Boing Boing pals, magician Ferdinando Buscema and writer Erik Davis (High Weirdness), have created a really lovely and provocative little four-minute “visual meditation” based on the PK Dick essay, How To Build A Universe That Doesn’t Fall Apart Two Days LaterFerdinando says he put the piece together "to alchemize the anxiety and distill something magical from unhappy times."Image: YouTube Read the rest
When Little Richard died a few days ago, everyone was quick to rightfully hail him as the true king of rock and roll (which he was always quick to crown himself). But he was also the queen (which he would also sometimes declare).David Bowie is often identified as the great leopard messiah who made unapologetic gender fluidity acceptable in rock and roll, but he (and countless others) got their inspiration --and costume and makeup tips-- from Little Richard. James Brown, Bowie, Prince, Elton John, Marc Bolan, Jagger, Plant, Rundgren, Alice Cooper, and all the rest of them, even John Waters' mustache, owe an immense debt to Little Richard (who...um...owes his own great debt to Esquerita). Richard had nearly as much of an impact on the style, preen and swagger, and the transgressive posturings of rock and roll as did his music.Hail the Queen!Read a bit more on the subject (and see some cool pictures) in this article in The Guardian.Image: Anna Bleker, Public Domain Read the rest
The cartoonist Richard Sala passed away this week at the age of 61. I always loved his work and own many of his comic books.Cartoonist Daniel Clowes wrote a beautiful tribute to his friend, Richard Sala:Richard was a very complicated guy, totally unlike anyone I've ever met. He could be gregarious and charming, always energetic and animated in conversation, but also crippled by terrible anxiety and profoundly agoraphobic. Over the years, it got harder and harder to get him out of the house. I basically forced him to meet me for lunch every Friday, and we did that right up until the COVID quarantine, but toward the end, that was the extent of his social life (except for the vast hours he spent online — a true lifeline). He would always show up five minutes late, furious about traffic, wearing a thick, black work shirt and his famous bucket hat, which curiously covered a full head of thick hair. He would close his eyes tight while ordering, as though trying to solve a complicated math equation, and then chop his ham and eggs into weird goulash, which he never finished.It is with great sadness that we share the news that our dear friend, the cartoonist Richard Sala, has passed away at the age of 61. We are still processing, and will say more soon, but our hearts are with his close friends and family who are grieving this insurmountable loss. pic.twitter.com/19p2GuUUn6— Fantagraphics Books (@fantagraphics) May 9, 2020Daniel Clowes wrote a loving tribute to his best friend, cartoonist Richard Sala, who passed away on May 1st. Read the rest
Here's a cool 1971 performance of Kraftwerk on Beat Club. This short-lived long-haired lineup included Florian Schneider, who passed away last week, the late Klaus Dinger (Neu!), and Michael Rother (Neu! and Harmonia).And here is Michael Rother's eulogy to Schneider in Uncut.“Florian had a unique metal construction onstage on which he assembled his effect units and a mixer. He played an electrified violin which he ran through a fuzz box and a wah-wah pedal, and a flute which he treated with delay and a unit that changed the pitch to one octave down. Especially this flute, and the way Florian played it like a crazy fast-forward bass, was thoroughly exciting and unheard before. Unfortunately, the sound engineers who did the recordings at Beat Club (TV) and Radio Bremen didn’t understand that Florian’s contributions to our sound were much more interesting and vital than my guitar playing, and so they put Florian too low in the audio mix.“The trio with Florian, Klaus Dinger on drums and myself on guitar only lasted for 5 or 6 months but I remember some truly exciting concerts, and everything that followed in my musical life had a connection to this beginning with Ralf and Florian. After we separated in July 1971, Klaus and I continued as a duo (Neu!) and Florian got back together with Ralf Hütter. Read the restAnd here's an even earlier 1970 lineup with Schneider, Dinger, and Ralf Hütter.Image:YouTube Read the rest
Back in the 3rd millennia BC, Mesopotamians measured by cubit, which was approximately the 18-inch length of the forearm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. A few hundred years later, we got to the measuring tape...and those, ladies and gentlemen, are the big highlights in the evolution of human measurement.Oh sure, we figured out feet and yards and things — and somebody eventually patented a spring return tape measure that truly changed the game. But when you get right down to it, the art of measuring stuff hasn’t advanced a whole lot over the course of human civilization.Of course, we’ve now entered the third epoch of measurement enlightenment with the birth of the Rollova 2.0 Digital Ruler, a handy little device that’s as big a jump in measuring from here to there as that old cubit method.The Rollova removes the need for a tape measure or that wooden ruler you used in grade school. Instead, it’s a pocket-friendly, slyly smart gadget that measures...well, virtually anything.Just fire up the Rollova, then roll it along the length you want to measure. Whether it’s a flat surface, curved, or a textured object with all kinds of weird angles, the Rollova doesn’t get thrown. Its stainless steel body and 10,000-to-1 high-contrast ratio OLED screen spring to life, showing you the exact length of your measurement in any method you choose.Whether you cling to the old Imperial system of inches, feet, and yards, or ride for the new and improved metric system of meters, the Rollova digitally tracks your distance and shows it to you. Read the rest
