Boing Boing

That's what I'm talking about.New York Magazine's Washington Correspondent Olivia Nuzzi asked this question of impeached and manifestly unfit President Donald John Trump at a press briefing today:“If an American President loses more Americans over the course of six weeks than died in the entirety of the Vietnam War, does he deserve to be re-elected?”Watch his slurred response. Question: If an American President loses more Americans over the course of six weeks than died in the entirety of the Vietnam War, does he deserve to be re-elected? pic.twitter.com/JCgmrxLAuB— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) April 27, 2020 Read the rest

Tribonet explains why sharp knives are better than dull ones when it comes to cutting tomatoes. It's because dull knives are smooth so they can't grab the tomato skin to pull and tear it.The easiest and safest way to slice a tomato is to use a sharp knife. The counterintuitive reason a sharp knife slices more easily through a tomato is that it has higher friction, albeit only on the knife’s edge.Slicing is actually stretching the tomato and, like most materials, a tomato is weaker when stretched than when compressed. Stretching the tomato skin creates a tearing force that opens a crack in the skin, thus beginning the slice.Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash[via The Browser] Read the rest

Over the weekend Randy Rainbow released another parody song, which hits the nail on the orange head in the most delightful way. Read the rest

Although other symptoms have been reported by doctors for months, the CDC only had three listed on their site: fever, cough, and shortness of breath or difficulty with breathing. But on April 18, they quietly added six more: headache, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and new loss of taste or smell.For some reason, they never made a public announcement about the changes to their list, and "the agency did not immediately respond to questions about the revised list," according to The New York Times.Also from the NYT:While people who become seriously ill from coronavirus infection primarily have acute respiratory distress, other symptoms that accompany the disease can vary widely, doctors and researchers have reported.It has turned out, for example, that many people with Covid-19 don’t have fevers or that their fevers wax and wane and are sometimes accompanied by chills.Shortness of breath can emerge at the same time as other symptoms or it can crop up suddenly a week or even 10 days after a person has been experiencing more manageable symptoms like cough and aches.Some people report a notable loss of smell and taste, an effect that can also occur with other respiratory infections.Image by R_R_Studio / Pixabay Read the rest

It's wicked weird, kid, being stuck at home in Boston this April week, exactly 7 years after the last time I was stuck in this same home during this same exact April week for very different but still terrifying reasons.But it made me feel a little better when I saw that Lindsay Devers, a nurse anesthetist at Massachusetts General Hospital, had designed her own 26.2-mile running route around Boston's Back Bay, in a way that spell out "Boston Strong" — harkening back to that fateful week in 2013 when the bombs went off.It wasn't until after this healthy healthcare heroine completed her solo marathon trek that she realized that she forgot the "n" in "Strong." From CBC Radio:"I pulled up the app and I instantly was like, oh no, I spelled it wrong ," she said.Despite the initial frustration, Devers is keeping a good sense of humour about the gaffe."I think a lot of people are inspired by it. And a lot of people have had some really good laughs," she said. "So I think it's a great comic relief in this stressful period."Proud of my #MGH colleague ⁦@ladevers⁩ for her accomplishment and good sense of humor #bostonstrog 'Oh no, I spelled it wrong': Nurse runs solo marathon in shape of 'Boston Strog' | CBC Radio https://t.co/PJvZooyOdI— Jeremi Mountjoy (@jeremimountjoy) April 23, 2020And honestly? That warms my quarantined heart even more.Devers had already been training to run the Boston Marathon to raise money for Dream Big! Read the rest

We’re all getting pretty schooled in the fine art of DIY these days, even for stuff we’d never have dreamed of doing ourselves just two months ago.There are services like housekeeping that we still hate. There are services like bartending that just work better in a group setting. Then there are beauty salons and barber shops, offering a precision service we’d be worried to try for ourselves.But what about your friendly neighborhood massage therapist? Granted, their skills are often beyond reproach, so their usefulness is unquestioned. But unlike undyed hair or less than on fleek nails, sore muscle groups are more than a simple annoyance.Since your massage therapist isn’t always practical logistically or financially right now, the Vortix Melo Massager is capable of picking up the slack, breaking up sore, barking muscle groups all on your own.The Vortix comes packing six varying intensity settings, each designed to help spur relief by promoting lymphatic flow and breaking up lactic acid to fuel better blood flow and knock out muscle fatigue, soreness, spasms, and stiffness.Its handheld design and six customized head attachments make it easy for the Vortix to reach just about anywhere, attacking pain in arm, leg, hip and feet muscles. It can even dig in deep in hard to reach places like your neck and back.The adjustable speeds create different combinations of frequency, amplitude, and torque to apply just the right touch to your tired body at all times.And while most personal massagers have the unfortunate side-effect of being as loud as being on the deck of an aircraft carrier, the Vortix actually purrs along at a quiet 50dB, which is about the noise level of a relatively calm suburban street. Read the rest

“The president's financial dealings with the state-owned bank complicate his attacks on Biden.”

