Play With Legos on Your Computer

Tired of searching for missing Lego pieces? Now you can use the Lego Digital Designer for PC or Mac to design your own Lego creation. After designing your masterpiece, you can submit an order for all of the actual Lego parts needed to complete it. (Sources: Lego, Lifehacker)

What's Inside Your Favorite Non-Dairy Topping?

In praise of what's inside the diapers

Science fiction and non-fiction writer Orson Scott Card wrote an excellent article in the Deseret News about raising children, and about the great privilege and honor it is to be a parent, especially for men. He writes, "My boy-children loved being tossed in the air — not far, but enough that they felt that moment of weightlessness at the top of the toss. I learned, however, that this should not take place immediately after the baby has nursed." (Source: Deseret News)

Happy Pi (π) Day

Today is Pi Day, and today (3/14) at 1:59:26 p.m., is Pi Second. How will you celebrate?

My Nerd Score

Apparently I'm nerdier than 93% of all people. :-)

Huge Blue Screen Error in Vegas

I don't know what it is about public blue screens of death, but I am oddly attracted to them. Perhaps it's because I can sympathize with the poor systems admin who gets that dreaded phone call saying that the display is jacked up again. They're both funny and sad at the same time. (Source: The Raw Feed)

This just in: Clowns are Scary!

According to a study of 250 children by the University of Sheffield in Britain, clowns are scary. "Every single young patient disapproved of using clowns to cheer them up. The big painted smile didn't persuade them, and even some of the older kids found them scary." (Source: NPR)

Hulu: I'm in!

I finally got an invite to the private beta of the new video site Hulu (Thanks TechCrunch!). While there may not be a lot of anything worth while on television nowadays, Hulu is still fun to use, and gives you more control of what you want to watch.

Hulu features some limited HD content which looks pretty good (using the latest Flash Player 9.0.115), and you can expect the HD offerings to increase in the future.


One cool feature on Hulu is the ability to embed and share clips on your blog or with friends via e-mail. You can even select a customized chunk of a particular video to share. The social networking aspect of Hulu is evident when you view your profile, which shows your public playlist and your history (both of which can be viewed via RSS).


Here's an embed straight from Hulu:

Massive BSOD

This could be perhaps the largest Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)! I sure don't envy the systems administrator in charge of that machine! "Uuh, Bob, we've got a problem with the display; I don't think it's supposed to be showing 'STOP ERROR 0x0000007E.'"

Star Wars Kid

This kid totally rips it up with his fake light saber. I'm not sure what the story behind this video is, but it's pretty hilarious. Doesn't every boy have a deep, burning desire to bust out a light saber and throw down some elite Jedi moves?

Thanks Google Reader

As I was checking my feeds in Google Reader today, I clicked on the label "friends" that I have setup, and received the following news:

Thanks Google Reader for making me feel so special.

Star Wars Halloween Fun

Okay, yes, that's me today at work in my Darth Vader costume. I love Star Wars and I love Halloween! It's fun walking around the office and sneaking up on people while wearing a full-on Darth Vader garb. I actually won a costume contest at work in the "best impression" category! :-) Since this year is the 30th anniversary of the release of Star Wars, it is fitting that our whole family (including the little ones) is dressed up as Star Wars characters this year. Happy Halloween! Be safe!

Frontier Psychiatrist

Tonight I rediscovered a wonderful gem of music and creativity. I first saw "Frontier Psychiatrist" by The Avalanches years ago, and I forgot how funny it is. It's the craziest, bestest music video you'll ever see.

Ronald Jenkees

If you haven't heard of video blogger and musician Ronald Jenkees, you have to check him out! Ronald will blow you away with his Korg Triton and awesome beats that he throws down using FL Studio on his computer. Ronald Jenkees is not only an amazing musician but he is hilarious and a super nice guy, too. His video blog will keep you entertained for hours! You can buy his music on iTunes or from his web site.

Can't Get Enough Mario

No matter what, you just can't get enough variations on the Super Mario Brothers theme song. Leave your favorite in the comments.

Aaron Jasinski

Aaron Jasinski, a graphic designer for Microsoft, showcases some of his amazing art and music on his web site. It is a must see for anyone who appreciates creativity and amazing talent. (Source: BYU Magazine)

Battle at Kruger

A friend at work who is an environmental scientist told me about this video. It is some amazing nature footage of a herd of buffalo, a pride of lions and a hungry crocodile. It has a happy ending and leaves an impression on you. This scene from the wild is symbolic of society and things of a spiritual nature. You'll find yourself rooting for the buffalo! Watch it!

Watch Crash Test Videos on ConsumerReports.org

ConsumerReports.org has an easy-to-use web interface that allows you to watch car crash tests from the National Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It is somewhat limited to newer vehicles and doesn't provide too much additional information, but it is still useful. (Sources: ConsumerReports.org, via Lifehacker)

Dirty Car Art

I ran across a unique display of artistic talent: dirty car art. These dusty, rear window creations are the genius work of Scott Wade. Very cool! (via Digg)

First Cellulosic Ethanol Plant in U.S.

