Sunday, August 1, 2010

Wikileaks volunteer detained; Julian Assange still at large


A volunteer for Wikileaks was detained by officials Thursday while entering the country at Newark International Airport. Jacob Appelbaum, noted for his work with the Tor online security project, was searched and "interrogated" for three hours before being released, according to a source who asked to remain anonymous. Wikileaks, a clearing house for information submitted by whistleblowers, released a trove of "War Logs" last Sunday relating to the conflict in Afghanistan. Appelbaum delivered a keynote speech at the recent HOPE conference in Wikileaks chief Julian Assange's place, and gave an interview to Boing Boing about the content of the logs. According to the source, Appelbaum was stopped by customs officials and spoken to for at least three hours by a team that included a U.S. Army investigator. Army Pvt. Bradley Manning was named last week as a possible Wikileaks source in relation to the classified logs. Appelbaum's interviewers demanded that he decrypt his laptop and other computer equipment, the source said. After his refusal to do so, they confiscated it, including three cellphones. The laptop was returned, apparently because it contained no storage drive that investigators could examine. He was also asked about his role in Wikileaks and informed that he was under surveillance. The FBI also asked to speak to Appelbaum earlier today in Las Vegas after his talk at the annual DEFCON hacker conference. Mr. Appelbaum, the source said, had an attorney present who declined the request on his behalf. Appelbaum, reached Saturday afternoon, said he was unable to comment. Update: CNET also has a story up, with more details of the detainment:
Appelbaum, a U.S. citizen, was taken into a room, frisked, and his bag was searched. Receipts from his bag were photocopied, and his laptop was inspected, the sources said. Officials from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Army then told him he was not under arrest but was being detained, the sources said. The officials asked questions about Wikileaks, asked for his opinions about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and asked where Wikileaks founder Julian Assange could be found, but Appelbaum declined to comment without a lawyer present, according to the sources. Appelbaum was not permitted to make a phone call, the sources said.


Wikileaks volunteer detained

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The Intimidator



The Intimidator
intimidator1B-600h.jpg GarE Maxton's 125-piece Intimidator appears, at first look, to be named for its own complexity as a puzzle: blocks of precious metals interlinked in a hellish, impossible-looking block.
This design is by far my most complex metal sculpture and it's both mentally and physically intimidating, thus the name. ... In June 2009, starting with a few extra parts from my Labyrinth sculpture, I began working night and day creating this sculpture. It grew to eight inches tall, four inches deep and five inches wide; there's a lot of volume to fill with interlocking parts and assembly of this puzzle is extremely difficult; you'll need a lot of time on your hands. Physically, it tips the scale at over 40 pounds.
But it's not just a toy: when certain pieces are reassembled just so, it also has an intimidating function. intimidator1_pistol-500h.jpg Inspired by Scaramanga in 1974's The Man with the Golden Gun, the .45 caliber firearm puzzle will remain "part of my personal collection," writes the creator. Maxton, however, does offer many delightful and mysterious metal puzzles for sale. Submitted by InsertFingerHere and Defunctdoormat.

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Friday, July 30, 2010

The Wunderkammer that is Webb Gallery



The Wunderkammer that is Webb Gallery
Webbgallllll
I've posted previously about the Webb Gallery, an immensely interesting gallery in Waxahachie, Texas that specializes in outsider art and the artifacts of secret societies, and overflows with an incredible (dis)array of curiosities, from tramp art to circus sideshow banners. I discovered Webb Gallery and met the delightful proprietor, Bruce Webb, last year when he sold me an artwork by William S. Burroughs who had exhibited at the gallery right before his death. The Texas art site Glasstire has published Christina Patoski's photo tour of the Webb Gallery and Bruce and Julie Webb's equally odd living space above. Glass Houses 21: Julie and Bruce Webb





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Quote of the Day: Dr. Seuss



Dr. Seuss
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

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Mutilated Afghan woman on cover of Time: Afghansploitation?



Mutilated Afghan woman on cover of Time: Afghansploitation?
On the cover of the current issue of TIME: Aisha, a 19 year-old Afghan girl whose nose was cut off for "shaming" her in-laws. The cover is sure to shock, and some criticize it as "Afghansploitation": an image to inspire support for endless war. (Thanks, Kristie LuStout)

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EXCLUSIVE: Unreleased Queens of Stone Age Track



EXCLUSIVE: Unreleased Queens of Stone Age Track

Desert rock juggernauts Queens of the Stone Age are releasing a deluxe edition of their classic album Rated R on August 3, featuring six b-sides and a recording of their Reading Festival set in 2000. Listen to the previously-unreleased-in-the-U.S. track, "Ode to Clarissa," below!

"Clarissa" is classic Queens of the Stone Age -- badass, supercharged rock'n'roll. A thunderous drum intro gives way to a piercing guitar riff. Vocalist Josh Homme warns: "I'm the one your mama told ya 'bout / I'm the one your papa told ya 'bout."

