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Some Prehistoric Giants Killed by PeopleIt's no coincidence that Tasmania's giant kangaroo died out shortly after people arrived.Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 12 Aug 2008 | 12:40 pm Anyone got a good text-parser for tagged text?Hey, Lazyweb! I've been making tons of notes from the various books I've been reading in preparation for writing my next novel, For the Win, which is about kids who work in special economic zones as gold-farmers forming a global trade union. Now I need a tool to help me manage the notes, and I figure someone out there must have already built it, though I can't find it.The notes look like this: Tuile a house -- knock it down, without the occupant's permission, as when the government takes down a house in punishment for violating the one-child policy. River 354. @china @idiom @corruption @authoritarianismThe form's simple: a note with the book and page reference (this one comes from Peter Hessler's excellent River Town), followed by some tags. Each note is separated by a double carriage-return. All the notes are in a single text file. I'm looking for something that'll parse out the tags at the end of the lines and then make a tag-cloud out of them, and let me click on tags to retrieve them, as well as searching the fulltext of all the notes.
This is such a bog-standard way of using tags that I figure there must be something on the web that can handle it. Do you know of one? Discuss it in the comments below. Thanks! Source: Boing Boing | 12 Aug 2008 | 12:31 pm What Do You Do When the Cloud Shuts Down?jbrodkin writes "Can you trust your data to the cloud? For users of an online storage service called The Linkup, formerly known as MediaMax, the answer turned out to be a resounding "no." The Linkup shut down on Aug. 8 after losing access to as much as 45% of its customers' data. "When we looked at some individual accounts, some people didn't have any files, and some people had all their files," The Linkup CeO Steve Iverson admits. None of the affected users will get their lost data back. Iverson called it a "worst-case scenario.""Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 12 Aug 2008 | 12:22 pm Two improved invisibility devices show themselves (USATODAY.com)USATODAY.com - Harry Potter's cloak it isn't, but scientists report the creation of two visible-light "invisibility cloak" prototypes that promise improved optics and cellphones and, yes, invisibility.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 12 Aug 2008 | 12:18 pm Crying Foul over Online Junk Food Marketing (BusinessWeek Online)BusinessWeek Online - At age 2, Zameen Rashid is well acquainted with Lucky, the leprechaun who lists the marshmallow clovers, moons, and stars in boxes of General Mills' Lucky Charms cereal. Maybe too well, says his mother, Fahmida Rashid, who frets that too-frequent exposure to food ads in video games, TV shows, and the Web will foster unhealthy eating habits. "Just as you wouldn't expect to see a tobacco ad on a kids' site or show, there shouldn't be junk food ads there either," says Rashid, a 31-year-old resident of Brooklyn, N.Y.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 12 Aug 2008 | 12:08 pm Stargazers take in meteor shower - El Paso Times
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 12 Aug 2008 | 12:04 pm Lenovo Launches 17-inch ThinkPad Workstation - PC Magazine
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 12 Aug 2008 | 11:52 am James Randerson discusses the use of psychedelic drugs such as LSD to treat ailments from depression to cluster headachesJames Randerson discusses trials to test potential of hallucinogenic drugs to help with terminal illnessesSource: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 11:38 am Lenovo Intros the Monstrous ThinkPad W700Engadget recently got their hands on an early delivery of Lenovo's new powerhouse of a laptop, the W700. Aimed at graphic artists and photographers this beast is designed to really pack a punch. No word on how much for the extra fusion generator to power it for longer than 20 minutes. "Containing enough computational artillery to level a small village, this for-creatives-only behemoth is designed for sheer pixel pushing... and little else. The system packs in two features aimed at graphic artists and photographers which are fairly unique to a laptop: a built in Wacom digitizer just to the right of the trackpad, and an on-board color calibrator. But what's happening under the hood you ask? Well for starters the 17-incher sports the first ever Intel Quad Core Extreme CPU in a laptop (no word on speeds at this point) as well as the first showing of NVIDIA's Quadro FX 3700 graphics chipset (with a hefty 1GB of memory on-board). The workstation also serves up dual hard drive bays configurable as RAID 0 or 1 (SSD or traditional disk, naturally), up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and an optional Blu-ray burner. Of course, that's fully kitted out -- the W700 starts at $2,978 and moves skyward from there."Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 12 Aug 2008 | 11:24 am What to Do With That Old iPhone? - TechNewsWorld
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 12 Aug 2008 | 11:07 am LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Drama in the MountainsRegarding the article "The descent of man" by Maurice Isserman (Views, Aug. 11): When reading of yet another Himalayan mountaineering disaster my main feeling is one of irritation.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Aug 2008 | 11:00 am Israeli Farmers Grapple With Growing Water CrisisBy Andrew Martin A souvenir in the corner of Doron Ovits's office attests to the challenges of farming in Israel. It is a mangled piece of metal, and Ovits said it had come from a rocket that landed in a field recently, lobbed from the Gaza Strip.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Aug 2008 | 11:00 am Legal - Notice of Public Hearing, Bedford County Board of SupervisorsDATE: Monday, August 25, 2008 TIME: 7:30 p.m.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Aug 2008 | 11:00 am Thai Queen Urges People to Preserve Forests, Fresh Water ResourcesText of report in English by Thai newspaper Bangkok Post website on 12 August [Unattributed report: "BIRTHDAY ADDRESS: Queen asks people to save forests and water"] Her Majesty the Queen has impressed upon Thai people the importance of preserving forests and fresh water resources and said that fresh water shortages could trigger conflict and wars.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Aug 2008 | 11:00 am Legal - Public Notice Environmental PermitPurpose of Notice: To seek public comment on a draft permit from the Department of Environmental Quality that will allow the release of treated wastewater into a water body in Montgomery County.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Aug 2008 | 11:00 am Stop the Giles County Ash DumpBy David Bernard Thank you for the strong editorial denouncing the bad science and crooked politics behind the Giles County coal waste dump, ("A superfund site in the making?" July 25).Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Aug 2008 | 11:00 am Our Science Savvy, Under a MicroscopeBy G. Jeffrey MacDonald For decades, educators and employers have worried that too few Americans are preparing for careers in science.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Aug 2008 | 11:00 am Space shuttle replacement delayed until 2014 - Register
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 12 Aug 2008 | 10:32 am Cops break into wrong house, leave note in magnetic fridge lettersCops in Oldham, UK broke into the wrong house while searching for a fugitive; rather than leaving an official note or apology after smashing in the door, they used the magnetic letters on the fridge to...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 10:31 am Cops break into wrong house, leave note in magnetic fridge lettersCops in Oldham, UK broke into the wrong house while searching for a fugitive; rather than leaving an official note or apology after smashing in the door, they used the magnetic letters on the fridge to spell out OLDHAM TASK FORCE CALLED.Police's fridge-magnet calling card (Thanks, Marilyn!) Source: Boing Boing | 12 Aug 2008 | 10:31 am Spy Kite Will Probably Not Make An Appearance In The Next Bond FilmBy Andrew Liszewski Here’s another low-tech gadget for the spy who’s on a tight budget. If you’ve ever gotten a quote for a custom geosynchronous spy satellite, you’ll know that...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 10:07 am Gmail Back in Service after - InternetNews.com
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 12 Aug 2008 | 10:06 am The Much Anticipated DataCase Launches: Turn the iPhone Into A Wireless DriveThe much anticipated DataCase application for the iPhone launched this morning. The app, which costs $6.99, turn your iPhone into an easy-to-use wireless storage device that can be access by any other...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 9:55 am Poor Iphone 3G service spat develops - Inquirer
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 12 Aug 2008 | 9:45 am Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 1: Homestar ... - CNET Reviews
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 12 Aug 2008 | 9:38 am Let Your Theme Song be Your PasswordAn anonymous reader writes "The latest proposed solution to the fact humans suck at using passwords properly is to let people use digital objects, like mp3s, photos or videos instead. A file is hashed into a unique, secure string that acts as the real password. A paper on the idea was put forward in a recent Usenix conference on hot topics in security, and a Firefox extension that implements the idea is available too."Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 12 Aug 2008 | 9:19 am Startup, Inc - What You Need to Know Before Starting a CompanyOften people start a company without any clear idea of what a company is. Entrepreneurs closet themselves in the garage and start writing code. While the modern tech world could not exist without obsession,...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 9:18 am Today on Boing Boing Gadgets Today at Boing Boing Gadgets, Mario nee Jumpman jumped over barrels thrown by a LEGOfied Donkey named Kong while the smoon ombrella did gyre and gimble in the wabe. Then we looked at a smokeless ashtray right out of Gremlins before considering Intel's devoutly Hassidic CPU naming conventions.