The first cellulosic ethanol plant, which will produce ethanol from any plant part (such as grass clippings and tree limbs) will be built in Georgia and will open next year. Cellulosic ethanol takes less energy to produce and won't require using valuable food crops such as corn and sugar cane. The new plant is expected to produce 100 millions of ethanol a year. (Source: EcoGeek, via Slashdot)

Create your own Simpsons Avatar

Head over to the web site for the Simpsons Movie to create your own Simpsons avatar. Woo hoo! (via Download Squad)

Winning Rock, Paper, Scissors

Now for a tip that could save you from having to do the dishes or some other unpleasant task! There is an interesting posting on wikiHow detailing strategies for winning "Rock, Paper, Scissors." The next time you have to throw down a rock, paper, or scissors, you'll be equipped with the skills you need to win. For example, the World Rock, Paper, Scissors Society says that if you're going up against a male rookie, use paper, because he will likely throw down a rock first. (Source: wikiHow, Wikipedia)

Lumosity: Online Brain Training

Don't have Brain Age for the Nintendo DS? That's okay! Lumosity is a cool web site with games and activities similar to Brain Age, which are intended to keep your mind fit. There are memory, concentration, and arithmetic games that stimulate your brain while you have fun! Simply create a free user profile (requires e-mail verification), and then start playing. Lumosity tracks your progress and you can also view other users' high scores and challenge others to beat your score.

Blockbuster Renting Nintendo DS Games Again!

When I got my Nintendo DS Lite back in March, I was disappointed when a Blockbuster employee told me that Blockbuster had discontinued renting DS games late 2005. The success of the Nintendo DS is amazing. Nintendo DS adopters over the age of 35 are up 212% and the handheld continues to outsell the Wii, PS3, XBOX 360. After hearing the disappointing news, I wrote two e-mails to Blockbuster over the course of a couple of months, asking them to reconsider. Maybe they read my e-mail, maybe they just realized how much profit they were missing out on.

Yesterday I was in my local Blockbuster store and found out that they are renting Nintendo DS games again! I'm not sure how many Blockbuster stores are renting DS games, or how long it has been going on. The manager at the local store said that they just started renting DS games again about a week earlier. Now you can get that hands-on with that new game you've had your eye on before you buy it. Woo hoo!

The Dangerous Book for Boys

I read an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning about a sweet book called "The Dangerous Book for Boys." The title caught my eye, and I was glad to find out what the book was about. "Dangerous" is what every boy wishes he had while growing up: a guide to learning, adventure, and important stuff that every boy should know. As a father I become nostalgic as I consider the book's topics including dinosaurs, insects, how to build a go-cart, skip rocks, make paper airplanes, and speak Navajo. It's almost like the Boy Scout handbook you never had!

According to the book's website, "In this age of video games and cell phones, there must still be a place for knots, tree houses, and stories of incredible courage." I am excited to read this book and I hope that my son will also be able to enjoy it years later. (Dangerous Book for Boys, Amazon)

Broken: Car Rental Keys Cabled Together

My coworker picked up a Jeep Commander from a car rental agency today. When he got the keys, he found that the two large, chunky keys were cabled together. Why give the customer two keys if you can’t separate them? I suppose you could use bolt cutters if you really needed to separate them.

Free Motocross Challenge GBA Rom

DHG Games worked three years on a motocross game for the GameBoy Advance called Motocross Challenge. When the deal with the publisher fell through, DHG decided to make Motocross Challenge available for free on their web site. You will need a GameBoy emulator or a flash card. Thanks DHG for sharing! (Via DS Fanboy)

Lost Dog Found 4 Years Later, 1,100 Miles Away

A Boston terrier named Mickey was found recently at an animal shelter in Billings, Montana after being lost for 4 years from his home in Kansas City, Missouri. Thanks to a microchip, the workers at the animal shelter were able to track down Mickey's owner. How in the world did a Boston terrier get from Kansas City to Billings? (Source: CNN)

Voice Mail

We're getting a new voice mail system at work and so I was going through my old voice messages and recording them. Among the delightful gems that brighten my day, such as messages from my wonderful wife and kids, was a voice message left by my silly ol' pal and favorite co-worker Jordan Everhart. Jordan has cracked me up before, and I wish we had more of his humor in the office. Listen to the voice message!

Nasal Irrigation

My brother passed along this story from NPR about nasal irrigation to help clear out your sinus and nasal passages. Standing over the sink with what looks like a teapot shoved up your nose and a waterfall of saline gushing out may look strange, but those who regularly do nasal irrigation say that it clears you up, helps you breathe easier, and reduces sinus infection. (Source: NPR)

Caveman's Crib

If you are a fan of the hilarious GEICO Caveman commercials, then check out www.cavemanscrib.com and hang out at the caveman's apartment! See what's playing on his iPod, and what's on his laptop. You can head into the kitchen to "help" (take a look at some of the recipes!), and help him pick out clothes to wear. I found some of the caveman's notes amusing in his books War and Peace and Don Quixote. But be careful when turning on the TV, you might upset him.

What's your favorite error message?

I love error messages like this:


How do you even know where to start troubleshooting? I received this error message while trying to send a few JPG image files attached to an e-mail in Outlook 2003.