Finnegan is an adorable fox at SaveaFox, a rescue that saves animals from fur farms. The way he snickers with each belly rub is too cute. Their YouTube page says, "All these foxes were born in captivity and could never be released so it is our job to give them a happy life!" Looks like they're doing their job spectacularly. Read the rest

Hotel occupancy rates have dropped by 50% to 80% around the country. Many hotels have shut down completely during the pandemic. This is bad news not only for hoteliers but for bedbugs, which depend on a human blood to stay alive. According to the travel website Your Mileage May Vary, young bedbugs start to die off if they don't eat in 20 days. Older bedbugs can survive between 2 to 3 months, and in some cases up to six months. If hotels stay closed longer than six months it will be the most expensive bedbug eradication procedure in history.Image By CDC/ Harvard University, Dr. Gary Alpert; Dr. Harold Harlan; Richard Pollack. Photo Credit: Piotr Naskrecki - http://phil.cdc.gov/phil, Public Domain, Link Read the rest

Folks from countries most impacted by COVID-19 filmed themselves in isolation for this touching three-minute short. Ivan Cash and Jacob Jonas directed A Social Distance:Spanning more than 30 countries, the film includes a breadth of perspectives, from a 93-year old Malayan grandmother to a 19-year old Slovenian man, and includes an original score that was remotely performed by musicians from around the world.Thanks, Julian! Read the rest

Along with medical professionals and grocery store employees, home WiFi networks are also being pushed to their limits during the recent troubles. With almost everyone home at all times and the web as one of the few links to everything outside your four walls, it’s a good bet that you’re seeing screen times rising significantly in your household.While it’s never been more important to have a reliable, secure home network for work and communication, it’s probably also never been more imperative for parents to make sure their kids aren’t accessing questionable material with all this extra time on their hands.The Gryphon Guardian WiFi Network Protection system checks both boxes, offering a compact all-in-one mesh Wi-Fi security router and parental control system that services and safeguards an entire home seamlessly.Right now, the Guardian is the most affordable advanced security and parental control system available. The low-profile, 4-inch node either works on its own or can be integrated with other Gryphon routers to blanket your entire network with protection. You can also purchase additional nodes to extend your mesh system signal strength throughout your home.Powered by ESET technology, the Guardian is constantly on patrol, using active scanning and intrusion detection measures to block everything you don’t want, from hackers and cyber snoops, to unwanted ads and malware attacks.Any device connected to your home WiFi is automatically protected by the Guardian shield. In addition to those safeguards, the Guardian also allows you to keep a close eye on your kid’s online activities with a full suite of features created to block inappropriate content. Read the rest

Jeremy Hunter A.K.A. Ska Tune Network is on a mission to make ska covers of everything. No exceptions. Like the Borg, ska will assimilate all. The latest — victim? Beneficiary? — of their quest is SUPER MARIO: OTHERWORLD, a popular ROM hack of the original Super Mario World for Super Nintendo.And this time, they has steel drums to help them. None of us safe from the groovy smiles they'll inflict upon us.Just remember:All games depict Super Mario as Mario's regular usual form. pic.twitter.com/hOX3WlIIex— Super Mario Facts (@SuperMarioFact) April 6, 2020This Person Is Determined to Make a Ska Version of Every Song, Ever [John Ochoa / Noisey] Read the rest

