Glass Wings Blog: August 2013

Government by Jury

Thu, 01 Aug 2013 13:50:09 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
A radical proposal:
http://www1.cs.columbia.edu/~unger/articles/juryGov.html

Share and enjoy,
            *** Xanni ***

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Coal’s high cost in China: 2.5 billion years of life expectancy

Thu, 01 Aug 2013 13:51:39 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
Free coal heating in northern China had dramatic health consequences:
http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/07/coals-high-cost-in-china-2-5-billion-years-of-life-expectancy/

Sometimes governments make it easy to run a comparative analysis!

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“Come, Come, Whoever You Are.” As a Pluralist Movement Emerges from Gezi Park in Turkey

Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:32:52 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://technosociology.org/?p=1421

A beautiful article on the emergence of pluralism and tolerance in Turkey.

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The Orc Renaissance: Race, Tolerance and Post-9/11 Western Fantasy

Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:35:43 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/07/the-orc-renaissance-race-tolerance-and-post-911-western-fantasy

"The era of tidy political compartmentalization is over, and it shows not only
in the way we interact, but in the fantasies we build for ourselves. The
orc—the Other—is slowly but surely changing."

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Unlikely Friendships

Sat, 03 Aug 2013 18:53:07 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.simonscat.com/Blog/2013-07-10/Unlikely-Friendships/

"It’s not just us humans that cats enjoy long lasting friendships and
affection for - there has been many cases around the world where cats
have befriended other beasts of the animal kingdom."

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The generation we love to dump on

Sat, 03 Aug 2013 18:56:15 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/09/opinion/bors-millenial-comic-strip/

"Can we stop worrying about Millenials yet?"

Great point about the manufactured generational stereotyping in the

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How I Discovered Gender Discrimination

Sat, 03 Aug 2013 19:00:00 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://whatwouldkingleonidasdo.tumblr.com/post/54989171152/how-i-discovered-gender-discrimination>

Worth reading.  It's not long.

Via Peter da Silva and Kee Hinckley.

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Waking the dead

Sun, 04 Aug 2013 19:44:45 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.examiner.com.au/story/1589785/waking-the-dead/

"At a gathering in Washington DC of leading researchers into the quest
for species revival, or de-extinction as it's known, Archer announced
his team had created cloned embryos containing the DNA of an extinct

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20 Amazing True Facts About Introverts and Extroverts

Sun, 04 Aug 2013 19:45:47 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://coyot.es/crossing/2013/07/09/20-amazing-true-facts-about-introverts-and-extroverts/>

Be sure to read the comments too... some more good stuff in there.

Also via Jon Swabey.

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Batman is a Hoarder!

Sun, 04 Aug 2013 19:47:45 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://kerrycallen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/batman-is-hoarder.html

An interesting theory!

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Imaginary Factories

Mon, 05 Aug 2013 08:10:41 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
Wanna know how your smartphone works? How a television, teapot, or camera
works? The imaginary factories are a hoot. With plenty of tiny people making
your every day objects work. Also heaps more.

http://www.mazakii.com/2011/

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Having Conquered The Internet, Cats Set Their Sight On The Art World

Mon, 05 Aug 2013 11:44:03 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.forbes.com/sites/teresagenaro/2013/07/11/having-conquered-the-internet-cats-set-their-sight-on-the-art-world/>

"While a traditional gallery show (albeit one whose art is strictly
feline-focused), the installation’s centerpiece is an enormous cat habitat
designed and constructed by Gia Wolff and Freecell’s John Hartmann and Lauren

(More...)

Don’t Poke the Bear: Creating Content for Sensitive Situations

Mon, 05 Aug 2013 11:47:31 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://alistapart.com/article/dont-poke-the-bear-creating-content-for-sensitive-situations

"Delivering bad news is hard, but it’s part of life and business. We notify
customers when we’re out of a product they want to buy, and we send warnings
when people violate our companies’ terms of service. God forbid we have to send

(More...)

