November 05, 2007
Good Literature (Blogs) Must be Acknowledged
And know that a vote for the Neil Gaiman Journal is a vote for all the good and right and lovely things in this world.
It's also a vote for marmite and a canine Cabal.
UPDATE: Please note the winner.
It is nice to know that everything is as it should be.
Posted by Groonk at 03:31 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
October 24, 2007
"Surviving the Zombie Attack" as Told Through Paper
I've found a new site to haunt...er... brain-eat.
(via digg, common craft )
Posted by Groonk at 06:28 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Funny, Holiday, Just Freaking Neat, Tutorials, Video
October 23, 2007
THE IT CROWD Creator Says "No" to Learning and/or Hugging
Apparently the USA version will not get to air. I can't say I'm sorry to hear that. I did not see The PTBs translating the british humor very well(see 1st season of THE OFFICE or that godawful American version of COUPLING).
British IT CROWD creator, Graham Linehan, thinks on what it'd take to make his creation work for an American audience.
As far as I can make out, even the oddest US mainstream sitcom–’Seinfeld’, say– is rooted in the real world. Mainstream American audiences aren’t used to characters who can cling to ceilings, or sit calmly playing computer games while a fire is raging beside them…all that crap that makes me laugh. I’m not saying they’re incapable of handling this kind of humour, I’m just saying that if you really intend to do this kind of nutty show, you can’t just grab the scripts and slap a few American actors on it. You need to rethink the whole thing, so that people who haven’t seen, say, ‘Blackadder’ about a thousand times, don’t get turned off by all the silly.Anyway, this brings me to my main reason for writing this post. It’s a long shot, but should anyone from NBC find the project lying around in a drawer before the option is up and decide to give it another go, I thought I’d do a quick checklist of things they might try in order to give any future version a snowball’s chance in hell of finding an audience.
His thoughts are worth the read.
(via the beat, Graham Linehan's blog)
Posted by Groonk at 05:34 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Culture, Tee Vee
October 22, 2007
Stephen Fry Tours the USA in a Black Cab
This strange new obesession with Stephen Fry baffles me. He seems to have a mind to drive around all 50 states in the black cab seen below.
"A jaunt around every state of America may seem rather trivial or self-indulgent, but I hope that won’t be how it comes across. America is important. We have seen perhaps a little too much of British people going over to sneer at rednecks, laugh at freaks and wring their hands at nutters. The America I’ve visited (and I’ve crossed it before in traditional fashion; shiny red Mustang convertible, diner to diner, motel to motel. Very Bruce Dern) have always seemed to me to be more than ordinarily kind, friendly, hospitable, polite, thoughtful and honourable. Well, I’m visiting with an open mind but that has been my experience thus far. Maine for four nights, then New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York... you get the idea."
Hullo, Mr Fry?
I'll keep my eye out for your cab.
Oh, and will you be needing an alarum for your mornings, sir?
(via ontd, stephen fry's blog)
Posted by Groonk at 10:11 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, USA
October 19, 2007
Man Sets his Camera: RUNS!
He has a site full of these.
(via popbitch and flickr and the running man)
Posted by Groonk at 08:32 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Art, Blogged, Flickrlicious
ONTD Goes Political. Shit Just Got SRS
Growth is a wonderful thing.
(via ontd_p)
Posted by Groonk at 07:08 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
September 23, 2007
Stephen Fry is a MAJOR Futurephone Geek
And that's just fine, thank you very much. It's nice to see famous creative types wallowing in their geekiness.
"I have never seen a SmartPhone I haven't bought"
Stephen Fry
(via warren ellis)
Posted by Groonk at 11:28 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
February 01, 2007
Scooter Libby LIVE! Thanks to Firedoglake.
But by "LIVE" I mean "blog written." Which is not as exciting as one might think.
One should pay attention to the justice system in progress, yes yes?
(via rocketboom and firedoglake)
Posted by Groonk at 01:14 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Politics, USA
January 10, 2007
Wherein You Find Links that May be of Great Use
And all of them regarding Neil Gaiman. Imagine that.
The Quotable Neil
"Well, yes, you'd ask my permission first. And then I'd say no, but I'd add that if you want to do a web page of quotes that you've collected that you like, I'd be fine with that and happily link to it. --Neil Gaiman 11/29/05"
Read Yourself Raw's: RECOMMENDED BY... NEIL GAIMAN
Neil Gaiman is one of the top writers in modern comics. He is the creator/writer of the award-winning horror-weird series Sandman, and the graphic novel's Mr Punch, Violent Cases and Signal To Noise. He is also a best-selling novelist with American Gods and his children's novel Coraline both enjoying enormous critical success.
This pleasant bit of nostalgia from this fellow at COMICS SHOULD BE GOOD(which includes reference to a Riddler story that was written by Gaiman.
Then, two years ago, my parents drove out to Arizona for Christmas and brought some more. Now, the last two long boxes have arrived, and I'm in nerd heaven. These are comics I loved back in the day, mind you, but I haven't read them in 12 long years. Some of them suck, obviously, because I'm not perfect, but it's still nice to see them. I can't wait to dig into them when I have a chance. Here are the highlights of the two lost long boxes, exiled for so long in a closet in Plumstead Township, PA
(via neil gaiman journal)
Posted by Groonk at 11:46 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Books, Just Freaking Neat, Quotables
December 19, 2006
The Baseline Must Be Set
(via zefrank: 3 months til the end of The Show)
Posted by Groonk at 06:51 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Flash, Just Freaking Neat, Video
December 15, 2006
You'll Never Be Lost on Mongo Again
The Strange Maps blog is posting all kinds of cartography curiosities. Funny maps. Fictional maps. Factional maps.
If it's a map, I guess it'll end up there.