A striking ad for the Palm Centro 2 was embraced then debunked. A vintage advertisement for the Atari 2600 feverishly imagined mutant flies and ion zones. Joel equated Apple's iPhone App Store to an Alan Moore dystopia, while Brownlee advised stealing a vintage NASA Jet Propulsion Labs trailer.
There was a box full of stuff that could probably be built into a bomb and a dimpled, zen-like wash basin. A molten hemorrhoid of a program was yanked from the iTunes App Store and D-Link released some green friendly firmware for their routers.
Joel looked at the folly of vibrating alarm clocks, some electricity-conducing stretchy material perfect for the construction of robot tentacles and a turtle that can pour a perfect Black and Tan. HTC's upcoming Google Android phone was blurrily examined. And the Olympics 2008 Opening Fireworks? Fake!
LinkSource: Boing Boing | 12 Aug 2008 | 8:58 am Today on Boing Boing GadgetsToday at Boing Boing Gadgets, Mario nee Jumpman jumped over barrels thrown by a LEGOfied Donkey named Kong while the smoon ombrella did gyre and gimble in the wabe. Then we looked at a smokeless ashtray...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 8:58 am Fist-Pumping Victory Celebrations Come Naturally, Study Finds - Bloomberg
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 12 Aug 2008 | 8:57 am Invisibility Cloak Is Closer To Becoming A Reality, Humanity Now Years Ahead Of The RomulansBy Jonathan Kimak Now when I say closer, I mean that scientists have actually made something appear invisible, it just happens to be nano sized(one billionth of a metre). It’s still a step in the...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 8:28 am Fingerprints Can Yield Even More Telltale CluesWASHINGTON - Scientists have found ways to tease even more clues out of fingerprints' telltale marks - one in a string of developments that gives modern forensics even better ways to solve mysteries like the anthrax attacks or JonBenet Ramsey's murder.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Aug 2008 | 8:00 am Quality Trait Variation in Major Hard Red Spring Wheat Cultivars Released in North Dakota Since 1968By Underdahl, J L Mergoum, M; Schatz, B; Ransom, J K ABSTRACT Over the last 40 years, grain yield of hard red spring wheat (HRSW) (Triticum aestivum L.) has increased dramatically in North Dakota and neighboring regions.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Aug 2008 | 8:00 am Cleanup Efforts Slow on Islands ; National Monument is More Littered After CutsWASHINGTON - Two years ago, with fanfare, President Bush declared a remote chain of Hawaiian islands the biggest, most environmentally protected area of ocean in the world. It hasn't worked out that way. Cleanup efforts have slowed, garbage is still piling up and Mr.Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 12 Aug 2008 | 8:00 am Dell to Use Twitter for Global Mobility EventDell, Round Rock Jeremy Bolen, 512-560-9099 or Caroline Dietz, 512-724-2847 or DM @Digital_Nomads on Twitter Logo: http://www.dell.com Dell Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 12 Aug 2008 | 8:00 am Lijit Networks, Inc. Secures $7.1 Million Series C Investment Round Led By Foundry GroupLijit Networks, Inc. (www.lijit.com), a company that provides search-powered applications for both individual online publishers and online publisher networks, announced today that it has closed a $7.1M series C round of financing, led by Foundry Group.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 12 Aug 2008 | 8:00 am VoIP Coming Soon To iPhone 3G - InformationWeek
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 12 Aug 2008 | 8:00 am HP Pads Its EliteBook Workstation Lineup For Creative Pros - InformationWeek
Source: Google News - Sci/Tech | 12 Aug 2008 | 8:00 am Ericsson in Mobile Broadband Pilot to Boost Social and Economic Development in BangladeshEricsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) is launching a pilot in Bangladesh to demonstrate how to improve productivity and quality of life in the country with the use of high-speed internet services through 3G/HSPA technology.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 12 Aug 2008 | 8:00 am Informative Study of the IT Market in Poland for 2008Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/162b4d/it_market_in_polan) has announced the addition of the "IT market in Poland 2008" report to their offering.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 12 Aug 2008 | 8:00 am Myvu(R) Joins Industry Leaders in Forum Nokia ProMyvu, the world's leading video eyewear provider, today announced that it has become a member of Forum Nokia PRO, a program that provides advanced technical, business development and marketing support to selected mobile software companies.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 12 Aug 2008 | 8:00 am Tiffany Appeals eBay Counterfeiting DecisionTiffany & Co. Mark L. Aaron, 212-230-5301 Mark.Aaron@tiffany.com or Arnold & Porter LLP James B. Swire, 212-715-1013 James_Swire@aporter.com Tiffany & Co.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 12 Aug 2008 | 8:00 am First All-Drone USAF Air Wingbfwebster writes "Strategy Page reports that the United States Air Force has announced its first air wing that will consist entirely of unmanned craft. The 174th Fighter Wing has flown its last manned combat sorties; its F-16s will be entirely replaced by MQ-9 Reapers. Reasons cited include costs (maintenance and fuel) and the drone's ability to stay in the air up to 14 hours, waiting for a target to show itself."Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 12 Aug 2008 | 7:28 am Arima Communications Selects Telegent for Free-to-Air Mobile TV FeatureLeading ODM enhances mobile TV user experience with TV-centric handset design SUNNYVALE, Calif. and TAIPEI, Taiwan, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Telegent Systems, the...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 7:00 am Sam's Club stores highlight solar power (CNET)CNET - Urban planners, labor activists, and environmentalists blame Wal-Mart for decimating rural America, exploiting workers, and polluting ecosystems. Some green-business gurus, on the other hand, praise the retail colossus for turning over a new leaf with moves toward sustainability, such as reducing product packaging.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 12 Aug 2008 | 7:00 am Radio will get meter readingsRankings may see a shake-up as the data-gathering service shifts from diaries to wearable signal meters. A multimillion-dollar...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 7:00 am OpenSAF Project Announces General Availability of Version 2.0First OpenSAF high availability middleware developed entirely by open source community now available under LGPL 2.1 license DANVILLE, Calif., Aug. 12...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 7:00 am Web firms acknowledge tracking behavior without consentIn response to a bipartisan House inquiry, Google says it uses technology to more precisely follow Web surfing across affiliated sites. ...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 7:00 am Invisibility shield appears possibleA UC Berkeley team finds materials that bend light around an object -- a big step toward a cloaking device. The technology could also be used as a 'super lens' to make smaller computer chips. ...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 7:00 am Michael Phelps' victory dance is innate, scientists sayA study finds that blind athletes strike the same exuberant poses as their sighted counterparts -- as do other primates. ...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 7:00 am Gangs get into identity theftEasy methods and the availability of tools have attracted Crips, the Mexican Mafia and other groups, experts say. ...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 7:00 am U.S. servers for Georgia sitesThe website of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was moved to a U.S. hosting facility this weekend after Russian hackers attacked it, Nino Doijashvili, chief executive of Atlanta-based hosting firm...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 7:00 am Elbit Systems Reports Record Second Quarter 2008 ResultsContinued Strong Growth With Record Backlog of Orders and Revenues; Revenues Increased by 39.5% over Second Quarter Last Year to $653.2 Million; Backlog of Orders Over $5...