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Virtual light - "...the wires plug into Patient Alpha's head like a pair of headphones plug into a stereo. The actual connection is metallic and circular, like a common washer. So seamless is the integration that the skin appears to simply stop being skin and start being steel." Cameras that jack into a blind man's brain, allowing him to 'see' may soon be here.
comment posted at 11:43 PM on Aug-14-02

All your Ideas are belong to US. What happens when you agree that your inventions belong to your employer, even when you aren't done inventing them yet? Why, they sue you!
comment posted at 4:49 PM on Aug-14-02

Tautology isn't just a good idea, it's also the law. From the "Berkeley Sure Is Nutty" Department: "In a philosophical effort to come up with a city law that no one could ever break, conceptual artist Jonathon Keats wants Berkeley to legally acknowledge Aristotle's law, commonly expressed as A=A."
comment posted at 4:39 PM on Aug-13-02

Ever get a hankerin' for some Kangaroo?? Now, I know a lot of people who love some game meats, like rabbit or dear meat, but kangaroo? Snapping Turtle? Mmmm, lizard..the other green meat.
comment posted at 10:04 PM on Aug-12-02

Free Culture (8Mb flash). Lawrence Lessig's keynote speech at this year's OSCON conference is a stirring and effective explanation of how the entertainment industry, with the help of lawmakers, have undermined our fundamental right to create. Lessig asks, what have you personally done to stop them? This 30 minute long flash slideshow (mirror), compiled by Leonard Lin, tells you what happened and what you can do.
comment posted at 4:37 PM on Aug-12-02
comment posted at 5:16 PM on Aug-12-02
comment posted at 7:41 PM on Aug-12-02

From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne: A capital idea. Why did we not fasten a thread to our projectile, and we could have exchanged telegrams with the earth?. Bad idea, said Jules. Great idea, says NASA.
comment posted at 1:26 AM on Aug-13-02

Monkeys use millipede juice as Ecstacy-style party drug They bite the millipedes, then reach behind their back and rub it on their fur...Their eyes glaze over...one monkey shared a millipede with four family members and the entire family turned into a 'writhing mass.' How cute is that? For context, here's a December report of wild primates ingesting plants with stimulant and hallucinogenic properties. Welcome to the new field of Zoopharmacognosy, which studies the spontaneous medicinal (and recreational) use of plants by non-human animals. An intro to the subject. Perhaps now you're ready to chew on Terrence McKenna's visionary notion that psychedelic mushrooms were the spark for the development of consciousness in apes.
comment posted at 11:17 PM on Aug-11-02

The "Axis of Evil" v. the "Forces of Evil." Saddam Hussein warns the US that any attack on Iraq is "doomed to failure." While the Bush Administration claims that there are no firm plans to invade Iraq, the rhetoric on both sides is intensifying. Are the Hawks on both sides gunning for a showdown? Can a diplomatic solution be reached? If the Bush Administration's goal is to oust Saddam, have we foreclosed any hope of a meaningful "dialogue"? Reportedly, even some generals are wary of invading Iraq. I think containment of Saddam is a much better option than war. Does anyone disagree? What are the alternatives?
comment posted at 11:27 PM on Aug-8-02

Right. Let me get this straight. A security guard found a handbag unattended in a night club. He then searched the bag, supposedly looking for ID, and found a small packet containing a white powdery substance, which he handed over to the Central Narcotics Bureau. A woman, Ms. Low, later says the handbag belongs to her. The Judge notes that "There was no denial that this was her handbag. She claimed it was hers." Ms. Low's friend, after being offered immunity from prosecution, then says they both snorted cocaine earlier on in the evening. On the basis of the evidence presented, Ms. Low is sentenced to 18 months in prison.
comment posted at 7:14 PM on Aug-7-02

I come to bury IAmCarbonatedMilk.com, not to praise it. Salon's Heather Cochran muses on reasons behind the demise of some of the 15 million domain names that have been deleted over the past years. DeletedDomains.com lets you search through the graveyard, letting you wonder just what was the thought process behind notrosie.com or sextoyahoy.com.
comment posted at 11:32 PM on Aug-5-02

2" GI Joe Rifle Confiscated in Airport Security Crackdown Airport security staff confiscated a TWO-INCH plastic gun from a toy soldier. "They examined the toy as if it was going to shoot them . . . Then they asked me if there were toy grenades as well. I thought they were joking, but they weren’t smiling — they were deadly serious." Have the terrorists already won?
comment posted at 6:55 PM on Aug-5-02

Verizon v. Ralsky and Additional Benefits LCC Verizon is suing Alan Ralsky in Federal court for sending enough spam -- more than 56 gigabytes -- to "virtually paralyze" their e-mail servers on at least two occaisions. The trial begins Sept. 23. Ralsky's response: "These (anti-spammers) feel we've infringed on their personal space. They want to own the Internet." Ralsky and his lawyer claim that he is picked on because he is open about what he does, yet Ralsky denied it to Brian Livingston last year. More about Ralsky.

