- Literary technique – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In future, I shall employ alien space bats in all things. Just because I want to be able to answer the question "how're you going to do that" by shouting "WITH ALIEN SPACE BATS" at people.
- Treatment of Alan Turing was “appalling” – PM | Number10.gov.uk
I know that this is just words. It's an easy thing to say, and it costs him nothing. Of course it was bound to happen. But still: it has taken such a very long time for it to be said, and it is absolutely right that it should be said. And as cynical as I am about politics and politicians, it still makes me happy when they do something that I agree with 100%, however easy and simple it is. And it's this simple "we’re sorry, you deserved so much better."
Tag: history
Bookmarks for September 5, 2009
- Charlie's Diary: Chrome Plated Jackboots
I really do enjoy watching Mr Stross think about the near future. I have no idea if he's right or not, but he's smart, shows his working, and never fails to make me think in turn. Which is all I can ask.
Bookmarks for September 3, 2009
- A load of old maps of London
I love old maps. I especially love old maps of London.
Bookmarks for July 16, 2009
- Remembering Apollo 11 – The Big Picture – Boston.com
By the time this is posted, I am sure you'll all have seen this link everywhere on the internet today. Don't care. Go look at these photos again. They're a record of the single grandest achievement in the history of our species. I take the piss out of people who keep asking "where's my flying car?", but secretly, I won't consider it the future until I go on holiday to a moon base.
Bookmarks for March 24, 2009
- Metropolitan Police Service – New campaign to urge Londoners to report suspicious activity
Be Afraid! Your Neighbour Is Not Like You, And You Should Fear Them! If Someone Deviates From The Norm, They Must Be Investigated. Do Not Watch The Cameras, The Cameras Are For Watching You. Be Afraid! (fucksake)
- Neutron tracks revive hopes for cold fusion – physics-math – 23 March 2009 – New Scientist
This may or may not be the real deal, but the fact that at this stage they're just saying "look we found this" rather than claiming 100% certainty now makes them a bit more plausible than the previous bunch. Here's hoping, eh?
- Beautiful Data | O'Reilly Media
This is simultaneously a massively nerdy book, a notion of staggering genius, and an instant must-read.
- Rands In Repose: The Makers of Things
"Yes, halfway through this project we'll discover the impossible, but we know how to build through the impossible. Impossible is when we do our best work."
- Warner Bros launches made-to-order DVD service | Technology | Internet | Reuters
About bloody time. There is no reason why any cultural artefact produced since we started using computers should be ever be out of print.
Bookmarks for March 12, 2009
- It's not a crime to download, say musicians – News, Music – The Independent
Not driectly realted to this link, but I was chatting with a friend whose job places him firmly on the side of the PRS in the Youtube/PRS debate, and I find myself wondering: for how long will the notion of musicians getting paid for re-uses of their recordings last? I mean, the basis of my employment is that I continue to create new code and assign the copyright in a manner that allows others to use it. I am not paid based on the number of people that use my code, except in an indirect sense. But when the need for new code runs out, so does my job and the money. What's the argument for treating musicians as a special case?
- Video: Iain Sinclair – At large in a 'fictional' Hackney | Books | guardian.co.uk
Iain Sinclair talks with typical eloquence about living in Hackney over the last 40 years. It strikes me that I would be entirely happy if I were in a position to do this about Tooting.
- Kutiman, Big Media, and the Future of Creative Entrepreneurship | 43 Folders
"Unsolicited tip for media company c-levels: if your reaction to this crate of magic is 'Hm. I wonder how we’d go about suing someone who did this with our IP?' instead of, 'Holy crap, clearly, this is the freaking future of entertainment,' it’s probably time to put some ramen on your Visa and start making stuff up for your LinkedIn page."
Spot on. - THRU YOU | Kutiman mixes YouTube
Everyone's already blogged this pile of ace. I'm blogging it as context for another link. If you've been under a rock, and haven't seen it, this guy has created something truly astonishing by editing together loads of other people's youtube videos.
- The Guardian Open Platform | guardian.co.uk
Everyone and their dog is linking to this today. And do you know why? Because it's *fucking awesome*.
Bookmarks for March 6, 2009
- Twitter = YouTube. – John Battelle's Searchblog
Clear analysis of why Google's might wish to acquire Twitter, and an interesting note about the likelihood of them being able to acquire the microblogging platform.
- Robots – The Big Picture – Boston.com
Stop whining about your lack of a fucking jetpack. Take a look at this lot, and tell me we're not living in the future.
- World Builder on Vimeo
Very pretty short film – a simple plot description will not do it justice, so just go watch. It's ten minutes out of your life, and will make your day better.
- Graphic Journey Blog: From Caveman to Spray Can
An address given in 2005 to the RSA about design and the world we live in. No earth shattering insights if you've read a lot of the design stuff I've linked to before, but some excellent commentary, interesting examples and nice turns of phrase.
Bookmarks for November 20, 2008
- BBC – Archive Project – The Genesis of Doctor Who
I'm sure everyone's seen this by now, but there are some things in these documents that I think out to made mandatory reading for anyone that works in SF, and it's a fascinating insight into the origins of one of the longest-lived SF franchises out there.
Bookmarks for May 6, 2008
- Atomic Tragedy — Photos
Previously unreleased photos taken in the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing. Hugely moving photos that convey the human cost of the atomic bomb. Should be in every history textbook, under the heading “there can be no excuse”.
- Boris Johnson Facts
“Not even twelve pygmies have the strength of a single Boris Johnson.”
- random($foo): Web 2.0 Expo Presentation Rundown
Well, that’s half my evenings this week gone. Some of these sound fascinating. (The other half, like total waffle-shop bilge, but let’s focus on the positive, shall we?)
- Alan Moore’s Outbreak of Violets
Given away at the MTV Europe Music Awards in 1995, the postcards with text by Moore, and art by a number of utterly splendid illustrators now change hands for absurd sums. Or you could just read them on-line.
- The New Yorker profile of Grant Achatz
A really compelling account of the effect that his battle with mouth cancer, the experimental treatment he got, and the effect it has had on his life, and his cooking.
- CR Blog » Blog Archive » Designs on Your Money
Interview with the guy that came up with the designs for the UKs new coins. Insteresting insight into the design process, and how some of the initial ideas were refined and improved (or even just unworkable).
Bookmarks for February 28, 2008
- 100 Photographs that Changed the World
Useful reference, and some amazing photography in here.