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 6:53 am Craig McCaw Invests in Personal News 1CastEagle River Holdings, the VC fund of wireless tycoon Craig McCaw, has led an investment in personalized news service 1Cast. The Seattle PI reports that 1Cast has been under development for 2 years but...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 6:43 am Seals give climate scientists unique glimpse under Antarctic iceHuge elephant seals have been recruited to help scientists break through a critical blind spot and chart climate change under the Antarctic sea ice in winter, researchers said Tuesday.Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 6:33 am SCM Microsystems Reports Second Quarter 2008 ResultsISMANING, Germany, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SCM Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCMM, Prime Standard: SMY), a leading provider of solutions that open the Digital...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 6:30 am ELDR Media Raises $1.25M From AngelsBerkeley-based ELDR Media has raised $1.25M in a seed round from the Keiretsu Forum. ELDR Media is a online + print + mobile startup for the active, affluent 60+ demographic. Content includes essays, stories,...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 6:29 am Guardian Daily podcast: Victims of rape are told alcohol consumption could reduce payouts; plus our Olympic update from BeijingIn our daily audio show, Mike Duran and guests discuss financial compensation for rape victims; the conflict in Georgia; plus the latest from the Beijing OlympicsSource: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 6:27 am Celebrity Imitation Surgery - Russian Teen Becomes Paris Hilton (GALLERY)(TrendHunter.com) If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Paris Hilton has just been paid the ultimate compliment as a Russian teenager, Anna Ivanov, has undergone surgery to look just like...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 6:20 am HP Buys Wireless Networking's ColubrisHP-owned ProCurve said it plans to acquire Colubris, a Waltham, MA-based wireless startup that sells tools for wireless integrated access, management and security products. The terms of the acquisition...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 6:14 am Online catch-up services fail to dent traditional TV viewingBroadband video catch-up services such as the BBC iPlayer are not cannibalising traditional TV viewing despite their much-hyped popularity, according to a report.Meanwhile, commercial broadcasters are...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 6:09 am Photo-book about technological improvisation in Thailand On Kevin Kelly's Street Use blog, a review of an amazing-sounding photo book about technological improvisation in Thailand, called "Thailand -- Same Same But Different": "No cliches here. No lovely maids, palm beaches or grand temples. Instead Kalak captures odd moments of street use. Plastic chairs in alleys; traffic cone patterns. Even the locals are blind to their off-center beauty. Kalak has a keen eye for the way folks improvise. I think of this work as improv zen." Thailand – Same same, but different! (book) Improvisation in Thailand (review) (via Make) Source: Boing Boing | 12 Aug 2008 | 6:07 am Jeff Vandermeer talking to writing-camp students at Shared WorldsMatt sez, "Here's a short video featuring author Jeff VanderMeer talking about Shared Worlds, a two-week summer camp experience where students work with authors and instructors to create entire worlds, complete with history, economy, language and culture. Students write in those worlds, share them and apply them to fiction, art, and game design. This year's camp just ended, but they're already gearing up for next year!" Shared World's -- author Jeff VanderMeer (Thanks, Matt!) Source: Boing Boing | 12 Aug 2008 | 5:54 am NOAA's gallery of coral photography David sez, "NOAA has an amazing gallery of photos from their work studying coral reef ecosystems. Coral reefs are extremely imperiled all over the world due to climate change, overfishing and pollution. Boing Boing readers might want to see these before many of the reefs depicted are gone." Welcome to "The Coral Kingdom." Source: Boing Boing | 12 Aug 2008 | 5:50 am Physics Nerds Rap About the LHCEngadget has pointed out a small band of people even we can consider nerdy that decided to cut loose and demo CERN's fancy new toy, the Large Hadron Collider. The resulting music video is certainly enough to "rock you in the head", and maybe even enough to cause a rip in space-time. Between Alpinekat and Dr Spatzo, I think my iPod just got a new entry.Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 12 Aug 2008 | 5:31 am Aviza Technology to Webcast Presentation at 4th Annual Summer Technology Conference Hosted By Security Research Associates, Inc.Aviza Technology, Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 12 Aug 2008 | 5:00 am Renesas Technology to Host Its First Developers' Conference in U.S.; Registration Now Open for AttendeesThe Premiere Technology Event Will Provide Engineers Access to Renesas' Latest Technology and Products and Offer Opportunities for Exploring Innovative Embedded System Design Ideas Renesas Technology America, Inc.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 12 Aug 2008 | 5:00 am China's Luggage Exports Continue to Grow, With Sales in the First Quarter of 2008 Increasing 19 Percent to Almost US$1.4 BillionResearch and Markets Laura Wood Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com Fax from USA: 646-607-1907 Fax from rest of the world: +353-1-481-1716 Logo: http://www.researchandmarkets.com Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/ ae0eb5/china_sourcing_rep) has announced the addition of the "China Sourcing Report: Luggage" report to their offering.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 12 Aug 2008 | 5:00 am Cisco Expands Technical Assistance Center Operations in JordanCisco Expands Technical Assistance Center Operations in Jordan Jordan's ICT Minister visits Cisco TAC centre and commends operation English and Arabic Speaking Support Centre Achieves Key Milestones With Delivery Of Consistent, High Quality Global Customer Support Cisco announced today that as part of its ongoing drive to provide outstanding service and support to channel partners and customers across the Middle East, the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) in Jordan has doubled its headcount to 55 engineers.Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 12 Aug 2008 | 5:00 am Inside the network ops at DefConWired's Threat Level blog sweet-talked itself into the network operations center at DefCon, the infamous hacker con in Vegas, and got some great dirt on what it takes to run a network used by some of the world's most talented hackers:A First Ever Look Inside The Defcon Network Operations Center
(Photo: Dave Bullock (eecue)/Wired.com) Source: Boing Boing | 12 Aug 2008 | 4:44 am Elephant seals join fight against climate changeSYDNEY (Reuters) - Elephant seals swimming under Antarctic ice and fitted with special sensors are providing scientists with crucial data on ice formation, ocean currents and climate...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 4:32 am Gallery: High-End Cycling Gear Juices Your Ride : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comThe dog days of summer are upon us and if you're anything like the crew here at Wired.com, you still haven't logged as many miles as you had hoped. Well, there's no better motivator than new gear to get you back on track. After all, isn't that why you're a cyclist, not some sad-sack runner pounding the pavement in a pair of worn Adidas? You need something shiny and new to put you in the mood for a few late summer spins. Look no further: We tested out a handful of trick toys to help you crank your way into fall. Capoforma Signature Series Diavolo Jersey Grunting up Kings Mountain Road in Woodside under the hot California sun, the top-end Capoforma Signature Series Diavolo jersey from Upland Sports Group kept me comfortable and dry. Pity it didn't do anything for my climbing. Costing a cool $150, you'd think it should. The Capoforma is a snazzy piece of sport kit made from Capoforma Carbon, which, according to the company, is a dual-knit microfiber with a thread of carbon woven through it. Upland says the microfiber is quick drying, while the carbon thread makes it static resistant -- unlike many polyester jerseys. The Capoforma fits well, with three roomy pockets in back. And the wicking worked, keeping me mostly dry even on the longest, hottest rides.
