The Latest from Boing Boing

Stephenson's Anathem was inspired by Clock of the Long Now Posted: 22 Jul 2008 04:33 AM CDT Neal Stephenson's forthcoming novel Anathem was inspired by the amazing Clock of the Long Now, a project to make a clock that runs for 10,000 years. The Long Now foundation is helping to launch the book with a signing in September in San Francisco, and its esteemed board members have been weighing in on the book: "'I suffer from attention surplus disorder,' jokes a character in Anathem. Attention surplus is exactly what Stephenson teaches his readers, in a book so tightly crafted it rewards instant rereading." - Stewart Brand "It is a great story, set in an alternative reality where people take long-term thinking seriously." - Danny Hillis "Long Now's 10,000-year clock inspired Neal Stephenson's new story, Anathem, and now Anathem is inspiring the Long Now. In ten centuries, no one will be sure which came first." - Kevin Kelly Link See also: Ask Neal Stephenson questions about Anathem Spooky, wonderful music CD in Neal Stephenson's new novel Long Now clock souvenir Unveiling of second Long Now clock in Bay Area: photos

25 spots open for Cory's talk tonight in Cambridge Posted: 22 Jul 2008 04:33 AM CDT As I mentioned earlier, I'm giving a free talk tonight in Cambridge, UK. The seating is limited and filled up weeks ago, but the organisers now tell me that they've had 25 last-minute dropouts -- if you wanted to go but couldn't get a reservation, here's your chance! Follow the link below to reserve a ticket. We made a bet, some decades ago, that the information economy would be based on buying and selling (and hence restricting copying of) information. We were totally, 100 percent wrong, and now the world's in turmoil because of it. What does a copy-native economy look like? How do everyone from barbers to musicians become richer, more fulfilled and more civilly engaged in a real information society. And what do we do about the fact that a couple of dinosauric entertainment companies are determined to screw it up? Cory Doctorow is a blogger, science fiction writer and journalist. He is an editor of Boing Boing, the 11th best blog in the world (according to Time Magazine). He was the 2006-2007 Canadian Fulbright Chair in Public Diplomacy at the USC Center on Public Diplomacy. He founded the software company Opencola which was later sold to the Open Text Corporation. He also writes regularly for The Guardian. Cory will be speaking for one hour at 5:30pm on July 22nd 2008. UPDATE: Cory will now be speaking at Robinson College, Grange Road, Cambridge CB3 9AN. Link

Photos from SF Zine Fair Posted: 22 Jul 2008 01:09 AM CDT Wired's got a nice gallery of photos taken at the San Francisco Zine Festival: The two-day conference featured a wide variety of DIY arts and crafts, zines, comics and a gypsy-like atmosphere. Attending noobs were also treated to hands-on workshops, from bookbinding to illustration and Q & A sessions with accomplished self-publishers. For zinesters, zines are like the blogs of the print world. They're an essential part of offline geek and underground culture and their DIY aesthetic has influenced an entire generation of designers and writers. Link

Buy a full-size T. Rex replica Posted: 22 Jul 2008 01:06 AM CDT A mere $100,000 gets you a STAN museum-grade T-Rex replica, a whopping 40' long and 12' high. They'll pose him for you, too. Each STAN T. rex skeleton is constructed according to your creative needs, allowing you to fashion a more dynamic exhibit. Whether you want your skeleton walking, stalking, attacking, running, jumping or looking your visitors right in the eye, we welcome your input, so long as the pose requested is natural and anatomically possible. Constructed modularly with no section more than 6 feet long, this incredible specimen can be assembled by an experienced crew of six in just under an hour! Link (via Geekologie)

HOWTO install your keys in a Leatherman handle Posted: 22 Jul 2008 01:02 AM CDT Instructables user Pyro222 has a great HOWTO for installing your keys in the handle of an old Leatherman Micra tool. I love this idea -- except the TSA would probably confiscate it, because installing a key in the hands of something that once held a knife confers magical, knife-like properties on the key (obviously). Link (via Make)