Tiny Linux device offers free unlimited DropBox alternative

Tue, 06 Aug 2013 13:57:04 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://linuxgizmos.com/tiny-linux-device-offers-free-distributed-storage/

"Despite the presence of “Cloud” in the name of the company, the Plug stores
nothing on Cloud-based storage services. Instead, it puts the user in complete
control of all storage devices, and, in contrast to services like DropBox,

(More...)

Will we ever see the end of land grab?

Tue, 06 Aug 2013 14:05:15 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.forumforthefuture.org/greenfutures/articles/will-we-ever-see-end-land-grab

"Growing pressure on the world's land demands a joined-up approach from
industry, agriculture and nature, says*Ben Goldfarb*. But is it a pipedream?"

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Pop Mashup: Happy Birthday Doctor!

Tue, 06 Aug 2013 19:45:43 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
I'm the writer/director for a show at Melbourne Fringe Festival this year that
mashes up Dr Who with Harry Potter and a whole lot of Internet memes, including
Grumpy Cat and Bronies. The word is out that the festival is already getting
calls for tickets.

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Retro-Futurism

Wed, 07 Aug 2013 09:13:22 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
This parody of the kitchen of the future has a lot of hilarious touches to it.
I mean...a pre-dehydrated food-processor?

http://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/the-1940s-kitchen-of-tomorrow-was-difficult-to-parody-995615948

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Cat Structures!

Wed, 07 Aug 2013 10:10:34 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
Some of these are real works of art!

http://www.neatorama.com/2013/08/05/10-Amazing-Cat-Structures/

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The Top F2P Monetization Tricks

Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:24:30 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/RaminShokrizade/20130626/194933/The_Top_F2P_Monet

"A coercive monetization model depends on the ability to “trick” a person into
making a purchase with incomplete information, or by hiding that information
such that while it is technically available, the brain of the consumer does not

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Culturalism, Gladwell, and Airplane Crashes

Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:26:13 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://askakorean.blogspot.ca/2013/07/culturalism-gladwell-and-airplane.html

"This post is about the Asiana Airline's crash-landing in the San Francisco
Airport last Saturday. It is also about culturalism."

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Swallows in a Land Rover

Thu, 08 Aug 2013 08:30:23 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
So much cuter than snakes on a plane. These little cuties have an unusual home.
It's amazing they happily put up with moving around and having lots of people
around.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-23576748

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How An Engineering Toy For Girls Went From Kickstarter To Bestseller

Thu, 08 Aug 2013 12:17:00 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://readwrite.com/2013/07/12/how-an-engineering-toy-for-girls-went-from-kickstarter-to-bestseller

"But it’s not the sales that make Sterling proudest. Instead, it’s the messages
from the parents that pour in every day. Stories about little girls that sing
songs about building and engineering, or are inspired to build their own toys

(More...)

Airship Dreams, Part 1

Thu, 08 Aug 2013 12:18:31 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2013/07/airship-dreams-part-1.html

"Glorious Retro Airships and New Extreme Dirigibles for the Modern Age"

Airships never go out of style!

(More...)

Nerdy Love Song with Added Kitten Bonus!

Fri, 09 Aug 2013 15:58:33 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkWy8nRWPGk

Also, SharkCat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of2HU3LGdbo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLt5rBfNucc

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Woodlands Resort's special requests

Fri, 09 Aug 2013 16:04:38 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://imgur.com/a/mY8gl

Now that's what I call good service.

Via Nixie Pixel.

(More...)

In praise of celestial mechanics

Sat, 10 Aug 2013 19:55:13 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.economist.com/news/technology-quarterly/21578513-space-technology-fixing-unmanned-spacecraft-thousands-or-millions>

"Space technology: Fixing an unmanned spacecraft that is thousands or
millions of miles away sounds impossible, but has been done many times"

(More...)

Super Awesome Sylvia's WaterColorBot

Sat, 10 Aug 2013 19:57:17 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1894919479/super-awesome-sylvias-watercolorbot-0>

"Starting with vector artwork on your computer— or following along as
you sketch in real time —the WaterColorBot dips its brush in water,
goes and gets the right color of paint, and paints before your eyes."

