Virus...

So I haven't blogged in a while... There is a reason for that...

I GOT A VIRUS!

Yes... I could have used my family computer.

But it would not be the same...

I love blogging while sitting on my bed...

Moral of this story... VIRUSES SUCK!

Link roundup

1. Penny Arcade's business manager participated in an interview at Reddit.

2. Deadspin's picks for the top 10 sports articles of the year.

3. Teddy Roosevelt once gave possibly the best start to a speech ever:

Friends, I shall ask you to be as quiet as possible. I don't know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot; but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose. But fortunately I had my manuscript, so you see I was going to make a long speech, and there is a bullet - there is where the bullet went through - and it probably saved me from it going into my heart. The bullet is in me now, so that I cannot make a very long speech, but I will try my best.

He wasn't joking.

4. The Smithsonian's top 10 science blog posts.

Everything is a remix, Raiders of the Lost Ark edition

"Shot-by-shot comparison of 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' vs. scenes from 30 different adventure films made between 1919-1973." Via these sites.

Can you identify these characters and items?

You can win a prize from Renaud Forestié.

Purple Ombre Sprinkles Cake recipe

Purple Ombre Sprinkles Cake recipe (many more gorgeous desserts lurk at the site). Via these sites.

Legend of Zelda minifigures

Legend of Zelda minifigures available for preorder at the BBTS (single blindbox or case). If you (like me) just like the cartoony child link, you can find similar minifigures at eBay.

Watch a lion get his mane styled

"British animal wrangler Alex Larenty sprays Jamu the Lion with special Lion hairspray, brushes his hair and gives Jamu a lion manicure at the SA Lion Park on August 19, 2011 in Johannesburg, South Africa." Via.

Link roundup

1. How to create a digital comic for iTunes for less than $200.

2. George Martin posted a lengthy, excellent excerpt from the upcoming The Winds of Winter. It fills in some of the holes from A Dance With Dragons. Via.

3. Ann Althouse: "I feel sorry for all the journalists assigned to the 2012 campaign who've got so little to write about now and in the next few months. They need to act like something is happening, and after the Perry, Cain, Gingrich, and Paul surges, it must be time for a Santorum surge."

4. Noelle Stevenson's illustrated (personal) year in review.

5. Today's Tee Fury t-shirt is a Conan O'Brien/Peanuts mashup.

6. Just a reminder, I post regularly at Tumblr.

League of Legends Champion: Viktor, the Machine Herald

League of Legends is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game made by Riot Games; it is widely popular and has millions up millions of players. I started playing this game back in September and I haven't been able to stop - this is the longest I've ever played any game consistently.

Viktor, the Machine Herald is a champion added to League of Legends in late December, 2011; he is the last new champion released for the year. He is incredibly fun and has a third arm that shoots laser beams! Here is the champion spotlight released by the company.

Drake featuring Rihanna - Take Care

Drake featuring Rihanna - Take Care. 99 cents at Amazon.

Link roundup

1. Darpa held a contest, challenging people to put back together several shredded documents. The winning team took advantage of ink hidden in the paper:

Then he happened on an article about a little-known government project: The U.S. Secret Service has been working with manufacturers of color laser printers to place tiny, imperceptible yellow dots on printed pages so that the government can track the machine that produced them. Good put the puzzle under a blue-light filter and saw the dots. “It was a breakthrough moment,” he says. “The pattern of dots is practically a map for how everything comes together.”

2. If you're looking for some good cheap iPhone games for your kids, I recommend Stunt Bugs and Temple Run (they were free last time I checked and my boys love them both).

3. i09's picks for the best tv moments of 2011.