Chinese Tian-Ling worker shoes remade as fashion plimsolls Posted: 22 Jul 2008 12:59 AM CDT Ospop has taken the classic Chinese Tian-Lang worker-sneaker, a handsome, highly evolved little plimsoll, and reworked it, adding insoles, designer colors, eyelets, improved laces -- and sweat-free labor practices -- to produce a high-fashion export version. I bought a pair last week in dark green and I've been wearing them around, and I've found them surprisingly comfy and exceptionally handsome. The tennies arrive wrapped in paper designed by noted calligrapher Zhao Zhi Gang. The company is also running an educational charity for development in the area around its factory. Link

Learn to build a network-attached storage out of old PCs tonight in LA Posted: 22 Jul 2008 12:49 AM CDT Los Angeles's Machine Project continues with its series of seminars tonight with "Unix for N00bz: How To Access Your Data From Anywhere" -- a class on turning old PCs and hard-drives into network-attached storage devices that serve your files from anywhere. Since we are asking you to bring your own equipment to work with, the class will be structured into two parts: First, a lecture covering the high level topics involved in setting up NAS at home and online. We'll discuss the structure of the Internet, routers, IP addresses, DNS, dynamic DNS, and how you can configure many different kinds of computer systems to run the necessary services for access. There are some limitations however, and we'll discuss those too. Second, we'll break into groups to work with the equipment you've brought. We'll be setting up everything we've just discussed on the machine network and making a plan for what you'd need to do at home to get it working. Link (Thanks, Michele!)

Video uses boy band to sell lab equipment Posted: 21 Jul 2008 06:26 PM CDT Constantine says: How do you market a machine that automates using a pipette (an instrument used to transport a measured volume of liquid)? Romance, of course. Eppendorf is pushing its new epMotion machine with a video of a boy-band group of lab types singing a boy-band type of love song about how you deserve to have your pipetting done by a machine. Pipetting all those well-plates, baby, sends your thumbs into overdrive And spending long nights in the lab makes it hard for your love to thrive What you need is automation, girl, something easy as 1 2 3 So put down that pipette, honey, I got something that will set you free And it's called epMotion (whisper: 'cause you deserve something really great) Girl you need epMotion (whisper: yeah girl it's time to automate) It's got to be epMotion (whisper: no more pipetting late at night) Only for you epMotion (whisper: girl this time we got it right) DNA RNA Proteins Cell Cultures Less reagents Faster workflow Saves you money Well, well, well And it's called epMotion (whisper: 'cause you deserve something really great) Girl you need epMotion (whisper: yeah girl it's time to automate) It's got to be epMotion (whisper: no more pipetting late at night) Only for you epMotion (whisper: girl this time we got it right) epMotion music video

Britain on alert for deadly new knife with exploding tip that freezes victims' organs Posted: 21 Jul 2008 06:08 PM CDT (UPDATE: Originally posted on BB Gadgets) Police in London are on the lookout for £200 frozen-gas knives designed to kill bears and sharks, according to the never-inflammatory Daily Mail. The manufacturer describes [the Wasp Knife] as perfect for downed pilots, soldiers and security guards and boasts that it will "drop many of the world's largest land predators". It can snap-freeze all tissue and organs in the area surrounding the blast. A source close to West Midlands Police said: "The Met is obviously concerned about this and that is why they have circulated the information. "This knife will almost certainly kill and the Met must have intelligence that they are in circulation. "I think it is only a matter of time before one of these is used because the internet makes it much easier to find and buy weapons like this." Wasp injection knife (Daily Mail, Thanks James Olson!)

Crowd-source haircut video Posted: 21 Jul 2008 06:01 PM CDT Bilal Ghalib says: "This is how I got San Francisco to cut my hair. Crowd-sourced grooming in action." Link

Dementia 13 (Coppola's first mainstream movie) on Archive.org Posted: 21 Jul 2008 04:54 PM CDT Dementia 13 a 1963 Francis Ford Coppola/Roger Corman slasher film, is available for download from Archive.org. From Wikipedia: Dementia 13 is a 1963 horror thriller released by American International Pictures, starring William Campbell, Patrick Magee, and Luana Anders. The film was written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by Roger Corman. Although Coppola had been involved in at least two nudie films previously, Dementia 13 served as his first mainstream, "legitimate" directorial effort. The plot follows a scheming young woman who, after having inadvertently caused the heart attack death of her husband, attempts to have herself written into her rich mother-in-law's will. She pays a surprise visit to her late husband's family castle in Ireland, but her plans become permanently interrupted by an axe-wielding lunatic who begins to stalk and murderously hack away at members of the family. Dementia 13