QOTSA completists might already be familiar with "Ode to Clarissa": It appeared as the 12th track on the Japanese pressing of Rated R; on a limited-edition vinyl version of the album; and as the b-side on the U.K. single for "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret," the album's best-known tune. A live version of the "Clarissa," recorded at the Reading Festival, is included on the new Rated R special edition, as well.

Rated R landed at No. 8 on SPIN's 20 Best Albums of 2000 list, with Sia Michel lauding the record's "mysteriously beautiful, smartly stoopid psychedelic jams."

In other QOTSA news, the band is set to play a benefit concert August 12 in L.A. for Eagles of Death Metal bassist Brian O'Connor, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. The show is sold out, but the Eagles are auctioning off some special ticket packages via their website. Another site is collecting donations for O'Connor, too -- click here for details.

What do you think about "Ode to Clarissa"? Tell us in the comment section below!

LISTEN: Queens of the Stone Age, "Ode to Clarissa"

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Thursday, July 29, 2010

Best. Ad. Campaign. EVER



Best. Ad. Campaign. EVER

Back in 2005, Nike ran an unprecedented ad campaign demonstrating to the world that it's A-okay to have a badonkadonk; and, what's more, anyone who happened to disagree, should kiss said badonkadonk.  I thought it was brilliant, and exactly the type of message that women need to hear and see.

Well, it's back - bigger and better than ever.  Just this week, Nike released their 2010 version, and it's freakin glorious.

I'm not gonna call this the best ad campaign ever, but it pretty much is.  Whoever walked into Nike headquarters and pitched this idea needs to be handed a Medal of Honor or something.  Whoever he or she is, they're an American hero.  At a time when women are constantly told by mainstream media and douchehole celebrity trainers that lifting anything heavier than three lbs will turn them into Chewbacca, and that eating celery sticks is a treat, this is definitely a breath of fresh air.  I mean, I'm so sick and tired of seeing models with no ass, no muscle, and no shape being touted as the ideal "look" for women to aspire for.  Why not just get a 2×4 and put a dress on it?

Nevertheless, kudos to Nike for an awesome job.  Here's hoping that it catches on……..

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Calvin and Hobbes for July 29, 2010



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Anne Rice Quits Christianity



Anne Rice Quits Christianity
Anne Rice Facebook ImageAnne Rice has posted on her Facebook page that she has quit being a Christian. Anne Rice says she remains committed to Christ but not to "being 'Christian' or to being part of Christianity." She posted the following message on her Facebook account today.
As I said below, I quit being a Christian. I'm out. In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen.
Yesterday, she posted this message.
For those who care, and I understand if you don't: Today I quit being a Christian. I'm out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being "Christian" or to being part of Christianity. It's simply impossible for me to "belong" to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I've tried. I've failed. I'm an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.
Anne Rice has also been quoting the Bible on her Facebook account, which can be found here.

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Ellen Degeneres Leaving American Idol?

Caprica trailer teases with 1st look at new characters and worlds



Caprica trailer teases with 1st look at new characters and worlds
Caprica trailer teases with 1st look at new characters and worlds

What happens next in the Caprica universe that will hook us up to the beginning of Battlestar Galactica? The season 1.5 trailer, which debuted at Comic-Con, gives us plenty of new footage to pore through in search of clues.



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Maker Inspires People, Inspires Maker

In an email, reader Daniel Thomas told us he hoped his story would encourage ReadyMade to continue to share our ideas so readers could enjoy some of the luxuries they put off when money's tight. Well, we're more than encouraged—inspired, even—and we'd like to share the Thomas story with you.

It all started with a tear-jerker of an email from Daniel's wife Tia. Raising a family with three children, Tia dreamed of summer dinners on her back porch in Tennessee. But money always seemed better spent on necessities than on patio furniture. Enter our recycled wood dining table. From Tia:

I received my first issue of ReadyMade magazine (June/July issue) a couple of weeks before our 12th anniversary. I found so many projects that I loved, but I was especially drawn to the pallet table on the cover. I showed it to my husband who seemed about as interested in it as he would be a root canal (he's not really the constructing type). But, a week or so later, he called me from work and told me he had found some chairs he thought I would like. I asked what in the world we needed chairs for and he replied, "that table you wanted me to build." He then procured pallets and the other materials and used his only day off to build the table as an anniversary gift for me! I love my husband and I love my table! It is the best gift I've ever gotten for our anniversary. I have attached pictures of my beautiful table (and the awesome chairs he found at Lowe's for less than $12 each!)

Build it he did (see photo below). "Simply put, she inspired me to make the table due to her love and care for our family along with the sacrifices she makes each day to do so," Daniel said.

Not bad for someone who's "not much of a craftsman."

"Probably eight or nine years ago, Tia gave me a circular saw, jig saw and a drill for Christmas, and this project was the most I have used those tools in all 9 years combined," Daniel said.

But Daniel wasn't the only one who worked on the table—his 7-year-old son helped with the sanding. In the end, the table cost 'em 20 bucks. Again, not bad.

Daniel said Tia's reaction may prompt him to tackle some more projects in the future. "The important thing is that Tia was super excited about it and was thrilled she now had a table to go on our back deck that has been empty since we moved in. The kids love eating out there and we really enjoy the time together we spend out there. The most important thing about the table is, she's happy."

