The Internet Keeps on Giving

In this case, words. Here are the top 10 words or phrases that originated from the web:

• Avatar
• Hashtag
• The “Scunthorpe” Problem – otherwise known as “why is this in my spam folder?”
• Trolling
• Memes
• Spam
• LOLs
• Meh
• Cupertinos – an early version of an “auto-correct error”
• Geek

From The Grauniad.

Timelapse: Earth

This is stunning. Thanks Barry.

Toronto Skyline

A break from the usual programming to share this gorgeous image of Toronto’s quite striking skyline.

Now, if only we can get rid of the horrendous Gardiner/Lakeshore Boulevard to connect Toronto with its waterfront.

LEGO is awesome

So much to feel good and inspired about in this video:

Also…if the kids ever wanted to know how tall a LEGO tower could get before the bottom brick would be destroyed, well, the BBC has the answer:

Apparently it would take 375,000 bricks making up a tower more than 3.5km tall before the bottom brick breaks. Only it doesn’t so much break as turn into a “warm camembert-like texture” and leak out from underneath the tower. Fascinating.

The Power of Poses

I found this talk absolutely fascinating. That you can change your physiology through the pose you hold your body in. By countering your emotions with your body shape you can, effectively, “fake it until you make it”.

via Business Insider

Lest We Forget

Last year, the team at Historica-Dominion Institute, in conjunction with DDB Canada created this once-in-a-century (11/11/11) piece to pay tribute to all the men and women who have and continue to serve this country. While this momentous, memorable moment has passed, the need to remember and honour service men and women who have and continue to risk all in order to protect what we believe to be good and pure, never subsides.

Personally, I’m always brought back to my school days, standing on a Sunday in the middle of the quad as the Last Post sweeps the college.

To stop cigarette smoking, the answer is plain

Great idea from Cancer Research UK to prevent children from starting to smoke – make the packets less plain because, well, you’ll see.

Sign the petition here.

Ed Lee. Too Legit To Quit.

A few months ago, I started getting some weird “@” messages on Twitter berating me for poor performance and political views. Which is weird because I never really talk politics on Twitter. I’m way too polite for that. I did some digging and it turns out that there is another Ed Lee (shock horror) who is the interim Mayor of San Francisco. He’s @edleeformayor if you want to follow him. He has some great slogans. This is probably my favourite and I think I can speak for all Ed Lees out there that it is 100% true.

via:

Saw this today and thought of my colleague @edlee twitpic.com/73bbr2—
Matthew Nelson (@apblog) October 21, 2011

Beyond amazing slogans, a great moustache and being indicted for voter fraud (you couldn’t make this up) he also has some pretty handy celebrity endorsements such as MC Hammer, Brian Wilson, will.i.am and Ashkon. Who made this quite astounding video.

Please watch and if you’re in San Francisco, please vote on November 8.

Can I Park Here?

Walking home from brunch a lady asked me “can I park here?”

I wasn’t sure but when I answered her, I defaulted to “no” and walked on. As I continued home, I thought about what had gone through my mind:

Can she park here? I thought she could but wasn’t sure

What if I said she could and she couldn’t? I’d be that guy who got her a parking ticket

What if I said she couldn’t but she went ahead and got a ticket? I’d be the guy who tried to warn her

I’m not sure what this means. I’m sure Seth would hate the “default to no” aspect but appreciate the “it’s better to do the right thing than the easy thing” sentiment behind the thinking. I’m also not sure what the lady did. I hope she moved because thinking about, I’m pretty sure she can’t park there.

London – The Glare Mile

I love London. Especially when I see such amazing pictures.

From the Guardian, via Collin Douma.

RT @Malbonnington: Really beautiful / unreal / sci-fi. *Astonishing* photo of London: http://LDN.in/Ju25MD—
Collin Douma (@CollinDouma) January 29, 2011