Parents are going to ludicrous lengths to take the bumps out of life for their children. However, parental hyperconcern has the net effect of making kids more fragile; that may be why they’re breaking down in record numbers.

Interesting article pointing out that the more we protect our children, the more we’re making them incapable of dealing with real life when they are older. Full article click. (via.)

Everyone clap your hands, cause Ireland is the 11th happiest place in the world. Previously on TCAL, how rich we are. Aren’t you lucky you live in Ireland?

Thanks Twenty.

On Conan O’Brien.

(via digg.)

Not new, as in you may have seen stuff about this in your inbox, but I hadn’t seen this tv segment about it.

All our previous Hoff posts, definately enough to start The Community At Hoff.

We’ve made no secret that we regard the original Storm the House as pretty much as close to perfection we could get a web based simple shoot em up without actually going and building one ourselves. Storm the House 2 is out now, and it looks like thankfully they’ve gone without drastically changing the original, instead adding onto it and extending it. Say goodbye to an afternoon of your life at least.

Classic. (via.)

Random YouTube surfing reveals Psalty’s flip book anmations. Great stuff.

The Pentagon is keeping a close eye on what its troops post online, with special attention being paid to videos that show the aftermath of combat.

There is no specific policy that bans troops from posting graphic material.

But troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan are hearing the message that they should consider carefully what videos they upload to the web.

Sites such as YouTube and Ogrish.com have hundreds or thousands of clips from soldiers, some set to rock music.

At their most graphic, they show the aftermath of suicide bombings and gunfights between coalition forces and insurgents.

There’s a neverworld between what’s wrong and what’s right. When in doubt, post on youtube.

Story.

This was on the front page of The Irish Times today. It’s also in The Irish Examiner and the Irish Independent. 

Here’s the post on the DRI website. 

Digital Rights Ireland has written to the Minister for Justice and Law Reform, Michael McDowell TD, and to the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey TD and to the Garda Commissioner. We have looked for undertakings from them to cease breaching the Constitutional, statutory and European rights of the citizens of Ireland. Failing a positive response, we have instructed our solicitors, McGarr Solicitors, to prepare legal action. 

Minion are an up and coming band from Dublin/Wicklow. They fucking rock. Really. Check out some of their songs: Caitlin, Disease, Numb and King of Rats.

The bands homepage and myspace. Try and do your best to catch them live in and around Dublin and their album is out now as well to buy its called Stop Drop and Rock N Roll. Tis good lads.

Big timeline map for lost. Very big. via.

1. Both are compulsory.
2. Both are overcrowded as the result of poor public policy.
3. Both are prone to violent insurrection.
4. Both are poorly administered and inefficient.
5. Both assume one solution for every individual.
6. Both are unnecessarily expensive to taxpayers.
7. Both harm American competitiveness by keeping Americans from being productive.
8. Both are institutions often internally ruled by intimidation and violence.
9. Both are ruled by cliques.
10. Both have tenure regulations not conducive for improvement.

Details here

PASSENGERS on Ryanair flights could soon be allowed to use their mobile phones in flight — but at a cost of up to €2 a minute.

Full story at the Irish Examiner. Better than nothing but 40c to send a txt will eliminate the ‘hi am in air har har c u soon xxx’ for sure. Well it would if we weren’t Irish and suckers for paying ridiculous prices for everything.

Hey its Friday

I remember seeing a program about Geckos years ago, and how scientists were trying to mimick the amazing sticking power of gecko’s feet with synthetic polymers. Looks like they’ve finally succeeded, so queue a gazillion spiderman accidents coming your way in a few years. Kind of takes a whole chunk of skill out of rock climbing, but would make for an awesome speed sport. BBC science click.

Tricky but addictive puzzle game; Roboclaw. Use the cursor keys to pick up the blue ball and drop it at the exit without hitting anything.

Warning: This is one of the most disturbing things I’ve ever seen on the internet. It’s a recording of a 911 phone call with a man stuck on the 105th floor of the South Tower. Please be aware that you may find this extremely upsetting and difficult to watch.

Read more about Kevin Cosgrove here. Related BBC story from April which is when the audio became available. via metafilter, where the comments are worth reading as they discuss whether this sort of material should be posted.

Video mashup awesomeness at its most fucking brilliant. You will love this. The Vader Sessions.

The hoff sells out, but proclaims a truth; he is king of the internet.

Check out the comprehensive back catalog of hoff material at TCAL.