(via strange maps and warren ellis)
Posted by Groonk at 02:31 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Comics, Weird
December 09, 2006
Buy a Bit of a Celebrity's Soul to Help Fight Breast Cancer
Project Teddy Bears, that is. There's an auction to support the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer wherein famous lads and lasses take pictures with little bears and the kind folks at the charity sell said pics and autographs in an auction.
Some of the photos are dreadfully amusing. While one of them(I'm looking at you Rue McClanahan) scares the crap out of me. I put a very small sampling of photos in the below graphic.
If you want to own a bit of a famous person's soul, go to the auction and bid away breast cancer.
(via neil gaiman)
Posted by Groonk at 07:52 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Culture, USA
November 16, 2006
The Fuckin Red Hat Nation LIVES
Like most things, this started small. James Gunn wore an "ugly fuckin paddington bear looking" red hat during the production of SLiTHER. He shared with fans via his blog. They shared their photoshop revenge.
Befriend his hat: http://www.myspace.com/jgredhat
Befriend his group: http://groups.myspace.com/tjgas
Make this girl your bitch and get her to make you a red hat too: http://www.myspace.com/hockey_bauer (But be nice about it.)
(via red hat nation and a fuckin red hat)
Posted by Groonk at 06:20 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Culture
November 06, 2006
HOW TO: Gain Godlike Acting or Writing Skills
The husband wife team of James Gunn(SLiTHER, DAWN OF THE DEAD) and Jenna Fischer(THE OFFICE,LOLLILOVE) shared some advice on their respective professions. Let's have a look, shall we?
Remember, these are 8 TRICKS, not 8 RULES. I believe each of these gives a person a greater chance at becoming a successful screenwriter. But NONE of them are NECESSARY to becoming a screenwriter (although the last one comes pretty close.) Here goes:1) Write at least 3 hours a day 6 days a week.
2) Move to Los Angeles. Of if you can't do L.A., move to New York.
3) Spell check, of course, but also make a pass checking for "its" and "it's", "their" and "there," "your" and "you're", and so on.
4) Don't even think about trying to get an agent until you have completed your best possible work.
5) Don't blame others for your failures as a screenwriter. By assessing your own responsibilities, and learning from your failures, you supercharge yourself and become unstoppable!! (NOTE: it's good to read this trick out loud and pump your fist up in the air while doing so).
6) Got friends who like to cut you down and tell you "this isn't possible" and "that can't be done"? Lose 'em.
7) On the flipside, have 3 good objective readers, who are very honest, even harsh, and who have your best interests at heart. (Mary Harron agreed with this trick, but added that you should make sure the objective readers at least somewhat share your tastes -- that is, they have the same goals you do).
8) FINISH WHAT YOU START. Are you doubting what you write? Are you starting to think it's crap? Good! That's a part of being a writer! We are doubting, tortured, angst-filled souls, and all it takes to be a writer is to write in the face of that!!
So those are the tricks.
(via myspace james gunn)
Fischer actually went into great detail in her blog about her experiences in the world of professional Hollywood. The entire entry is worth the read if you have any aspirations for working in the entertainment biz, whether you want to be an actor or a writer.
I know how hard it can be when you first get out here. Go out and meet as many people as you can. Create a family for yourself of creative, supportive people. AND, don't stop your personal life for your career. I know a lot of people that wait to do things - visit family, friends, have relationships, get married - because they are waiting until they "make it". Or, they don't go to a friend's wedding because they might "miss something". Life is too short and it's not worth it in the end. I always took off and did that stuff and it turned out fine. I was often anxious and worried in the process but I did it. I believe that in order for my professional life to move forward, I have to keep my personal life moving forward as well.I wouldn't be where I am today if not for my husband James. He is the one who convinced me to quit my job as a secretary (ironically) and focus full time on acting. I didn't totally believe I could make it but he did. He supported us financially and supported me emotionally. He ran lines with me and coached me before countless auditions. He put up with my highs and lows. He was, and still is, my biggest cheerleader. And, you need that out here.
(via myspace jenna fischer)
UPDATE: Gunn has decided to do a series of posts on how to break into the film biz.
Posted by Groonk at 04:27 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Interviews, Tutorials, USA
November 02, 2006
Military Cracking Down on Milblogs
It's interesting that the PTBs are finally taking notice of milblogs. I haven't seen many soldiers' blogs that compromise troop movements or the like.
From what I could tell, the milbloggers have more common sense than Geraldo fucking Rivera(Look for "War Coverage Controversies" for a reminder on his idiocy).
Ten members of a Virginia National Guard unit have been tasked with reviewing both official and unofficial Army websites for potential operational security, or OPSEC, violations. Under the direction of the Army's Web Risk Assessment Cell (AWRAC), the reviewers look for text, photos or videos that may give away sensitive information."Loose lips sink ships. That's been around since World War I, and hasn't changed in years," said Lt. Col. Stephen Warnock, team leader and battalion commander of the Manassas-based unit that works with contractors from the tech company CA.
Milblogs offer one of the last direct witnesses to the Iraq war from the point of view of front line soldiers -- a sharp reversal from three years ago, when the U.S.-led invasion was among the most closely-watched military attacks in history. According to Editor and Publisher, the number of reporters embedded in military units has dropped from 770 at the height of the conflict to just nine today.
The recent U.S. pressure on milbloggers, reported by Wired contributing editor Noah Shachtman in his Defense Tech blog, highlights the security risks of blogging by active duty military personel -- including those in Iraq with access to e-mail and the internet.
But it also signals a growing culture clash between military traditions of censorship and the expectations of young soldiers weaned on open digital culture, according to current and former military personnel.
