Developers To Mac Users: “Just Boot Into Windows”: "CARS: ‘Experts expect that, at the rate developers are telling users to ‘just boot into Windows,’ within three years the only reason to boot into Mac OS X will be to move some files around with the Finder, play Chess and enjoy brushed metal interfaces.’"
(Via Ranchero.)
Top 5 Creative Uses for Your iPod: "
You just spent $400 on an iPod, and all you're using it for is music? Come on, you might as well get a little more out of that big purchase of yours. Why not use it to help you navigate the urban jungle, improve your vocabulary, or even find true love? There are plenty of people out there figuring out how to get the full potential out of that little gadget of yours, and we can all reap the benefits of their creativity and hard work. After the jump, check out five of the best uses of the iPod that you aren't going to find in any of Apple's official manuals. Then you can get back to your precious music.
'
Sales brochures for extinct computers - Univac, Wang, Apple ///: "Cory Doctorow:
The Computer History Museum has published a collection of 261 sales brochures for extinct computers, from the Univac to the Apple /// and lots of assorted Wangs, Zilogs, Bendixes and others. These are lovely and fascinating.
Link
(Thanks, Xavier!)
(Via Boing Boing.)
Video: "C for Cookie," Sesame Street spoof of "V for Vendetta": "Xeni Jardin:
A spoof of the V for Vendetta trailer, recast with Sesame Street characters. A for Awesome. Link (Thanks, Ash)
(Via Boing Boing.)
10.4: A simple alarm clock that plays an iTunes playlist: "I was looking for a way to use my computer as an alarm clock. (I don’t like my local radio stations.) I checked out several of the software packages available, and none of them worked for me. I wanted something that would s..."
(Via Mac OS X Hints.)
Great Jobs: "MONEY Magazine: ‘MONEY Magazine and Salary.com researched hundreds of jobs, considering their growth, pay, stress-levels and other factors. These careers ranked highest.’
What’s highest? Software engineer. That means what I always suspected—that I have, and people like me have, the best job in America. ;) (I do love it, you bet.)"
(Via Inessential.com.)
Bossa Nova greats cover Disney songs: "Cory Doctorow:
I just scored Bossa Disney Nova, a Japanese CD of legendary Brazilian bossa nova artists performing groovy, loose interpretations of Disney classics. It's completely enchanting: with performances like the Jota Morales Group's 'Parada Eletorica na Rua Principal' (Main Street Electrical Parade) and especially the demented DJ 524's Incredible Samba Band mix 'Mickey Mouse Club Samba' you can't miss. It's just genius.
Link
(Via Boing Boing.)
Robots photoshopped into fine art: "Cory Doctorow:
Today on the Worth1000 photoshopping contest: Robots inserted into fine art; I love love love this robotic adaptation of Don Quixote.
Link
(Via Boing Boing.)
Digital cameras have unique "noise" fingerprints?: "Cory Doctorow:
A researcher at SUNY Binghamton reports that he can tell which camera took any given photo by matching the photo's unique 'weak noise-like pattern of pixel-to-pixel non-uniformity.'
Like actual fingerprints, the digital 'noise' in original images is stochastic in nature - that is, it contains random variables - which are inevitably created during the manufacturing process of the camera and its sensors. This virtually ensures that the noise imposed on the digital images from any particular camera will be consistent from one image to the next, even while it is distinctly different.
In preliminary tests, Fridrich's lab analyzed 2,700 pictures taken by nine digital cameras and with 100 percent accuracy linked individual images with the camera that took them.
(Via Boing Boing.)
Man with 12 nails in his head: "David Pescovitz:
An Oregon man suffering from a terrible headache went to a hospital for an examination. Turns out he had 12 nails in his head. And he had put them there himself. From the Associated Press:
The man at first told doctors he had had a 'nail gun accident.' It wasn't until later that the patient admitted he'd used meth and the injury was a suicide attempt.Link
The patient was in remarkably good condition when he got to OHSU, according to the study. While even one nail to the head can be fatal, these nails came close to major blood vessels and the brain stem but did not pierce either.
The nails still posed a threat to the patient's health and doctors decided to operate quickly. Because of the number of nails, doctors decided to fully sedate him rather than keep him partially awake, which is done in some surgeries to monitor neurological responses.
Surgeons were able to remove the nails with needle-nosed pliers and a drill because the nail heads did not penetrate the skull.
(Via Boing Boing.)
Hunting with the vice-Peep: "Xeni Jardin:
Here at BoingBoing, we have an informal moratorium of sorts on any more 'Cheney Hunting Joke' or 'Easter Peeps' posts. But moratoriums (moratoria?) were made to be broken, and Mark hasn't kept his earwax promise anyway.
Link.