It was an unparalled thrill to have Boing Boing's own Rob Beschizza on the Cool Tools podcast! Read the show notes at the Cool Tools website. Read the rest
I worked as an engineering intern for a couple of summers when I was in college. I shared a cubicle with a draftsperson named Laura. She was obsessed with two things -- being a member in good standing of an outlaw motorcycle gang, and her drafting materials, especially her mechanical pencil. I liked her very much, but one time I made the mistake of borrowing her pencil while she was on a cigarette break. When she came back and discovered me using it she was so mad I thought she was going to stab me with it. I remember her describing the pencil as her "bread and butter." I promised I wouldn't use it again and we got along wonderfully for the rest of the summer. I'm 99% percent sure the pencil she owned was an Alvin Draft-Matic 5mm. They are available on Amazon, and reviewers love them. I bought one a few years ago and is a pleasure to use and not get hollered at. If you want to be truly-bad ass, you can get a set of 3 in various lead thicknesses, stored in a "leather-look" pocket pouch. Read the rest
OMG pic.twitter.com/S3Y2mpnDYd— Greg Hogben (@MyDaughtersArmy) May 12, 2020As a wise man once said, it's funny cause it's true.See below for the full clip from Jimmy Kimmel Live!Now THIS video has been doctored... @RealDonaldTrump #JimmyKimmelLiveFromHisHouse #StayHome @DrFakenstein pic.twitter.com/ue10HBjmj9— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) May 12, 2020 Read the rest
On Jalopnik my friend Jason Torchinsky is writing about his experience ordering a $900 electric car from China using Alibaba. It has been an incredibly long and complicated process, involving lots of red tape. Including extra charges and document filing fees the price of the car is now close to $3500. Nevertheless, it's a really cool looking a little electric car. Read the rest
Jalopnik's Jason Torchinsky bought his first new car on Alibaba. He paid $930 for the electric Changli NEMECA, batteries not included. The batteries, likely lead-acid, were an additional $350. Then came all the fees to bring the car from China to the USA and get it through customs. The final total for the car is closer to $3,300 which is still less expensive than the comparison vehicle: a golf cart. From Jalopnik:What’s frustrating and amazing about all of this is just how difficult it is to find any accurate information about the total cost of shipping something like this from China to America. There’s more information out there for “real” cars, which, legally, the Changli is not, at least in America.Even though for many elderly rural Chinese people this car—and many other ones very much like it—are absolutely used like real, usable cars, the truth is it’s far closer to a golf cart. It’s only got a 1.1 hp (possibly 1.6? I’ll try to dyno it when it arrives) motor and is much smaller and lighter than even the smallest and lightest of cars you can imagine.It’s about 800 pounds, about half the weight of my Nissan Pao, which is about half the weight of almost everything else out there. It’s small.In fact, on official documentation, it’s described, bafflingly, [as a four-wheel electric tricycle.]Yes, a four-wheel electric tricycle. You know, like a biped with a third leg, or a five-legged quadrupedal dog."This Is How Much Buying The Cheapest New Car In The World Really Costs" (Jalopnik) Read the rest
A smart-thinking Boston police officer played a recording of a peacock meeting call on his phone to coax an escaped peacock into a backyard where it was easily picked up by animal control.From the Boston police department official website:At about 6:00 AM on Monday, May 11, 2020, while on patrol in the area of the Franklin Park Zoo, District B-2 (Roxbury) officers were approached by a concerned citizen that an animal had escaped from the zoo. Additional officers arrived at the scene and were met by an extremely large, slightly intimidating, and quite beautiful, male peacock. An officer on scene relied on his quick wit to track down a peacock mating call on his cell phone, successfully luring the bird into a fenced-in yard where he waited patiently for the arrival of Boston Animal Control. Image: courtesy of the Boston Police Department Read the rest
Island in the Zoom is Weezer singer/guitarist Rivers Cuomo's online hangout during the COVID-19 lockdown. Above is his Saturday piano performance of Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box." Read the rest
Nananana Naaaa:))In this short video we see a man in the back of a police car singing James Brown's "I Feel Good". The police officer driving the car turns around and asks, "Hey, what are you so happy about? I'm taking you to jail." The arrestee explains that being in jail gives him a 24-hour reprieve from his wife. The snappy answer elicits a chuckle from the officer. Read the rest
