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Updated 2024-11-23 19:46
Gillian Anderson does ASMR to promote her show, Sex Education
To promote the new season of her show, the British comedy Sex Education (now streaming on Netflix), Gillian Anderson does a nearly four minute ASMR video. In her character of Dr. Jean Milburn, Anderson purrs and whispers, scratches and tickles the mics, open, pours, and sips wine, and does a number of other classic "braingasm" audio tricks. For X-Files fans and nerdy boys n' girls who've crushed on Anderson for decades, it might all be too much. Image: YouTube Read the rest
The Power8 Create Combo Tool Kit is like Optimus Prime invaded your workshop
If you’re getting into home repair, woodworking or a whole bunch of those DIY dude-approved pastimes, you’ll soon find that the need to assemble a vast array of power tools can quickly turn into a mild addiction...and an expensive one at that.In most cases, each hyper-specialized tool can set you back $100, $200, $500 — or more. And once you’ve amassed this armada of tool power, you’ve still got to find space to house it all.The folks at Power8 decided to address that issue with the Create+, an award-winning, multi-function power tool kit that could best be described as what might happen if your favorite workbench got with a Transformer.Billed as the world’s smallest combo tool kit (clocking in at 2 feet x1.5 feet and less than a foot high), this space-saving collection uses its clever Unigrip system to handle a wide range of power tool needs from a handful of customized power batteries and tool heads.From its base configurations, your hammer drill, circular saw and orbital jigsaw Voltron up with the included bench-top to become a drill press, table saw and scroll saw. Heck, even your hands-free work light morphs into a lantern for smoother, more consistent lighting as you work.Everything here is multi-purpose, which streamlines your need for more tools while also clearing a whole bunch of room in your workspace.You can check out the feeling of owning a fully-stocked workshop with this eight-function garage helper, now $50 off its regular price, down to just $499. Read the rest
150,000 nature illustrations from around the world enter the public domain thanks to the the Biodiversity Heritage Library
A huge collection of flora and fauna illustrations have just entered the public domain. Hyperalleric writes: Had he lived in our time, Thoreau would’ve been thrilled to know that the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), the world’s largest open-access digital archive dedicated to the natural world, is now offering more than 150,000 high-resolution illustrations for copyright-free download.These public domain images belong to an archive of more than 55 million pages of literature about earth’s species of flora and fauna. They include animal sketches, historical diagrams, botanical studies, and scientific research collected from hundreds of thousands of journals and libraries across the world. Some of the illustrations date back to the 15th century.The library sees the sharing of these documents as part of combating the climate crisis:“To document Earth’s species and understand the complexities of swiftly-changing ecosystems in the midst of a major extinction crisis and widespread climate change, researchers need something that no single library can provide — access to the world’s collective knowledge about biodiversity,” the library says on its website. Read the rest
5 reasons to sell on Etsy (and how to get started)
Etsy has made it easier than ever to sell homemade crafts and vintage goods directly to your target demographic with practically zero overhead. With a community and vibe that’s similar to eBay, Etsy should be on your radar if you’re interested in earning either a passive or full-time income selling everything from artwork to artisan goods online, and here’s why:First, Etsy lets you organize your entire business and track sales online, through a series of tools that allow you to download customized inserts, create promotional materials with your logo on them, and more.Second, Etsy offers a distinct community of customers who are most likely to buy your hand-made and artisan products (as opposed to sites like eBay that sell virtually every type of object on the planet).Third, you’ll have access to a comprehensive eCommerce platform that will cut costs and allow you to focus more on keeping your customers happy.Fourth, Etsy makes it easy to set up an account and start reaching potential customers right away—as opposed to sites that force you to find individual customers through a series of obnoxious messages.Finally, the fees for setting up an account and selling your products are minuscule when compared to most online vendors—ranging from just 50 cents to 75 cents per item depending on size and category.If you’re interested in making money with your creative endeavors online with Etsy, check out the Launch Your Etsy Store: 3-Course Bundle, which offers a comprehensive overview of everything this platform has to offer—through instruction that teaches you how to set up an account, launch your store, market your products to your key demographic, and much more. Read the rest
At the 1988 Oscars, Pee-wee Herman flew and RoboCop saved the day
While presenting the Oscar for live-action short film in 1988, Pee-wee Herman is interrupted by "giant robot mechanical monster," aka ED-209 from the 1987 film RoboCop. Then things get weird... in a good way. Just watch:(Pee-wee Herman) Read the rest
Voyager 2 is back up and running!
