Sofastry

Sad...

2008-10-27T19:53:00.000-04:00

Acme Catalog

2006-05-25T21:03:00.000-04:00

This is a great way to learn about all of their products.

The ORIGINAL Illustrated Catalog Of ACME Products

Fun Views of the New Apple Store

2006-05-21T20:36:00.000-04:00

In lieu of the depressing Russia is in Bad Shape mini-essay that I was going to post, here's something more cheerful.

Time lapse of the Fifth Avenue Apple Store opening (5:00 am is especially eventful)

Wondrous 360 VR Rendering (via Digg)

The other panoramas at panoramas.dk are incredible. Check out these beautiful DaVinci Code-inspired views

Algeria and Iraq

2006-03-20T19:10:00.000-05:00

I don't necessarily agree with the conclusions, but Algeria is an important touchpoint, nevertheless.

Algeria and Iraq: Yes, There Are Parallels by Ted Morgan

Joe Satriani's Super-Colossal Podcast

2006-02-26T11:21:00.000-05:00

It turns out that kick-ass demi-god guitarist Joe Satriani is a pretty personable guy.

Joe's webpage

Direct iTunes link

Another Inspiring, Scary Place

2006-01-28T16:29:00.000-05:00

Abston Church of Christ

Tennis on top of the Burj Al Arab

2006-01-15T17:45:00.000-05:00

I would be paralyzed with fear. I am paralyzed with fear!

What's next?!? Snakes on a plane?

Crazy-ass tennis players on top of the Burj Al Arab hotel

Courtesy of Dave's Long Box.

Can a Russian Chessmaster Defeat a Regime?

2006-01-07T18:34:00.000-05:00

Let's hope so.

Children are tough these days

2005-12-28T20:13:00.000-05:00

Playmates King Kong Skull Island Play Set "for ages 4 yrs. and up".

As a bonus, it "includes slug figures".

The Sofastry Theme Song?

2005-12-11T21:09:00.000-05:00

Sofastirrings

The only downer is that it isn't quite as photogenic as Dragostea Din Tea.

A Shining Moment

2005-12-10T19:30:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, what we need the most... is just right around the corner.

Shining

An interview with the creator.

Idaho is dynamite

2005-12-03T12:36:00.000-05:00

You gotta respect a state legislature with a sense of humor.

From the resolution:

WHEREAS, tater tots figure prominently in this film thus promoting Idaho's most famous export; and

WHEREAS, the friendship between Napoleon and Pedro has furthered multiethnic relationships; and ...

Office Music

2005-11-20T11:59:00.000-05:00

Link

They played some sort of percussiony instrumental cover version on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me this week.

That's delightful, and I remember loving it as a kid.

But here's where it gets weird...

Everything
Wikipedia

Best. Commercial. Ever.

2005-10-24T19:26:00.000-04:00

niotulovE

Library Musical

2005-10-22T21:43:00.000-04:00

There's nothing like a good library musical to brighten your day.

Prangstgrúp's Library Musical

The Reason Batman Hates Superman

2005-09-26T21:21:00.000-04:00

Ever wonder why Batman carries around that Kryptonite ring?

Superdickery.

And some laugh-out-loud innuendo.

Courtesy of Comic Geek Speak

Regina Spektor - Pop Pravda

2005-09-19T20:59:00.000-04:00

I don't remember who first told me about her, (I think it may have been The Czar's Shadow), but I heard her excellent song "Us" again on Dailysonic. Check out the videos on her website.

She's great.

Good Bill Gates Video

2005-09-17T11:37:00.000-04:00

I'm not a big Bill Gates fan, but I have to give him props for this.

Bill Gates Goes to College

Update: Sorry, looks like the film was pulled because of copyright concerns.

Schneier on Katrina

2005-09-11T20:11:00.000-04:00

Bruce Schneier has an excellent essay on the lessons we should have learned from 9/11 and Katrina.

http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2005/09/katrina_and_sec.html

Sofastry doesn't have enough opinion pieces!

2005-08-14T09:51:00.000-04:00

OK, that should last me for a while. Sorry, I just had to get that off of my chest.

The Scariest Foosball Table Ever

2005-08-14T09:46:00.000-04:00

Customize it with the faces of your friends and enemies.
Opus Table

Doors of the Future

2005-08-14T09:00:00.000-04:00

This video demonstrates how your doors will work in the Year 2000. Now, if they would only add that whooshing sound!

Via jwz. Also check out Jules Verne's Three Laws of Automata.

Christopher Walken For President!

2005-08-13T21:36:00.000-04:00

or are we being Pranked? In any case, it's fun to dream. Time to pop the Champagna!

http://www.walken2008.com

Rock Star

2005-08-10T22:41:00.000-04:00

This guy is inspired. Enjoy.

Thanks to Boing Boing and all future viral notifications.

Peekaboom

2005-08-10T19:30:00.000-04:00

Peekaboom is an interesting collaborative guessing game. As a side effect, it provides data to help computer systems recognize images.

Via BoingBoing

Elevator Safety Tips

2005-08-09T20:33:00.000-04:00

As a follow up to the Cherie Berry tribute, here are some helpful elevator safety tips from the Carnegie Mellon chapter of the National Elevator Safety Foundation.

