Review: Linux Operating System: Ubuntu 12.04 precise Pangolin

It took me about a decade to muster-up the courage to finally install a Linux Operating system.

I had been terrified that nothing would work ... not my wireless connection, not my blue-tooth mouse, not the multiple languages/spell-checks I use etc.

Nonetheless, I recently dual-installed Ubuntu 12.04 precise Pangolin by Canonical (Ubuntu is a Linux "distribution" based on the Debian Project's operating system) on a VAIO laptop with Windows pre-installed.

And everything worked ... made more sense, was more accessible and customisable ... and was generally brilliant!

I never booted Windows again since.

On the decision to pull i-Google.

Was Google too good to be true? You could take everything they did, one by one, and they did it better than anybody else. It was the company with everything right about it. It was the company every company either wanted to be like or ought to want to be like. :)
Now, in another one of a recent series of idiotic moves (Have you seen the Android market "Play" lately?), Google is now retiring i-Google, something people (meaning "I") like, spent time customising and find useful.

Why are they pulling the plug? Well ... I don't know. But it does fit with the strategic decision to push Google+ on people ... whether they want to or not.

Problem is: i-Google is brilliant. Google+ is crap. So WTF?

It's too bad. Stupidity is infectious in a company culture. And the fish starts to stink from the head. In any case, I'm switching to NetVibes.

PS) Google announced earlier this year that it would be "streamlining" the privacy agreements for all of its products (including YouTube, Blogger and Gmail). The streamlining makes using Google something EU officials described as "too invasive". Feels like the new motto at Google might soon be altered to become: "The legal department has advised us that, technically, to be an asshole is not exactly the same as being evil"!

PPS) BBC Aricle: "Is it possible to quit Google?"

Dorothy Donegan!!!

Samsara Trailer (Documentary 2012)

Android Vs iOS The Truth about Apple and Google's OS Part 1

Ben Franklin on Patents:

As we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously.

Seeking Perfection in Everything

A man in the USA who thinks like a European

Samsung Flexible AMOLED Display at CES 2011

Google’s Android becomes the world’s leading smart phone platform

Google’s Android becomes the world’s leading smart phone platform (Canalys research release: r2011013): "- Sent using Google Toolbar"a

Portable Solar Charger JOOS Orange by Solar Components LLC

"The most powerful and durable portable solar charger you can buy. Recharge smart and regular phones, an iPad, MP3 players, cameras, game devices, and more. Includes charging cables and adapters."

DroidDraw : Graphical User Interface Editor for Android Cell Phone Development and Programming

DroidDraw : Graphical User Interface Editor for Android Cell Phone Development and Programming: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

App Inventor for Android

App Inventor for Android Create apps for your phone! Creating an App Inventor app begins in your browser, where you design how the app will look. Then, like fitting together puzzle pieces, you set your app's behavior. All the while, through a live connection between your computer and your phone, your app appears on your phone. About - App Inventor for Android: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Writing Your First Android App

Writing Your First Android App: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Piracy

Prank on a Belgian call center - A container at Mobistar

Angry Birds knocked off perch by Bubble Ball | The Guardian

Bubble Ball by 14-year-old Robert Nay has been downloaded more than 2m times from Apple's iTunes store: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Building iPhone Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Building iPhone Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Android Application Development Tutorial

Bizarre - Rantala New Trio

BBC News - Wikileaks 'hacked ahead of secret US document release'

BBC News - Wikileaks 'hacked ahead of secret US document release'

Innovation in IT: The liquefaction of hardware | The Economist

Innovation in IT: The liquefaction of hardware | The Economist

Dive Into HTML5

A great intro to ... well ... html 5 ... by Mark Pilgrim.

Welcome to euzein.eu

euzein.eu is a newly created (still beta) blog about natural products in Greece (and Europe).

UX Design!

What Is User Experience Design?

Google Transparency Report

Google Transparency Report

Smooth Minimalism on the Behance Network

Smooth Minimalism on the Behance Network

Google TV

http://www.google.com/tv/

Classic Carl Sagan Awesomness

The Story of Stuff

The Story of Stuff

The surprising truth about motivation

A previous BP oil spill: "The front fell off!" :)

A Day in Athens

Hitler reacts to the Takedown, by Constantin Film AG, of the Der Untergang (Downfall) Meme Videos

:)

Thanks to Arkoudos for that one.

CG Music Visualisation

let yourself feel. from Esteban Diácono on Vimeo.

Picasso's Guernica in 3D

Source

Thanks to Irene for this one.

Buzz it!

Alexa Meade Photographs (that look like Paintings)

www.alexameade.com

Global Economic "Recovery" not for everyone.

