October 4, 2009
Eric Schmidt on journalism and the future of newspapers
Google CEO Eric Schmidt gave a talk at the Newspaper Association of America convention on April 9, 2009 in San Diego. He speaks about how Google and newspapers might co-exist in the future. [more inside]
RunMan: Race Around the World, donationware pc platformer
RunMan: Race Around the World is a donationware PC platformer made of bright colors and public domain folk, blues and jazz. The trailers (final and preview) are made of happiness. The download page is here. (via RPS) [more inside]
I'm in the other room surrounded by blankets.
The model of the new media model (video), Leo Laporte talks to the Online News Association about new media and the origins of TechTV, ZDTv, and TWiT. (via)
Expandable to 16k!
50 years ago today, IBM announced the 1401 Data Processing System.
Originally designed as a spooling system for the larger machines, the 1401 became very popular as a mainframe in its own right, eventually being called 'The Model T of Computers'. By the end of 1961, the number of 1401s installed in the United States alone had reached 2,000 - representing about one fourth of all computers installed by all manufacturers at that time. 15- 20,000 were eventually built.
The Computer History Museum in Mountain View is having a 50th anniversary celebration on November 10th.
Here's what $125,600 (or $2500/month rent) would get you: [more inside]
R.I.P. Mercedes Sosa
Mercedes Sosa, a beloved Argentinian folk singer, passed away today. Argentine President Cristina Kirchner has ordered an official period of mourning. [more inside]
Right place, right time
Photographer captures citizens' arrest of alleged purse-snatcher (video, slight graphic violence)
Maybe a little gash here and there, that's alright
Do Not Adjust Your Mind.
synthetic biology
A little help from his friends
Stephen Harper, Canada's Prime Minister, sings "With A Little Help From My Friends" at a gala last night in Ottawa with Yo Yo Ma and the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Harper survived a confidence vote this week with a little help from his former sworn enemies.
Why the Chinese support the Communist party
Why the Chinese support the Communist party Interviews with four elderly Chinese. Among the answers: "We used to live in a tiny house, over ten people all together, just a place of over ten square metres. Now I often say to my husband that life has been totally different for our grandchildren, not only from ours, but from their parents too. They have nothing to worry about, no need to worry about food, clothes."
"I knew there was an element of danger, but the job had to be done."
Inside Chernobyl Sarcophagus (1996). Deep inside the sarcophagus, a remarkable group of Soviet physicists is at work in levels of radiation that would be considered almost suicidal in the West. [more inside]
Woodward realized that it was only a question of being pestered forever or quietly throwing open his place
"The What Cheer House catered to men only, permitted no liquor on the premises, and housed San Francisco's first free library and first museum." Opened in 1852 by Robert B. Woodward it became immensely popular. "[S]ailors enjoyed staying there... [he] was such a well-liked man that they would often bring him trinkets from around the world when they’d come to town. For Woodward, these gifts were the beginning of what would become a life-long obsession with collecting." He moved the collection and opened Woodward's Gardens in 1866 between Mission and Valencia at 13th-15th streets. Called the Central Park of the West, it was San Francisco's most famous public resort. [more inside]
The Virtual Museum of Iraq
Small is Beautiful
Most of Africa, India and the developing world depends on innovative and inventive people coming up with ways to make a living with no cash and next to no resources. Fritz Schumacher ( wiki ) was an internationally influential economic thinker with a professional background as a statistician and economist whose 1973 book "Small is beautiful" - Economics as if People Mattered; is among the 100 most influential books published since World War II ( Review ). There are links to several articles, Essays and Videos on the Schumacher Society webpage including the Essay "Buddhist Economics". He was a founder of the Charity Practical Action. ( Related 1; 2 )
Welcome to the jungle
One hamburger sent a 23 year-old woman into a coma for nine weeks. When she awoke, she could no longer walk. A lengthy expose in the NYTimes follows the secretive chain of events bringing E. coli into her life. Contemporary carnivores read at your own risk... [more inside]
Plumbers Don't Wear Ties
Plumbers Don't Wear Ties, the legendarily awful 3DO game, is now fully playable on YouTube. It is a (barely) "Interactive Romantic Comedy," whose main selling point is its "17+" rating for innuendo, language, and censored nudity. (Walkthrough inside) [more inside]
Eel slap.
Interactive Fiction Competition 2009
The Interactive Fiction Competition 2009 is underway. - Emily Short has been compiling reviews. Previous Winners. (previously).
« Previous day | Next day »