08/13/2008
Who you gonna believe? Me, or your own eyes? (in thoughts on life)
Errol Morris has an enlightening op-ed piece on the NY Times site called Photography As A Weapon, on the propaganda uses of faked photography, labeling, and Photoshopping. The main topic of discussion is the addition of an extra missile to the n ... Read More
08/11/2008
What the ancient greeks knew about sampling (in copyright)
In an op-ed piece about music composition in today's NY Times, Jeffrey Lewis discusses the nature of creative "rip-offs", as regarded by someone who doesn't even use sampling to make his music: All aspects of creativity are basically reconsti ... Read More
08/08/2008
On not talking to the police. About anything. ever. under any circumstances. (in thoughts on life)
An enlightening lecture (long; 47 minutes) delivered by law professor James Duane. I snatched these from boing-boing. I'm somewhat conflicted about the source, as Professor Duane teaches at Regent University, a sort of know-nothing educationa ... Read More
08/07/2008
Star chamber trials, now with U.S. branding (in politics)
Hamdan has been found guilty in a military trial at Guantanamo. His defenders couldn't question certain witnesses, hear certain testimony, see certain evidence, or ban confessions obtained during, after, or under the threat of, torture. As Sc ... Read More
08/06/2008
The return of a useful website (in politics)
After an absence of many months, The Memory Hole - "rescuing knowledge, freeing information" - is back. Sort of like a Smoking Gun, but about stuff that matters. Read More
08/05/2008
The DNA test shows absolutely that... wait a minute, what's this? (in thoughts on life)
Seems that DNA testing may not be as sure-fire reliable as many folks believe. From the LA Times: State crime lab analyst Kathryn Troyer was running tests on Arizona's DNA database when she stumbled across two felons with remarkably simila ... Read More
08/02/2008
You can't make this stuff up (in books)
I'm rarely an impulse shopper. Even though my role as househusband puts me in the check-out line at the Super Stop & Shop every other day, I manage to resist the siren call of the many magazines with the inside scoop on Britney, Tom Cruise, and ... Read More
07/31/2008
Lessig keynote address at netroots nation last week in austin, TX. (in politics)
Excellent talk to the blog army about how money changes outcomes and erodes trust in supposedly impartial processes. The presentation is up to the usual blazing Lessig standards, with a few new details: a black jersey a la the Dynamic CEO Sty ... Read More
"You see this turntable, pal? You see this turntable? This turntable cost more than your car..." (in music & sound)
The Montegiro Lusso Turntable; when that Technics 1200 just doesn't fit your self-image anymore. From AudioJunkies: A newly developed ultra precise synchronous motor is suspended in one of the cones, while another supports the standard 10" ... Read More
News website worth checking on a daily basis (in politics)
With traditional newsroom budgets shrinking under pressure from the investment community and corporate owners, there's a quiet crisis in the world of newsgathering. Even if there's a reporter with the time and intelligence available to do in ... Read More