Not just fingerprint data from the guilty, not just DNA from anyone entering the USA (I guess they’re guilty of that), but now more biometrics for more people! Irises, face shapes, scars, whatever the FB can think up they’ll be storing. And everybody will be in it. And everyone (well, OK, not everyone, but huge Read more about FBI Prepares Vast Database Of Biometrics[…]
These guys are a bit like train spotters. Except they spot satellites. And calculate their trajectory. And find out what they are. And there is no such thing as a spy train.
Which means parties such as the RIAA or Brein. An incredible win for freedom and privacy!
And The Interception of Communications Commissioner Sir Paul Kennedy, thinks this is a good thing. The number completey startles me. Do they have that many people working in the secret services that can process all this?!
OK So everyone knows that when playing the legacy of games such as Wing Commander, Privateer and Descent: Freespace, we don’t want too much in the way of realism. There are some great real simulators for space which are tedious and take too much time. If you really want to fly the space shuttle, great. Read more about Space Combat Sims[…]
If you work with HDs a lot, then this hard drive dock to usb2 thing might be usefull to you
What a great idea! Anyway, it looks viable to me – so we’re going to have to mix our solar panels with these, as well as put them on the floors of our showers
Wow, so it’s finally happening – a new HTML! This links to the press release This is the list of changes from 4 to 5 And this is the draft itself
Lifehacker has some of its own productivity software on their page: Windows Applications Texter (text substitution) Save countless keystrokes by automatically replacing abbreviations with commonly used phrases you define, like email signatures and common acronyms. Swept Away (automatic window minimizer) A simple system tray utility that automatically minimizes applications that you aren’t using. ClickWhen (timed Read more about Lifehacker Windows Applications[…]
This tool copies the text out of PDF and Flash documents and cleans it up so you don’t have to play around with image markers etc.
This system, built for bikers, allows others to communicate with each other over a range of 500m.
Yup, when big, centralised databases get made, it just gives you so much more information to sell or misuse. Here we have a corrupt customs agent sellling data to drug dealers. We also have people tracking ex-girlfriends. Yup, great, having no privacy.
SPARQL is a way to make queries over the semantic web which is usable over many different data sources.
Ur wireless 902.11 networks are belong to us
G-tech/Pro is famous for its accelerometers or g-meters. They measure how fast you accellerate, how many G’s you’re pulling, how fast you brake and how that compares to your turns. Their SS ($199) / RR ($299) series are the top of the line, but it’s a bit unfortunate that you need to spend an extra Read more about Car Race Pimping[…]
And why not? Apparently there are around 200 ‘real’ superheroes in the USA, fighting crime or just helping the community, dressed in their superhero gear. You’re going to need a suit though and the best, most durable, crime fighting proof come from here. From a mask to a full battlesuit, this is the place to Read more about So – you want to be a superhero[…]
This organisation makes an interesting point: they don’t want to be afraid, and they petition you to send a letter to your government saying something like I am not afraid of terrorism, and I want you to stop being afraid on my behalf. Please start scaling back the official government war on terror. Please replace Read more about Downsize DC: refuse to be afraid[…]
Make some cotton balls from a t-shirt, make sure it holds together using some string, douse in lighter fluid and amaze your friends as you play with them in your hands whilst a foot high flame shoots from them. The video instruction is really quite impressive.
Lectures and course materials from all over the world which have been put online are findeable through the World Lecture Hall.
This 14 year old kid walks around tram depots, figures out what signal is needed to make track points switch, builds his own TV Remote control and goes and derails 4 trams. That’s young talent for you.
Using the contents of a refrigerator you can make some damn pretty landscapes!
What does data look like? There are plenty of ideas that have come out of Madrid at Medialab Prado’s Visualizer workshops. Many more images and explanations of what they mean in the link!
Two issues in this story: Because registrars allow you to return a domain without costs within 5 days, domain kiting or tasting allows unscrupulous companies to register a domain, see how much traffic it generates and throw it back for free or re-register it every 5 days, allowing them to get free domains. Apparently the Read more about Techdirt: ICANN Finally Realizes Domain Tasting Is A Problem, Might Fix It Sometime This Decade[…]
This is a lovely story for a great development: a honeycomb structure that seems to be transparent and conducts sound, allowing you to transmit audio over just about any surface. “The UK ministry of defense was experimenting with a way to dampen the sound in helicopters and developed a honeycombed material that did the opposite Read more about Stereo surfaces[…]
These things are based on DLP technology – ie. there’s a little mirror on each chip reflecting the RGB lasers to the required pixel. The mirror tilts and turns at insane speed in order to get the exact right colour mix to the place the light is projected to. Apparently the colours on this thing Read more about Mitsubishi Laser TV’s[…]