One of the milblogs mentioned is The Midnight Hour. I checked his about page and learned he's a marine from Huntsville, AL who graduated from UAH.
Small freaking world.
(via wired news)
Posted by Groonk at 09:43 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Politics, War
October 13, 2006
Ghost Town Offers a Savage Beast Soothing Month of Music
The Ghost Town blog is doing a 31 Days of Halloween thing as well. Only theirs is dubbed 31 Days of Pure evil. Did I miss out on an meme email or something?
Ghost Town's Halloween gig is that they're dropping a new mp3 on their site every day. By month's end, you'll have the chance to download an especially eclectic GT inspired mix tape from hell.
If you are so inclined.
(via ghost town)
Posted by Groonk at 10:59 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Digital Share, Holiday, Music
And on the Thirteenth Day, there was Vincent Price
I thought I was getting a bunch of podcasts of Edgar Allan Poe stories via Senses Working Overtime. I thought wrong cause every file I grabbed was unusable.
At least there are pretty pictures.
Still, they are doing a 31 Days of Halloween bit that might have other usable Halloween downloadables.
(via senses working overtime)
Posted by Groonk at 10:35 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Digital Share, Holiday, One Sheets
October 07, 2006
It Just Ain't Halloween without some Monster MASHUP
Ghouls with Attitude was entertaining me, until it plumb got on my nerves. Don't get me wrong. It's a fun mix of old horror movie trailers, vintage songs and TV themes, and a dollop or two of remixes.
But I'm done with Ghouls for the week.
I've moved on to The Bride of Monster MASHUP with bonus cuts and a pdf mag. All the DJ sounds I've come to know and love over the last 10 months are in there. Along with some new ones.
ALBUM:
1. DJ Schmolli - Satan.Omen.Death
2. dj BC - The Witch Doctor vs The Exorcist
3. DJ NoNo - County Sound
4. KrazyBen - Monster of the crypt
5. Pilchard - Jack The Ripper
6. DJ Engineer - Happy Mash-O-Ween
7. Cheekyboy - Nowhere To Run, Nowhere To Hide
8. EARLYBIRD - ...that I put a spell on her.
9. Irn Mnky - Tongueless Ghost Of Sin
10. DJ Clive$ter - The Megablast Of Dragula feat. Pinhead
11. Mr. Fab - Cannibal Zombie Mom
12. Divide & Kreate - Highway Reaper
13. Fettdog - The Haunted Mashion
14. Essexboy - Freaky Teethbusters
15. Apollo Zero - Don't Scream, Halloween's Paid in Full
16. Autopilot - Devil Went Down on Betty
17. Juxtaposeur - The Demonique Dimotane Co
18. DJ Boasty - Purple People Eater
19. Solcofn - Release Yo' Nightmare
BONUS CD:
1. AberNStein - Halloween ist Krieg
2. Cheekyboy - Somebody's Sunglasses
3. DJ Clive$ter - Blue Monday 4 American Witches
4. DJ Engineer - Vampire Nation
5. DJ Earlybird - Halloween Puppetz
6. Mr. Fab - Dark Shadows Cha Cha Cha
7. RIAA - Caspar The Friendly Queen
8. BuG - Happy Devil
9. Cheekyboy - Halloween Haunted Megamix
You can download track by track or in a mega mp3 chunk or embrace the bittorrent love.
Know this: You need BoMM in your headspace. It'll make you right. It'll make you good. It may even make you dance.
Scary.
(headsup via myspace solcofn)
UPDATE: Blog of Monster MASHUP keeps you up to date on new tracks.
Posted by Groonk at 05:56 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Digital Share, Holiday, Just Freaking Neat, Music
Bad Astronomy = Good Geek Site.
He's a writer, astronomer and skeptic. He runs the site Bad Astronomy which I found while canning the 2006 Bloggie winners.
He has many pictures of Mars. He likes to talk science. He has a decent sense of humor.
(via bad astronomy)
Posted by Groonk at 02:33 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Mars, Science
September 12, 2006
Dragon*Con TV was Clever
The fine folks who ran this year's Dragon*Con found clever ways to entertain the literate freaks and geeks in attendance.
They payed homage to Adult Swim's bumps and did a funny job of it. Funny haha.
fandom feast (my favorite)
http://dragoncontv.com/videos/123/
sf vs not sf
http://dragoncontv.com/videos/141/
please don't sue
http://dragoncontv.com/videos/138/
no one cares(another favorite)
http://dragoncontv.com/videos/134/
(via dunc)
Posted by Groonk at 02:48 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Culture, Just Freaking Neat, Marketing
August 31, 2006
When Assured Mutual Destruction is Just not Enough
Accelerated Future's Michael Anissimov, has created an article named "Six Places to Nuke When You're Serious."
Nice to see the kids considering all the options.
In this scenario, it does not really matter who is dropping the bomb. The point is to create as much mayhem as possible. This analysis leans towards detonation targets that do damage to the United States in particular, both because the US has many enemies, and because many countries are economically and politically dependent on a smoothly-functioning US. The attack might be a set-up for a larger operation, occur in the context of a war, or simply be an isolated event. Potential orchestrators of the attack include rogue states like North Korea or Iran, criminal organizations, jihadi organizations, or more sophisticated groups like circles of well-educated and wealthy Americans exploiting abrupt technological transitions to gain power.
2. Knock off a chunk of Cumbre Viejo at La Palma in the Canary Islands.
Explosions on mountaintop, rocks into ocean, waves into coast. Walls of water into cities. You get the idea. The wave goes around the globe three full times before it dissipates. Not sure if this one is worse than blowing up Manhattan.
Number 1 will dumbfound you. Is right out of an ill conceived Michael Bay/Jerry Bruckheimer plot.
