An Eclectic Mind » links

Interesting Links, March 18, 2010

Maria Langer — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Here are links I found interesting on March 18, 2010:

Stonekettle Station: Glenn Beck Killed My Father-In-Law – "Glenn Beck is a liar of extraordinary proportion. A rabble rouser. A charlatan. A hypocrite. He is a gross swollen pustule on the ball-sack of humanity. He epitomizes everything that is wrong with pandering to the lowest common denominator." Read WHY Jim Wright feels so strongly about Glenn Beck. You'll probably agree.

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Interesting Links, March 16, 2010

Maria Langer — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Here are links I found interesting on March 16, 2010:

Step back in time with the oldest boeing still flying – Great video about the restoration of the world's oldest flying Boeing aircraft, a Boeing 40 from the 1920s. On YouTube.
A Photographer Is "Banned" for Taking Pictures on Church Street – "To some, Dan Scott is an artist who exercises his First Amendment right of free speech by photographing people in public places. To others, he’s a creepy voyeur whose surreptitious shutterbuggery makes some people, especially young women, uncomfortable." Read more on 7dtv.com. Thanks to @BorrowLenses for sharing the link.
Setting Yourself Up for Copyright Infringement – Some advice on Plagiarism Today about licensing your original work — and using the work licensed by others.

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Interesting Links, March 13, 2010

Maria Langer — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Here are links I found interesting on March 13, 2010:

Blogging the Social Studies Debate IV – Texas wants to remove Thomas Jefferson from its Social Studies curriculum and replace him with Thomas Aquinas. Read more absurdities on Texas Freedom Network. Thanks to @PattyHankins for sharing this disturbing bit of info.

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Interesting Links, March 11, 2010

Maria Langer — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Here are links I found interesting on March 11, 2010:

Game Over – A baby starves to death while its parents play online. I knew the situation was bad, but never thought it was this bad. What's happening to us? If you spend more than an hour a day online, read this.
Patently Stupid – According to Farhad Manjoo of Slate Magazine, "Apple's multitouch lawsuit is both dumb and dangerous." He makes some good arguments. But what his piece really highlights is the problems with the U.S. Patent Office.

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Interesting Links, March 10, 2010

Maria Langer — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Here are links I found interesting on March 10, 2010:

Rational Atheism – Another older post by Michael Shermer. This one rightly (in my opinion) argues that atheists can't build a platform on what they don't believe.
Why I Am An Atheist – Michael Shermer explains why he is an atheist. This is an old blog post but remains good reading for anyone who doesn't understand the concept of atheism.

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Interesting Links, March 9, 2010

Maria Langer — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Here are links I found interesting on March 9, 2010:

Image Watermark Hijacking – Interesting example of how watermarking images may not be enough to protect them from theft — and what you can do about it. On PlagiarismToday.com
Palin’s Canadian health care claim stuns critics – Can you say hypocrite? Thanks to Canadian @AprilMains for sharing this morning's laugh at Sarah Palin's expense.
Photography Classes – Here's a list of photography classes at the Phoenix Desert Botanical Gardens. We went to a lecture last night and it was great.
Reflections on Avatar Ray Kurzweil – Interesting review of Avatar by Ray Kurzweil. I agree with much of what he has to say, but I think he over-analyzed it. the movie simply wasn't as deep as he gives it credit for being. Thanks to @estherschindler for sharing the link.
The Ad-Blocker’s Dilemma – Some interesting thoughts on blocking ads on Web sites. On PlagiarismToday.com.
Copyright Issues: Photographer POV – A promotional video from Getty Images that includes an interview with two photographers. They explain their point of view on illegal use of their images, as well as the cost of being commercial photographers. On YouTube. Thanks to @plagiarismtoday for sharing the link.
Top home-school texts dismiss Darwin, evolution – I find this news article on the AP Web site extremely disturbing. Does this mean that a subset of the U.S. population will be taught that evolution is wrong? On APNews.com.

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Interesting Links, March 4, 2010

Maria Langer — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Here are links I found interesting on March 4, 2010:

Books in the Age of the iPad – This has got to be one of the best articles about the rise of digital publishing that I've ever read. It makes me excited to be witness to this revolution. Read it and rejoice! Thanks to @andreaLG for sharing this link.
No Vision Without Passion – "If you want to succeed in your photography, whatever that means to you, then you need to fuel it with passion and hard work." Read more on Pixelatedimage.com. Thanks to @AndreaLG for sharing the link.
Uncertainty in Skepticism – Really. It's okay to admit that you just don't know. On NoisyAstronomer.com.
Why DRM Doesn’t Work – I've been saying something like this for a while. On The Brad's. Thanks to @szymonniemczura for sharing the link.
Craft & Vision – Good source of low-cost ebooks about photography for folks interesting in improving their skills without buying a lot of expensive equipment.
Search the PopSci Archives – Holy cow! 137 years of Popular Science is now online, searchable, and readable! Thanks to @Swoopy for sharing this link.