NASA is reporting on their Voyager Twitter feed that the Voyager 2 spacecraft is once again operational.Here's the skinny: My twin went to do a roll to calibrate the onboard magnetometer, overdrew power and tripped software designed to automatically protect the spacecraft.Voyager 2's power state is good and instruments are back on. Resuming science soon. https://t.co/4buDM32bap pic.twitter.com/4T856Lpxjm— NASA Voyager (@NASAVoyager) January 29, 2020Good vibes! Voyager 2 continues to be stable, and communications between Earth and the spacecraft are fine.My twin is back to taking science data, and the team at @NASAJPL is evaluating the health of the instruments following their brief shutoff. https://t.co/LmsWQ7wPat pic.twitter.com/xyhM1G8sTD— NASA Voyager (@NASAVoyager) February 6, 2020Kind of astonishing that 70s space tech that is 11.5 billion miles away from home is still talking to us. The Voyager 2 ran into trouble in late January and became unresponsive.Read more on JPL's website.Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Read the rest
Comparing the sizes of fictional buildings from books, movies, TV, and video games
MetalBallStudios, a YouTube channel that does 3D-rendered, animated size comparisons, has a new video comparing the sizes of buildings and other structures found in science fiction and fantasy media.Image: YouTube Read the rest
Become a videography pro with this 10-course training bundle
It should come as no surprise that videography professionals and digital marketing gurus are in high-demand these days, thanks to their ability to create content that promotes virtually every product and brand you see online.If you’re even remotely interested in joining this lucrative field, the Videography Editing & Marketing Certification Bundle will teach you about the latest methods, platforms, and techniques—all for $45.With 10 courses and over 300 lessons, this in-depth bundle will help you land a high-paying career in videography, regardless of whether you’re interested in working full-time or as a part-time freelancer.There’s a course that will teach you how to take advantage of iMovie’s most powerful editing tools, a course that walks you through how to use Adobe Spark in order to create presentations and social media content, a course that centers around webcam videography, and a course that teaches you how to professionally edit your content in order to make it pop in any digital medium online.You’ll also have unlimited access to content that focusses on color gradients and contrast, visual effects, and how to make the most of Facebook advertising campaigns that will help you gain exposure and increase the likelihood that your content goes viral.Start down the path toward becoming a professional videographer and content-creator with the Videography Editing & Marketing Certification Bundle while it’s available for over 95% off MSRP. Read the rest
Man finds "puppies" in a box on his lawn. They were bear cubs
"It's not uncommon to find black bears in the county. But to find bear cubs in a cardboard box in your property, wrapped up in sweatshirts to keep them warm, yeah, that's pretty strange." That's what North Carolina Sheriff Kevin Jones told CNN after his office got a call about a box of "puppies" from a man who discovered them on his front lawn last month.From the article:The North Carolina sheriff's office explained that they had responded to a man's call last month, who told them that someone left the puppies outside his house. The man explained he was gone for just a short amount time and the animals were there when he returned, the sheriff's office said.Sheriff Jones said the person who dropped off the cubs probably stumbled across them, put them in a box and simply left them at the man's house when they realized they couldn't keep them.The cubs were taken by the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission, and will be released back into the wild when they are older.Image: Camden County Sheriff's Office Read the rest
Why has this photo of Trump gone viral?