Camila's Tex-Mex, near St Louis, Missouri, installed a piñata in the shape of the Covid-19 virus with a caricaturized face of a Chinese man on it, reports The Riverfront Times. The backlash was swift and severe, and the restaurant took down its Facebook page in shame, but not before trying to pass off the caricature as being Hispanic:According to the customer who originally posted the photos to Facebook, employees allowed people into the restaurant Monday night due to poor weather conditions, despite the fact it is located in St. Louis County and therefore remains under lockdown orders that prohibit dining in. The photos show a complete lack of social distancing, with at least fifteen people, some of them children, crowded around two tables in close proximity to one another.Image: Facebook screengrab Read the rest
The tourist office of English resort town Blackpool tweets at "@visitBlackpool" but has changed its name to "DoNotVisitBlackpool" following confusing government advice concerning the coronavirus pandemic lockdown.Visit Blackpool has rebranded as Do Not Visit Blackpool to discourage visitors as lockdown restrictions are eased.The tourism body changed its name on social media after the prime minister outlined new guidance on Sunday.Council leader Simon Blackburn said Boris Johnson's message meant there was "nothing we can do" to stop visitors, but he urged people to stay away.The Cabinet Office said people "can travel to open space, irrespective of distance".It's very Scarfolkian, isn't it? Looking forward to Clacton-On-Sea rebranding itself as "Fuck right off." Read the rest
A decade ago, many movies had a blue tint added to them, apparently meant to convey a spooky or thrilling vibe. But there's also an extreme yellow tint to certain films, the latest example being the new Netflix movie Extraction. (Trailer above.) What's the deal with the mustard-colored movies? At the Matador Network, Elizabeth Sherman writes about the "yellow filter" and why some people find it offensive:[...] It’s almost always used in movies that take place in India, Mexico, or Southeast Asia. Oversaturated yellow tones are supposed to depict warm, tropical, dry climates. But it makes the landscape in question look jaundiced and unhealthy, adding an almost dirty or grimy sheen to the scene. Yellow filter seems to intentionally make places the West has deemed dangerous or even primitive uglier than is necessary or even appropriate, especially when all these countries are filled with natural wonders that don’t make it to our screens quite as often as depictions of violence and poverty [...]Yellow filter goes hand in hand with films that depict mostly negative stereotypes about living in the country in question, all while centering the journey of a white hero: Some combination of gangs, extreme poverty, drug use, and war seems to pop up in most of the movies that use yellow filter. Not only is it ugly and overused, but it reinforces stereotypes about people in countries that Americans still tend to think of as the “developing world.” "Why does ‘yellow filter’ keep popping up in American movies? Read the rest
Somecomputerguy says: "I go from cold boot to playing Lunar Lander on my recently repaired SEL 810A computer. This computer was released in 1967, and was used by the CIA, research facilities, and large corporations. My SEL 810A ran a natural gas pipeline station from 1969 to 2006, so 37 years." Read the rest
Magic experience designer Ferdinando Buscema and High Weirdness author Erik Davis, both Boing Boing contributors, created this wondrous illusion--a "visual meditation" on the ongoing pandemic, disorder, and the opportunity emerging from the entropy. In the piece, Ferdinando manipulates the cards while Erik takes us on a trip with his words. Italian mentalist Francesco Tesei made the video with a soundtrack by Bluetech. Read the rest
According to a new CNN poll, only 36% of Americans trust what President Donald Trump says about the coronavirus pandemic. But his approval rating is the highest it's ever been in this particular poll, 45%.Also: 24% of Republicans don't think enough is being done to prevent a second wave of coronavirus, but only 15% are afraid of a second wave and 14% of the death toll that would result. The virus has had a disproportionate impact on the African American community, and the poll finds a majority of black adults say they know someone who has been diagnosed with coronavirus, 54% say so compared with 38% of white adults and 36% among Latino adults. African Americans are also far more apt to give the government negative marks for its efforts to prevent the spread of the virus, with 79% saying the federal government is doing a poor job stemming the spread, compared with 55% of Latinos and 50% of whites.It frustrates me to see journos, three years in and months from the next election, still surprised and confused that Trump's supporters know that he's lying and love him all the more for it. It seems incomprehensible to most media folks why they like this. The term 'media bubble' is inadequate, because bubbles can be easily burst. Ours is a floating world, remote and impervious.Consider the journalistic "despite", a term you'll see in headlines and ledes informing you that the writer's understanding of reality is the exact opposite to what reality is. Read the rest
This was yesterday, but it'll be now for a long time. This appears to inaugurate a new YouTube channel from David Lynch, master filmmaker and artist. Read the rest
