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Thursday, May 31, 2001

Article about the history of

Article about the history of Paint-by-Number sets. "In the hurry to launch the product, [Palmer Paint] inadvertently confused the palette on the very first set, The Bullfight, with the result that consumers ended up with a picture of a beige matador waving a blue cape at a bright green bull. Rare surviving examples of this accidental exercise in Fauvism are worth a great deal to today's collectors." Link [discuss]

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 04:00:41 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Evolutionary psychologist Geoffrey Miller "proposes

Evolutionary psychologist Geoffrey Miller "proposes that the human mind's most impressive, baffling abilities are courtship tools, evolved to attract and entertain sexual partners." Link [discuss]

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 03:57:04 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Thar's a whole mess o'

Thar's a whole mess o' Wilf Carter MP3s on alt.binaries.sounds.78rpm-era right now. Grab 'em while ya can, pardner. [discuss]

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 12:38:49 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Good NYT story about the

Good NYT story about the Kaycee (the leukemia-stricken young weblogger) hoax. Link [discuss]

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 08:23:07 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Wednesday, May 30, 2001

Richard Wallace's wonderful chatterbot ALICE

Richard Wallace's wonderful chatterbot ALICE has appropriately taken up residence on the promotional site for Spielberg's A.I. Link [discuss]

posted by David Pescovitz at 09:42:28 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The bot they used in

The bot they used in this cybersex chat promotion for the movie Center of the World seems to be an order of magnitude dumber than dumber than Eliza. Link [discuss]

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 09:29:17 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Our resident Disneyologist, Cory Doctorow,

Our resident Disneyologist, Cory Doctorow, is on vacation, so I'll be wearing his four-fingered gloves in the meantime. Here's an article from the LA Times about disneyauctions.com, which is doing better than expected. For example, a sign at the Harbor Boulevard entrance to Disneyland in Anaheim went for $30,700. Link [discuss]

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 09:10:11 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Tuesday, May 29, 2001

While we wait for Blogger

While we wait for Blogger to come out of the cyrogenic tank, we're going to use QuickTopic. It's harder for me to add to each posting, so I might burn out on it. [discuss]

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 01:00:40 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Monday, May 28, 2001

This magazine from 1979 called

This magazine from 1979 called "Future Life" looks amazing! Gerard K. O'Neill on "How to Build A Space Colony," Tim Leary on "Evolution," and Jane Fonda on "Filming Nuclear Disasters!" Future Life looks like an evolutionary predecessor of RU Sirius' pre-Mondo 2000 'zines High Frontiers and Reality Hackers! Link [discuss]

posted by David Pescovitz at 05:52:23 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

David and I went to

David and I went to Zorthian's 90th birthday party on Saturday. He's a painter and sculptor who lives on a big ranch in the hills of Alta Dena. What a character! He was dressed like Bacchus and he had 10 naked "nymphettes" tending to him, feeding him grapes and kissing him. (When they weren't kissing each other.) Sorry, I forgot to bring a camera. His ranch has huge piles of junk all over it -- tires, railroad ties, sinks, bathtubs, corrugated tin roofing, bundles of newspapers. He used to trade art lessons for science lessons with CalTech's Richard Feynman. In the '50s, Charlie Parker would play sessions at his place. Here are some paintings by him.Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 09:18:25 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Friday, May 25, 2001

My sister emailed me: Hi

My sister emailed me: Hi Mark: I was volunteering at Calvin's school a couple days ago, and one of my jobs was to take down little pieces of paper that were stuck onto a fake indoor tree, on which the 3rd graders had written their Earth Day pledges. Most of them were pretty predictable, like "I will pick up trash and try not to use the car". But some kids probably weren't listening to the teacher's instructions, or just had some really ambitious ideas, and some must have been clueless. Here are a few that I saved, kids' spelling and all:

1. I like to Dirt Bike at night. Connor 2. The is Earth day I' will not smoke pull weeds no speed boats. Jordan L. 3. This Earth Day I will not use to many things made from factorys. Lisa 4. This Earth Day I am going to respect our inviorment. 5. I like to play tag and sports. Logan 6. This Earth day I will play Playstation. 7. On earth day I plan to realax and eat. and sleap. 8. I like the hard groud so you can play baseball and kickball. Jacob 9. When your hiking "take only pictures and leave only footprints." Don't be a Roman. Dont pollute or litter. Emily 10. This Earth day don't shoot animals for fun and make animals feel safe. 11. On Sunday or Saturday I'm going to walk my dog and pick up rocks. Jackie 12. If you camp and set up a tent Put it away. 13. For this Earth Day I am not gowing to pollute the Earth like not riding over the grass because my wheels are really dirty. Kelsey

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 04:01:45 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Fun shockwave timewaster. Build a

Fun shockwave timewaster. Build a mobile. (Thanks Minitrue!) Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 03:29:59 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Thursday, May 24, 2001

My last link before I

My last link before I go on holidays! Graveyard for dead websites. Link (Thanks, ronks!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:00:20 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Three new killer fonts from

Three new killer fonts from House Industries (the best font designers around). Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 04:56:59 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Tomorrow morning, I leave for

Tomorrow morning, I leave for my first totally unmediated (no computers, no phones) holiday in something like six years. I'm going to be gone until June 10. Obviously, I won't be posting any links between now and then, and so I leave you in Mark and Pesco's capable hands, while I go off to sit on a beach in Costa Rica.

posted by Cory Doctorow at 06:47:49 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Historical preservation society devoted to

Historical preservation society devoted to Walt Disney's personal train-set. Link (via Memepool)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:03:11 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Etch-a-sketch portraits! Link (via Memepool)

Etch-a-sketch portraits! Link (via Memepool)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:01:42 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Wednesday, May 23, 2001

Streaming MP3 interview with Scott

Streaming MP3 interview with Scott Adams, Dilbert's creator, about his new e-book release. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:59:29 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Inserting virtual product placement in

Inserting virtual product placement in reruns. Link (via Slashdot)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:58:37 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Vigorous discussion of OpenCola's SwarmCast

Vigorous discussion of OpenCola's SwarmCast release on Slashdot. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:57:34 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Find out if you're crazy

Find out if you're crazy enough to get benefits for it. Link (Thanks, Terri!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:51:11 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

You thought sponges were gross

You thought sponges were gross -- check out what's happening in your wallet. Link (Thanks, cmbegle!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:49:49 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The BlogVoices comment system is

The BlogVoices comment system is effed. I've removed it for now. Sorry!