"Bloom box" Compact Electricity Power Plant

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Bloom Energy

It has been a bit dusty in Greece lately!

View Large Image

Via  NASA's Earth Observatory

Athens Swing Riot: "Appointment with murder" .... on Saturday the 20th of Feb. at Aiolis.

This party is different from the all the others & is covered with veils of "mystery", "secrets" & "a murder". In one of our usual 100 free compiled Cd's there will be a hidden
card that will reveal the ID of  a notorious "killer" on the run, that will walk,dance and flirt among you all night.

Still confused???? OK it's time to revealed some information...
In order to save you from him/her we give him/her this lovely gift:http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee356/blitzgriegbaby/Dita-Von-Teese_Striptease_signing_9.jpg

It's THE BOOK (!!!) not the gal YOU...sneaky minds!!!!!

So if you find a card inside your CD saying "YOU are the killer"
go and  "turn yourself  in" to the A.S.R "detective squad" so you can claim your present before they lock you behind bars (haaa,we just kidding' !!!!) :http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee356/blitzgriegbaby/ditao0024.jpg

You will discover more surprises when you get there...

In the meantime, watch some classic film noir so you'll be prepared of what's gonna take place,and remember to always have your back covered and have your eyes wide open..even when you look in the mirror...cause the "killer" may be ...YOU!!!

Dress proposal: 30's & 40's Hollywood with a touch of "film noir" and a scent of "intrigue"!

How to approach a girl like a NASA scientist.

NASA Scientists Plan To Approach Girl By 2018 

I'm on a boat! :)

	The Lonely Island - I'm On A Boat (feat. T-Pain)
	Found at skreemr.com

PS: Wikipedia Article about the song

Shark Hunting Orcas!

Paleon Phaliron a couple of days into the New Year

My hood on January 3. :)

England from Space: It's completely Frozen!

The UK on January 7, 2010

via BBC News

Avatar

I saw "Avatar".
Wow!
That is all.

WTF (The Fall of Athens by Swiss artist Dave)

Performers during a performance at Filopapou hill in Athens

Picture: REUTERS

via www.telegraph.co.uk

Cool Spinning Light over Norway

"A strange light phenomenon is sighted in the night sky above parts of northern Norway early December 9, 2009. Russia's new submarine-based intercontinental missile suffered the latest in a series of test failures, newspapers reported on Thursday, as unusual lights were spotted in Norway across the border from the launch site. (REUTERS/Anita Olsen/Scanpix Norway)"

via the Boston Globe's "The Big Picture"



!!!

Daily Mail Aricle

Google Goggles !!!

It just looks awesome!

Athens Swing Riot

The Positive Ladies Soccer Club

Joanna (she recently came back from Zimbabwe where she was a Field Communications Officer for MSF), has directed a film.

It's called "The Positive Ladies Soccer Club" (link goes to the movie's site).

Joanna's film offers a message of hope.

It's about IHV positive women who, despite barely knowing how to play football, not only decided to form a team but set themselves the goal to win the local tournament's championship. They go on to the final ...

David Williams of Sky News Online has written an article about it (be sure to watch the video of her interview).

Excerpt:
"... The action plays out across a rich palette of colours and to a soundtrack of African communal singing performed by the women themselves.

'When I met them, the first thing they did was sing to me," Joanna recalled. "They sang a song about being strong and having hope.'

Filmed on a shoestring budget, the project was blessed by generosity: from the unpaid players whose heart-rendering interviews carry the film's emotional message, to the end of production when film giant Technicolor waived a fee for its services.

Joanna said the filming - which was welcomed by the country's authorities due to MSF's apolitical role - has had a dramatic effect on attitudes among the community.

"People would previously shout at our women. If they were on a bus they wouldn't sit next to them," she said.

"Now, after they saw them playing in this football team and winning, people would come up to the women as if they were movie stars..."

Trailer:


Screened on the 15th of November at the Bath Film Festival , it will be shown on World AIDS Day, 1st December 2009 in Athens, at the Hellenic American Union (22 Massalias st., Athens).

(Update: it was also featured on CNN)

:)

Amazing Streaker Scores! - Amazing videos are here

The Fun Theory!

Thanks to Iliana Apostolidou for the link

Out-Takes from Sicko describing "a country so scary I couldn't put it in the film"!

How to send a letter from your computer

Life imitates ... a Video Game?

