quackquack

Exterminate This! (A Dalek birthday cake). Details at Stackedcakes.com.au via Henry L.

Egads: There are more videos and even more videos about Dalek birthday cakes along with a competing subgenre of Tardis cakes and even more Tardis cakes.

Theo’s Art Presentation

The Tooth Truth

Fireworks at St Mary festival. More videos on the St Marys Youtube channel.

First off: Cringely doesn’t provide evidence. He’s guessing that a way of giving Google preferred access without technically violating net neutrality is to give them access to Verizon property for server farms, thus cutting out some of the hops on the internet backbone. Interesting theory. I wonder if/when we’ll get the real story of this secret pact.

To see how it could work, you need to know a little about Google’s network of data centers, those windowless buildings around the country containing the servers that answer search queries, show maps, provide e-mail service and download YouTube videos. Several years ago, the company found a way to build a data center quickly and easily by simply filling a warehouse with stacked shipping containers — each one filled with computers. You just plug the containers together and flip the switch. Clever.

The Rainbow and the Superman by Thee Ludds. Sounds like they’re having a lot of fun even if it is completely-unapologetic retro posing. Indirectly via the King of Garage Rock Bill Kelly who played their song “I’m a Moron” on last week’s show.

The New York Times reported it yesterday and though there have been official denials, it’s still far from unclear whether the deal is happening. If true, Google is on the verge of selling out a basic tenet of free speech on the internet (everyone has access to everyone) to get preferential treatment for Youtube. Very slimy and a very scary thought for under-funded but vital web publishing.

On Wednesday, the New York Times reported that Google and Verizon “are nearing an agreement that could … speed some online content to Internet users more quickly if the content’s creators are willing to pay for the privilege.” While both Google and Verizon quickly denied the NYT report, the newspaper says it’s standing by its story. If the Times is right, this content-for-cash scheme would be the greatest scandal in Google’s history. We could term it “Internet Payola,” after the practice of record labels paying radio stations to play their songs.

Hornet’s Nest!

Impressive? Terrifying? Cool? Beyond Bizarro? You decide: Billie Jean on Ukelele

Lego Hello World (most immediately via @butwait)

The Process (a.k.a. Designing The Stop Sign Video). What if there were no stop signs, and a major corporation was charged with inventing one? They’d brief their agency and let them do it. Sorta. Welcome to corporate creativity, where groupthink and endless revisions help good ideas get executed.

Get out of there! via @feliciaday and others

Announcing Quaker Maps.com

Will It Blend has a different kind of app for the iPad.

Text-only mode for Youtube.