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Interesting Links, February 28, 2010

Maria Langer — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Here are links I found interesting on February 28, 2010:

This week in crazy: Jenny McCarthy – Yes, Jenny McCarthy is still crazy…and potentially dangerous. In Salon.com. Thanks to @factually for sharing the link.
Kurt Vonnegut explains drama | Derek Sivers – Derek Silvers reviews Kurt Vonnegut's explanation of drama, with graphs. This really does make sense. Thanks to @aprilmains for sharing the link.
We Can’t Wish Away Climate Change – Al Gore writes an opinion piece for the New York Times. Too bad it'll fall on deaf ears. Thanks to @PattyHankins for sharing the link.
Max Headroom Finally Coming To DVD! – This is good news for me. I really LIKED this show — even wrote a letter to the network when they cancelled it. I just hope it's everything I remember about it…. Thanks to @derekcbart for sharing the link. Read more on io9.com.
Study: Are Liberals Smarter Than Conservatives? – "A libertarian (and, as such, nonpartisan) researcher, Satoshi Kanazawa of the London School of Economics and Political Science, has just written a paper that is set to be published in March by the journal Social Psychology Quarterly. The paper investigates not only whether conservatives are dumber than liberals but also why that might be so." Read more on Time.com. What's interesting is not whether they're smarter but WHY they might be. Thanks to @DJGrothe for sharing this link.
Utah Bill Criminalizes Miscarriage – "For all these years the anti-choice movement has said ‘we want to outlaw abortion, not put women in jail, but what this law says is ‘no, we really want to put women in jail.'" Read more on RHRealityCheck.org. When will they stop trying to push their religious agenda on the rest of us? Thanks to @jodene for sharing this link.

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Interesting Links, February 26, 2010

Maria Langer — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Here are links I found interesting on February 26, 2010:

Haiti Disaster Relief: A Global Effort – "The earthquake in Haiti may be one of the world’s most tragic disasters, but the rapid response and financial munificence across the globe has shown us the best of humanity. Still, looking closely at the numbers reveals some unexpected trends." Read more on Life360. Thanks to @giaghani for sharing the link.
Liberals and atheists smarter? Intelligent people have values novel in human evolutionary history, study finds – "More intelligent people are statistically significantly more likely to exhibit social values and religious and political preferences that are novel to the human species in evolutionary history." Read more in Science Daily. Thanks to @samharrisorg for sharing the link on Twitter.
The Cost of Care – "The United States spends more on medical care per person than any country, yet life expectancy is shorter than in most other developed nations and many developing ones." Read more on National Geographic. This is the blog post that goes with the graphic I also linked to.
Health Spending, Doctor’s Visits, and Life Expectancy Charted – If I'm reading this right — which I think I am — people in the U.S. spend nearly twice as much on health care as the next biggest spender, get very few doctor's visits, and have a lower than average life expectancy. And people are saying the system doesn't mean fixing? Thanks to @BWJones for sharing this sobering link.

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Interesting Links, February 25, 2010

Maria Langer — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Here are links I found interesting on February 25, 2010:

Absolutely Hilarious Bathroom Mirror Prank Video – Funny and harmless practical joke involving a mirror that isn't. Thanks to @DonPerreault for sharing the link.
The Secular Coalition for America’s Briefing with the Obama Administration – "Friday morning, surrounded by representatives from various national atheist organizations as part of the Secular Coalition for America, we will be meeting with White House officials about issues that matter to us." Read more on Friendly Athiest. Thanks to @factually for retweeting this link.
The Sandpit – A really great time-lapse video of New York City, using tilt-shift photography. Thanks to @SzymonNiemczura for sharing the link.
What Happens After I Die? – This pretty much explains it. Thanks to @factually for sharing the link.
The gathering storm – "The GOP has been captured by a far-right movement that places its abstract ideology above practical needs and concerns in the real world." Read more in Roger Ebert's Journal. Thanks to @BWJones on Twitter for sharing the link.