The workers aren’t inside their physical business space anymore. So why should business technology still be under that roof either?In fact, more and more businesses have been making this migration for a while now, moving all their digital infrastructure to the world’s two largest cloud services platforms, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft’s Azure.In addition to the convenience of moving all that hardware off-site, an overwhelming 87 of companies have seen a major side benefit, reporting their businesses have accelerated after adapting to the cloud services model.Being the person who knows exactly how a company, its staff, and their entire communication and service infrastructure can work in the cloud is a valuable talent right now -- and with The Beginner Cloud Architect Professional Training Bundle ft. Azure and AWS training, you can be well on your way to being one of those valued IT pros.Across seven courses with more than 30 hours of in-depth instruction, you’ll get a full introduction to how AWS and Azure work and what it takes to migrate, manage, secure and grow a company’s entire digital system in those cloud-based environments.After getting a feel for the basics with the Getting Started with Cloud Computing course, the remaining six courses focus on the two rival platforms.With AWS Cloud Essentials, you get the Amazon-approved best practices for using and understanding everything, from AWS terminology and concepts, tips for navigating the AWS Management Console, key security measures, and how to use all of AWS’ primary foundational, database and management services. Read the rest

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was admitted to intensive care this afternoon after his condition deteriorated Monday. Johnson, who announced he was infected with the coronavirus 10 days ago, continued working in isolation until Sunday, when he was taken to hospital after symptoms failed to abate.It is understood Johnson was moved to the intensive care unit just short of an hour and a half ago.The decision was made by his medical team after his condition worsened over the course of Monday. The prime minister is understood to be conscious and to have been moved as a precaution in case he needs ventilation.Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Johnson's designated successor, is chairing government meetings until the Prime Minister recovers or dies.Terrible, terrible news. Know NHS will be doing everything possible, sending every best wishes to his family and ⁦@carriesymonds⁩ at this awful time https://t.co/PChkqDKBq4— Liz Kendall (@leicesterliz) April 6, 2020Praying for the Prime Minister’s swift recovery tonight. @GSTTNHS has some of the finest medical staff in the world, and he couldn't be in safer hands.— Mayor of London (gov.uk/coronavirus) (@MayorofLondon) April 6, 2020Terribly sad news. All the country’s thoughts are with the Prime Minister and his family during this incredibly difficult time. https://t.co/9Eh4ktiqTw— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 6, 2020Our thoughts and prayers are with our Prime Minister @BorisJohnson and his family at this time. pic.twitter.com/c7i7GgFUq7— Robert Buckland #StayHomeSaveLives (@RobertBuckland) April 6, 2020Awful news. Thoughts with family & hoping for his full recovery. Read the rest

Nature webcam network Explore.org curates a fantastic collection of countless live cams from around the world organized into categories like Africa, bears, oceans, dogs, animal sanctuaries, and "zen cams." They also provide short descriptions of what you're seeing when you teleport around the world. Above, one viewer's screenshot of the Northern Lights Cam (live view below) streaming from the Churchill Northern Studies Center in Manitoba, Canada. Read the rest

I have, several times, heard the reasonable-sounding theory that America's at work pooping minimized the need for THAT MUCH retail toilet paper. Purportedly there are tons and tons of business-grade TP piling up unused.What Everyone’s Getting Wrong About the Toilet Paper ShortageThere’s another, entirely logical explanation for why stores have run out of toilet paper — one that has gone oddly overlooked in the vast majority of media coverage. It has nothing to do with psychology and everything to do with supply chains. It helps to explain why stores are still having trouble keeping it in stock, weeks after they started limiting how many a customer could purchase.In short, the toilet paper industry is split into two, largely separate markets: commercial and consumer. The pandemic has shifted the lion’s share of demand to the latter. People actually do need to buy significantly more toilet paper during the pandemic — not because they’re making more trips to the bathroom, but because they’re making more of them at home. With some 75% of the U.S. population under stay-at-home orders, Americans are no longer using the restrooms at their workplace, in schools, at restaurants, at hotels, or in airports. Read the rest

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp admitted yesterday he was unaware that coronavirus could be spread by infected people who don't show any symptoms —– a common fact he knew nothing about "until the last 24 hours." Where has this so-called leader been for the last two months since this basic information was first made public? My guess is in front of Fox News, but it's just a hunch.According to Gizmodo:On January 31, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told reporters, “there’s no doubt [...] that asymptomatic transmission is occurring.”As February continued, and the number of cases started to rise in the U.S., we learned more and more about asymptomatic transmission. There were still questions, but the CDC director confirmed by mid-February that people without symptoms were spreading the disease. Read the rest

