December 6, 2008
Sunny von Bulow Dies
Martha "Sunny" von Bulow died this weekend at a nursing home in New York City, nearly 28 years after being found unconscious at her Rhode Island estate (and subsequently falling into an irreversible coma) in December 1980. Her husband Claus, who obviously became a controversial figure, was found guilty of her attempted murder (the alleged method being an overdose of insulin), but his conviction was overturned on appeal and he received a second trial in which he was acquitted. The sensational case, which featured testimony from many notables including Truman Capote, attracted worldwide publicity and rocked high society. It spawned numerous books, television shows and a 1990 movie.
A lot of thought.
Star Wars Technical Commentaries. Learn about the Endor Holocaust. [previously] Learn why it's not really called a "Super Star Destroyer," and why it's not actually five miles long. You can even learn what all those little pips and cylinders mean! [more inside]
The Conglomerate Which Smiles Back (Until You Bite Its Head Off)
Why are our kids so sad? Positive psychology (previously) and our friends at Pepperidge Farm thinks its all a matter of fishful thinking. [more inside]
Red Means Stop. (NSFW)
Red-light districts can be found worldwide. The best known one in De Wallen, Amsterdam has gone through a lot of changes recently. Other red-light districts in Europe are also in decline, with Sweden taking a completely different approach to law enforcement. [NSFW] [more inside]
Frozen Pizza
Behind bars
You're that guy! You're famous!
Tim Gunn on an airplane, Tommy Lee at a restaurant, Mike Tyson at the Waldorf, and other Brushes with Fame.
I'll take Lots 1 through 800 pz
Spooky Action At A Distance: $245
The newest Wholphin DVD contains the instructions for an experiment called "Select Your Intention," created by a company called Psyleron. Psyleron is the result of efforts by former research scientists at the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research laboratory— (1979-2007) an interdisciplinary group of physicists, psychologists, engineers, and humanists, that explored the ability of the human mind to interact directly with the physical world. (VIDEO) "Now anyone with a home computer can explore the direct impact of consciousness with the portable, adaptable, and responsive Psyleron REG-1." And now, try new Pocket Reg! [more inside]
International literature websites
Cat Cam Roams Seattle
More catcam goodness (previously on Mefi). Cooper the cat roams his Seattle neighborhood. Via Phinneywood, an excellent neighborhood blog about the Greenwood and Phinney neighborhoods in Seattle. [more inside]
Iranian Artists are in Demand
Iranian artists open a window to the world.; is an article discussing (in order) the art of Golnaz Fathi; a classically trained Caligrapher.
From her website 1; 2; 3; 4; and a video.
Tanavoli Parviz - sculpter.
Nadia Ghai-Far - abstract painter( click peintures and fusains).
Farhad Moshiri - multi - disiplinary.
and Shirana Shabazi - photographer.
From her website 1; 2; 3; 4; and a video.
Tanavoli Parviz - sculpter.
Nadia Ghai-Far - abstract painter( click peintures and fusains).
Farhad Moshiri - multi - disiplinary.
and Shirana Shabazi - photographer.
The Many Faces of Crime
In one of the largest jewelry heists in history, robbers -- at least two wearing women's wigs and dresses -- relieved a Harry Winston boutique of $108 million worth of diamond rings, necklaces, and watches. Despite criminal investigation teachings that robbers "have better things to do with their money than to buy an array of masks and disguises" and will opt for functional attire, many thieves express themselves creatively and impractically through costumery, dressing as Dracula and Black Father Christmas, a tree, Greek prime ministers, clowns, and ghosts, while others cover their faces with duct tape, cookie dough, drywall, and baking-flour-and-ketchup. Minimalists just wear men's underwear and women's thongs on their heads.
Cursing is associated with the limbic system.
Physicians reported a deaf man with Tourette's who used sign language to spell out obscenities during fits of coprolalia. [more inside]
Goodbye to the 12-Steps?
French Doctor Finds Cure for Alcoholism in a Pill, Causing a Stir. Having himself suffered from dipsomania, Dr. Olivier Ameisen, claims in his book, Le Dernier Verre (The Last Glass), that the muscle relaxant bacloflen suppressed his craving for alcohol, curing his alcoholism. A top cardiologist in France, and doctor to a former French PM, Ameisen has called for clinical trials to verify his bold claim, while causing some in the field to accuse him of irresponsibility for suggesting alcoholism can be cured by a pill, although other pills are in the works.
your leisure is my pleasure
"It fills me with contempt."
Two of Six Washed Up Feet Matched by DNA
Two of Six Washed Up Feet Matched by DNA Mentioned on MeFi at least once before, this is the latest news in the saga of six human feet (enclosed in shoes) that have, over the past few years, washed up along the coast of BC. DNA testing has proven that two of the dismembered feet--found six months apart and clad in size 7 New Balance running shoes--apparently belonged to the same woman. I'm guessing the matching sneakers were a clue. Two down, four to go.
Perfect for programmers over 50!
The ___ Cards in time for the holidays (or any other card giving occasion). Unfortunately, it appears they are out of their "A beautiful X'mas is what you make of it" cards. Found via: Jonathan Yuen who did the design for Victoria Chang's "Two Trains," which appeared in Born Magazine. [more inside]
Nerd-In-Chief
He collects Spider-Man comics. He video chats on his MacBook. He name-drops Jor-El of Krypton. He gave the Vulcan salute to Spock and jokes about "lithium crystals" (surely a misquote). He's got his own high-definition vlog on YouTube. Now, the Geek-in-Chief and his Team of Nerds are using their powers for good. Change.gov has been under a Creative Commons license for a while now, but yesterday, they took transparency a step further by announcing that "all policy documents from official meetings with outside organizations will be publicly available for review and discussion." What's next: revision control?
Factory Porn
Wait - there was life before motorways?
A less glamorous anniversary passed with little fanfare yesterday: 50 years since the opening of the first stretch of the humble British motorway, the 8-mile two-lane Preston Bypass, which now forms part of the M6. The occasion was celebrated by the official opening of an 5.8 mile M6 extension, closing the "Cumberland Gap", allowing commuters to make the entire 400 mile journey between Glasgow and London by motorway. The total length of motorways in the UK totals around 2200 miles.
Galactic Mail
From every stormy wind that blows
I don't suppose anyone could call John Etheridge famous. He was the president of the Sacred Harp Book Company, the publisher of the Cooper Revision of the Sacred Harp. He was a mainstay of the the Florida State Convention, and the arranger of the popular tune Mercy Seat. And there is an interview with him (and the other board members of the company) as part of the Alabama Arts Radio Series. Still, I don't suppose many know his name. Yet he was "a great man and a great singer," and I suspect that many on Metafilter would be glad to have and to make as much music as John did in his life. John Etheridge died on December 5, 2008.
Great station cafes
The Gare de Lyon in Paris has Le Train Bleu. Grand Central Staion in New York has a superb Oyster Bar; Washington Union Station has this neo-classical wonder; while Prague this prime example of art nouveau; Helsinki, meanwhile, offers something suitably democratic. With cafes as good as this, railway stations become destinations in themselves.
Pride in your work? Iraqi Translators
For the past two months, Iraqi interpreters working with US forces have been forbidden from wearing masks. This decision was recently overturned. Ostensibly, this was because the security situation had become better. Some believe instead that this rule was instated to prevent asylum claims. Some think that it reflects traditional army FUBAR decision making. Personally, I think they are becoming more cautious because the back up plan is a piece of junk. [more inside]
Eternally Surprising And Self-Generating Artworks
The bespoke generative design system at the heart of Forever will spawn unique audio-visual films everyday, forever. [more inside]
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