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:29:21 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

It's official: the mayor of

It's official: the mayor of Toronto has been dipping his wick. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:46:21 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

This interesting Oakland-based artist (artists?),

This interesting Oakland-based artist (artists?), Sunbrothers, "grows" stunningly lifelike photovoltaic plants with metal, wood, solar panels, hand glown glass rosebuds, and color-shifting LEDs! Link

posted by David Pescovitz at 02:37:41 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Tuesday, May 22, 2001

The Winchester Mystery House is

The Winchester Mystery House is the crazy Addams Family mansion that the widow of the Winchester fortune built in San Jose with twisting rooms and dead-ending stairs in order to confuse the spirits. The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum is the place to go if you've always suspected that you're not really just a middle-aged white guy with a management position, but really a reincarnated Egyptian priest. The two are only a couple miles apart, but apparently the links go deeper than that. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:24:57 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Battlebots is filming live in

Battlebots is filming live in San Francisco this week! Link (Thanks, Stefan!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:21:45 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

File under "I never suspected

File under "I never suspected that it existed, but now that I know it does, I can't believe I lived my life in ignorance of it." Kinetic sculpture races! Link (Thanks, Stefan!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:20:14 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Sad finale to the story

Sad finale to the story of the auctioning of the first Mickey Mouse sketches. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:18:43 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

New Linux virus fixes your

New Linux virus fixes your computer. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:16:51 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Further proof of California's general

Further proof of California's general suckiness: Sausalito Declares Cholesterol-Free Zone. Link (Thanks, lmc!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:10:25 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Think that your RTF files

Think that your RTF files can't be use to transmit macro virii? Think again. Link (Thanks, biscuit!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:24:16 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The Register hands out this

The Register hands out this year's email disclaimer awards -- longest, dumbest, etc. Wish I'd known about this in time to submit my own. Link (via Slashdot)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:07:58 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Faking illness online is now

Faking illness online is now an official syndrome. Link (via MeFi)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:06:21 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Taleban requires Afghani Hindus to

Taleban requires Afghani Hindus to wear identifying clothing, a la yellow stars and pink triangles. Don't even ask about what they do to Buddhists. Link (via MeFi)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:05:06 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Kaycee hoax FAQ. Boy, that

Kaycee hoax FAQ. Boy, that Internet! Link (via MeFi)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:03:37 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Familiar Linux -- the Linux

Familiar Linux -- the Linux flavor that runs on the iPaq PDA -- has had its first "stable" release. Link (Thanks, rtswimm)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:54:57 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

James "Fuck San Francisco" Barnett's

James "Fuck San Francisco" Barnett's amazing paintings. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:52:55 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Monday, May 21, 2001

In California? Used to be

In California? Used to be in California? Related to someone who is or was? The California Unclaimed Property BBS is the place to search for bank accounts, bonds and trusts that you or someone you love may have plum forgot. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:29:57 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Terrific, highly caffeinated Wagner James

Terrific, highly caffeinated Wagner James Au piece on the softcore porn at the E3 conference.

The hypesters can try all they want to market gaming as a cultural force destined to overtake Hollywood, but the industry's dogged unwillingness (or inability) to join the mainstream right now is about as obvious as a too-big silicone tit stuffed into a too-small T-shirt.

Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:25:10 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Software glitch in standardized test

Software glitch in standardized test scoring sends students to summer school, gets teachers unfairly suspended. Link (via Slashdot)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:17:24 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

"Imagine something the size of

"Imagine something the size of a baby hippo, the color of a week-old boiled potato, that lives by itself, in the dark, in a double-wide on the outskirts of Topeka. It's covered with eyes and it sweats constantly. The sweat runs into those eyes and makes them sting. It has no mouth, no genitals and can only express its mute extremes of murderous rage and infantile desire by changing channels on a universal remote. Or by voting in presedential elections." Idoru, William Gibson. I've been trying to draw a clear mental picture of the "average" boingboing.net reader in my head -- I sure hope you aren't one of Gibson's mute channel-changers. Click the discuss link and tell me something about yourself!

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:13:19 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Your dishwashing sponge has soaked

Your dishwashing sponge has soaked up entire colonies of icky, squicky bacteria. Run and hide. Link (Thanks, cmbegle)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:06:46 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The Throne is a stately

The Throne is a stately and elegant wood surround for boring porcelain commodes. Link

posted by David Pescovitz at 01:34:39 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Metro is the world's most

Metro is the world's most obsessive Palm app. A guide to the subway systems of the world, Metro catalogs and produces route information for (all?) 175 different mass transit systems, in something like 15 languages. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:10:45 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Incredible New Yorker piece on

Incredible New Yorker piece on crisis-management in the Ultima Online Universe. Weirder and weirder, I tell ya. Link (via Robot Wisdom)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:41:39 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Kaycee was a young blogger

Kaycee was a young blogger who'd overcome leukemia. Last week, she died suddenly of an aneurism, prompting touching, heartfelt expressions of grief from around the blogging world. Only, maybe she didn't. It appears that Kaycee may have been a hoax. God, the Internet gets weirder every day. Lots of people are real angry and hurt and feel cheated and used. This is crazy stuff. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:34:48 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Weird semi-comprehensible prank (?) front-page

Weird semi-comprehensible prank (?) front-page at Metafilter. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:29:56 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Starting today, all new Macs

Starting today, all new Macs will ship with OSX installed. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:27:00 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Software glitch gives Canadians free

Software glitch gives Canadians free long-distance from payphone. Lines form, riots ensue. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:23:19 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Writer Sue Townsend has begun

Writer Sue Townsend has begun (?) a column in The Guardian, writing as my favorite literary character, Adrian Mole. Link (Thanks, Amanda!) Update: Scott, a reader, writes to say that Townsend's been doing the column for over a year. Man, you Transatlantics have all the fun!

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:08:45 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Just as I always suspected:

Just as I always suspected: Jetlag shrinks your brain. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:07:15 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Lesbian prom king causes turmoil!

Lesbian prom king causes turmoil! "It's not clear whether the vote was intended as a joke or a political statement." Link (Thanks, Gil!)

posted by David Pescovitz at 09:34:14 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Was the infamous Patterson-Gimlin 1967

Was the infamous Patterson-Gimlin 1967 film clip of Sasquatch really footage of a lumbering human sporting a hoax hairball suit fabricated by Hollywood make-up master John "Planet of the Apes" Chambers? I hope not! Link

posted by David Pescovitz at 09:28:52 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Matchstick Rockets! Fun! Link

Matchstick Rockets! Fun! Link

posted by David Pescovitz at 09:18:33 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Sunday, May 20, 2001

Greetings from Munich! My eyemodule

Greetings from Munich! My eyemodule journal today has some nice shots of my wanderings here in Munchen. Goovy science museum power-generation apparatus! Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 05:47:56 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Internet-based custom breakfast-cereal subscription service.

Internet-based custom breakfast-cereal subscription service. An idea whose time has come. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:42:40 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

New legistlation seeks to ban

New legistlation seeks to ban access to anonymizing Internet services (including Hotmail, possibly) on US-Government funded Internet terminals in libraries, schools, etc. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:38:02 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

AOL forces AIMster to give

AOL forces AIMster to give up domain-names on the basis of trademark infringment. Link (via Slashdot)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:36:02 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Software-based radio antennae! Link (via

Software-based radio antennae! Link (via Slashdot)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:34:22 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Funny (but snotty) New Yorker

Funny (but snotty) New Yorker piece on Ellen "The Rules" Fein's divorce.Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:26:53 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Early Mickey Mouse art auction

Early Mickey Mouse art auction boondoggle. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:20:43 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Disarming rapists -- al dente.

