[Off Topic] Hsieh Forbes Column: Three Factors That Corrupted VA Health Care

[Off Topic] My second Forbes piece in two days again discusses the VA health scandal: "Three Factors That Corrupted VA Health Care And Threaten The Rest of American Medicine".

The three elements include: doctor shortage, perverse payment incentives, and a culture of dishonesty

How Google Uses Machine Learning And Neural Networks To Optimize Data Centers

"How Google Uses Machine Learning And Neural Networks To Optimize Data Centers". (Via John Drake.)

The Internet's Hidden Infrastructure

Wired: "6 Stunning Photos of the Internet's Hidden Infrastructure"

Buttered Coffee

"5 Reasons Why Everyone is Suddenly Putting Butter In Their Coffee"

The 9 Types of Coffee Addicts

"The 9 Types of Coffee Addicts Everyone Knows"

[Off Topic] Hsieh Forbes Column: VA Denies Coverage to USAF Veteran With Brain Tumor

[Off topic]: My latest Forbes health care piece is now up: "VA Denies Coverage For US Air Force Veteran With Malignant Brain Tumor".

Google Taps the Brakes on Self-Driving Cars

Megan McArdle: "Google Taps the Brakes on Self-Driving Cars"

First Amendment Right to Film Police

Ars Technica: "Court upholds “First Amendment” right to film police".

Related Washington Post blog post by Eugene Volokh: "Federal appeals court reaffirms right to videorecord, including at traffic stops".

Programmable Matter

"Make Your Own World With Programmable Matter"

Kids React To Old Computers

Video: "Kids React To Old Computers".



 I remember when the Apple II was awesome and cutting-edge. You may all get off my lawn now. (Via L.R.)

Spectacular Remix of Classic iPhone Ringtones

"Listen to this spectacular remix of classic iPhone ringtones".

Bitcoin set to overtake PayPal in 2014

"Bitcoin set to overtake PayPal in 2014". Of course, a lot depends on the price of Bitcoin.

Quantum Computing Update

Wired: "The Revolutionary Quantum Computer That May Not Be Quantum at All". (Via J.J.)

Movies Plus Godzilla

"40 Great Movies Made Better by Adding Godzilla"

This was one of my favorites:

Holiday Hiatus

Admin note: Posting will be light through the holiday weekend and early next week.

One Inch Punch

"The Science of the One-Inch Punch: Physiology and neuroscience combine to explain Bruce Lee's master move"

Facebook Passive Listening To Your Phone

"Facebook has added a new feature to its mobile app as of Wednesday that uses a phone's microphone to identify ambient TV shows, music, or movies and include them in status updates."

Note: The feature is off by default, though the app offers to turn it on in an intro screen that it pops up for users.  I'm leaving my turned off.

Secure Email

Forbes: "The Only Email System The NSA Can't Access".

More info on the official ProtonMail site.

Spam Will Never Go Away

"Spam, the Neverending Story: Unwanted communication is as inevitable as it is persistent"

Free Art From Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has posted 400,000 downloadable high-resolution images of public domain works. (Via GMSV.)

Optical Illusions 2014

Here are the finalists for the best optical illusions of 2014.

Self-Driving Cars on CA Public Roads

"California approves test of self-driving cars on public roads"

How Not To Film Sharks

"Film Crew Learns the Hard Way Why Not to Take an Inflatable Boat Out to Film Great White Sharks".  (Via M.H.)

Of course, there's a video:

Precision Comm-Jamming

"How The Marines Cheaply And Quickly Built Precision Comm-Jamming Tech". (Via H.R.)

What Each State Googles More Than Others

"You Can Learn A Lot About America From Each State's Internet Search History"

38 Yahoo Questions

"38 Yahoo Questions That Will Destroy Your Faith In Humanity"

Hacking The Brain With Electricity

"Hacking The Brain With Electricity: Don't Try This At Home".

(Includes quote from my friend Jared Seehafer.)

3D-Printed Gun Update

"How 3-D Printed Guns Evolved Into Serious Weapons in Just One Year"

Matter From Light?

"Matter will be created from light within a year, claim scientists"

Mass Reformat Requests

"Emory University server accidentally sends reformat request to all Windows PCs, including itself"

Baby Name Trend Predictor

"How to Predict If Your Baby Name Idea Is Too Trendy"

The Trick That Makes Google's Self-Driving Cars Work

"The Trick That Makes Google's Self-Driving Cars Work"

Right To Be Forgotten

Europe appears ready to grant a "right to be forgotten".  (Related article.)

The articles discuss some of the serious negative consequences if such a "right" is implemented into law.

How Vines Actually Grow

"A timelapse of how vines actually grow"

Fully Automatic Wolverine Claws

"These fully-automatic Wolverine claws are as badass as the real ones"

Computer Go Update

Wired: "The Mystery of Go, the Ancient Game That Computers Still Can't Win". (Via Tyler Cowen.)

Self-Driving Car Update

Casey Newton: "I took a ride in Google's self-driving car" (The Verge, 5/14/2014).

Related story from John Markoff: "A Trip in a Self-Driving Car Now Seems Routine" (NYT, 5/13/2014.

Early-Stage HIV Test

"Teen Develops Early-Stage HIV Test For High School Science Project"

Wearable Tech and Casinos

Mashable: "The tech behind wearable computing devices finds much of its history in attempting to cheat casinos".