Some good anti-spam information sources and tools include Spam Laws, CAUCE, SpamCop, and Spamcon.
comment posted at 8:06 PM on Aug-4-02

Bin Laden's eldest son 'takes over al-Qaeda' Does this add to the speculation that Osama is dead, or could it be just another ruse?
comment posted at 5:20 PM on Jul-30-02

Batman vs. Superman movie rumored to be in the works. (scroll down for the good stuff)

"It is a clash of the titans," Petersen told Daily Variety. "They play off of each other so perfectly. (Superman) is clear, bright, all that is noble and good, and Batman represents the dark, obsessive and vengeful side. They are two sides of the same coin and that is material for great drama."

I'm excited. The Batman vs. Superman comic books were always some of the most fascinating ones I'd ever read.
comment posted at 9:11 PM on Jul-28-02

Congress is about to consider an entertainment industry proposal that would authorize copyright holders to disable PCs used for illicit file trading. "The measure would permit copyright holders to perform nearly unchecked electronic hacking if they have a "reasonable basis" to believe that piracy is taking place."
comment posted at 7:31 PM on Jul-23-02

Non-citizens put on notice to file change in addresses
The Ashcroft Gestapo strikes again!

If a permanent resident doesn't file this change-in-address form, they are talking about penalties up to and including deportion! Note we aren't talking about student visa holders or anything like that .. we are talking about people who have lived in this country for 10 .. 20 .. 30 years or more in many cases.

This country is really turning into a police state the way things are going.
comment posted at 6:23 PM on Jul-23-02

45 Things That Make You A Commie A list from 1961, by an FBI guy. Ironies aplenty.
comment posted at 9:00 PM on Jul-22-02

Do you seem to feel anxious lately? Well answer a few questions, and Hello Kitty will provide a psychological analysis for you!
This is just a bit scary. The questions are a little bizarre, too.
comment posted at 2:41 AM on Jul-22-02

Nuking Lincoln (via www.dailygrail.com). Thaddeus McMullen, 1864. "I showed McMullen’s writings to physicists familiar with nuclear fission and they were stunned," Remarsh states. "His bomb was crude, with maybe a tenth of the destructive power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, but it would have worked. Maybe. I suspect this is a hoax, but it's interesting enough to post it anyway. Now whether the Confederates could have refined the uranium to make the bomb out of is another question. Any physicists care to express an opinion?
comment posted at 7:44 AM on Jul-5-02

Which part of the silence are they claiming you nicked? John Cage's representatives claim copyright infringement on the composer's silent piece, 4'33. Alledged infringer rolls over laughing.
comment posted at 3:09 AM on Jul-2-02

John Cage's representatives try to claim copyright on silence. [Ref: 4'33"]
Okay.
comment posted at 12:15 AM on Jul-1-02

Court gives the go-ahead on random drug testing for non-athlete students. "Given the nationwide epidemic of drug use, and the evidence of increased drug use in Tecumseh schools, it was entirely reasonable for the school district to enact this particular drug testing policy," Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in the decision. Drug tests which really only target marijuana use (alcohol, cocaine, opiates leave the body shortly after use) can now be randomly given to students involved in extra-curricular activities. Is this a further step in the "my anti-drug" campaign? Is debate or drama club YOUR anti-drug? By denying student drug users the privilege of participating in activities, aren't we just marginalizing them further and making the problem worse? What will it be? Drugs or getting involved?
comment posted at 7:09 PM on Jun-27-02

Do you fear a cyber-attack by Al Qaeda? Seems that several businesses and governmental system infrastructures have had higher than normal traffic routed from the middleast snooping around protected systems. Is this more political rhetoric for stronger control over electronic transmissions?
comment posted at 6:53 PM on Jun-27-02

Nuclear war on film The Los Angeles Times [registration required] reviews the potrayal of nuclear war in the movies.
comment posted at 9:01 PM on Jun-23-02

If you're vegan, this link is what you need to figure out what the hell is really in your food. If you're not vegan, you might find it interesting as well. If you're a total metavore, no, we can't eat our clones yet... bummer.
comment posted at 6:33 PM on Jun-20-02

Envy of the Literary World, or another Trust-Fund Novelist? Following up on the discussion of J.T. LeRoy a few weeks ago, here's a story from the Observer about Nick McDonell, who's 18, just out of high school and about to publish a major novel (you may have read about him in the New Yorker's "Talk of the Town" section). The catch is, his dad edits SI, his publisher is his godfather, and Hunter S. Thompson, who plugs the book, is a family friend. The book's not out yet, so the quality question is moot at this point. But still ... what gives with all this ridiculously young writers these days?
comment posted at 11:36 PM on Jun-19-02

So Queer as Folk now has a comic book attached to it, sort of. It's called Rage. It's set in Gayopolis. Gag me with a set of pride rings. I think it's time to ask this question again.
As much as I despise the show, I'm curious where they go with this.
comment posted at 7:24 AM on Jun-19-02
comment posted at 10:27 PM on Jun-19-02

Bush takes to insulting his critics "Very good," Mr. Bush said sardonically. "The guy memorizes four words, and he plays like he's intercontinental." "I can go on," Mr. Gregory offered. "I'm impressed — que bueno," said Mr. Bush, using the Spanish phrase for "how wonderful." He deadpanned: "Now I'm literate in two languages."
comment posted at 4:01 AM on May-28-02