(More...)

Mission Creep: When Everything Is Terrorism

Sat, 10 Aug 2013 19:59:06 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/07/mission-creep-when-everything-is-terrorism/277844/>

'NSA apologists say spying is only used for menaces like "weapons of
mass destruction" and "terror." But those terms have been radically
redefined.'

(More...)

British History in LEGO!

Sun, 11 Aug 2013 08:29:24 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
I remember seeing the amazing dioramas at the London Museum. Lego would have
done the trick as well! I love recognising some of the repurposed Star Wars
figures.

www.neatorama.com/2013/08/09/History-of-Britain-in-LEGO/

(More...)

Yoga Chihuahua

Sun, 11 Aug 2013 08:41:42 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
Because you know, the quteness has to be done.

http://youtu.be/xn3mMmy_ghY

I wonder how this guy trained his dog to do this?

(More...)

Manifesto: Let my upload bandwidth flow!

Sun, 11 Aug 2013 10:08:23 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://arstechnica.com/staff/2013/07/manifesto-let-my-upload-bandwidth-flow/>

"Op-ed: What good is the ability to sync a TB of data when the upload
takes a year?"

(More...)

Taikomochi or Houkan, the Male Counterpart to the Geisha

Sun, 11 Aug 2013 10:09:35 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.thekeep.org/~kunoichi/kunoichi/themestream/taikomochi.html

"The taikomochi, or the houkan, were the original male geisha of Japan."

Great article on an interesting element of traditional Japanese culture.

(More...)

Gambitious - crowdfunding for games

Sun, 11 Aug 2013 10:15:24 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://gambitious.com/

"Gambitious is the first professional crowdfunding platform exclusively
dedicated to the games industry. We are here to help independent game
developers and even publishers reach the widest audience with their

(More...)

The Serengeti Lion

Mon, 12 Aug 2013 10:12:09 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
These moving images of the life of lions on the Serengeti are AMAZING! They
were taken using a robot and give loads of insight into their lives. My
favourite section is "Rain". Wet kitties are hilarious!

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/serengeti-lion/index.html

(More...)

Month in Space: How to experience the overview effect

Mon, 12 Aug 2013 10:53:29 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/30/19218750-month-in-space-how-to-experience-the-overview-effect

"The overview effect is the spiritual feeling that comes over spacefliers when
they see the whole Earth from above. That sight delivers the realization that
there are no true borders on the planet, that the whole world is one beautiful,

(More...)

Spanking and crime rates

Mon, 12 Aug 2013 10:55:59 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.economist.com/blogs/charlemagne/2013/07/spanking-and-crime-rates

"Mr Pfeiffer has found a correlation between declining rates of children being
spanked (or otherwise punished physically) and subsequent decreases in violent
crime. In Germany, for example, it used to be common until well into the last

(More...)

Marble machines

Tue, 13 Aug 2013 11:09:52 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://woodgears.ca/marbles/

"Marble Machines are complicated but useless pieces of toy machinery that
automate the process of playing with marbles. This automation could in theory
lead to gains in productivity as people are now freed up to pursue more

(More...)

Hyper Earth: the New World in 4k UHD

Tue, 13 Aug 2013 11:12:20 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://youtu.be/COWE6sMzdqI

"Incredible 4k supercomputer images of Planet Earth.  Our world, Earth, is
changing before our eyes. Go back millions of years. Forests reached into polar
regions, sea levels rose, and temperatures soared with high levels of the

(More...)

Meet Montjiro

Tue, 13 Aug 2013 12:53:37 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
A cute little Chihuhua in Japan that is the most dapper and patient dog in the
world.

http://instagram.com/montjiro#

(More...)

Star Wars Downunder Trailer

Wed, 14 Aug 2013 12:41:07 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJDTMDtc1KQ

"Trailer for Star Wars Downunder. http://swdufanfilm.com/

Star Wars Downunder is a 30 minute Star Wars fan film which finally

(More...)