⁦@realDonaldTrump⁩ returns to the White House from Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo by William Moon at the South Lawn of the White House on February 7, 2020 pic.twitter.com/n1a1Z93LrJ— White House Photos (@photowhitehouse) February 7, 2020This [possibly edited] photo of Trump is trending. But why? Is it his luxuriant swept back hair? His coy over-the-shoulder invitation to join him in a frolicsome adventure? The lush greenery of the White House south lawn? Please submit your best guess in the comments.Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash Read the rest
Neural network restores and colorizes old movies
From the excellent "Two Minute Papers" YouTube channel, a discussion of a paper titled "DeepRemaster: Temporal Source-Reference Attention Networks for Comprehensive Video Enhancement," that demonstrates the results of a neural network that fixes and colorizes aged, blurry, scratchy films. Read the rest
Fancy banana lamp
Would you just look at the $295 Seletti Banana Lamp [Bergdorf Goodman]. Read the rest
Bill Nye the super fly guy
Bill Nye struts his stuff for charity.please tell me what designer had bill nye walking im crying pic.twitter.com/3ZSyCxcBNv— big t (@miuyorker) February 7, 2020 Read the rest
Antarctica: Hottest temperature ever recorded, 65º F / 18.3º C
Antarctica's hottest temperature ever was recorded this past Thursday: 65 degrees Fahrenheit, or 18.3 degrees Celsius.That is not good.Not good at all.#Antártida | Nuevo récord de temperaturas 🌡️Este mediodía la Base #Esperanza registró un nuevo récord histórico (desde 1961) de temperatura, con 18,3°C. Con este valor se supera el récord anterior de 17,5°C del 24 en marzo de 2015. Y no fue el único récord... pic.twitter.com/rhKsPFytCb— SMN Argentina (@SMN_Argentina) February 6, 2020Scientists took the measurement at a remote station on the continent's Northern tip: nearly 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 Celsius) at Argentina's Esperanza research station.The climate crisis is real, and it affects every living thing on the planet.The Argentine research base Esperanza, on the northern tip of #Antarctic Peninsula, saw a new record temperature of 18.3°C today (old one 17.5°C on 24 March 2015), per @SMN_Argentina. Details of previous record at https://t.co/19Un83mmHn#ClimateChange pic.twitter.com/ZKvzr765Am— WMO | OMM (@WMO) February 6, 202018.3°C! - new highest temperature recorded for continental #Antarctica, yesterday at Esperanza Base, the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, 63°23′S; previous record was 17.5°C in 2015 also at Esperanza @SMN_Argentina; records began at the station in 1961, pic Nestor Franco pic.twitter.com/1qhbv0rDQj— The Antarctic Report (@AntarcticReport) February 7, 2020Antarctica recorded its hottest temperature ever on Thursday: 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius) https://t.co/Rq8KAFMfCd pic.twitter.com/h5AZNqxLga— Reuters (@Reuters) February 8, 202018,3°C in Antarctica. https://t.co/0VOSdLzXTy— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) February 7, 2020[IMAGE: Left, Adélie penguins in Antarctica photographed by Jason Auch via Wikipedia, CC BY 2.0 Read the rest
First American coronavirus death confirmed
On Saturday, February 8, the United States Embassy in Beijing confirmed that a 60-year-old American national died of the new coronavirus last Thursday at Jinyintian Hospital in the Chinese city of Wuhan. A U.S. State Department spokesperson says this is the first known American death from Novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV.The Chinese government today offered condolences for the death of "a Chinese-American."Also on Saturday, a Japanese national suspected of being infected with the new coronavirus died in Wuhan.The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak rose to 700 in mainland China, with the death of a 60-year-old American man marking the first confirmed non-Chinese death from the illness https://t.co/nSF3SoNSAH pic.twitter.com/9n9P5Pss5V— Reuters (@Reuters) February 8, 2020More recent Boing Boing posts about the outbreak, which has claimed more than 700 lives, mostly in China:• Coronavirus exposes China's surveillance state• China blocks Apple supplier Foxconn from restarting factories as outbreak spreadsPHOTO: From China's Communist government's propaganda outlet, China Daily."Zhang Jixian, a respiratory physician from Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese & Western Medicine, wears protective gear before treating novel coronavirus patients at isolation wards, in Wuhan, Hubei province, on Jan 30, 2020." [Photo by Yuan Zheng/China Daily] • China mourns Li Wenliang, the Wuhan whistleblower doctor who warned of coronavirus outbreak Read the rest
