boingboing

George Clooney in Men Who Stare At Goats movieThe Men Who Stare At Goats is a must-read 2005 book by UK journalist Jon Ronson about the US government's interest in very strange stuff, like Jedi powers, psychic spying, subliminal sound weapons, and the potential to kill something (like a goat, or an enemy soldier) just by looking at it. Fact or fiction, or most likely some of both, it's an absolute blast to read. (And Ronson's BBC documentary based on the book, Crazy Rulers of the World, is a lot of fun too! You can find it here on Google Video.) Yesterday, it was announced that Grant Heslov will direct a feature film based on The Men Who Stare At Goats. The star? George Clooney. From Variety: Script was penned by Brit Peter Straughan ("How to Lose Friends and Alienate People"). The pro
» 16 May 2008, 10:15 pm

Vintage Japanese robot galleryWired's posted a photo gallery from the new show of vintage Japanese robots opening at the Sci Fi Museum in Seattle. Iconic graphic designer Tom Geismar, whose firm Chermayeff & Geismar has created memorable logos for Mobil, PBS and other U.S. institutions, has been collecting the shiny bots for decades. The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle will exhibit toys from Geismar's collection in Robots: A Designer's Collection of Miniature Mechanical Marvels through Oct. 26. The vintage robots on display reflect Geismar's trained eye. "I've really restricted myself to ones that appealed to me as interesting, imaginative designs," he says. Link...
» 16 May 2008, 7:58 pm

Sofa/bookcaseIf you know me, you know I love bookcases built into EVERYTHING. This sofa (the Flexform Oltre) with bookcases in the arms: no exception. Link (via Cribcandy)...
» 16 May 2008, 7:57 pm

Laika the astro-dog tin toy from 1958This 1958 Japanese tin toy features Laika, Sputnik 2's brave cosmo-dog. Poor Laika. Link (Thanks, Erin!) See also: Laika - graphic novel tells the sweet and sad story of the first space-dog...
» 16 May 2008, 7:54 pm

Microsoft and NBC enforce the nonexistent Broadcast Flag, WTF?!Danny O'Brien from the Electronic Frontier Foundation sez, Vista users are complaining that Media Center refuses to let them record broadcast digital TV shows on NBC. Here's a screenshot of what they're seeing. After we won the fight to stop the Broadcast Flag three years ago, over-the-air digital TV shouldn't have any copy controls -- and if it did, Microsoft shouldn't have to obey them. Is it a bug in Vista's DRM systems? Did Microsoft and NBC cut a deal? What other receivers out there are going to obey the broadcasters instead of their owners? Link (Thanks, Danny!)...
» 16 May 2008, 7:51 pm

RE/Search's V. Vale on maker culture and punk rockBB pal and inspiration V. Vale is the publisher of RE/Search, chronicles of underground and fringe culture since 1977. The RE/Search books, from Industrial Culture Handbook and Pranks! to Modern Primitives and Incredibly Strange Music, are essential encyclopedias of alternative thought, art, music, literature, and methods to circumvent "control" in all its manifestations. (Pranks!, Industrial Culture Handbook, and RE/SEARCH #4/5: Burroughs, Gysin, Throbbing Gristle are now available in limited edition hardcover!) Vale attended the recent Maker Faire Bay Area and was blown away by the connections he saw between the hacker/maker/crafter culture and what he suggests are the original, unspoken "principles" of punk rock: DIY, Mutual Aid, Anti-Au
» 16 May 2008, 4:12 pm

Monk building meditation center in California desertBuddhist monk THich Dang "Tom" Phap is building a beautiful Buddhist Meditation Center in a very unusual and unlikely location: the barren high desert of Adelanto, California. The centerpiece is a 60-ton marble statue of the saint Quan yin, donated by a Malaysian businessman. Phap bought 15 acres in Adelanto four years ago as a home for the statue and the center that he hopes he can complete if enough donations come in. Right now, the place has no power or water. The Los Angeles Times created a lovely short video visit with Phap to accompany an article on his project. Link to video, Link to article (Thanks, Paul Saffo!)...
» 16 May 2008, 2:54 pm

Scrabble cufflinksQA Create sells these elegant cufflinks made from Scrabble tiles. You pick the letters! They're $15.99. Link (Thanks, Jess Hemerly!)...
» 16 May 2008, 2:11 pm

New release at archive.org: The Hoodlum (1951)Did you know archive.org has lots of cool old feature films in the public domain you can download for free? Here's one they just added to the archive that looks promising: The Hoodlum, from 1951. I'm downloading it now. (Here's the RSS feed for recent additions to the movie archive.) Lawrence Tierney ("Reservoir Dogs") plays an unreformed, hardened criminal who has just been released from prison. Working at his brother's gas station, he becomes very interested in the armored car that makes regular stops at the bank across the street. Link...
» 16 May 2008, 2:09 pm

Greg Dulli sings Sam CookeHere is an old soulful cover of Sam Cooke's "Having A Party" by Greg Dulli, former frontman of one of my all-time favorite modern rock bands, Afghan Whigs. The first national magazine article I ever wrote, for Alternative Press, was about the Whigs, who I knew growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio. And Cooke's "Having A Party" was my wedding song, so this cover has special meaning to me. On hiatus from his current band Twilight Singers, Dulli just put out a killer new record with Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, Queens of the Stone Age), under the moniker Gutter Twins. The album, titled "Saturnalia," is some heavy-ass neo-gothic gospel. Link to Dulli's Having A Party video Link to buy Gutter Twins Link to Summer's Kiss for more on Whigs, Gutter Twin
» 16 May 2008, 1:57 pm

frog Design's electronic facemask re-skins realityfrog Design's concept facemask would let you escape reality by augmenting or replacing what you see, smell, and hear with sensory inputs of your own choosing. In a troubling future, these augmented reality devices would offer a new dimension - a virtual layer that could be used to “re-skin” the troubling outside world. A boundary between the wearer and the world around him, the device would become a sort of visual drug, used to make the world appear a better place – even if just for a moment. The device itself acts as a mask between the user and the outside world, expressing the internality of the human-device interaction. It offers a physical distinction between those moving in the real world and those who are “plugged in” to the
» 16 May 2008, 1:27 pm

clipmarks

Think about itclipped by: wildcatClip Source: www.scienceblogs.comTags: humor
» 13 May 2008, 3:33 am

Icelandic museum offers long & short of male organclipped by: Babe_ORileyclipper's remarks: strange hobbies people have... Clip Source: www.reuters.comHjartarson is founder and owner of the Icelandic Phallological Museum, which offers visitors from around the world a close-up look at the long and the short of the male reproductive organ.His collection, which began in 1974 with a single bull's penis that looked something like a riding crop, now boasts 261 preserved members from 90 species.The largest, from a sperm whale, is 70 kg (154 lb) and 1.7 meters (5.58 ft) long. The smallest, a hamster penis bone, is just 2 mm and must be viewed through a magnifying glass.One species conspicuous by its absence is homo sapiens, but that may soon be rectified since a German, an American, an Icelander
» 15 May 2008, 1:31 pm

Portraits by Travis Louieclipped by: JohnWatermanClip Source: www.travislouie.comClip Source: completeall.comClip Source: travislouie.blogspot.com
» 16 May 2008, 4:01 pm

How the Bicycle Emancipated Womenclipped by: alanocuclipper's remarks: "The National Woman Suffrage Association was formed by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton 139 years ago today. To mark the anniversary, Chris Connolly is here to discuss the role of the bicycle in the women’s movement."Highly recommended article at the source...clipped only a very small portion of the entire article: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/14985I didn't mean to place the photo of the woman running the Triathlon after the text "Clearly, women needed to change their underwear." I don't know how it ended up that way.... Clip Source: viewer.zoho.com Clip Source: www.mentalfloss.comSusan B. Anthony once said, “I think [bicycling] has done more to emancipate women than anythi
» 15 May 2008, 8:53 am