The Hagia Sophia Housecat

Wed, 14 Aug 2013 12:42:51 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://dailycatistanbul.tumblr.com/post/51054909533/hagia-sophia-cat

Combining two great things:  The Hagia Sophia and cats.

http://istanbul.for91days.com/13/05/21/inside-the-hagia-sophia/

(More...)

The Zero Theorem by Terry Gilliam

Thu, 15 Aug 2013 11:52:56 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://io9.com/we-saw-the-first-ten-minutes-of-terry-gilliams-new-mas-833752912

"Terry Gilliam is the director of science fiction classics Brazil and 12
Monkeys
, and he debuted the first ten minutes of his latest weird vision, The
Zero Theorem
, at Comic-Con this afternoon. It stars Christoph Waltz, looks

(More...)

Talking Female Circumcision Out of Existence

Thu, 15 Aug 2013 11:55:44 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/17/talking-female-circumcision-out-of-existence/

Via Caroline Dow who said:

"Not only am I glad that there has been some progress in getting communities to

(More...)

Apes Remember Specific Events From Years Ago

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 11:38:05 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/07/18/apes-remember-specific-events-from-years-ago/

"...Many of us can recount similar moments, when a peculiar combination of
sensory cues—a smell or taste or sound—transported us back to a point in our
past. Do animals share similar experiences?"

(More...)

Solar chargers for electric cars

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 11:41:44 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://plus.google.com/110884604033336753419/posts/gKfyif1Tobe

Kim Gu-Han's Helios concept car is unusual to say the least. Resembling some
sort of frill necked lizard, the electric off-road vehicle has the unique
ability to spread its solar panel wings to soak up the sun's energy. While in

(More...)

The Beauty of Space Photography

Sat, 17 Aug 2013 22:43:10 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sea9u1ix5UE

"One of the primary tools for measurement and observation is imaging
using cameras connected to powerful telescopes on Earth and in space.
And although it's not the primary motivation for photographing space,

(More...)

Wolf howl identification technology excites experts

Sat, 17 Aug 2013 22:47:24 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/23263266

"Individual wild wolves can be recognised by just their howls with 100%
accuracy, a study has shown.

(More...)

The Greatest Science Fiction-Themed Bars and Restaurants on Earth

Sat, 17 Aug 2013 22:50:34 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://io9.com/the-greatest-science-fiction-themed-bars-and-restaurant-512256764>

"You may never get to drink at the Cantina — but you can still visit
some real-life watering holes that celebrate your favorite stories.
We've already shown you science-fictional bars we'd like to visit and

(More...)

How to Get Tips

Sun, 18 Aug 2013 08:37:28 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
Pretend to be The Doctor from Dr Who! This chap's experiment in playing The
Doctor and being a waiter pays off in a funny way.

http://strangeronbakerstreet.tumblr.com/post/46821798132/certain-doctor-who-phrases-and-how-olive-garden

(More...)

What are the downsides of a QANTAS stopover in Dubai, UAE?

Sun, 18 Aug 2013 12:13:43 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://traverselife.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/what-are-downsides-of-qantas-stopover.html>

Important advice.  Travellers will be subject to the laws of the
countries they visit, and airlines probably should do more to ensure
travellers are aware of the laws that may affect them.  And more

(More...)

Dolphins gain unprecedented protection in India

Sun, 18 Aug 2013 12:18:11 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.dw.de/dolphins-gain-unprecedented-protection-in-india/a-16834519>

"India has officially recognized dolphins as non-human persons, whose
rights to life and liberty must be respected. Dolphin parks that were
being built across the country will instead be shut down."

(More...)

The Visual Intelligence of Pacific Rim

Sun, 18 Aug 2013 12:21:19 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://stormingtheivorytower.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/the-visual-intelligence-of-pacific-rim.html>

'I want to talk about Pacific Rim, and why it is not, as I've seen a
frustrating number of commentators claim, a "dumb" movie, or a movie
that "knows that it's dumb," or anything like that...'