There are few things more satisfying than the clickety-clack of an old keyboard. So old, in fact, that it's really more of a typewriter sound and feel than that of a keyboard. But if you want to enjoy the benefits of both, check out this Rymek Retro Bluetooth 3.0 Mechanical Keyboard.Bringing you an impressive mix of the aesthetics of both a vintage typewriter and a modern high-tech keyboard, this wireless version that raised over $300K on Indiegogo is now available for almost 30% off.Treating yourself to the micro-USB rechargeable Rymek keyboard will offer you a better, faster, more beautiful typing experience, whether you need those words to show up on a smartphone screen, tablet screen, or monitor screen. Compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, the keyboard connects wirelessly via Bluetooth 3.0 or through a USB cable and features a secure stainless steel stent that supports your tablet or phone, so you'll be set for use with almost any device. Plus, you can connect to up to 3 of those devices at the same time, making it easy to swap between them throughout the day (or days—there's up to 50 hours of battery life!) with built-in shortcuts.The LED backlight on the keys is a familiar and welcome feature that'll help you type in the dark, of course, but it will also bring a bit of whimsy to gaming or just everyday life thanks to the 7 dynamic lighting effects. Saddle-shaped keycaps and responsive mechanical switches under the keys add to the tactile appeal of the Rymek—so much so, it's borderline soothing. Read the rest

If you’ve ever had any musical aspirations -- or even if your talent extends no further than turning on the radio -- you’ve probably dreamed the “impossible” dream. You dream that maybe you could record some of your songs at home, post them online, build an armada of fan support, attract major label attention and ultimately become a global music powerhouse all in one fell swoop.Look, it’s an unlikely dream, but it isn’t impossible. That’s the career arc that now 17-year-old Billie Eilish just rode to pop megastardom last year. And what program did she (and her brother-slash-producer Finneas O’Connell) use to capture and edit Billie’s now chart-topping tracks? Logic Pro X.The Mac-based app is just one of the programs that has taken music production from opulent, expensive studios right to anyone’s bedroom. And since you’ve got a bit more home time on your hands recently, The 2020 Music Production with Ableton Live 10 and Logic Pro X Bundle can be just the ticket to the big time you’re looking for.These nine courses are a 56-hour master class in breaking into the music industry, including everything from songwriting and producing to recording to back-end production and distribution that can compete with the big boys of the recording game.The training centers on how to use Logic Pro X or its equally lauded competitor Ableton Live 10 to do all the digital sequencing, recording and editing needed to produce your tracks. This training doesn’t come with the software, but it’ll show you how to use it to create all the auditory scope and wonder you experience from today’s top artists. Read the rest

This is satire, right?Harbor is a community of makers, thinkers, and doers that can become your sanctuary. Harbor will give you an opportunity to meet, mingle, and collaborate with some of the brightest, forward-thinking individuals - no facemask required.The villa is located in Southern California, and the exact location will be provided to the program participants once they are accepted.Standard bedroom (bathroom shared with one other room) - $3000 per monthPremium bedroom (with full private bathroom) - $4000 per monthDeluxe bedroom (full private bathroom+office) - $6000 per month Read the rest

The world is currently full of absolutely shitty news—like, way more than usual. Actor/Director/Seemingly very nice fella John Krasinski's not OK with that. Instead of moping about it, he and a few pals, both online and off, took it upon themselves to throw together close to 16 minutes worth of video that features nothing but good news. As we shelter at home, worrying about our loved ones and community, this is exactly the injection of feel-good shit that we need. Read the rest

Folk legend Joan Baez, upon hearing the news that fellow iconic American singer-songwriter, John Prine, was hospitalized with COVID-19, decided to play Prine's classic "Hello in There" from her home and dedicate it to him.News began to circulate yesterday through Prine's family that the 73-year-old singer was in the hospital and in critical condition with COVID-19. Today, his wife, Fiona, told SF Gate that the singer, who's been dealing with both lung and neck cancer in recent years, had improved overnight and was now in stable condition.Image: YouTube Read the rest

Publisher's Weekly writes:Not to be outdone by the children’s and YA authors "signal boosting" their fellow authors on Twitter, two novelists, Caroline Leavitt and Jenna Blum, are promoting their colleagues with an ambitious initiative called A Mighty Blaze. Anyone can participate in the conversations on A Mighty Blaze on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram about new releases, but for authors wanting their books to be signal boosted on these platforms, there are a few requirements: the book has to be traditionally published for adult readers, and the author’s book tour has to have been canceled.You can find the Mighty Blaze Facebook group here. And here is the rest of the Publisher's Weekly piece.[H/t My long-suffering agent, Laurie Fox]Image: Photo by Danny on Unsplash Read the rest