Plants Can Control Weatherclipped by: wildcatClip Source: www.dailygalaxy.comGone are the days of believing plants are just passive organisms. Earlier this year, researchers found that plants can communicate through little understood chemical mechanisms. Now scientists are even saying that plants can do something perhaps even more incredible: Control the weather. According to researchers at the Scottish Association for Marine Science and the University of Manchester, brown seaweed, kelp, has the ability to create cloudy days at the seaside. But why would plants want to alter weather patterns? Apparently, because cloudy days make the plants more comfortable.When the sky is overcast kelp are comfortable when the tide goes out, since they are able to stay moist until i
» 13 May 2008, 3:25 am

Atheist scholar is ally (with reservations) in Benedict’s fight against relativismclipped by: Efrain AlvaradoClip Source: ncrcafe.orgBlackburn, he regards religion as a delusion. He actually wrote a paper three years ago defending his refusal to put on a yarmulke when invited by a Jewish friend to Friday dinner, on the grounds that it would express a respect for religion he doesn’t feel. (He complained about “respect creep,” saying that he’s willing to tolerate religious believers, but that doesn’t mean he’s obligated to treat their beliefs as anything other than nonsenseYet philosophy, a bit like politics, tends to make strange bedfellows. At least on the subject of truth, Benedict and many of the luminaries in Lugano seem to have some common groundBlackburn offers an interesting case in point. In his book T
» 16 May 2008, 7:06 pm

Africa Launches Search for the Next Einsteinclipped by: wildcatclipper's remarks: “Apart from an African Einstein, we want to find the African Bill Gates and the Sergey Brins and Larry Pages of the future,” Clip Source: www.dailygalaxy.com Stephen Hawking, who has devoted his career to discovering the origins of the universe, has made the journey to South Africa to join some of the world’s leading high-tech entrepreneurs and scientists who have backed the £75m plan to create Africa’s first postgraduate centers for advanced maths and physics, after the British government declined to provide funding.“The world of science needs Africa’s brilliant talents and I look forward to meeting prospective young Einsteins from Africa,” said Hawking.Hawking will be joined by eminent
» 13 May 2008, 2:31 am

Righteous Among the Nationsclipped by: Efrain AlvaradoClip Source: whispersintheloggia.blogspot.comPoland paused this week to pay tribute to Irena Sendler -- a Catholic social worker who risked her life during World War II to smuggle 2,500 children from the Warsaw Ghetto, saving them from the ravages of the Holocaust.Yad Vashem chairman Avner Shalev said: "Irena Sendler's courageous activities rescuing Jews during the Holocaust serve as a beacon of light to the world, inspiring hope and restoring faith in the innate goodness of mankind."Using her position as a social worker, Sendler regularly entered the ghetto, smuggling around 2,500 children out in boxes, suitcases or hidden in trolleys.The children were then placed with Polish families outside the ghetto, created
» 16 May 2008, 7:35 pm

Herbicide review 'fails' the environmentclipped by: pokketsclipper's remarks: The review recommends changes on labels to reduce the risk of the herbicide contaminating waterways. I'm sure that's physically impossible.Unless we can work out how to grow dry plants.There is also a cop out, saying that it is the responsibility of the States to ensure this happens. The don't mention how, apart from the warning on the label. Clip Source: www.abc.net.auAnna SallehA review of the widely-used herbicide atrazine fails to recommend studies on its effects on the Australian environment, says one expert.The impact of herbicides like atrazine on Australian frogs should be investigated, says one researcher, who says the amphibians are environmental 'canaries in the mine' The response follows
» 15 May 2008, 3:26 am

One Hundred Movies on Just One Diskclipped by: MohirClip Source: discovermagazine.comHolographic digital storage will let consumers store a DVD library on a single disk. How would you like to carry around your entire DVD collection on a single disk? That is the promise of a new holo­graphic digital storage technology being developed by General Electric and coming to a computer near you around 2012. Although not the first commercial holographic storage system—that honor goes to InPhase Technologies’ Tapestry™ 300r holographic drive—GE’s system could be the first one aimed at consumers. (InPhase’s holographic drives, which debuted last year, sell for $18,000 and target broadcasters who need to archive television programs.)Holographic media can store huge amounts o
» 16 May 2008, 5:56 am

Solar bra brings conservation closer to the heartclipped by: MohirClip Source: www.reuters.comLadies, take your battle for the environment a little closer to your heart with a solar-powered bra that can generate enough electric energy to charge a mobile phone or an iPod.Lingerie maker Triumph International Japan Ltd unveiled its environmentally friendly, and green colored, "Solar Power Bra" on Wednesday in Tokyo which features a solar panel worn around the stomach.The panel requires light to generate electricity and the concept bra will not be in stores anytime soon, said Triumph spokeswoman Yoshiko Masuda, as "people usually can not go outside without wearing clothes over it."But it does send the message of how lingerie could possibly save the planet, Masuda said, adding that the bra sho
» 15 May 2008, 9:18 am

delicious

LocatePC, Free Theft Recovery Software for your PCLocatePC, Free Theft Recovery Software for your PC
» 16 May 2008, 11:30 pm

25 Beautifully Colorful Websites - Part 2 | Vandelay Website Design25 Beautifully Colorful Websites - Part 2 | Vandelay Website Design
» 16 May 2008, 11:00 pm

Uploadjockey.com - Make Mass MirrorsUploadjockey.com - Make Mass Mirrors
» 16 May 2008, 10:30 pm

Flying Machine Studios » Blog Archive » Announcing PalmistFlying Machine Studios » Blog Archive » Announcing Palmist
» 16 May 2008, 10:00 pm

School AUP 2.0 | Main / HomePage browseSchool AUP 2.0 | Main / HomePage browse
» 16 May 2008, 9:30 pm

24 + 1 Photography Podcasts That Will Inspire You24 + 1 Photography Podcasts That Will Inspire You
» 16 May 2008, 9:00 pm

iface thoughts | Thoughts on software development and related, by Abhijit Nadgoudaiface thoughts | Thoughts on software development and related, by Abhijit Nadgouda
» 16 May 2008, 8:30 pm

Managing Software EngineersManaging Software Engineers
» 16 May 2008, 8:00 pm

Google Confirms Friend ConnectGoogle Confirms Friend Connect
» 16 May 2008, 7:30 pm

Portion Size, Then and Now : DivineCarolinePortion Size, Then and Now : DivineCaroline
» 16 May 2008, 7:00 pm

Adobe Labs - Flash Player 10Adobe Labs - Flash Player 10
» 16 May 2008, 6:30 pm

digg

Kangaroo cull on Defence land to go ahead96 diggs //<br/>DEFENCE contractors are preparing to cull hundreds of kangaroos at a Canberra site in another about-face, after the federal government refused to foot the bill to move them.After moving in March to kill the kangaroos at the former naval station for environmental reasons, Defence stopped the cull to further study moving the animals interstate
» 16 May 2008, 11:49 pm

MTV's Aimee Allen, Ron Paul Anthem Music Video MUST SEE!!283 diggs //<br/>This will be THE OFFICIAL RON PAUL ANTHEM, LET'S GO VIRAL AND GET IT PLAYED ON MTV AND ALL OVER THE NET!!
» 16 May 2008, 11:30 pm

The Z Machine246 diggs //<br/>This is a stop action photo of a device at Sandia Labs releasing its capacitors' charge. It is about the size of a basketball court. It has achieved temperatures of 3.7*10^9 K (highest man-made temperature ever). During the 100 ns discharge, the power output is 2.9*10^14 W, equal to 80 times the power output of all the power plants on earth.
» 16 May 2008, 11:10 pm