(via accelerating future)
Posted by Groonk at 01:15 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Culture, USA, World
August 28, 2006
To Be "Spider Jerusalem" is an Honor
Geek tech gossip site Valley Wag created a new award in honor of Transmet's Spider Jerusalem. They say, "It's hard to make a world of chips and software exciting without sounding like a Wired cub reporter or a BusinessWeek bubble-blower."
The first award goes to Wall Street Journal's Jason Fry. "He sums up the frustration of so many former tech news fans when he introduces a story about private space travel by lamenting the fall of the brave space-scientist archetype."
Spider Jerusalem award: The best blurb in journalism
C'mon, kid: Your square-jawed rocket engineers of future histories past are now tattooed, pierced software engineers coding social-networking sites.
--Jason Fry "Wall Street Journal"
(via warren ellis)
Posted by Groonk at 03:02 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Quotables, Technology
June 07, 2006
Typographica is a Font of Knowledge...on Fonts
Fonts, we see them everyday. That Wal Mart smiley attacks them with abandon. McD's brands their main font into our heads from the time we are kids. Discount marts do ungodly things to them just to grab your attention amongst their piles of unsorted junk.
Typographica keeps a journal on them. Finally, someone using their powers for good.
Posted by Groonk at 08:57 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
May 05, 2006
Joe Rogan goes to a Porno Party
Stranger than ficiton day continues with this bit of noise.
Dunc tells me that Joe "Fear Factor" Rogan has challenged Wesley "Too Wong Foo..." Snipes to a UFC fight. That's Ultimate Fighting Championship for the unaware. Even odder than that, Rogan says it just might happen.
I'm not sure what that whole deal is about, but I found this story on Rogan's blog/official about his first(?) porno party too funny not to remember.
The kid's eyes are locked on the screen. He's got this look in his eyes is like he really believes that his brain must be malfunctioning. Like he just can’t comprehend what he's watching. Like as if he didn't even know she was a porn star. His jaw drops.
After about 30 seconds of this kid standing in front of the screen, frozen in the hypnotic spell of ass, mouth, ass, mouth, ass, mouth… he turns to her asks her a question, and I hear her say, "I was gonna tell you."
The whole tale is here.
Posted by Groonk at 06:13 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Sex
April 24, 2006
FIRST SECOND is about building bridges
A comic company to keep your eyes on.
FIRST SECOND aims for high quality, literate graphic novels for a wide age-range, from Middlegrade to Young Adult to Adult readers. Toward that end I am endeavoring to upgrade the editorial process and the art direction that go into making book-length comics. I have already begun to sign on talented storytellers, including prize-winning novelists and non-fiction writers, top playwrights and screenwriters. On the artistic side, I'm assembling an inspiring line-up of exceptional talents from all over the world. Check out one of FIRST SECOND's trailer for The Lost Colony.
FIRST SECOND also has a weblog.
(via Bad Signal)
Posted by Groonk at 10:54 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Comics, Just Freaking Neat, Trailers
Iraqi Bloggers Speak Up
The article points out several different points of view. More than I cared to document. That defeated the purpose of being terse memory cap reference points.
The article also pointed out that most of the Iraqi bloggers are young and well educated.
Unheard of in Saddam Hussein's Iraq, blogging is providing ordinary Iraqis with a voice -- a chance to vent and reflect on the changes reshaping their country.
For the outside world, the generally anonymous internet postings offer raw insider views and insights in which sorrow and joy, hope and despair, fear and defiance coexist as the violence of the insurgency and now sectarian divisions swirl around Iraqis.
"The West should listen to the opinions of the simple Iraqi people. They only hear from analysts and politicians," said Zeyad, who agreed to discuss his blogging only if his family name wasn't revealed for security reasons. "This is a good window into the world."
Zeyad typed his first entry in his Healing Iraq blog in October 2003 about Iraq's new currency, calling it "wonderful and so symbolic" that the distribution of the new dinar coincided with the anniversary of a referendum that re-elected Saddam. He has gone on to chronicle his thoughts on all aspects of life in the new Iraq.
A self-described agnostic born into a Sunni Muslim family, Zeyad reacted angrily in 2003 when the then interior minister announced that people found eating in public during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan would be detained for three days and fined.
"I wanted to kill someone after reading all that," Zeyad wrote. "Free country my ass."
In later postings, he seethed at the growing influence of Muslim clerics, saying it made him fear for the future of freedom in Iraq.
"I want to be able to buy my vodka without having to look left and right. I want to be able to walk with my girlfriend in the street while holding hands together without people glaring at me. Is this TOO MUCH to ask?" he wrote. "Do I have to immigrate and leave my country for wanting to do all that?"
But there were moments of pride and exhilaration, too.
One came when Iraqis voted for an interim legislature in January 2005, their first democratic election in decades.
"Hold your head up high. Remember that you are Iraqi," Zeyad wrote that day.
[...]
While lamenting the violence in Iraq, a blogger who uses the pseudonym The Mesopotamian praised the war that ousted Saddam.
"The blood and sacrifices by the American soldiers and people will never be forgotten," The Mesopotamian wrote. "It was right, it was just and it was ordained by God that a murderer and tyrant should be overthrown."
Posted by Groonk at 10:37 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, World
Dave Winer says 'Amateurs do it for love'
I'm paraphrasing of course.
Interesting interview with blog father Dave Winer on last Thursday's Rocketboom. They talked about writing style, rss, and the "training wheel" nature of Myspace.
I've been saying to other friends that I really don't get the popularity of Myspace. It's such a simple beast. Nowhere near the potential a social app like that could be. I know many folks who could code a better app in their sleep. Yet Myspace is here now.
Oh well.