Facebook removes Thailand mass shooter account, police say 'at least' 10 killed
A soldier in northeast Thailand has killed 'at least' 10 people in a mass shooting, Thai authorities say. Police said the suspect is still at large, at the time of this blog post. Before and during the rampage shooting, it appears the suspected gunman was posting on Facebook. On Saturday, Facebook says the account of the suspect has been removed, and the social media company says it will remove any content related to the attack that violates its policies.“Our hearts go out to the victims, their families and the community affected by this tragedy in Thailand. There is no place on Facebook for people who commit this kind of atrocity, nor do we allow people to praise or support this attack,” a Facebook rep said in a statement sent to news reporters on Saturday, as news of the mass shooting in Thailand spread online.“We have removed the gunman’s accounts from our services and will work around the clock to remove any violating content related to this attack as soon as we become aware of it.” [More at Reuters] Read the rest
Coronavirus exposes China's surveillance state
The so-called Wuhan Coronavirus has killed more than 700 people, mostly in Mainland China, and the outbreak continues to spread with new cases on new continents. In China, Novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV is also exposing the surveillance state -- apps show locations of the infected, heat-sensing cameras spot feverish disease suspects, and identify them even with ubiquitous paper face masks on.From a Reuters story about a man who ignored the quarantine rules and “not only did the police contact him, so did his boss -- He had been spotted near Hangzhou’s West Lake by a camera with facial recognition technology, and the authorities had alerted his company as a warning.”“I was a bit shocked by the ability and efficiency of the mass surveillance network. They can basically trace our movements with the AI technology and big data at any time and any place,” said the man, who asked not to be identified for fear of repercussions.Chinese have long been aware that they are tracked by the world’s most sophisticated system of electronic surveillance. The coronavirus emergency has brought some of that technology out of the shadows, providing the authorities with a justification for sweeping methods of high tech social control.Artificial intelligence and security camera companies boast that their systems can scan the streets for people with even low-grade fevers, recognize their faces even if they are wearing masks and report them to the authorities. If a coronavirus patient boards a train, the railway’s “real name” system can provide a list of people sitting nearby. Read the rest
Coronavirus: China blocks Apple supplier Foxconn from restarting factories as outbreak spreads
Japan's Nikkei business daily reported on Saturday that Chinese authorities have blocked a plan by Apple supplier Foxconn to resume production at China factories on Monday, as Novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV continues to spread. In mainland China, 86 more people died of the virus on Saturday, according to authorities, bringing the official number of dead to 722. From Reuters:Public health experts carried out inspections at Foxconn’s factories in the southern city of Shenzhen and told the company that its factories had a “high risk of coronavirus infection”, making them unsuitable for a production restart, the newspaper said, citing four people familiar with the matter without identifying them.Taiwan’s Foxconn, which makes smartphones for global vendors including Apple, will also not see one of its key iPhone plants based in the central city of Zhengzhou restart work on Monday, the report added.Foxconn could see a “big” production impact and shipments to customers including Apple face disruption if a Chinese factory halt due to the coronavirus outbreak extends into a second week, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters earlier this week.“Foxconn did not immediately respond to a request for comment,” the reporters add.The first American death was reported today, also, and the coronavirus is now in France.Read more:China blocks Foxconn plan to restart factories over virus worries: Nikkei[reuters.com]PREVIOUSLY AT BOING BOING:China virus outbreak may impact Apple iPhone if China extends Foxconn factory halt Read the rest
20 cool car gadgets that will change the way you drive