Best of all, it looks the bomb. The Caporforma makes you feel like Mario Cipollini -- even if you look more like a fat sausage. The first day I wore it, a hottie commented on what a nifty jersey it was -- and at my age, that's worth $150 right there.  : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comChris King ISO Singlespeed Wheels
The first thing you notice about Chris King ISO Singlespeed disk wheels are how unbelievably beautiful they are. The workmanship is flawless. Available in a vast range of colors, the metalwork is stunning, even in punky pink and black. While other wheelsmiths keep trotting out new improvements like aero spokes and ceramic bearings, this cult company keeps things functional, not faddish. This $800 wheelset retains tradition wheel design, with regular rims, regular spokes. Once they're mounted on your bike, you'll notice their noise: The hub has 72 teeth on the drive ring instead of the standard 24, making the rear wheel sound like a swarm of angry bees. There's nothing like riding up behind an unsuspecting biking partner and unleashing the bees -- it makes them nearly jump out of their shorts. Being a big man, I also appreciated these wheels' bomb-proof construction. I'm confident these babies are not going to buckle under my 230-pound bulk, while making everyone around me jealous of my tricked-out ride. -- Jim Merithew  : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comSidi Dragon 2 SRS Shoes
Who knew I needed a Heel Security System on my mountain bike shoes? For that matter, what is a Heel Security System? Turns out it's an adjustable cinch that locks your heel firmly into the shoe. Result: no more floppy heel. Trouble is, this is an expensive breakthrough in shoe-cinching technology. The Sidi Dragons that sport this feature cost $500, and who's going to pay such a premium to keep their heels snug? After riding these -- that would be me. Heel security is a feature I never knew I needed. I had no idea that my heels were flopping around so much until they weren't flopping around any longer. Now, I don't know how I'll live without it. I've always been crazy for Sidi's Euro aesthetic and vibe. I think Sidi consistently makes some of the hottest kicks on the market. The Dragon is no exception. My feet were as happy at the end of the ride as they were at the start. And that $500 is actually a long-term investment: Almost every part on the shoe that can wear out is replaceable, from the stiff carbon inserts to the rubbery treads and optional toe spikes. The only niggle is with the newly designed buckle, which is tougher to tighten while riding than my other mountain-bike shoes -- a pair of Sidi Dominators. -- Jim Merithew  : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comCrank Bros. Acid 2 Pedals
If you're ready to break free from the big S's grip on your bicycle components, Crank Bros.' Acid 2 pedals are a good place to start. Crank Bros. calls them enduro/gravity pedals, but since my days of "lift up, rocket down" are over, I just took them out for a couple of laps around Camp Tamarancho, in Marin, California. Coming from Shimano's SPDs, there's a bit of a learning curve to use the cinching mechanism. The snap-in, snap-out is not as obvious as with SPDs. I found myself squirming around trying to determine whether I was firmly snapped into place or not. But the more miles I put in, the more confident I became with the ins and outs of this platform. Also, despite being made of carbon fiber, these pedals are still a bit too heavy for the weight-obsessed, and their white-plastic trim is completely out of place on a mountain bike pedal.
The other problem is that, at $240, these pedals are total overkill for the type of riding I do (slow and labored), but the hipster factor cannot be overlooked. They are cooooool.  : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com
Ergon GX1 Grips
Keeping your hands happy is key to keeping your steed under control. With aging mitts like mine, it'd seem that keeping them happy would mean more padding. But beware: As is often the case with super-padded saddles, more padding sometimes means more chafing. Ergon's GX1s are ergonomic grips designed for mountain-bike racing, and though there's little padding, these grips stay comfortable all day. The grips have a distinctive wing that is designed to relieve stress on your wrists. Though some people don't like the design of ergonomic grips, they certainly work for me. Costing about $40, the Ergon GX1s are simple to install and clamp securely onto your bars, which is where they are staying on my bike. And they look pretty sweet, too. -- Jim Merithew  : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comFizik Tundra Saddle
Your bike can have all the high-end tech wares you can afford, but if the ol' tuckus isn't happy your cycling experience is going to rub you the wrong way. Though my racing days are far behind me, I recently laid my hands -- er, buttocks -- on the new race-ready Fizik Tundra in bright white. While I didn't love the Tundra, it's a pretty sharp design. It has a nice long nose with just enough padding to make hammering out a cross-country race a little more pleasant. Plus, it's light enough to make a weight weenie grin. If you're looking to crush the competition at your next XC race and you want to look trick doing it, give the Tundra a go. But if you're looking to beat up on your buddies during your weekly run to the woods and keep your hiney happy doing it, you might want something a little less racy. -- Jim Merithew  : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comMirrycle Woodpecker
Mountain bikers get a bad rap by almost everyone on multiuse trails. Flying down the trails, big smiles on our faces, we can be a pretty discourteous bunch. We often scare the crap out of hikers, horseback riders and just about everyone we come in contact with, including other mountain bikers. The addition of a little noisemaker to your rig can go a long way to making friends on the trail. Just give a little tinkle when you come up behind -- or as you fly into a blind single-track corner. My new personal favorite is the $18 Mirrycle Woodpecker (top left in this photo). Made from a bell-shaped piece of wood, the Woodpecker makes a pleasant clunk, clunk sound instead of the harsh ring-a-ding-ding of most bells. -- Jim Merithew  : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comPolar CS600 HR with Power Output
Pro bike racers know that the biggest mistake made by newbie riders is that they're never going hard enough when they think they're going full-out -- and that they're going too hard when they should be taking it easy. One of the easiest ways to fix this is to become more in tune with your body via a heart-rate monitor. A good HRM will tell you when you need to go harder, and when to slow it down. For years, veteran HRM-maker Polar has been helping athletes tune their bodies. The $420 Polar CS600 is their current top-of-the-line model. For those who aren't fluent in their own body language, this little fella will translate. The CS600 gives you the usual bike computer functions -- speed, distance and time -- but also throws in dozens of functions, from an altimeter, barometer and compass to your BMI index, training programs, and enough heart data to give you palpitations. Throw in the optional Power Output Sensor (for another $290), and the CS600 will measure the power output of your legs -- and it is sensitive enough to tell you which leg is doing most of the work. I found the CS600 to be too much computer for me. Turns out I wasn't all that interested in defining my training zones. But if you're a gadget fiend who wants to track every conceivable data point of a workout regime, this computer will do it for you. -- Jim Merithew Source: Wired: Gadgets | 12 Aug 2008 | 4:00 am Aug. 12, 1981: IBM Unveils 5150 PC1981: IBM introduces the 5150 personal computer. It will sweep away the competition and effectively have the field to itself, for a while. Before 1980, IBM made only mini and mainframe computers. The old-line firm just wasn't sure that the fledgling microcomputer market would be at all profitable. But once the company decided to act, it developed the 5150 in less than a year at its Boca Raton, Florida, facility -- using existing off-the-shelf components. IBM selected Intel's 8-to-16-bit 8088 processor, because it thought both the Intel 8086 and Motorola MC68000 16-bit processors were too powerful. For an operating system, IBM first went to Digital Research, which had developed CP/M. When Digital declined, IBM went to a small firm known for microcomputer adaptations of BASIC: Microsoft. Microsoft bought the rights to Seattle Computer Products' QDOS (supposedly, "Quick and Dirty Operating System," itself a possible hack of CP/M). In Microsoft's hands, QDOS became PC-DOS and later MS-DOS. (The 5150 could also run the more-expensive CP/M-86 and UCSD D-Pascal operating systems, but the $40 price tag on PC-DOS 1.0 made it irresistible to most users.) IBM unveiled its new baby in Boca Raton and at New York City's Waldorf Astoria hotel. It weighed a then-svelte 25 pounds with a 4.77-MHz Intel 8088 CPU that contained 29,000 transistors. Stripped, it had just 16 kB of RAM; standard 64 kB, expandable to 256 kB. It also featured a 40-kB ROM, a choice of zero, one or two 5.25-inch floppy drives, a monochromatic display and optional cassette drive. The 16-kb base model, with no data-storage drives included, cost $1,565 ($3,770 in today's money). If you loaded a 64-kB box with all the standard features, that jumped to $2,880 ($6,930 today), and souped up with color graphics and 256 kB, it'd cost you about $6,000 ($14,400 today). Available software included the VisiCalc spreadsheet, Easywriter 1.0 and Adventure, Microsoft's first game. IBM retailed the 5150 through ComputerLand and Sears, Roebuck. It sold 65,000 PCs in four months, with 100,000 orders taken by Christmas. The 5150 was trouncing all the other microcomputers targeted for homes and small businesses. It established the dominance of the Microsoft operating system, pushing CP/M and proprietary operating systems out of the market. On the hardware side, its boxy design became the model for PC compatibles, and the ISA bus supplanted the old S-100 bus as standard. It would be two-and-a-half years before the first real challenge appeared, when the original Apple Macintosh went on sale. Source: Old Computers Online Museum 
Source: Wired Top Stories | 12 Aug 2008 | 4:00 am 15th Anniversary: Why J. J. Abrams, Joe Trippi and Hilary Rosen Remain Wired Heroes *Years after they first appeared in Wired, these three VIPs remain in the spotlight.
