While You Were Gone

Breaking videos tend to come in two flavours: Footage of a...

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:22:16 +0000

Breaking videos tend to come in two flavours:

Footage of a battle, shot on a single camera, generally from within the crowd,
Compilations of clips, taken from battles and cyphers, or occasionally shot specifically for the video, edited together with no real theme or context.

So a video like this one, which not only has a theme but also some concept of cinematography, sticks out like a sore thumb.

In that sense, this is the best b-boy trailer I have ever seen.

I Love Footwork Performance This is what I aspire to in my...

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:58:45 +0000

I Love Footwork Performance

This is what I aspire to in my dancing.

Outside of the move at 3:37, everything in this video is something you could conceivably learn in a beginners’ breaking class. These guys are doing simple, basic steps, but the execution is just sublime. Their grace and fluency of movements, the tempo changes, the cadences — I love it all.

Now admittedly this is a choreographed routine, but the best breakers can achieve similar interplay with the music when they’re dancing in an impromptu situation. Peep this battle between Machine and Ata (which I cannot believe I haven’t posted before) for a supreme example.

I’m all for charity, but the wording of these checkboxes...

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:27:12 +0100

I’m all for charity, but the wording of these checkboxes is so confusing it’s verging on dishonesty.

I’m not sure if it’s JustGiving or Cancer Research UK that’s responsible for this tomfoolery, but either way: not cool, guys. Tricking people into signing up for your mailing lists when they’re making a donation is not a good way to build trust in your organisation.

I Made a Quiz

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:28:29 +0100

I Made a Quiz:

Inspired by this quiz about short NBA players, I created my own quiz on sporcle:

Can you name the NBA players who have scored 50 points or more in a game?

The answer, so far, seems to be “no”, as no-one that has attempted it has managed to name more than 80 of the 106 players who have achieved the feat.

Yes, my quiz is ridiculously difficult.

Should you use Comic Sans? Now this is a useful...

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:01:00 +0100

Should you use Comic Sans?

Now this is a useful flowchart.

(via stuffparty, via penllawen)

The ampersand

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:04:50 +0100

The ampersand:

Adobe’s history of the ampersand.

The term ampersand, as Geoffrey Glaister writes in his “Glossary of the Book,” is a corruption of and (&) per se and, which literally means “(the character) & by itself (is the word) and.” The symbol & is derived from the ligature of ET or et, which is the Latin word for “and.”

(Previously, on While You Were Ampersand)

(via nostrich)

"Jeffery Steingarten’s Vogue essay Playing Ketchup, collected in The Man Who Ate Everything,..."

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:01:54 +0100

“Jeffery Steingarten’s Vogue essay Playing Ketchup, collected in The Man Who Ate Everything, describes how he discovered and cooked some of the earliest recipes for tomato ketchup and showed in a careful scientific test that they were quite delicious.”

- —Dan Jurafsky, in a, frankly, fascinating essay on where tomato ketchup came from*, how it developed, and why the “tomato” in the name isn’t redundant.

* Hint: Who invented basically everything?

(via @thatwhichmatter)

Sorry I’m Late Excellent shot-from-above stop motion...

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:01:49 +0100

Sorry I’m Late

Excellent shot-from-above stop motion animation. Makes those “I’m cycling on this no-cycling sign on the ground” photos you sometimes see look rather unambitious.

The credits are accompanied by a time lapse animation of part of the shoot, which I found amusing.

There is also a making of, if you’re interested.

(via zefrank)

How to Start a Dance Party (via Ze Frank: “very fun and...

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:02:56 +0100

How to Start a Dance Party

(via Ze Frank: “very fun and oddly heartwarming footage”)

Utterly inspirational. The message, of course, is love what you do, and never give up. (Advice which could also be applied to watching this vid. Don’t stop it before the end. It just keeps getting better.)

A roomba’s path. My Roomba doesn’t get much use for...

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:17:00 +0100

A roomba’s path.

My Roomba doesn’t get much use for actual cleaning these days, but he is a member of the family. I could not recommend him more, both as a household utility and as a friend.

(via both ub14 and dalasverdugo)

Piano Stairs “We believe that the easiest way to change...

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:00:51 +0100

Piano Stairs

“We believe that the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better is by making it fun to do. We call it The fun theory.”
rolighetsteorin.se

(via ignant, via kryz)

I love this graphic from the British Basketball...

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:00:56 +0100

I love this graphic from the British Basketball Federation’s homepage. It’s just so brazen. We don’t care where you’re really from, just so long as you’re over six foot five.