So Beautiful It Could Only Be Real

2005-08-06T13:13:00.000-04:00

Water on Mars

8mm

2005-08-06T12:39:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite new bands - sultry technolounge.

Thanks to Dave's Lounge for the recommendation.

The Golden Spruce

2005-07-30T20:23:00.000-04:00

A fascinating interview on Tech Nation. I recommend just listening to it; don't read the show notes in advance.

CAT-LIKE TYPING DETECTED

2005-07-28T19:17:00.000-04:00

ll;'frhjk rekl;trrkl;er fefwkml bnioj56

Trivia Podcasts

2005-07-24T16:51:00.000-04:00

PodQuiz blows me away. Highly recommended.

Great questions, an engaging host, good music, and references to Philip K. Dick. What more can you ask for?

Click here to subscribe to PodQuiz in iTunes.

If you like it, please toss a few coins in James' tip jar for me! ;)

I don't like Mostly Trivial nearly as much, but Johnee Bee featured a show on "Botches?!? We don't need no steenking botches!", which is a classic line.

Origami House

2005-07-24T16:28:00.000-04:00

I'd love to be able to see this in person.

http://www.papercrane.org/?a=78

March of the Penguins

2005-07-16T17:53:00.000-04:00

A friend and I just saw March of the Penguins. It's an impressive and engaging work. I've been interested in penguins' nurturing styles since seeing a National Geographic special when I was a kid. It showed male penguins standing around on the ice, each holding a fragile egg on top of their feet. For a long, long time. The females had left, and were building back their strength and food supply.

Anyway, I highly recommend it.

An interview with the director

Cherie Berry Fan Site

2005-07-12T18:44:00.000-04:00

Cherie Berry is the North Carolina Commisioner of Labor, and apparently has a cult following.

Cat's Cradle Film?

2005-07-06T22:54:00.000-04:00

Cat's Cradle: great.
Leonardo DiCaprio: OK.
Sahara writer: now I don't feel so good.

Via Sci Fi Wire.

Cradle to Cradle

2005-07-04T18:35:00.000-04:00

I read an article in the Atlantic a few years ago that made a logical argument: our economy should separate materials into two streams - one that's biodegradable, and one that's continually recylable. One of the points that William McDonough and Michael Braungart made is that recycling as commonly practiced isn't very satisfying - recyled paper gets crappier and crappier every time it goes through the reclamation process. And most of the non-biodegradable material sits in dumps, leaching toxins into the environment.

I like the idea of not making things worse. We can do it!

The NEXT Industrial Revolution - The Atlantic Montly

Designing the Future - Newsweek

Keynote Presentation - Bruce Sterling and Alex Steffen - South by Southwest Interactive 2005

I think that improved nuclear energy can be one of the least worst options available to us, but I love this quote from the Newsweek interview: "I love nuclear energy. I just want to make sure it stays where God put it—93 million miles away, in the sun."

For David Lynch Fans...

2005-06-30T23:02:00.000-04:00

Seems like a good way to start each day... David Lynch gives a weather report.

Thanks to Boing Boing for the news flash.

Wickerpedia

2005-06-30T21:21:00.000-04:00

Since Sofastry is dedicated to the interplay between knowledge and lounge furniture, Wickerpedia is a complementary site.

Gotta love those adorable robots

2005-06-23T19:25:00.000-04:00

Million Robot March Attended by Exactly 1,000,000 Robots

Nanosatellites... in Spaaace!

2005-06-18T21:48:00.000-04:00

These eyebots look pretty handy, until a lightning strike reprograms them and they become sentient.

An Even Newer Hope

2005-06-10T21:49:00.000-04:00

This is cute: a perspective on Star Wars from a boy who's watching the six films "in order".

This wad brought to my notice by Slashdot

I have always refused to post for the sake of posting

2005-06-01T20:09:00.000-04:00

until now.

Enough With the Timeless Verities, Already!

2005-05-24T20:41:00.000-04:00

Like my dad, I can't stand noise, but I love Noise.

Juvenile Humor Day

2005-05-09T22:11:00.000-04:00

Last Friday, at work, I declared that it was Juvenile Humor Day. Unfortunately, I promptly forgot about it, and we didn't celebrate it properly. I guess I have to wait another year.

Dang!

Which is more amusing...

2005-05-06T19:46:00.000-04:00

Wicker the furniture, or wicker the word

Pigs with chef hats on BBQ signs, or Pigs in Space

Irony or "Irony"

~~Clowns or mimes~~

Things You Don't See Often

2005-05-04T22:07:00.000-04:00

William Shakespeare Fan Fiction

Baby Pigeons

Greeting Cards for the Hearing Impaired

Stop-It Notes™

An Attempt to Keep Your Expectations Low

2005-05-04T21:39:00.000-04:00

I think a lot at work, so I may not have a lot of thinkability left at the end of the day. So why am I trying this? Because I love to learn new things, and because I believe Stewart Brand's* theory that creative people keep journals.

While gazing over the Gaping Void, I encountered a thought provoking essay, "A Group Is Its Own Worst Enemy".

*Or one of the other Whole Earth Catalog writers.