BoingBoing reader Chris, who submitted the image, shares the dialogue that surrounded its creation:
My wife: ‘Very proud’ and ‘Nice, Hon.’Link
My five-year-old: ‘What is dad doing now? He’s out on the deck playing with Easter candy.’
My three-year-old: ‘I want my truck back! Mom, dad won’t let me have my truck!
Reader comment: Marv says,
'I saw some tacky 'Candy Crosses' at Walgreen's last week and saw an opportunity to hurt a peep and offend a whole bunch of people all while making a tasty snack.'
Link. Here at BoingBoing, we prefer to call them 'chocofixes.'
(Via Boing Boing.)
Happy Face on Mars: "David Pescovitz:
It's not quite as dramatic of the famous Viking photo of the 'Face on Mars' taken in 1976, but I really like the subtlety of the Happy Face crater. This image was released by the European Space Agency yesterday. (Photos with a more obvious Happy Face here.) From the ESA:
Link
These images, taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA's Mars Express spacecraft, show the Galle Crater, an impact crater located on the eastern rim of the Argyre Planitia impact basin on Mars...
The 'face' was first pointed out in images taken during NASA's Viking Orbiter 1 mission.
Its interior shows a surface which is shaped by 'aeolian' (wind-caused) activity as seen in numerous dunes and dark dust devil tracks which removed the bright dusty surface coating.
(Via Boing Boing.)
Illustrations from the Heart Bulletin (1952-1968): "Mark Frauenfelder:
Nice obscure illustration find from Bibliodyssey:
'Cartoons of red arteries and blue veins illustrate the principles of cardiovascular medicine. These illustrations appeared on the back covers of The Heart Bulletin. The figures underwent a transition over the years, as the artist [Joseph Schwarting] refined his ideas about illustrating medical quotes. The quotes prompting the cartoons came from a variety of philosophers and physicians who pondered cardiovascular theory through the centuries.'
(Via Boing Boing.)
Cy the cyclops kitty to go on display: "David Pescovitz:
Cy, the delightful but dead cyclops kitty, will apparently be displayed in the Lost World Museum, a new wunderkammer slated to open in Phoenix, New York later this year. (Previous BB posts about Cy here and here.) Exhibitor John Adolfi would not reveal how much he shelled out for Cy's remains. From the Associated Press:
LinkThe Oregon woman who owned the kitten said she turned down Ripley's Believe it or Not! and sold the remains to John Adolfi of Granby because she liked his religious reasons for wanting them.
'We didn't want Cy becoming a joke or part of a personal collection,' Traci Allen said. 'But John was so heartfelt, you could tell he was genuine and sincere...'
Other exhibits will include giant plants and eggs, deformed animal remains and archaeological finds, Adolfi said.
(Via Boing Boing.)
Boy, Target sure has some interesting ads these days.: "Xeni Jardin:
Link to full-size.
(Via Boing Boing.)
Giant turkey-like dinosaur discovered: "David Pescovitz:
Scientists discovered the remains of a new giant turkey-like carnivorous dinosaur in southern Utah. Based on the fossilized hand and foot bones found in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and other related skeletons found in Asia, the scientists from the University of Utah and the Utah Museum of Natural History say that the animal was probably seven feet tall.
From a University of Utah News Release (illustration by Michael Skrepnick):
Link to News Release, Link to Associated Press coverage (Thanks John Parres and Xeni Jardin!)
The new dinosaur, formally dubbed Hagryphus giganteus, which means 'giant four-footed, bird-like god of the western desert’ in reference to the animal's outward resemblance to a large land bird, its giant stature, and its discovery in the Utah desert. Hagryphus is a member of the oviraptorosaurs, a group of bird-like feathered dinosaurs with toothless beaks, powerful arms and formidable claws...
One bony claw of Hagryphus preserves the impression of the keratinous fingernail-like that would have covered the claw in life.
(Via Boing Boing.)
Lovecraft and Tolkien are the authors...: "
Lovecraft and Tolkien are the authors of choice for metalheads.
"(Via blog.)
Wired 9.12: Take The AQ Test: "Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at Cambridge's Autism Research Centre have created the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, or AQ, as a measure of the extent of autistic traits in adults. In the first major trial using the test, the average score in the control group was 16.4."
(Via Daypop Top News Stories.)
