Merit badges for nerds, mothers, and Etsy hipsters. [more inside]
posted by zamboni on Jan 28, 2011 - 18 comments

Mike Snook collects police patches from all over the United States, including state, local, federal, and many K-9 units. Yes, the site design is unfortunate but the collection is really cool.
posted by Gator on Aug 25, 2010 - 11 comments

As the internet works to decode the US Cyber Command logo, it is worth pondering the bizarre world of military patches and logos. The most awesomely bad has been selected by popular vote, but there is a serious reason behind that flippant patch. Then there are the strange and nerdy patches of classified projects [prev.] NASA has its own strange and awesome mission patches, but, as Space Review discovered, there are also secret patches for classified missions which give clues to their purpose. And then there was the military logo that was so outlandishly ominous it helped lead to the project's shutdown.
posted by blahblahblah on Jul 7, 2010 - 54 comments

Still clocking the old Boy Scout-style uniform? Perhaps you, like many others feel you could be more rewarded than you are today? Never fear, the "Boy Scout Store" has got your back! Develop your own program for: aging, blogging, bungee jumping, cat herding, coffeecraft, sexual revolution, Facebooking, Global Warming. smoking cessation, alcoholism and recovery, pranksterism, neighbor relations, robot building, incendiary devices, antisocial activities, street hooking, and, of course underwater basketweaving. Display your training in instigation and agitation. Maybe you feel you speak the language. Remember -- Scouting is for all.
posted by Ogre Lawless on Jan 21, 2010 - 38 comments

Modern construction materials. (via)
posted by klausness on Nov 24, 2009 - 15 comments

Microsoft's newest version of Windows.... billed as the most secure ever, contains several serious flaws that allow hackers to steal or destroy a victim's data files across the Internet or implant rogue computer software. The company released a free fix Thursday.

A Microsoft official acknowledged that the risk to consumers was unprecedented because the glitches allow hackers to seize control of all Windows XP operating system software without requiring a computer user to do anything except connect to the Internet.
posted by bkdelong on Dec 20, 2001 - 60 comments

Beta Blues: Do consumers deserve protection when software companies sell bad or untested code? Is checking for a patch the first thing you do after you install new software? Aren't you tired of being a member of Microsoft's largest beta testing group...the consumer? Read this article and add your opinion to the poll.
posted by Spanktacular on May 16, 2001 - 9 comments

Oh. My. God. Microsoft continues to amaze me and all its users with increasingly alarming security vulnerabilities. The Office 2000 Clipart Gallery (clipart for chrissakes!!!) can compromise any Win95/98/NT/2000 machine with something as simple as an email message read in Outlook. Here's Microsoft's take on it, and their patch.
posted by mathowie on Mar 7, 2000 - 0 comments