Another reader dug our outdoor chair made from 2×4s.

Mother of nine, Rooksie David needed affordable chairs that would withstand wear and tear, and our 2×4 deck chair seemed to be the perfect solution. Having never built anything before, Rooksie borrowed a chop saw and constructed two chairs in two days (one of which is pictured above). Though it might not support all nine kids at once, this baby looks pretty sturdy to me.

"The only thing I had to buy were the screws! In two days I had two stylish chairs sitting outside the front door. The entire family was proud of Mom and now they each want a chair of their own," Rooksie said.

To Rooksie, good luck.

Also inspired by the June/July issue, reader Allie Thomas found an even easier way to create the brick succulent planters.

Instead of drilling into solid brick—frightening—Allie suggested finding bricks with pre-drilled holes (see Allie's centerpiece above). It's super easy, and the extra hole means an extra candle.

"I'm on the board of a local social club in town, and we just hosted a party for 150. The brick centerpieces went perfect with the Garden Party theme and ended up being the perfect size for the high cocktail tables," Allie said.

Have you tried your hand at any of the ReadyMade projects? Post a comment or send us an email, because there's really nothing better than hearing your stories.

[Images: Makers' own]

New Battlestar Galactica series about the Cylon War coming!


New Battlestar Galactica series about the Cylon War coming!

Syfy is working on a new Battlestar Galactica series that will follow the exploits William "Husker" Adama during the Cylon War. According to the Chicago Tribune, the show is called "Blood and Chrome" and will be an online series with about 10 episodes, each around 9 minutes long.

Toy Story 3/Inception trailer mashes up summers two best films


Toy Story 3/Inception trailer mashes up summer's two best films

Toy Story 3, easy to understand. Inception ... not so easy. One made us cry, the other made our heads hurt. But what if someone took the summer's two best movies and mashed them together? Someone did.

Facing 16 Years In Prison For Videotaping Police

Krou sends this snip from the Maine Civil Liberties Union: "The ACLU of Maryland is defending Anthony Graber, who faces as much as sixteen years in prison if found guilty of violating state wiretap laws because he recorded video of an officer drawing a gun during a traffic stop. ... Once [the Maryland State Police] learned of the video on YouTube, Graber's parents' house was raided, searched, and four of his computers were confiscated. Graber was arrested, booked, and jailed. Their actions are a calculated method of intimidation. Another person has since been similarly charged under the same statute. The wiretap law being used to charge Anthony Graber is intended to protect private communication between two parties. According to David Rocah, the ACLU attorney handling Mr. Graber's case, 'To charge Graber with violating the law, you would have to conclude that a police officer on a public road, wearing a badge and a uniform, performing his official duty, pulling someone over, somehow has a right to privacy when it comes to the conversation he has with the motorist.'" Here are a factsheet (PDF) on the case from the ACLU of Maryland, and the video at issue.

Facing 16 Years In Prison For Videotaping Police

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How it was made - Time lapse of guy "walking across America"


Pt 10249

Mike "walks across America" from New York to San Francisco, part of some ad or something. Here's a Google Map of his journey... He didn't walk the entire distance but that's not the interesting part, the behind the scenes video (above) has some neat tidbits on how you can make something like this too.

How it was made - Time lapse of guy "walking across America"

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How-To: Duplicate vinyl records by casting


castvinyl.jpg

Mike Senese, cohost of the Science Channel's Punkin' Chunkin' and Catch It Keep It, rescued this tutorial about how to "pirate" a vinyl record from Internet oblivion and posted it on his personal site for posterity. [Thanks, Sam!]

How-To: Duplicate vinyl records by casting

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First official Thor trailer from Comic-Con finally revealed!


First official Thor trailer from Comic-Con finally revealed!

We couldn't wait to see Marvel's trailer for Thor at Comic-Con, because we needed to know—would the hammer-wielding Chris Hemsworth look silly in his Asgardian garb? Or would the filmmakers be able to pull off all that Jack Kirby magic we feared could only work in comics? On Saturday in San Diego, we were given our answer.

Millions of Android users hit by malicious data theft app

An app distributed by Google's Android Market has collected private data from millions of users and forwarded it to servers China, validating Apple's uniquely strong stance on mobile security in the iPhone App Store.

Millions of Android users hit by malicious data theft app

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Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Hugh Laurie Signs Deal to Record Blues Album



Hugh Laurie Signs Deal to Record Blues Album

Filed under:

hugh laurie bluesGregory House has something to sing about.

Hugh Laurie is joining the ranks of William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy as the next TV star to dive into music with an upcoming album, but don't expect to hear the 'House' star covering 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' or 'Mr. Tambourine Man.'

Laurie has inked a deal with Warner Music Entertainment to record an LP of original Big Easy-inspired blues tracks, reports USA Today.

"I know the history of actors making music is a checkered one, but I promise no one will get hurt," said Laurie, who often plays the guitar and piano on his hit show.

 

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