Best of LotD

http://jiahao.github.io/julia-blog/2014/06/09/the-colors-of-chemistry.html A step-by-step tour on how to derive the visible spectra from absorption and emission spectra.

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/ucgi/~cjwatson/blosxom/2014-04-15-porting-ghc-a-tale-of-two-architectures.html The compelling story of how the Glasgow Haskell Compiler was ported to two new architectures.

http://www.tedunangst.com/flak/post/signal-safe-strcpy POSIX forbids using strcpy in signal handlers. Here's how to get around that.

http://basalgangster.macgui.com/RetroMacComputing/The_Long_View/The_Long_View.html The Long View writes about long-forgotten technical details from the original Macintosh system.

http://hakunin.com/cms-trap Wise advice on how to structure a web app to avoid falling into a complexity pit.

http://articlesofmeritnotlisted.com/quiltstuff/Bananas.html/Bananas.pdf A comprehensive history of the candlestick salad.

http://ntpi.openchaos.org/pps_pi/ Creating a GPS-backed NTP server on a Raspberry Pi.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/06/national/06island.html?_r=0 America's dangerous floating islands.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitol_Hill_Babysitting_Co-op This babysitting co-op makes for an excellent example of how monetary and fiscal policy work.

Valve has released the tool used to make its animated skits. It's already been put to good use to make the impressive Falcon punch video and a parody of Kayne West's music video for his song Power. I expect some great, high-quality videos to be made by hobbyists with this tool over the next year.

http://gilslotd.com/files/katawa_crash_beta_8-36.swf Katawa Crash is the spiritual successor to Nanaca Crash. There's a wiki explaining all the combos. My high score is unbeatable.

http://www.gladwell.com/2010/2010_02_15_a_drinking.html Intoxicated behavior is largely influenced by culture.

http://twitter.com/Horse_ebooks @horse_ebooks is a Twitter account which posts random, out of context lines from ebooks about horses. This is a collection of some of the best posts, these are comics made from its tweets and this blog has short stories made from @horse_ebooks quotes.

http://www.holmea.demon.co.uk/GPS/Main.htm http://lea.hamradio.si/~s53mv/navsats/theory.html Two articles on creating a homemade GPS receiver.

http://i.imgur.com/MY6Pm.jpg bonk

http://visuallearningresearch.wiki.educ.msu.edu/file/view/Harp+%26+Mayer+(1998).pdf Seductive details (unrelated, interesting facts) don't help students remember.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-GRlWPWRfE The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUm8wtDQgTU The famous Twentieth Century Fox theme on a flute.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestorian_Stele The Nestorian Stele records the ancient history of Christianity in China. It was buried in 845.

http://mjg59.livejournal.com/136274.html A rant on the desire to create "lightweight" open source software replacements. I'm linking this in particular because "To a first approximation, when someone says "Lightweight" what they mean is 'I don't understand the problems that the alternative solves'." is an excellent quote and summary of the issue.

http://www.resexcellence.com/ The long-defunct Mac website ResExcellence has returned with its old content. Back in the day this site had all kinds of information about the workings of Macintosh systems and I personally learned quite a bit from it in grade school and junior high. It certainly set me on the path that led me to learning everything I know about software.

http://www.inventables.com/ An online store to buy all kinds of cool little materials.

http://betterexplained.com/articles/a-visual-intuitive-guide-to-imaginary-numbers/ An explanation of how imaginary numbers work as a rotation.

http://www.panic.com/extras/audionstory/ The story of a has-been mp3 player for the Mac.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0la5DBtOVNI It's ok to not like things.

http://dgilman.xen.prgmr.com/vp/ While digging around on an old hard drive I found my very first website. I've put it back up on the web unedited.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZzgAjjuqZM Come to Cleveland!

http://www.uniqlo.jp/uniqlock/ The Uniqlock. Stop in at the top of the hour for a special clip.

http://www.overthinkingit.com/2011/04/25/star-wars-death-star-economics/ A look at the motivations and economics of the Death Star.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIN8Cm5rYXY#t=5m35s I really, really don't know the context for this.