May 29, 2012
Amercia teh Beautifull
Earlier today, the Romney campaign released an app for showing support with pictures: "A Better Amercia. I'm with Mitt." (Note the typo.) There's now a Tumblr for people to show what Amercia means to them. Get the app and make your own!
Leo Dillon 1933 - 2012
Book illustrator Leo Dillon, who in partnership with his wife Diane Dillon, illustrated and did the covers for many of your favourite childrens' books, has passed away on May 26th. [more inside]
The New York state bar is introducing a pro bono requirement for admission.
Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman of the New York Court of Appeals announced that beginning next year, prospective lawyers must show that they have performed at least 50 hours of law-related pro bono service before being admitted to the New York state bar. [more inside]
Tough as Nails: Afghanistan Grandma
It's unusual for a woman to be a leader in Afghanistan but Zarifa Qazizadah has become the country's only female village chief through force of personality and determination to get things done - even if that means cross-dressing, wearing a false moustache and driving around on a motorbike at night. "I tell the men of the village, all I want is your prayers," she says. "When you have a problem, I'll speak to the government on your behalf and whenever there is any disturbance at night-time, I'll pick up my gun and come to your house to see what's going on."
Free camping in Europe by bicycle
Adrift in a bleak economy and our isolated urban bubble, in 2010 my sweetheart and I set out to see the world the old-fashioned way: by bicycle. We did it on the cheap and without any itinerary, gadgets, or training. We moved south with the sun as the seasons changed, cooked food we found at local markets, and slept in fields or on strangers’ couches. [more inside]
Hunting down my son's killer
Matt Might, computer science professor, has a son with a new genetic condition. This is the story of how they figured this out. Matt Might, perhaps best known for the illustrated guide to a PhD, tells the wrenching tale of their son's terrible medical condition and how they've worked to figure out what is going on with him.
RIP, Doc Watson
Iconic bluegrass guitarist Doc Watson has died in a Winston-Salem, NC hospital. Arthel "Doc" Watson, 89 years old at the time of his death, was one of the greatest traditional, folk and bluegrass guitarists in history. He is credited with popularizing the flatpicking style of guitar, and his involvement with the concerts in New York City, Boston and Newport helped popularize traditional mountain music and bluegrass during the 1960s. [more inside]
Arthur Rubinstein plays Chopin
As a tribute to Frédéric Chopin, we take you to the home of Arthur Rubinstein - one of the most distinguished interpreters of his works. [more inside]
Does not actually make you tall
Merge your body with the powers of a Kinect controller to become Ultra Seven!
'shopped
"It is time for me to move on to the next exciting phase of my life."
In 2010, Rep. D.J. Bettencourt became the youngest majority leader in the history of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, as well as the youngest House majority leader of any state legislature in the U.S. On May 25, 2012, Bettencourt announced his resignation from the House, citing his upcoming wedding and his new job as executive director of the New Hampshire Legal Rights Foundation. Three days after his resignation, Bettencourt resigned again – this time with an apology for “misrepresenting [his] work.” [more inside]
Fascinating time lapse movies of molds and fungi
"This gallery contains time lapse movies of fungi, molds, bacteria, slime molds and insects of interest to plant pathologists." Be sure and check out the peach and plum, Homer Simpson growing "hair", a rotting book and mushrooms growing and dying.
He didn't spake for a week...
What kind of an Eeget are ya? Not sure what MeFi will make of this wry little monologue, or indeed what the World-Wide World will make of the chap's accent, but it has humour, and truth, and I know plenty of people who 'spake' just like that...
Bullying or Free Speech?
Guidelines [pdf] recently published by a coalition of religious liberty and free speech organizations caution educators against violating student rights when trying to enforce anti-bullying policies. Other groups, however, worry that concern for free speech rights may keep educators from effectively addressing bullying. [more inside]
“Once it’s your pop stand, you look at things a little differently”
Reimagined Viral Videos
The upcoming Worldwide Short Film Fest in Toronto has taken a few of the web's most viral videos and re-imagined them: Leeroy Jenkins, David After Dentist and Charlie Bit My Finger have all been updated for the big screen. (Some videos not for the faint of heart)
Coming Soon: That Book Place
Set on the stage of current book buying and reading habits, where bookbuyers browse local shops then buy online and universities move the books out of their libraries (prev), Tony Sanfilippo (MetaFilter's Toekneesan) imagines book stores of a different sort, part bookstore with new and used books, part lending library, part something more. (via) [more inside]
He makes Jaws look like Flipper!