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Interesting Links, February 24, 2010

Maria Langer — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Here are links I found interesting on February 24, 2010:

A Win For Publishers – Inside Higher Ed – "In what publishers are calling a significant copyright victory, a German court has approved an injunction filed by six academic publishers — including four founding members of the electronic textbook consortium CourseSmart — against the file-sharing company RapidShare AG. The injunction prohibits the company from giving away digital copies of dozens of scholarly titles." Read more on insidehighered.com. Thanks to @plagiarismtoday.com for sharing the link.

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Interesting Links, February 23, 2010

Maria Langer — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Here are links I found interesting on February 23, 2010:

Is This Any Way to Run an App Store? – "Apple seems more concerned with its excessive control over the iPhone and its App Store than providing its customers with the best possible apps." Read more from Ted Landau on recent App Store removals. THIS is one reason I'm a bit leery about buying an iPad. I don't like the idea of Apple controlling what I can and can't run on my device. Thanks to @MikeTRose on Twitter for sharing the link.
Unstressed Syllables › What Should You Write About? – Interesting blog post for writers looking for direction. On Unstressed Syllables. Thanks to @alanpringle for sharing the link.
The Bloom Box: a power plant for the home – Another possible green power source? Article and video on Engadget. Thanks to @BWJones for sharing the link.
New Study Links Religion to Immoral Behavior – MSNBC News report about a study linking religion to immorality. On YouTube. Thanks to @dcolanduno for sharing the link.

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Interesting Links, February 22, 2010

Maria Langer — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Here are links I found interesting on February 22, 2010:

MPs’ damning verdict: Homeopathy is useless and unethical – "Today the Science and Technology Select Committee delivered its verdict on homeopathy and it was devastating. The committee has called for the complete withdrawal of NHS funding and official licensing of homeopathy." Read more on Guardian.co.uk. Thanks to @factually for sharing the link. Apparently, the Brits have seen the light. When will we?
The World’s 18 Strangest Airports – Great summary of some really unusual airports all over the world. In Popular Mechanics. Be sure to watch the videos — some of them are really great!
Banks Using Social Media Sites For Mining Personal Information – "Banks and other financial organizations are collecting and archiving information such as status updates that users post on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, according to a recent ABC News article." Read more on SocialTimes.com. Thanks to @jodene for sharing this link.
A Camera That Can See Straight Through You – Fine art photography via X-Ray. On NPR.org. Thanks to @BWJones for sharing this link.
Regen Traynor Paranormal Challenge – Results – An interesting look at the workings of the IIG during a recent paranormal challenge. On TurboFool.
A Buddhist moment in America – "The world’s most famous athlete, through the prism of another faith, told a largely Christian nation how he would seek redemption. And as he talked about craving and the misery that inevitably follows, he provided everyone in our bigger-faster-higher society something to think about." Read more by Stephen Prothero in USATODAY. Thanks to @DJGrothe for sharing the link. So refreshing to see a moral standard that doesn't rely on the same old Christian/Jesus standards.

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Interesting Links, February 21, 2010

Maria Langer — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Here are links I found interesting on February 21, 2010:

Ignore bad science: Vaccinate your child – It's time for the fear-mongering about childhood vaccines to end. Read more on the Chicago Sun Times. Thank to @derekcbart for sharing this link.
The Not-Invented-Anywhere Syndrome – "A teenage literary sensation who lifted large parts of her debut hit novel from the Web, without giving credit, says she's justified because 'there's no such thing as originality'." Read more on theregister.co.uk. This attitude really pisses me off. Thanks to @estherschindler on Twitter for sharing the link.
Privacy, complexity seen as Google blind spots – "The recent privacy backlash over Google Buzz, the company's new social-networking service, is the latest in a series of launch fumbles that some argue reveal troubling blind spots within the Internet giant." Read more on SFGate.com. Thanks to @jodene for sharing this link.
Evocative book follows U.S. 89 – The Salt Lake Tribune reviews @anntorrence's book about Highway 89.

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Interesting Links, February 20, 2010

Maria Langer — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Here are links I found interesting on February 20, 2010:

Ten rules for writing fiction | Books | guardian.co.uk – Great article about writing fiction. In Guardian.co.uk. Thanks to @publishingtalk for sharing the link.
Keeping watch over private planes difficult – General aviation security tighter, but preventing 'deranged' acts hard to do. In the Statesman. Surprisingly balanced coverage, probably because AOPA was interviewed. Thanks to @JenniferWhitley for sharing the link.

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