The DVD Shelf--Aliens (1986) The Abyss (1989) Terminator 2 (1991): "About eight years ago James Cameron was hard at work on his epic Titanic, which was looking to be a Heaven's Gate style fiasco. Most of the initial press on the production focused on its numerous delays and budget overruns. Requiring money from two studios, it was the most expensive film ever made, until last year when King Kong surpassed it. Cameron had to give up his 8 million dollar fee to keep 20th Century Fox from firing him. When it was finally wrapped up, the final cut of the movie ran over three hours, which was a length guaranteed to make any studio exec shake in their Gucci loafers. It was finally released in during the holiday season of 1997 to reviews that were just lukewarm; they praised its visual effects while dumping on the film's melodramatic plot and bad dialogue. One thing was certain: if Titanic failed, Cameron, the notoriously temperamental director who was always at odds with his cast, crew, and the studios, would never work in Hollywood again. Ultimately, the gamble paid off better than anyone could have dreamed. Titanic went on to become the highest grossing picture in history, taking in 1.8 billion worldwide. It swept the Academy Awards in every category it was nominated except makeup and acting (notably, it is also one of the few Best Picture nominees to not have its screenplay nominated in the writing awards.)"
(Via Kuro5hin.org.)
Steve Jobs' Best Quotes Ever: "What drives the colorful Apple CEO? He's happy to tell you. Compiled by Owen W. Linzmayer.PLUS: Wired News' full coverage of Apple's 30th anniversary."
(Via Wired News.)
Ralph Bakshi phone doodle gallery: "Mark Frauenfelder:
Stephen Worth says: 'Today on the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive Blog, I posted my collection of Ralph Bakshi phone doodles. I worked with Ralph on Cool World and on Ren & Stimpy: Adult Party Cartoon. I'd regularly raid his trash for his amazing drawings; and when he figured out what was going on, he'd sign the sketches and inscribe them to me before throwing them away. Ralph is one of the most important animators who ever lived. Inbetween the images, I explain why.'
Link
(Via Boing Boing.)
Simulations of 1906 California earthquake: "David Pescovitz:
Link(Thanks, Paul Saffo!)
To better understand the distribution of shaking and damage that accompanied the great 1906 earthquake, seismologists have constructed new computer models to recreate the ground motions. The simulations show how ground moved on the two sides of the San Andreas fault and how seismic waves radiated away from the fault to produce the shaking. The earthquake, which began 2 miles offshore from the City of San Francisco, ultimately grew to cause shaking and damage along more than 300 miles of the San Andreas Fault.
(Via Boing Boing.)
Problems with predictions: "David Pescovitz:
At the Institute for the Future where I'm a researcher, we always say that the future is impossible to predict. The good news is, you don't have to. It's better to focus on foresight. In a draft chapter of a forthcoming book, my colleague Bob Johansen writes:
Foresight is a particularly good way to stimulate insights. While prediction is impossible, provocation is easy. Insights arise from differences: different ideas, different angles, and different moods. If insights were obvious, everyone would be having them. What new development might be created—given the external future forces that are at play? This is a search for ‘Aha’s!’ It is a search for insights, a search for coherence in the midst of confusion.
• 'The horse is here to stay but the automobile is only a novelty, a fad.'--The president of the Michigan Savings Bank advising Henry Ford's lawyer not to invest in the Ford Motor Co., 1903.Link (via Neatorama)
• 'There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.'--Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp. (DEC), maker of big business mainframe computers, arguing against the PC in 1977.
• 'Atomic energy might be as good as our present-day explosives, but it is unlikely to produce anything very much more dangerous.'--Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister, 1939.
• 'This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.'--A memo at Western Union, 1878 (or 1876).
(Via Boing Boing.)
Gallery: 30 Years of Apple Gear: "Over the past three decades, the company has cranked out a boatload of breakthrough products, from the first PDA to the iPod -- and lots of computers besides. Get lost in a monster gallery of almost everything Apple's ever made. PLUS: Wired News' full coverage of Apple's 30th anniversary."
(Via Wired News.)
Gallery: Apple Ads: "The company is known as much for its Apple logo and innovative marketing as for its products. We take a quick trip through some of Apple's promos."
(Via Wired News.)
Devout Catholic Finds Penises in Church: "Sex abuse and other scandals in the Catholic Church are being caused by Satanic subliminal imagery in religious artwork, according to Michael A. Calace, director of the documentary Rape of the Soul.
... we found penises on crucifixes, anarchy symbols, swastikas, demonic faces and in modern works even the word 'sex' encrypted into the images. The works in question include modern artists' work currently on the covers of missalettes and hymnals that at this very moment sit in the pews of churches throughout the U.S. and on children's religious teaching aids.
Calace's biography from the movie's web site makes him sound like a Cruel.Com message board member:
"Michael utilizes his experiences of over 20 years of embed art expertise to extract a multitude of abusive images of meticulously embedded sexual and occult horror.
(Via Cruel Site of the Day.)
Apple@30: The Great History (Trivia) Challenge: "Opinion: Three decades is a long time, and Apple is a company rich with history. This short quiz will challenge the Mac expert and yet entertain the Apple novice. See how well you do."
(Via eWEEK Macintosh.)
