good idea » Absurd Intellectual

It’s not ad-blocking, more like ad-subversion

Posted by Grant Hamilton on 12 November 2010 Modern Life

Nov 122010

I installed Adblock Plus as soon as I heard about it, years ago, and I have enjoyed ad-free browsing of the Internet ever since.

Caveat: I know that it’s not completely ad-free. I don’t exactly love text ads, but they are unobtrusive enough that I can live with them. The jumping, screaming, in-your-face Flash ads are the ones that really get me.

But what if, like me (partially), you earn your living from Internet advertising, and you feel bad that you’re depriving others of this very income stream?

After all, it’s not like you can easily ignore those stupid Flash ads. So why not try this trick, as tweeted by @Cabal:

Flash ads got you down? Do what I (always) do: right-click them and choose “Zoom In” a few times. Result: ad becomes pop art.

Brilliant!

Now if only there was some way to set up your flash to automatically zoom in. Adzoom Plus, anyone?

A concept printer I can get behind

Posted by T. Keith Edmunds on 12 February 2010 Modern Life

Feb 122010

Normally, design posts are Grant’s bailiwick, but when I came across this post regarding a concept printer that uses a normal pencil and eraser instead of print cartridges, I had to say something.

That something is this: I hate printer cartridges. Not only am I sure that they are a massive environmental issue (just think of all that plastic entering landfills), I can never find the right cartridge I need when I run out of toner. Sure, I could order extras ahead of time, but that’s not who I am. I want to pick up things I need when I need them. Not early. And certainly not later.

Imagine, then, a printer that you can simply slide a pencil into. Buying a pack of 24 ‘refills’ would be less of an issue. The environmental impact would be minimized.

I like it. Someone make it. I’ll buy it.

Pint for a pint: Donate blood, get beer

Posted by Grant Hamilton on 30 January 2010 Modern Life

Jan 302010

When I donate beer, I get some juice and a cookie — and an altruistic feeling. But a blood donor clinic in Washington State has such a good offer, it’s almost worth the drive: donate a pint of blood and they’ll give you a coupon for a pint of beer:

Of course, they make you wait a few hours before you can redeem the coupon, which is obviously a good idea, but you have to think this is good marketing for the pub, too — after all, how many people are going to redeem their free coupon and then just leave? I see a night out being based on the concept of a free beer — which then leads to two or three more beers, and probably a platter of grub, too.

(via Daily Dose)