The Daily Dig for April 30

It's been a wild and wacky couple of days around here.

We had a rogue file jam up our feedloader overnight and it forced our start-up editor to roll up her sleeves to publish everything manually this morning. Been there, did that, don't want to do it again.

Everything seems to be rolling at full speed again (knock on Formica) so we're looking with hope to tonight.

►►►

Speaking of wild and wacky... one of the big stories today: a man bent on injuring/maiming/killing members of the Dutch royal family drove through two barriers and dozens of people before crashing into a monument.

Four people were killed and 13 injured, some seriously, in what police described as a "deliberate act."

With photographers, videographers and amateur photographers out in droves, there were dozens of photos and videos of the carnage moving on the wires within minutes. It's quite astounding to think where we have come in such a short time when it comes to real-time coverage online.

One of the trade-offs? Some of the "unfiltered content" is very graphic, and we must balance the need for complete and quick access to breaking news stories with content that is unfit for mass consumption.

►►►

The web team met with members of our award-winning sports department to map out our plan to cover the Winnipeg Blue Bombers this season.

We've come up with a long laundry list of features we want to develop to bring you the most complete package possible.

VERY preliminary stages, but you can bet there will be several live elements introduced this year.

►►►

This should go without saying, but like most lame warning messages forced upon us by nitwits spilling boiling hot coffee on their genitalia, clearly needs to be said... if you're playing hooky from work, best not to be on Facebook riffing about breakfast or the weather.

If you are healthy enough to be a smart a$$ on the 'Book, you're probably healthy enough to be updating that spreadsheet. I'm just sayin'.

While you're at it, stop telling me about your cold oatmeal in the morning. I'm not seeing myself caring about that, ever.

►►►

By now you've probably watched the fear-mongering propaganda swine flu commercials from 1976.

Not far off from some of the messaging we've seen coming out of the U.S. over the last week or so.

These are two of my favourites.

►►►

Two You Tubes for the price of none today... this a riotously amusing send-up of so-called "hipsters" called the Hipster Olympics. It may remind you of the old Monty Python Upperclass Twit of the Year sketch, and rightly so. Compare, contrast and discuss.

►►►

Never one to be late to the new-gadget party, Apple is apparently working on a new iPhone meets MacBook dealio that will bring you everything you truly need to go portable yet still do actual work on the thing.

Wow... does this mean I have to add something else to my growing list of must-have, bleeding-edgery?

Come on already!

►►►

Speaking of Mackage, eagle-eyed mega-geeks spotted reference to Blu-ray in a splash screen for the coming iTunes release.

Does this really signal a reversal of approach by Apple McJobs on the Blu-ray front? Maybe, maybe not.

Would be a cool addition.

►►►

I'm not sure I'm sold on this one... kind of feels clunky to me.

It's a calendar view for Google News browsers in the testing process at the good-ship Google.

In their never-ending quest to take over the world, Google is now offering calendar functionality for any search terms so you can have at-a-glance access to the info that matters to you most.

Thoughts?

►►►

Don't forget to e-file or hand deliver your tax forms tonight... don't keep Uncle Stephen waiting.