Saturday, July 28, 2007

RightLoad -- upload to ftp with a right-click

Once the files are uploaded, this brilliant little utility generates links to the files or markup for linking to or embedding the file you've uploaded so it's easy to share the link with a friend or add it to a web site.

Strangely shaped watermelon from Japan

Well thank goodness it maxes out at 80 000 yen, or about US$650.

Mileage running -- racking up air miles with circuitous routes

A subculture of heavy fliers trying to load up on points, more for perks and upgrades these days.

Why are immigrant incarceration rates so low?

Just the abstract (unless you have a subscription) discovering that deportation does not account for low incarceration rates of immigrants in the US.

Invite Share -- for new sites

Something's in beta, and you don't personally know anyone to invite you. Just go here.

New Madrid earthquake zone

Well, that patch in the middle was surprising to discover. This New Madrid Zone stretches for about 120 miles and had the largest earthquake recorded on the continental US. Memphis, St. Louis, and large portions of Kentucky and Ohio are in it.

Researchers develop ubercheap solar cells in Korea

The efficiency is actually crap -- 6.5% (working towards 15%). However, existing cells cost about $2.30 to generate a watt. These will only cost $0.10.

Fiction consumption inducing biased approach to the world

Short food for thought. As noted in the comments, don't just be contrarian, but if your diet of fiction is great, do notice whether your models of humanity are based on actually observing and discovering real people.
Wasn't there a voiceover at the end of Fight Club noting how we had been groomed to believe that we were going to become rock stars?

Say what? Lead levels account for most of the variation in crime rates

Of all the explanations for crime rates -- demographics, prison term length, socioeconomics -- lead (yes, the metal) exposure levels have the most significant and best conserved correlation across eras and nations.

His data from multiple countries, which have different abortion rates, police strategies, demographics and economic conditions, indicate that lead is the only explanation that can account for international trends.
The previous query regarding causes was warranted.
More longitudinal imaging case comparisons here and here.

Pious Turks find their place in the sun

The shot is of the hasema swimwear option for the more devout Muslim women in Turkey. The article was published in the lead-up to the election. It notes the rise of prosperity of and greater cultural accomodation of the more religious citizens.
I did read a take on the political landscape and "secular" equals old guard, restrictive (banning hijabs and such). In Turkey's case, it's the Muslim party that is progressive, with its eye on the individual freedoms required for EU membership and to conduct commerce.

Edmunds' true cost to own vehicle pricing system

Includes depreciation, interest on your loan, taxes and fees, insurance premiums, fuel costs, maintenance, and repairs.

ShowMyPC -- open source, remote PC access

No registration, no logins, all open and free.

How to travel the world with 10 lbs. or less

High tech garments seem to be important. Being willing to handwash laundry will get you far.
Here's also Travelite and One Bag.

Taser for 12-gauge shotgun

20 seconds of wireless incapacitation:

Default password list for routers, firewalls, print servers, ...

In case you have forgotten. And again here.

Friday, July 27, 2007

Registering US copyrights for literary works

Check the comments at the lifehacker post -- copyright is immediate upon creation. Proving that, though, is made easier by registering. Click through for the actual government site.

Find a Grave

Obit and comments section as well as grave location. Famous people too.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

HTC Omni -- almost an OQO 2?

It has a GB of RAM, TV/VGA out, and wireless connectivity (incl. cell data svcs). The "almost" part is not knowing the power of the processor and seeing a Windows Mobile OS.

How undergarments (but probably also moms) improved medieval literacy

As more people migrated to urban centers in the 13th century, undergarment use went up. Thrown out pieces were an affordable substitute for parchment, and thus helped lower the cost of publishing. Comments here indicate that plenty of the surplus cloth arrived due to the Black Death.
However,

... even in countries where there were few or no towns and, therefore, schools, such as Iceland, the literacy rate continued to grow rapidly. “Many people learnt to read at home, usually from their mothers,” says Dr Mostert. “The role of female literacy in the home has been underestimated until quite recently.”

The profit calculator -- the ins and outs of making a buck in New York

From a diner to a private school to Goldman Sachs.

Jangl -- anonymous calling both ways

You never have to find out their real phone number; they never have to find out yours. You just need an e-mail address. You will provide your real number to forward the call to your phone, but no one will see it. Call Me feature for sites and Facebook available.

through a voicemail delivered by email, you and anyone you want to talk with, can be connected very quickly, via local phone numbers, even if your mobile phone isn’t allowed to dial International numbers.
Free while in beta. Eventually, will charge for long distance, or so I read somewhere.

Monday, July 23, 2007

This is a BMW?

More like a Batmobile. Check out the interior.

Getting viruses to selectively kill cancers

Herpes simplex against colorectal that had metastasized to the liver.
The idea of using infection to rid of certain cancers is old, although back then, it seemed to be more a case of stimulating immune response. But as the knowledge was being refined (esp. so as not to lose the patient to the infection in some cases), shiny, new radiation and chemo came onto the scene.