Disarming rapists -- al dente. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:19:31 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

It's a dark day for

It's a dark day for polygamists in Utah. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:18:23 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Friday, May 18, 2001

Sure, your drinking buddies are

Sure, your drinking buddies are all jerks, but that doesn't mean you don't miss 'em when you're getting tanked alone in your grimy underwear. The talking beer-opener can fill the void, with conversation that's at least as erudite as your pals'. Link (Thanks, Dan!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 03:10:17 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Time Machine news: "Ronald Mallett,

Time Machine news: "Ronald Mallett, a professor of theoretical physics at Connecticut University ... has worked out that a circulating beam of light, slowed to a snail's pace, just might be the vital ingredient for time travel. Not only is the technology within our grasp, Mallett has teamed up with other scientists at Connecticut to work towards building it. 'With this device,' he says, 'time travel may become a practical possibility.'" Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 11:48:24 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Dunseith sez: "The worlds largest

Dunseith sez: "The worlds largest grain silo, in Montreal Quebec, has been empty since 1997. Someone has hooked up a microphone, and some speakers inside of it, and anyone is free to play sounds inside the massive silo. Most noises resonate for about 20 seconds - even the most hideous sounds become euphonous when played in the Silophone." I heard the "Meow meow meow commericial" and it was amazing!Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 09:13:48 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Hogan's Heroes isn't just a

Hogan's Heroes isn't just a sitcom about Nazi POW camps anymore. Now's its a forthcoming movie, too. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:59:03 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Thursday, May 17, 2001

Now, this what e-commerce is

Now, this what e-commerce is for: buying human bones online. Link (via Gutter Sludge)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 06:50:45 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

If you can play ukulele

If you can play ukulele this well, I officially hate you. Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 05:50:40 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

New jargon: "Assoline." Methane when

New jargon: "Assoline." Methane when used as a fuel-source. (Thanks, dbob!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 04:26:04 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The former CEO of Webvan

The former CEO of Webvan has a hell of a golden parachute. As part of his severance, he'll collect $375,000 every year for the rest of his life (and if he dies before his wife, she gets it until she goes). The company also forgave him a $6.7 million loan (let him pay it back with toilet-paper stock). The guy's last job? Running Andersen Consulting. Hrm. I'd always suspected that the first duty of management consultants was to see to it that they got paid, no matter what. I am filled with rage. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 04:14:28 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Souvenir-hunting tourists FedEx their shells

Souvenir-hunting tourists FedEx their shells and sand back to Hawai'i after their trophies bring the vengeance of Queen Pele down upon their fortunes. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 02:29:20 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The Gekko is a German-made

The Gekko is a German-made suction-cup for use in climbing sheer buildings. Want. Link (via Slashdot)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:50:37 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Today is the Web's tenth

Today is the Web's tenth birthday. Link (via MeFi)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:48:59 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Douglas Adams was an avid

Douglas Adams was an avid supporter of the Save the Rhino foundation. Read his amazing account of climbing Kilimanjaro in a rhino suit. Link (sorry, due to abysmal design in the site, it's impossible to link directly to the article. Click on "Standard," then "News.")

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:49:29 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Stefan sez: "Sick little monkey

Stefan sez: "Sick little monkey Patrick Farley has finally released "Apocamon," an manga-style adaptation of the Book of the Apocalypse." Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 11:44:49 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Banish depression through anal clenching:Constricting

Banish depression through anal clenching:

Constricting anus 100 times is effective for sex hormone, anti-aging, good-bye depression, fine life, beauty treatment, intuition, hair loss, conjugal affection.

Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:49:19 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The Audio-Spotlight: project a beam

The Audio-Spotlight: project a beam of sound surrounded by silence. Link (via Factovision)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:48:47 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Egg a Spice Girl, get

Egg a Spice Girl, get a head-butt. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:47:56 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Birds in Denmark are starting

Birds in Denmark are starting to imitate cell-phone ring tones. Link (via Factovision)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:47:28 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Orthodox fundamentalist Christians speak out

Orthodox fundamentalist Christians speak out against Christian Rock.

"'Christian rock' has hindered my life because the only difference between 'Christian rock' and secular rock is the words. The beat, rhythm, and the melody are not different; they are the same.

"It does not matter whether I listen to secular or 'Christian rock,' when the songs are over, I feel the same. I feel an emptiness in my soul, a heavy burden. Even 'Christian rock' sometimes makes me feel like going out and getting rowdy or even hurting someone else if they provoke me, and that is against all of God's teachings, and everything God stands for. So get rid of all rock!!!"

Link (via Memepool)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:23:11 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Marvel Comics abandons the 50-year-old,

Marvel Comics abandons the 50-year-old, McCarthy-eque Comics Code. And not a moment too soon. Link (via Memepool)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:18:30 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Sneaky Utah cell phone tower

Sneaky Utah cell phone tower camouflaged as a tree in Provo. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:09:51 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Website devoted to "Mike, the

Website devoted to "Mike, the Headless Chicken" -- a sideshow chicken from the 40s that lived after being decapitated. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:03:56 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Andrew Leonard on the demise

Andrew Leonard on the demise of Eazel this morning in Salon. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 06:51:21 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Wednesday, May 16, 2001

Having "sex" in your surname

Having "sex" in your surname gets you into trouble with profanity filters. Censorware sucks. Link (Thanks, biscuit!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:05:27 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The <ahem> Medical Bulletin Board

The <ahem> Medical Bulletin Board for Alex Chiu's Immortality Ring website is fantastic. Sample:

I would like to know if a 13 year old used the rings, would they grow normally untill a certain age, or keep on looking like a 13 year old for hundreds of years? Thanks in advance

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 08:36:07 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Neat directory of mini things

Neat directory of mini things by my mini-sized friend, Meri. Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 04:46:01 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

He's a maniac, maniac, oh

He's a maniac, maniac, oh oh oh. Link (Thanks, krishnac!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 04:41:11 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Head-shaver's FAQ. Link (via Follow

Head-shaver's FAQ. Link (via Follow Me Here)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 04:28:25 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Psychiatrists analyze Harry Potter. Link

Psychiatrists analyze Harry Potter. Link (via Follow Me Here)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 04:26:42 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Incredible review of two incredible

Incredible review of two incredible bios of Groucho Marx. Link (via Follow Me Here)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 04:16:17 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

71 year old train-robber returns

71 year old train-robber returns from Rio to England to serve out his sentence -- 31 years after going into exile. This is an amazing story; the robber's son is a Brazilian pop star, kidnappers have tried to take the robber back to the UK, he recorded with the Sex Pistols and produced a home alarm system. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 04:06:14 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Excellent history of weblogs. Link

Excellent history of weblogs. Link (Thanks, judith!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 03:58:33 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Pie the Prime Minister of

Pie the Prime Minister of Canada, go to jail. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 03:41:03 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Newsweek piece on BSE reveals

Newsweek piece on BSE reveals chilling factoids about hot dog production.

