Extra Future

Hi, I’m Phil Nelson, a writer, developer, and audio-visual maker of stuff. I have been making stuff online for over 25 years. I run RetroStrange and Set Side B. Good to see you.

Blog Archives

Tag: history

  • The Secrets of the Sega Channel

    The excellent Video Game History Foundation has just announced a new treasure trove of previously-inaccessible content from the short-lived Sega Channel including over 100 new Sega Channel ROMs.

  • The Evolution of the YouTube Progress Bar (2005-2025)

    Over on Kottke there’s a fun visual history of the YouTube progress bar. From the comments: the design evolution of iTunes.

  • The Satchel Paige Project

    Since late 2023 I have been on a quest to log every pitching appearance in the extraordinary life and baseball career of Satchel Paige. From age 19 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to oldtimers games in his late 60s, Paige pitched everywhere and forever.

    So far I have logged 1,900 games. Click on the image below to expose an interactive map representing all of his appearances (so far).

    Wow.

  • RadioShackCatalogs.com Is A Thing That Exists

    A great way to spend an afternoon:

    In the virtual corridors of RadioShackCatalogs.com, a digital archive unfolds like a time capsule, preserving the history of RadioShack from its inception in 1921.  As a venerable retailer, RadioShack had been a cornerstone of innovation for over 100 years, providing an array of cutting-edge technology products and services that spanned personal, mobile, and home technology. 

    Source: Matthew Gault for Gizmodo

  • The Awl and the Hairpin’s Best Stories, Remembered by Their Writers

    [The Awl and The Hairpin were the Good Blogs][link]. Sad to see them go, excited to see what replaces them.

    [link]: http://nymag.com/selectall/2018/01/the-awls-best-stories-picked-by-writers.html “The Awl and the Hairpin’s Best Stories, Remembered by Their Writers”

  • Singer IZEK Sewing Machine/Nintendo Game Boy Color Instructional Video VHS

    [What a zany thing to have existed][link]:

    >This is the instructional video that was bundled with the Singer IZEK sewing machine/Game Boy Color combo. Hopefully this will help others who may be struggling to set up or operate their IZEKs or for those who just want to enjoy awesome VHS goodness!

    via [Frank Cifaldi on twitter][via].

    [link]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd742Tp7b2U “Singer IZEK Sewing Machine/Nintendo Game Boy Color Instructional Video VHS”
    [via]: https://twitter.com/frankcifaldi/status/873240447203848193 “Frank’s twitter post”

  • The Rise of Nintendo: A Story in 8 Bits

    [A long excerpt from Blake J. Harris’ new book, Console Wars, which I am very much looking forward to.][link]

    [link]: http://grantland.com/features/the-rise-of-nintendo-video-games-history/ “The Rise of Nintendo: A Story in 8 Bits”

  • Videogame Music Preservation Foundation Wiki

    [I’m not sure how I haven’t linked to this before, but here it is now. This needs to exist and I’m so glad it does.][link]

    [link]: http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page “Videogame Music Preservation Foundation Wiki”

  • Happy Jack Mulraney, the Joker of the 19th century.

    [From the indispensable blog of Jess Nevins][link]:

    >Still another Gopher of distinction was Happy Jack Mulraney, so called because he always appeared to be laughing. However, his smile was caused by a partial paralysis of the muscles of his face. In reality Happy Jack was a verjuiced person and very sensitive about his deformity; when his chieftains wished to enrage him against an enemy they told him that slighting remarks had been made about his permanent grin. Happy Jack was finally sent to prison for the murder of Paddy the Priest, who owned a saloon in Tenth avenue and was a staunch friend of Happy Jack’s until he asked the gangster why he did not laugh on the other side of his face. Happy Jack then shot him and for good measure robbed the till.

    [link]: http://jessnevins.tumblr.com/post/7540287964/happy-jack-mulraney-the-joker-of-the-19th-century “Not by the Direct Method., Happy Jack Mulraney, the Joker of the 19th century.”

  • Did the Cubs lose the 1918 World Series on purpose?

    [We’ll never really know, but Eddie Cicotte said so…][link]

    [link]: http://blog.chicagohistory.org/index.php/2011/04/did-the-cubs-lose-the-1918-ws-on-purpose/ “Chicago History Museum | Blog » Blog Archive » Did the Cubs lose the 1918 WS on purpose?”