Tesla worker: 'We’re extremely frustrated, angry, scared, that Elon is putting his cars before his workers.' Tesla's chief executive said he reopened production at the company’s Fremont, California factory Monday, which Musk said he knew was a violation of public health orders.“Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules,” Musk tweeted yesterday. “I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me.”But what about the workers?One person who works at Tesla's Fremont plant told a Washington Post reporter: “We’re extremely frustrated, angry, scared, that Elon is putting his cars before his workers." Excerpt:Currently, conditions have affected morale at the plant, the employee who works there said.“We’re extremely frustrated, angry, scared, that Elon is putting his cars before his workers,” the worker said. “He’s putting those cars before his employees and their well-being.”Read the whole story at the Washington Post:Tesla’s Elon Musk reopens factory, defying county orders and daring officials to arrest himWorker at Tesla's Fremont plant told me: “We’re extremely frustrated, angry, scared, that Elon is putting his cars before his workers." https://t.co/vcWf68sOmv— Faiz Siddiqui (@faizsays) May 12, 2020Happening right now-hundreds of @Tesla employees coming to or leaving Fremont, CA facility after @elonmusk admitted that he is defying shelter in place orders by Alameda county. @kron4news @AaronPeroTV pic.twitter.com/p8HYiIhay6— Will Tran (@KRON4WTran) May 12, 2020It's possible to restart shop floors like Tesla and protect employees with vigilant hygiene, protective gear, procedures etc. Read the rest
You may not realize it, but even before COVID-19, America had a toilet paper problem. The problem was that people really didn’t like it all that much. It’s often course, it chafes, and rather than deal with that unpleasantness, many shoppers just shifted to flushable wet wipes instead. Which, unfortunately, created another problem — because it seems those flushable wipes aren’t always quite as flushable as advertised. And if your flushable wipes don’t break up in your pipes the way you’d hoped, you could be looking at a blockage that’ll cost you up to $3,000 or more to fix.So with all that in mind, you might want to consider a compromise like the Fohm Toilet Paper Foam and Dispenser Set. This inventive system effectively turns ordinary toilet paper into a wet wipe. A blast from the hands-free dispenser issues a cleansing fluid that is made from the same components that wet wipes use, a pH balanced, paraben, alcohol and fragrance-free solution that’s gentle for even the most sensitive skin.The foam isn’t messy, and one set provides three months' worth of solution. Rather than dealing with the less reliable wet wipes, you can get the same refreshed cleansing with the Fohm alternative in a much more eco-friendly and even cost-effective way.The dispenser and solution are already a hit, prominently included in features in publications like Family Circle, Bloomberg, BuzzFeed, New York Magazine, and more. And with cleanliness from the bathroom and beyond a top-of-mind consideration these days, the function and comfort of a Fohm-based experience shouldn’t be overlooked. Read the rest
• Dr. Anthony Fauci is expected to warn states Tuesday in Senate testimony prematurely reopening economies will cause “needless suffering and death.”Donald Trump is having a very anxious day.Today is the day the nation's top health authorities are to testify before a Senate committee that is tasked with plans to reopening businesses, schools and the rest of the economy closed because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci warned that officials should adhere to federal guidelines for a phased reopening. They did not. Fauci is among the officials who have been invited to testify before the Senate on Tuesday.Fauci is expected to warn of ‘suffering and death’ in his Senate testimony if the Trump administration and followers continue to push for “reopening” too soon.“If we skip over the checkpoints in the guidelines to: ‘Open America Again,’ then we risk the danger of multiple outbreaks throughout the country," explained Fauci on what he plans to tell the U.S. Senate. The Senate hearing will feature three federal officials:• Anthony Fauci• Robert Redfield (head of the CDC)• Stephen Hahn (head of the FDA)Dr. Anthony Fauci, @CDCDirector Dr. Robert Redfield, Dr. Stephen Hahn (@SteveFDA) and Assistant Secretary of Public Health ADM Brett Giroir (@hhsgov) testify before Senate @GOPHELP @HELPCmteDems - LIVE at 10am ET on C-SPAN3, @cspanradio & online here: https://t.co/Tg9oc5y3GE pic.twitter.com/Z1O7QifvQC— CSPAN (@cspan) May 12, 2020Full Fauci email message to me: pic.twitter.com/yq8IAa9f8g Read the rest
• Facebook is one of the big-tech entities behind American Edge, a new lobbying group in DC to fight antitrust regulators and push back against lawmakers trying to rein in Big Tech.“Facebook is working behind the scenes to help launch a new political advocacy group that would combat U.S. lawmakers and regulators trying to rein in the tech industry, escalating Silicon Valley’s war with Washington at a moment when government officials are threatening to break up large companies,” reports Tony Romm at the Washington Post:The organization is called American Edge, and it aims through a barrage of advertising and other political spending to convince policymakers that Silicon Valley is essential to the U.S. economy and the future of free speech, according to three people familiar with the matter as well as documents reviewed by The Washington Post. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the group because it hasn’t officially been announced.In December, American Edge formed as a nonprofit organization, and last month, it registered an accompanying foundation, according to incorporation documents filed in Virginia. The setup essentially allows it to navigate a thicket of tax laws in such a way that it can raise money, and blitz the airwaves with ads, without the obligation of disclosing all of its donors. Many powerful political actors — including the National Rifle Association — similarly operate with the aid of “social welfare” groups.Facebook is viewed as a critical, primary driver in helping to launch American Edge, the sources said, though some cautioned it is not the only one. Read the rest