4. The various writers for Grantland picked their sporting moments of the year. Here's part of Hua Hsu's pick:

We've grown so accustomed to seeing American athletes treated with some measure of deference abroad, particularly in places where the level of play might not be up to the standard of the American ideal. As I watched the brawl, it felt like something was changing: Maybe they no longer aspired to be versions of our stars. It's impossible to disentangle the factors that resulted in the melee, whether it had to do with slack refereeing or China's recent generations of treasured "only children" or maybe the aggressive, chippy play that has, in recent years, become the Chinese style. It's hard to ignore the larger backdrop, this shifting balance of global power, the realities that link the front page to the sports section. We still have the stars, but the money is elsewhere. Geographies are global now. It troubles our stable sense of lineage — the common, generational mythologies and legible, cross-town battle lines, our sense of who seeks approval from whom. Not everyone aspires to Springfield, Canton, or Cooperstown, and maybe a "love of the game" is no longer what unites us. The Brooklyn Nets might be a Russian billionaire's plaything; they might exist, in his mind, only to make him sufficiently famous so that he won't be assassinated. Striker Samuel Eto'o, a champion with both Barcelona and Inter Milan, relocated to Anzhi Makhachkala, in Dagestan, to become one of the best-paid athletes in the world. He flies 1,200 miles to home games. Playing for the Bayi Military Rockets might be the sum of one's dreams.

5. Genuinely funny comic strip/ad by The Oatmeal for Sriracha. Discovered via this giveaway.

6. Don't forget to participate in this month's art contest. Amazon and Threadless credits are up for grabs.

One Floor Up More Highly by Katharina Grosse

One Floor Up More Highly by Katharina Grosse. Via.

Paranorman armature

Pre-face zombie armature from Paranorman.

*Buy Paranorman posters at eBay.

Voight-Kampff Interrogation t-shirt

Voight-Kampff Interrogation - - the latest t-shirt on sale at Last Exit to Nowhere.

Mickey Mouse the barbarian

Mickey Mouse meets Frank Frazetta by John Quinn.

*Previously: Ghost Rider comic book covers by Frazetta.

The Lion King by Eric Tan

Poster for The Lion King starring Scar by Eric Tan for an art show starring Disney villains. You can buy a few prints by Eric Tan at Gallery 1988, and posters he created for Mondo at eBay.

*Previously: Van Damme is The Lion King.

Barbie Trashes Her Dreamhouse

Part of a photo series by Carrie Becker depicting Barbie as a hoarder. Via.

Happy almost New Year

There's nearly 50 New Year's cards at some ecards.

Plush Science the Rat

Plush Science the Rat from Adventure Time by Ayaka Darkly, who has lots of plush creatures on sale at Etsy.

*Buy Adventure Time toys at Amazon.

Papercraft weekly calendar stegosaurus

Papercraft weekly calendar stegosaurus available for download.

Phish New Year's Eve concert posters

Phish concert posters by DKNG going on sale New Year's Eve in the DKNG shop.

Octopus loves popsicles

Octopus by Leslie Levings, who has t-shirts on sale at Etsy.

Paper sculptures by Jen Stark

Vibrant sculptures by Jen Stark. She has art and a t-shirt on sale here and you can see more from her current show here.

Matt Stutzman, archer

Matt Stutzman is an archer:

If Matt Stutzman could pick only one word to describe himself, it would be "motivated!" His positive attitude and confidence are part of what makes Matt so inspirational.

He was born without arms and given up for adoption at four-months-old. His adoptive family raised him to believe in himself and his inherent abilities.

He taught himself how to do everything —like eating, playing guitar and even archery—with his feet. He qualified as a member of the U.S. Paralympic Archery Team and will represent Team USA against the best archers in the world at the 2011 Para Pan Am Games. Matt regularly beats able-bodied competitors in various events across the country. He recently broke the world record for the longest archery shot by hitting a 122 centimeter target from 230 yards away!

Fun with perspective

Part of a photo set by Mar Hernández.

Link roundup

1. Jason Chalker is looking for commissions.

2. Boing Boing has details and more photos of the Portal Christmas tree.

3. Serious Eats says don't buy Costco's $20 champagne. Buy $15 Domaine J. Laurens Cremant de Limoux Brut.

4. Brief summary of all 30 NBA teams.

5. I love Nike product descriptions:

Nike’s Proprietary Flywire Technology Offers Great Fit Support: the outsole of the Nike Fly Leather J Elite SHA|DO uses the leather sole, the most trusted sole among bukatsu players, and Nike’s proprietary traction system that maximizes a player’s potential at base running.