Why he does it
Why she does it
Why he does it
* Dead to us: Sonic the Hedgehog, Terry Semel, the Wachowski Siblings, Hans Reiser Q&A with Hilary Rosen Wired: With OurChart you used one platform (the television show The L Word) to launch another (a social network). How did you hook up with Ilene Chaiken, and when/how did the "aha" moment happen? Were you convinced from the outset that OurChart would be a success, and why? Rosen: OurChart was Ilene's idea. We are old friends. She and Kara Swisher (AllthingsD.com) came to me and said that they thought "TheChart" from the show, which was literally a chart on the wall of one of the main character's living room that connected who slept with whom, should go online as a social network — broadening, of course, the purpose beyond sex! The L Word has long served as kind of an analog social networking vehicle for the lesbian community. People watch it at bars and at parties. We created a business plan that would incorporate what people liked about the show, which meant providing original lesbian and fan-centered entertainment content and combined that with traditional SN features. Showtime and CBS were very supportive. Wired: Only a few other social networks have launched via television shows, but none has replicated the success of OurChart. Why do you think the L Word's audience took so well to a new online community? Rosen: Lesbians are a hugely underserved market. This is a community with some $300 billion in annual consumer spending. Marketers and advertisers have started paying attention to the gay market over the last few years, but mostly that has been to target gay men. Surveys show that lesbian households have as much disposable income as gay male households. We knew if we built it they would come — both users and advertisers. Wired: What other projects are on the horizon for you? Rosen: I am now concentrating on some projects in Washington. I work for a few great companies like XM Radio and Viacom. The brilliant Jay Berman and I have a partnership that helps companies like Facebook navigate the IP world. Politics has always been my hobby, and this year it is also my business. It is as important an election as we have ever had. I am on-air on MSNBC as one more talking head discussing the same things as everyone else, but I hope sometimes with a different angle. And I am excited about a new role I have taken with The HuffingtonPost.com as a political director and an at-large editor. The site's traffic is through the roof, and as the largest site for progressive voices, we are going to have a great impact on this election. Given my experience, I am also helping the team develop the business side as well. It is a great group of people, and Arianna [Huffington] is, as everyone knows, a fantastic force of nature. Politics has always been my hobby, and this year it is also my business. It is as important an election as we have ever had. I am on-air on MSNBC as one more talking head discussing the same things as everyone else, but I hope sometimes with a different angle. And I am excited about a new role I have taken with The HuffingtonPost.com as a political director and an at-large editor. The site's traffic is through the roof, and as the largest site for progressive voices, we are going to have a great impact on this election. Given my experience, I am also helping the team develop the business side as well. It is a great group of people, and Arianna is, as everyone knows, a fantastic force of nature. Wired: You've noted the "chilling effect" the RIAA's actions had on legitimate uses/users. Knowing what you know now, would you still file the same suit against Napster? Rosen: We had no choice but to sue Napster. I tried to avoid it because I thought the service was the greatest thing I'd ever seen. But they weren't knowledgeable enough to be interested in talking at the beginning. It was the first big program, and the precedent needed to be set. Wired: Do you think the Big Five should have accepted the licensing agreement that was on the table during the Napster 1.0 days? (i.e., $1 billion over five years). Had they accepted the offer, how might the landscape of online music and the industry itself be entirely different from where we are today? Rosen: I don't know if that particular deal is the one that should have been done, but I do firmly believe that the record companies should have made a deal. At the time, no amount of money that Napster put on the table seemed large enough because it was virtually impossible to compare the then current revenues from sales to the proposed digital revenues. The record companies weren't willing to jump off the cliff and take a chance. That was a mistake which can never be undone. P2P took over, and we had no technology or consumer allies, which we might have had if we had a deal. Having said that, the Napster management was difficult to deal with because the players kept changing. I understand the interest that people have in wanting to know how this fantastic industry with so much potential for growth has now shrunk so dramatically. The fact is that there are so many reasons. And I can only scratch the surface here. Maybe someday I'll write a book. In the record industry there were problems with the retail distribution, with advertising and marketing strategies, with demographics focusing too much on the young hit maker and not serving the older buyer, with artist relations, with international piracy, and so many other areas. Technology and the piracy it facilitated (and continues to facilitate) was a major reason as well, of course. And this is the issue that got the most play. Senior executives at the record industry were often trapped in the same short-term thinking that a lot of business executives get trapped into — which is making the current quarter revenues as high as possible and hoping that the next quarter works out. It is also fair to say that the most influential record executives were more music men and not businessmen (yes, all men), and therefore there was no problem that a great "hit" wouldn't fix. But it is so wrong to blame the record companies alone. The music publishers wouldn't license, the retailers threatened the labels with retaliation if they distributed online at a cheaper rate than they sold physical products, and the artists wouldn't reduce advance requests to try and experiment more online. In short, it required the entire music community to see the future in the same way and commit to working together — a very difficult scenario to pull off. And exacerbating the problems within the music business was a very real arrogance in the technology community that valued technological innovation above all. Their disdain for the music community was palpable and irritating to many of my colleagues. After all, artists worked as hard to create their music as software developers worked to create their technology. ISPs were making more money when piracy was a driver to upgrade to high-speed; hardware makers were incorporating CD-Rs and increasing prices. Once MP3 distribution was rampant, the tech industry didn't think it needed the legitimate music industry because their consumers were being served with the unauthorized music. Most of the best innovators in the field didn't want the music industry to succeed because too many of them believed that it was a zero-sum game. Well, that needed to change. I wasn't going to be able to undo 30 years of mistrust within the music community since that was in others' control. So I worked hardest to try to bring the technology and content communities together to see their common interests in upgrading the consumer experience with legitimate higher-quality music and artist participation in the extra content that fans wanted. Much of my time in my last few years at RIAA was in that behind-the-scenes shuttle diplomacy, urging the experimentation with business models and facilitating licensing systems. While the language and orientations are still different between content and technology, there is at least some great understanding now. And though there is still a great amount of unauthorized stuff online now, consumers have some great choices and lots of companies are working hand in glove with the music industry to make the offerings even better. It has taken so much longer than any of us would have liked or even predicted, but it is happening. Wired: Since stepping down from the RIAA, you've consulted for companies like XM Radio. Some would say you've switched teams. Is that a fair assessment? Rosen: No, I haven't switched teams. I am inherently a proponent of intellectual property protection and its critical role in the creation of art and the commercial support of artists. But I do call them as I see them. And sometimes that means that I disagree with some of my former employers. Not that anyone cares, including me, but I've turned down fortunes to go against them because I just couldn't reconcile the work with either my beliefs or my loyalty. Wired: You helped found Rock the Vote and work with a number of nonprofits. Do you ever worry people will instead remember you more for the turbulent times you spent at the RIAA? Rosen: Geez, I haven't turned 50 yet! I hope the epitaph isn't written. Having said that, I do think I have had a great and varied career as a business executive, a television commentator, a lobbyist, and an activist, and all the time working on issues that I really like. Hopefully that will continue. I definitely have another act or two in me. Wired: Did that period sour you to music, music fans, the music business at all? Rosen: No, RIAA didn't sour me on music at all. I originally took the job because I was such a music fan, I loved almost every minute of it, and I am still a music fan. But it is nice now to listen to an artist or a new song and not worry about whether they get along with their record company, who's getting paid on what, whether the release was leaked online before its release, and whether it is meeting its sales targets! Wired: And if you had your way, what would you most want to be remembered for above all else? Rosen: Who knows?! Who cares?! I guess I just want my kids to be happy and do good in the world. Q&A with Joe Trippi Wired: In 2004 you pointed to the fences and declared that the 2008 race would be the "first national contest waged and won primarily online." The first point is irrefutable. Based on what we've seen thus far in 2008, why is the battle being waged online really more vital than, say, 30-second TV spots or door-to-door stumping? Trippi: The important differences can be seen between the Clinton old "top-down" campaign and the Obama "bottom-up" Internet-savvy