(More...)

An Illuminating Subject

Mon, 19 Aug 2013 08:07:39 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
These lamps are just the bees-knees! They are made out of antique bibs
and bobs, and are quite whimsical.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/BenclifDesigns

(More...)

Your Dog Is a Copycat

Mon, 19 Aug 2013 12:02:07 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://news.sciencemag.org/2013/07/your-dog-copycat

"A new study reveals that our canine pals are capable of copying our behavior
as long as 10 minutes after it's happened. The ability is considered mentally
demanding and, until this discovery, something that only humans and apes were

(More...)

Dog Finds A Tiny Kitten, Risks Everything To Save Her

Mon, 19 Aug 2013 12:03:36 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.buzzfeed.com/summeranne/dog-finds-a-tiny-kitten-risks-everything-to-save-her

"Animal control officers in Anderson, S.C., thought that a barking shih tzu was
stuck in a ravine. Turns out, she was there nursing and protecting a tiny
abandoned kitten she had found."

(More...)

Licensing and Business Models for "Lunatics!"

Tue, 20 Aug 2013 12:27:02 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2144275086/finish-lunatics-pilot-episode/posts/547385

'We had the idea for the story of "Lunatics!" as far back as 2003. But it
wasn't really clear what form it would take. Making it into an "online TV
series" was always the way I visualized it, but I didn't see how that would be

(More...)

Gender and Lies-To-Children

Tue, 20 Aug 2013 12:29:52 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://medium.com/gender-justice-feminism/b7dbe72ccbe2

"Some people seem to be worried that having a more nuanced understanding of
gender is a difficult burden to ‘be PC’, ‘use silly made up words’ or even,
worst of all, ‘ignore basic factual truths in deference to people’s feelings’ -

(More...)

Porn blocking - a survivor's perspective

Wed, 21 Aug 2013 12:36:27 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://zine.openrightsgroup.org/features/2013/porn-blocking

Good article, and note this footnote:

While I do believe children need protection from some things, I find the talk

(More...)

Crochet Playgrounds by Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam

Wed, 21 Aug 2013 12:39:14 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2012/07/crochet-playgrounds-by-toshiko-horiuchi-macadam/

"In the mid 1990s Japanese artist Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam was showing a large
scale crochet artwork at an art gallery when two rambunctious children
approached her and asked if the sculpture, resembling a colorful hammock, could

(More...)

Nothing to Prove - Geek Girls & The Doubleclicks

Thu, 22 Aug 2013 16:04:14 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Rjy5yW1gQ

"We took submissions for this project on our last nationwide tour &
online. We received somewhere between 150-250 geek girl videos, as well
as some from some awesome prominent geeks: Kelly Sue Deconnick, Amy

(More...)

Shoot two exposures at once with Magic Lantern

Thu, 22 Aug 2013 16:07:18 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://lwn.net/Articles/559763/

"Developers from the Magic Lantern (ML) project have enabled a
previously undiscovered capability in high-end Canon digital cameras:
the ability to record images and video at two different exposure levels

(More...)

Dynamic target tracking camera system keeps its eye on the ball

Fri, 23 Aug 2013 12:35:44 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.diginfo.tv/v/13-0049-r-en.php

"This camera system can track very fast moving objects, keeping them in the
center of the screen at all times. [...] Also, by connecting a projector
instead of a recording device, images can be projected onto a fast-moving

(More...)

Australia and xenophobia

Fri, 23 Aug 2013 12:38:05 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=15276

"In Australia, whenever a new leaky boat full of desperate asylum seekers shows
up, it’s treated with hysteria in the media. If the government of the day
doesn’t react with cruelty, it’s considered to be weak on border security. And

(More...)

Puppy and Kitten Have Amazing Adventures

Fri, 23 Aug 2013 15:33:35 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
http://www.behance.net/gallery/Puppy-kitten-The-best-start-in-life/6987777

These should be in a children's book!

(More...)