(via 
)
Posted by Groonk at 09:32 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Interviews, Just Freaking Neat, Marketing
March 24, 2006
SoaP: Parody themes and logos
I may be feeding the cult of Snakes on a Plane, but what the hell.
The logo:
The song(reasons why not to see SoaP):
DC Lugi - SoaP song
(via geekdrome forums & entertainment weekly & Snakes on a Blog)
Posted by Groonk at 05:58 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Digital Share, Movies, One Sheets
March 23, 2006
Best. Masthead. Ever!
Custom T-shirt blogger Preshrunk's Jason Cosper has the best personal blog masthead I've ever seen.
Posted by Groonk at 01:49 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Art, Blogged, Funny, Religion
March 22, 2006
Warshooter: Thailand Tsunami Then and Now
Humans and nature know how to re-build:
the green returns
More photos at the Warshooter gallery.
(via rocketboom)
Posted by Groonk at 05:10 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, World
Simon Pegg has a Hot Fuzz blog
You know ...Simon Pegg. Shaun of the Dead. Spaced. That funny british guy.
He's working on a new movie with the usual suspects called Hot Fuzz.
Now he's doing a video diary blog thing to keep you apprised of the Hot Fuzz process.
(via I watch stuff)
Posted by Groonk at 04:37 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Movies
March 03, 2006
The Sex Gods were appeased...
...the Reverse Cowgirl has returned.
(via warrenellis)
Posted by Groonk at 07:25 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Sex
February 28, 2006
The Great Curve
Delightful.
Posted by Groonk at 04:18 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Comics
February 19, 2006
REPOST: The Panda Blog
Like Monkeys in the News...only with Pandas.
Simple enough.
Posted by Groonk at 11:06 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
January 15, 2006
CSS template for Screenplay Formatting
Brilliant writer John August created and shared a CSS template that will format your screenplays for web use.
In fact, his entire site is worth a look see for aspiring screenwriters cause he constanly addresses writing issues and answers questions from the interested peanut gallery.
Handy guy that August.
Sidenote: Kung Fu Monkey's John Rogers has a few things to say about writing as well in his index fu.
Posted by Groonk at 02:23 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, CSS
January 13, 2006
ASIFA Hollywood Animation Archive
Now that's a mouthful of cartooning archiving blog.
[...]
The database will contain a wide range of material... illustration and print cartoons catagorized by subject and artist; all kinds of animation art from character designs and model sheets to animation drawings and background paintings. Movies of pencil tests and key scenes by famous animators will be included, as will audio files documenting the work of major voice over artists. All of the digital files will be accessible by a simple keyword search. Artists will be able to quickly see different approaches to the design of a specific subject, research the work of artists who interest them, and gain inspiration from the rich history of animation.
Of note to me: Cartooning self-taught.
(via boingboing)
Posted by Groonk at 05:29 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Tutorials
December 19, 2005
Hellboy Animated
"The Production Diary of the Hellboy Animated Projects."
It's just that simple.
Posted by Groonk at 08:30 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Movies
Inventor of WWW finally decides to blog
Tim Berners-Lee decided to blog.
I'll note his first post cause it's interesting to see the ideas that creators have for their projects.
In 1989 one of the main objectives of the WWW was to be a space for sharing information. It seemed evident that it should be a space in which anyone could be creative, to which anyone could contribute. The first browser was actually a browser/editor, which allowed one to edit any page, and save it back to the web if one had access rights.
Now in 2005, we have blogs and wikis, and the fact that they are so popular makes me feel I wasn't crazy to think people needed a creative space. In the mean time, I have had the luxury of having a web site which I have write access, and I've used tools like Amaya and Nvu which allow direct editing of web pages. With these, I haven't felt the urge to blog with blogging tools. Effectively my blog has been the Design Issues series of technical articles.
That said, it is nice to have a machine to the administrative work of handling the navigation bars and comment buttons and so on, and it is nice to edit in a mode in which you can to limited damage to the site. So I am going to try this blog thing using blog tools. So this is for all the people who have been saying I ought to have a blog.
(via boingobing)
Posted by Groonk at 03:31 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
December 12, 2005
Cool Google Maps
Cool Google Maps catalogs all the google maps mashups that are created day to day.
My favorites include:
Japanese Castle Maps
Concert Maps
X-Map(in which you can search for any randomness found in your state)
Brewpub Brewery Map( a gift from all the good gods)
What time is it? (find out the local time anywhere)
The Housing Rental Map(posted on groonk.net back in April 05)
Maps of interest:
track George W Bush map
Gym Map(no excuse to skip working out now)
Hotel Finder
Fast Food locator(use technology to get fat)
Map gas prices
And one they don't have yet:
The Ontario Beer Hunter(find out where to get a drink any where in Ontario, Canada)
Posted by Groonk at 06:59 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Google-fied, Research
November 20, 2005
LISTEN: Delta Chi: The Band?!
There's a band somewhere overseas called Delta Chi. I being associated with the fraternity called Delta Chi find that fairly amusing.
Their music ain't bad either. I'm not rushing out and buying it, but it's not bad.
They also have myspace connections.
Posted by Groonk at 09:27 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Artist, Blogged, Music, Streamed Goodness
November 05, 2005
Greg Pak
Greg Pak made the damn awesome robot themed anthology sci-fi film "Robot Stories" and he's also writing comics.
And he also has a handy filmhelp guide for those wishing to join the flimmaking community.
Posted by Groonk at 03:39 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Comics, Movies, Tutorials
October 05, 2005
iPod Nano blog
Somebody loves the hell out of the iPod Nano.
Posted by Groonk at 04:02 PM | Comments (1) | Ministry of Blogged
September 23, 2005
Newspapers, Blogging, Podcasting, Web Only Rita
The Huston metblog is doing frequent first-person updates.
