Have You Seen It?

Greg Rutter's Definitive List of The 99 Things You Should Have Already Experienced On The Internet Unless You're a Loser or Old or Something

Now seemed like a crucial time for more procrastination destinations, so enjoy.

A couple of notes: first, it is hardly definitive. Second, it's a good way to feel good about yourself; that is, if you haven't seen that many, you're probably spending your time in a more valuable way than seeking out the latest internet meme. If you've seen most or all of them - well, then you've really got your finger on this thing we call culture.

And finally: where the fuck is Bloodninja? Anyone else put on their robe and wizard hat?

[Thanks to Claire Kaplan '09 for the tip]

Magic Eye Tetris

Just in case the puppycam isn't fulfilling your procrastination needs, I bring you: Magic Eye Tetris. Believe it or not, there are actually two popular Magic Eye Tetris games online, separately programmed:

I much prefer the hidden-3d.com version of the game. It's more accurate to the real Tetris rules, and the stereogram pattern is much easier on the eyes. However, if you're feeling particularly adventurous, try the lutanho.net version - which has a board that's only 8, not 10, blocks wide. Anyway, good luck with it. I find it's pretty hard to stay in focus consistently... I haven't been able to get above a score of about 10,000.


3D-Stereogram Tetris by ~3Dimka on deviantART

And if you've had enough of Magic Eye Tetris, there's always the Magic Eye Snake game...

Spore Creature Creator released

Check it out. The demo's available here, but the real fun is watching the youtube videos.

Interactive Dante

or, How to Procrastinate and Feel Intelligent
I have a soft spot for Dante. Admit it, you do too. But I'm seldom in the mood for reading Dante. The solution, then, is soft-core Dante on the internet:
1. Danteworlds is a beautiful interactive guide to the Divine Comedy. Lucifer never looked so good.

2. Dante's Inferno Test is a quiz that determines which level of hell you will end up in. I'm in Level 2 with Paolo & Francesca and Marilyn Monroe.

hadtosay.com

With Valentines Day around the corner...

"Send that cutie who lives two apartments down the hall an anonymous message with new webapp HadToSay.com. Here's how it works: you register for a free account at HadToSay, write your message, and send the message ID and PIN to the recipient via "masked" email or by printing out a card. (See the video for the card bit; it's pretty darn cute.) Your recipient goes to HadToSay.com, enters their message ID and PIN, and they retrieve your message and optionally post a response. You never enter your or your recipient's names, which is a good thing, because all messages are public and browseable. Looks like a fun way to send your special someone a little something to make them smile. As with all anonymous messaging tools, this could be used for good or evil—don't be evil."

via Lifehacker

Orisinal: more than just Winterbells

I think it was around this time last year, as the finals panic started to set in, that the terribly addictive game Winterbells was linked; it either ruined my grades or saved my sanity, I'm still not sure which.

So I'd just like to remind you that Winterbells still very much exists, but even worse, its mother site Orisinal has a ton of other original games for you to waste time on. Some of my favourites are Bauns (think Collapse meets Snood) and It Takes Two (not actually that entertaining, but so adorably cute! I mean, come on, there's a puppy and a kitten on a seesaw.)

Happy procrastinating!

Study Aid: Definr

Although the misspelled name of this self-described "incredibly fast dictionary" is a Web 2.0 cliché, I have still found definr to be useful when I encounter an unfamiliar word while researching for and writing papers--which is what I am putting off in order to write this post.

The fact that there are some great "Study Aids" links in the Wesleying sidebar justifies my keeping the blog open, despite it being a temptation to procrastinate. But I wonder if there aren't some other links to study aids that any of you use which aren't linked from Wesleying.

Consider this an invitation to share your helpful links in the comments section.

Open Your Mind

Feeling close minded lately? Want to learn how to read UPC barcodes? Check out "How to Exercise an Open Mind" on Wikihow.... Actually, it's pretty useless. Although #s 12, 19, 29, and 40 are pretty damn great.

Virbs Before Nouns, Mothafuckah

Max Goldblatt '05 has a demand...

"get wesleyan people on this place. it's a lonely place... but so well designed...."

What is he talking about? Virb.com. Wait, what? Another social networking site? Yes. Admittedly it is another one of those sites that you may sign up for, forget about, and then realize later that the favorite bands you listed were so two years ago. However, maybe it's the new love of your life and you will digitally get down until the sun comes up.