My Little Pony Resume

Sat, 24 Aug 2013 08:21:56 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
This person has created the most adorable resume.

http://www.dorkly.com/picture/53662/now-presenting-the-worlds-least-employable-human

Please go to this page and say, "I would hire this person!" in the

(More...)

Michtim: Fluffy Adventures

Sat, 24 Aug 2013 16:49:04 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.grimogre.at/michtim/

"Michtim: Fluffy Adventures" is an indie pen & paper storytelling game.
It is the sole work of Georg Mir, who created it as part of his masters
thesis (Designing a Pen & Paper Storytelling Game) and did everything by

(More...)

5 Stupid Habits You Develop Growing Up in a Broken Home

Sat, 24 Aug 2013 16:49:58 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-stupid-habits-you-develop-growing-up-in-broken-home/>

Sad (and some strong language, as typical for Cracked) but worth
thinking about.

(More...)

Tumbleweed Tango

Sat, 24 Aug 2013 16:51:40 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://vimeo.com/67325705

"A balloon dog is lost in a world of danger. One wrong step and his
dancing days are done. Only love, and tango, can possibly save him."

(More...)

TAYLOR MALI: What Teachers Make

Sun, 25 Aug 2013 14:52:03 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://zenpencils.com/comic/124-taylor-mali-what-teachers-make/

Via Muse, who wrote: "This is spot on! Judge each individual by the
quality of their character, not their looks, their paycheck, their media
profile, their culture..."

(More...)

Crafting with Cat Hair: Cute Handicrafts to Make with Your Cat

Sun, 25 Aug 2013 14:55:10 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.amazon.com/Crafting-Cat-Hair-Cute-Handicrafts/dp/1594745250

"Are your favorite sweaters covered with cat hair? Do you love to make
quirky and one-of-a-kind crafting projects? If so, then it’s time to
throw away your lint roller and curl up with your kitty! Crafting with

(More...)

Why The Opus Codec Matters - Even If You Don't Care About Audio

Sun, 25 Aug 2013 14:58:32 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.disruptivetelephony.com/2013/07/why-the-opus-codec-matters-even-if-you-dont-care-about-audio.html>

"What makes the Opus codec so interesting? Why is there such a buzz
about Opus right now? If you are not in telecom or doing anything with
audio, why should you even remotely care about Opus?"

(More...)

スナメリが泡リレー披露 福岡・マリンワールド (Porpoises at Fukuoka Marine World)

Mon, 26 Aug 2013 11:59:07 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnEBtllWBVM

Via Muse, who wrote "Porpoises having fun with bubbles. A new game!"

(More...)

Citing Dignity, Greek Workers Take Over Factory

Mon, 26 Aug 2013 12:00:41 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/07/26/205164682/citing-dignity-greek-workers-take-over-factory

"The financial crisis in Greece has devastated the country's manufacturing
sector, which has lost more than 30 percent of its jobs in the past three
years. But at one factory in an industrial center in the north, workers have

(More...)

Children Playing

Tue, 27 Aug 2013 08:20:47 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
D'awwwwwwwww! Little girl and little gorilla having a play.

http://youtu.be/CxcDsa5GJQE

(More...)

Leandro Erlich Art

Tue, 27 Aug 2013 08:30:30 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
This guy's stuff is so whimsical. I particularly like the piece of
building held up with a fire ladder!

http://www.leandroerlich.com.ar/img/works/180.JPG

(More...)

Terms and Conditions: A movie about privacy policies you’ll actually want to watch

Tue, 27 Aug 2013 11:43:50 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/07/terms-and-conditions-a-movie-about-privacy-policies-youll-actually-want-to-watch/>

"The documentary, released last week, will particularly interest your smart
(but less tech-savvy) friends who shrug at things like the most recent NSA
metadata surveillance scandal."

(More...)

Baby names: the royal child and the unknown asylum seeker

Tue, 27 Aug 2013 11:48:03 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://theconversation.com/baby-names-the-royal-child-and-the-unknown-asylum-seeker-16312

"Seventeen minutes they gave it on Channel Seven’s evening news. A one-fact
story: the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have given birth to a boy (later named
George), who will be third in line to the British (and Australian) throne.