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments as to why President Donald Trump should be allowed to prevent Democratic-led congressional committees and a New York City prosecutor from getting his financial records.Trump, unlike all modern presidents before him, has refused to release his tax returns and other financial records. “Rulings are likely within weeks,” reports Reuters, “ The cases will be heard in two separate arguments by teleconference, a format adopted during the pandemic.” Three months after Trump avoided removal from office in a Senate impeachment trial, Trump’s lawyers want the Supreme Court to endorse their expansive view of presidential powers that would severely limit the ability of Congress to conduct oversight of presidents and of prosecutors to investigate them.The Supreme Court has a 5-4 majority including two justices appointed by Trump. He has won key victories at the high court including over his hardline immigration policies but lost a big case a year ago regarding the U.S. census when conservative Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court’s four liberals.In the three cases being argued on Tuesday, Trump has sought to prevent enforcement of subpoenas issued to his long-time accounting firm Mazars LLP and two banks, Deutsche Bank(DBKGn.DE) and Capital One(COF.N), for financial records including tax returns. Lower courts in Washington and New York ruled against Trump in all three cases.U.S. Supreme Court to hear Trump bid to keep his finances secret Read the rest
Jordan Kita, an officer with the New Hanover Sheriff’s Office, put on his uniform and joined armed vigilantes to confront a teenager at his home. Everyone in the group, reportedly searching for a missing teenage girl, was white. Their target, Dameon Shepard, is black. A neighbor called 911 and he was not harmed before other officers arrived.Kita was fired and charged with breaking or entering, forcible trespassing and willful failure to discharge duties, District Attorney Ben David said during a press conference. Another man, Austin Wood, was charged with a terror offense. The family, represented by James W. Lea, plans to sue.Kita and two other individuals were armed with an assault weapon and shotgun when they arrived at Shepard’s house, [Lea's] letter states. The group was reportedly looking for Lekayda Kempisty, a 15-year-old girl who was reported missing earlier that day, WECT reported. She was later found safe. ... Kita put his foot in the door to stop Shepard from closing it and demanded he be let in.“Dameon became very frightened and hysterical, and kept repeating that his name was Dameon and that he attended Laney High School,” the letter published by Port City Daily states. “Out in front of the yard was a sign congratulating him on his graduation from Laney High School with his name on the sign.”The new pattern, same as the old one: armed white men with police connections setting out to lynch black people, with no arrests made until a fuss ensues. Read the rest
Conan tells it better. But, in short: A tee-shirt company in Boston sent Conan a local tee that didn't resonate with his experience of growing up in the Massachusetts capital. So, he complains about it and asks for a more "realistic" one, an outrageous depiction of his actual childhood. Well, the tee-shirt company delivered. They sent him a new tee, effectively knocking it out of, well, Fenway Park! Get yours here. Read the rest
Firestorm Bookstore Co-op is a collectively-owned radical bookstore and community event space in Asheville, North Carolina that describes itself as an essentially anti-capitalist business, in as much as they can be.And on May 7, someone smashed their through their window and robbed the cash register. (They also behind a live bird, although it's possible the bird also entered later.) View this post on Instagram Well, someone did a crime. ? This morning our co-operative was robbed. Someone smashed in the front door, emptied the register, and left behind a live bird (also totally possible that the bird came in separately). Hopefully they also took a good book, because they definitely didn't leave with a lot of money. Y'all, the anarchist bookstore is not sitting on piles of cash. ? Crime elsewhere! . This is not a great time to take a financial hit, but we're OK. We got a lot of text messages from folks who saw the mess and were concerned <3. If anyone wants to help us cover the losses (looks like about $150 in cash plus $450 in physical damage) now would be a cool time to buy a book or five. . Also, no, we didn't call the police. There really isn't anything that law enforcement could do for us that we can't do for ourselves and if someone is desperate enough to risk their freedom for $150, maybe we've all failed them. It's tough feeling vulnerable, and seeing our storefront broken open brought up a lot of emotions, including anger—but incarceration isn't justice and punishment can only multiply harm. Read the rest
