Friday, March 30, 2012
[Off-topic] PJM OpEd "ObamaCare's Other Infringements"
Off topic: PJMedia has published my latest piece, "It’s Not Just the Mandate: ObamaCare's Other Infringements".
Thursday, March 29, 2012
How An Aeron Chair Gets Built Every 17 Seconds
"An American-Made Miracle: How An Aeron Chair Gets Built Every 17 Seconds". (Via Jennifer Armstrong.)
Apes and Robots
"RoboBonobo: Giving Apes Control of Their Own Robot".
Nope, can't imagine anything possibly going wrong here! (Via Alex Knapp.)
Nope, can't imagine anything possibly going wrong here! (Via Alex Knapp.)
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Eye-Tracking Computers Will Read Your Thoughts
"Eye-Tracking Computers Will Read Your Thoughts".
The story is a tad alarmist, but the technology is interesting.
The story is a tad alarmist, but the technology is interesting.
The Seikilos Epitaph
"The Seikilos epitaph is the oldest surviving example of a complete musical composition, including musical notation, from anywhere in the world."
Click through to hear it performed.
(Update: Link was broken, but is now fixed!)
Click through to hear it performed.
(Update: Link was broken, but is now fixed!)
Death of a Data Haven
"Death of a data haven: Cypherpunks, WikiLeaks, and the world's smallest nation"
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Oldest Alien Planets
"Two huge planets found orbiting a star 375 light-years away are the oldest alien worlds yet discovered".
In particular, they were "likely formed at the dawn of the universe, less than a billion years after the big bang."
In particular, they were "likely formed at the dawn of the universe, less than a billion years after the big bang."
Improving Passwords
"Computer passwords need to be memorable and secure. Most people's are the first but not the second."
Monday, March 26, 2012
Satirical Guide to Writing Like A Scientist
Adam Ruben's snarky guide: "How to Write Like a Scientist"
My favorite:
My favorite:
3. Some journals, such as Science, officially eschew the passive voice. Others print only the passive voice. So find a healthy compromise by writing in semi-passive voice.
ACTIVE VOICE: We did this experiment.
PASSIVE VOICE: This experiment was done by us.
SEMI-PASSIVE VOICE: Done by us, this experiment was.
Yes, for the semi-passive voice, you'll want to emulate Yoda. Yoda, you'll want to emulate.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
TacoCopter
Quote of the day: "The U.S. government is single-handedly preventing you from ordering a taco and having it delivered to you by a totally sweet pilot-less helicopter." (Via @RyanSager.)
10 of the Most Awesome Sword Fight Scenes Ever
"10 of the Most Awesome Sword Fight Scenes Ever"
(Personally, I think the fight scene from Kill Bill Part 1 should also be somewhere on that list.)
(Personally, I think the fight scene from Kill Bill Part 1 should also be somewhere on that list.)
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Employers Asking for Facebook Passwords
"Privacy red flag raised as more job applicants asked to turn over Facebook passwords".
One possible response people could give might be: "I'm sorry but I'm not allowed to. The Facebook Terms of Service explicitly forbid my sharing my password with others."
Update: Facebook has responded to this issue. Here's their official statement.
One possible response people could give might be: "I'm sorry but I'm not allowed to. The Facebook Terms of Service explicitly forbid my sharing my password with others."
Facebook Terms of Service, Section 4, Item 8As an alternative, employers could instead specify that the applicant "friend" the employer as a condition of employment. This might be appropriate in some cases (depending on the exact nature of the job), while avoiding the gross security issues of allowing others access to your FB account.
Registration and Account Security
"You will not share your password, (or in the case of developers, your secret key), let anyone else access your account, or do anything else that might jeopardize the security of your account."
Update: Facebook has responded to this issue. Here's their official statement.
This Marriage Does Not Compute
I don't think this marriage will last long:
I'm not sure which is worse -- what she said, or that he posted it all online. On the other hand, maybe they deserve each other!
Update: Here's a follow-up interview with the couple on ABC's "Good Morning America".
I'm not sure which is worse -- what she said, or that he posted it all online. On the other hand, maybe they deserve each other!
Update: Here's a follow-up interview with the couple on ABC's "Good Morning America".
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Seven Classic Feynman Videos
"Watch a series of seven brilliant lectures by Richard Feynman". (Via @AriArmstrong.)