6. Dave MacDowell posted a bunch of recent paintings (NSFW).

7. How one person achieved 1 million karma points at Reddit. (Short answer: "I spend about 3-4 hours a day on Reddit.")

H.R. Giger-inspired sunglasses by Doktor A.

That's Doktor A. modeling sunglasses he made based on Giger's painting "Illuminatus II." Via.

*Previously: The Giger tarot.

Nike Chain Maille Mesh technology

Nike:

Nike will celebrate the Ducks’ return to the Rose Bowl with the debut of its latest Nike Pro Combat system of dress – the most advanced football uniform system ever assembled.

This fully integrated uniform system, debuted in its first iteration by the University of Oregon during last years’ BCS National Championship Game, incorporates the pinnacle in performance innovation and design from the world’s most renowned athletic outfitter. The new uniform provides enhanced thermoregulation and more durability with the inclusion of Nike Chain Maille Mesh – a lightweight ultra-breathable material – used in both the jersey and pant.

While the uniform certainly makes the team more recognizable, it’s their commitment to innovation and building better athletes that allows the University of Oregon to take its place among the nation’s most elite programs.

“Nike’s relationship with the University of Oregon represents a forward-thinking approach to innovation and design. Our goal is to help build better athletes by providing them with state-of-the-art-innovation combined with a deep knowledge and understanding of their heritage” said Todd Van Horne, Nike’s Creative Director for Football. The latest Nike Pro Combat system of dress uniform delivers more on-field performance benefits than ever before while pushing the limits on creativity and design. The Oregon Ducks truly represent Nike's approach in developing athletes from the inside-out.”

“Oregon represents the gold-standard when it comes to merging science and innovation with athletic performance and we are excited to continue our partnership with Nike by unveiling the next iteration in uniform innovation for the Rose Bowl” said Oregon Ducks Head Football Coach Chip Kelly. “Nike always starts by listening to the voice of the athlete as they continue to bring the most intuitive technology to the game.”



INNOVATION

From the cleats to the base layer, to the gloves and helmet, the Ducks’ uniform represents the pinnacle in game-day innovation for speed. New this year is the development of Nike Chain Maille Mesh technology, the ultimate in breathable uniform design. These innovations coupled with durable, lightweight padding provide athletes with a complete on-field suit of armor. Performance benefits include:

• Eleven different materials in the Nike Pro Combat uniform (jersey and pant), and 16 different materials in the complete system of dress – each to address the specific needs of the athlete in game situations

• Nike Chain Maille Mesh material incorporated into the back and under the arms in the jersey, as well as down the sides of the pant for exceptional ventilation without sacrificing durability. The new Nike Chain Maille Mesh integration also emphasizes improved thermoregulation, including the Nike Pro Combat Deflex padding layer, which is constructed with fabric selected for its ability to help keep the body cool and wick away sweat – making the uniform, and player, lighter and dryer.

• Increased air flow with large open-hole woven construction for more ventilation

• A redesigned base layer that facilitates the uniform’s overall innovation, delivering the ultimate in lightweight protection for maximum speed. The base layer in the pant also features customizable protection that incorporates a thin, incredibly strong carbon fiber plate that can be placed on the thigh padding where needed.

• Strategically placed seams, pads and cooling zones that help minimize distraction and optimize protective coverage. Robust padding, without the bulk, has also been added to offer optimal low-profile impact protection specifically throughout the crucial “hit zone” between the knees and shoulders.

• Nike Pro Combat Deflex padding integrated in the hip and knee areas of the pant for crucial impact protection that stays in place

• A Flywire collar eliminating two layers of fabric for improved breathability, providing a more stable anchor to keep the jersey in place



DESIGN

The uniform wouldn’t be complete without combining these innovations with a nod to the Duck’s rich heritage. Design elements include:

• A completely re-designed number system boasting an iridescent sheen similar to that on a mallard’s feathers. The larger, bolder numbers shift in color as they move.

• An armored wing design resting on new material engineered for maximum strength along the shoulder area

• A new look for the helmet featuring bright wings atop a mirrored appearance using a LiquidMetal black finish never before seen on the field. Though the wings are featured on the side, the iconic Oregon "O" still appears on the helmet located in a unique top-center placement.

The black and yellow uniforms Nike created for Arizona State were terrific, also.