Close all the drapes, board up the fireplace, watch what might be hiding in that tree, and whatever you do, don't go to sleep, because December belongs to Cthulhu.* [more inside]
posted by Caduceus on Dec 7, 2009 - 23 comments

It’s only natural that if you wish to present yourself as a well-read person, a certain degree of complete bullshit is required. There’s no shame in lying about what you’ve read. There’s only shame in getting caught. Then you look like a doofus, and an illiterate one at that... How to lie about books.
posted by Artw on May 28, 2009 - 73 comments

This is an ironic tale of the consequences of inept application of cryptographic tools. Or is it? Dan Egerstad, a Swedish hacker, gained access to hundreds of computer network accounts around the world, belonging to various embassies, corporations and other organizations. How did he do it? Very easily: by sniffing exit traffic on his Tor nodes. [more inside]
posted by Anything on Dec 4, 2007 - 27 comments

Had he not died in 1971, Tor Johnson would be 103 today. Who could forget his face? Or that it makes a great mask? Don't we often think back fondly on his remarkable filmography? He made a great partner for Bela Lugosi! Who could forget that he tended to break toilet seats when he sat on them, and so would often steal them?
posted by Astro Zombie on Oct 19, 2006 - 12 comments

"What Do I Put in My Portfolio?" Irene Gallo, art director for science fiction/fantasy publisher Tor Books (and its mainstream imprint Forge), lays down wisdom on how to impress an art director and maybe get one to hire you for a book cover. Aside from being a practical primer for artists on everything from picturing the human figure to how not to annoy an art director at a party, for everyone else it's a glimpse into why SF book covers look the way they do.
posted by jscalzi on Jul 11, 2006 - 24 comments