Winemaking patriarch Robert Mondavi dead at 94177 diggs //<br/>A winery spokeswoman says California winemaking patriarch Robert Mondavi has died. He was 94. Mondavi died peacefully at his home in Yountville on Friday.
» 16 May 2008, 10:43 pm

How Much Should You Save Each Year?308 diggs //<br/>The 'Million Dollar Question': what should you be doing now when you're young to make sure you can live in style when you stop working?
» 16 May 2008, 10:20 pm

Realistic-Looking Sonic the Hedgehog to Give You Nightmares423 diggs //<br/>You might remember an image that showed up awhile back depicting how Bowser might look if he were real. Well, that same guy decided to give the same treatment to another beloved video game character with this realistic picture of Sonic the Hedgehog.
» 16 May 2008, 9:57 pm

An Illustrated Guide to Understanding the Economic Stimulus836 diggs //<br/>It's not that difficult, really.
» 16 May 2008, 9:30 pm

Rush Limbaugh berates 10th grader’s school essay605 diggs //<br/>Limbaugh searched Google, found among the top results an essay entitled “The Main Causes of the Great Depression.” He quotes the essay and refutes each of its claims He doesn’t pull any punches either. Those words would be harsh if they really were for a Harvard lecturer. But that’s not who wrote this essay. It was my friend ...in 10th grade.
» 16 May 2008, 9:30 pm

No Country for Superbad Men430 diggs //<br/>Boop.
» 16 May 2008, 8:58 pm

Wall Street Journal Bashes Angry Renter on Page One!408 diggs //<br/>Movement of over 48,000 people who oppose the mortgage bailout is bashed by the Wall Street Journal on Page 1. Not surprising at all...?
» 16 May 2008, 8:40 pm

The Cover-up Continues On The USS Liberty526 diggs //<br/>When Adm John S. McCain, Jr., Commander in Chief, United States Naval Forces, Europe, ordered the cover-up on the attack of the USS LIBERTY it was a sure act of treason perpetrated on the American people and the crew of the LIBERTY to hide the true facts surrounding the unprovoked attack by the Government of Israel on our ship, the USS LIBERTY.
» 16 May 2008, 8:40 pm

dzone

The 4 Core Principles of Agile ProgrammingOne of the things I really enjoy at the moment is the recognition and adoption of agile programming as a fully fledged powerful way to deliver quality software projects. As its figurehead is a group of very talented individuals who have created the agile manifesto http://agilemanifesto.org/. At its core are four simple principles that, when followed and applied to software projects, generally will ensure a great flexibility and hence higher agility.
» 16 May 2008, 8:58 pm

ASP.NET MVC Controller Action Precondition FilterI often find the need to check for the existence of a parameter passed to a web page, such as an ID, and also often need to check if the ID is valid as well (e.g.: a valid primary key). In the spirit of Design By Contract, I would consider this check to be a sort of "Request By Contract", at least insofar as the concept of a "precondition"
» 16 May 2008, 8:57 pm

Oh Yeah? Fork You!Because open source code is freely distributable, anyone can take that code and create their own unique mutant mashup version of it any time they feel like it. Whether anyone else in the world will care about their crazy new version of the code is not at all clear, but that's not the point. If someone wants it bad enough, they can create it -- or pay someone else to create it for them. This is known as "forking". It's the very embodiment of freedom zero, and it's an essential part of every open source license.
» 16 May 2008, 6:34 pm

JavaScript Graphing Version 2 and NewsFor today, lets take a look at the improvements I have made on the code for Visual Graphing in JavaScript. You can play with the new code at the Grapher Beta Test Page. You will immediately notice that there is now a title and legend for the graph, and extra buttons beneath the graph.
» 16 May 2008, 6:02 pm

Writing code that you’re proud ofAlmost every time that someone shows me a snippet of their code, I hear a comment like this: * "This isn’t finished, I have a lot of cleanup to do" * "I wrote this code a long time ago, it’s not very good" * "Ignore all these bugs, I haven’t had time to fix them yet" We’ve all done it. It’s very rare that I hear a developer that is truly proud of their code.
» 16 May 2008, 4:53 pm

Alt.NET Podcast LaunchedThe Alt.NET community has a new podcast. The first episode is a conversation with David Laribee, Jeremy D. Miller, and Chad Myers about continuously improving yourself, your code, and your team. Give it a listen!
» 16 May 2008, 3:31 pm

Write Haskell as fast as C: exploiting strictness, laziness and recursionIn a recent mailing list thread Andrew Coppin complained of poor performance with "nice, declarative" code for computing the mean of a very large list of double precision floating point values
» 16 May 2008, 3:21 pm

Why Arc is bad for exploratory programmingRecently, I've been reading Programming Collective Intelligence, which is a practical guide to machine learning algorithms, showing how to build a recommendation system, implement a search engine, classify documents, mine websites, use genetic algorithms and simulated annealing, and implement other machine learning tasks. The book shows how to implement each of these in surprisingly few lines of Python.
» 16 May 2008, 3:14 pm

5 for Friday | The Week's Best Web Design Blogs (5/16/08 Edition)5 for Friday is a weekly list of blog articles compiled by Bits O' NewMedia. It links to the best of the web design related articles on the web.
» 16 May 2008, 3:03 pm

How Not to Handle StreamsLet me tell you about what I did yesterday. I set out to write a little HTTP proxy server that would transfer large (> 1GB) files to and from Amazon S3, doing a tiny bit of processing on the beginning of the data as it came through. Sounds pretty simple, right? You're probably thinking that's just a matter of gluing some HTTP libraries to some S3 libraries. I thought so too.
» 16 May 2008, 12:24 pm

Very big list of Some AIR apps ... A must !Here You can have a look on more thn 125 AIR apps link.Its a must for RIA and AIR developers...Look n Enjoy...
» 16 May 2008, 11:55 am

fark

[Photoshop] Photoshop these fallen arches[Photoshop] Photoshop these fallen arches // (McTography)
» 16 May 2008, 11:35 pm

[Interesting] Free Quran for every home[Interesting] Free Quran for every home // Chicago Tribune
» 16 May 2008, 11:29 pm

[Amusing] Get caught speeding and get a stern talking to by Catholic schoolgirls. Someone didn't think this on[Amusing] Get caught speeding and get a stern talking to by Catholic schoolgirls. Someone didn't think this one through // Toronto Star
» 16 May 2008, 11:28 pm

[Interesting] California Activists plan constitutional amendment to define marriage in the traditional way. No[Interesting] California Activists plan constitutional amendment to define marriage in the traditional way. No word on how many cows will be legally required per wife bought // Reuters
» 16 May 2008, 11:19 pm

[Asinine] 7 year old Little Leaguer benched 2 games because his mom failed to show up for concession stand dut[Asinine] 7 year old Little Leaguer benched 2 games because his mom failed to show up for concession stand duty // Boston Channel
» 16 May 2008, 10:43 pm

[Obvious] Kids want teacher back even after posing nude: Obvious tag assplodes[Obvious] Kids want teacher back even after posing nude: Obvious tag assplodes // UPI
» 16 May 2008, 10:27 pm

[Strange] What can you say to a guy who creates art with used bubblegum? Well, besides &quot;you blew it&quot;[Strange] What can you say to a guy who creates art with used bubblegum? Well, besides &quot;you blew it&quot;? // (Bazooka Joe)
» 16 May 2008, 10:17 pm