campaign. Hillary Clinton was dependent on $2,300 checks — and could not replicate them — having to loan herself millions just to keep up with Obama's online small donors who were able to contribute repeatedly. Obama's volunteers who signed up online organized his caucus victories for free while contributing to pay for the professional, paid Obama organizers they worked with. Clinton did not have enough of these online activists to keep up with Obama in the caucus states — so she lost almost all of them. TV took people out of the process — the Internet and technology are putting people back into the process. Politicians, government officials, CEOs, and others who fail to understand that this changes everything are going to be shocked at what happens to them as their competitors "get it." Wired: During the ‘04 election, at one point, John Kerry had raised roughly 37 percent of his campaign funds from his Web site. Today, $45 of the $55 million Barack Obama raised in February alone streamed in from the Web. Did you expect the shift toward Web-based fund-raising to accelerate this much in only four years time? Will we see even more impressive numbers before November? Trippi: In my book, [The Revolution Will Not Be Televised], I said that the $100 revolution was just around the corner — that a candidate in the 2008 cycle would be able to mobilize millions to contribute small contributions of $100 or less. Before this campaign started, I believed and still believe that a candidate (probably Barack Obama) will raise a half-billion dollars just in the general election. The math is simple: 5 million Americans giving $100 each. We are still scratching the surface of what's possible as more Americans get involved in their democracy. Fifty-seven million voted for John Kerry, 60 million or so voted for George Bush — you cannot tell me that 10 percent of the Kerry voters would not have given him $100. The real trigger will be a candidate who limits General Election contributions to a small amount like $250 or less, and millions of Americans realize they can block the special interests and change our politics with a small contribution or helping in some other way. This is going to happen this year. I am sure of it. And BTW, in 2012 or 2016 it will be even bigger. It's the network, stupid. And the network is growing. Wired: If 2004 is remembered as the year of micro-targeting and online campaigning, what will the legacy of 2008? Also, Obama's campaign has sparked a wave of Web-based creativity — from T-shirts to viral sites like barackobamaisyournewbicycle.com. Had John Edwards stayed in the race, what might your strategy have been to compete, diffuse, or work around all the buzz? Trippi: I think that the creativity unleashed by sites like YouTube.com will be the hallmark of this cycle. In 2004 we created DeanTV, a 24/7 broadband channel where anyone could upload a video, a mashup of a Dean speech, or anything they wanted — about 200,000 people used it. Turns out we had created our own YouTube before YouTube created YouTube. The important thing to understand is that TV and Internet campaigning are still intertwined. Elizabeth Edwards called into Hardball on MSNBC to confront Anne Coulter and created an online firestorm. The problem for the Edwards campaign was that no matter what we did, the media focused on Clinton vs. Obama. And the more coverage Obama got, the more his online buzz grew. This wasn't new to me — we benefited from this same kind of media focus in the Dean campaign. Our strategy in the Edwards campaign was to build a strong online presence and then beat both Obama and Clinton in Iowa. We felt if we could do that the media would focus on us and that our Internet presence would combine to dramatically shoot us into contention. We took second — and close never matters in politics. Wired: I understand you kept a 90-day calendar, color-coded to track traffic to JohnEdwards.com. What was the most common cause for the larger spikes? Trippi: The larger spikes were almost always caused by something related to Elizabeth Edwards, she gets bottom up politics and the Internet better than anyone – candidate or spouse I have ever worked with. She connects with people and she is authentic and those two things created a lot of the spikes in sign-ups or contributions to our campaign. Wired: Keeping tabs on what's happening online is beyond a full-time job. What's your best advice for, say, a small-town politician running on a lean budget and staff? Trippi: This isn't hard or expensive. Start a blog, a Twitter account, and a FriendFeed. Ten minutes a day with just these three tools can make a huge difference. But let's look into the future for a second. Somewhere today there is someone who is oblivious to these tools who is running for city council and is dialing for dollars. There is someone else running for city council who is dialing for dollars but also is collecting emails and growing followers on Twitter. Ten years from now they will both be running against each other for Congress — any guesses at who is going to kick whose? Wired: Can these tools that are used for campaigning also be used to govern? Trippi: John F. Kennedy heralded in the age of the television presidency. It changed everything — a president at his inaugural could rally the nation. In January 2009, the next president of the United States will herald in the age of the networked presidency. The inaugural will be live-blogged and mashed up. The new president will outline the agenda for the first 100 days of his administration, and online communities will rally to the cause of passing health care and other agenda items like never before. It will only be the beginning, just as JFK was only the beginning of how television changed governing — but we are about to witness and be part of the most sweeping change in government and people's participation in our government since the revolution of 1776, and it will change more than how we are governed — it will (just as television did) change everything. Wired: Why does it really matter if your video gets, say, 75,000 more hits on YouTube than the other candidate? And how does popularity online carry over to the voting booth, especially during an extended primary season? Trippi: The big difference is that if you hear something interesting on the radio, or see something that catches your attention on TV, you cannot interact with it instantly — you cannot respond by joining up or by putting it to music, and you can't send it on to every one of your friends shouting to the rooftops "Eureka! I found it!" Will.I.am's mashup of Barack Obama's "Yes We Can" speech was passed friend to friend by millions of Americans — most of us got it from a friend or someone we cared about. That is much more powerful than getting a message from a paid staffer, even if it comes from a candidate you support. Wired: After 2004, you vowed not to return to presidential politics. You didn't stay away for very long. What keeps you coming back for more? Trippi: I always wondered what changed people's lives more? Politics? Or Technology? I have spent the better part of 30 years trying to figure that out, straddling the worlds of Silicon Valley and Washington ever since Senator Ted Kennedy called me in San Jose and asked me to organize for him in 1979. I do it because I want to change things for the better. In 2004 I got the chance to put the two things I knew a lot about together and something amazing happened. I got it wrong, [and] I thought that was the end — but as 2008 neared, I realized it was just the beginning. I was proud to have been part of the Wright brothers of a new kind of politics in the Dean campaign of 2004. But damn — in four years the technology and sites have blown past Boeing, Mercury, and Gemini. We are seeing the Apollo project of a new kind of politics being built right now. But we are all still pioneers — still exploring where all of this will go and how to make it work to bring even more people into the process. Wired: According to your Twitter feed, you're at work on a Web strategy for Jim Slattery. What can we expect from that collaboration? Trippi: Jim Slattery believes that we have to get more people involved if we are really going to change things. He was a member of Congress through 1994, so he knows how Washington works. He really understands the importance of the new tools available to people to connect with each other and change the place so it works for us. He is after me every day to help him figure it out in Kansas and take on one of the real status quo players — US Senator Pat Roberts, who fittingly has held office in Washington since before Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. I love Twitter, but I have to be more careful about my Tweets. But keep an eye on the Slattery campaign.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 12 Aug 2008 | 4:00 am 3 Smart Things About Sunburn1 Early hominids may have developed a sensitivity to UV rays for the good of the species. Based on a study using blood plasma, just an hour in direct sunlight could cause a 30 to 50 percent drop in folate levels — and low folate is linked to both abnormal sperm and birth defects. Good news for nerds: It's survival of the palest! 2 World War II sailors were early adopters of sunscreen. The zinc oxide they smeared on their noses served to reflect and scatter UV light. Today's lotions have added organic compounds that absorb UV energy and dissipate it as heat. 3 The sun isn't all evil. It stimulates your skin to produce vitamin D, and one study suggests that 1,000 IUs of D per day reduces your risk of certain cancers by up to 50 percent. But that's not a free pass to bake: More than 15 minutes of exposure daily over 40 percent of your body might just be an invitation to skin cancer.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 12 Aug 2008 | 4:00 am Who Wants To Be The Next Toothpaste Network Star?Can you do better than "Bam!" Careful, Emiril Lagasse has ridden that syllable to fame and fortune. But advertising is a fickle business and now Proctor and Gamble is replacing its pitchman's signature slogon with, well, maybe yours: The old school company is going right past its creatives and crowdsourcing their next campaign.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 12 Aug 2008 | 4:00 am Can the Kindle Break the E-book Curse?A Citigroup analyst has given a big boost to Amazon's Kindle eBook reader, calling it to "the iPod of the book world." Sales of the gadget are healthy, but we've been here before. For whatever reasons, eBook readers have traditionally had no traction among consumers. Is the Kindle the game changer?