Dr. David Price of Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City shares information in a March 22 Zoom call with his family and friends on empowering and protecting them during the COVID-19 pandemic.As with any information coming out during this crisis, consume at your own risk and know that the situation and advice may change as knowledge of the virus and conditions on the group change.I found this nearly one hour video to be extremely informative, level-headed, and moving. The bottom line of the video is what we've been hearing since the beginning: Keep your hands clean, don't touch what other people touch (out of an abundance of caution), and don't touch your face. He suggests wearing a mask if you go out, any mask, not to prevent exposure, but to remind you to keep your hands off your face! Read the rest

Maybe it's just me, but when Bill Gates talks about how to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, I trust him more than Donald Trump, Rush Limbaugh, or Ann Coulter.Here @AnnCoulter I fixed it for you: pic.twitter.com/4ZTr5LJKCg— Teapot Dome was Amateur Hour! (@HarrenGWarding) March 24, 2020 Read the rest

Boris Johnson, Prime Mininister of the United Kingdom, today tested positive for Covid-19, the novel coronavirus that's so far infected 500,000 people and killed 25,000 of them. In a tweet, Mr Johnson said: "Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus. I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government's response via video-conference as we fight this virus."Together we will beat this."Embedded below is a video Boris from a few days ago, boasting that "I shook hands with everybody" to show the virus who's in charge.Aged so well pic.twitter.com/0bVxBi9IVB— James Felton (@JimMFelton) March 27, 2020Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus.I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government’s response via video-conference as we fight this virus.Together we will beat this. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/9Te6aFP0Ri— Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) March 27, 2020 Read the rest

If you are familiar with Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell, you are aware that they make high-quality animated explainer videos. They don't disappoint with their latest video, which is all about the novel coronavirus -- what it is, how it works, and what we might be able to do about it. Highly recommended. Read the rest

Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Illinois) dislikes abortion, Barack Obama, the affordable care act and marriage equality, and likes religious discrimination, domestic surveillance and denying federal benefits to gay couples.If you're wondering why he even has a "D" in his title, here's a clue: he inherited his seat in congress from his own father, courtesy of the state Democratic party. But he's not going to represent the deep blue district any more, because a progressive opponent took it from him in Illinois' primary election.The eight-term Illinois Democrat fell to businesswoman Marie Newman, who led 48 to 44 percent when The Associated Press called the race, a resounding victory for the party’s progressive wing, which has struggled so far this year to capitalize on its 2018 success."I am bursting with pride and gratitude for the amazing coalition that helped bring about much needed change in our district," Newman wrote in a late-night tweet. She canceled her election-night party as the number of coronavirus cases surged.Lipinski was a poster child for the Democratic party as a cult of self-serving political insiders. Getting rid of him is a defeat for the machinery, yet a close-run thing all the same. Read the rest

Shop for toilet paper at your own risk! With the new coronavirus still on the rise, most people in half-empty supermarkets have been polite and considerate with one another. But when it comes to toilet paper (of all things!), sometimes things get ugly. Rather than just share some toilet paper with another customer who is asking for just one pack, these frenzied hoarders push and hit her and try to make out with an overflowing cartful of the stuff. Luckily the store employees take charge and restore some order. But we don't get to see how the toilet paper is finally distributed. Read the rest

If you’re a child of the 20th century, you grew up playing with blocks, dolls, action figures or some assortment of those traditional toys. But for a kid of the 2020s, they’ll be able to say, “When I was a kid, I built my own phone.” It’s a wonderful time to be alive, right?As impossible as it might seem to believe, you can now actually buy your kid a kit to build their very own working mobile phone. With the CircuitMess Ringo DIY Mobile Phone Kit and Tools, you’ll literally have everything your kid needs to dive in and put together all the components to construct a mobile phone that supports calls and texts, plays games, shows the date and time and works with virtually any mobile network anywhere in the world.It’s a project that raised over $300,000 on Kickstarter, probably because no one believed it was actually this doable. But give a kid around age 11 or older some basic electronics tools and the detailed build guide and tutorial along with this collection of pieces and in about five hours, they’ll have their own working phone.The phone features a full-color LCD display screen that’ll play games, access apps and make calls or texts just like any smartphone.But the project doesn’t end when the phone is assembled. Using Scratch, Python or Arduino code editing platforms, users can actually create their own games and apps, then share them via the included SD card. The games can be played using the phone’s own built-in gaming joystick, not to mention its own internal WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities. Read the rest

