random internet sightings
Just some cool things from around the internet:
“There’s nothing more better for mine own mental health that the throwing of a great party.”
-Sigmund Freud
Freud loved nothing more than a get together with his friends. What if I told you there was a way to have a great dinner party without: cleaning your house, cooking a meal, cleaning your house afterward, or dealing with that awkward thing that happens when your friends cant take the hint that it’s time to go home. Would you believe me?
http://www.cockeyed.com/pranks/ikea_party/ikea01.shtml
My favourite quote:
Jason downplayed our real intent, but let the very nice man know that … we had chosen IKEA for the location because it was so much nicer that any of our own actual homes.
Also from cockeyed is a great story about the CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light) bandit. This rogue swaps non-energy efficient regular incandescent bulbs in public places for more effecient CFL bulbs. Isn’t that cool? An element of adventure AND conservationism.
I may be one of the last people in the world to discover skyrates, but I do love it. It’s an online, browser-based game where you become the captain of a plane, and fly around the various “skylands” buying goods where they are plentiful (and cheap) and selling them where they are rare (and expensive). Two aspects of the game really set it apart. First, it can take anywhere from 30 to 240 minutes to travel between the skylands, in real time. So rather than playing for large blocks of time during the day, you give your pilot his orders, close the game, and check back on his progress a later. It’s the perfect game to “play’ at work, as you need only visit the site for five or ten minutes, a few times a day. Second, the economy of the world is influenced by all the players. If diamonds are abundant (and thus inexpensive) on skyland X, you may rush over there to fill up your cargo hold; but if dozens or hundreds of concurrent players get there before you and buy in bulk, the gems might be rare (and thus pricey) by the time you arrive. It’s a clever way of introducing player interaction that doesn’t involve combat. Although you can dogfight if you want, but it’s more intensive than the trading.
Next time I’m back home, and in a group large enough, I’d love to have a crack at the group game Werewolf. It’s fairly simple and could perhaps even be tested by a patient enough group over email? Let me know if you’re interested and we’ll try it. Using the email method, I will be “Moderator” and will randomly assign the roles and oversee things. It’ll be fun, and won’t be overly taxing - just a couple of emails a day, really. Let me know if you’re interested.