Source: Wired Top Stories | 12 Aug 2008 | 4:00 am Gallery: High-End Cycling Gear Juices Your Ride: Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comThe dog days of summer are upon us and if you're anything like the crew here at Wired.com, you still haven't logged as many miles as you had hoped. Well, there's no better motivator than new gear to get you back on track. After all, isn't that why you're a cyclist, not some sad-sack runner pounding the pavement in a pair of worn Adidas? You need something shiny and new to put you in the mood for a few late summer spins. Look no further: We tested out a handful of trick toys to help you crank your way into fall. Capoforma Signature Series Diavolo Jersey Grunting up Kings Mountain Road in Woodside under the hot California sun, the top-end Capoforma Signature Series Diavolo jersey from Upland Sports Group kept me comfortable and dry. Pity it didn't do anything for my climbing. Costing a cool $150, you'd think it should. The Capoforma is a snazzy piece of sport kit made from Capoforma Carbon, which, according to the company, is a dual-knit microfiber with a thread of carbon woven through it. Upland says the microfiber is quick drying, while the carbon thread makes it static resistant -- unlike many polyester jerseys. The Capoforma fits well, with three roomy pockets in back. And the wicking worked, keeping me mostly dry even on the longest, hottest rides.
Best of all, it looks the bomb. The Caporforma makes you feel like Mario Cipollini -- even if you look more like a fat sausage. The first day I wore it, a hottie commented on what a nifty jersey it was -- and at my age, that's worth $150 right there. : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comChris King ISO Singlespeed Wheels
The first thing you notice about Chris King ISO Singlespeed disk wheels are how unbelievably beautiful they are. The workmanship is flawless. Available in a vast range of colors, the metalwork is stunning, even in punky pink and black. While other wheelsmiths keep trotting out new improvements like aero spokes and ceramic bearings, this cult company keeps things functional, not faddish. This $800 wheelset retains tradition wheel design, with regular rims, regular spokes. Once they're mounted on your bike, you'll notice their noise: The hub has 72 teeth on the drive ring instead of the standard 24, making the rear wheel sound like a swarm of angry bees. There's nothing like riding up behind an unsuspecting biking partner and unleashing the bees -- it makes them nearly jump out of their shorts. Being a big man, I also appreciated these wheels' bomb-proof construction. I'm confident these babies are not going to buckle under my 230-pound bulk, while making everyone around me jealous of my tricked-out ride. -- Jim Merithew : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comSidi Dragon 2 SRS Shoes
Who knew I needed a Heel Security System on my mountain bike shoes? For that matter, what is a Heel Security System? Turns out it's an adjustable cinch that locks your heel firmly into the shoe. Result: no more floppy heel. Trouble is, this is an expensive breakthrough in shoe-cinching technology. The Sidi Dragons that sport this feature cost $500, and who's going to pay such a premium to keep their heels snug? After riding these -- that would be me. Heel security is a feature I never knew I needed. I had no idea that my heels were flopping around so much until they weren't flopping around any longer. Now, I don't know how I'll live without it. I've always been crazy for Sidi's Euro aesthetic and vibe. I think Sidi consistently makes some of the hottest kicks on the market. The Dragon is no exception. My feet were as happy at the end of the ride as they were at the start. And that $500 is actually a long-term investment: Almost every part on the shoe that can wear out is replaceable, from the stiff carbon inserts to the rubbery treads and optional toe spikes. The only niggle is with the newly designed buckle, which is tougher to tighten while riding than my other mountain-bike shoes -- a pair of Sidi Dominators. -- Jim Merithew : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comCrank Bros. Acid 2 Pedals
If you're ready to break free from the big S's grip on your bicycle components, Crank Bros.' Acid 2 pedals are a good place to start. Crank Bros. calls them enduro/gravity pedals, but since my days of "lift up, rocket down" are over, I just took them out for a couple of laps around Camp Tamarancho, in Marin, California. Coming from Shimano's SPDs, there's a bit of a learning curve to use the cinching mechanism. The snap-in, snap-out is not as obvious as with SPDs. I found myself squirming around trying to determine whether I was firmly snapped into place or not. But the more miles I put in, the more confident I became with the ins and outs of this platform. Also, despite being made of carbon fiber, these pedals are still a bit too heavy for the weight-obsessed, and their white-plastic trim is completely out of place on a mountain bike pedal.
The other problem is that, at $240, these pedals are total overkill for the type of riding I do (slow and labored), but the hipster factor cannot be overlooked. They are cooooool. : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com
Ergon GX1 Grips
Keeping your hands happy is key to keeping your steed under control. With aging mitts like mine, it'd seem that keeping them happy would mean more padding. But beware: As is often the case with super-padded saddles, more padding sometimes means more chafing. Ergon's GX1s are ergonomic grips designed for mountain-bike racing, and though there's little padding, these grips stay comfortable all day. The grips have a distinctive wing that is designed to relieve stress on your wrists. Though some people don't like the design of ergonomic grips, they certainly work for me. Costing about $40, the Ergon GX1s are simple to install and clamp securely onto your bars, which is where they are staying on my bike. And they look pretty sweet, too. -- Jim Merithew : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comFizik Tundra Saddle
Your bike can have all the high-end tech wares you can afford, but if the ol' tuckus isn't happy your cycling experience is going to rub you the wrong way. Though my racing days are far behind me, I recently laid my hands -- er, buttocks -- on the new race-ready Fizik Tundra in bright white. While I didn't love the Tundra, it's a pretty sharp design. It has a nice long nose with just enough padding to make hammering out a cross-country race a little more pleasant. Plus, it's light enough to make a weight weenie grin. If you're looking to crush the competition at your next XC race and you want to look trick doing it, give the Tundra a go. But if you're looking to beat up on your buddies during your weekly run to the woods and keep your hiney happy doing it, you might want something a little less racy. -- Jim Merithew : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comMirrycle Woodpecker
Mountain bikers get a bad rap by almost everyone on multiuse trails. Flying down the trails, big smiles on our faces, we can be a pretty discourteous bunch. We often scare the crap out of hikers, horseback riders and just about everyone we come in contact with, including other mountain bikers. The addition of a little noisemaker to your rig can go a long way to making friends on the trail. Just give a little tinkle when you come up behind -- or as you fly into a blind single-track corner. My new personal favorite is the $18 Mirrycle Woodpecker (top left in this photo). Made from a bell-shaped piece of wood, the Woodpecker makes a pleasant clunk, clunk sound instead of the harsh ring-a-ding-ding of most bells. -- Jim Merithew : Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comPolar CS600 HR with Power Output
Pro bike racers know that the biggest mistake made by newbie riders is that they're never going hard enough when they think they're going full-out -- and that they're going too hard when they should be taking it easy. One of the easiest ways to fix this is to become more in tune with your body via a heart-rate monitor. A good HRM will tell you when you need to go harder, and when to slow it down. For years, veteran HRM-maker Polar has been helping athletes tune their bodies. The $420 Polar CS600 is their current top-of-the-line model. For those who aren't fluent in their own body language, this little fella will translate. The CS600 gives you the usual bike computer functions -- speed, distance and time -- but also throws in dozens of functions, from an altimeter, barometer and compass to your BMI index, training programs, and enough heart data to give you palpitations. Throw in the optional Power Output Sensor (for another $290), and the CS600 will measure the power output of your legs -- and it is sensitive enough to tell you which leg is doing most of the work. I found the CS600 to be too much computer for me. Turns out I wasn't all that interested in defining my training zones. But if you're a gadget fiend who wants to track every conceivable data point of a workout regime, this computer will do it for you. -- Jim Merithew
