It always seems like I'm drowning in bookmarks. That or have a bookmark I want to read but it's on a different computer.
But no more!
Now I've found InstaPaper.com, which is like your bookmark folder if it were designed for the absentminded.
They offer some great options. Basic stuff like one-touch bookmarking and the ability to create folders. But there are some more advanced options, like being able to archive your bookmarks, or viewing your pages text only for easy mobile viewing. Even better, the iPhone app gives you the option to save the pages where you can view them sans Internet connection.
All for the Internet-only low, low price of diddly squat. Not bad, IMO.
I came across an interesting article during my daily trolling of the interwebs. The Discovery.com blog post announces that Hulu is hosting the entire Cosmos series. Before this I had heard Carl Sagan but this was my first, true introduction.
For those who are as ignorant as myself, Carl Sagan was an American astronomer and author who simultaneously advanced our understanding of astronomy and astrophysics while still being able to present this incredibly complex information in a way that doesn't make your brain hurt. After I watched a few episodes, I could see why Cosmos is the most widely watched PBS program in history.
The popularity of the series propelled Sagan into "Celebre-scientist" status. An area occupied by very few. Guys like: Einstein and Wernher von Braun, before Sagan; and Stephen Hawking and (my man) Neil deGrasse Tyson, after. These men had/have a way of sparking an intellectual flame that is rarely seen in the public today.
So, soak up some free info. If for no better reason than:
Cognitive psychology was one of my favorite subjects in school. It's a science focused on discovering how we learn language, solve problems, and the concepts that our brain uses to define our world. (Why can't you remember everything? Does how you raise a child effect its adult life? How do you learn to speak?).
It was like they were trying to write a owner's manual for you brain. I ate it up with a spoon.
I learned your brain doesn't care much about your daily life. It quickly goes on autopilot, only perking up when the right stimulus appears. Autopilot is fine for most occasions but most people don't know their brains are set to idle.
I recently came across some videos that shows exactly what I'm talking about. Here and here. Enjoy.
As a young, American male who has been playing video games for the better part of two decades, I am living proof that video games will not ruin your life. Despite the claims to the contrary, video games are not a societal corrosive or something that bewitches our nation’s youth (Something that does bewitch our nation’s youth: Guys with mascara and girl pants. Why? I really don’t know). Regardless of the bad press, they can actually be quite a bit of fun.
I have recently forsaken video games, not because of the rage bubbling inside of me, but because of their ability to eat-up an entire day without you realizing it. Your grand plans turn into an afternoon of killing zombies and probably scratching yourself. Nothing you can put on your resume, for sure.
Seeing how it's so much easier to play a video game than read a book or any of the dozens of other things we could/should be doing it's no wonder they've become so prevalent in our culture. Imagine all of the things we could achieve if every time a gamer went to turn on their system of choice instead did something productive. Read the news. Call your mother. Floss your teeth. It doesn't matter what. Just something productive. The results would be surprising.
But every once in awhile a game comes along that makes you remember why video games are so popular in the first place. One of these games is the much-anticipated Spore by TheSims creator Will Wright. The massive single-player online game has been in development for eight years. The developers created an entire universe for the player to interact with. You begin by navigating a single-celled organism through the pitfalls of life. The single-celled organism evolves into a creature; the creature forms a tribe; the tribe evolves into a society; and the society conquers their planet then moves on to intergalactic travel. As you can tell the scope of this game is HUGE. The visuals are breath taking. But given the scope of the game, it seems safe to assume that given the popularity of the Sims series, this game will dominate people’s lives for years. The only thing certain is this game, due to be released in September, is going to be a massive hit.
Here is game designed Will Wright discussing his upcoming mega-hit:
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