An American hot dog, for example, can contain up to 20 percent “mechanically separated meat,” which the government describes as “a paste-like and batter-like meat product produced by forcing bones with attached edible meat under high pressure through a sieve ...”

Link (via Robotnik)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:07:11 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The Hubble Constant is 42

The Hubble Constant is 42 -- Douglas Adams was prescient beyond his knowing. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:03:36 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Hacking your Dreamcast with open-source

Hacking your Dreamcast with open-source tools. Link (Thanks, John!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:05:19 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Halfbakery: Post and vote on

Halfbakery: Post and vote on half-baked ideas. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:57:33 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Stock exchange for futuristic predictions.

Stock exchange for futuristic predictions. Link (Thanks, Dan!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:50:36 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

A Virtual Visit to the

A Virtual Visit to the Tiki Room: .wav files of the entire soundtrack for Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:49:38 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Space Age City: Googie architecture,

Space Age City: Googie architecture, tikis, and Ray Bradbury, Master of imagination. Link (via MeFi)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:28:14 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

'Monkey man' hysteria grips New

'Monkey man' hysteria grips New Delhi. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:05:45 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Tuesday, May 15, 2001

Scott Adams -- the creator

Scott Adams -- the creator of Dilbert -- is abandoning traditional publishers with his next book and selling it direct through dilbert.com. Link (via Brainlog)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:34:58 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

OpenCola makes its first code-release.

OpenCola makes its first code-release. Be the first kid on your block to compile OpenCola SwarmCast at home! Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:08:41 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Gallery of "Silicone Bouncing Putty"

Gallery of "Silicone Bouncing Putty" art and sculpture. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:05:38 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

What's better than 50 lbs

What's better than 50 lbs of Silly Putty? 100+ lbs of "Coral Putty" (AKA "3179 Dilatent Compound") direct from Dow Corning, of course. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:04:02 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Vintage and antique trailer restoration.

Vintage and antique trailer restoration. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:59:07 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Great snotty recipe for making

Great snotty recipe for making MacOS computing clusters. Three steps, followed by this legend:

Note: To build a Beowulf, a Linux-based cluster, we think the following 230-page book is an excellent introduction: T. L. Sterling, J. Salmon, D. J. Becker, and D. F. Savarese,How to Build a Beowulf, [MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, USA, 1999].

Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:45:21 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Internet standards body describes standards

Internet standards body describes standards for "responsible" spamming. Link (via Slashdot)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:38:26 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Vegas outcall services phreak each

Vegas outcall services phreak each others' phones to redirect incoming business. Link (via Slashdot)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:25:32 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

50 Gigaflop G4 Mac cluster!

50 Gigaflop G4 Mac cluster! Link (Thanks, George!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:10:12 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Apple to open 20+ retail

Apple to open 20+ retail stores across the US. Link (Thanks, George!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:07:29 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Naked Napster: Nudester! Link (Thanks,

Naked Napster: Nudester! Link (Thanks, Fred!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 06:57:02 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Bruce Shneier's Crypto-Gram computer security

Bruce Shneier's Crypto-Gram computer security bulletin is terrific, and this week's is especially tasty, with thought-provoking analogies to military defences, a good piece on the futuility of digital rights management, and good meaty stuff about standards. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 06:44:13 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

"Humans are educated so stupid..."

"Humans are educated so stupid..." Learn the truth from Gene Ray. (Thanks Stefan!) Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 04:53:02 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

In response to your overwhelming

In response to your overwhelming demand, I've started a ukulele weblog, called Ukulelia. I hope the server doesn't crash from the flood of people who will surely rush to the site. Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 04:45:36 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

A while back, David posted

A while back, David posted a series of mug shots chronicling the demise of a woman. Here's another one, even sadder. Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 11:44:12 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Very nice history of the

Very nice history of the Paint-by-Number kit. Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 09:01:01 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Wired.com has removed the capability

Wired.com has removed the capability for searching back-issues of Wired magazine! Bastards. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:29:25 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Warning: Adult content. Albequerque health

Warning: Adult content. Albequerque health inspectors go after a burlesque house on violations related to the serving of pizza during a bizarre ping-pong ball show. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:54:40 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

J.R.R. Tolkien reading from Lord

J.R.R. Tolkien reading from Lord of the Rings in streaming MP3 on Salon. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:20:54 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Time Brenners-Lee gets Royal science

Time Brenners-Lee gets Royal science thingie award. Apparently, the Queen thinks he kicks ass. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:18:07 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

13 year old student commits

13 year old student commits suicide after being suspended for hacking. Link (Thanks, Dan!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:07:06 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Monday, May 14, 2001

Interesting NYT article related to

Interesting NYT article related to my personal meta-obsession: Wunderkammern! Link (Thanks, Ms. Shreve!)

posted by David Pescovitz at 10:55:49 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Coleman's swanky stainless-steel cooler. Link

Coleman's swanky stainless-steel cooler. Link (Thanks, Joey!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:16:12 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Terrific pay-for-download audio programs at

Terrific pay-for-download audio programs at Audible.com -- I'm downloading three hours of Groucho Marx right now. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:05:53 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

I can't imagine that "Euro

I can't imagine that "Euro Disneyland Fuhrer" means what I think it means, but now I own this. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:40:30 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Power tools with pro-wrestler names.

Power tools with pro-wrestler names. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:03:36 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Beetle Bailey's creator to auction

Beetle Bailey's creator to auction off Walt Disney's first Mickey Mouse drawing to pay the rent at his animation museum. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:06:38 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Hilarious Malaysian warning sign. Link

Hilarious Malaysian warning sign. Link (Thanks, Steve!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 06:31:26 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

"Brag pages" for kiddie beauty

"Brag pages" for kiddie beauty pageant contestants. Yikes! (Thanks, Jenny!) Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 01:43:29 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Romania thirsts for a Dracula

Romania thirsts for a Dracula theme park. (Thanks, Gil!)Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 01:35:03 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Great piece by Richard "Selfish

Great piece by Richard "Selfish Gene" Dawkins on Douglas Adams. (Thanks, Stefan!) Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 01:33:39 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Napster alternatives use "spyware" to

Napster alternatives use "spyware" to data-mine their networks and make a buck. Link (Thanks, Marc!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:08:29 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Sumo wrestlers in Sailor Moon

Sumo wrestlers in Sailor Moon drag. Link (Thanks, cynsa!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:24:40 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Home life in 2000, according

Home life in 2000, according to 1950. Link (Thanks, mim!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:55:22 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Patent granted for an Internet-aware

Patent granted for an Internet-aware alarmclock that will wake you early when the weather's bad and let you sleep in when traffic's good. Link (Thanks, ronks!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:38:52 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Crazy novel-kabbalah, the "Jane Chord."

