Here are some cool things from around the net. Wouldn’t want you to get bored until I post the next proper article in a year or so.

• Before this degenerates into a stupendously long list of entirely silly things that caught my attention randomly, here is one important thing: Four of Jonas’s games from 2012 are nominated in this year’s Best of Casual Gameplay awards over at Jay is Games. (Arcadia: A Pastoral Tale and The Fabulous Screech are under Interactive Art or Experimental, Traitor is under Shooter and The Sea Will Claim Everything is under Narrative. But feel free to vote in the other categories as well.) The polls are open until the 23rd of January.
• And while we’re on both the topic of Jonas and of important things: here is one of his articles. It’s saying some very important things about games, gender and privilege. I suggest you have a look at it. And here is a follow-up article, which should clear up any confusion on the subject of identity politics that you may or may not be experiencing.
• And now for some silly things: (Image courtesy of icanhascheezburger)
• This must be the most geek-tastic invention since the wheel. Or sliced bread. I’m a bit late with this, they had a lot of publicity and a kickstarter-esque opening sale around Christmas, but as far as I can see you can still order these little beauties. I’m still going to if I ever get to have a bicycle again.
• Here’s a comic by the Oatmeal about going to the cinema. After seeing Cloud Atlas being subtly enhanced by the soft rustling of popcorn and low whispers of “is that Tom Hanks too?” I couldn’t agree more with the Oatmeal.
• The Oatmeal has also done another comic about being creative, but that’s gone a bit viral, so linking to it is probably futile, right? Oh… what the heck. He’s so very, very right.
• Having a link to my Flickr account somewhere in here is a contractual thing… don’t mind it, I haven’t put up anything new in the last century or so. What do you mean you’ve never ever looked at it?!? Go, stand in a corner… and look at it.
• I’m on Twitter now! Follow me!
• I made these for our new year’s party. Before you ask: Yes, they do come out just as gorgeous as they are on the photos. I highly recommend this recipe.
• And while I’m promoting other people’s cooking blogs/videos… here’s something that I accidentally found while researching gnocchi sauces the other day. It starts slow, but trust me, this is one of the best cooking videos you’ll ever see.
• More videos: I read Alex & Me by Irene Pepperberg just before Christmas. (After ignoring it for almost two years just because sampling the first page turned me into a weeping wreck for the rest of the day. I’m silly that way). I absolutely recommend the book, it is both sciency (I feel so eloquent today) and deeply moving. So here’s Alex with Alan Alda and here’s an African Grey Parrot on a buggy. And do buy that book, really.
• Boing Boing already linked to this list of words that don’t have an English equivalent, but I still loved the list and maybe you’ve not seen it yet. My favourite might be kaelling, but I really don’t have much use for it in everyday life. (Tonight we’re having dinner with friends, so I’m thinking I’ll try out most of the food/drink related ones… mhm…shemomedjamo.)
• And for those of you hipsters who can’t stand using lorem ipsum because it’s just been done a million times before here’s Riker Ipsum! (Although I think someone should really do a Lore Ipsum generator…)
• Incidentally, here’s The Captain’s Summit, which is worth watching in full just to find out what Data’s three settings are. (Part one is sadly missing, but I’ve linked to part two and trust that you’ll be able to take it from here.)

And that, as they say, is it. I’m currently still in shock from having recently read a book that pretty much slaughters my all-time favourite short story and then shits all over its bleeding carcass… so yes, expect a review of The Dragon Griaule by Lucius Shepard as soon as I feel up to it.