Returning briefly to the theme of British basketball, check out...

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:15:46 +0100

Returning briefly to the theme of British basketball, check out this video of Guy Dupuy’s new dunk at Midnight Madness a few weeks back.

As J.E. Skeets put it on Ball Don’t Lie “Never before has someone done an off-the-bounce, over someone standing, between the legs dunk. Well, at least not on camera. I do it every other Thursday — barefoot. Whatever. No big deal.”

Jason Kottke discovers the Best Flag in The World. It is the...

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:01:49 +0100

Jason Kottke discovers the Best Flag in The World.

It is the flag of the Benin Empire, 1440-1897.

(via Daring Fireball)

A Delta 4-Heavy rocket launches. Photo taken by a...

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:27:45 +0100

A Delta 4-Heavy rocket launches.

Photo taken by a sound-activated camera which was only semi-destroyed by the power of the launch.

More (insane) photos here.

(via Gizmodo, via photojojo)

What is this? Ten points to anyone that can tell me (Answers in...

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:17:58 +0100

What is this?

Ten points to anyone that can tell me (Answers in the comments, please!) what this is for.

It’s attached to the exterior wall of a restaurant in the Shropshire countryside.
The photo is orientated correctly.

My best guess so far is that it’s for tethering helium balloons. I said it’s my best guess—not a good guess.

Galactic Center of Milky Way Rises over Texas Star Party The...

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:24:14 +0100

Galactic Center of Milky Way Rises over Texas Star Party

The sky does not look like this in London.

(via jacobd)

Doesn’t look particularly convenient to me.

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:28:04 +0100

Doesn’t look particularly convenient to me.

I Wish I Was a Little Bit Taller

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:48:57 +0100

I Wish I Was a Little Bit Taller:

Flinder Boyd, backup point guard for the valiant but vanquished GB basketball, has a blog. And it is good!

It provides an entertaining and candid look at what it is like to be “far from a star” in a regionally unpopular (niche, virtually) sport. Also, moustaches.

(via Basketball 24/7)

Serbia vs Great Britain

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:36:33 +0100

So, apparently I enjoyed tape-delay-blogging the game last night so much that I am going to do it again tonight.

It’s GB’s last chance to stay in the competition, playing the Serbian team that shocked Spain in the first game of the tournament.

Aaaand I miss basically the entire first quarter because the red button stops working on my Sky box. I try watching it online instead, but it takes me 10 minutes to find the live stream on the BBC website (Yes kids, playing with computers is essentially my job, but I still can’t make the effing things work.) Then when I do find it, there is no sound, and the picture is too small and choppy to see the player’s shirt numbers.

Eventually I beat my Sky box into submission, and I tune in with a minute left to play in the first. Serbia 19 - 9 GB.

“Nate” Ryan King swishes a three, Serbia grab a two and Robert Archibald clanks a three to close out the first. 21-12. Another slow start from GB, or are Serbia just much better than us?

First GB play of the second quarter, fast break alley oop, Nate to Pops.

GB turn it over. According to Meech and his fellow commentator, this has been the theme of the game so far.

Pops knocks a Serb flying in the paint and slams it home. With authority! The only Serb I know the name of is (NBA player) Nenad Krstic, and I’m not even sure I know how to spell his name. “A Serb” is going to be a key player tonight, I feel.

GB are bringing the energy this quarter.

Apparently Spain beat Slovenia earlier and are in the second round. They blew a big fourth quarter lead, though, and needed an overtime to get the job done.

Archibald seems a bit more lively today. Still looks like he’s running through glue, though. He hits some free throws and GB are within 2. 22-20.

Serbia three followed by a GB turnover.

Nate takes his man off the dribble and hits a jumper. 25-22

Joel Freeland with the ball, his back to the basket, gets it taken away from him by a Serb standing behind him. Easy fast break for the Serbs.

After Krstic hits a wiiide open mid range jumper, Andrew Sullivan dunks on three Serbs. That’s why he’s the captain.

Freeland appears to be out for the count after that steal. He’s hobbling slowly to the locker room, holding his back.

Pops draws an off the ball foul on Velickovic, but misses both free throws. Lane violation—he misses the third, too.

Pops attempts to score on his own and throws up an airball, but redeems himself immediately at the defensive end with a big block after a Serb offensive rebound.

Serbia aren’t scoring masses of points more than GB, but they look much better. They have much more ball movement at the offensive end and are driving well too. GB look a lot more laboured on offense, and defense seems flimsy. They’re getting some fast-break points, though, which I don’t really recall last night.

