Sundance Channel

BUNDLED, BURIED & BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: short doc about the physical landscape of the Internet

Matthew Rodriguez — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:06:33 +0000

Bundled, Buried & Behind Closed Doors from Ben Mendelsohn on Vimeo.

I guess Senator Ted Stevens really was onto something when he described the Internet as a series of tubes. Ben Mendelsohn created this masterful short documentary, BUNDLED, BURIED & BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, that pulls back the curtains to give us a fascinating look at the actual, physical infrastructure of the digital "cloud" that we increasingly inhabit (and which permits the existence of lolcats). "He takes us inside 60 Hudson Street in New York City, a nondescript building that houses one of the major nodes of the Internet on the east coast." I've walked by this building many times throughout my eight years in NYC (Can I call myself a New Yorker yet?) - probably even while writing a tweet - but without realizing I was passing the main hub that makes this whole Twitter thing possible.

Where the Internet was born

Matthew Rodriguez — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 21:55:28 +0000

UCLA History PhD student Brad Fidler has been working to recognize and restore the classroom (seen above in a photo from 1969) on campus from which the Internet announced its birth. Originally a US Defense Department initiative to establish a digital network of computers called ARPANET (The Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), this grandfather of [...]

Green tech finds (12/23/10)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:19:26 +0000

Because green tech never takes a holiday... your finds for the week.

Biodegradable Styrofoam: Styrofoam is a great insulating material... but is made from a nasty chemical mix that doesn't break down. AeroClay blends milk proteins and clay to create the insulation benefits of Styrofoam (along with strength and light weight) without the waste impact. (via Springwise)
Are wind turbines good for crops? Preliminary research from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory suggest that might be the case... see the video above. (via GreenTech Pastures)

Know Your Meme

Em and Lo — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 17:00:42 +0000

We’ve been long-time fans (well, long-time in terms of Internet years) of the website and podcast “Know Your Meme,” a “web series and online database dedicated to documenting Internet culture, one scientismic investigation at a time.” They give you information on the back-story, viral development and spin-offs of every crazy contemporary meme out there, from [...]

Can you fix ChatRoulette’s penis problem?

Em and Lo — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:00:27 +0000

Last week, we wrote about how the ChatRoulette improv piano guy almost makes you forget about all the purple throbbing genitals you were forced to weed through on your first and only foray into that weird world. (We’re still trying to decide which was more disturbing: Seeing a guy jerking off the first time we logged [...]

Green tech finds (3/25/10)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:23:39 +0000

Is the solution to carbon capture sitting in your conditioner bottle? This, and more, at this week's green tech finds.

Biomimicry and boat-building: We noted earlier this week that David de Rothschild set sail on the Plastiki. Designer Michael Pawlyn explains how biomimicry played into the creation of this boat made from plastic bottles.
A greener web: Greentouch, a consortium of academic and corporate partners, is exploring methods to make the internet, and other computer networks, much more energy efficient.
Another greener smart phone: Sprint has unveiled its LG Remarq at the International CTIA Wireless Show. The phone features some recycled materials, and meets RoHS standards; its charger is even ENERGY STAR certified. (via TFTS)

Chat Roulette piano improv

Em and Lo — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 20:00:28 +0000

Last week, fellow SUNfiltered blogger Matthew Rodriguez found a compilation Chat Roulette video that he called “the best…and most safe-for-work item I’ve seen yet of the Chat Roulette experience” (one faceless user has a handwritten sign that’s turned on its side which reads — once you turn your head to read it — “If you [...]

Green tech finds (8/20/09)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:54:02 +0000

From recycled plastic plywood to giraffe poop in your tank, it's a green tech-a-palooza... here are this week's finds:

Don't have an iPhone? Not to worry... 3rdWhale's comprehensive green information app is now available for open-source mobile platform Android, and a Blackberry Storm version is on the way.
Don't want an iPhone? Samsung's new Reclaim boasts a casing made from 40% bioplastic, outer packaging made from 70% recycled materials, very few nasty chemicals, and a very efficient charger.

Green tech finds (5/28/09)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:13:16 +0000

Here's your weekly run-down of breaking green tech stories...

Need a reason to spend more time on Facebook? Timberland and changents.org have you covered with their new game Earthkeeper Heroes: Mission Possible. (via sustainablog)

Best green jobs list: Online Outreach Intern

Sundance Channel — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:04:42 +0000

One of President Obama’s recurring themes is the creation of a green economy that will put America back to work. Creating this economy means conservation, sustainable energy and most importantly, green jobs. It is a great time to start a career or change your life by getting a green job. The best green jobs list [...]

Artist Spotlight: Ji Lee, “Insanely Awesome Designer”

Matthew Rodriguez — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:48:38 +0000

Okay, not to oversell it, but Ji Lee really is an insanely awesome designer. He is currently the Creative Director of Google Labs at…uhm, Google, which you may have heard of. If not, I suggest visiting the Internets. His freelance and independent projects, many which are topical, have captured a lot of buzz from his [...]