23andMe Offering Services Outside US

"23andMe aims to offer partial or full genetic-testing services in one or more countries outside of the United States by the end of the year, with likely contenders including Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom"

Google Glass Available

"Google Glass is once again available to the masses -- in the United States"

The Oldest Rivalry in Computing

The oldest rivalry in computing: Emacs vs. vi.

Whatever Happened To Netscape?

"Whatever happened to Netscape?"

How Prostitution Will Survive the Rise of the Sexbots

"How Prostitution Will Survive the Rise of the Sexbots"

Inside a Counterfeit Apple Charger

iPad charger teardown: Inside Apple's charger and a risky phony"

The Science of Superspreaders

"The Emerging Science of Superspreaders (And How to Tell If You're One Of Them)"

Best Coffee Makers

Some alternatives to the ubiquitous Keurig machines.

Randall Munroe's TED Talk

Fun TED talk by Randall Munroe, creator of xkcd comics.

Steven Pinker Interview

Steven Pinker: "What could be more interesting than how the mind works?"

Contemporary Origami

Contemporary origami.

The Surprising History of Making Alcohol a Powdered Substance

"The Surprising History of Making Alcohol a Powdered Substance"

Prosthetic Arm Update

"First prosthetic arm wired to muscles approved by the FDA"

Superconductivity Update

Scientists May Have Decoded One of the Secrets to Superconductors". (Via H.R.)

The Coming Drone Wars

Every Country Will Have Armed Drones Within Ten Years"

12 Cognitive Biases

"The 12 cognitive biases that prevent you from being rational"

Octopus Opens Jar From The Inside

Watch this octopus open a jar from the inside:

Japanese Man Arrested For Producing 3D-Printed Guns

"Japanese man arrested for producing 3D-printed guns"

Which TV Shows Are Aliens Watching Now?

"Which TV Shows Are Aliens Watching Now?"

Journey To The Center Of An Apple

High resolution CT scan of an apple's microstructure, used to generate a video "Journey To The Center Of An Apple". (Via @debbywitt.)

Why Some Doctors Like Google Glass So Much

"Why Some Doctors Like Google Glass So Much"

Disney Animation Tricks

"12 Hypnotic Animation Tricks Used By Disney's Legendary Artists".


The illusion of life from cento lodigiani on Vimeo.

Literally Reinventing The Wheel

"This Farmer Reinvented the Wheel to Build a Better Wheelchair". More info here.

Terrifying Skywalk

Terrifying new skywalk overlooking the Canadian Rockies. Yes, there's a video.

How Realistic Is 24?

"Just how realistic is 24? We asked a former CIA agent." (Via D.M.)

Make Your DNA Untraceable?

"This company wants to make your DNA untraceable". (Via Tyler Cowen.)

How Are Shipping Containers Made?

"How Are Shipping Containers Made?" (Via Maximizing Progress.)

Trajan is the Movie Font

Video: "Anybody else sick of all this Trajan? What is Trajan? Trajan is the movie font."

The 11 Defining Features of the Summer Blockbuster

"The 11 Defining Features of the Summer Blockbuster". (Via Marginal Revolution.)

Cancer-Killing Nanorobots

"One Scientist's Bid to Build Cancer-Killing Nanorobots"

New Technology Transforming State Surveillance

Video: "The Frightening New Technology Transforming State Surveillance"



Of course, technology that allows a good government to protect people can also be used by a bad government to oppress them.  (Video via J.J.)

What Parts Of The Country Get The Worst Weather Predictions?

"What Parts Of The Country Get The Worst Weather Predictions?"

Technology Law Will Soon Be Reshaped By People Who Don't Use Email

"Technology law will soon be reshaped by people who don't use email":

The US supreme court doesn't understand the internet. Laugh all you want, but when NSA, Pandora and privacy cases hit the docket, the lack of tech savvy on the bench gets scary...

This is not the first time justices have opened themselves up to mockery for their uninitiated take on tech issues. Just last week, in the copyright case against Aereo, the justices' verbal reach seemed to exceed their grasp, as they inadvertently invented phrases like "Netflick" and "iDrop", among others. Before that, many ripped Justice Roberts for seemingly not knowing the difference between a pager and email. And then there was the time when a group of them tried to comprehend text messages, or when the justices and counsel before them agreed that "any computer group of people" could write most software "sitting around the coffee shop ... over the weekend."

MIT Bitcoin Experiment

"MIT Is Giving Each of Its Undergrads $100-Worth of Bitcoin"

US States North of Canada

Quiz of the day: "What's your best guess without looking: How many US states are at least partially north of the southernmost part of Canada?"

Hint: It's probably way more than you think.

Here's the answer.

Plane Boarding Algorithms

Detailed comparison of the major plane boarding algorithms.

How to Win at Rock-Paper-Scissors

"How to Win at Rock-Paper-Scissors"

Zhijian and co say that players who win tend to stick with the same action while those who lose switch to the next action in a clockwise direction (where R → P → S is clockwise).

High Tech Ring Of Power

"The Nod ring turns your finger into a high-tech magic wand"

Clever Hair Product Ad

"Cool! Real train arrives, woman's hair blows onscreen"


Apotek Hjärtat - Blowing in The Wind from Ourwork on Vimeo.

French Expressions With No Good English Equivalent

"9 Wonderful French Expressions That Have No Good English Equivalent"

Hitler In Old Family Vacation Photos

It sure would be weird to find some old lost family vacation photos from 1938 and see that they included HITLER!