Here he comes... Super Shark! (SLYT)
To Profile or Not to Profile?
To Profile or Not to Profile? A Debate between Sam Harris and Bruce Schneier.
Hack The Cover
Hack The Cover "This is an essay for book lovers and designers curious about where the cover has been, where it's going, and what the ethos of covers means for digital book design."
"Hey asshole - I ordered a beer 20 minutes ago!"
made immortal by means of tape backups
"when i went into cyberspace i went into it thinking that it was a place like any other place and that it would be a human interaction like any other human interaction. i was wrong when i thought that. it was a terrible mistake." Pandora's Vox: On Community in Cyberspace [more inside]
series highlight or jumping the shark?
Linda Holmes, NPR: "It probably speaks to the complexity of Mad Men that the same episode can be a highlight of the series for some and a lowlight for others. Sunday night's episode, "The Other Woman," instantly became a favorite of a lot of observers and writers, but for me, it was a rarity on Mad Men: a serious and profound misstep." (spoilers in links) [more inside]
Like a (pit) bull in a china shop
You may have seen Replacements, Ltd.'s print ads in the back of PARADE magazine (of Howard Huge fame). Replacements, both a seller and a resource for china and glassware owners, was one of the few North Carolina businesses to publicly take a stand [NYT] against the state's vote to ban gay marriage.
As an employer, Replacements is one of only nine companies in the country to receive a perfect score for ten years straight in the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index. But the company is also known for another surprisingly liberal policy: encouraging its 450 employees to bring their pets to work amidst millions of pieces of china and glassware. How many? A whole lot. [more inside]
Know Your Cuts of Indy 500 History
David Letterman, Indianapolis native, racing fan and Indy Car team co-owner, sat down for an interview about the history of the Indianapolis 500, and its effect on him since childhood. No jokes, no snark, just a knowledgeable and passionate discussion about something he cares for tremendously. Parts one, two, three, and four.
Injunction junction, what's your function?
Late last year Congress passed, and the President signed, the NDAA FY 2012. Many people and organizations protested claiming that some provisions in the NDAA could be interpreted in such a way as to allow for the indefinite detention of American citizens by the military. On January 13th a complaint was filed contesting the provisions. Now, Judge Katherine B. Forest has blocked enforcement of the controversial provisions. The government has filed a motion for reconsideration. [more inside]
I got 3000 miles to go now...and my feet are hurtin' mighty bad
Jamie Summerlin is running across America. He started in Sunset Bay, OR on March 26th. He'll finish on July 4th in Annapolis, MD. Right now, he's somewhere in Missouri. If you're doing the math, it will take him 100 days to go from coast to coast. If you're still doing the math, you'll realize the former Marine is running more than a marathon a day for 100 straight days for Wounded Warriors. News coverage here, here and here.
when woz cries
A Dragon Approaches
NASA's Image of the Day: Dragon on approach to the ISS (SIL) "This image of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft as it approached the space station was taken NASA astronaut Don Pettit. The SpaceX Falcon 9 and its Dragon spacecraft launched on Tuesday, May 22, at 3:44 a.m. EDT."
The Opposite of Loneliness
The Opposite of Loneliness Graduating Yale senior Marina Keegan wrote a column for the commencement edition of the paper celebrating "tiny groups that make us feel loved and safe and part of something even on our loneliest nights when we stumble home to our computers — partner-less, tired, awake." She died in a car crash on Saturday. The column she wrote is a poignant eulogy.
It runs Crysis.
BeamNG, the team responsible for Rigs of Rods, show off their soft-body physics innovations in CryENGINE 3. The [via] [more inside]
LBJ v. Coke Stevenson: Lawyering for Control of the Disputed Texas Democratic Party Senatorial Primary Election of 1948
This article explores the history, from the lawyers' perspective [PDF; 41 pages], of a high-profile litigation of sixty years ago, the whirlwind of state and federal litigation that attended the 1948 runoff election battle between Congressman Lyndon B. Johnson and former Texas governor Coke Stevenson for the Texas Democratic Party nomination for the office of United States Senator. Johnson famously won this election by 87 votes [...] [more inside]
The SLR Camera Simulator
Do SLR cameras confuse you? Then try the SLR Camera Simulator.
Batman as a Founding Father would answer a lot of questions...
Dewey & LeBoeuf R.I.P.
On Monday, the U.S.-based law firm Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP filed for dissolution. While Dewey is not the first law firm to declare bankruptcy, it is the largest and is likely to be the most contentious. [more inside]
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