The Boston-based metalcore band Ice Nine Kills has always had a penchant for horror-themed songwriting, including a recent single about It. But their latest recording takes a power-pop approach to the topic of bloody murder, somewhat-honoring the late Adam Schlesinger with "Jason's Mom" — all recorded remotely in quarantine, of course, which perhaps an implied redundancy at this point.(Hat-tip to Kerrang!) Read the rest
Even if you aren’t among the millions of Americans directly impacted in the wallet by the fallout from the coronavirus, you’re probably still keeping a very close eye on your expenses amid all this financial instability.Each of those monthly expenses has to face even tighter scrutiny than ever before — and if you’re still a cable subscriber who’s undoubtedly considered cord-cutting already, that monthly fee has to look more and more like a prime place to save some cash.Do it. Cut that cord. And if you’re concerned about where you’ll get your local TV, favorite cable outlets, and virtually any streaming content you could ever want, then a service like SelectTV is definitely worthy of a close look.SelectTV has one of the streaming world’s largest libraries of available content, a virtual stockpile of enough TV, movies, music, and games to keep any household busy...well, forever.Your subscription grants access to more than 700,000 TV episodes, 100,000 movies, 50,000 radio stations, and over 1,500 curated channels with the latest episodes from all the prime networks, as well as a massive archive of classic TV, all available for viewing on any and all of your preferred devices.One of SelectTV’s handiest features is its Pay-Per-View Deal Finder, which not only gives you access to all the hottest available pay-per-view movies, sports, concerts, and other key live events but even does a price comparison, checking against all sources to find the one with the cheapest price to rent or own your title for the lowest cost out there. Read the rest
Elon Musk just said he was planning to break the law. Musk just tweeted that he and Tesla intend to disobey public health orders and restart work at the electric car company's Fremont, California factory today. Earlier today, California governor Gavin Newsom said it was too soon and that Tesla would likely be given the go-ahead sometime next week.Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 11, 2020Musk:Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me.Previously at Boing Boing:• Elon Musk to CA factory employees: Back to work. Gov. Newsom: This may violate public health order• Tesla sues California over coronavirus factory closure• Tesla to reopen Fremont factory Friday, despite ongoing coronavirus lockdownElon Musk has learned that public freakouts are more profitable to his brand than good faith behaviorshttps://t.co/ReEwcFGCgr— tc (@chillmage) May 11, 2020Elon Musk says Tesla is resuming production of cars at its factory outside San Francisco in defiance of local orders that the plant remain shut down https://t.co/NWaXImcNkx— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) May 11, 2020JUST IN: Elon Musk says Tesla has restarted production at one of its Calif. factories "against Alameda County rules" https://t.co/zmtMZCCe1e— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) May 11, 2020Rosa Parks, but with a Tesla, everybody! Read the rest
Donald Trump, on the day the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 passed 80,000, declared success in the war on coronavirus: “We have met the moment and we have prevailed.”One week ago today, the impeached and manifestly unfit president of the U.S. said it was too soon to declare “mission accomplished.”But today, victory has been declared, even as the bodies pile up, with no plan for the pandemic and no end to the pandemic in sight.“We will transition into greatness -- that's a phrase you're going to hear a lot," Trump said today in the White House Rose Garden.“The greatness is going to be in the fourth quarter, but it's really going to be next year.”Trump: And next year we’re going to have one of the best years we’ve ever had because there’s a tremendous pent up demand. It’s a demand and I’m feeling it. I’ve felt things a lot over my life and I’ve made a lot of good calls pic.twitter.com/h5wR3VTTR0— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) May 11, 2020It appears that @POTUS, among all present in the Rose Garden (@WhiteHouse staffers, officials and media) the only person not wearing a mask.— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) May 11, 2020“Last week we did over 1.9 million tests,” according to @HHS_ASH. “Our percent positives are going down.” pic.twitter.com/r2sglpjFBn— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) May 11, 2020Among those in Rose Garden with Trump for these remarks on coronavirus testing are Jared Kushner, Adam Boehler and Brad Smith who worked with a team of a couple dozen volunteers from private sector on virus equipment supply. Read the rest
Yet another medical study says hydroxychloroquine, the drug much hyped by Donald Trump, is not effective against COVID-19 and could also cause deadly heart problems. The study was the largest of its kind, and was published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association.From CNN's Elizabeth Cohen: It follows a study published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine that also showed the drug doesn't fight the virus.Even before these reports were published, the US Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health issued warnings about using the drugs for coronavirus patients. In the most recent study, researchers at the University at Albany looked at 1,438 patients with coronavirus who were admitted to 25 New York City area hospitals.After statistical adjustments, the death rate for patients taking hydroxychloroquine was similar to those who did not take the drug. The death rate for those taking hydroxychloroquine plus the antibiotic azithromycin, was also similar.The patients who took the drug combination were more than twice as likely to suffer cardiac arrest during the course of the study. Heart issues are a known side effect of hydroxychloroquine.Read more:Hydroxychloroquine could cause heart problems, new study shows[www.cnn.com, 5-11-2020, h/t Ram Ramgopal @RamCNN] Read the rest