I love New York

Loic "Flying Dude" Jean-Albert Wingsuit Flying

"...so we play around!" Loic Jean-Albert www.loicjeanalbert.com

Democracy: The European Parliament Elections

"From Strasbourg with indifference
Jun 4th 2009
From The Economist print edition

The European Parliament has failed to win legitimacy with voters. Look to Denmark for a solution

The rich world’s biggest election, with 375m potential voters, ought to be both exciting and uplifting. Yet campaigning ahead of this weekend’s election (June 07, 2009) to the European Parliament has been neither. Almost everywhere it has focused exclusively on national issues, not European ones. In several countries a ragbag of extremists, nutcases and xenophobes look set to win seats. And the turnout, which has fallen in every European election since 1979, may yet sink to a new low.

The fact is that Europe’s electors do not care about their parliament. Most do not bother to vote. Those who do take the excuse to cock a snook at their national governments and boost fringe parties. In so far as they have any view about the European Parliament, they see it as a talking-shop with no influence—a place that lavishes its unknown members with pay, pensions and expenses and wastes oodles of euros every month on a ludicrous commute from Brussels to Strasbourg.

Some (but not all) of this is either unfair or plain wrong. The European Parliament has real power—and will become still more powerful if the European Union’s Lisbon treaty is ratified (see article). In many ways MEPs have more say over legislation than do most of their national counterparts. "

Complete article at the Ecomomist.com

Our awesome Galaxy

by William Castleman.

Eurovision: Congatulations to Norway

The Most Dangerous Species in the Mediterranean

By KLAS ERNFLO


... and of course Ghost Nets

New Swing Party

Saturday the 16th at Trova.

!

Spring Swing Fever Party!

(Athens) Swing Riot !!!

4/25/2009 10:00 PM at Blue Fox
Asklipiou 91, Athens

Monsato Crabs a force for Good! :)

Joanna's MSF mini-documentary on the Cholera situation in Zimbabwe

Kamal Meattle: Brilliant!

Joanna's MSF Blog from Zimbabwe

“Coléra, coléra!!” shout little Zimbabwean kids running after our MSF minivan as it splashes through sewage soaked muddy roads in the high density Harare township of Dzivaresekwa (or Dziva or just Dizzy as some expats have started calling it). Revayi our driver laughs and puts the music up higher. He usually works his minivan as a combi (privately owned transport for locals). “What’s your name mean Revayi?” I ask him as I try to hold on in the back seat — all Zimbabwean names mean something. He says it means bad gossip, because his mother-in-law talked bad about his mother while she was pregnant so in revenge she named her son like that. Dominique turns around and we look at each other, both rather stunned with the explanation and not really knowing how to respond.

I change the subject and ask Dominique to tell me about his field of water sanitation and the project of trying to get safe and clean water to Harare’s most vulnerable residents. Dominique, French-Canadian, young and crazy obsessed with water. Any kind of water, dirty, clean, sewage — with dark thick hair and intense brows he gets easily carried away about his favorite subject ...

Read her articles at MSF

The revolutionary Apple Wheel! Laptop

LOL

The history of the Internet in 8 minutes

Google Earth 5.0 Beta looks Awesome!

The first "ATHENS SWING RIOT!" party of the Year

Rendez-Vous at Asklepiou 91 in Exarheia (Ασκληπιού 91, Εξάρχεια) on this Saturday (the 31st of January '09)

If you come unfashionably early (22:00-23:00), you can follow "Stroll" Lessons. Later on you can order a Casablanca at the bar and go nuts dancing until morning listening to Miss Blitzkneg "Blue Lu" Baby, Mr. Manos K. & Mr. Le Mod. And before you leave, don't forget your gift CD.

Absolut Athens

This is not going to end well

They are going to make you a crepe you cannot refuse!

Thanks to Alcibiades for that one!

Yatzer.com article about Yiannis Ghikas

"One of Greece's most important Industrial designers, Yiannis Ghikas will participate with his BASIC I & II side tables at "L'Europe des Designers" part of FLIGHT NUMBER TEN exhibition during the Saint–Étienne International Design Biennial in Saint–Étienne (FRANCE) from 15-30 November 2008. The FLIGHT NUMBER TEN is curated by Chloé Heyraud.

"L'Europe des Designers" highlights European designers through innovative ideas which could turn customs upside down. This presentation is put together in partnership with Culturesfrance as part of the European Cultural Season.

ABOUT YIANNIS GHIKAS
Yiannis Ghikas was born in 1969 in Greece, a few kilometers out of Athens and he was an 18-year-old student of informatics at the Athens University of Economics and Business, when he realized that he wanted to become an industrial designer. So It took him a long time to become a student again, this time in product design. His official website holds his name under the title"Concepts on a waiting list", because according to his words "most of my ideas are waiting to come to life".



YIANNIS GHIKAS answers yatzer's questionnaire

Describe yourself in five words.
Impatient, reliable, social, controversial, obsessed

If you could be a different nationality, what would it be?
I would keep the great Greek mother and I would add a Scandinavian father to balance the Mediterranean nature, so a mixed one.