In any case, you should sign up...because Max and I are lonely. Plus, it's not as annoying and filled with spambots as myspace.

On another alumni-related note, Chris McDonald '06 recently created a "playdate" EP entitled Double Ice Creams Tonight, featuring Brooklyn duo Matt & Kim and Brooklyn rapper Lil Kim. I put it up for download here.

Fun Fact You Won't Learn From a Professor: Did you know that Lil Kim has a charity? I'm kind of obsessed with it, mostly because of it's name and the complete absence of a definative cause.

If a train leaves Houston at 60mph...

There are some people who insist everything can be represented by a mathematical formula (including, for example, God). I am not a mathematician, nor especially holy, but I do excel at being lazy. That said, there is apparently a mathematical formula for how much you're going to procrastinate.

Via Lifehacker:

The equation's factors are the desire to complete the task (U); the expectation of success (E); the value of completion (V); the immediacy of task (I) ; and the personal sensitivity to delay (D). The magic formula is U = E x V / I x D.

Apparently, the discoverer thought up the formula "by suffering from a particularly acute case of it in his own schooling." Good to know even procrastination can get you somewhere.

Submissions ahoy

Submissions have been accumulating but we've been too lazy to share them with you. Alas, I am guilty. Also, Holly, I may have to kill you for making it impossible for me to check the Wesleying account, but instead I will just post under your name as retribution. Ha!

Adam Schlesinger '10 brings tidings of the corruption of the innocent on Superdickery.

Professor Hilary Barth really likes Arthur Ganson's incredible kinetic sculptures. I hear he came to campus last year for a talk or something, but I'm not sure.

Leana Luna '09 gives you what you've always wanted for Christmannukah: A way to translate websites into gangsta.

Emma Komlos-Hrobsky '08 sent us this rather representative, emotive picture during finals week, which we honestly just forgot to post because we were pissing ourselves from stress. (Or maybe that was just me?)

Finally, someone whose name I can't recall for the life of me sends the heads-up that alluc.org now has movies. YESSS.

Did I miss anything? Please please? I am trying to be a good blogger. Fine, go on a field trip here. Or here. See you soon.

Meez are really, really lame

One of my favorite past times is dabbling with online dolls. There's a mind-boggling number of them out there, and you can find a nearly comprehensive directory here. I hear the new kids are all into Meez these days, which I just don't understand. Not only do they have a stupid name, but they prevent you from saving your doll without registration, have an irritating bottled water promotional tie-in, and implement a really obnoxious popover menu system in a failed attempt at sleekness. Sure, they have interesting animations, but what's the point if the art is downright ugly?

Here's the Meez I created of myself (apparently humping my bike):

Ooh, Huffy 1978 Strider, you're so big!

'Sup, decagon bicycle wheel.

Meez has one other thing going for it: It has pretty current pop culture references. For instance, the Flying Spaghetti Monster shirt my doll is wearing. And you know those really overplayed angel wing earrings from Urban Outfitters that everyone and their mother was wearing? Yeah...

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Even more obvious is this frock, also from Urban Outfitters:

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(If you're interested, the real thing is on sale for $9.99)

They even have Crocs, which should be reason enough for you to avoid Meez entirely:

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Here's the worst part-- On Meez, certain Premium accessories require you to spend "Coinz" that you actually purchase via a billable account. I guess if kids want to spend their allowance on getting the knitting animation of their dreams, whatever.

So what's my dollmaker of choice? Candybar Doll Maker, of course. Candybar, how did the internet forget about you?


While the 3D Meez do allow for more interesting and versatile animations, when it comes to sheer aesthetic pleasure, nothing beats eLouai's Candybar. This Korean doll maker website employs a simple, HTML-based interface with a stunning (albeit sometimes overwhelming) variety of customization options. These dolls are just flat-out pretty.

A visual comparison of Candybar vs. Meez:

I rest my case.

(Be sure to check out eLouai's other embarassingly cute toys, such as the Room Maker, where you can live out all of your dreams of domesticity.)

StumbleUpon

If you have Firefox and don't have StumbleUpon... Shame on you.

In short, the StumbleUpon extension is a little button you put on your toolbar. You tell it general categories of things you like, press the button, and it takes you to a site that people with similar interests suggested.

I really can't do it justice in words, but it's such a tiny app that you have to try it. A word of warning, though: I have no fewer than 10 friends who've installed it, and every single one of them became completely addicted to it. Give it a shot.