[Interesting] Barely making ends meet? Talk to Alabama sheriffs, who feed prisoners on a $1.75 per day stipend[Interesting] Barely making ends meet? Talk to Alabama sheriffs, who feed prisoners on a $1.75 per day stipend, and still manage to keep a little bit for themselves // AP
» 16 May 2008, 10:15 pm

[Amusing] Man gets police escort from public library for making too much noise - snoring on toilet[Amusing] Man gets police escort from public library for making too much noise - snoring on toilet // Seacoastonline.com
» 16 May 2008, 9:54 pm

[Amusing] TSG's Friday mugshot roundup: The return of a hottie and bad hair days a plenty[Amusing] TSG's Friday mugshot roundup: The return of a hottie and bad hair days a plenty // The Smoking Gun
» 16 May 2008, 8:50 pm

[Obvious] It's good thing average citizen Cindy McCain has decided her finances are none of our business-other[Obvious] It's good thing average citizen Cindy McCain has decided her finances are none of our business-otherwise we might have to ask her awkward questions about things like her $2 million investment in Sudanese government connected companies // ABC
» 16 May 2008, 8:40 pm

google

In Massachusetts, a test run for same-sex marriage - Los Angeles TimesKIMA CBS 29In Massachusetts, a test run for same-sex marriageLos Angeles Times - 1 hour agoBy Elizabeth Mehren, Special to The Times BOSTON -- For some, it is as simple as access to the vocabulary of marriage. "My wife" translates so much more readily to the general populace than "my partner," said Marcia Hams, who traded vows with Susan ...Video: Strong Emotions Surround Gay Marriage Decision kcratvComment by Lee Swislow Ex. Director, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & DefendersNew York Times - The Associated Press - San Jose Mercury News - Santa Rosa Press Democratall 3,776 news articles
» 16 May 2008, 10:54 pm

Obama lashes back at Bush, McCain - Boston GlobeThe Southern LedgerObama lashes back at Bush, McCainBoston Globe - 1 hour agoSenator Barack Obama struck back yesterday at President Bush and Republican rival John McCain, asserting that failed Republican policies have made the country less secure and welcoming a general election showdown on foreign policy.Video: Obama Criticizes McCain, Bush Over Attacks AssociatedPressObama Says Bush and McCain Are ‘Fear Mongering’ New York TimesWall Street Journal - Newsday - Chicago Tribune - The Associated Pressall 2,206 news articles
» 16 May 2008, 10:30 pm

China&#39;s old ways shaken by quake - Los Angeles TimesCNBCChina's old ways shaken by quakeLos Angeles Times - 55 minutes agoBeijing's flexibility and openness amid a surge of individual initiative to respond in the crisis signals a new dynamic. BEIJING -- In a system with a centuries-long tradition of austere leaders laying down the law from behind their palace walls, ...Video: Raw Video: China PM Tours Quake Epicenter AssociatedPressPopulist Premier Puts a Face on Beijing Response Wall Street JournalMonsters and Critics.com - Xinhua - New York Times - International Herald Tribuneall 970 news articles
» 16 May 2008, 11:05 pm

Zimbabwe Election Runoff Set for June 27 - New York TimesAlaskaReportZimbabwe Election Runoff Set for June 27New York Times - 6 hours agoBy BARRY BEARAK and CELIA W. DUGGER JOHANNESBURG - Zimbabwe’s delayed runoff election between President Robert Mugabe, who has led the nation for nearly three decades, and the opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been set for June 27, the country’s ...With Zimbabwe Presidential Run-Off Date Set, Tough Campaign Looms Voice of AmericaZimbabwe attacks 'out of control' BBC NewsAllAfrica.com - The Associated Press - Times Online - Washington Timesall 1,393 news articles
» 16 May 2008, 5:29 pm

Dominican leader sets sight on election win - CNNNY1Dominican leader sets sight on election winCNN - 59 minutes agoSANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (CNN) -- With more than 10 percent of the polling stations reporting their results late Friday, President Leonel Fernandez was leading the Dominican Republic's presidential election with more than 53 percent, ...Election propels Dominican president to third term ReutersDominican president wins re-election Washington PostThe Associated Press - Aljazeera.net - New York Times - BBC Newsall 489 news articles
» 16 May 2008, 11:00 pm

Campaign Tightens Rules on Lobbying - Wall Street JournalWBTCampaign Tightens Rules on LobbyingWall Street Journal - 1 hour agoBy ELIZABETH HOLMES Under increasing political pressure to disclose ties to lobbyists, the McCain campaign adopted a policy this week that requires all staffers and volunteers to report their involvement with lobbying groups and other independent ...McCain camp revises policy on ethics after resignations Boston GlobeIn Effort to Avoid Conflicts, McCain Issues New Rules for Staff New York TimesWashington Post - The Associated Press - ABC News - Los Angeles Timesall 133 news articles
» 16 May 2008, 10:47 pm

Detainee’s Trial Delayed Until Justices Rule - New York TimesBBC NewsDetainee’s Trial Delayed Until Justices RuleNew York Times - 4 hours agoBy WILLIAM GLABERSON A military judge delayed the first war crimes trial of a Guantánamo detainee Friday, saying he wanted the opportunity to examine a much-awaited Supreme Court decision on the rights of the detainees.Bin Laden driver's trial delayed BBC NewsUS military lawyers want Sept. 11 charges dropped ReutersThe Associated Press - Chicago Tribune - Austin American-Statesman - The Canadian Pressall 163 news articles
» 16 May 2008, 7:09 pm

Media Concentration Still an Issue - Wall Street JournalHispanicBusiness.comMedia Concentration Still an IssueWall Street Journal - 2 hours agoIt's not a surprise that the Journal supports increased concentration in the media ("Dorgan's Content Play," Review & Outlook, May 13).Senate votes to revive ban on media cross-ownership Los Angeles TimesSenate Opposes Media Ownership Rule U.S. News & World ReportReuters - Reclaim the Mediaall 309 news articles
» 16 May 2008, 9:01 pm

Saudis Rebuff Bush, Politely, on Pumping More Oil - New York TimesSaudis Rebuff Bush, Politely, on Pumping More OilNew York Times - 2 hours agoBy SHERYL GAY STOLBERG and JAD MOUAWAD RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - President Bush used a private visit to King Abdullah’s ranch here on Friday to make another appeal for an increase in oil production that might give American consumers some relief at the ...Beseeching the Saudis Wall Street JournalBush 'begs' Saudis to help lower oil prices, Saudis refuse The Daily VoiceBloomberg - Winston-Salem Journal - Boston Globe - St. Louis Post-Dispatchall 1,637 news articles
» 16 May 2008, 9:14 pm

Carl Icahn will destroy Yahoo - MarketWatchWBTCarl Icahn will destroy YahooMarketWatch - 8 hours agoBy John C. Dvorak BERKELEY, Calif. (MarketWatch) -- Shareholders of Yahoo Inc. are now being confronted by Carl Icahn and the slate of directors he has to replace the current board.Microsoft's Silence Isn't Golden To Some Yahoo Shareholders CNNMoney.comShareholders expand claims against Yahoo, company says Icahn ... Bizjournals.comWall Street Journal - New York Times - Bloomberg - TheStreet.comall 2,051 news articles
» 16 May 2008, 3:43 pm

