Disney World's Manufactured Emotion →
In the mid 1990's, the park started researching the problem. It would eventually find no existing solution, so the engineers had to design and construct, on their own, one of the most complex and advanced audio systems ever built. The work paid off: today, as you walk through Disney World, the volume of the ambient music does not change. Ever.
The Market Deity →
Just as our ancestors concocted supernatural beings and then ritualistically sought their guidance, so we too have created "the market" and seek its omniscient wisdom. Our mantra, our sacred chorus, sums it up: "Let the market decide! Let the market decide!"
Interesting thought.
Mario Is Hard, and That's Mathematically Official →
An analysis of the computational complexity of video games, including those in the Mario and Legend of Zelda series, proves that many of them belong to a class of mathematical problems called NP-hard. This means that for a given game level, it can be very difficult to work out whether it is possible for a player to reach the end.
That explains a lot...
Dance the Flip-Flop →
Physical to digital and back to physical.
"The Rose Is White" Wins First Prize at Fringe 62-Hour Film Contest →
The Rose Is White is fantastic for having been planned, filmed, and edited in 62 hours.
One of the judges, Mike Knoll, had this to say about the film:
In the four years I've been judging the contest, no film has affected me as much as The Rose is White, It was powerful, technically stunning. The fact this team put together such a tight and refined film in such a short period of time is an artistic and technical achievement.
Don't Mess With Credit: Why the Future of Payments Is Already in Your Pocket →
The trouble is, none of these firms is revolutionizing payments, not really. That's because the payment revolution already arrived decades ago, and it's here to stay. Despite their limitations, credit cards are the real breakthrough in payments—the fastest, most versatile and most secure payment method ever invented. Nearly every start-up working in payments is simply creating a new front end for your credit card.
While this is partially true, disruption begets disruption. Companies that make useful abstractions on top of credit cards can then start changing what the backend of their system looks like.
AOL Slashes Staff at AIM Unit; Wider Cuts Expected →
The AOL Instant Messenger group took the deepest cut so far. A former AOL employee said the group was "eviscerated and now only consists of support staff."
This is not entirely unexpected due to competition from Skype, Facebook chat, Google chat; I could go on. Kinda sad considering that the first thing I did with my first (solely operated) computer was create an AIM screenname that I used all the way through college. That's been completely replaced with Skype for me.
How Big Is Your City, Really? →
Cool comparisons from The Atlantic that give perspective. Did you know, that the unoccupied section of Detroit is actually the size of the entire city of San Francisco?
Two truths are all too often overshadowed in today's political discourse: Public service is a most honorable pursuit, and so is bipartisanship.
— Senator Olympia Snowe, Why I'm leaving the Senate
KONY2012: How Invisible Networks Helped a Campaign Capture the World's Attention →
Don't underestimate those Christian youth. I watched the original "Invisible Children" video in a youth group 10 years ago.