NatGeo illustrator uses friend to pose as Neanderthal Posted: 21 Jul 2008 04:42 PM CDT Fun story from Dinotopia illustrator James Gurney: When National Geographic asked me to paint a small illustration of a Neanderthal father telling a story to his son, the art director emphasized that he should look recognizable, "like a guy who stepped off the subway." Only the heavy brow ridge should give him away. Where to find a model? I racked my brain for who would fit the part. One guy I knew named Jim would be ideal. But how should I ask him to pose? "Hey, Jim, would you mind posing for a Neanderthal picture I'm doing?" I was afraid he might be insulted. I managed to ask him, and he cooperated. Later I asked him if he minded being a cave man. "Not at all," he replied with a smile. "My girlfriend says it gives me more sex appeal." A terrific illustration, too! Link

Today on Boing Boing Gadgets Posted: 21 Jul 2008 03:01 PM CDT Today on Boing Boing Gadgets, Beschizza leaped out of bed at the crack of midnight, called to wakefulness by the eerie command of Sir Clive's obelisk-imbued consciousness. That out of the way, Rob chugged down a pre-dawn iPhone beer, then dived right into a fascinating study of ergonomic pipettes. Once the day proper had started, Brownlee looked at a Spectrum game recreated with a hamster and a Liliputian Lolita for your virtual molestation. The EFF busted another patent abuser and OS X media centers got sexier. We also figured out the perfect way to prevent house guests from having sex on your couch: buy a fold out sofa bunk bed instead. Joel wrote some weird (but awesome) stream-of-conscious story about a hard drive degausser. He learned that Esquire would have an e-paper cover and ejaculated his central nervous system over a range hood, of all things. We also looked at a pinwheel computer for the nuclear apocalypse and Apple co-founder, The Woz, and his early pirating of The Empire Strikes Back. Solar panels look like a decent investment and HP sucks at packing. And cassette tapes? Hey, what do you know: they're still a multi-million dollar industry. Link

Richie Jackson the psychedelic skateboarder Posted: 21 Jul 2008 02:41 PM CDT Richie Jackson is a skateboarder from Australia who is deep into psychedelic consciousness. Dose Nation features a video of Jackson shredding and the following snippet from an interview with Jackson. He sounds like my kind of guy: I believe in psychedelicism. Not just psychedelic music, but everything. A psychedelic experience is characterized as the unveiling of perceptions previously unknown -- the brain unfettered from its usual constraints. To me, it's all there is, and certainly all that's worth doing. I find no worth in that which doesn't surprise. Anomalies, irregularities, deviation from the common rule -- that is all I will ever care for. Richie Jackson: Psychedelic Skater (DoseNation)

St. Louis cops turn forfeiture policy into free car rental service Posted: 21 Jul 2008 12:43 PM CDT Cops and their kids get to use confiscated cars in St. Louis for free. Seems that the city of St. Louis, like many cities, allows the police to confiscate the cars of people suspected (but not necessarily convicted) of certain crimes. They have a contract with a city towing firm, and said firm was allowing police officers and their families to "rent" confiscated cars free of charge, sometimes for months on end. Officers and their families could also sometimes purchase the confiscated cars at a fraction of the cars' value. All of that is pretty outrageous. But it gets better. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch stumbled onto the story after investigating the daughter of the city's police chief. She had been involved in a number of accidents with different cars. On several occasions she had wrecked a car, then simply gone down to the towing service to get a 60-80 percent discount on a new one. After one accident, her blood-alcohol concentration tested at .17. She wasn't arrested or charged. The department says it has "no idea" why she was let go. St. Louis Cops Turn Forfeiture Policy Into Free Car Rental Service (Reason Hit & Run)