He put California wine on the map - Chicago TribuneKCBY.com 11He put California wine on the mapChicago Tribune - 2 hours agoBy Bill Daley | Tribune critic To say Robert Mondavi was to American wine what Julia Child was to French food would not be an exaggeration.A student and teacher of wine Santa Rosa Press DemocratRobert Mondavi, California Wine Pioneer, Dies at 94 (Update1) BloombergMarketWatch - BBC News - USA Today - San Jose Mercury Newsall 707 news articles
» 16 May 2008, 9:30 pm

huffingtonpost

Huffpollstrology: Candidates' Horoscopes, Polls And More For May 17Polls have come to dominate the media's horse race coverage of political campaigns. Pundits and reporters constantly use them to tell us who's hot and who's not -- but skip over the fact that plummeting response rates and variables like undecided voters and margins of error and often render these polls useless as anything other than lightweight diversions on par with horoscopes and political betting lines. Our HuffPollstrology chart helps keep you up to date on the latest poll results, along with the latest horoscope predictions, and the latest online political betting lines - and will hopefully help the polling junkies in the media keep polls in the proper perspective.   Democratic nomination clinton
» 16 May 2008, 10:28 pm

US Planning Big New Prison In AfghanistanThe Pentagon is moving forward with plans to build a new, 40-acre detention complex on the main American military base in Afghanistan, officials said, in a stark acknowledgment that the United States is likely to continue to hold prisoners overseas for years to come. The proposed detention center would replace the cavernous, makeshift American prison on the Bagram military base north of Kabul, which is now typically packed with about 630 prisoners, compared with the 270 held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.
» 16 May 2008, 8:30 pm

GOP Southerners Fear Obama WaveThe sharp surge in black turnout that Senator Barack Obama has helped to generate in recent primaries and Congressional races could signal a threat this fall to the longtime Republican dominance of the South, according to politicians and voting experts. Should Mr. Obama become the Democratic nominee, he would still have to struggle for white swing voters in the South and in border states like West Virginia, where he lost decisively to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in Tuesday's presidential primary. In West Virginia, where more than three-fourths of white voters chose Mrs. Clinton, 20 percent of the white voters said the race of the candidate mattered in their choice.
» 16 May 2008, 7:38 pm

Analysis: Obama reacts fast to Bush on diplomacyWASHINGTON — In President Bush's hint that Barack Obama wants to appease terrorists, Democrats heard troubling echoes of 2004, when Republicans portrayed John Kerry as irresolute and weak on national security. Determined to end the similarities there, Obama and his allies counterattacked Friday with a multi-pronged response that was as fast and fierce as Kerry's response to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads was slow and uncertain. And while the Democrats' first-day responses focused on Bush's speech this week in Israel, Friday's reactions mainly targeted John McCain, the GOP presidential candidate who seemed largely on the sidelines at first. Obama, appearing unusually feisty and at times sarcastic, led the countercharge him
» 16 May 2008, 7:19 pm

FEC nominee withdraws nameWASHINGTON — President Bush's contentious nominee for the Federal Election Commission removed his name from consideration Friday, potentially ending a lengthy stalemate that had paralyzed the work of the agency. Hans von Spakovsky, a former Justice Department official who never had Democratic support to win confirmation, withdrew his nomination, saying it was time for the protracted deadlock to end. Bush "reluctantly accepted" von Spakovsky's request, the White House said. Democrats have objected to von Spakovsky's tenure at Justice, where he oversaw voting rights matters. The standoff has held up other Senate confirmations to the six-member FEC, which is without a quorum and has been unable to conduct business. In a letter to
» 16 May 2008, 7:10 pm

US Blamed For Ambush On Iranians In IraqBAGHDAD — Iran angrily blamed the United States on Friday after at least three of its diplomats were wounded in a Baghdad shooting, saying the Americans are encouraging attacks on Iranians in Iraq. The United States defended the actions of Iraqi security forces, but said Americans were not involved in the incident and that the U.S. "condemns any attack on guests or visitors of any country." The shooting _ which may have been by Iraqi soldiers during an argument at a checkpoint _ comes amid unprecedented strains between Iran and the Iraqi leadership, which has long been close to Tehran. With the U.S. and an emboldened Tehran jostling for power and influence in Iraq and elsewhere in the Mideast, Iranian officials have complained i
» 16 May 2008, 6:59 pm

Anita Busch, Journalist Threatened By Anthony Pellicano, Calls For Investigation Of LA Times' Pellicano ReportAnita Busch, a former L.A. Times reporter who was allegedly threatened by Anthony Pellicano -- has released the following statement regarding Pellicano's conviction: I'd like to thank the judge and jury for their patience and wisdom on this case as well as the honest people in law enforcement who stopped others from being relentlessly attacked and terrorized. For that, I am eternally grateful. The full story of Pellicano's reach has yet to be told. To Pellicano and his wealthy clients, 'winning' meant completely obliterating someone's life and livelihood. They saw the media as just another weapon in their arsenal and used and abused it to go after anyone in their crosshairs. For example, they used their PR connection to plant ite
» 16 May 2008, 5:22 pm

Matthew McConaughey Baby Pictures Up For Auction, Magazines Bid Over $1 MillionTMZ has learned that McConaughey has hired "brand agent" Todd Shemarya -- who's already brokered deals for Brangelina and Xtina -- to help pull in some serious dough for photos of his child. So far, Mattyboy's gotten offers from three different publications -- EACH OVER A MILLION BUCKS! And the price is still climbing.
» 16 May 2008, 5:04 pm

&quot;The View&quot; To Take Viewers Backstage For One ShowNEW YORK — Daytime's "The View" will rerun one of its shows in two weeks from an entirely different view that lets fans know a little about what goes on backstage. Producers will attempt the experiment with the Memorial Day episode, which is being taped a week earlier. That episode will feature an interview with Dina Lohan and daughter Ali, and a performance by Ryan Cabrera. On Friday, May 30, "The View" will air a version of that show with backstage footage that explains what went into making it. Only about half of the original show will be seen. The rest will catch what went on behind the scenes to put the show together, such as the meeting where the co-hosts discuss in advance what they'll be talking about on the "Hot Topics"
» 16 May 2008, 5:04 pm

Oprah's Favorite Things For Summer: The Over-The-Top Crowd ReactionDespite Oprah's best efforts, her producers forced her to air an "Oprah's Favorite Things for Summer" episode, where she gave away things like bathing suits and grills and makeup. The giveaways were decidedly more low-key than her traditional pre-holiday "Oprah's Favorite Things" episode, but the crowd reactions were not. Below watch the screams, the hugs, the tears, and the freak-outs: From ABC, 5/16 For a reminder of what the crowd's reaction was like last winter, watch the video here.
» 16 May 2008, 5:02 pm

Cameron Diaz: &quot;Sex Is The Best&quot;Cameron Diaz graces the June 2008 issue of InStyle magazine and chats away in an interview on the inside. On being single: "People think if you're single, you are incomplete. No. The thing is, I don't want to be in a relationship that makes me incomplete." On sex: "Are you kidding? I love men. Sex is the best! ...You have to really enjoy [being sexy]. Not fake anything. Sexy is being in the moment, whether that means being coy or coming on hard. Faking is always lame and it never comes across the way you want it to." On body hair: "I love chest hair. Mm-hmm. I'm not saying I want a huge amount, but the right amount is very sexy. I don't like the smooth, hairless body." On her dating life: "I'm a woman. Of course I'm dating. And is that
» 16 May 2008, 4:01 pm

metafilter

Eastenders Gorilla RemixThis Gorilla has set off a spate of remixes, this one quite Anglocentric (Eastenders is a British soap) but possibly the funniest thing I have ever seen.
» 17 May 2008, 12:44 am

Graham Siebe Alaskan PhotoblogPhotoGrahambo.com ― Alaskan photoblog by Graham Siebe. Where, what, and how.
» 16 May 2008, 11:09 pm