China to Mine Moon for 'Benefit of Humanity'. China says it is planning to establish a base on the Moon to exploit its mineral resources. Beijing has not yet put a human into space, but scientists say they expect to do so within three years and they have outlined an ambitious programme for the future. Chinese space official Ouyang Ziyuan said: "Our long-term goal is to set up a base on the moon and mine its riches for the benefit of humanity."
comment posted at 8:36 PM on May-20-02

Has A&F stepped over the line this time? Calling it the "modern-day version of Underoos," a national clothing company is selling thong underwear in children's sizes - with the words "eye candy" and "wink wink" printed on the front.
comment posted at 4:14 PM on May-19-02

On the heels of calls for an investigation into the failure of the American intelligence community to "connect the dots" prior to September 11th, Vice President Cheney says that a future attack against the United States is "almost certain." On Saturday an unnamed White House official said U.S. intelligence officials have detected "enhanced activity" that points to a potential new attack against the United States or American interests abroad.
comment posted at 6:24 PM on May-19-02

How Microsoft sells Windows upgrades for Macs. Also, how Microsoft wants to sell software licenses for people who don't even have computers. via LGF
comment posted at 6:25 PM on May-16-02

Anti-Drug Ads are NOT Working: John P. Walters, the new U.S. drug czar, says survey data show the government's anti-drug advertising of recent years have failed. He goes on to say that they may have even led some youngsters -- particularly girls aged 12 to 13 -- to experiment with marijuana (more inside).
comment posted at 7:05 PM on May-16-02

Colorado boys punished by school administrators for pretending index fingers are guns. The boys were shooting at imaginary aliens. One administrator says they "demonstrated a level of aggression" that violates the school's zero-tolerance policy toward violence.
comment posted at 8:18 PM on May-15-02

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Critics. Begun, this Clone War has. From Chicago Sun-Times, NY Times (registration required), LA Times and Washington Post.
comment posted at 7:20 PM on May-15-02
comment posted at 11:21 PM on May-15-02

Verisign sued for false advertising. Domain registrar VeriSign has been mailing out thousands of "domain name expiration" notices that imply that domain-name owners could lose control of their name if they don't return the form (as noted previously on MeFi), and BulkRegister has filed suit in federal court. No lawsuits on that that other matter yet, but is the fall of Verisign impending?
comment posted at 9:26 PM on May-13-02

"Terrorists plan July 4th attack in US" - claim
There are claims that terrorists linked to the al-Qaeda network are planning an attack on a US nuclear power plant to coincide with Independence Day celebrations.
comment posted at 11:48 PM on May-13-02

Maybe NISSAN fights for domain names a little too much If your surname is used by some big company, you may want to read this. And if you have a company which uses your surname , even if properly registerd, you must read this. And if all of above is true and your have a website read the link or welcome to the world of "sue em till they are out of money and die"
comment posted at 8:33 PM on May-12-02

Deserts are dry? Sue. "The families of 11 immigrants who died [while] illegally crossing into Arizona from Mexico have filed a $41 million claim against two federal agencies, saying the government's refusal to put water out in the desert contributed to the migrants' deaths." Do they have a case?
comment posted at 7:44 PM on May-12-02

Who's a .pro? The new .pro TLD will only be available to certified professionals —at first just lawyers, doctors, and accountants—with subdomain strings (“.law.pro, .med.pro and .cpa.pro with more to come”) to identify the professions. [more info at RegistryPro] Seems pretty clunky to me.
comment posted at 5:21 PM on May-11-02

Renew! Renew! Just like people entering the carousel in Logan's Run, people who renew their domains with Verisign/Network Solutions aren't getting what they think they're getting. While the gentleman from scientium.com claims Verisign's domain renewal policy is out-and-out fraud, it seems to me that it's merely business-as-usual in Verisign's increasing predilection to screw their customers by preying on their ignorance. Is there no end to Verisign's deceptive practices? Is trust the foundation of every human relationship in this day and age?
comment posted at 6:19 PM on May-9-02

Guerrilla signage. What happens when an artist gets sick of being stuck in the wrong freeway lane. (With video.)
comment posted at 10:55 PM on May-9-02

DVD Menu Design: The Failures of Web Design Recreated Yet Again. We've all been thinking it.
Very Nielsen-esque, for obvious reasons, but without a lot of what we hate Nielsen himself for.
comment posted at 7:25 PM on May-8-02

Beyond the Axis of Evil - The United States has added Cuba, Libya and Syria to its "axis of evil" - nations it claims are deliberately seeking to obtain chemical or biological weapons. The Under Secretary of State also warned that the US would take action.
comment posted at 6:39 PM on May-6-02

Nike Can't Just Say It, Court Rules Law: Firms can be found liable for deceptive public statements, justices decide. Critics call the decision a blow to free speech. You've got to love it.
comment posted at 5:45 PM on May-5-02

50 greatest shows of all time. TV Guide has listed their top 50 greatest television shows of all time. What shows do you think they are missing?
comment posted at 9:33 PM on Apr-29-02