New car commercials do an excellent job of making you feel like your car is obsolete. And you bought your car in 2013. That may be a little dramatic, but it seems like every year car companies are adding fascinating, convenient new features and gadgets to their models that fully demonstrate that the future has arrived. Of course, you don't have to buy a new car to upgrade your current model. These cool gadgets can make you feel like you're driving a Cyber Truck without breaking the bank.CamerasFenSens Smart Wireless Solar Powered Backup CameraMSRP: $199Sale Price: $159 (20% off)Most new car models have backup cameras built-in to help you parallel park. If you don't have one, this backup camera is the next best thing. It clips on the back of your car and syncs with your smartphone so you can see what's behind you in real-time. myGEKOgear Orbit 530 1296p W-Fi Dashcam with Sony Night Vision SensorMSRP: $149.99Sale Price: $109.99 (26% off)You never know when you might need an expert witness, and this dashcam can be a lifeline. With night vision and a 150º wide-angle lens that eliminates many blindspots, this camera records in 1296p HD so you always have a crystal clear recording of what happened in a crash. myGEKOgear Orbit 110 Full HD DashcamMSRP: $99.99Sale Price: $49.99 (50% off)This dashcam stays stabilized to record a smooth 1080p HD video on the road with a 120º wide shooting angle. Read the rest
Improve muscle performance and comfort with the PowerDot 2.0
You don’t need to be a professional athlete in order to understand just how obnoxious sore muscles can be. Whether you spend too much time sitting in a chair at work or your intramural baseball league as finally taken its toll on your shoulders, having sore and overworked muscles can put a serious damper on your mood.The PowerDot 2.0 Smart Muscle Stimulator will help you recover from uncomfortable muscle pain and improve your overall muscle performance, and it’s on sale for 15% off its usual price.This kit comes with two pods and over 12 smart electric muscle stimulation programs for maximum recovery and comfort.Proprietary symmetrical biphasic waveforms deliver powerful yet pain-free muscle contraction, and magnetic snaps allow you to start stimulating your muscles 3x faster than competing brands.These comfortable pods are also compact and light enough to take with you on the go without worry.Keep your mind and body happy with a PowerDot 2.0 Smart Muscle Stimulator for just $296—15% off MSRP. Save an additional $17 off with code POWERDOTTWO17 for a limited time only. Read the rest
Interview with photographer Meeno Peluce about his favorite tools
My guest this week on the Cool Tools Podcast is Meeno Peluce. Meeno grew up as a successful child actor in Hollywood, and his kid sister is Soleil Moon Frye of Punky Brewster fame. He then moved behind the camera and has spent his life photographing and filming the world around him, from the burning ghats in Varanasi to the luminous landscapes of Tinseltown. He’s a proud Papa and ask him his profession, and he’ll tell you he’s a Meeno, and all that might entail. He gave himself the name when he was two in Nepal. It’s been an adventure of individualism and a constant search for personal experience ever since. You can find him on Instagram @meeno_the_man.See show notes here Read the rest
UK's Ministry of Defence plans to release 50 years of UFO reports sometime in 2020
According to a piece in The Telegraph, the UK's Ministry of Defence has announced plans to make available online over 50 years of UFO sightings reported to the RAF.The RAF discontinued its UFO reporting program in 2009 after claiming that nothing reported during the five decades of the program posed any sort of threat. UFO sightings are now reported to local police.The reports are said to be scheduled to show up online (on a dedicated gov.uk web page) sometime during the first part of 2020.Photo by Jen Theodore on Unsplash Read the rest
George Miller reportedly to begin shooting Fury Road sequel this fall
Geeks Worldwide is reporting that Mad Max director, George Miller, has resolved his legal issues with Warner Bros. which were holding him back from filming the follow-up to Mad Max: Fury Road. The GWW piece claims that Miller will begin filming in Australia in the fall. No word yet on theme or who might already be signed on to the project.Image: George Miller by Jasin Boland CC Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International Read the rest
Making a mood ring toilet seat using thermochromic liquid crystal ink
Well-known YouTube makers, Evan and Katelyn, take on their weirdest project yet. They use some thermochromic liquid crystal ink left-over from another project to turn a toilet seat into a butt-sized mood ring.Image: YouTube screengrab. Read the rest
Florida fisherman catches parachutes and capsule door from SpaceX crew capsule