Maker icon and Boing Boing friend, Mister Jalopy, is one of my all-time favorite outside-the-box thinkers. David Letterman used to be fond of saying: "He (or she) ain't hooked up right." He always meant it as a compliment -- someone who marched to their own drummer, someone unvarnished, someone who didn't succumb to habituated thinking. Mister Jalopy ain't hooked up right.In this Instagram video, he announces that his store, Coco's Variety, LA's most idiosyncratic bike shop, will remain open where so many other stores are closing. They are going old-timey and setting up a counter in the entrance to the store. Customers will approach the counter, request what they want, and the staff will bring purchases to them. They will also still work on your bike (if you're willing to have it washed in disinfectant first).It will be interesting to see what other retailers do creatively to remain open. This is an inspiring start. View this post on Instagram Coco’s is trying to keep the doors open to keep the wheels turning. Unprecedented times in which cycling becomes more important, not less so.A post shared by Coco's Variety (@cocosvariety) on Mar 16, 2020 at 12:51pm PDTImage: Screengrab Read the rest

In the video above, she explains her decision as some kind of deconstructive performance art about the media and politics and body image, or something.I've never actually watched The Masked Singer but I'm pretty sure I hate it now, thanks. If anything, this just confirms to me that we're living in a simulation, and someone out there is laughing very hard at all of this.Sarah Palin raps "Baby Got Back" while dressed as a bear, shocking "The Masked Singer" viewers [Sophie Lewis / CBS News] Read the rest

What happens to the lightly-used blocks of hand soap, lotion and shampoo left in hotel rooms? They used to go in the trash, but in recent years a recycling program has taken off and sends sterilized, recycled bars and bottles to homeless shelters and foreign aid programs. Clean the World partners with Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, Disney and other resort chains and has made 50 million bars of soap in 11 years. In this video, Tech Insider takes a tour of the program. Read the rest

Tom the Dancing Bug, IN WHICH Donald J. Trump gives you instructions for how you can beat the coronavirus, the Trump way.

When a plane is in trouble, the pilots dump all its its fuel before making an emergency landing. This is controversial; though fuel usually dissipates before reaching ground, it's a dangerous pollutant all the same and sometimes it gets dumped close enough to humans that it puts them at risk. This 1984 film, of a test of jet fuel formulated to resist igniting, shows why pilots dump it. NASA and the FAA loaded a retired training jet with test dummies, then remote-piloted it to a crash landing in the Mojave desert. It comes down rough but stays in one piece as it plows through earthworks and obstacles. If it were out of gas, chances of everyone surviving would be good. But with a full tank?Spoiler: the fuel ignites. As one commenter puts it, "proponents of antimisting kerosene did not have a great day."The test went generally according to plan, and produced a spectacular fireball that required more than an hour to extinguish. The FAA concluded that about one-quarter of the passengers would have survived, that the antimisting kerosene test fuel did not sufficiently reduce the risk of fire, and that several changes to equipment in the passenger compartment of aircraft were needed. Read the rest

The Internet Archives' VHS Vault isn't new, but since the beginning of the year it's been refreshed with hundreds of new uploads, reports LifeHacker.So what kind of gems will you find in the VHS Vault? The clips, shows and films run the gamut from instructional videos, to documentaries, to children’s programs, to workout videos. Want to watch the 1935 film version of Les Misérables? It’s on there. Want to work out with Traci Lords? Your wish is the VHS Vault’s command. Want to watch every single episode of Salute Your Shorts? Get ready to spend some quality time with Budnick, Dina and Ug Lee. How about an introduction to Windows 95 with Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry? Yes, that exists, and it’s on there, too.Image: Internet Archive Read the rest

If you've run out of binge-watching fodder, here's a handy list of the 55 new movies and series Netflix is streaming this month. Standouts for me include Season 3 of Ozark, The Decline, and the limited series Self Made. BGR has the full list of March releases.Image: Netflix Read the rest

