Mark from Screen Novelties sends us "This little animation we did for Google regarding user privacy. We happened to direct this at the same time the whole Snowden/NSA stuff went… Read the rest of the article: Animation: How Google views user privacy

This engagement ring with a built-in lens and slide is apparently a prototype produced by an unnamed Polish manufacturer. According to Technolog, who posted the images to Reddit, the publicity-shy… Read the rest of the article: Engagement ring with tiny slide and projection lens built in

Harry sez, "Tattoos are the best form of self expression, but let's face it, some of us don't want to get something permanent on our skin that we might regret… Read the rest of the article: Geeky temporary tatts: TATTONOMY

Susan Crawford (previously) is America's best commentator on network policy and network neutrality. In this interview with Ezra Klein, she makes the case for treating Internet access as a utility… Read the rest of the article: The Internet should be treated as a utility: Susan Crawford

If you've shaken your head in wonder that Canadians — gentle, sensible Canadians — had elected a drug-addicted, violent, lying buffoon to run its largest city, this excellent account of… Read the rest of the article: Rob Ford and Canada's neoliberal agenda

One year ago today In which Charles Darwin gets trolled: From Darwin's diary written aboard the HMS Beagle, an accounting of an epic April Fool's prank of 1832. Five years… Read the rest of the article: This Day in Blogging History: April Fools for Darwin; Unicorn Chaser beverage; Embarrassing Word metadata

The FCC has unanimously voted to open up 100MHz of spectrum at the bottom end of the 5GHz band, redesignating them as open spectrum, under rules similar to those that… Read the rest of the article: FCC adds 100MHz of spectrum to the commons

Michael Lewis is the best finance writer in the business (see my reviews of The Big Short and Liar's Poker), a gifted storyteller with a firm grasp of his subject… Read the rest of the article: Michael Lewis's "Flash Boys": lifting the rock on crooked high-speed trading

When Marlene Yazar's husband Kemal experienced a psychotic episode, she was so scared for her safety and the safety of her children that she called 911. A paramedic arrived on… Read the rest of the article: Houston family calls 911 when dad has psychotic episode; now sued by the deputy who killed him

The German labor ministry has banned managers from calling or emailing employees outside of working hours as a means of preventing "self-exploitation," wherein workers end up putting in hours while… Read the rest of the article: German labor ministry bans after-hours email from managers to employees

Lenore "Free Range Kids" Skenazy points out a new and disturbing artifact from the weird parallel world of bubble-wrapped-kids: a post warning you that the treacly "My family" minivan stickers… Read the rest of the article: Bizarre, paranoid warning about imaginary predators choosing victims through bumper-sticker-ology

Expiration Day is William Campbell Powell's debut YA novel, and it's an exciting start. The novel is set in a world in which human fertility has collapsed, taking the birth-rate… Read the rest of the article: Expiration Day: YA coming of age novel about robots and the end of the human race

Emmanuel Goldstein from 2600 Magazine writes, "This summer's HOPE X conference is having a special EFF fundraiser for the entire month of April. Ten percent of every ticket sale will… Read the rest of the article: HOPE X/EFF fundraiser

Robert H. Richards IV, a wealthy heir to the du Pont fortune, has been spared prison after being convicted of raping his three year old daughter. Delaware Superior Court Judge… Read the rest of the article: Rich, admitted child rapist granted probation because he "would not not fare well" in prison [trigger warning]

Here's a smashing gallery of British science fiction and science pulps from the golden age of sf. These are recognizably of a piece with the American pulps of the era,… Read the rest of the article: British science fiction pulp covers: Gernsback continuum from an alternative universe

Jeff VenderMeer writes, "The Fourth Estate, my UK publisher, has put together a cool site that takes the main premise of my novel, Annihilation, and creates a text game around… Read the rest of the article: Text adventure based on Jeff VanderMeer's novel Annihilation

Etsy seller Breakeble Designs used to offer these hand-painted Italian marble coasters that depicted the stretching portraits from the Haunted Mansions from Disneyland/Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland. Alas, Breakeble… Read the rest of the article: Hand-painted Haunted Mansion stretching portraits coasters on Italian marble

New anti-Ford poster 3 #topoli #robford pic.twitter.com/fIxKPArGbB — Katie Simpson (@KatieSimpson24) March 31, 2014 Rethink (an ad agency that does viral media) has teamed up with No Ford Nation to… Read the rest of the article: Poster campaign: Anyone but Rob Ford for Mayor

Bruce Schneier: "At SXSW earlier this month, CEO Eric Schmidt tried to reassure the audience by saying that he was 'pretty sure that information within Google is now safe from… Read the rest of the article: Eric Schmidt on the NSA* (*translated from original bullshitese)

The Swanson School in Auckland, NZ, quietly eliminated all the rules against "unsafe play," allowing kids to play swordfight with sticks, ride scooters, and climb trees. It started when the… Read the rest of the article: Playground removes "safety" rules; fun, development and injuries ensue