Innovation: Wonder and Anger

Denise and I watched the "Social Network" movie this weekend. While I'm sure this movie can best be described as a creation myth for the Facebook application, what struck me most was the difference between the developer characters and the business characters.

Seth Godin's article today describes similar differences between Anger and Wonder. I say, let us be "wonderers" and makers.

Great innovations, powerful interactions and real art are often produced by someone in a state of wonder. Looking around with stars in your eyes and amazement at the tools that are available to you can inspire generosity and creativity and connection.

Anger, on the other hand, merely makes us smaller.

Programming: Ruby For Kids

This programming series for kids uses Ruby combined and a game playing library. We've had the best luck writing simple JavaScript using the widely available text editor and browser as a programming environment. However, might give this one a try.

Games: 10 Awesome Free-To-Play Online Games

10 most awesome online games from CIO magazine. Somehow, I'm guessing these guys play many online games, but I know somebody who does.

Nerf: Melee Weapons

I'm not a big fan of guns, but have relented to Nerf blaster battles because of the great fun. However, what we really need are more melee weapons. Long range, automatic rifles are for wimps; give me hand to hand battle any day.

Here's a review of the new Nerf Klaw and Battlemaster Mace.

Music: Marvin Gaye Instrumental

Check out the groove on the instrumental track to the Marvin Gaye tune "Sexual Healing." There must be thousands of songs you could mash-up with this.

Star Wars: Steampunk Star Wars

Fantastic illustrations from BjornHurri (Star Wars and other Fantasy/Fiction). If you haven't seen Steam Punk, check out books by Scott Westerfeld Behemoth and Leviathan.

Yoda


Boba Fett

Science: How Far Away Is The Moon

Short video discussing the distance from the Moon to the Earth. via Neatorama.

Photos: Recognize This Bunch?

This is a great website of rare celebrity photos. Do you recognize these guys without looking the names up?


Harrison Ford, David Prowse, Peter Mayhew, Carrie Fisher,
Kenny Baker and Mark Hamill

Great one of Jim Hensen.

Possibility: Intoxicating

The slogan from GapingVoid, seems to be applicable to relationships (kids and lovers), school, and work.

Valentine: Happy Cosmic Valentine's Day

My Valentine is absolutely cosmic. Images from the Mars Global Surveyor for confirmation.



via BadAstronomy.

DIY: What To Do With The Old Floppy Drives?

Pretty sure the kids have never worked on a machine which had a floppy drive. Here's a creative solution.

Features two 3 1/2″ drives and two 5 1/4″ drives connected to a PIC18f14k50 microcontroller. It interfaces to any MIDI source via MIDI over USB.

via CrunchGear

Life Lessons: Parenting Fun

Proud of my son's reaction to a surprise and difficult situation this last weekend. He honestly accepted responsibility when appropriate, and honorably refused to lay blame to his friends. He has learned great lessons from the situation, and I trust his decision making skills even more after seeing his response.

Teaching the kids to read and ace math exams is the easy part. Teaching them to be honest and honorable is hard. I sure love being this kid's father.

DIY: Rebel Helmets

When participating in overthrow of your government, helmets are, at times, a necessity. It seems when resources are scarce, ingenuity takes over.

My personal favorite, more at the Guardian.

Poetry: We Are Not Starving

The tag-line quote reads, "The world will never starve for want of wonders But for want of wonder. G.K. Chesterton." via Scrivle

Star Wars: Apprentice Sith Lord

Apparently Volkswagen's Super Bowl Commercial.


via Neatorama.

Valentine: Super Friends Valentines Superpack

I believe the 4th graders would still dig this set of Valentine's Day cards. Need to get some more printer ink for a class set.

Maps: Star Wars Galaxy Maps

Many maps in this article on TOR. My favorite is this map of trade routes in the galaxy, click to see a larger version.

I assume direction is a difficult concept when designing galaxy maps, need to show more dimensions. Do you also need ideas to compensation for universe expansion?

Art: Google Art Project

Cool application from Google. Zoom into these paintings, and look at the brush strokes and colors. It's like street view for art museums. Take a look at this van Gough.

Language: Top Sentences

Stanly Fish gives his top five sentences of English literature. Here's my favorite on the list.

Gertrude Stein (from Lectures in America, 1935): "When I first began writing I felt that writing should go on I still do feel that it should go on but when I first began writing I was completely possessed by the necessity that writing should go on and if writing should go on what had commas and semi-colons to do with it what had commas to do with it what had periods to do with it what had small letters and capitals to do with writing going on which was at the time the most profound need I had in connection with writing."