Elon Musk told employees at Tesla's California factory that they are back to normal in a company email. Governor Gavin Newsom says he's looking into the electric car company's reopening as a potential violation of a public health order.Tesla on Monday told employees at its one and only U.S.-based factory to return to work just a few days after local officials said the plant must remain closed as lockdown measures remain in effect to curb the spread of COVID-19.“We’re happy to get back to work and have implemented very detailed plans to help you keep safe as you return,” the email from Tesla to Fremont factory workers said. The governor said it’s ultimately up to the Alameda County Health Department to assess or execute any enforcement actions at Tesla, if people are working there before officials have given Elon Musk's company approval to reopen.He says possibly as early as next week, Tesla would be permitted to resume work.Newsom said he's known Musk for "many, many years" and respects the company. He heaped praise on Musk and Tesla during the Monday afternoon press conference.Background:Musk said on Twitter recently he plans to move Tesla out of California and into Nevada and/or Texas, because Newsom wasn't loosening coronavirus restrictions quickly enough for Musk's liking.Tesla tells its California factory employees that they are back to normal in a company email. Governor Newsom says he will look into the current reopening as a potential violation of public health order https://t.co/xv802EAHyL Read the rest
In the mid-nineties it was easy to get an acquaintance with Little Richard. All you had to do was haunt the bar at the Hyatt Hotel on Sunset where he lived and at one time or another you would find yourself talking to him over a drink…talking about how he discovered rock and roll or a new project…listening and watching a legend perform in front of you, as if you were at Carnegie Hall.I didn’t go to the Hyatt to search him out. I would go for a pre-concert drink before venturing across the street to the House of Blues. When I first saw him holding court there, my jaw dropped. There he was…all made up with his legendary pomp and flashy clothes, as if he had just come back from killing it at American Bandstand. Flamboyantly throwing his hands around with every sentence he preached, Little Richard was everything you hoped he would be. And he even remembered you after a first meeting.When Shane MacGowan and the Popes were playing The House Of Blues, I took Shane down to the bar…to see if Little Richard was there. And when we walked in and heard his Wop-bop-a-loo-bop voice above the crowd, we went right over to where that sound was coming from, and I got to introduce the Irish songwriting legend to the inventor of rock n roll. Shane professed just how much Richard’s music and flair influenced him from the beginning of his artistic journey. How he had never heard or seen anything like Richard before. Read the rest
This $3 handheld magnifying glass has two bright LEDs and is powered by 3 AAA cells (not included). The manufacturer says the magnification is 40X. I think it is less than that, but it is still plenty powerful for my needs - mainly, reading the markings on tiny electrical components and checking the layer fusion on 3D printed parts. I have a few different magnifiers, and this one has quickly become my favorite.It's not like a regular magnifying glass. It's more like a jeweler's loupe. To use it, you hold it up to your eye and move close to the thing you want to look at.It even comes with a fake leather pouch. Read the rest
We all know the importance of multitasking. If we weren’t doing at least two things at once, if not more, how would we ever finish everything we each have to accomplish in a given day?It’s no different with tech now. Your devices can’t only serve one purpose. With bulging purses, backpacks and travel bags, our devices have to be versatile enough to handle a few important functions or we couldn’t justify carrying them around with us all day.And that rule extends to our support equipment as well...like our power cables. It’s bad enough regular Lightning cables only work with Apple devices, but if you need to juice up your iPhone and an Apple Watch at the same time, you’d usually be out of luck.However, this 2-in-1 Lightning Cable with a wireless watch pad is all about the multitasking, providing enough power to get two devices back to full strength in the time it would usually take to charge just one.Just like a regular Lightning cable, this five-foot connector connects right to your iPhone, iPad or other iOS device and delivers a charge from its USB-powered source directly to your device at the top safe speed.But unlike a regular Lightning cable, this cord also includes a charging pad magnetic module to also provide a wireless boost for your Apple Watch at the same time.In under two hours, you’ll have a fully-powered iPhone or iPad as well as a fully-powered Apple Watch, all with the help of just one cable. Read the rest
