July 8, 2010
It makes it like God doesn't exist!
GodBlock is a web filter that blocks religious content. It is targeted at parents and schools who wish to protect their kids from the often violent, sexual, and psychologically harmful material in many holy texts, and from being indoctrinated into any religion before they are of the age to make such decisions. When installed properly, GodBlock will test each page that your child visits before it is loaded, looking for passages from holy texts, names of religious figures, and other signs of religious propaganda. If none are found, then your child is allowed to browse freely.
Closer to a Cure?
A summary of two papers on newly-discovered antibodies that can neutralize 91% of HIV strains: "Structural Basis for Broad and Potent Neutralization of HIV-1 by Antibody VRC01" and "Rational Design of Envelope Identifies Broadly Neutralizing Human Monoclonal Antibodies to HIV-1"
Alfa Romeo and Juliet
A short story of traffic tickets, goldfish, and love starring David Tennant and Sophie Hunter
"... for interviewers are courteous and gentle-mannered, even when they come to destroy."
"The Interview was not a happy invention.... In the first place, the interviewer is the reverse of an inspiration, because you are afraid of him." An epic rant by Mark Twain, published for the first time this week. [more inside]
Metal Couture
Metal Couture design by Manuel Albarran. Some of his latest works are fantastic (also NSFW). [Via] [more inside]
Bookless in Stanford
Stanford's library was running out of space for printed books and journals, so they've built a new space ... with even less room for printed titles and issues. It's hastening the move to a digital library. NPR reports.
Pauline Kael
CityLights interview with Pauline Kael -- 1::2::3::4 (approx. 40 mins, NSI, 1982) Topics include Cecil B. Demille, Robert Preston, John Boorman’s Zardoz, Sean Connery, Roger Moore, James Bond films, and Lorenzo Semple Jr. More interviews from the National Screen Institute and Brian Linehan here, including John Candy, Eugene Levy, Christopher Plummer, and Ian McKellen
DOMA unconstitutional
The federal Defense of Marriage Act has been ruled unconstitutional by Judge Joseph Tauro of the District Court of Massachusetts.
Sincerity, in Youtube form!
Now! 75 Chart Medley. Brett Domino (wikipedia, official site) and Steven Peavis perform a medley of hits from 2010, using: soft drink cans, iPod Touch (using DigiDrummer app), Accordion, Roland E-36 Keyboard, Korg Digital Piano, Stylophone Beatbox, Theremin, Ukulele, Egg Shaker, Roland AX-Synth Keytar, Recorders, Glockenspiel, Kazoos, and Stylophones (previously). Via the excellent and hilarious Graham Clark of Stop Podcasting Yourself. [more inside]
You have 25 minutes to save Moonbase Alpha
Year: 2025. Mission: Save Moonbase Alpha after critical systems were damaged by a meteor strike. A free Steam-powered 3D-immersive game from NASA. Windows only.
We are amused
Yesterday, the Spanish national football squad won its first World Cup semifinal. A distinguished supporter insisted on personally congratulating them in the locker room. (SLYT, but priceless. Watch in particular the hero of the match enter the frame around 1:16).
Neoconservation: Conservation Easements
Today Minnesota finalizes a $44 million deal to conserve approximately 188,000 acres of forest, wetlands, and shoreline through what is known as a conservation easement. In addition to private funds from entities such as the Blandin Foundation, the easement is being paid for through the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment to Minneosta's state constitution, which just over a year ago created permanent funding for natural resource, arts, and cultural projects through a 0.375% state sales tax. UPM-Blandin Paper Co., will continue to own the land and be allowed to harvest wood, but the land cannot be developed or subdivided and the public must have access to the land. [more inside]
Olive Oil in the U.S. - A Smeared Reputation
A lack of federal rules has made the nation the dumping ground for cheap, adulterated and even dangerous oils. With many consumers in the U.S. becoming ill after consuming "olive oil", the USDA is finally moving to create standards defining what is "virgin olive oil". These are supposed to come out in the fall. Except 'the new rules are voluntary — not mandatory — so the prospect of more slick shenanigans continues'. Meanwhile, the FDA 'which oversees most food-label accuracy issues, said the agency does not regularly test olive oils for adulteration, and that it relies on tips about problems from the public, trade groups and others'. [more inside]
David Johnston: Canada's next Governer General
Canada's next Governor-General will be David Johnston, currently President of the University of Waterloo in Ontario, a tech-oriented school. Johnston is a legal scholar specializing in securities regulation, corporation law, public policy, and IT law. Here's his CV [pdf]. Why Johnston, instead of a journalist or public figure as has been the trend? For one, a legal scholar will be better able to navigate potential constitutional issues during minority governments. Johnston has pledged to be "a stalwart defender of our Canadian heritage, of Canadian institutions, and of the Canadian people".
Larry Rivers' Archives
When "Proto-Pop" artist Larry Rivers' died in 2002, he left behind extensive archives of his letters, paperwork, photographs and film documenting the New York artistic and literary scene from the 1940s through the 1980s. They chronicle his friendships and relationships with dozens of artists, musicians and writers, from Willem de Kooning and Andy Warhol to Frank O’Hara. Also included: films and videos of his two adolescent daughters, naked or topless, being interviewed by their father about their developing breasts. Now, one daughter, who says she was pressured to participate beginning when she was 11, is demanding that material be removed from the archive and returned to her and her sister. [more inside]
the compact marble machine man
Denha is a synthesizer enthusiast who also builds very small and fairly complex marble runs out of brass wire, carved wood, and 9/32" ball bearings. [more inside]
(and presumably he has a locker)
Unesayvtli, Usdi. Yust dohi yust gusdi?
Swedish-Cherokee artist America Meredith shows you how to be a Cherokee beatnik (or just talk like one). [more inside]
We were promised jetpacks. (Not the band.)
What are the things that will help create more Nimble Cities? (This post is heavy with slate-related links.) Slate asks readers to help make transportation in and between cities more efficient, safe, and pleasant. "While we're certainly not opposed to your most forward-looking proposals: Let's fire up Chicago's once sprawling pneumatic tube network; let's not let those zeppelin masts go to waste!--what we're most interested in are things in the here and now, things that are already making (or will soon be making) a difference in your city." Should cities install moving sidewalks? How about eliminating parking spaces or bicycle highways? [more inside]
The greatest thing since...
July 6 (or maybe July 7) marked the 130th anniversary of the birth of Otto Frederick Rohwedder, the inventor of sliced bread. [more inside]
Swing, swing, Spidey!
It seems cosmically appropriate that the Spider-man theme song (as recorded by Michael Bublé) should be used by swing dancers as well as solo performers. Here's a live rendition by the Russian group Mad Swing in Vladivostok, and (just for something different) here's a chronicle of Spider-Man's adventures set to Swing Swing by the eponysterical All-American Rejects. Previously and previouslier.
He's mean... He's really mean.
Shatner stole my bicycle (SLYT)
« Previous day | Next day »