Archive for the ‘Miscellaneous’ Category

Updated Feeds

Monday, June 21st, 2010

We’ve just finished some maintenance of the Unit Verse RSS and ATOM feeds and would encourage all subscribers to update their subscription settings. The default feeds you are already subscribed to will continue to function, but if you are tired of seeing, “Tweet XXXXXXXXX” and following links from those postings to broken pages on our site, then the new feeds are for you! We’ve also added feeds that exclude tweets altogether if that is something that is also on your wish list.

Again, these are new feeds with distinct locations. You will need to change your subscription settings to use them.

Main RSS Feed

http://unitinteractive.com/blog/feed/main/

RSS Feed Without Tweets

http://unitinteractive.com/blog/feed/no-tweets/

Main ATOM Feed

http://unitinteractive.com/blog/feed/atom-main/

ATOM Feed Without Tweets

http://unitinteractive.com/blog/feed/atom-no-tweets/

On Growth

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Have you ever tried to raise a plant? Or a pet? It’s nearly impossible to do so without quite a lot of work, and continuous work at that! You can’t stop watering a plant or feeding a pet and expect it to continue to grow (or live).

Every aspect of our lives follows the same principles. You don’t become an expert at something without long and steady practice (Malcom Gladwell says 10,000 hours). Friendships and loves don’t just happen, they are the result of patient and conscious effort. Popping into church once or twice a year doesn’t make you religious.

Frankly, you don’t get to control who you become without first deciding who you want to be. Lewis Carroll puts it this way (paraphrased from Alice in Wonderland), “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”

Seth Godin refers to the human urge to abandon a project right before the moment of full commitment as “Lizard Brain” and argues that it must be overcome to accomplish something meaningful. Avoiding commitment is a coward’s way of never having to change. Never having to grow. After all, if you never commit to something, you’ll never to have to sacrifice for it.

So Long Frank Frazetta

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

Frank Frazetta has died.

Okay, I’ve been staring at that first sentence for almost half an hour now, at a loss for how to follow it up. Others will write eloquent eulogies and fact-filled stories about Frank. I can’t do that. I’m merely a fan of his work. And right now all I can think of is how dizzyingly empty I feel to know that he’s no longer with us. I can’t deny that I’m just selfishly sad for myself right now.

Frank Frazetta's Work

I remember the first time I saw a Frank Frazetta illustration. It was the cover of a paperback fantasy novel; I don’t even remember which one. I was so taken by the cover art that I immediately bought the book, took it home and read it, but all I really cared about was the cover. I have no recollection of the story at all, but I put the book up on a shelf in my room with the cover facing out so that I could admire it. It was the purest articulation of the power, violence, seduction, mystery, and doom I had ever imagined in a fantasy story…and it didn’t require even a single word to convey it. I was hooked.

At that time some 30 years ago I had read a few fantasy novels, but I didn’t really catch the fantasy bug until I saw Frank Frazetta’s work. From then on, although I found fantasy stories and authors that appealed to me, what I was really looking for was the story that could measure up to those told by Franks paintings, sketches, and illustrations. In more than 30 years, few ever have.

Truly, this is a sad day for art and fantasy lovers. I wish I could write something more to pay tribute to Frank rather than simply referencing my own selfish sorrow, but right now I’ve got tears on my cheeks and a hollow place in my heart that decorum and eloquence can’t seem to penetrate. And maybe I’m just not trying very hard.

So long Frank, and Godspeed.

Outside The Office

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

So, um, seriously?

Uncool Banana

A whole banana rests astride a handicap ramp in the parking lot outside of the Unit office. Unfortunate misplacement or sick sense of humor? You decide.

Beautiful Ad from Skoda

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

I’m really diggin’ this ad spot for Czech auto maker Skoda. Yes, the concept is interesting and all, but I just really like the soundtrack. I could listen to it 20 times a day. And yes, it really is a musician (Petr Spatina) playing on actual glasses.

via Presurfer

Nice Interruption

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Like most folks, I really dislike ad splash pages that interrupt my trip to a website’s main page. This one, however, made me smile. Transis is an app for which Unit’s own R.A. Ray designed the interface (and did a darn good job). It’s kinda fun to see it being advertised with a big ol’ splash page (abbreviated in dimension here for space considerations).

Transis Ad on the Ad Age splash page

More details on this project are coming soon. Way to go, R.A.!

Quotes

Friday, January 29th, 2010

100 quotes every geek should know. Here’s my favorite:

“Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love – they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.”
- Harry Lime, The Third Man

Invention and art come from crisis. Superior invention and art come from crisis only.

Thanks to Coudal for pointing me to the quotes piece.

SnowCraft Fun!

Friday, December 4th, 2009

SnowCraft

Give yourself a fun break today and play a few games of SnowCraft. It’s a lot of fun and harder than it looks. Successive levels present a challenge for anyone of any gaming skill. Gotta love the holidays!

via

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