Crazy novel-kabbalah, the "Jane Chord." Link (Thanks, Derryl!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:03:50 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Pest-control problems at Disney's new

Pest-control problems at Disney's new California Adventure prompts the keeping of birds of prey onsite. Link (Thanks, Fawn!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:29:22 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

SF writer takes up the

SF writer takes up the more lucrative field of being an "elite escort." At two grand per night, she could make as much in three nights as she'd probably get for her first novel. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:26:30 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Cool advance word on the

Cool advance word on the new Coen Brothers movie. Link (via Robot Wisdom)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:12:13 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Is the law copyrighted? Link

Is the law copyrighted? Link (via Slashdot)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:06:47 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Sunday, May 13, 2001

Inside the life of a

Inside the life of a celebrity personal assistant: "When you're not kissing ass, you're wiping it." Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:02:11 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Norman Spinrad is the newly

Norman Spinrad is the newly minted president of the Science Fiction Writers of America. He's also selling the US rights to his novel for a dollar. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:00:38 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Awesome gear for the cop,

Awesome gear for the cop, fireman or EMT in you from the Galls Catalog. Don't miss the body-armor deodorant spray! Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:58:32 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Excellent guide to Napster alternatives.

Excellent guide to Napster alternatives. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:44:42 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

eBay auction for a plastic

eBay auction for a plastic model: "Catwoman Tickling Batgirl!" (Thanks, Steve!) Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 09:47:47 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Saturday, May 12, 2001

Some people say Airstream trailers

Some people say Airstream trailers are the classics, but I'll take a nice old wooden Shasta any day. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:43:04 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

RIP, Douglas Adams. Aw, crap.

RIP, Douglas Adams. Aw, crap. Link (Thanks, Amanda, I guess...)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:39:37 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The Twilight Zone Tower of

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror isn't just a totally amazing ride at Walt Disney World's MGM Studios, it's also a crappy direct-to-video movie starring Steve Guttenberg in the role he was born to play: "Buzzy, a down-on-his-luck, former journalist." Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:52:32 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

If I had an unlimited

If I had an unlimited budget for Haunted Mansion schwag, I'd be bidding on this. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:48:11 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Aw, crap. Eazel, makers of

Aw, crap. Eazel, makers of super-cool Linux desktop software, are apparently going under. I sure hope it's not true, or that they find a last-minute buyer, or something, anything. This is a fabulous app, and deserves to live. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:36:55 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Craig's List help-wanted ad soliciting

Craig's List help-wanted ad soliciting drunken, abusive clown for a party. Link (Thanks, brady!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:26:40 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The folks who got doctorow.com

The folks who got doctorow.com one day before I applied for it, back in 1996, apparently don't care enough about it to notice that it was hacked over a week ago. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:24:04 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Friday, May 11, 2001

New from Acme Labs: http-ping.

New from Acme Labs: http-ping. What a cool bit of DDoS tech! Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:10:23 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

OK, you want your event's

OK, you want your event's bartender to be contientious, a good listener, skilled, and responsible. And a total goddamn hottie. Link (via Speedle)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 06:47:48 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

From food to crap, the

From food to crap, the untold story at Utne Reader. Link (via Speedle)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 06:44:59 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Not just another latex outfit

Not just another latex outfit fetish picture gallery, an inflatable latex outfit fetish picture gallery. Makes for a world of difference. Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 04:25:24 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

www.menwholooklikekennyrogers.com. I know it's stupid

www.menwholooklikekennyrogers.com. I know it's stupid but I laughed, especially at the captions - "evil eyebrow kenny!" Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 03:44:35 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Massively parallel Furby clustering. Link

Massively parallel Furby clustering. Link (via MeFi)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 02:53:16 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

It looks as if the

It looks as if the kid who created the wonderful Nosepilot shockwave cartoon is getting royally screwed by his hosting company. They are trying to stick him with a bill for over sixteen thousand dollars, even though he says his contract with the ISP was for unlimited traffic. Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 02:45:43 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Steve Wozniak's selling super-nerdy programmable

Steve Wozniak's selling super-nerdy programmable remotes. Link (via Robot Wisdom)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 02:42:17 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Trek-fans petition Paramount to release

Trek-fans petition Paramount to release all the old episodes as DivX;-) files online, for pay. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:51:58 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Thieves R Us: Mike Godwin

Thieves R Us: Mike Godwin isn't going to upgrade to a new Mac this year, because he doesn't like the built-in copyright-protection stuff that assumes that everyone who buys them is a wannabe IP-pirate. Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 12:24:39 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Great Suck rant on Intellectual

Great Suck rant on Intellectual Property. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:36:17 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

1882 article describing the subjective

1882 article describing the subjective effects of Nitrous Oxide: "...made me understand better than ever before both the strength and the weakness of Hegel's philosophy." Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:34:49 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

List of famous recreational laughing

List of famous recreational laughing gas users. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:33:18 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The US Government adopts P2P

The US Government adopts P2P distributed search for its internal networks Link (Thanks, John!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:30:42 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

PETA's sexy spay-your-cat ad on

PETA's sexy spay-your-cat ad on Adcritic. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:58:42 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

A star in Hydra has

A star in Hydra has been swallowing its own planets -- naughty, naughty! Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:03:50 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

"Every Nike Shoe I Own"

"Every Nike Shoe I Own" -- an obsessive catalogs and reviews his collection of high-end athletic footgear. Link (Thanks, Dan!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:01:09 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Amazing tale of a 14-year-old

Amazing tale of a 14-year-old honor student who recorded a novelty song about lusting after his English teacher, uploaded it to Napster where it became a hit, and is now facing the wrath of angry adults at school..... and fighting back. Link (Thanks Gil!)

posted by David Pescovitz at 07:20:15 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Thursday, May 10, 2001

Got a WiFi card? Stuck

Got a WiFi card? Stuck in an airport? Just find an Admiral's Club, set up camp outside the door and you're online with Mobilestar -- no need to join the expensive club, either. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:28:37 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Great TiVo infographic in this

Great TiVo infographic in this week's Onion. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 03:11:30 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Jesus sports-figurines. Link (Thanks, Dan!)

Jesus sports-figurines. Link (Thanks, Dan!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 02:43:42 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Literature as punishment: A judge

Literature as punishment: A judge orders two teens who attempted a car-jump after seeing it on Jackass to switch off the TV, read 12 classics each and turn in book-reports. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:31:21 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

I have a cold. I

I have a cold. I am miserable. I ache. I whine. I sniffle. I am taking everything for it -- Echinacea under the tongue and 1g time-release Vitamin C and Cold-Eeze lozenges four times daily; gallons of water, OJ, tea and soup; Tylenol and Tiger Balm for the muscle-aches. I am willing to entertain any crackpot remedy, provided that I can either get it delivered or pick it up from the Walgreen's around the corner. I hate being sick. I've already cleaned out my TiVo.