This site includes a Google hack that combines Google Maps with hurricane tracking data, for a comprehensive view of Rita's activities: Link
Houston TV Station KHOU is reporting Rita updates on a blog which may become their primary distribution means if things get rough. Includes MP3 audio and text story summaries. Link
A newspaper in Lake Charles, LA is using blogspt to report on Rita.
(all via boingboing)
Posted by Groonk at 01:57 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Google-fied, Research, USA
September 01, 2005
New Orleans Blog Stories
The Interdictor has turned his blog into an unofficial Survival of New Orleans blog. Giving "firsthand experience of the disaster and its aftermath with anyone interested."
I don't know the guy at all so, as always, use your best judgement in what you believe.
Another blog talking about the aftermath of Katrina is Insomia's Journal.
(via ponzu)
Posted by Groonk at 12:50 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Research
August 29, 2005
Anime Watch
Memento may be a way for me to keep up with the latest anime in Japan.
I was looking for something called Speed Grapher and managed to find a trailer for it. Not sure about that one.
I haven't run across any really good and new series lately. What's with the slump, guys?
Posted by Groonk at 05:34 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Anime, Blogged, Trailers
August 27, 2005
12oz Pussy
Hilarious misadventures ensue when a man fresh from Japan and their many sex shop curiosities decides to "try out" his freshly bought can of vagina.
"oh, where's that funny beer can thing we got? Rob, you had it, right?" And everyone looks at me, and I just stare at them for a moment, and then say, "...I fucked it. I fucked it and I hated myself, and now it's gone." There was a slight pause, followed by uproarious laughter. The ridicule took months to subside.
(via boingboing)
Posted by Groonk at 10:10 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Only in Japan, Sex
August 09, 2005
Pocky Goodness
So, in Japan, there are these stick-like confections called pocky.
The Journal of Ephemeral Inspiration has a Flickr set full of pocky and pocky pretender logos.
Posted by Groonk at 05:09 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Marketing, Only in Japan
July 28, 2005
Shuttle/ISS rendezvous Revisited
I would have had pictures the first time but Groonk Command and Control isn't fully functional yet.
But now I have half my image resizing capabilities and Google Earth on my side:
just north of Australia
full globe view
off the coast of japan
they passed me by again...the bastards
Many,many thanks go to ogle earth for the live Gearth/Shuttle tracking application.
Posted by Groonk at 05:21 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Apps, Blogged, Google-fied, Science, USA, World
July 26, 2005
Action Figures, Go!
I finally have another japanese based blog. It goes by the name of AntiPixel I've been jonesin' for good one ever since Hunkabutta moved back to Canada.
Medicmike shared the photos he found there. It seems you can get many kinds of action figures in Japan.
(via medicmike)
Posted by Groonk at 10:39 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Culture
July 25, 2005
Blogging in L.A.
Two blogs based in L.A.:
Assistant/Atlas: Hollywood's Young Shoulders
An ex-assistant talks about "Hollywood" and whatever's on his mind.
Franklin Avenue
Also based in L.A. But it looks to be run by several people.
(via kungfumonkey)
Posted by Groonk at 02:26 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
July 13, 2005
The Evolution Store
Two faced cats, still-born lambs, medical posters, replica skulls...you name it, the Evolution Store has it.
(via rocketboom)
Posted by Groonk at 03:03 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Animals, Blogged, Weird
July 01, 2005
amoeba BU log
I have no idea what this guy/girl is saying in their blog but I like what I see.
(As of this posting, google translation states the site is under maintenace until July 4th.)
Posted by Groonk at 10:49 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
June 28, 2005
Knew I was on a list Somewhere
Some are even working with lawyers, public-relations consultants and a political action committee to do it.
"I like to think of myself as just a guy with a blog, but it's clear that 'just a guy with a blog' is different today than it was when I started three years ago," said Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, founder of the Web log . "One sign of having arrived is when government regulators start wanting to poke their fingers into what you do."www.DailyKos.com
(via mywaynews)
Posted by Groonk at 04:01 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
May 08, 2005
Lies, Lies, Lies, Yeah
Temporary Boredom Relief taught me how to detect lies.
those lying eyes
Even more hints inside.
There are also magic tricks and illusions and such there too.
(via digg)
Posted by Groonk at 12:24 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
April 29, 2005
Officious Looking Blogs
Theory B
Featuring "alternative views on business and economics."
Press Think
"I call this blog PressThink because that's the kind of work I do. The title points to forms of thought that identify "journalism" to itself-- but also to the habit of not thinking about certain things. The subatomic force that holds the pack of reporters together as they swarm around a story, there's an example of pressthink."
Posted by Groonk at 01:39 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
April 24, 2005
Revenge of the Screen Savers
Ah, the old TechTV. Before it became G4 and transformed into an MTV clone, Tech TV was some cool ass geek shit.
Now the old Screen Savers gang has reformed and created a podcast about what they're up to now, what's up for the future, and what the fuck happened to the old Screen Savers show.
Their blogs:
Kevin Rose
Leo Laporte
Patrick Norton
(via boingboing)
Posted by Groonk at 03:56 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Culture, Technology
April 23, 2005
French blogeur revolution
Spurred by a culture of popular expression and debate that can be traced back to France's 17th-century salons, the French are embracing weblogs with a greater zeal than anyone on the European continent.Take a recent Paris warehouse party, which hooked up 200 local bloggers in person for the first time, an illustration of the European web's best-kept secret -- when it comes to blogs, the French can't get enough.
(via wirednews)
Posted by Groonk at 12:47 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, On the French
April 19, 2005
What if...
...the Road Runner had a blog?