Artist taking commissions to pay for spider bite treatment Posted: 21 Jul 2008 03:27 PM CDT A poisonous spider bit artist Matthew Woodson, and the medical treatment is expensive. He's accepting commissions to offset the costs of the treatment, which is expected to last eight months. (Portfolio here) On Monday of last week I was bitten by a yet unknown poisonous spider on my right knee. By Tuesday I was running a high fever and unable to walk. On Friday evening I collapsed and was rushed to the ER. After a series of x-rays and a whole lot of examination, I was informed that I had a rather large abscess and cellulitis due to the spider's bite. I was sent home early Saturday morning after having my knee surgically "drained", and in more pain than I have ever been in. After a doctor's appointment this Monday, another abscess was drained and I was informed that I would need to see a doctor weekly until the wound had healed, which could possibly take up to 8 months. Within these 8 months there will remain the very real threat of the infection spreading into the bone of my knee, as well as the possibility of blood poisoning. Any possible commission you could have for me; gifts, wedding invitations, cards, wall art, tattoos, anything. I am interested in the job. I will also definitely consider larger personal commissions, considering the work involved. I would prefer to only be working in black and white, but don't be afraid to ask about color. I haven't exactly figured out how pricing will go yet, but obviously pricing will be negotiable and varying, but for small to medium sized drawings I was thinking between $100 - $500 through paypal. Kill Spiders, Buy Art (via Drawn)

Bauhaus tops Posted: 21 Jul 2008 12:13 PM CDT Bauhaus artist Ludwig Hirschfeld-Mack designed these Optischer Farbmischer (optical color mixer) tops in the early 1920s. Reproductions by Naef are available from Fawn & Forest for $49. From the product description: The first production of this toy started in 1977. The "Bauhaus Optischer Farbmischer" shows us how the rotation of a top brings about a color blend. Varying aspects of color theory are deomonstrated on the reverse of the inter-changeable color discs Not for children under 3 years old. Bauhaus tops (Fawn & Forest, thanks Kelly Sparks!)

Leopard attacks crocodile Posted: 21 Jul 2008 11:50 AM CDT Wildlife photographer Hal Brindley captured amazing photos of a leopard attacking a crocodile in Kruger National Park, South Africa. You can see all of the photos and also a video sequence of the images at Brindley's site. Leopard Attacking Crocodile photos and video (HalBrindley.com, thanks Sean Ness!)

Del-Byzanteens, featuring Jim Jarmusch and John Lurie Posted: 21 Jul 2008 11:36 AM CDT Del-Byzanteens was a No Wave band in the early 1980s whose line-up included film director/keyboardist Jim Jarmusch on keyboards. Actor/musician John Lurie sometimes played with them too and writer Luc Sante penned some of their lyrics. BB pal Vann Hall found not one, but two videos on YouTube of Del-Byzanteens covering The Supremes' "My World Is Empty Without You." John Lurie is featured in two of them. Del Byzanteens "My World is Empty" video #1, #2 (YouTube)

Frank Calloway, 112, visionary artist Posted: 21 Jul 2008 11:20 AM CDT Frank Calloway draws pen, marker, and crayon murals on butcher block paper, some more than 30 feet long. Calloway is 112 years old and has lived in mental hospitals since 1952. His work will be featured in an exhibit at Baltimore's American Visionary Art Museum. The Associated Press profiled Calloway and created a wonderful slideshow with Calloway speaking. From the AP: Calloway views art as his job and sits at a table by a window drawing for seven to nine hours a day, usually wearing blue denim overalls and a crisp dress shirt, said Nedra Moncrief-Craig, director of Alice M. Kidd Nursing Facility, a state home where Calloway lives... (America Visionary Art Museum director Rebecca) Hoffberger called Calloway brilliant and described looking through notebooks full of numbers he keeps and noticing that there was a definite logical pattern to the strings of figures. There is "an instinctive attraction to math that is so inherent in his work," she said. Rows of numbers line the edges of some of his artwork, and he sometimes stops in the middle of conversations to methodically recite multiplication tables. Calloway is content being quietly absorbed in his work, but he also enjoys talking if people ask questions, Moncrief-Craig said. He listens intently and responds at length in a deep, gravelly voice as he rocks gently back and forth, often punctuating the end of a story with a soft chuckle and a huge smile that lights up a broad face that has very few wrinkles. Frank Calloway profile (CNN)

