Happy Birthday, MeFi, here's a fun free* game!
Ikariam is sort of like a Skyrates version of Civ, with the real-time MMO combat and diplomacy that might bring to mind. Also, it's set in Olympian Greece, but only kind-of. Enjoy!
*Batteries not included. Some registration required. Suggested age: 8-and-up. Some implied violence and consumption of alcohol (wine). Expansion materials may be purchased but are not necessary to enjoy the game and are, by the judgment of this MFGA (MetaFilter Gaming Authority) member: "some kind of bullshit."
posted by Navelgazer
on Jul 14, 2008 -
20 comments
Come, take a
ride and
look at some of the
Islamic Art of the past. Or, you could call it
Art of the
Islamic World if you're so inclined. If not, then how about taking into account some of the
major milestones of
Islam throughout the
centuries, from
past till
present (
more examples here), including the
art of
Calligraphy and
Architecture. Not to mention the
Arab world's contribution to
music, both
old and
new. [
Previously mentioned,
here,
here,
here, and
here, with a
wonderful comment from
nickyskye as usual]
posted by hadjiboy
on May 29, 2008 -
28 comments
Geohashing:
"As you may have noticed, today’s
comic contains an algorithm for converting dates into local coordinates. For a given day, you can calculate what that day’s coordinate is for your region. Dan has put together a
tool for calculating a day’s coordinates and show it using Google Maps."
[more inside]
posted by Anything
on May 21, 2008 -
29 comments
A woman walks into a bar and asks the bartender for a double entendre, so he gave it to her.
Ba-dum dum.
What's green and has wheels? Grass. I lied about the wheels.
Ba-dum dum. A baby seal walks into a club.
(pause) Ba-dum dum. How many kids with ADD does it take to change a lightbulb? LET'S GO RIDE BIKES!
Ba-dum dum. A priest, a rabbi, and a minister walk into a bar. The bartender says, "What is this, some kind of joke?"
Ba-dum dum. Instant Rimshot. For all those times you need a big red Flash button that'll give you a well-timed rimshot.
(Jokes courtesy of Ask Mefi.)
posted by WCityMike
on May 12, 2008 -
249 comments
Dyeing with Kool-Aid basic how-to. The best thing is the
color chart. A good idea for
a party, maybe? As usual, the folks at Flickr have got the goods: Kool-Aid dyed yarns in the Hand-dyed pool [
1], [
2], and the Yarn Porn pool, [
1], [
2]. And if you're one of those people who just hates to do things the easy way? Multi-colored custom yarn with Kool-Aid tutorial
part 1 and
part 2.
posted by taz
on May 2, 2008 -
29 comments
Nothing but short Flash animations, all with the most awesome or annoying techno/8bit soundtracks ever.
Crazy techno monster
,
fingers from craters
,
sometimes it doesn't pay to get up
,
not quite an oomp lompaa
,
furies need exercise too
,
happy at my day job,
all downhill from here,
lunch with my little brother
,
looking for tps reports
,
cardboardobots transform!,
more fingers in crators ,
dive into happy hell
,
mario, wtf?!,
hey kitty
,
dance with me you big bear
and finally,
something to calm you down
Found via
this AskMe question.
posted by Brandon Blatcher
on Apr 8, 2008 -
18 comments
Fun Flash Friday:
Throw Me - throw the little guy as far as you can. Avoid the thunderclouds. Use the wrecking balls and colored clouds for an extra boost. Simple as that.
posted by champthom
on Apr 4, 2008 -
20 comments
Under the
Big Top: Shhhhhh! The Show's about to
start*... quick, take your
seat, sit down, and
don't make a move. It's been going on for
centuries, and now--lucky
you will be able to be a part of
it, if you haven't
already as a child
(1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Honestly, who hasn't thought of
running away from home and
joining the Circus (but I'd suggest you wait a couple of years, until you're a little
older, and a little
wiser, to make these
decisions). It is tempting though, when they
roll into town with their fancy wagons, and their loud music. Although, the circus may not be as
prevalent as it once was, there are
new acts being created to
entice crowds around the world.
[previously]
posted by hadjiboy
on Mar 31, 2008 -
14 comments
Speaking of speeches, David Eggers
delivers one at TED on grassroots community tutoring for kids who need help with their English homework: "There's something about the kids finishing their homework in a given day, working one on one, getting all this attention. They finish their homework, they go home -- they're finished. They don't stall. They don't do their homework in front of the TV. They're allowed to go home 5:30, enjoy their family, enjoy other hobbies, get outside, play and that makes a happy family. A bunch of happy families in a neighborhood is a happy community. A bunch of happy communities tied together is a happy city and a happy world, right? So, the key to it all is homework." Love him or hate him (
mefi consensus) it's a great example of
nervous energy microphilanthropy,
social entrepreneurship and, if I may make the connection,
machines of
loving grace. [
previously]
posted by kliuless
on Mar 23, 2008 -
26 comments
"Good afternoon, I attached this camera to the bench so you could take pictures. Seriously. So have fun. I'll be back later this evening to pick it up. Love, Jay / The Plug". Stranger Photos Have Happened.
posted by nthdegx
on Mar 21, 2008 -
57 comments
Yo La Tengo is Murdering the Classics... again! For the 12th straight year, this legendary
group of music nerds from
Hoboken, NJ encamps to the studios of local free form radio station
WFMU to play, on the spot, three full hours of listener-requested covers. The request show, part of the station's annual pledge drive, happens tonight
(Sunday, March 2) from 5-8 pm EST, and thanks to the wonder that is the internet you can
listen (128k MP3 stream) and
pledge live from anywhere in the world
(or catch the real broadcast in FM at 91.1 in NYC / New Jersey and 90.1 in the Hudson Valley, Catskills, Western NJ and Eastern Penn).
[more inside]
posted by kowalski
on Mar 2, 2008 -
46 comments
Maximum Fun! Interviews
with all sorts of interesting people.
John Hodgman and Henry Rollins,
Brendon Small and Peter Molyneux,
Terry Jones,
Jonathan Katz and Jonathan Goldstein,
Patton Oswalt,
Elmore Leonard,
They Might Be Giants,
Ira Glass, and many, many more, from all areas of the arts and sciences and stuff. Something for everyone!
[more inside]
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken
on Dec 9, 2007 -
38 comments
Chromatron 1, 2, 3 and 4 just became freeware. In these little standalone puzzle games for PC and Mac, you align splitters, benders, and mirrors to direct colored laserbeams into like-colored targets. Enjoyably difficult, and an example of great game design.
[more inside]
posted by ikkyu2
on Nov 28, 2007 -
20 comments
Build your dream home. Answer a page of questions and real fortune-tellers on a steady diet of tea leaves and tarot cards will show you the house of your dreams.
posted by Mitheral
on Sep 28, 2007 -
15 comments
