Google, LinkedIn, Facebook and Flickr all have something in common (and it isn't their fancy Californian offices). No, it's the vanity URL.

Earlier this year Google announced they'd allow Google profile users to specify the URL for their profile, just as Facebook released their vanity URLs around one month ago.( More... )

Computer reveals stone tablet 'handwriting' in a flash
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17405-computer-reveals-stone-tablet-handwriting-in-a-flash.html
Computer scientists from National Technical University of Athens developed a software system that correctly recognize handwriting on 24 Greek inscriptions between 334 BC and 134 BC and successfully attributed them to six different stone-cutters. Plans are under way to fine tune and deploy this system to build a large database of inscriptions and their attributions.

Paikuli inscriptions studied, restored in Iraq
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=99355&sectionid=3510212
Sassanid inscriptions on the Paikuli Tower, a structure built by Sassanid king Narseh to commemorate the overthrow of his nephew Bahram III (Warahran III) in modern Iraqi Kurdistan, have been restored and studied. The inscriptions are bilingual in Parthian and Middle Persian, both written using the Pahlavi script.

'Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions are the only record of old Tamil'
http://www.frontline.in/stories/20090717261407000.htm
Excerpt of an interview with Iravatham Mahadevan, prominent researcher of Old Tamil and Indus Valley script. Mainly talks about vandalism of Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions, which are the oldest Tamil texts as well as the oldest Jain texts.

For natertatersmom

Fandom: Lost
Pairing: Sawyer/Kate
Prompt: Swimming
Word Count: 100

( The water's just fine )

For mrcrybrilliance

Fandom: Sailor Moon
Pairing: Ami/Zoisite
Prompt: Staying Cool
Word Count: 100
Author's Notes: Welcome Back and hopefully congratulations are in order on finishing exams

( Cool off a little )

Fandom: Sailor Moon
Pairing: Haruka/Michiru
Prompt: Music
Word Count: 100
Author's Notes: Haruka/Michiru are not my forte as I didn't much care for their arc of the manga. It's too bad, as they are interesting characters. Maybe this'll help me write for them a bit better.

( It's music to my ears )

I'll take further prompts, but no promises on when I get to them as I'm going to focus for a bit on writing my Ficathon piece for most of the rest of tonight. Happy 4th to the Yanks on my F-list. Happy Saturday to everyone else.

I have a tan. Well, at least a farmer's tan ;) Yesterday my company spent the afternoon playing gokarts and minigolf. Turns out I sucked at both. I step on the brakes too much. And I got tired from the sun after about 10 holes in minigolf and started losing my concentration. But it was loads of fun even without alcohol involved.

Today we took Alex to Vasona park which has a narrow gauge train loop and a big playground. He's been very weepy and nervous for this whole week so we were worried that he was going to freak out, but actually he really enjoyed it. We took the train twice, and he played for a while in the play structures until it got too hot and too sunny. He got a bit of sun because he started crying again when we got home, but after 2-tbsp of children's motrin he got much better. Now my problem is him stealing popsicles out of the fridge. Hmph. At least they're sugar-free.

Now we're holed up here in the bedroom with the AC blasting. It's actually not hot outside, but since we're toasty it feels good to be in a refrigerator. Dinner is going to be grilled soy-marinated pork chops, garlicky snow peas, and some kind of rice (which apparently is going to be an experiment courtesy of Christine, whenever she wakes up from her nap).

Oh wait now Alex wants blueberries. Time to go. Everybody have a great 4th of July weekend.

Recently, Toby, one of the MOO Crew's developers, had the pleasure of meeting Jack Hooker. In usual fashion, Jack gave Toby one of his business cards . All of us back at MOO Studios were very impressed with Jack's cards and excited to find out that Jack had made his cards with MOO. So, we asked San Sharma* to find out a bit more about Jack and the story behind his cards for our business ideas section.( More... )

For my dearest nattieb

Fandom: Narnia
Characters: Lucy and Mr. Tumnus
Prompt: Friendship
Word Count: 100

( What are friend's for? )

For venusorbit1

Fandom: Sailor Moon
Characters: Minako/Kunzite and Ami
Prompt: Nyquil and Sleep
Word Count: 100

( Doctor's Orders )

Fandom: Sailor Moon
Pairing: Makoto/Nephrite
Prompt: Citrus
Word Count: 100

( Love Potion #9 )

Fandom: Sailor Moon
Pairing: Ami/Zoisite
Prompt: Warm
Word Count: 100

( It's cold here without you )

For lovelylytton

Fandom: Lost, set off the island and pre-season 4
Characters: Miles and Faraday
Prompt: Smoke
Word Count: 100

( What do you know that I know too? )

Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters: Fred and George Weasley
Prompt: DADA
Word Count: 100

( Survival guaranteed or your money back )

I'm still accepting prompts. Prompt in the comments if interested.

For natertatersmom

Fandom: Sailormoon
Pairing: Venus/Kunzite
Prompt: Apples
Word Count: 100
Warnings: Snark abounds ahead

( Seriously? )

I'll take additional prompts in the comments for anyone interested.

Holy Crap! Black Clouds and Silver Linings debut at #6 on the Billboard chart!

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/news/DREAM-THEATER-DEBUTS--6-HIGHEST-CHART-EVER-20355.aspx

It's not too shabby in the rest of the world either.

Finland - 1
Germany - 3
The Netherlands - 3
US - 6
Norway - 7
Switzerland - 9
Italy - 10
Spain - 13
Australia - 16
UK - 23

For sm_monthly's thirty-first May Challenge.

Title: Water and Stone
Author: elvisvf101
Theme: "Anger at lies lasts forever. Anger at truth can't last." -- Greg Evans
Genre: Angst
Version: Mange
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: This piece is a continuation of Chastity.

( What is written on water, and what is written in stone )

For sm_monthly's twenty-seventh May Challenge.

Title: Vows
Author: elvisvf101
Theme: Marriage
Genre: Romance
Version: Mange
Rating: G
Author's Notes: This piece is a conclusion to Anger.

( I do )

Alex woke up at 4am last night. Again. He did the same on Saturday morning too. At least this time he went back to sleep, unless Saturday. Still, I'm pretty tired, because I sang and told The Big Red Barn god-knows-how-many-times. None of it worked, until I started talking about the parodies of 300 that I've seen on YouTube with a half-asleep wife. That put Alex back to sleep. I can't tell if he just likes our voices, or he actually likes geeky stuff. Well, who knows?

So it was overall a pretty good weekend. Friday my wife and I went to the French Laundry, arguably the best restaurant in the United States, the only one with three Michelin stars in the California. I wrote up a review of it at here. We had a good time driving through Napa Valley and walking around Yountville aka foodie central. Saw some celebrity chefs too (Michael Chiarello and St Thomas Keller himself).

Alex didn't take so well to the whole proceeding though. He was weepy and whiney and morose while we were away for a whole six hours. But we gotta try, not just for us, but it's good for him to have to deal with his anxiety issues. The thing is that today summer starts for him and while whiney he actually got into the car and went without much protestation. Who knows? Maybe he's getting better.

The weekend was ridiculously hot, so we hid out in the AC until late afternoon and then pop up for frozen yogurt. It's gonna be hot for a few days. I guess it's supposed to be summer but I'm just not that big fan of the 90-plus weather. I'd be content with the 70's forever.

Time to grab lunch. From downstairs. Ugh.