Medieval Monks Complaints
"Cheeky Complaints Monks Scribbled in the Margins of Manuscripts".
Technology may change, but human nature does not.
Technology may change, but human nature does not.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Liquid ASCII
Just move your mouse over Nick Kwiatek's home page.
The red ASCII effect is very nicely done! (Via Kottke.)
The red ASCII effect is very nicely done! (Via Kottke.)
Monday, March 19, 2012
The Man Who Broke Atlantic City
"The Man Who Broke Atlantic City": He made millions playing legal casino blackjack without card counting. His method does require a large bankroll.
Three Little Pigs Done With Good English
"What 'The Three Little Pigs"' would sound like if it had been written with a more classic, robust command of the English language" (Via Adam M.)
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Retina Display Comparison
Comparison of Retina vs. non-Retina display resolution:
Of course, there are lots of reviews of the new iPad hitting the blogosphere.
Here's Daring Fireball's take.
Of course, there are lots of reviews of the new iPad hitting the blogosphere.
Here's Daring Fireball's take.
The Frog And Boiling Water?
"If you turn up the heat on a frog in water so slowly it doesn't notice, will it eventually boil alive?"
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Chess Without Cleavage
"Chess Championships Lose Sex Appeal With New No-Cleavage Rule".
The article also notes, "And short skirts might be next to go, though there are currently no restrictions."
The article also notes, "And short skirts might be next to go, though there are currently no restrictions."
Scale of the Universe Update
Nice updated version of Scale of the Universe. (Via Howard R.)
I just now have to shake off the dizziness from moving the slider bar too quickly...
I just now have to shake off the dizziness from moving the slider bar too quickly...
Archive: Fastest PC Runs At 3 GHz
10 years ago on GeekPress: The world's fastest PC runs at 3 GHz, thanks to some special cooling technology.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
What is the Spear of Destiny, and Where Can You Get It?
"What is the Spear of Destiny, and where can you get it?"
(Of course, some smart-aleck Monty Python fan is sure to answer, "We already got one!...")
(Of course, some smart-aleck Monty Python fan is sure to answer, "We already got one!...")
Monday, March 12, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
How Typing May Shape the Meaning of Words
"The QWERTY Effect: How Typing May Shape the Meaning of Words". (Via Evan Brown.)
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Really Bad First Date
Jeff Winkler describes what happened after he broke his p*n*s on the first date. Actually very well-written.
Archive: Sony PDA Review
10 years ago on GeekPress: Looking for the sleekest color PDA? According to the Gadgeteer's latest review, the Sony CLIÉ PEG-T615C is your best bet. (Gotta love that Jog Dial!)
Friday, March 09, 2012
[Off-topic] PJM OpEd "Free Market Lessons from Contraception Fight"
Off topic: PJMedia has published my latest piece, "Free Market Lessons from Contraception Fight".
Thursday, March 08, 2012
IBM's New Optochip Transfers One Trillion Bits Per Second
"IBM's New Optochip Transfers One Trillion Bits Per Second"
Will Using Expired Drugs Kill You?
"Will using expired drugs kill you?"
Short answer, "Probably not". But there are a few important exceptions, described at the link.
Short answer, "Probably not". But there are a few important exceptions, described at the link.
Archive: Hacking With Pringles
10 years ago on GeekPress: Hacking into a wireless network with an empty can of Pringles.
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
Scientists Give Ships Invisibility Cloaks
"Scientists Give Ships Invisibility Cloaks". To protect against storms (not against visual detection).
Spider Silk Spun Into Violin Strings
"Spider silk spun into violin strings":
A Japanese researcher has used thousands of strands of spider silk to spin a set of violin strings.
The strings are said to have a "soft and profound timbre" relative to traditional gut or steel strings.
That may arise from the way the strings are twisted, resulting in a "packing structure" that leaves practically no space between any of the strands.
Tuesday, March 06, 2012
How Western Tech Firms Are Helping Arab Dictators
"Surveillance Inc: How Western Tech Firms Are Helping Arab Dictators"
Some of the surveillance software even allows dictators "to change emails while en route to their recipient". I'm just glad we never have to worry about our own government doing anything like this here in America.