(More...)

One Liners from Edinburgh Fringe

Wed, 28 Aug 2013 08:21:48 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
It's that time of year. Edinburgh Fringe Festival has been and we get to
laugh at a few winning one-liners. Have a laugh...or a groan...or two!

10. "The good thing about lending someone your time machine is that you
basically get it back immediately." - Chris Coltrane

(More...)

Canvas, Camera, Brush, and Algorithms Enable Robot Artist’s Beautiful Paintings

Wed, 28 Aug 2013 10:52:31 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://singularityhub.com/2013/07/27/canvas-camera-brush-and-algorithms-enable-robot-artists-beautiful-paintings/>

"E-David can work in black and white or dip its five brushes in a pre-mixed
palette of 24 colors, cleaning them as it goes. Because the robot is using
paint and brush, the process lacks minute control, and the final products seem

(More...)

Kickstarter as a Subversive Activity

Wed, 28 Aug 2013 10:54:27 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1878147873/hero-u-rogue-to-redemption/posts/553708

"Kickstarter is not a place where you preorder games (or other products) - It
is a chance for you to support projects you want to see developed. Because
project creators are required to list estimated delivery dates for backer

(More...)

Antique Carousels

Wed, 28 Aug 2013 19:07:38 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
I've always been fond of traditional carousels. Some are real works of art.

"In a certain window of time, carousels were intricate, breathtaking
works of kinetic art... Today, the original antique carousels are
endangered beasts. At the height of the Golden Age of Carousels

(More...)

World's Biggest Data Breaches

Thu, 29 Aug 2013 12:01:25 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/worlds-biggest-data-breaches-hacks/

Nice visualisation.  Be sure to check out the rest of the site:
http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/

(More...)

Information Consumerism: The Price of Hypocrisy

Thu, 29 Aug 2013 12:03:33 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/debatten/ueberwachung/information-consumerism-the-price-of-hypocrisy-12292374.html>

"Even the best laws will not lead to a safer internet. We need a sharper
picture of the information apocalypse that awaits us in a world where personal
data is traded to avert the catastrophy." [sic]

(More...)

OSI: The Internet That Wasn’t

Fri, 30 Aug 2013 12:46:10 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
How TCP/IP eclipsed the Open Systems Interconnection standards to become the
global protocol for computer networking
http://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/networks/osi-the-internet-that-wasnt

A good article on Internet history.

(More...)

Your app makes me fat

Fri, 30 Aug 2013 12:47:40 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://seriouspony.com/blog/2013/7/24/your-app-makes-me-fat

"Willpower and cognitive processing draw from the same pool of resources."

A good article on cognitive load.  (Also, ponies!)

(More...)

Hey! Where's Sigmund?

Sat, 31 Aug 2013 09:46:25 +1000

Katherine Phelps <muse [at] glasswings.com.au>

Katherine Phelps
About seamonsters in Medieval cartography. OOoooOOOh! :)

http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/map-monsters.html

(More...)

The Hole in Our Collective Memory: How Copyright Made Mid-Century Books Vanish

Sat, 31 Aug 2013 23:13:32 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/07/the-hole-in-our-collective-memory-how-copyright-made-mid-century-books-vanish/278209/>

"A book published during the presidency of Chester A. Arthur has a
greater chance of being in print today than one published during the
time of Reagan."

(More...)

More Encryption Is Not the Solution

Sat, 31 Aug 2013 23:15:30 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=2508864

'The recent exposure of the dragnet-style surveillance of Internet
traffic has provoked a number of responses that are variations of the
general formula, "More encryption is the solution." This is not the

(More...)

NASA turns 55: An Ars Technica tribute to space flight

Sat, 31 Aug 2013 23:17:26 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/07/gallery-55-images-for-nasas-55th-anniversary/>

"A half-century of missions, from Mercury to the Mars Science Laboratory
and beyond."

(More...)

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