Critical Self » Linkroll

Be Joyful

Nabil — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:53:50 +0000

Found via @dresdencodak (of Dresden Codak fame).

“Icky Speech”

Nabil — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:20:07 +0000

Neil Gaiman expounds quite clearly on why even “icky” speech needs to be protected. This is in response to a comment regarding the Handley case, where a Manga collector is being prosecuted for owning obscene materials. Something I would add to the dialogue personally is a favorite H.L. Mencken quote:

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of oneâs time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all. (H.L. Mencken)

What Were You Thinking?

Nabil — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 03:47:24 +0000

I mean, regardless of the remarkable sexism of it all, Roadrunner is dropping a remarkably talented and hotly anticipated singer from their lineup over this?

Amanda Palmer's Belly

What the hell is Roadrunner thinking?

CyberNations

Nabil — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:39:01 +0000

So, for about a year and a half now, I’ve been playing an online nation simulation game called CyberNations. I’ve been meaning to mention it for a while now. It’s a Persistent Browser Based Game (PBBG) that I was introduced to by Snikt and Co., and I’ve been lassoed into being the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the UberCon Alliance for about a year now (hopefully someone else will actually run against me in the election come December/January). If anyone is interested in trying out a nation simulation game (usually takes up maybe 5 minutes a day, tops — it’s only when you start getting political and into the metagame that it really starts to suck up your time), I’d definitely recommend checking it out.

If you do start a nation, ping me in game, and I’ll see about helping get you set up and running. The UberCon Alliance is a pretty peaceful place, we do what we can to keep our heads down and other alliances friendly with us, so we’ve thankfully not had a skirmish with another alliance in my tenure as MoFA, and we aim to keep it that way.

Gmail Themes

Nabil — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:45:39 +0000

While I’m not really a fan of the changes to the default gmail skin, I’m really liking the “New Blue” theme of Google’s just released Gmail themes:

FriendDA

Nabil — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 22:36:16 +0000

NDAs for the real world: FriendDA.

Key element to it:

I possess a bright idea that I am choosing to disclose to you, The Advisor, with the mutual understanding that you are my friend and that you will not screw me.

Ubiquity

Nabil — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:17:14 +0000

I recently got clued into a new system being developed by the folks over at Mozilla called Ubiquity. The short of it is that they’re trying to create a method to allow the web to function more seamlessly using natural language. Ubiquity in Depth explains a bit more about the logic and reasoning and path forward for the tool. Should be very interesting to see where it goes.

War on Photography

Nabil — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:00:35 +0000

War on Photography is quite possibly one of the most enraging sites I’ve read in a good long while. It documents reports of photographers being harassed for no reason by police, security guards, and even random passersby. If you’re remotely interested in photography or first amendment rights (or, heaven forfend, both), it’s a quick way to raise your blood pressure about 30 points.

Patchwork Internet

Nabil — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 05:58:09 +0000

Warren Ellis on the patchwork years of the internet. Interesting reading, and mirrors a lot of what I’ve been thinking and talking about.

Blog Lifecycle

Nabil — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:19:51 +0000

Blogger creates blog.

A huge flurry of initial posts ensues. Blogger describes such mundane topics as taking his family to McDonaldâs.

Blogger realizes that perhaps the rest of the world isnât so interested in his musings on McDonaldâs.

Posting frequency drops off.

A last post or two.

Blog goes into hiatus.

[...]

After some time away, blogger returns with a few posts.

(A Brief Return at Philsteinmeyer.com)

Welcome back, Phil.