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:22:07 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

First-Aid for the Dying Dot-Com,

First-Aid for the Dying Dot-Com, from Modern Humorist. Link (Thanks, Laird!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:20:26 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Fluids for Christ! "Blood transfusions

Fluids for Christ! "Blood transfusions from UnChristian donors may have very serious side-effects for even the most devout Christians." Link (Thanks, Molly!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:13:20 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Submit your continuations to splatterpunk

Submit your continuations to splatterpunk writer Poppy Brite's new story "Rosary!" Link (Thanks, Cindy!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:51:22 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

It's a floating pool-chair, with

It's a floating pool-chair, with foot-peddled paddle-wheels and twin squirt-guns for repelling invaders. Nothing exceed like excess. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:40:24 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Vibrating, edible "Gummy" penises. Link

Vibrating, edible "Gummy" penises. Link (Thanks, fixer!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:35:02 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Forget the Man in the

Forget the Man in the Moon! This guy is the King of Mars! (Reminds me of a big fluffy bunny I saw in the clouds yesterday....) Link

posted by David Pescovitz at 09:52:21 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Wednesday, May 9, 2001

Usually I don't link to

Usually I don't link to stuff I found on metafilter, but I'll make an exception here. After all, how often do you get the chance to make spammers (and their even worse relatives, spammer-enablers) shell out money simply by clicking on a link? Have fun! Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 09:41:12 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Tuesday, May 8, 2001

bOING bOING buddy Rudy Rucker

bOING bOING buddy Rudy Rucker Jr. built this hysterical Web site that chronicles the wild and crazy shenanigans of America's most-watched twins (no, not the Olsens!)... We're talking about The First Twins: Jenna and Barbara Bush! Link (Thanks, Georgia!)

posted by David Pescovitz at 09:18:13 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Neat video clips of MIT's

Neat video clips of MIT's robot dinosaur. (Thanks, Stefan!) Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 05:13:48 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Here's the babelfish translation of

Here's the babelfish translation of the German interview with Cory. I love the way it translated the intro: "I drank for the first time a open SOURCE Cola. Now I am no large Cola drunkard, but since it was rather warm, I decided to hold the ice-cooled silver can not only by my forehead but also quite courageously the brown to try aggressively bubbling Ruelpswaesserchen." Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 04:43:02 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

More egoboo: Two interviews with

More egoboo: Two interviews with me today, one on Feed Link, and one on ZDNet.de Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 03:58:46 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Vintage circus postcards! Link

Vintage circus postcards! Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 03:31:16 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Get your 5lb chub of

Get your 5lb chub of Silly Putty right here. (I love the word "chub.") Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 02:58:24 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

I watched veteran machine artist

I watched veteran machine artist Mark Pauline demonstrate his new Hovercraft last weekend! Keeping with Survival Research Laboratories tradition, it was ridiculously loud. Link And DivX video here.

posted by David Pescovitz at 11:01:07 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Mind-bogglingly cool Nasa video clip

Mind-bogglingly cool Nasa video clip of a zoom from outerspace to the Hollywood sign. (4.7 Mbyte file size) Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 10:58:34 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Pictures of the succesor to

Pictures of the succesor to the Palm VII. Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 10:53:50 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Design for a cool hovercraft

Design for a cool hovercraft platform to rescue people from burning skyscrapers! Link

posted by David Pescovitz at 10:53:28 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

LA Times tech columnist dissects

LA Times tech columnist dissects each of the 107 spam email messages he received in a week. Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 10:27:36 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Welcome to Stepford! "Professor set

Welcome to Stepford! "Professor set to 'control' wife by cyborg implant" Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 10:21:59 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Salon's running a bio of

Salon's running a bio of Tom Waits:

Whereas David Bowie, for example, was always taking on new identities, creating and inhabiting new characters, Waits is a study in becoming who you already are. He's the guy who eats cold chow mein out of the box, revels in a new deck of cards with girls on the back. Bowie is from outer space. Tom Waits is from down in the hole.

Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 06:47:16 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Denmark plans to legalize music

Denmark plans to legalize music trading. What a bunch of really great Danes. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 06:34:08 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The Art of Secrets is

The Art of Secrets is a great rant available as Palm-book, hardcopy or PDF. Link (Thanks, Farai!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:13:58 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Monday, May 7, 2001

Free crap in the Bay

Free crap in the Bay Area. Craig's List is your pal. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 04:52:00 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Updated Romeo and Juliet, performed

Updated Romeo and Juliet, performed by Marshmallow Peeps. Link (Thanks, Brady!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 04:43:23 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Hilarious variation on the now-tired

Hilarious variation on the now-tired dotcom rags-to-riches story, on Slashdot. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 04:24:32 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Macho inspirational posters. Link (Thanks,

Macho inspirational posters. Link (Thanks, Judith!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:42:22 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Short bio page for Mad

Short bio page for Mad creator Harvey Kurtzman, with samples of his work. Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 12:00:49 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Found poetry: The following poem

Found poetry: The following poem is composed entirely of actual quotes from George W.,  arranged by Washington Post writer Richard Thompson.   MAKE THE PIE HIGHER by George W. Bush   I think we all agree, the past is over.   This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen And uncertainty And potential mental losses.   Rarely is the question asked Is our children learning? Will the highways of the internet Become more few? How many hands Have I shaked?   They misunderestimate me. I am a pitbull on the pantleg of opportunity. I know that the human being and the fish Can coexist. Families is where our nation Finds hope, Where our wings take dream.   Put food on your family! Knock down the tollbooth! Vulcanize society! Make the pie higher! Make the pie higher! Major league.

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:54:36 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Excellent spam from a Chinese

Excellent spam from a Chinese neon light display company:

Dear Sir or Madam: The trade crackers are useful in the feast day. Because of the society is coming more and more modern, the defects of the trade crackers are very extrude: pollute the euthenics, wasteful, and so on. Now, a new cracker-flower-light is produced by our factory, The new light has specialties under mentioned: resist lighting strike, waterproof with handsome outline, good durability. Best wishes, Mr. liu xiang qian

(Thanks, Terre!) Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 11:39:16 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Cult of the Dead Cow's

Cult of the Dead Cow's "Peekabooty" browser project promises to get around gov't and corporate censorship attempts. Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 11:06:39 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

A guy on probation was

A guy on probation was about to fail another random drug test, so.... "Milligan inserted a tube into the sex toy connected to a glue bottle filled with a friend's urine. He put makeup on the toy to match his own skin color, took the contraption into the testing center and feigned urination." And the story gets even better...Link

posted by David Pescovitz at 08:07:34 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Everything you wanted to know

Everything you wanted to know about pneumatic tubes. Didja know that the world's largest, most powerful pneumatic network is under Walt Disney World, whisking bagged trash to the WDW dump at 60mph? Link (via Slashdot)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:43:02 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Sunday, May 6, 2001