Some of the surveillance software even allows dictators "to change emails while en route to their recipient". I'm just glad we never have to worry about our own government doing anything like this here in America.
Scientists Revolutionise Electron Microscope
"Scientists revolutionise electron microscope":
The new method, called electron ptychography, dispenses with the lens and instead forms the image by reconstructing the scattered electron-waves after they have passed through the sample using computers.
Scientists involved in the scheme consider their findings to be a 'first step' in a 'completely new epoch of electron imaging´. The process has no fundamental experimental boundaries and it is thought it will transform sub-atomic scale transmission imaging.
Project leader Professor John Rodenburg, of the University of Sheffield's Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, said: "...We've shown we can improve upon the resolution limit of an electron lens by a factor of five. An extension of the same method should reach the highest resolution transmission image ever obtained; about one tenth of an atomic diameter."
Monday, March 05, 2012
Pasta-Shaped Radio Waves
"A group of Italian and Swedish researchers appears to have solved the problem of radio congestion by cleverly twisting radio waves into the shape of fusilli pasta, allowing a potentially infinite number of channels to be broadcast and received."
China Clamps Down on Bloggers
"China clamps down on popular microblogs"
In particular, bloggers can be punished for "a range of vaguely defined activities, such as 'undermining national unity,' 'spreading rumors, disturbing social order, or undermining social stability,' and 'illegal activities on behalf of civil society organizations.'"
In particular, bloggers can be punished for "a range of vaguely defined activities, such as 'undermining national unity,' 'spreading rumors, disturbing social order, or undermining social stability,' and 'illegal activities on behalf of civil society organizations.'"
Sunday, March 04, 2012
No Pulse: How Doctors Reinvented The Human Heart
"No Pulse: How Doctors Reinvented The Human Heart".
It took some "thinking outside the box" to get rid of the heartbeat:
It took some "thinking outside the box" to get rid of the heartbeat:
Building a heart that mimics nature's lub-dub may be as comically shortsighted as Leonardo da Vinci designing a flying machine with flapping wings. Nature is not always the best designer, at least when it comes to things that humans must build and maintain. So the newest artificial heart doesn't imitate the cardiac muscle at all. Instead, it whirs like a little propeller, pushing blood through the body at a steady rate. After 500 million years of evolution accustoming the human body to blood moving through us in spurts, a pulse may not be necessary...(Via Instapundit.)
Internet In A Backpack
US Special Ops forces working in remote areas now use a pretty slick "internet in a backpack" system.
Cetacean Rights?
Scientists and philosophers have been arguing whether whales and dolphins have rights.
They're certainly more plausible candidates than most animals. Of course, the critical part of the debate is establishing what the criteria for rights should be (e.g., capacity for language, abstract conceptual thought, etc.)
They're certainly more plausible candidates than most animals. Of course, the critical part of the debate is establishing what the criteria for rights should be (e.g., capacity for language, abstract conceptual thought, etc.)
Archive: MRI of Intercourse
10 years ago on GeekPress: Radiology can be fun! Yes, the British Medical Journal did publish an article studying the MRI appearance of people having sex.
The current version of GeekPress started 10 years ago in March 2002. To commemorate this milestone, I'll be posting occasional tidbits from the archives on the relevant anniversary date under the heading, "10 years ago on GeekPress".
The current version of GeekPress started 10 years ago in March 2002. To commemorate this milestone, I'll be posting occasional tidbits from the archives on the relevant anniversary date under the heading, "10 years ago on GeekPress".
Saturday, March 03, 2012
How To Cite a Tweet in an Academic Paper
The Modern Language Association now has official guidelines: "How Do You Cite a Tweet in an Academic Paper?"
Details are at the MLA website:
Details are at the MLA website:
Begin the entry in the works-cited list with the author’s real name and, in parentheses, user name, if both are known and they differ. If only the user name is known, give it alone.Here is a helpful graphic:
Next provide the entire text of the tweet in quotation marks, without changing the capitalization. Conclude the entry with the date and time of the message and the medium of publication (Tweet). For example:
Athar, Sohaib (ReallyVirtual). "Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event)." 1 May 2011, 3:58 p.m. Tweet.
Thursday, March 01, 2012
AutoCorrect Fail Causes School Lockdown and Police Response
Bad autocorrect leads to school lockdown and police reponse.