Woke to sound of whirlybird overhead. Ran coyote into mountainside; fireworks wasted in daytime. Whirlybird parts everywhere. Jogged home. Appetite good at lunch. Worked on upper body in p.m.—Bowflex, half-hour on the light bag. Drank a little.
Road Runner was such a dick. All Wile E. ever wanted was some breakfast. Is that so wrong?
(via animated news weekly)
Posted by Groonk at 03:03 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
April 17, 2005
Why Bother Seeing the World for Real?
The Google satellite map phenomenom continues ahead full steam.
Google Sightseeing is a blog that collects photos of areas of interest via Goole Satellite mapping tech.
While watching WAFF news last night, I noticed that they've added an interesting graphic technique to their storytelling prowess. If I'm not mistaken, WAFF is using Google Satellite maps to zoom in on a late breaking news locations.
Though I could be wrong about this. Regular WAFF viewers can correct me on this by emailing me: unload(at)groonk(dot)net
This little meme grows more interesting every day.
Posted by Groonk at 06:28 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
April 15, 2005
The Wiener Philharmonic
what you'll find there
What you'll learn there: Jerry is a prick, cruel and unusual deer punishment, and the fattest weiner dog you ever did see.
Who they are, really.
Posted by Groonk at 01:58 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
April 14, 2005
Operation Truth
Operation Truth(a site discovered in the previous post) has a blog collecting news and other information about the war in Iraq.
Posted by Groonk at 02:55 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, War
Beware Bogus Blogs
Cyber criminals are starting to use fake blogs to snare new victims.The bogus web journals are being used as traps that infect visitor's machines with keylogging software or viruses.
Filtering firm Websense said it had found hundreds of bogus blogs baited with all kinds of malicious software to snare the unwary.
[...]
(via bbcnews)
Posted by Groonk at 11:33 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
April 11, 2005
Everything Tarantino
I give you three guesses what this blog is about.
Oh, and the four hour non-stop Kill Bill movie will only be available in Japan, it seems.
Posted by Groonk at 05:20 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
April 10, 2005
Androids Big and Small
An inspired Rocketboom Casual Friday set to The Shat's "Common People"gave me a chuckle.
Kinda freaky how Amanda Congdon has a striking similarity to the Beck, Batman, and Eva androids.
No offense Ms Congdon. I got nothing but love for ya.
(via rocketboom)
Posted by Groonk at 02:20 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Funny, Robots, Video
Catch and Release
Jake Bronstein of "...Too Much Information" executed an experiment in karma by buying a huge honking fish from a chinese market and setting said fish free into the the Hudson.
He also takes tons of cool ass professional photos.
(via rocketboom)
Posted by Groonk at 02:14 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
April 09, 2005
Blogging Anonymously
EFF has released a guide to blogging anonymously, with "basic measures people can take to keep their blogs anonymous and explores what the law says about discussing work-related issues online.
Sumbitch. I must do this.
(via boingboing)
Posted by Groonk at 07:51 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
April 06, 2005
From the Man Who Invented the Internet
Former Vice President Al Gore unveiled a new interactive cable TV channel for the internet generation Monday that blends the immediacy of video blogging with the voyeurism of reality TV.Current TV, formerly known as IndTV, will be launched Aug. 1 and will aim to combine the interactivity of the internet with the couch-potato pleasures of TV.
The new channel will air short-form (15-second to 5-minute) news, arts and entertainment videos for 18- to 35-year-olds.
Audience members will be encouraged to not only watch but also shoot, edit and upload their own bite-sized digital video segments to the Current TV website. If the editors and web audience like the segments, they will then be broadcast to the channel's potential viewer pool of 19 million.
(via wirednews)
Posted by Groonk at 02:44 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
April 01, 2005
Just a Simple Wench
Avril proves once again that she deserves malicious mocking.
She wrote in magic marker, in Chinese characters, "Japan is the Best" on her arm.
She was in Hong Kong at the time.
I'll let this entry be the introduction of the blog Hanzi Smatter.
Hanzi Smatter dedicates itself to the misuse of Chinese characters (Hanzi or Kanji) in Western culture.
(via boingboing)
Posted by Groonk at 02:36 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
March 29, 2005
Blue Tights
And now a video blog of the new Superman movie brought to you by Mr. Bryan Singer.
Posted by Groonk at 05:18 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
Everyday Nakedness
Blog of natural unmodified photos of females in the nude.
Some scary. Some not so scary. But all natural.. oh, yeah.
(via fleshbot)
Posted by Groonk at 03:42 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Sex
March 18, 2005
Cambodia's King Sihanouk blogs
It sorta stretches the definition of a blog, but there it is.
What do you think Dubya would blog about?
(via boingboing)
Posted by Groonk at 04:09 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
March 17, 2005
Oh My, Fujiko
Weezer said it best:
Goddamn you half-Japanese girls
Do it to me every time
--Weezer "El Scorcho"
Her name is Mandy Fujiko Amano (official site). She is half Japanese and Irish. She is the cover model for the 10th anniversary SHI cover. She is That Pepsi Girl who dances to Gwen Stefani's newest(grating) single. Ms Amano has a dad who draws for Beckett Comics. Her KROQ interview reveals that she is a comics nerd.
I think I'm in love. I mean, how many ladies on her level of hotness, that loves comic books, and seems sweet and personable can there be in this world? I mean, really.
It gives a guy/geek hope that others of her kind exist out there...somewhere...
(info via hastily-created-but-cool-in-a-none-creepy-way blogThat Pepsi Girl and 7d)
Update: A sharper photo of Mandy was found and shared by MedicMike.
Posted by Groonk at 03:55 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
March 16, 2005
ASF downloadable promos
Where do you download videos of Adult Swim's promos starting in the good ole days of old people swimming in a rec center's pool and transforming into super-cool promos that often surpass the advertised show's content?
