bitful

Netvibes introduces Meebo module
A single login to NetVibes (online Ajax desktop) can now also log you into all your IM accounts through Meebo.
(tags: im netvibes meebo ajax desktop)

Foxit Reader for Windows
Foxit Reader is a free reader for PDF (Portable Document Format) documents that loads in a fraction of the time Adobe Reader takes to open.
(tags: [...]

ZoomClouds
Free customisable RSS feed-based tag clouds ready to be pasted into your website in minutes.
(tags: tagclouds tags zoomclouds metadata rss feeds websites)

BBC backstage wins New Statesman New Media award for innovation
Backstage is an open source developer network launched in July 2005 to encourage innovation, identify talent and spark creative use of the BBC generated content.
(tags: [...]

T-mobile download manager
Links to software upgrades for T-mobile PDAs and SDAs.
(tags: pdas sdas tmobile downloads phones cellphones mobilephones upgrades software firmware)

Google Maps Mobile
Free beta service that offers optimised and customised Google Maps for most mobile phones. Not available in the UK yet.
(tags: google maps mobilephones cellphones phones)

How to size text with CSS
A one-paragraph tip for [...]

Date set for Doctor Who spin-off
The BBC confirms that Torchwood will launch on BBC Three in late autumn.
(tags: doctorwho drwho spinoff bbc torchwood tv scifi johnbarrowman captainjack)

Colour contrast analyser
Online tool to check the contrast of two colours using the W3C's algorythm.
(tags: accessibility colours online tools usability)

Thingtagging
Pictures of objects registered with thinglink and thingtagged on Flickr.
(tags: [...]

Language Log: The book for your linguist lover
Limits of Language by Mikael Parkvall is 'stuffed with linguistic trivia and facts and dates and lists and ephemera and exotica (and a linguist joke or two…)'
(tags: languages linguistics books)

'Independent Woman' played by kittens
Check out the tiniest cutest kitten at the xylophone. Cover version by Elbow.
(tags: independendwomen destinyschild [...]

CoComment upgrades, now worth using
CoComment now tracks all comments made after yours - not just those made by other registered CoComment users.
(tags: comments tracking cocomment)

BBC defends another 'gay' comment
After defending Chris Moyles, the broadcaster now says the negative use of 'gay' in Top Gear was not malicious.
(tags: gay bbc chrismoyles topgear broadcasting)

Free dynamic web widgets
HTML [...]

Gaydar (online gay social network) never did it for me.
When I was single, I used to have a shy look around it and browse profiles for a bit, only to get bored rather quickly and disconnect. I never even thought of getting in touch with anyone I saw on it, for an irrational fear of [...]

20 pro web dev tips
The quintessential rules I try to adhere to when building websites, in handy concise reference format.
(tags: webdevelopment webdesign coding websites reference tips)

Blog comment form design showcase
A collection of creative form designs. Also links to a similar showcase for blog comment designs.
(tags: blogs forms css design webdesign comments)

Learn CSS positioning in ten [...]

tapedeck.org
Online collection of analog audio tapes, guaranteed to bring back memories to anyone over twenty.
(tags: tapes design gun audio cassettes)

Website readability test
Check how readable your website is by parsing it through the Gunning Fog, Flesch Reading Ease, and Flesch-Kincaid algorithms.
(tags: readability accessibility tests usability content language writing)

Min/max width with IE-expressions
How to use Microsoft-proprietary javascript to [...]

DIY Kyoto's Wattson
A beautiful gadget that measures energy consumption, shows cost per year and lights up differently as you turn appliances on or off. 350GBP, made to order.
(tags: design environment watson diykyoto interactive)

Photoshop tutorial: taped down sheet of paper
Photoshop tutorial on how to create a sheet of paper whose angles are stuck together with tape.
(tags: [...]

Microsoft to compete with iPod with wi-fi media player
Research shows that Microsoft is developing a potentially iPod-killing portable media player with Wi-Fi capability in time for Christmas.
(tags: microsoft apple media wifi ipod)

Porn browser Heatseek launches
Built on top of IE, it encripts downloads, reduces popups and malware, organises files in playlists and features a 'panic' button [...]

World Cup final Flash game
Click on Zidane to headbutt Materazzi as many times as needed to have the referee send him off.
(tags: humour football zidane materazzi flash games)

Video of Zidane headbutting Materazzi in World Cup final
What exactly has the Italian defender told Zidane to make him react so violently?
(tags: video football zidane materazzi worldcup)

The easiest [...]