Amazing collection of censored wartime

Amazing collection of censored wartime and culturally insensitive cartoons, available for download. Link and Link. (Thanks, evang!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 02:16:31 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

New Jay and Silent Bob

New Jay and Silent Bob movie! Only 110 more days! Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:32:05 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Cool new management courses at

Cool new management courses at the Disney Institute! Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:45:07 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Actor Robert Blake's wife was

Actor Robert Blake's wife was shot to death on Friday night at a little Italian restaurant in a quiet neighborhood near my house. I've seen Blake walking aroud that area several times, and boy does he look scary (Remember David Lynch's Lost Highway? He looks just about the same as the ghoulish character he played in it.) Read the story and take one guess who killed her. Linkj

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 10:38:02 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

eBay to integrate with print

eBay to integrate with print newspaper classified ads. Link (Thanks, Yen!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:58:11 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

A sad day for the

A sad day for the shallow and impatient (mea culpa). The founder of Cliffs Notes is dead. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:55:30 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The state of Florida is

The state of Florida is auctioning off its notorious voting machines on eBay to raise money for better ones. Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:54:12 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

My friend Deb is trying

My friend Deb is trying for the final time to plough through The Lord of the Rings. Her account of hand-to-book combat with the canon is quite amusing.

I'm sorry, but "Cracks of Doom" is a pretty funny name for a place, don't you think?

Link (Thanks, Amanda!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:32:49 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Cheapass Games are games reduced

Cheapass Games are games reduced to their fundamental play. Generally, you supply dice and pawns and they supply the rules. The gameplay is amazing -- hilarious, tricksy, nuanced. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:36:43 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Guy in a panda suit

Guy in a panda suit is stabbing people in Tokyo. Link (via MeFi)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:28:28 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Since 1979, Ansible a science

Since 1979, Ansible a science fiction gossip zine, has been publishing weird, funny and highly opinionated views of science fiction fandom and prodom. New ish is just out. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:17:31 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Playboy quiz: Can you distinguish

Playboy quiz: Can you distinguish real breasts from implants? I scored a dismal 12/20. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:15:35 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Kooky humorous rant from FidoNet

Kooky humorous rant from FidoNet about the horrors of sci fi, including this gem from Lyndon LaRouche:

Science Fiction is a firm part of the Communist plan to dominate western culture;Queen Elizabeth herself has been known to pen 'sci-fi' under a pseudonym.

Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:13:35 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Saturday, May 5, 2001

Larry Kasanov is starring Mr

Larry Kasanov is starring Mr Clean and the Hostess Twinkie in his next movie. Kasanov's the guy behind Mortal Kombat; I interviewed him once and he was utterly chuffed to have created "the fifth largest media property in the world." I guess he's done with creating properties, and now he's content to adapt others'. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:45:14 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Terrific collection of bits-and-pieces on

Terrific collection of bits-and-pieces on dumpster diving. The site's owner says, "I'm simply to busy being poor and mentally ill to bother getting any 'consent of use'," but "If you wish to sue me for copyright infringement please go right ahead as everything I own of any value was dumpster dived." For the record: They use one of my articles without my consent and no, I'm not suing. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:37:44 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Apple's PR Agency threatens to

Apple's PR Agency threatens to sue a blogger who: 1. Asked for some info for a story on his blog; and 2. Posted a story about how shabbily they'd treated him because he wasn't "credentialed." Link (via MeFi)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:50:22 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Hilary Rosen of the RIAA

Hilary Rosen of the RIAA tells the world that downloaded music will cost the same as music on CDs. Link (via MeFi)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:46:18 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

20 Hurt at Disneyland as

20 Hurt at Disneyland as Large Tree Falls. Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 08:33:08 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Friday, May 4, 2001

Pornolize any site. (look what

Pornolize any site. (look what it did to boingboing.net) (Thanks, Kwong!) Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 03:04:42 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Xircom is shipping a Wi-Fi

Xircom is shipping a Wi-Fi Springboard module for the Handspring Visor on May 21. Drool. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:55:18 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Fancy a $80 fart-fetish video?

Fancy a $80 fart-fetish video? Me either. Link (via Me-Fi)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:36:34 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

No Maps for These

No Maps for These Territories is a splendid documentary on William Gibson, in which Gibson rides a limo from LA to NYC, musing about the world. Coming soon to a theater near you, probably. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:04:28 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Exactly how does the Amazing

Exactly how does the Amazing Eternal Life Device work its magic? Find out on this page titled: "How will I look like with rings on?" Fave quote: "Below is a face of a man who was beaten during a fight long time ago. The face is now unstraight and disfigured. After using The Eternal Life Rings or Eternal Life Foot Braces, you can get this, a straighter, cleaner face." (Thanks, Vladimir!) Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 12:31:42 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Mark, me and a whole

Mark, me and a whole mess of other people are participating in giant freeforall panel on blogs on the WELL for the next couple weeks. Drop by and participate, if you've a mind to. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:29:26 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Amazing list of resources and

Amazing list of resources and directories for constructed languages. Not just Klingon, either! Link (Thanks, Steve!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:17:30 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

A real, honest-to-gosh, tractor beam.

A real, honest-to-gosh, tractor beam. Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 09:48:21 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Shameless self-promotion. I get interviewed

Shameless self-promotion. I get interviewed this morning on P2P Tracker. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:58:02 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Bruce Perens explains why software

Bruce Perens explains why software and business-model patents suck. Link (via Slashdot)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 06:56:44 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Argentina is considering a bill

Argentina is considering a bill that would require government offices to run Open Source software and nothing but, since it can't afford to buy licenses for all the "pirate" software it currently runs. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 06:51:34 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Linus Torvalds responds to Craig

Linus Torvalds responds to Craig Mundie's assertions about Open Source. Link (via Slashdot)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 06:48:54 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The white-paper the RIAA doesn't

The white-paper the RIAA doesn't want you to see! This is Edward Felton's notorious research document explaining security flaws in SDMI, subject of all manner of horrendous litigation under the DMCA's anti-circumvention clause. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 06:46:46 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

This has gotta be a

This has gotta be a prank, or an ad, or an after-school project. Not even suburban white teenagers speak goofy, Onion-style rap argot this unconvincingly. Link (Thanks, Drue!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 06:28:41 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Thursday, May 3, 2001

Crazy photos of people in

Crazy photos of people in costume at a comics convention. Warning: will freeze the blood in your veins. Link (via Speedle)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:34:11 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Creepy, paranoid online journal. Link

Creepy, paranoid online journal. Link (Thanks, fixer!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:15:14 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Great illustrated Bruce Sterling rant

Great illustrated Bruce Sterling rant on design. Link (Thanks, Stefan!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 04:06:14 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Short Red Herring interview with

Short Red Herring interview with one of my favorite writers, Rudy Rucker. "The computer was sort of a metaphor for drugs. [...] That idea has been lost, but the computer used to be a metaphor for ecstatic modes of consciousness. [...] I'm sad that the computer has become just a metaphor for business."Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 03:30:46 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

