be self-titled? I’d like to meet this Houndog.

This site looks different!

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:40:50 -0400

Design is a funny thing. I’m no good at creating it, but I know good and bad when I see it. And, much more importantly and expensively, I get bored with most designs very quickly.

So, for a $9 purchase of the wonderful Scaffold theme, I’ve got a site that feels all brand new-like! I’ll be writing and posting here more and more, and playing with some of the options, so things will likely look horrible for a long time, then look great for a few days, then completely different. And round and round we’ll go.

What do you think of the new layout?

Bad ideas from The Little Mermaid - Boing Boing

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:59:14 -0400

Bad ideas from The Little Mermaid - Boing Boing

"Being excellent is one of the most important things in life. But excellence and professionalism are..."

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:44:00 -0400

“Being excellent is one of the most important things in life. But excellence and professionalism are NOT synonyms.”

- Shawn Blanc

I love this quote. Whether you’re writing, or applying for a job, or sitting in a coffee shop somewhere, being great is rarely about being “professional.” People respond to real people with real thoughts who are genuine about both, rather than someone who’s been practicing and preparing.

I hate professionalism - it’s stodgy, boring, tough to read, and generally not worth my time. Excellence, though, I’m always in search of. Love it, Shawn.

Designer’s Desk! (via 9GAG) Amazing. And accurate. And...

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:38:38 -0400

Designer’s Desk! (via 9GAG)

Amazing. And accurate. And makes me want to do this in my house.

"LeBron could earn close to $1 billion over his lifetime in salary and endorsements if he makes..."

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:12:45 -0400

“LeBron could earn close to $1 billion over his lifetime in salary and endorsements if he makes Madison Square Garden his permanent home—their high-end estimate sees him earning as much as $2 billion. That outshines the estimated $700 million he’d likely earn in Cleveland, the $690 million in Chicago, and $600 million in Miami.”

- What The Knicks Told LeBron: Come To New York And Make $1 Billion

Fascinating, and probably accurate. I read the other day that if LBJ wants money, he’ll go to NY; championships, Chicago; loyalty, Cleveland. I can’t wait to see what he decides.

But still, $1B is one. big. fat. check.

"After drinking a Coke: In the first 10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. (100% of..."

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:24:00 -0400

“

After drinking a Coke:

In the first 10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. (100% of your recommended daily intake.) You don’t immediately vomit from the overwhelming sweetness because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor, allowing you to keep it down.

”

- What Happens to Your Body If You Drink a Coke Right Now?

And…I can’t drink Coke ever again.

Woot : Amazon, Woot, and You: But Mostly Woot

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 17:39:06 -0400

Woot : Amazon, Woot, and You: But Mostly Woot:

By a million miles, this is the best “we got bought” email I’ve ever seen.

New “Paranormal Activity 2″ Teaser I jumped about 11 feet...

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:02:04 -0400

New “Paranormal Activity 2″ Teaser

I jumped about 11 feet watching this…at work. Watch at your own risk.

"Six-year-old boys are cable-TV pundits without the audience or salary. They are all about sweeping..."

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:54:04 -0400

“

Six-year-old boys are cable-TV pundits without the audience or salary. They are all about sweeping judgments, and very, very strong opinions based on absolutely no evidence at all.

“I hate edamame.” (He has never tried edamame.) “Don’t take me to the Chelsea Piers bowling alley. It’s the worst.” (He has never been to the Chelsea Piers bowling alley.) One of Jasper’s new classmates asked him for a playdate on the first day of school. Jasper said sorry, he was busy. What about tomorrow? the kid asked. My son replied: “No. I’m busy for the rest of the year.”

”

- How to Raise Men

If my kids aren’t exactly like this, I’m taking them back.

Fast Lane - The Slide I DEMAND this for the New York Subway, and...

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:25:56 -0400

Fast Lane - The Slide

I DEMAND this for the New York Subway, and two stops in particular: Roosevelt Island, and the Lexington and 63rd St. F station. There’s literally no downside here.

What if laugh tracks were replaced with actual reactions? I...

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 01:19:42 -0400

What if laugh tracks were replaced with actual reactions?

I demand that every show be done like this from now on.

Ragdoll Cannon 3 is the most addicting game in the history of ever.

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:58:17 -0400

Ragdoll Cannon 3 is the most addicting game in the history of ever.:

I CAN’T STOP PLAYING THIS GAME. I’d tell you about it, but no time - have to go play it more.

"I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make..."

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:37:53 -0400

“I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn’t always know this, and am happy I lived long enough to find it out.”

- Roger Ebert (found here)

While we’re on the Mario subject… Via Boing Boing

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:45:15 -0400

While we’re on the Mario subject…

Via Boing Boing

Oh. My. Goodness. Via CrunchGear

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 10:07:16 -0400

Oh. My. Goodness.

Via CrunchGear