Rugby Disrupted

Kottke will break it down for you a little bit more, but at least take a look at this video.  Carlin Isles is playing a slightly different game than everyone else on the pitch...

A New View Of North Korea

Google Maps got a big face lift on the upper half of the Korean peninsula this week with North Korea going from a blank expanse to a fairly expansive map.

The New Yorker and WaPo both have write ups which report that the project was undertaken via google map maker by a group of what are being called "citizen cartographers".  The WaPo also has some cool before and after slider graphics, and of course there is the google blog post announcement as well.

No word (that I've seen) if the recent trip by google honcho Eric Schmidt to North Korea played any role or was purely coincidental.  His daughter, Sophie, wrote what is supposed to be a very engaging report on the trip (I haven't had a chance to read it yet).

What The Kids Are Saying These Days...

Apparently YOLO is a thing, I'll go out on a limb and say it's the current apex of unnecessary acronymization.  I did enjoy the Loney Island exegesis though...



(via SE)  

Cool "Disco" Dan Lives

And his legend is told in a new documentary...



It's premiering at the AFI Silver in late February.

(via WP)

Don't Believe Your Eyes

People definitely didn't make these things before the interwebs...

Yeah, so, um, wow.  That pretty much looks 3D but it isn't.  FastCoDesign has the story.

(via TMN)

Carry On

Before the interwebs did anyone ever bother to set up a four part trombone cover of a Kansas song?  Were there even trombone quartets?



Seriously, this stuff keeps me up at night sometimes (not really).

(via LS)

President Obama's Second Inaugural

I thought President Obama gave a great speech today and I'm excited to hear what he will have to say at the State of the Union in a way that I haven't been for quite a while.  In short it feels like he is ready to lead and in so doing to strike out to win the important arguments of our time.

Instead of trying to give you some big breakdown of what he had to say I'm going to point you to some good takes from the professionals...

Greg Sargent had a good short rundown on the progressive underpinnings and current of the speech.

Ezra Klein looked at the indications that Obama is set on changing minds and leading the country into the future.

John Cassidy pointed out the push towards liberal and progressive goals and values.

And Richard Socarides called it possibly the most important gay rights speech to date.

In case you missed it here's the speech.  It was a good one...