15 bits of crypto should be enough for anybodyOn May 13, security advisories published by Debian and Ubuntu revealed that, for over a year, their OpenSSL libraries have had a major flaw in their CSPRNG, which is used by key generation functions in many widely-used applications, which caused the "random" numbers produced to be extremely predictable. [lolcat summary] How bad is it? It's pretty bad. Understand that these keys are used not only for encryption, but also for authentication. The keyspace has been reduced to a mere 32,768 possibilities, and you can already download them all, along with tools to use them. Worse still, in the days before the issue became publicly known, there was a noticeable spike in the number of brute-force attacks on SSH servers, indicating that there has a
» 16 May 2008, 11:01 pm

The blah story.Blah. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Blah.
» 16 May 2008, 10:02 pm

Bill vs. Dave 1982A very, very funny Bill Murray guests stars on the first episode of Late Night with David Letterman -- 1982
» 16 May 2008, 9:56 pm

The end of Rice-BoyThe end of Rice-Boy. T.O.E, Angel Eye, Calbash (alas we hardly knew ye) and Rice-Boy have ended their adventure. 2 years 1 month and two weeks after the start. Evan Dahm produced one of the most engaging and beautiful webcomics over the past two years and it has concluded. A moment of silence......... Ok now, the good news. Rice-Boy is done, but further Overside stories are likely. YAY. Yes, I know the link to the site is technically a double. I thought it was worth mentioning the end of the event. I promise I will not complain if this is deleted, but I hope it merits enough "newness" in it's ending that this post remains.
» 16 May 2008, 9:49 pm

Beyond the Torture DebateBeyond the Torture Debate On May 6th the American Strategy Program hosted an event with Philippe Sands, Professor of International Law at University College London and Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff for Colon Powell. Mr. Sands was in DC to testify to the House Judiciary Committee about the findings in his new book, Torture Team, which examines the legal implications of the Bush administration's policy of torture. Col. Wilkerson was on hand for commentary on the subject. The event was moderated by Patrick Doherty, deputy director of the American Strategy program. The event was recorded and posted by the New America Foundation to YouTube. It is 1 hr 31 minutes long, but well worth it. The event was recorded and posted b
» 16 May 2008, 8:08 pm

The Crazy Raspberry Ants are coming! The Crazy Raspberry Ants are coming!“They’re the ant of all ants...and are moving about half a mile a year.” Crazy Raspberry Ants! (And you might want to check your computer....)
» 16 May 2008, 7:18 pm

Does Africa Need Wealthy White Celebs to help her Survive and Prosper?There is something creepily colonialist in Madonna’s attitude to Africa. First we had the White Man’s Burden -– now we have the White Madonna’s Burden. More and more celebrities are treating Africa as a wide-eyed child that needs a Hollywood hug -– or as a wicked devil that needs a Hollywood hammering. There is something Kiplingesque in this celebrity swarming of Africa. Kipling branded colonial subjects on the dark continent as “half–devil and half–child” –- and today that old poisonous prejudice finds expression in the celebrity view of Africa as a child that must be adopted (Malawi) or as a devil that must be punished (Sudan). Africans once resisted the armies of colonialism; now they should consider resisting the ar
» 16 May 2008, 3:54 pm

TelectroscopeA transatlantic tunnel, hurrah!
» 16 May 2008, 3:29 pm

They're Red Hot!Chicagofilter: In Search of the Delta Tamale
» 16 May 2008, 2:28 pm

mixx

Health Remedies - Men's HealthLearn these 18 health remedies for everything from soothing a burn, curing a toothache, to clearing a stuffy nose at Men's Health
» 16 May 2008, 11:33 am

&quot;The Nakba of Arabic Jews&quot;The Jewish Arab Refugees.The Jewish exodus from Arab lands refers to the 20th century expulsion or mass departure of Jews, primarily of Sephardi and Mizrahi ...
» 16 May 2008, 3:25 pm

The Associated Press: Myanmar cyclone death toll nearly 78,000Myanmar cyclone survivors wait in line for rice donations on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar, Friday, May 16, 2008. (AP Photo)
» 16 May 2008, 11:45 am

Einstein's 'God' letter fetches $400,000 - World Faith - MSNBC.comA letter in which Albert Einstein dismissed the idea of God as the product of human weakness and the Bible as "pretty childish" has sold at auction for more than $400,000.
» 16 May 2008, 12:43 pm

Bush Addresses the Web for the First Time ?How to occupy your time when you have as little to do as President George W. Bush? Your first video interview for an online-only entity. Yeah guys, we’re that low on his priority list
» 16 May 2008, 3:57 pm

Ring On Rubber Band Revealed! Video - MetacafeHere's the tutorial on the impressive ring on rubber band trick. All you need is one ring, one rubber band, and some practice. Enjoy! For more videos please visit: Magic-for-Everyone.com
» 16 May 2008, 7:41 am

Saudi Arabia Raises Oil OutputIncrease of 300,000 barrels per day is announced as US president visits Riyadh.
» 16 May 2008, 10:49 am

Images in CoffeeImages in coffee, creator of these would call this and coffee art. As you can see all those images in those cups of coffee are created with talented hands and creative minds.
» 16 May 2008, 2:28 pm

How To Get Paid to Use Your Digital Camera | eHow.comHow to Get Paid to Use Your Digital Camera. Want to turn your digital camera into a fun and rewarding hobby that can put some extra cash in your pocket? Sell your photos!. Business > Small Businesses > Online Small Business. By slashdotM...
» 16 May 2008, 7:52 am

The Associated Press: Analysis: Gay marriage back as campaign issueRepublican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., pauses while speaking at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, Thursday, May 15, 2008. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
» 15 May 2008, 5:36 pm

newsvine

Lakers hold off Jazz 108-105, reach West finalsKobe Bryant scored 34 points and Los Angeles held off a furious rally by the Utah Jazz for a 108-105 victory Friday night, putting the Lakers in the Western Conference finals for the first time in four years.
» 16 May 2008, 10:23 pm

UAW, American Axle reach deal that may end strikeA bitter 80-day United Auto Workers strike against an auto parts maker that has crippled dozens of General Motors Corp. factories could be coming to an end soon with a tentative contract agreement reached Friday.
» 16 May 2008, 9:24 pm

Carnival ride collapses in California; 24 injuredA carnival ride spinning with people collapsed at a county fair Friday night, injuring all 24 people aboard.
» 16 May 2008, 7:40 pm

Van jumps curb in NYC, killing 1; trolley crashes in LAAn out-of-control van jumped a curb and barreled into bystanders near the entrance to a crowded subway station Friday, killing the driver and hurting seven people, authorities said.
» 16 May 2008, 11:34 pm

Tibet's holiest temple reopens after unrest in ChinaTibet's holiest Buddhist temple reopened Friday, state-run media reported, two months after a violent uprising in Tibetan areas throughout China led the government to close off several of the region's most important monasteries.
» 16 May 2008, 11:33 pm

Canadian tourist shot dead in MexicoA Canadian tourist was shot and killed late Thursday inside his hotel room in the Mexican resort city of Cabo San Lucas, police said.
» 16 May 2008, 11:20 pm

Mexicans arrested at filthy 'drop house' in LA chargedThree Mexican men held dozens of illegal immigrants in a squalid "drop house" in South Los Angeles, where one woman was raped and others say they were threatened with sexual assault, authorities said Friday.
» 16 May 2008, 11:16 pm

South Korea, Japan end sea confrontationA standoff between the Japanese and South Korean coast guards ended peacefully after a joint investigation found that a Korean fishing boat did not violate Japanese waters, an official said Saturday.
» 16 May 2008, 11:15 pm

Obama criticizes McCain for 'naive' foreign policyBarack Obama laid into John McCain on Friday for advancing a tough-guy foreign policy that he called "naive and irresponsible," serving notice that he's ready to launch a full-throttle challenge to the Republican presidential contender on international relations in the general election campaign.
» 16 May 2008, 2:01 pm