Ballardian pool on Flickr Posted: 21 Jul 2008 10:52 AM CDT These fantastic photos are from a Flickr pool devoted to Ballardian imagery. According to the Collins English Dictionary, "Ballardian" is an adjective "resembling or suggestive of the conditions described in (my favorite novelist JG) Ballard's novels & stories, esp. dystopian modernity, bleak man-made landscapes & the psychological effects of technological, social or environmental developments." (Above left, "Dummy" by Dr Ro; above right, "Blood & Guts" by Lost America.) JG Ballard pool (Flickr)

BBtv - Russell Porter: Hot 8 Brass Band of New Orleans (music) Posted: 21 Jul 2008 09:21 AM CDT Boing Boing tv's UK-based music correspondent Russell Porter of "Porter Report" fame interviews the legendary Hot 8 Brass Band, from New Orleans. Band leader Bennie "Big Peter" Pete explains the history of second line, the roots of New Orleans jazz, and what it took to survive as jazz band in the French Quarter. Today's BBtv episode is a little longer than usual -- 9 minutes -- so we can share with you an extended musical segment, with the Hot 8 performing their song "What's My Name" live on the streets of Brighton. Their performance is breathtaking, and quite possibly the funkiest, most soulful sounds you've ever heard on Boing Boing. The band is currently on tour throughout the USA. Enjoy! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Link to Boing Boing tv post with discussion, downloadable video, and instructions on how to subscribe to the BBtv video podcast. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Previous PORTER REPORT episodes on BBtv: Russell Porter: Transgressive and rockfeedback.com, pt. 2 Russell Porter roundtable: Transgressive Records, rockfeedback.com, pt. 1 Russell Porter with Alice Russell, pt. 2 Russell Porter with Alice Russell Russell Porter and Cadence Weapon, pt. 1. Russell Porter and Cadence Weapon, pt. 2. Russell Porter with George Pringle Russell Porter with The Young Knives pt 1 Russell Porter with The Young Knives pt 2 Russell Porter with The Futureheads Russell Porter with The Guillotines Russell Porter with Peggy Sue and the Pirates Russell Porter with Dockers MC Russell Porter with Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip

Furniture from factory waste Posted: 21 Jul 2008 07:12 AM CDT Amy sez, "Factory waste was collected in Denmark and then turned into a furniture collection. This was my graduate project at Denmark's School of Design. The pieces are made entirely out of wood and consist of a chair, a book box and 12 lamps which fit inside each other like babooshka dolls." Link (Thanks, Amy!)

Using cost-benefit to evaluate aviation security Posted: 21 Jul 2008 07:05 AM CDT Stewart and Mueller's paper, "Assessing the risks, costs and benefits of United States aviation security measures," (published by the University of Newcastle, Australia) does an amazing job of unpicking which post-911 security measures actually work and which ones are showy wastes of money and pocket-liners for slimy government contractors: Hardening cockpit doors has the highest risk reduction (16.67%) at lowest additional cost of $40 million. On the other hand, the Federal Air Marshal Service costs $900 million pa but reduces risk by only 1.67%. The Federal Air Marshal Service may be more cost-effective if it is able to show extra benefit over the cheaper measure of hardening cockpit doors. However, the Federal Air Marshal Service seems to have significantly less benefit which means that hardening cockpit doors is the more cost-effective measure. Link (via Schneier)

Mr and Mrs Smith blog -- carnal pleasures taken seriously Posted: 21 Jul 2008 07:01 AM CDT The good people at the Mr and Mrs Smith travel books have started up a blog. Mr and Mrs Smith guides review romantic boutique hotels around the world -- great places to go away for a dirty weekend (and check in as Mr and Mrs Smith, natch). I've reviewed a couple hotels for them in the past -- not as a paid gig, just because it was so much fun -- and I've since become an avid fan of the guides, both for planning real trips and for daydreaming about places I might go someday. The blog is a great source of sybaritic pleasure taken very seriously indeed. As promised, we've been quizzing top New York Times coffee blogger Oliver Schwaner-Albright about all things brown and beautiful (that doesn't sound quite right, but you get the gist of what I'm trying to say!), as part of our quest to track down the Best coffee in London. Tam - who is the real-life Mrs Smith, in case you hadn't already worked that out - caught up with him over the weekend. So here it is: everything you ever wanted to know about coffee but were afraid to ask* *NB possibly not completely true: please don't come crying to us if your coffee question is not answered here. We have tried to cover all bases but, sheesh, we're only human… Link (Thanks, Tamara!)