X Robot: Watch It Transform
Its a combination spider transformer robot. The 9th Robo-One competition held here in Tokyo on March 18-19th, 2006 featured a robot called LAYERED-X developed by Asurada. Watch it start as a tower, then switch to another unimpressive shape. Then, watch it take a human form and dance. The coolest part is how its X configuration can alertnate arms and legs. This looks like a cool enemy for the next Spiderman Movie.
Starting a Business, Now or Later?
Caterina Fake of Flickr fame started the discussion saying that it was a bad time to start a business. The points are that 1) Everybody else is starting a company. 2) Your competition just got funded too. 3) Talent is scarce again. 4) You can’t operate in obscurity anymore. 5) Web 2.0 isn’t all that. 6) There’s too much going on.
Now 37Signals chimes in with the counter argument saying that it is a good time to start a business.
Yes, it’s a bad time to start a company on VC diesel, using me-too technology, flaunting your non-existing goods, doing tagging because it’s cool, and spending all your time partying. Guess what? That was never a good idea.
Caterina’s points are well taken, but if you have a business plan that is solid, or are developing an application with a growing cutomer base, are any of theses reasons compelling enough for you not to make the jump? The scarce talent has to the be the most critical of all of these points.
My take is that if you have an idea and can provide a service for money then anytime is good to start a business. Web2.0 hype aside, if you create a product that people use and can somehow generate income, what does that have to do with VC Capital and going to parties with Web2.0 Hipster Wannabes? If you build it they will come.
If the Internet Bubble of the turn of the century taught us anything, it is to build a business on old school tried and true concepts. The most important of which is to have a viable business plan.
CSS, XHTML Motherload
I am always asked by new web developers or those wanting to learn CSS and XHTML where they can go to get info. A quick search on the web will give you lots of resources, but for a newbie, it is difficult to get to the right information. I know the feeling, whenever I learn something new, I try to find as muc info I can on the web, but it takes while before you get a list of consistent “go to” sites that will give you the right information.
For a start, check out this comprehensive list of CSS, XHTML web development resources. This is enough to get someone started. Be warned, some of the sites are not up to date. I remeber using some of these sites when I first started developing in CSS/XHTML. Glish and Bluerobot provided a good kick start with several ready layouts.
Layout-palooza : Top CSS Layout Download Sites, Hacks, Galleries and Tricks
Heat Vision and Jack
Ben Stiller directed a pilot for a show called “Heat Vision and Jack”. Jack Black stars as of-course Jack. Owen Wilson is the voice of Heat Vison the side kick motorcycle that has the mind of Jack’s unemployed roomate.
Spidey Reviews Crayons
Brilliant, take a Spiderman action figure a box of crayons and a digital camera and you have comedy gold. “Spidey Reviews Crayons” will have you wasting more time than you ever imagined reading about Spidey’s reaction to various colors. See why white is the most useless crayon of them all, while black is the ultimate. Remember to hide your red crayons when friends come over, that is a popular choice.
Donks, Boxes and Bubbles
Donks, boxes and Bubbles are ways to describe hi-riser cars by their different shapes. The cars need to be jacked up to sport 24″ and 26″ rims. The bleeding edge is now sporting 28″ rims so your Dubs are so played, you might as well save up for Treys when they come out because it won’t be long.
To create these Donks Boxes and Bubbles you need to use specific types of suspension that borrow tehniques from monster trucks. This creates a higher stance that allows the cars to accept enormously larger rims. But the stance is not the key for all of these cars. The difference is what type of car you use as your high riser. That Chevy Impala is considered a Bubble in the land of 24+ inch rims.
The stance is the key to making a true hi-riser. Boxes and Bubbles maintain a level stance after all the modifications are complete. The Donks are another story. Donks are essentially the king of this crew of creations. History has supported the fact that kings have a tendency to be, well, at least a little arrogant. Donks hold true to this by setting the suspension slightly lower in the rear to keep the nose in the air to command a little more respect.
Web 2.0 Company or Star Wars Character?
Web 2.0 is abuzz with all sorts of wacky names. Some of the names start to even sound like Star Wars characters. Is Dooku a Sith Lord or a new ToDo List Manager? I don’t know, actually I kinda do know. My score was a 31 which means: 31-40: As your doctor, I recommend moving out your parents’ basement.
Web 2.0 or Star Wars Character? Link via Kottke
Senna, Prost and Schumi
Twelve years ago in Formula 1 there was Ayrton Senna at McLaren, Alain Prost at Williams and Michael Schumacher at Bennetton with Team Manager Flavio Briatore. The close action from those days may return this year with the new V8 engines whoch will produce less power. Tire changes are back during a race, and more teams are driving on Bridgestone which should help narrow the performance gap they suffered against Michelin last year. Check out the racing from years gone by.
Give Me That Job!
You get to drive a fast car in exotic locations such as Monaco, Japan, China and Italy. You get to hang around pit babes and are pretty much pampered throughout your career. The life of an F1 driver. Did they ever have to fix a photocopier?
Kimi Wheel Blowout at Nurburgring
Formula 1 starts on Sunday, so enjoy a few videos to whet your appetite for rich guys going around a road track. Here is the video snippet from the incredible wheel blowout and crash at Nurburgring in 2005.
