Weekly Cool Links #21.2 Stormwatch 2010!

I know I didn’t mention this yesterday but it’s been pouring here in Southern California all week, some of the worst rains I’ve seen since 2005. Fortunately the house has held up well. Now on to the continuation of the Weekly Cool Links #21.

Cool Tech
For the last couple years I’ve used XBMC installed on my old Xbox as my be all media player for our living room, but with news from the most recent CES I just might look into replacing it sooner than later. Here are the devices I’m looking into.

Patriot Box Office Media Player
HDX BD-1
Asus O!Play HDP-R1
Popbox
Boxee Box (by D-Link)

The Boxee Box would be the one that is most like my current setup, since it’s based off the XBMC, but I’m not very happy with D-Link after various issues with some of their devices I’ve had in 2009. Right now it’s a wait and see approach, the Patriot Box Office is at Fry’s now for $130, but it seems a bit under whelming.

Cool Stuff
I know you thought I was done with 2009 lists after 21.1 but I had to share the Top 10 Everything of 2009 by Time. And the last mention of 2009 in this post, Gamasutra’s 99 Best Free games of 2009. Last week I watched this awesome video from TED about the intelligence of crows, it’s really eye-opening and will get you to look at crows in a whole different way. Of course this picture of search terms might make you wish you were a crow (women want their men to propose, and men want their women to give them head). If all that has made you feel a little less smart, check out this periodic table of elements with pictures!

Cool Advertising
Companies aren’t happy with just names, now they want to own colors… This is just plain wrong.

Cool Food
Kelly and I have done our best to start eating in more often, and it’s sites like No Takeout that help me plan our meals, they give a complete menu, shopping list, and game plan to get your meal done and on the table. Of if I’m just looking for a recipe based off of items I have there is Supercook or a new site I found call Cooking By Numbers.

Cool Videos
How online gamers play games in real life…

British comedy skits based on PBS like shows (this on is on Water there are others)

More PG Porn! This time with the lovely Jenna Haze!

Superhuman tape measure skills

Realistic Hollywood Sex-Scene