Just go to ASF, foo.
Posted by Groonk at 05:08 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Marketing, Video
March 09, 2005
Podcasting
I've finally jumped onto the Podcasting bandwagon with one last push off the cliff from 7d.
I must admit. I don't know why I didn't check out that noise earlier.
Rocketboom has my eyes and ears and various other appendages.
(via the badgering forward-thinking world)
Posted by Groonk at 11:30 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
March 03, 2005
Spy Blogs
An article by an Army officier who insists we need spy blogs.
Unfortunately, the intelligence community has not kept up with the Army. The 15 agencies of the community - ranging from the armed services to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency - maintain separate portals, separate data, and separate people. The bad guys exploit the gaps, and your safety is on the line. So if all us knuckle-draggers in the Army can use technology to make ourselves better, why can't all the big brains at Langley and Foggy Bottom do the same?The first step toward reform: Encourage blogging on Intelink. When I Google "Afghanistan blog" on the public Internet, I find 1.1 million entries and tons of useful information. But on Intelink there are no blogs. Imagine if the experts in every intelligence field were turned loose - all that's needed is some cheap software. It's not far-fetched to picture a top-secret CIA blog about al Qaeda, with postings from Navy Intelligence and the FBI, among others. Leave the bureaucratic infighting to the agency heads. Give good analysts good tools, and they'll deliver outstanding results.
And why not tap the brainpower of the blogosphere as well? The intelligence community does a terrible job of looking outside itself for information. From journalists to academics and even educated amateurs - there are thousands of people who would be interested and willing to help. Imagine how much traffic an official CIA Iraq blog would attract. If intelligence organizations built a collaborative environment through blogs, they could quickly identify credible sources, develop a deep backfield of contributing analysts, and engage the world as a whole. How cool would it be to gain "trusted user" status on a CIA blog?
(via wirednews)
Posted by Groonk at 09:02 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
March 01, 2005
Post Secrets
There were many, many good secrets posted. I went with the classic sexual twist one as a teaser.
What a nifty, and often times disturbing, idea.
You are invited to anonymously contribute your secrets to the PostSecret project. Each secret can be a regret, hope, belief, experience, fear, betrayal, desire, feeling, confession, or childhood humiliation. Reveal anything - as long as it is true and you have never shared it with anyone before.
(via teknesia)
Posted by Groonk at 03:40 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
(parenthetical remarks)
He blogs between the brackets.
He made the connection that went over my head.
He also leaked knowledge the Academy's race of Amazonian ushers.
He even outed Alias' Kevin Weisman as a man-sized dwarf.
He ain't half bad with the funny.
( via (parenthetical remarks) )
Posted by Groonk at 01:08 AM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
February 18, 2005
Monkeys in the News
If it's about a monkey, it's in this blog.
Posted by Groonk at 11:33 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
February 01, 2005
Gas-Powered Mecha, Go!
This article says CNET was all over this guy last December.
How did I miss a guy building a mecha?
He is blogging his progess, btw.
He plans to start testing the project in spring for a debut this summer at a Butte racetrack in a show-stopper featuring flame throwers, bullets and sledge-hammer fists for crushing cars.
He seems nonplussed by the fact that he's trying to succeed where industrial giants like General Electric have failed. And that he's doing it from his parents' back yard on Scheelite Drive."I'm just going to build it and get it done," Owens said, a welding helmet pushed back on his head as he looked up at his creation. "I'll question myself later."
[...]
Here's how Owens says his own "mech" will work: Viewing the world through an LCD screen, he will operate the giant steel suit from a foam-padded compartment in the mecha's body.
Twenty-three levers inside control forty-six possible movements. Rather than pull each lever individually, Owens will rig a system of cable lines to the levers that control larger motions. When he moves an arm, the mecha's arm will move. He moves a leg, a leg moves.
Owens says he couldn't afford high-tech equipment. An 18-horsepower gas engine should provide more than enough juice to operate the 1 ½-ton suit, provided the human inside doesn't try to move more than one limb at a time. A hydraulic system powers the joints.
I hope he succeeds where the big companies have failed. And when he puts this sucker on the market, I will be the first freak in line to buy it, or at least test drive it.
(heads up via 7d)
Posted by Groonk at 03:47 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Robots
January 24, 2005
Goodbye Gobbler Motel
The passing of a Wisconsin treasure is documented in this short "well meaning" blog:
The Gobbler Motel, gone and hopefully forgotten.
(via pentacleus)
Posted by Groonk at 10:12 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged, Culture, Research
January 23, 2005
Haven
Haven Comics is in Huntsville, AL.
Haven Comics is (partly) under new management.
Haven Comics has a blog... I didn't know they had a blog. People never tell me shit.
Anyway, visit the store and the blog and be happy.
(heads-up via Matthew)
Posted by Groonk at 01:11 PM | Comments (0) | Ministry of Blogged
January 21, 2005
Another Look into the Blogging Phenom
So far, many bloggers resist any notion of ethical standards, saying individuals ought to decide what's right for them. After all, they say, blog topics range from trying to sway your presidential vote to simply talking about the day's lunch.Blogging is more like a conversation, and "you can't develop a code of ethics for conversations," said David Weinberger, a prominent blogger and research fellow at Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society. "A conversation with your best friend would become stilted and alienating."
Others, however, have pushed written guidelines.
Jonathan Dube, managing producer at MSNBC.com and publisher of CyberJournalist.net, modified the Society of Professional Journalists' code of ethics and urged fellow bloggers to adopt it. The principles: Be honest and fair. Minimize harm. Be accountable.
Yeah, right... then it wouldn't be blogging, it'd be yet another form of journalism and there are more than enough bullshit journalists in the world.<