Do you believe in ghosts? I don't. But I do believe in the active powers of the human imagination, especially in an old, cold building filled with the world's "acquired" ancient treasures and mummified humans.In this fascinating read in 1843 Magazine, Killian Fox chronicles the strange after-hours goings on in the halls of the British Museum.Sometimes it’s the doors. To complete a full circuit of the museum more than 3,000 doors need to be opened and closed. Some of these, particularly ones that seal off the major galleries, are cumbersome to shut. But when bolted, they won’t open again without a tussle. Except when they do. Take the Sutton Hoo gallery, which houses treasures from an Anglo-Saxon ship, among them a ferocious-looking helmet believed to have been worn by Raedwald, king of the East Angles, in the seventh century. On one occasion a guard bolted the double doors and moved on to the next room, only to be informed by a CCTV operator that the doors stood wide open again. Video footage of the gallery showed them moving spontaneously.Sometimes it’s a sudden drop in temperature, like the unnerving patches of cold air that linger next to the winged, human-headed bull of Nimrud at the entrance to the Assyrian galleries. Sometimes it’s the sound of footsteps, or music, or crying, where no obvious source can be found.Despite all this, I witnessed no supernatural activity myself. The skeptical part of me, which I hoped would be cracked open by some paranormal epiphany, remained stubbornly intact. Read the rest
This stud finder is finding studs in my walls.I have reached the 'hanging artwork' phase of moving into my new home. My old stud finder disappeared in the move, this new one is simple to use and works great.Tavol sounds like a Vulcan who would beat Spock down during pon farr.Stud Finder Sensor Wall Scanner - 4 in 1 Electronic Stud Sensor Beam Finders Wall Detector Center Finding with LCD Display for Wood AC Wire Metal Studs Joist Detection via Amazon Read the rest
Paul L. Vasquez, whose awestruck reaction at a rare double rainbow made him an internet sensation in 2010, died Saturday at 57.In the 3-minute, 29-second video, Mr. Vasquez cries out things like, “It’s a double rainbow all the way across the sky!” And, “It’s so bright!” And, “What does it all mean?” There are lots of whoas, and whoos and oh-my-Gods. He laughs during it. He sobs.The exposure catapulted the apparently laid-back, good-natured guy, called “Bear” by friends, to far more than 15 minutes of fame. For instance, he and a famous “Friend,” Jennifer Aniston, did a Smartwater commercial together. He also did ads for Microsoft and Delta Air Lines. Read the rest
People in China can't wait to enter the Magic Kingdom now that coronavirus deaths in that country have declined. CNBC reports that Shanghai Disney will be the first major theme park to re-open since the shutdown began.Usually, that park sees around 80,000 visitors per day, but the government has mandated Disney operate at 30% capacity, or about 24,000 visitors.CEO Bob Chapek said during an earnings call Tuesday that the park would initially operate well below that capacity and then ramp up to reach that 30% cap over the course of several weeks.Photo by Lars Zhang on Unsplash Read the rest
In the early 1980s, Ministry's Al Jourgensen made ends meet by recording advertising jingles. Above is a TV commercial he soundtracked for Shasta soda that aired in 1983, the same year Ministry released their debut album "With Sympathy" (featuring Jourgensen's faux English accent). From his autobiography Ministry: The Lost Gospels According to Al Jourgensen:“Before Sire picked up Ministry I was writing TV and radio jingles to help support our drug habits, pay the rent, and feed the baby. I did a commercial for Shasta and some stuff for Huffy, and every time I left the studio I wanted to kill myself. It really put into perspective what my dad had to go through, cutting off his lifelong dream to support a family. That’s what I was doing, and it was horrific, but it toughened me up. If you cut me up right now and put me on a plate, I’d be some tough meat. You couldn’t eat it; it would be toxic, tough, and chewy. No, there’s no cannibalism with me. The deal with Huffy came to an end when I gave them this song for a bike called the Panther, and at the end of this cheesy tune they wanted me to purr loudly into the mike. I said, “Fuck you. Get someone else to purr. I quit.”(via r/ObscureMedia) Read the rest
The Moscow Times reports that at least 376 Russian cadets have been infected with COVID-19. They were practicing for a parade to be held in Moscow's Red Square.The last rehearsal for the parade took place on April 16, the day when Putin postponed the event and vowed to hold it later in 2020, an unnamed participant told Proekt.The virus broke out among officers and cadets in at least five elite Russian military academies and one regiment — out of the more than 40 involved — following the parade rehearsals, Proekt cited participants and their relatives as saying.Photo by Anastasiya Romanova on Unsplash Read the rest
The great Jerry Stiller died today at the age of 92. Enjoy this blooper reel of Stiller making his Seinfeld co-stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jason Alexander laugh so hard that they can't stay in character.[via Digg]Image: YouTube Read the rest
Negativland recently released video for "This is Not Normal" is giving me some serious Koyanisqaatsi vibes.From the album 'True False' on Seeland Records, released on 25 October 2019Negativland previously on BB (since 2001!)(Nag on the Lake) Read the rest