My man Flinder crosses over a Serb and hands it off to Pops under the basket for the bucket, with 12 seconds left in the half.

Teodosic hits a circus shot at the buzzer. Gaah.

GB are shooting 50% from three, and 50% from the line. Why do we suck at free throws? We also have ten turnovers to Serbia’s four.

Nate Reinking leads GB with 9 points at the half. The Serb Tepic has 10, and Krstic and Pops Mensah-Bonsu both have 8.

Halftime score: Serbia 39 - 29 GB.

I just looked Pops up on Wikipedia. His full name is Nana Papa Yaw Dwene Mensah-Bonsu. Impressive. Nana Papa Yaw Dwene Goutte?

GB come out fast in the third and cut the lead to 6.

A few people have those air horn things in the crowd. It is very irritating.

Kieron Achara checks in for the first time with 7:41 on the clock. Apparently he didn’t play at all in the first game. Not sure why he’s getting such limited minutes considering his performance last night. (And of course his length, mobility.)

Pops fires up an errant three point attempt with 5 left on the shot clock. He is a loose cannon!

Serbia extend their lead to 11, and have a free throw after this time out.

Chris Finch says the problem is that too many guys are “not doing anything.” He suggests they try “playing unselfishly for a little bit,” which seems to irritate Meech and amuse his colleague. If they don’t stop blowing those horns I am going to stab someone.

Serbia are better at basketball than us. Hopefully our new tactic of “playing unselfishly” will win out nonetheless.

GB cannot defend the pick and roll.

Flinder gets hit in the chops and knocked to the floor but bounces right back up. Warrior!

Tepic swishes a three and Serbia are up 13.

Perovic can’t guard you, Betts! Take it to the hole! Okay maybe he can.

Someone gets a tech. No-one seems to know why. Tripkovic hits both and Serbia get it back: 52-39.

Ryan King comes back in, scores a two, and then a three: 55-44.

Krstic takes the last shot of the quarter and GB are down 58-44. Things not looking good for the Brits. Methinks this next ten minutes will be their last of the tournament.

GB are now shooting 67% from three, but still only 50% from the free throw line. Ugh.

First GB possession of the quarter. Miss. Sullivan grabs an offensive rebound and Archibald draws a foul.

Serbia reply with a three.

Sullivan grabs another offensive rebound on the next trip down the floor, and GB draw another foul. Still no actual points yet, though.

Krstic fakes Pops out of his shoes. Pops clobbers him on the way back down and gets called for an intentional foul: 64-46.

Lenzly stops the rot with a three, but there’s less than seven minutes left on the clock and a 15 point deficit to recover.

Archibald attempts to dribble the ball between his legs at the top of the key and gets stripped. That’s just embarrassing, big guy.

Pops has two free throws. Splits them, and is now two of six from the line.

I don’t think Nate is our best offensive player, but he certainly looks the best. He hits a tough jumper, and Meech criticises him implicitly by pointing out you don’t win tournaments by hitting tough shots. It’s getting easy ones that count!

Pops induces a five second violation from Krstic and the commentator gets very excited. Archibald hits a free throw and we’re back within… uh… thirteen. With 4:36 left to play.

Meech is now calling Nate, “Rankin”. The other commentator is pronouncing Teodosic “Tedeosic”, but for all I know that’s how its actually pronounced.

Two dunks in a row for GB. The commentator makes a point of noting how many hands were used for each. (Two.)

GB are pressing hard now, and as Meech points out, the Serbs look uncomfortable. They still have an 11 point lead, though, with three minutes left.

Hart tackles a Serb to the ground, rugby style. The commentator praises his positioning, but he’s still called for the foul.

GB call a timeout. 2:45 on the clock. 13 points behind.

The Serbs seem to have figured out our pressure defence. Wide open three. 73-57.

Hart hits a two, followed by two Serb free throws, and it’s 75-59 with a minute to play. Serbia hit another couple of free throws, and dribble out the clock.

GB finished the game at 63% from deep and still 50% from the line. Nate led all scorers with 21, Pops had 16. In general, a much less convincing performance. The BBC are reduced to including a shot of a cheerleader’s shaking ass in their highlight round-up. Still, we had our moments, and I’m inclined to agree with Meech’s summary: “We’re now good enough that we can’t be satisfied with close.” It turns out the other commentator is named Ronald Macintosh.

Conclusion: I still can’t touch type, Sky are ripping me off, and the next person I see with an air-horn is going to get throttled.

Final Score: Serbia 77 - 59 GB