Source: Wired Top Stories | 12 Aug 2008 | 4:00 am California lawmakers consider cyberbullying bill (CNET)CNET - School bullies who use the Internet or text messaging to harass fellow students could be kicked out of school under a bill being considered by the California Legislature.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 12 Aug 2008 | 3:40 am China to Build a Zero Carbon Green Citygormanw writes "Just outside Shanghai, there is an island about the size of Manhattan. China is going to build its first ever 'green city', complete with no gasoline/diesel powered vehicles, 100% renewable energy, green roofs, and recycling everything. The city is called Dongtan and it should house about 5,000 people by the end of 2010, with estimates of 500,000 by 2050. The goal is to build a livable city that is energy efficient, non-polluting, and protects the wildlife in the area."Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 12 Aug 2008 | 3:37 am Autodesk Announces Stitcher Unlimited 2009 and ImageModeler 2009 Software ProductsProvide Advanced Panorama Creation and Image-based 3D Modeling Capabilities LOS ANGELES, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today atSource: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 2:00 am Autodesk Announces MotionBuilder 2009 3D Character Animation SoftwareNew Version Provides Real-Time Simulation Toolset and Enhanced Interactivity for Director-Driven Virtual Cinematography and Animation-Intensive Productions LOS ANGELES,Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 2:00 am Autodesk Launches Toxik 2009 Visual Effects SoftwareFeature-Packed New Version Provides Powerful Tools for Stereoscopic Productions and Set Extensions LOS ANGELES, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 2:00 am Autodesk Announces 10-Year Anniversary Release of Maya SoftwareNew Release Provides Stereoscopic Production Capabilities, nParticles Simulation, and Powerful Animation and Productivity Tools LOS ANGELES, Aug. 11...Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 2:00 am Genetic Glitch May Prevent Kids from Learning from Their Mistakesjamie pointed out an interesting piece being featured in Newsweek that claims a "genetic glitch" may prevent kids from learning from their mistakes to the same degree as others. "If there is one thing experts on child development agree on, it is that kids learn best when they are allowed to make mistakes and feel the consequences. So Mom and Dad hold back as their toddler tries again and again to cram a round peg into a square hole. [...] But not, it seems, all kids. In about 30 percent, the coils of their DNA carry a glitch, one that leaves their brains with few dopamine receptors, molecules that act as docking ports for one of the neurochemicals that carry our thoughts and emotions. A paucity of dopamine receptors is linked to an inability to avoid self-destructive behavior such as illicit drug use. But the effects spill beyond such extremes. Children with the genetic variant are unable to learn from mistakes. No matter how many tests they blow by partying the night before, the lesson just doesn't sink in."Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 12 Aug 2008 | 1:25 am Dealing with bacterial crises - a "slightly sunnier view"Annelle of the Big Think says: Here's a followup to your August 6 post "The new generation of resistant infections is almost impossible to treat" that mentions Dr. Bonnie Bassler. Source: Boing Boing | 12 Aug 2008 | 12:50 am Gmail Suffers Outage, World EndsA glitch in Google's servers caused widespread outages to its popular Gmail service Monday afternoon, stranding hordes of users by denying them access to their e-mail accounts.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 12 Aug 2008 | 12:40 am Global Cash Access Holdings 2Q profit up slightlyGlobal Cash Access Holdings Inc., which provides ATMs for the gaming industry, said Monday its second-quarter profit rose slightly, though results were affected by a drop in share count.Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 12 Aug 2008 | 12:21 am Strong Bad Episode 1 Hits the WiiWare ShopNintendo has added a new title to their WiiWare shop, Strong Bad Episode 1: Homestar Ruiner from developer Telltale Games. The new title features the infamous boxing-glove-adorned character in the first of five installments of Telltale's "Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People". "The point-and-click adventure game stars Strong Bad, the lucha libre mask-wearing character from web cartoon series Homestar Runner. Players can create "Teen Girl Squad" comics, play a retro-styled minigame titled Snake Boxer 5, and send pictures and messages to their friends through the Wii's message board system." In addition to the new title two classic titles have also been added for virtual console, Break In, and Star Parodier.Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 11 Aug 2008 | 11:37 pm iPhone 3G: What's the frequency? (CNET)CNET - If you're an iPhone 3G owner in the U.S., we need your help.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 11 Aug 2008 | 10:54 pm OpenGL 3.0 Released, Developers Furiousikol writes "After over a year of delays, the OpenGL ARB (part of the Khronos industry group) today released the long-awaited spec for OpenGL 3.0 as part of the SIGGRAPH 2008 proceedings. Unfortunately it turns out not to be the major rewrite that was promised to developers. The developer community is generally furious, with many game developers intending to jump ship to DX10. Is this the end of cross-platform 3d on the cutting edge?"Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 11 Aug 2008 | 10:53 pm Web Zen: Vintage Zen do what now?coffee shops signs snapshots vegas puppini sisters previously on web zen: faux vintage zen retro zen 2007 Permalink for this edition. Web Zen is created and curated by Frank Davis, and re-posted here on Boing Boing with his kind permission. Web Zen Home and Archives, Store (Thanks Frank!) Source: Boing Boing | 11 Aug 2008 | 10:33 pm EFF To Appeal Court Order Vs. Subway Hack Demosnydeq sends along InfoWorld coverage of the EFF's plans to appeal a US District Court order that kept three MIT students from presenting detailed flaws in the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority e-ticketing system at Defcon. And an anonymous reader points out that the MBTA, in addition to triggering the Streisand Effect, released in open court more information on vulnerabilities (PDF) than the students had any intention of presenting. See Exhibit 1 to this court filing.Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: Slashdot | 11 Aug 2008 | 10:09 pm IBM urges virtualization for datacenters (InfoWorld)InfoWorld - Virtualization, SOA, and cloud computing are keys to accommodating the anticipated growth of datacenters in an energy-conscious environment, an IBM official stressed Monday.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 11 Aug 2008 | 9:45 pm Auto dealer software company slashes '08 outlook (AP)AP - Automotive dealer software manufacturer DealerTrack Holdings Inc. slashed its full-year earnings and revenue projections Monday, saying a challenging credit environment and slowdown in new car sales would impede performance.Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 11 Aug 2008 | 9:40 pm Presenting the Cleanest Car in BeijingMini bolts the back half of a Clubman to the front half of a bicycle and calls it the rickMini.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 11 Aug 2008 | 9:29 pm Don't Touch That File! Modifying User Permissions in UnixIf you've ever tried to edit a file stored on a Unix or Linux server, you've probably seen a user permissions message -- usually an error. User permissions are a necessary roadblock on any file server, but dealing with them doesn't have to be a pain. Webmonkey demystifies those puzzling permissions.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 11 Aug 2008 | 9:15 pm How to Access Pandora From Anywhere in the WorldThanks to legal restrictions, the free music streaming service, built on the Music Genome Project, Pandora is available only in the United States. It's OK, we've got some tips to getting around the restriction by setting up a proxy to make it look like you're from the United States, even if you're not.
Source: Wired Top Stories | 11 Aug 2008 | 9:10 pm Story of flying without ID Sherri Davidoff wrote about what it was like to go through airport security without identification. The TSA kept telling her, “you need to have identification to pass through security,” but they eventually let her get on the plane. Here's here analysis of the experience: • Recall that to indicate that I required extra screening, staff wrote in red Sharpie on my boarding pass. If I had simply printed off a second boarding pass at home, I could have presented that instead of the marked one, and gone through the metal detector as usual. In other words, passengers without ID can travel without undergoing any extra screening other than “identity verification.” A lawyer friend of mine commented that “if TSA marked ‘SSSS’ on a person’s hand rather than a piece if paper…the airport’s security would at least be as good as a bar’s.”Flying Without a Wallet (philosecurity. Thanks, Lovro!) Source: Boing Boing | 11 Aug 2008 | 9:04 pm Some Like It Hot, But Not FungiChili peppers evolved that spicy kick to protect themselves from a deadly fungus, say scientists.Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 11 Aug 2008 | 8:30 pm Review: Online Olympics is ambitious, but not TV (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 11 Aug 2008 | 8:23 pm Georgian president's Web site moves to Atlanta (AP)
Source: Yahoo! News: Technology News | 11 Aug 2008 | 4:48 pm Meet the Buzz-Kill PillCould a pill that blocks the euphoric effects of alcohol stop alcoholics from relapsing?Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 11 Aug 2008 | 4:40 pm BLOG: Michael Phelps vs. SuperfishHow does Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps stack up against these speedy fish?Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 11 Aug 2008 | 3:00 pm Aging Process Halted in Mouse LiverScientists block aging in the liver of mice by stopping the build-up of proteins.Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 11 Aug 2008 | 2:40 pm Power From Your Tailpipe? It's PossibleConverting wasted exhaust heat into energy could someday help power cars.Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 11 Aug 2008 | 2:20 pm Invisibility Cloaks Possible at Nano LevelScientists create a nano-sized material that can bend visible light in three dimensions.Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 11 Aug 2008 | 1:40 pm
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J. J. Abrams
Hilary Rosen
Joe Trippi