Time's 50 best websites, 2007 edition

The link is to the poll ranking of the fifty. The list is hyperlinked. Use the tabs underneath the title to browse descriptions.

CEO home purchases and stock performance

... future company performance deteriorates when CEOs acquire extremely large or costly mansions and estates ...
Well, there it is.
Link through for original paper.

Shorpy -- the 100-year-old photo blog

Updated daily, the site puts up shots of the first half of the 20th century. This is the guy after which the site is named. Apparently a coal miner in Alabama in 1910.

Measures to make your lithium batteries last longer

Also, these tips specifically to extend your laptop's battery life.

Why doesn't evolution get rid of ugly people?

Like sickle cell, in one context it's bad, and in another it's good. From a study on red deer, a speculation that those bad looks might actually be good in the opposite sex, so that trait persists:

Extrapolating to humans (and oversimplifying, sorry) you might imagine that a particular shape of the nose or turn of the chin would look drop-dead hunky on a male, but horsey on a woman ...

Hey!Spread -- upload to multiple video sites from one point

Instead of wasting time, jumping from site to site, hit all the majors from the one interface.

Sacred Destinations Travel Guide

Religiously themed guide to 1300 sites in 55 countries. Search by country, religion or other categories.

The white lies ISPs tell about broadband speeds

If you're shopping for an internet connection and speed is a concern, here are some questions you could ask.

Initial conditions important for successful life outcome

Haven't gone through the actual paper. The title link is to Marginal Revolution for expanded excerpt, comments and another link to a story on early mental health problems affecting adult life. Don't know how they're referring to "human capital" here:

We find that as of age 20, differences in initial conditions account for more of the variation in lifetime utility, lifetime earnings and lifetime wealth than do differences in shocks received over the lifetime. Among initial conditions, variation in initial human capital is substantially more important than variation in learning ability or initial wealth for determining how an agent fares in life.

Easing back pain -- get up?

Supposedly, resting may be the wrong advice. Natural-feeling strengthening and stretching may be more the answer. Check with your MD.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Myostatin-deficient Wendy

Hulking muscles, incredible strength due to two copies of gene mutation controlling for growth factor myostatin. Happens to humans too.

Organic farming can feed the world

I have indeed seen articles declaring that organic farming is too inefficient, yielding less when compared to conventional farming. This study disproves those assumptions.

Testosterone economics

A discovery re rational economics' ultimatum game:

... one player divides a pot of money between himself and another. The other
then chooses whether to accept the offer. If he rejects it, neither player
benefits. And despite the instincts of classical economics, a stingy offer
(one that is less than about a quarter of the total) is, indeed, usually
rejected.

...the responders who rejected a low final offer had an average testosterone level more than 50% higher than the average of those who accepted.
However, as the article linked through points out, the choices are rational from an evolutionary, rather than a purely arithmetic, standpoint. Marketers have always been ahead of classical economists in understanding the biological imperatives behind irrational decisions, if not necessarily delineated Dawkins style.

Search Amazon for deals up to 90% off

Some search thingy has collated the deals at Amazon into 10x% off categories.

Someecards -- hilarious e-cards

Outright offensive in some cases. You have been warned.

Body tricks everyone should know

Like lowering your heart rate by blowing on your thumb.

SE Asian tycoons

A short excerpt from a book about the godfathers (mostly ethnic Chinese) of commerce in SE Asia (includes Hong Kong). Golf and willing slaves keep things moving.

Cheapest days of the week to buy certain items

Watching for discount and inventory cycles.

Homage to John Woo -- Oneway Ticket

Winner gets play on Spike TV. This one is the best on repeat viewing (2:30) -- apparently done by a professional shop. Via Julio (I would've linked, but nothing's happening).
STRANGLEHOLDS TRUE TO JOHN WOO SHORT FILM CONTEST

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Respectance -- online memorializing of loved ones who have passed on

Profile with video, photos, memories comments pages.

The collapse of the USSR

The seeds were there near the beginning. A couple of leaders were positing maintaining private agriculture back in 1928-29. Stalin said no, even if it possibly meant civil war. Eventually, the burgeoning urban population strained already plummeted grain productivity. Oil revenues could buy food for a while, until the Saudis decided to stop propping up oil's price. The article makes a parallel with the Spanish empire when mentioning establishment of empires on unstable resources:

The Spanish empire, without losing a single battle on the ground for fifty years, managed to lose all of its possessions in Europe outside of the Pyrenees...
Link to whole article here.

Balloons covered in solar cells

Helium-filled, two should suffice to power a house. Would cost less than conventional cells per unit area.

Detacho -- toy design which incorporates the issue of divorce


A slice and a lapdance

Hidden in the back of a pizzeria in NY, $10 can get construction workers and traders some exotic dancing relaxation.