Watching these clips from The Dick Cavett Show has become an obsession of mine lately. I daresay he's a better talk show host than anyone plying the trade today, with the possible exception of Colbert. In this episode, Cavett interviews the grandiose surrealist Salvador Dali, who brings along his "pet" anteater and handles the frightened beast somewhat roughly, plopping it in the lap of actress of an astonished Lillian Gish (after which it hides behind Satchel Paige). He then goes on to lecture Ms. Gish about the pronunciation of "butterfly" in a way that can only be described as obnoxious. Cavett, sensing an interview that's headed off the rails, warns Dali: "Watch yourself." Dali launches into a spiel about English as "foggy and imprecise" language, to which Cavett says, "I think I'll talk to the anteater now."Image: YouTube Read the rest

In today's hyper-competitive business world, generating leads and converting them into a viable business is a vital numbers game that can be the difference between your operation scaling and stagnating. Unfortunately, leads are becoming more and more expensive to generate, meaning any mishandled or dropped leads can have a huge negative impact on your bottom line.Communication is key. Staying aligned with leads, current clients, former clients, and your entire sales team is exceedingly difficult given how many communication mediums there are these days. Between the phone, email, webchats, and more, it's easier than ever to forget to follow up by simply misplacing where the original conversation took place.That's where amoCRM shines. By centralizing each customer's communications (be it on Skype, Instagram, email etc.) into their own lead profile on the platform, this customer relationship manager (CRM) helps you keep track of all of your past communications and continue ongoing conversations without switching apps. This way, you can chat with your leads on their platform of choice, and gain quick access to all of your conversations without closing apps or switching platforms.With the power of unified communications, your sales team is empowered to solve problems, not navigate through them. Retain and convert leads like never before with amoCRM. Right now, you can register for an extended 30 day trial through this link. Read the rest

"Just to be abundantly clear," CNN reassures us, "There is no link between the virus and the beer."5W Public Relations said that 38% of Americans wouldn't buy Corona "under any circumstances" because of the outbreak, and another 14% said they wouldn't order a Corona in public. The survey encompasses polling from 737 beer drinkers in the United States.In another survey conducted by YouGov, the firm found consumers' intent to purchase Corona fell to its lowest level in two years. The survey also showed that Corona's buzz score, a metric that that measures favorability, has dropped significantly since the beginning of the year. UPDATE: CNN was bamboozed by a vaguely-worded press release. [h/t Hank Green] The press release was crafted to portray anyone who would never drink Corona as being scared of the virus.OK, this sounded deeply dubious to me, so I went to the source, which is a PRESS RELEASE that reads like an ad for the PR company: https://t.co/dnkEK1UAd0The survey says 38% of people wouldn't drink Corona...not that they wouldn't drink Corona "because of the virus." https://t.co/wavLy6ANEC pic.twitter.com/liKkwHAI2N— Hank Green (Going to Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan!) (@hankgreen) February 28, 2020As of today, 83,577 people are diagnosed as having it, with nearly 3,000 dead. Coronavirus, that is, not Corona. Read the rest

Clearview, the shady facial-recognition firm with links to law-enforcement and alt-right internet trolls, reports that its entire client list has been stolen.In the notification, which The Daily Beast reviewed, the startup Clearview AI disclosed to its customers that an intruder “gained unauthorized access” to its list of customers, to the number of user accounts those customers had set up, and to the number of searches its customers have conducted. The notification said the company’s servers were not breached and that there was “no compromise of Clearview’s systems or network.” The company also said it fixed the vulnerability and that the intruder did not obtain any law-enforcement agencies’ search histories. Not a good look for any security company--especially one that prides itself on scraping private information from Facebook, Twitter and the rest of the web, irrespective of whether they're permitted to, and repackaging it for government and the police to identify and track individuals through surveillance. Read the rest

Matt Round's Death Roulette is a game that randomly selects for you one of the many deaths recorded in 17th-century London. In the week of July 11th, 1665 you died fromImposthume(swelling or abscess)The use of scans of the actual records is very effective! Read up on the death searchers. Read the rest

