If you haven’t already heard, Google released a beta of their open-source browser, Chrome, today. I downloaded it and have been trying it out. In fact, I’m typing this blog post using it. I’m amazed. It’s uncluttered, responsive, and very intuitive. I haven’t explored all the features, but I did try out the incognito mode (for browsing the Internet without leaving a page history or cache for anyone to track…I’ll let you come up with your own reasons for using it). I wasn’t quite expecting this:
I love Google.
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Every year, I tell myself that I’m going to make an awesome April Fools’ version of my blog, and every year I forget about it until the last minute. I remember one year, I was planning on putting sponsors all over my website. That was a long time ago, and in retrospect, it’s a lame idea. A lot of April Fools’ ideas are pretty lame, but I guess it mainly depends on how you view April 1st. For instance, I find it mildly funny that xkcd points you to Questionable Content, while Questionable Content links to Dinosaur Comics, and Dinosaur Comics links back to xkcd. I also find it funny that the Telegraph reported on flying penguins, and Google and Virgin teamed up to establish a colony on Mars (complete with a questionnaire).
Even better is YouTube RickRolling everyone who clicked on a featured video on the front page (on a related note, GameFAQs has a RickRoll poll on the front page), or College Humor getting bought by some MySpace diva. (Unfortunately, they took that down before I was able to get a screenshot and Google’s cached version is just a few hours off.)
As with every April Fools’ Day, there’s going to be funny stuff, not-so-funny stuff, and stuff that’s just weird. And then there’s stuff like Dextre the Magnificent. Actually, that did make me laugh. In a nerdy sort of way. You know, with the snort and requisite pushing up of the glasses.
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I don’t know quite how popular this video is, but I just recently re-watched Demetri Martin’s “Jokes With Guitar”, a hilarious stand-up act. If you haven’t watched it, the video is below. Watch it or the rest of the post will make about as much sense as a Bush speech.
It’s a funny monologue, though the drawings accompanying it are…strange. Anyways, there’s a part in there where he’s talking about people writing on bathroom stalls. This is why I thought it awesome when I used a bathroom on my college campus and saw this:
References like that crack me up. Like the number 42 in strange places. Sure, it could just be a random number. Or it could be the Answer to the Question. You know what Question I’m talking about. If you don’t, you suck. Just like Metallica does.
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I was just recently introduced to what may or may not be a masterful satire article on Adequacy.org, entitled “Is your Son a Computer Hacker?” If it’s satire, it’s awesome. If it’s real, it’s disturbing. Either way, it makes for a good read.
Basically, the article is written by a father who found out that his son was a computer hacker. He lists out 10 warning signs.
- Has your son asked you to switch ISPs? - Anything other than AOL is for hackers only.
- Are you finding programs on your computer that you don’t remember installing? - Hacker programs include Comet Cursor, Bonzi Buddy, and Flash.
- Has your child asked for new hardware? - If your son wants a processor from AMD, he’s a hacker.
- Does your child read hacking manuals? - “Programming with Perl” by Timothy O’Reilly is out.
- How much time does your child spend using the computer each day? - If your son spends more than 30 minutes online, he’s a hacker and he’s trying to DOS someone’s computer (seriously).
- Does your son use Quake? - Quake is an online virtual reality used by hackers. Hackers will tell you that it’s just a game.
- Is your son becoming argumentative and surly in his social behaviour? - The Internet has that effect on people.
- Is your son obsessed with “Lunix”? - Lunix is an illegal hacker operating system invented by the Soviets.
- Has your son radically changed his appearance? - Hackers dress in bright, day-glo colors, complete with glow-sticks and pacifier necklaces.
- Is your son struggling academically? - It may be due to computer radiation. And Otaku.
I’m reasonably certain the entire site is satire (along the lines of Landover Baptist), but if anyone knows for sure, feel free to let me know.
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Can anyone say “conspiracy”? Steven Colbert’s presidential run has been smashed to pieces by the humorless Democratic executive council of South Carolina, which voted 13-3 to deny his application to be put on the ballot as a Democrat. As Waring Howe, a member of the council, put it Colbert “serves to detract from the serious candidates on the ballot.” But Dennis Kucinich, the guy who sees UFOs, is allowed on? Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Not all the members of the council lacked a sense of humor. State Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter (who I think outranks Mr. Missed-the-Point Howe, there) chided the people who voted against Colbert’s name being put on the ballot as taking things a little too seriously. I happen to agree. Yes, Colbert’s run was a stunt aimed at publicizing his show. But he could have brought a lot of publicity to South Carolina through it. It’s not every day you get a favorite son with a much-loved faux-news show. I mean, how many times has Bill O’Reilly extolled his home state? Or Anderson Cooper? Pshaw.
Unfortunately, Colbert can’t run as a Republican, either, since he missed the filing deadline to apply for a spot on the ballot. I can’t blame him, though. Whereas the fee for the Democrat Party was only $2,500 (fully refunded after his denial), the fee for the Republicans was a whopping $35,000. Um, okay. Either the Democrats have really low standards or the Republicans think too highly of themselves…wait…right, I forgot: both are true.
Anyways, I was so looking forward to those Colbert for President bumper stickers…guess I’ll have to stick with the Picard-Riker one for now. Also, if you’re interested, I came across a very handy replacement for Wikipedia. Guaranteed to have more truthiness than Wikipedia will ever have.
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