What’s your favourite movie?
It couldn’t be just one. I’ll name a few that stayed in my mind for a long time: Lars von trier’s “breaking the waves”, Gus van sant’s: “Gerry” and Wang kar wai’s “In the mood for love”.

What kind of music you like to listen?
I like many completely different kinds of music. Quality is the key. An example of a timeless music I really love is R. Straus’s “Vier letzte lieder”.

What is your favorite design material?
I love natural oak and white porcelain.

What is the most expensive piece of furniture in your house?
A pair of Eames LCW chairs and a Citterio’s 6 drawer mobil box.

What inspires you?
Everything I have experienced.

You are going for a weekend “somewhere” and you have to invite seven famous people, dead or alive to join you. Where would you go and who would they be?
I would invite Manos Hadjidakis, Issey Miyake, Akira Kurosawa, Dawn Upshaw, Joep van Lieshout and the Bouroullec brothers at their floating house.

Are you afraid of the future?
Yes I am afraid of the future concerning the climatological changes and the consequences of people’s political inactivity.

Describe me the perfect day?
Exploring an unknown city, sharing the experience with people I love.

What does space mean to you?
A necessity

Luxury is?
Dissipation of resources

Design is?
Design is an applied art rich in cultural content"

via yatzer.com

Athens Swing Riot!

Saturday the 25th of October at Trova (Athinas 24 & Vlahava, Psiri)

Dress Code: 20's to 50's.

Free Entrance.

Oktapodi

A dolphin playing

The UberCool Ubiquity!

This is what the Prototype already does:

Imagine that you have Ubiquity installed on your Mozilla browser. You select some text on a web site (say a good review of a restaurant) ... control-tab ... ubiquity side-tab/window appears ... you write "email to angelina" ... gmail opens with the address filled-in (angelina@jolie.fr) ... the text is already there in the body ... you then select the address of the restaurant (within the email or anywhere) ubiquit "map" and a map appears centred on the address ... you choose "insert" and the mail now includes a map of the area. Now you also ubiquit "add to (calendar) lunch with Angelina tomorrow at 2:00 pm" ("lunch with Angelina" appears on your g-calendar for 2:00 pm the next day). Now all you have to do is to have someone call Brad on an all day audition tomorrow for the next safari blockbuster ... in Timbuktu. You also send Muppet-theatre tickets for the nanny to take the children. You finally ubiquit "weather Paris" and before you're done writing ... you see the weather there ... so you know what to wear I guess. :)

I'm serious. You don't believe me? Check it out for yourself:
Introducing Ubiquity
User Tutorial
x-tra Ubiquity Verbs

Chrome!

Click on Chrome Logo to go to the download page.

The Google Chrome (explanatory) Comic.

Update 2008-09(September)-07(Sunday):
So far ... possibly because I tend to have tens of tabs opened at the same time, I've found that Firefox is much faster than Chrome, which seems to slow to a crawl and then stops working altogether after opening more than a few of them.

As excited as I was bout Chrome, it got on my nerves. And so I'm writing this in Firefox 3. As of today Chrome doesn't even come close to it.

Admittedly I have not explored Chrome's every feature. And given that it's open-source, it is certain to improve. It's still in beta in any case. And it's probably already much better than ie (which undoubtedly sucks). It's just that Firefox users are spoiled. It's an amazing browser. And our expectations are very high. Give Chrome some time I guess.

The Amazing LHC at CERN

Use the Force, Luke!

View of the ATLAS detector during July 2007 (Claudia Marcelloni, © CERN)

"This is not only the largest particle accelerator ever built, it's the largest ... anything ... ever built ...". Besides creating mini Big-Bangs, deadly strangelets and micro-black-holes, the LHC also has things like a "Time Projection Chamber"!?! Say ... what exactly does that do? :) In any case it's amazing just to look at. It's all very sciencefictiony.

Via "The Big Picture" from the Boson Globe, where they have many quality pictures of it (besides the LHC, it also hosts many other stunning photos).

Some Info Links:
public.web.cern.ch
lhc.web.cern.ch
The LHC on the BBC
Einstein Papers
Concerns

PS) And just to show that we humans don't lack a sense of humour, there is also a hilarious article at Cracked magazine, in which the LHC features prominently, all about experiments that are likely to destroy the world.

And of course you just can't have doomsday without some kind of attempt at a soundtrack:

Burj Dubai Skyscraper

via Gizmodo
Unbelievable!!!

Sophia at the Office

The Scooter Dog

In Piraeus, a dog on the roof of a funny scooter-thing, feels like the king of dogs. :)