Facebook is reportedly considering making it just a wee bit clearer that pro-Bloomberg political campaign posts come from paid staffers on Michael Bloomberg's political campaign. Yes, 2020 is bonkers. Facebook is considering ways to show when a paid campaign staffer shares a political post on the site, reports Julia Boorstin at CNBC. “This comes after Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg’s campaign said it was paying staffers to post on social media on its behalf.”Oh.Excerpt from CNBC on Friday:Facebook is concerned about a lack of transparency in how Mike Bloomberg’s field organizers are using the platform to advocate for his presidential campaign, without identifying that they work for him, according to a source at the company. The source said Facebook is considering taking steps to make it clearer that the people posting messages of support are paid employees.Facebook has taken a range of steps to improve transparency around political advertising since the Cambridge Analytica scandal in March 2018. A New York Times report revealed that the political consulting firm improperly obtained information about Facebook users, then used that information to target political ads supporting Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.Among other changes, Facebook now tags all political and issue ads, keeps a library of them and has built an interactive database of all political and issue ad purchases.Read more:Facebook is considering making clearer that pro-Bloomberg posts come from paid staffers[Published Fri, Feb 21 202011:14 AM EST] Read the rest

I was on Cape Cod this past weekend — specifically, the town of Eastham, which is way up by the wrist and fairly desolate in winter. What I didn't know at the time was that Janet Uhlar, one of the juror's from Whitey Bulger's trial, was right around the corner from me the whole time. Along with the collection of handwritten letters she'd received from him between 2014 and his totally suspicious prison death in 2018.NBC News just published a piece about Uhlar and her relationship with Bulger, and how she came to regret her decision to convict him on racketeering charges and 11 counts of murder.Uhlar started writing Bulger, she said, because she was troubled by the fact that much of the evidence against him came through testimony by former criminal associates who were also killers and had received reduced sentences in exchange for testifying against their former partner in crime."When I left the trial, I had more questions," she said.After Bulger started returning her letters, Uhlar noticed he often dated them with the time he had started writing in his tight cursive style. "He always seemed to be writing at 1, 2 or 3 in the morning, and when I asked him why, he said it was because of the hallucinations," Uhlar said.Uhlar knew, of course, about Whitey's reputation as a notoriously brutal mobster. And she knew that the FBI had enabled his behavior. Her uncertainty and regret had nothing to do with whether Bulger had actually killed people, either — that's a universally accepted fact at this point. Read the rest

In Florida, sheriff's officials say a trail of pill bottles stolen from a Florida pharmacy led detectives to a home where they encountered two men who matched descriptions of robbers seen on surveillance video.The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office says the two men and a third accomplice robbed a CVS in Clearwater, Florida at about 5 in the morning on New Year’s Day. They waved guns at employees and tied up several of them with zip ties, say authorities.The Tampa Bay Times reports that the trio stole 10,000 pills containing the opioids hydrocodone and oxycodone, with a street value of about $320,000. From the AP:But they left behind some obvious clues. First, the surveillance video captured the men and a white Chrysler 200 fleeing the scene. And apparently the men emptied pills from bottles, which they tossed out the window as they drove home, the newspaper reported.Detectives followed the trail of pill bottles to a home where they found two of the men, sheriff’s officials said.Investigators said the three men had planned the robbery, even staking the location out the day before, the Times reported. Detectives saw one of the men casing the store in the surveillance video they reviewed, officials said.The two men — Christopher Rachell Jr., 19, and David Dobbins, 19 — were arrested Jan. 1. They also matched the descriptions of the robbers seen inside the store, detectives said. Read the rest

Sure, this absolutely passes the corruption smell test. Everything is fine. Trump and his klepto-regime are (of course) supporting Oracle's Larry Ellison in his Supreme Court fight with Google. The same day the same Larry Ellison hosted a massive fundraiser for Trump in California.From reporting by Malathi Nayak at Bloomberg News:The Trump administration urged the U.S. Supreme Court to reject an appeal by Alphabet Inc.’s Google, boosting Oracle Corp.’s bid to collect more than $8 billion in royalties for Google’s use of copyrighted programming code in the Android operating system.The administration weighed in on the high-stakes case on the same day that President Donald Trump attended a re-election campaign fundraiser in California hosted by Oracle’s co-founder, billionaire Larry Ellison.Ellison hosted a golf outing and photos with Trump. The event cost a minimum of $100,000 per couple to attend, with a higher ticket price of $250,000 for those who wanted to participate in a policy roundtable with the president, the Palm Springs Desert Sun reported.read more:Trump Backs Supporter Larry Ellison in Court Fight With Google[ Malathi Nayak, February 19, 2020] Read the rest