Last week, charter fishing boat captain David Stokes was fishing off the Daytona Beach coast when he reeled in a capsule door and two parachutes that were part of a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. On January 19, SpaceX conducted a successful in-flight abort test of their Crew Dragon that involved exploding the Falcon 9 rocket and releasing the capsule to carry the crew to safety. From UPI:Stokes said he has attempted to contact SpaceX and tagged Elon Musk in a tweet about the discovery in the hopes of bringing it to their attention."I'd like for SpaceX to come check it out to see what they think about it ... any damage to it," Stokes told WKMG-TV. "It would also be awesome to have Elon Musk autograph it." Read the rest
Florida man arrested for shoplifting, cute puppy accomplice also in custody
Florida Man strikes again. The dog is okay and is being cared for while his owner is booked into jail.In Hillsborough County, Florida, the Sheriff’s Office says a gentleman named Logan Wilson admitted to shoplifting $259 worth of items from Bass Pro Shops. Deputies say he was arrested during a traffic stop after he was seen departing the store with stolen goods.According to a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Facebook post, volunteers there will take care of him until his owner bonds out of jail, but the shelter’s website has the puppy listed as “pre-adoptable.”PHOTO: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. THE CUTEST ACCOMPLICE: The owner of this small puppy was caught shoplifting at an area Bass Pro Shops with the puppy in hand! 🐾Our District 5 Street Crimes Unit arrested the person for Petit Theft and possession of meth. #TeamHCSO deputies took great care of the puppy before handing him over to Hillsborough County Animal Services who will care for him until his owner is released from jail.More:Canine accomplice taken into custody during shoplifting arrest [wtsp.com] Read the rest
‘I’m the sheriff’: Gentleman in phony cop car halted by actual lawman
A sheriff in suburban Detroit was not fooled by a suspicious gentleman driving what appeared to be a police car.[NARRATOR: It was not a police car.]Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard told reporters he was driving away from a meeting Thursday, and saw a vehicle with police-style bumpers, various lights on the rear end, and an “emergency response” decal.Sheriff Bouchard hit the emergency light switch on his car, and stopped the weird vehicle, which also had a fake radar on the dashboard and a 'police' computer.And he found a loaded .45 glock and a large Bowie knife.“He looks at me and says, ‘Who are you?’ And I said, ‘I’m the sheriff. Who are you?’” Bouchard told Detroit, Michigan news channel WDIV-TV.More:‘I’m the sheriff. Who are you?’: Mike Bouchard pulls over man posing as a cop[clickondetroit.com]Read more at the Associated Press:‘I’m the sheriff’: Detroit-area lawman stops phony cop car Read the rest
New York state sues Trump admin for Global Entry ban against NYers
• NY lawsuit vs. Trump to challenge federal ban on New Yorkers from enrolling in programs that allow travelers to skip ahead at airport security linesBREAKING NEWS: Don't fuck with New York. New York is suing the Trump Administration because Trump just blocked state residents from enrolling in the Global Entry.Trump's Department of Homeland Security toadies announced on Wednesday that DHS was going to start blocking anyone who claims residency in New York from participating in Trusted Traveler Programs, which includes Global Entry.These programs function as ways to reduce the burden of security theater on individual travelers through screening and enrollment.Time and time again President Trump has gone out of his way to punish New York and other blue states for refusing to fall in line with their dangerous and divisive agenda.New York will sue over @DHSGov's decision to ban New Yorkers from the Trusted Traveler Program. https://t.co/D6Yy4dWRdH— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) February 7, 2020“We’re going to disclose this political intrusion into government, this ham-handed political tactic, that once again hurts New Yorkers to make their political point,” New York's Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo said at a Manhattan news conference on Friday.From the New York Times:The decision was a response to a recent New York law that lets undocumented immigrants who live in the state obtain driver’s licenses. The statute, known as the green light law, also prohibits federal immigration officials from gaining access to Department of Motor Vehicles databases without a court order. Read the rest
China mourns Li Wenliang, the Wuhan whistleblower doctor who warned of coronavirus outbreak