Giles collects 4 hits as Padres beat Seattle 6-4Brian Giles had his third four-hit game of the season, Tadahito Iguchi had a homer among his three hits and the San Diego Padres opened interleague play with a 6-4 win over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.
» 16 May 2008, 10:15 pm

Ramirez's first career homer lifts White SoxAlexei Ramirez hit his first major league homer, a two-run shot in the seventh inning that sent the Chicago White Sox to a 2-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night.
» 16 May 2008, 10:14 pm

reddit

British policing at its best. Or not. [pic]British policing at its best. Or not. [pic]
» 16 May 2008, 2:52 pm

Obama Demanding Investigation over VA Email re whether or not the Department of Veterans Affairs is under-diagObama Demanding Investigation over VA Email re whether or not the Department of Veterans Affairs is under-diagnosing combat-related PTSD as a cost-cutting measure.
» 16 May 2008, 7:46 pm

Graffiti art to boost your inspiration [PICS]Graffiti art to boost your inspiration [PICS]
» 16 May 2008, 5:49 pm

Orchestra accident. Check the guy on the right. Ouch!Orchestra accident. Check the guy on the right. Ouch!
» 16 May 2008, 4:12 pm

City tells church to stop feeding the homeless (What Would Jesus Do?)City tells church to stop feeding the homeless (What Would Jesus Do?)
» 16 May 2008, 1:53 pm

Windows doesn't know when to shut upWindows doesn't know when to shut up
» 16 May 2008, 4:23 pm

*NOW* Firefox 3.0rc1 is released.*NOW* Firefox 3.0rc1 is released.
» 16 May 2008, 7:06 pm

Cornell scientists create first genetically modified human embryo, destroy it after five daysCornell scientists create first genetically modified human embryo, destroy it after five days
» 16 May 2008, 8:43 pm

Ars Technica bought by Condé Nast for $25 millionArs Technica bought by Condé Nast for $25 million
» 16 May 2008, 4:03 pm

Lori Drew Indicted On Federal Charges For Her MySpace &quot;Joke&quot; That Lead To A 13 Year Old Committing SLori Drew Indicted On Federal Charges For Her MySpace &quot;Joke&quot; That Lead To A 13 Year Old Committing Suicide
» 16 May 2008, 8:12 am

Plasma Blade demo (on a dead person) (vid)Plasma Blade demo (on a dead person) (vid)
» 16 May 2008, 5:47 am

slashdot

NSF Research Reveals Chain Letter Travel Patternsalphadogg writes to tell us that the NSF is researching chain letters and how they travel. The results aren't quite what one might expect, showing a pattern of more selective and circuitous travel. "One surprising finding was that messages often took meandering routes between people who knew each other, often through as many as 100 intermediaries. Many email users also received copies from multiple social groups. The researchers concluded that because messages come from many directions, there's ample opportunity for the messages to be edited along the way."Read more of this story at Slashdot.
» 16 May 2008, 10:37 pm

US Senate Asks for National Security Letter ExplanationA group of U.S. Senators are asking the FBI to explain a recent controversial National Security Letter sent to the Internet Archive. The Internet Archive was able to defeat the request with help from the EFF and the ACLU this past April. "The Internet Archive's case is only the third known legal challenge to NSLs, despite the fact that the the FBI issues tens of thousands a year -- more than 100,000 such letters were issued in 2004 and 2005 combined. But despite the lack of legal challenges from recipients at ISPs, telephone companies and credit bureaus, successive scathing reports from the Justice Department's Inspector General have found illegal letters and a willy-nilly culture within the bureau towards tracking their usage."Read more of
» 16 May 2008, 8:26 pm

A Baseball Hat That Reads Your Mindesocid writes to tell us that researchers from Taiwan have created a new baseball cap complete with embedded -bio-signal monitoring system. The purpose was to give a neural interface that could be useful in everyday life. "The cap contains five embedded dry electrodes on the wearer's forehead, and one electrode behind the left ear, that acquire EEG signals. Then, the EEG signals are wirelessly transmitted to a data receiver, where they are processed in real-time by a dual-core processor. The BCI system includes Bluetooth transmission for distances of 10m or less (e.g., for driving applications), as well as RF transmission for distances up to 600m (e.g., for potential sports applications). Next, the processed signals are transmitted back to
» 16 May 2008, 6:35 pm

Amputee Sprinter Wins Olympic Appeal to CompeteDr. Eggman writes "Oscar Pistorius, a 21-year-old South African double-amputee sprinter, has won his appeal filed with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. This overturns a ban imposed by the International Association of Athletics Federations, and allows Mr. Pistorius the chance to compete against other able-bodied athletes for a chance at a place on the South African team for the Beijing Olympics. He currently holds the 400-meter Paralympic world sprinting record, but must improve on his time by 1.01 seconds to meet the Olympic qualification standard. However, even if Pistorius fails to get the qualifying time, South African selectors could add Oscar to the Olympic 1,600-meter relay squad."Read more of this story at Slashdot.
» 16 May 2008, 4:28 pm

$100 Laptop Platform Moves OnThe BBC is reporting that Sugar Labs is planning on taking "Sugar", the XO laptop's innovative interface, to the next level and distribute to a broader audience. "Sugar is a user interface that allows children to collaborate even when working on different machines. For example, they can write documents or make music together. The open source software also contains a journal and automatically saves and backs up all data. [...] Sugar Labs will work closely with developers from the open source community to develop the user interface for other computers and operating systems. It has already been bundled with the most recent releases of the Ubuntu and Fedora Linux operating systems."Read more of this story at Slashdot.
» 16 May 2008, 3:15 pm

Lockheed Martin Awarded GPSIIID Ninja writes "Yesterday, Lockheed Martin was awarded the $1.4 billion Air Force contract to build the next-generation global positioning satellite system. This occurred after a series of delays as the Air Force decided between Lockheed and the competing bidding contractor, Boeing Co. 'GPS III, will give new navigation warfare (NAVWAR) capabilities to shut off GPS service to a limited geographical location while providing GPS to US and allied forces. GPS III will offer significant improvements in navigation capabilities by improving interoperability and jam resistance. The procurement of the GPS III system is planned for multiple blocks, with the GPS IIIA portion currently underway. GPS IIIA includes all of the GPS IIF capability plus up t
» 16 May 2008, 2:21 pm

Senators OK $1 Billion for Online Child Porn FightA Bill that could allocate more than $1 billion over the next eight years to combat those who trade in child pornography has been unanimously approved by a Senate panel. "The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted to send an amended version of the Combating Child Exploitation Act, chiefly sponsored by Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.), to the full slate of politicians for a vote. [...] An amendment adopted Thursday also adds new sections to the original bill that would rewrite existing child pornography laws. One section is designed to make it clear that live Webcam broadcasts of child abuse are illegal, which the bill's authors argue is an "open question." Another change is aimed at closing another perceived loophole, prohibiting digital alter
» 16 May 2008, 1:30 pm

Shape-Shifting Malware Hits the WebStony Stevenson writes to tell us that in a recent interview, Marc Henauer has revealed that security researchers are falling behind now that malware is starting to be able to change its signature every few hours. "Unfortunately the know-how and construction kits used to create this shape-shifting threat are now readily available and are unleashing a wave of malware based on social engineering techniques. [...] Sweeney believes that a non rules-based monitoring process must be set up to defend all ingress and egress points covering SMTP, DNS, HTTP(s), IM etc."Read more of this story at Slashdot.
» 16 May 2008, 12:48 pm

Dutch Voting Machines De-CertifiedPeer writes "The dutch government has officially decided that it will no longer use voting machines (Babel Fish Translation) for elections. So it's pencil and paper from now on. Activists have been campaigning against the use of voting machines for some time."Read more of this story at Slashdot.
» 16 May 2008, 12:01 pm

