Monday, October 22nd, 2012
Link: Ars: An In-Depth Look At WinRT
Of course it's Ars that provides the best popular-level introduction to all of the Metro/WinRT hoopla. This is probably a must-read for enthusiasts (even if you're not of the Microsoft-persuasion, they're still a big player and worth paying attention to) and a good intro for Windows developers who haven't been paying much attention to all of this Metro stuff.
Thursday, October 18th, 2012
Link: Map → Image
A nice little web-tool that lets you easily make wallpaper images from stylish maps of your favorite areas.


charleston, sc
Hat Tip: One Thing Well
Tuesday, October 16th, 2012
Link: Michael Pusateri: How To Give A Medal
It turns out that medals are readily available in a variety of designs. What a great idea for pointing out to people in your life just how special they are.
Must-See Doctor Who
Monday, October 15th, 2012

A while back, a friend asked me to list the episodes of New Who that I consider to be “must-see”.

I’ve tried to limit these to the best-of-the-best, though Series 6 gave me a little trouble.

This list is current through the mid-season break of Series 7.

Series 1: Christopher Eccleston & Billie Piper (Rose)

  • Rose
  • Aliens of London/World War Three
  • Dalek
  • Father’s Day
  • The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances

Series 2: David Tennant & Billie Piper (Rose)

  • The Christmas Invasion (2005 Christmas Special)
  • School Reunion
  • The Girl in the Fireplace

Series 3: David Tennant & Freema Agyeman (Martha)

  • The Runaway Bride (2006 Christmas Special)
  • Smith and Jones
  • 42 (this episode is better when you realize that it’s real-time)
  • Human Nature/Family of Blood
  • Blink

Series 4: David Tennant & Catherine Tate (Donna)

  • Voyage of the Damned (2007 Christmas Special)
  • Partners In Crime (the bad-guy plot is stupid, but it’s a great re-introduction to Donna)
  • The Fires of Pompeii
  • The Unicorn and the Wasp
  • Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead
  • Midnight

David Tennant’s 2009 Specials

  • The Next Doctor (2008 Christmas Special)
  • The Waters of Mars

Series 5: Matt Smith and Karen Gillan (Amy) and Arthur Darvill (Rory)

  • The Eleventh Hour
  • Amy’s Choice
  • Vincent and the Doctor
  • The Lodger
  • The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang

Series 6: Matt Smith and Karen Gillan (Amy) and Arthur Darvill (Rory)

  • A Christmas Carol (2010 Christmas Special)
  • The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon
  • The Doctor’s Wife
  • A Good Man Goes To War
  • Let’s Kill Hitler
  • The Girl Who Waited
  • The God Complex
  • Closing Time
  • The Wedding of River Song

Series 7 – First Half: Matt Smith and Karen Gillan (Amy) and Arthur Darvill (Rory)

  • The Doctor, The Widow, and the Wardrobe (2011 Christmas Special)
  • A Town Called Mercy
  • The Angels Take Manhatten

 

You might notice from this list that series 6 lists a large percentage of the total episodes in that series. Series 6 contains a broad story arc and there are a lot of episodes you have to see to get all of it. It’s worth it.

From this list, my absolute no-compromise favorites are:

  • Rose
  • Dalek
  • The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances
  • The Christmas Invasion
  • School Reunion
  • The Girl in the Fireplace
  • Smith and Jones
  • Human Nature/Family of Blood
  • Blink
  • Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead
  • Midnight
  • The Waters of Mars
  • The Eleventh Hour
  • Vincent and the Doctor
  • The Lodger
  • A Christmas Carol
  • The Doctor’s Wife
  • A Good Man Goes To War
  • The Wedding of River Song
  • The Angels Take Manhatten
regular Comments Open
Sunday, October 14th, 2012
Link: McSweeny's: Dr. Henry Jones Denied Tenure
Moreover, no one on the committee can identify who or what instilled Dr. Jones with the belief that an archaeologist’s tool kit should consist solely of a bullwhip and a revolver.