My friend Adina's keeping a

My friend Adina's keeping a cool online journal. Funny, touching, spicy. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:19:25 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

The eldest son of North

The eldest son of North Korea's leader is arrested in Japan, sneaking into Tokyo Disneyland. Link (via Metafilter)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:40:45 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Catch the Sperm: the first

Catch the Sperm: the first video game set inside a woman's reproductive organs. Don't worry, it's educational. Link (via MetaFilter)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:35:42 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

It's a cordless phone and

It's a cordless phone and it's a remote-control 9mm pistol. Link (Thanks, Drew!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:11:14 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Recordable DVD drives are becoming

Recordable DVD drives are becoming affordable. (Though blank disks currently cost about $10 each.) Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 10:17:58 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Mission: Subvert MTV's TRL by

Mission: Subvert MTV's TRL by casting tons of votes for obscure musicians. I hope it works. (Thanks, Gil!) Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 10:04:14 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Hurray for the FBI! Last

Hurray for the FBI! Last year, it broke its previous record for tapping and bugging US residents. This article also describes "sneak and peek" search warrants, which allow "FBI agents to covertly enter a home or office to copy letters, journals and diaries, plant bugs, steal encryption keys, or install monitoring software or hardware on a target's computer." Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 09:05:10 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Homeshred: We come to your

Homeshred: We come to your house, we shred your documents. Don't mind me, I always wake up paranoid. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:21:29 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Wednesday, May 2, 2001

Microsoft slams Open Source. Again.

Microsoft slams Open Source. Again. Link (via Slashdot)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 10:53:13 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Panoramic photos of every single

Panoramic photos of every single corner in Manhattan. I thought I was a freak for shooting compulsively with my eyemodule. Link (via Memepool)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:38:04 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

A US Attorney goes on

A US Attorney goes on the record equating DeCSS (an open-source app for playing DVDs) with "software programs that shut down navigational programs in airplanes or smoke detectors in hotels." He warned: "That software creates a very real possibility of harm. That is precisely what is at stake here." Your tax dollars at work, folks. Someone buy that man a clue. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:36:06 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

It appears that the LA

It appears that the LA Times is hiring full-time masochists. This reporter spent a week responding to every piece of spam that landed in his mailbox. Every one of 'em was a ripoff. Soo-prise, soo-prise, soo-prise. Link (via Slashdot)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:33:20 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Fascinating history of ASCAP and

Fascinating history of ASCAP and BMI, the shadowy "rights societies" that collect and disburse performance and reproduction licence monies to artists and rightsholders. These are seriously weird organizations. Link (via Metafilter)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:29:47 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Tired of clicking on the

Tired of clicking on the "discuss" link to see if there are any postings? If you would like to get the "discuss" comments sent to you by email, send me email.

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 04:24:11 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Saint Malcolm Gladwell on the

Saint Malcolm Gladwell on the Trouble with Fries -- "The process of creating a French fry consists, essentially, of removing as much water as possible--through blanching, drying, and deep-frying--and replacing it with fat." Link (via Speedle)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 03:58:11 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Forbes recommends using shareware and

Forbes recommends using shareware and Open Source applications instead of commercial enterprise software. Will wonders never cease? Link (via Metafilter)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 03:50:09 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Fiery screed about the state

Fiery screed about the state of Linux desktop environments. Link (via Slashdot)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 03:42:47 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Lots of choice billboard alteration

Lots of choice billboard alteration at the "California Dept. of Corrections" website. Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 03:23:45 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

"Nana nana nana nana, nana

"Nana nana nana nana, nana nana nana nana -- Bat Signal!" Link

posted by Mark Frauenfelder at 01:36:55 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

"Fuck San Francisco" is, as

"Fuck San Francisco" is, as far as I know, the first song whose lyrics make a reference to blogs. Also, it sums up everything I hate about living here. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 12:06:48 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Fabulous index of English and

Fabulous index of English and Scandanavian slang-dictionaries online. Link (Thanks, levant!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:54:05 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Britney Spears' guide to semiconductor

Britney Spears' guide to semiconductor physics. Excellent link. Link (Thanks, Mark!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:35:49 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

150 random images from Altavista's

150 random images from Altavista's search database, converted to thumbnails. Serendipitious-y! Link (via Six Different Ways)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:05:35 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Transnationale is like an activist

Transnationale is like an activist FuckedCompany, but instead of tracking financial difficulties and goofy behavior from high-tech startups, it focuses on labor, environmental and social abuses by multinationals. Link (via Lebkowsky's blog)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:51:56 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Lowest Common Denominator Continues to

Lowest Common Denominator Continues to Plummet. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:31:03 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Tuesday, May 1, 2001

Research indicates dolphins can recognize

Research indicates dolphins can recognize themselves in mirrors -- a talent previously reserved for humans and great apes, and thought to be linked with the frontal lobe, which dolphins don't have. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:30:12 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Worried about your icons' hair-color?

Worried about your icons' hair-color? No need to be. Says so right here. Link (Thanks, vard!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 05:59:41 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

2001 Nebula-award nominee Pat York's

2001 Nebula-award nominee Pat York's wonderful sf story Wishes is available online -- gratis. Run, don't walk. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 05:45:18 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

NBC proves that it's not

NBC proves that it's not just humor-challenged, it's also utterly without clue. "Guns for Kids" indeed. Link (via Metafilter)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 04:01:30 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Beck dumps the heavenly Winona

Beck dumps the heavenly Winona Ryder and joins the Church of Scientology. On the plus-side, he's guest-starring on Futurama these days. Link (via The Null Device)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:58:51 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

"Gloatware." Great rant on why

"Gloatware." Great rant on why software sucks. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:33:43 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Apple unveils new iBooks (want!),

Apple unveils new iBooks (want!), and sells one to all 23,000 teachers and students in Henrico County, Virginia. Link

posted by Cory Doctorow at 01:25:07 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

More fun than listening to

More fun than listening to Judas Priest: "Reverse Speech is a discovery, made by Australian Researcher David John Oates, of a new form of communication that has the ability to uncover a deeper truth and meaning behind what we are actually speaking. As we speak consciously, the brain is generating messages arising from the unconscious. These messages occur constantly throughout language and can be heard very clearly at least every 10 to 15 seconds by simply playing a recording of normal speech in reverse." Link

posted by David Pescovitz at 10:38:45 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

Great NYT piece (free registration

Great NYT piece (free registration required) about Fair Use, discussing the Dean of Stanford Law School's decision to defend 2600 magazine over DeCSS. Link (Thanks, Cat!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:48:13 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

POX is the latest toy

POX is the latest toy from Hasbro. It's mind-bendingly weird. It's a little PDA-sized gizmo on which you construct a custom POX -- an alien virus -- which then seeks out and infects other nearby POX. It's like Go meets hoof-and-mouth disease. God, it's too early in the morning for something this weird. Link (Thanks, jeffreyp!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 07:37:51 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

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