If you want your Google homepage to be as bare as possible, type this into your address bar:

javascript:void(document.cookie="PREF=ID=2602f2ce49362929:U=7b6893b1882d5a94:TM=1239881060:LM=1254195610:L=0qXJlAA:GM=1:S=CwDGQD20E8U14zDg;path=/;domain=.google.com");

Then press return to set the cookie, then refresh your page. You should get something that looks like this:

Unfortunately, the UI comes back when you hover over  your cursor. So, this means that all of that HTML code is sent to you after all. Curious why they bothered?

via MinimalMac

In case you didn’t know what a browser is, whatbrowser.org to the rescue! That’s Google, you’re super awesome!

Recall monster company is suing small company over the Vermonster beer name… From beernews.org:

Hansen Beverage Company manufactures and distributes the famous MONSTER ENERGY® line of energy drinks and owns trademark registrations for the famous marks in the U.S. and throughout the world for beverages, branded apparel and other products.

Over the last eight years, Hansen Beverage Company has spent many millions of dollars promoting and establishing awareness for these trademarks around the world and has additionally spent millions of dollars registering and protecting these trademarks which are the Company’s single most valuable asset.

In July 2009, it came to the attention of Hansen Beverage Company that Rock Art Brewery, LLC had filed an application to register a federal trademark throughout the United States in connection with Rock Art’s Vermonster beer product.

In order to protect Hansen’s valuable Monster Energy® trademarks, Hansen is legally obliged to, and routinely sends, “cease and desist” letters to, and where appropriate, pursues litigation against, entities and persons who use or attempt to register similar trademarks for products that are similar or related to Monster Energy® products. A “cease and desist” letter was sent to Rock Art Brewery on September 4, 2009.

Hansen is a publicly traded company with an obligation to its shareholders to vigorously defend its valuable trademarks and intellectual property rights against dilution, potential infringement or confusion. Opposing the same or similar trademark applications is standard protocol for Hansen Beverage Company, as it is for all other consumer product companies.

Hansen has not, and does not, target or single out one company over any other, nor distinguish between big or small companies or individuals when enforcing our trademarks. The size of the third party misappropriating or infringing the Hansen’s trademark rights is irrelevant.

Hansen management has been working with Rock Art Brewery toward an amicable solution.

As part of prudent business practice, Hansen Beverage Company will continue to take appropriate action to protect its trademark rights and property.

Yeh, well up yours Hansen. I hope you lose.

Watch the video.

Translation for this link is:

Displays a miraculous salvation from Australia Ashburton’dan eyes have exposed … Images, the station at the time of registration as a baby carriage to the rails and fall under the train seems to remain. Trains, baby throws his car about 40 meters high … Tiny male baby with the surviving this terrible accident a few scratch.

I’m no expert, but what I think happened is the baby was not strapped in and fell out (you can see that in the video). Then, the train actually hits the stroller and it flies 40 meters. The baby is safe under the train… which has some clearance underneath.

Forget what I wrote earlier, watch this video. Baby was dragged in stroller and lives.

That’s some fucked up shit right there.

Evidently, the company that owns the rights to Monster Energy Drinks, the Hansens, is suing a little brewery in Morrisville, VT called Rock Art Brewery. Why? Seems like there may be future alcoholic beverages produced under the Monster name (really??? yes) and the corporation thought the beer labeled “Vermonster” would cause confusion to buyers. Rather than change the name of their brew, Rock Art fights back baby!

Beer lovers unite and stick it to the man! Watch this video for the whole story. Tweet this!

YouTube added a cool feature for those who watch long-form videos. If you’re logged in, you watched at least one minute from a video that’s longer than 20 minutes and there are more than 3 minutes left, then YouTube’s player has a neat surprise for you: close the page and when you open it again, the player resumes where you left off watching.

Also

Another change is that the HQ/HD flag is now sticky. Once you click on HQ or HD, YouTube will save the setting in a cookie and all the other videos will use the options, assuming that they have high-quality versions. “When you switch to view a video in high quality and lean back to enjoy the wide player experience, having to lean forward again to switch the experience back on, video after video, can be a real chore. Moving forward, your choice is sticky, meaning that when you go wide it will persist across your session.”

This is gold. This girl rocks as she roasts Kirk Cameron for endorsing a 50-page introduction to Darwin’s Origin of  the Species. The introduction “brings up Hitler, racism, and alcohol as a means to discredit Darwin.”

Thanks again Don!

Last Thursday, while I had pneumonia but didn’t know it, I attended the annual Beer Tasting at the Southampton Publick House. The event has been running for at least a decade, almost two. Lisa and I have friends who live in the Hamptons and who were able to score us seats at this exclusive event. By exclusive, I mean they limit attendance to a dinner for about 60 people. This is small enough that you can have the host moving about from table to table, and large enough to give the community a shot at attending.

I have been to wine and beer tastings before, at Restaurants. The Southampton Publick House is a real brewary, and a bar, and a restaurant. The tasting was fantastic. If my fever didn’t kick in half-way through the meal, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. My last memory was of he Pumpkin Ale, wonderfully paired with a caramel cheese case with light hints of cinnamon. Really, the dinner and beer kicked goddamn ass.

Here are the brews I enjoyed during the event. I’m no wine/beer/food critic, but I must admit my commentary (in parenthesis) on each beer is simple and brilliant.

Double White- A double strength version of classic Belgian White ale. It is an unfiltered wheat-based brew infused with orange curacao and coriander. The Double While is deceptively strong at 7.2% alcohol.

(I fucking hate wheat beers)

Altbier- A copper-colored German ale with a malty flavor and a refreshing hop bitterness

(Formerly known as Southampton Secret Ale. I love this beer, very drinkable. I always order it when I’m there)

IPA- Our version of the “West Coast Style” IPA, brewed with 5 varieties of Pacific Northwest hops for a distinctly American character.

(My favorite style beer at the moment and Southapmton’s doesn’t disappoint)

North Fork Fresh Hops Ale- Made with two types of locally grown hops and has a lightly citrus, smooth lingering finish

(Ewww, didn’t like the aftertaste… though others at my table liked it. It was a “light” IPA)

Saison Deluxe- Stunningly complex with tropical fruit overtones of pineapple and passion fruit. Imported malt and hops create a smooth, earthy flavor on the palate. A farmhouse·style ale, Saison Deluxe successfully combines traditional rustic flavor with a sophisticated craft-brewed taste.

(The Saison was my favorite of the night!)

Octoberfest Lager – Brewed with 4 types of imported German Maltsand Gennan hops for the most authentic flavor, is an amber colored malty beer of exceptional smoothness due to a cold fermentation and long aging period. At 6% alcohol it is slightly stronger than the average brew but does not taste like it’s that strong…so be careful!

(This was probably my second-favorite beer… and a showcase for the brewary. I will try and get a few growlers soon and invite people over to get drunk)

Pumpkin Ale· An unique amber-colored brew that has particular appeal during the autumn months. We use a generous amount of pumpkin as well as traditional “pumpkin pie” spices 10 give this unusual brew a definite seasonal character.

(The Pumpkin ale was freaking tremendously delicious, particularly due to the cheescake pairing)