DARPA Celebrates 50 Years of Pushing the Envelopeholy_calamity writes "The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency was founded in 1958 after the Soviets shocked the world by launching Sputnik. New Scientist recounts the history of the agency charged with protecting the US from 'technological surprise' and lists some of its most spectacular successes and failures."Read more of this story at Slashdot.
» 16 May 2008, 11:09 am

Keeping Customer From Accessing My Database?cyteen02 writes "We run a data processing and tracking system for a customer in the UK. We provide a simple Web site where the customer can display the tracking data held in our Oracle database. From these screens they can query based on a combination of 15 different data fields, so it's pretty flexible. We also provide a csv report overnight of the previous day's data processing, which they can load into their own SQL Server database and produce whatever reports they want. Occasionally they also want one-off specific detailed reports, so we write the SQL for that and send them the results in an Excel format spreadsheet. This all ticks along happily. However they have now asked for direct read-only access to our Oracle database, to be able
» 16 May 2008, 10:36 am

tailrank

Huckabee jokes about Obama ducking a gunmanWatch Huckabee's joke at the NRA Convention Friday. (starting at 0:50). (CNN) - During a speech before the National Rifle Association convention Friday afternoon in Louisville, Kentucky, former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee -- who has endorsed presumptive GOP nominee John McCain -- ...
» 16 May 2008, 12:20 pm

Obama Admires BushOver the last week or so, it has staged an armed assault on the democratic government of Lebanon. He called on "all those who have influence with Hezbollah" to "press them to stand down. Hezbollah is one of the world's most radical terrorist organizations. Does he really believe that Hezbollah is a ...
» 16 May 2008, 5:25 am

What Went Wrong?Endings are rarely as joyous as beginnings--and in the case of a long, wearing, and ultimately disappointing campaign, they can be downright brutal. Many answers fell into a handful of broad themes we've been hearing for months now. She should have kept Bill chained in the basement at Whitehaven with ...
» 16 May 2008, 2:13 am

McCain widens dialogue on blogsJohn McCain's presidential campaign is trying to tap a new audience of potential voters by taking his campaign message straight to liberal and nonpolitical issues-based blogs, which reach millions of readers but don't often delve into conservative politics. McCain invited non-conservative bloggers to ...
» 16 May 2008, 6:44 am

Data Portability: It's The New Walled GardenThe scuffle today between Facebook and Google has very little to do with user privacy and everything to do with user control. A huge battle is underway between Google, MySpace and Facebook around control of user profiles and, therefore, users themselves. ...
» 16 May 2008, 2:21 am

Huckabee jokes at NRA conference about someone trying to shoot ObamaStupid , and doubtless to receive plenty of attention since it's useful to so many groups. […] Read the rest »
» 16 May 2008, 2:21 pm

Cowboy QB drops JessicaDallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, left, and singer Jessica Simpson. Jessica Simpson's representatives continue to insist the duo are still a couple. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, left, and singer Jessica Simpson. In addition, Romo's friend said the talented QB has been put off by the intrusive ...
» 16 May 2008, 7:25 am

Wildlife populations 'plummeting'Between a quarter and a third of the world's wildlife has been lost since 1970, says the Living Planet Index.
» 15 May 2008, 11:57 pm

The White House Changes TargetsEd Gillespie, gaggling to reporters today in Saudi Arabia, said that the White House really meant to Get Carter, not Obama: "We did not anticipate that it would be taken that way, because its kind of hard to take it that way when you look at the actual words. ...
» 16 May 2008, 12:11 pm

Bush Rebuffed on Oil Plea in Saudi ArabiaNo summary
» 16 May 2008, 10:10 am

techcrunch

Blabnote: The Voice-Only Social Network. Say What?It seems a given that mobile social networking is going to be “the next big thing”, but squinting at tiny text is still a pain on today’s phones. To deal with this issue, Blabnote, a British startup that is currently in private beta, has created what may be the world’s first “vocal social network.” [...]
» 16 May 2008, 8:03 pm

Friday Survey: Do You Own An iPhone?It’s coming up on a year since the iPhone was released, and the second version appears to be just around the corner. So it’s a good time to check in with our readers and see just how many of you actually use the device. Please take a second and let us know where you stand. [...]
» 16 May 2008, 6:39 pm

Battle Over Data Ownership on Gillmor GangEpic Gillmor Gang today. Everyone went in with guns blazing over the data portability/ownership debate that has spilled out over the Facebook/Google scuffle. DataPortability founder Chris Saad was also on the call, but failed to take a leadership position in the debate (he did, however, weigh in with a blog post on the subject before [...]
» 16 May 2008, 5:37 pm

Storyblender Brings a Goofy Side to Casual AnimationStoryblender, which recently launched in private beta, is a new casual animation platform that will appeal to users who want customized movies in a hurry. The site was a presenter at TechCrunch 40. If you’d like to try it out, you can grab one of 500 invites here. The site is straightforward, which is [...]
» 16 May 2008, 5:29 pm

Breaking: Condé Nast/Wired Acquires Ars TechnicaCondé Nast has acquired popular technology blog Ars Technica (ranked #5 all time on the BloggerBoard), we’ve confirmed. The site will become part of Wired Digital (which in turn is under CondéNet, run by Sarah Chubb). Wired Digital assets include Wired.com and Reddit (acquired in 2006). The acquisition price will not be disclosed, but our [...]
» 16 May 2008, 1:40 pm

Become a Virtual NewsCopter Passenger on AirFox LiveChicago’s Fox affiliate WFLD has launched AirFox Live, a mashup whose spec list reads like a technophile’s pipe dream. The site combines a helicopter, GPS, live video, and Google Maps to produce a realtime data stream of the network’s newscopter that serves as uniquely informative eye-candy. Live video taken from the helicopter’s cameras are displayed [...]
» 16 May 2008, 11:30 am

Live Universe Picking Up Jangl’s PiecesJust over a week ago the founders of and five engineers from VoIP services provider Jangl left for Jajah after the company failed to find a proper suitor. Following their departure, it was unclear what would happen to Jangl’s assets and remaining staff. Now we hear from multiple sources close to the deal that Live [...]
» 16 May 2008, 11:11 am

What Windows Might Look Like On The OLPCGoogle’s Bob Lee creates a much better image to go with our post yesterday about One Laptop Per Child and Windows teaming up. More at CrunchGear. CrunchBase Information One Laptop Per Child Information provided by CrunchBase Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0
» 16 May 2008, 10:26 am

Danish Mobile Social Network ZYB Acquired By Vodafone For €31.5 millionZYB, a mobile social network that we gave high marks to in August 2007, has been acquired by Vodafone for €31.5 million, or about $50 million. The company had raised just €3 million in venture capital. ZYB was smart in how they built their service. At first they were a simple address book backup-to-web service. But [...]
» 16 May 2008, 2:09 am

Data Portability: It’s The New Walled GardenThe scuffle today between Facebook and Google has very little to do with user privacy and everything to do with user control. A huge battle is underway between Google, MySpace and Facebook around control of user profiles and, therefore, users themselves. And their three new products, Data Availability, Facebook Connect, and Friend Connect, are all [...]
» 16 May 2008, 1:22 am

Android vs. LiMo: What’s the difference?With LiMo’s recent announcement that Verizon had hopped onto their Board of Directors, things are starting to heat up between the LiMo platform and Google’s competing product, Android. Both are open-source Linux-based platforms, and both are aiming to rock the handset market sometime in the next year or so. LiMo is Linux-based. Android is Linux-based. [...]
» 16 May 2008, 1:15 am