First Remote Worker

"The First Remote Worker".

For various reasons, which are described in the podcast, [Paul] Lutus was living in a cabin in the Oregon woods. Before he got the Apple II in 1976, he didn’t even have electricity -- he had to run what amounted to a 1,200 foot extension cord to a construction box that he talked the utility company into installing...

[H]is backup system was to bury floppy disks of his work in an ammo can at his cabin. He started doing that after a lightning strike reset his computer while he was working. There’s a bunch of other amusing stories as well...

(Via Gus Van Horn.)

Ars Technica On MB Pro

Ars Technica: "2021 MacBook Pro review: Yep, it's what you’ve been waiting for". (Via H.R.)

Quarterstaff Technique

"Boy Scouts' Instruction on the Quarterstaff and Other Weapons"

This martial flavor is especially evident in the movement’s early literature, such as this 1925 instruction manual that teaches scouts in the tasks necessary to earn the master-at-arms badge. The first section addresses the use of the saber, while using wooden sticks as training implements. Next is the quarterstaff, which is a useful choice, as the most accessible of improvised weapons is surely a broomstick. Leaving aside the weapons, the scouts then train in the basics of boxing, ju-jitsu, and wrestling. The result is a well-rounded combatant.

Old Software

"The 'Dune' Screenplay Was Written in MS-DOS"

Opening Titles

Video: "A Celebration of Opening Title Sequences (And Why They Need To Come Back)"

Exoplanet Update

"Signs of first planet found outside our galaxy"

FBI And Telecoms

"Here's the FBI's Internal Guide for Getting Data from AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon"

Whitest White

"The whitest paint is here -- and it's the coolest. Literally."

iPod History

"20 years of the iPod: How it shuffled music and tech into a new era"

Wooden Knife

"Watch this wooden knife cut effortlessly through juicy, medium-well-done steak". (Via H.R.)

Distant Galaxies

"94% of the universe's galaxies are permanently beyond our reach"

Today, most of the universe's galaxies are already receding faster than the speed of light.

OTOH, most of them get pretty mediocre reviews on Yelp, so I wasn't planning on visiting them anyways.

Dune Universe Timeline

Video: "Full Timeline of the Dune Universe (34,000 Years)"

Death By Ransomware

WSJ: "A Hospital Hit by Hackers, a Baby in Distress: The Case of the First Alleged Ransomware Death"

Related article.

Smart Cane

"This $400 Cane Uses Autonomous Vehicle Tech to Help Guide The Visually Impaired". (Via H.R.)

Westarctica

"For the past two decades, the micronation of Westarctica has grown in prominence -- and is now using its power for something other than Antarctic domination."

I confess that I had never heart of Westarctica until now. 

Finances For The "Great Resignation"

WSJ: "How to Prepare Your Finances Before Quitting Your Job"

No Needles

"Monitoring glucose levels, no needles required". (Via Rand Simberg.)

Shatner Interview

"Captain Kirk Goes to Space: 'It's Indescribable'"

Sandpile Studies

"The Math of the Amazing Sandpile"

Nuking Asteroids

"A Last-Minute Nuke to Shatter an Incoming Asteroid Could Actually Work, Study Suggests"

Mother Of Languages

"World's languages traced back to single African mother tongue"

Fire In Microgravity

"Fire is Spherical in Microgravity"

Internet Rabbit Hole

"What useful unknown website do you wish more people knew about?"

Click through at your peril.

Punctation Is Important

"Missing Apostrophe in Facebook Post Lands a Man in Defamation Court"

At issue is the word “employees” in the post, which read: “Oh Stuart Gan!! Selling multi million $ homes in Pearl Beach but can’t pay his employees superannuation,” referring to Australia’s retirement system, in which money is paid by employers into super accounts for employees. “Shame on you Stuart!!! 2 yrs and still waiting!!!”...

On Thursday, a judge in New South Wales ruled that the lack of an apostrophe on the word “employees” could be read to suggest a “systematic pattern of conduct” by Mr. Gan’s agency rather than an accusation involving one employee. So she allowed the case to proceed...

In matters of punctuation, social media is the Wild West. In some corners of the internet, careless grammar is highly tolerated — even a badge of honor. In legal matters, however, disputed punctuation can cost millions.

COVID And Brains

"How COVID affects the brain".

Related: "Even Mild Cases of COVID May Leave a Mark on the Brain"

Remembering Names

"How to Actually Remember People's Names"

Ethical Investing?

"The thorny truth about socially responsible investing"

Wigner Crystals

"Scientists Create Material Made Entirely Out of Electrons"

Sabotaging Dancing Grannies

"China's dancing grannies: 'Stun gun' claims to solve square dancing dilemma by sabotaging the music"

Whole Brain Emulation Critique

"Whole Brain Emulation: No Progress on C. elgans After 10 Years"

Slow Motion Moths

"Witness the majesty of moths taking flight at 6,000 frames per second"

Metaverse Basics

"What is the metaverse, and do I have to care?"

Spilling The Beans

"How to Get Someone to Tell You Their Secrets, According to an Investigative Journalist"

Light Posting Notice

Admin note: Posting may be lighter than usual this week due to external obligations.

Beethoven's 10th Symphony

'"How a team of musicologists and computer scientists completed Beethoven’s unfinished 10th Symphony"

'Google' Is Most Searched Word On Bing

BBC News: "'Google' is most searched word on Bing"