I finally found some time to give Netvibes a try last week, and in no time I was sold it. Well, sort of, because it's free.
Netvibes lets you start putting together straight away your own personal collection of RSS feeds, sticky
notes, photos from your Flickr
contacts, and your email headlines.
If you [...]

I did not watch the World Cup final last night.
I had planned to, but I got distracted by an almost unrecognisable mix of 'Je T'adore' at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern.
I decided instead to rely on all the kind souls who kept me up to date with their informative text messages and calls:
Allez les bleus! That [...]

Monopoly cards we'd like to see
Novel interpretations of classic 'Community Chest' and 'Chance' cards
(tags: monopoly humour parody)

British English to American English dictionary
Fairly humorous and comprehensive collection of common English words that change meaning as you cross the pond.
(tags: english reference dictionary american language)

Stephen Lanzalotta's 'Diet Code'
Essentially a sound Mediterranean diet, with 'Da Vinci Code'-inspired golden [...]

The last two minutes of Germany v Italy FIFA World Cup 2006 Semifinal
Watch the winning goals and hear the Italian commentators go absolutely mad and scream for two minutes.
(tags: football worldcup italy germany sky italian)

Clean CSS
Online CSS optimizer and formatter. It makes your CSS code cleaner and more concise, with five standard (and plenty more [...]

Gay and 'passionate about Islam' - Islam in Europe - MSNBC.com
Out gay Muslims deserve my utmost admiration. I saw the Imaan float last Saturday at Europride in London and I was in awe. Just thinking about it now clutches my stomach tight. Respect!
(tags: gay muslim uk imaan)

Criminal Charges Filed Against George H.W. Bush (Sr.) in [...]

The past three days I have popped into H&M in Oxford Circus on the way home from work to exchange a ridiculously tight t-shirt I had bought last week (lesson to be learnt: never shop for clothes after a strenuous workout at the gym; endorphins make you imagine your body is better than it actually [...]

Commentful - keep track of blog comments and followups with ease
'Commentful is a service that watches comments/follow-ups on Blog posts, Digg submissions, Flickr pictures, and many other types of content. When ever there is an update, such as a new follow-up or comment, Commentful notifies you instantly.'
(tags: blogs comments aggregator)

How to Make Real life stuff [...]

The Waning Importance of Categorization
'As search engines become better, they will cause us to search rather than categorize [...] Media companies who do not shape their product to this evolution, will gradually lose their ability to decide what is important.'
(tags: folksonomy search tagging categories)

Lovely Blogs - showcasing the best looking blogs on the web
Unsurprisingly, Veerle's [...]

And Italy scores again! Magnificent. And so very typical Italian, with that particular ability to pull out all the stops at the very last minute.
And so to bed.

Ouch. I clapped too hard and shouted 'Yes!' - Brilliant goal. Please please nice German boys do not equalise in the next ninety seconds…

Stil 0:0. I can't take the tension. So I've started looking up the German players.
So far (based solely on the FIFA World Cup 2006 official website):

Arne Friedrich: 8/10

Let's go through the rest of the team…

(oh dear)

And that'll be it then.

Gianluca Zambrotta almost scored (I'm sure there is a slightly more technical term for 'the ball hit the top bar of the goalpost'). The camera cut to the Italian coach Marcello Lippi, who mouthed a very clear (if you speak Italian) 'Vaffanculo!' - with added hands gesture.
My sentiments exactly

Oops. Apparently, there's also extra time, after the injury time, and before shootouts (if needed).

Does anyone know whether Italy has a good record of winning at penalty shootouts? Just a handful of minutes to go…

I am surprised I am enjoying this match. Nothing extraordinary happened, and yet the tension is palpable. I also think that both teams, as well as the referee, have behaved very correctly and with a lot of fair play.
Mind you, we have almost finished a bottle of wine. They might be kicking each other in [...]

The Germans almost scored. Twice. And I found myself screaming 'No!'
I want Italy to win. They have better hair.

And we have a preference: Dr B. likes 'number 5' (internationally better known as Italian defender Fabio Cannavaro from Juventus).

From the very first of about 38,700 near-identical results for a Google search for 'the offside rule explained for women'. I was originally sent it via email as 'the offside rule explained for gay men', which works just as well.
You're in a shoe shop, second in the queue for the till. Behind the shop assistant [...]