• Online tributes and expressions of grief for doctor who tried to sound alarm on NCoVOnline in China, where Novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV has now killed at least 630 as of today, one death seems to have affected the entire country profoundly.Li Wenliang was a medical doctor and a whistleblower who was reprimanded by authorities for warning of a fast-escalating and deadly outbreak of a strange new virus. He died yesterday, of the virus he warned others about. Hundreds have died, and yet this is the fatality that is shaking China. https://t.co/5gMrjoTCTg— Carlos Tejada (@CRTejada) February 7, 2020The tributes and memorials are -- wow. Wow. Wow.This one, below? the person in the snow? It says “Farewell Li Wenliang.”Their body forms an exclamation point.#FoundOnWeChat Shared from Weibo~ pic.twitter.com/brVw7U3PWf— RF Parsley (@sanverde) February 7, 2020Here are a few more, from China-based photojournalists, reporters, and others. Can’t confirm, but this is supposed to be the salute given to Li Wenliang tonight in Wuhan. If it’s real, it’s incredible. The physical version of what’s been happening on the Chinese Internet for the past 24 hours. https://t.co/I68qdqUtgs— Paul Mozur 孟建国 (@paulmozur) February 7, 2020Latest censored on Weibo:"Tonight, let me blow the whistle for Wuhan."This is an online call for people in Wuhan, Hubei and the rest of the world to mourn Li Wenliang's death & pay tribute8:55-9:00 Light off 9:00-9:05 Shine flashlight out the window & blow the whistle pic.twitter.com/gJHI8vSAHM— Nectar Gan (@Nectar_Gan) February 7, 2020In Hong Kong too, people are paying their respects and mourning the death of Dr Li Wenliang, who tried to alert China to the coronavirus but was reprimanded for it. Read the rest
Floria Sigismondi spends 72 hours filming legendary outre filmmaker, Kenneth Anger, at the Chateau Marmont
If your idea of a good time is watching a Gucci glammed up Kenneth Anger lounging around all over the Chateau Marmont hotel, check out this five minute mini-doc done by the fabulous Floria Sigismondi (one of my faves). Sigismondi was commissioned by System magazine to do the shot as part of Fashion Film Festival Milano. The film ended up winning two awards at the 2019 festival, Best Fashion Film and Best Editing.[H/t Rodney Orpheus]Image: Screengrab from the film Read the rest
Video diary of Wuhan man whose wife is infected with Coronavirus
VIDEO: Episode One of “Our Coronavirus Diary.”There is an incredible series of videos making the rounds today, and they are identified as being produced by a man in Wuhan, China, self-quarantined in his apartment with his wife--who is infected with the deadly Novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV.Hard to know how to verify the content. Here's what's listed alongside the video on YouTube's "Ergeng Video" account:Li Ting was an emergency room nurse in Wuhan kept fighting to CoA in the frontline. Unfortunately, she was infected with CoA. Her husband, Hai Tang, is one of the cameramen in Wuhan division of Ergeng. He uses his camera to record the days he and his wife fight with CoA. He also would like to use the videos recorded to encourage all patients.Ergeng will keep publishing more videos about the nurse. Please subscribe to watch our latest video.Gosh I just discovered they have a small child whom they sent away because of this virus.On the phone the child keeps saying I miss you.Please if there’s any God operating out there, let this couple survive.— Tumbin Sikari 🌕 (@sugabelly) February 7, 2020 Read the rest
This metal Swingline stapler isn't red, but it's cheap
My red Swingline stapler has been sparking joy since 2008, but if you don't care about the color, this black version is just on Amazon. At that price, you won't be tempted to set your building on fire should someone take it from you. Read the rest
A Cape Town diner wins Guinness World Record for most milkshake flavors
If you dined at Gibson's Gourmet Burgers and Ribs every Saturday night, it would take four years (minus one weekend) to try every milkshake flavor on the menu. So it's for obvious reasons that this burger and milkshake joint in Cape Town, South Africa, that offers 207 different milkshakes, earned the Guinness World Record for "Most Varieties of Milkshakes Commercially Available."Flavors include the usuals, like vanilla and chocolate, as well as more creative concoctions, like jelly and custard, coffee and donut, brandy tart, rocky road, kit kat, rosewater and marshmallow, nutella, and orange blossom and pansies, just to name a few.And if you're a restaurant owner with a competitive streak, don't even think about trying to beat this record. Gibson's co-owner Ian Halfon says (in the video below) that if someone attempts to put 207 milkshake flavors on their menu, he'll just add another one to his. Red Velvet: View this post on Instagram Red Velvet Milkshake ❤️ prometo que em breve as fotos de doce acabam (infelizmente) . #milkshake #delicious #superfitA post shared by Maria ✨ (@transicaoecoragem) on Nov 14, 2019 at 10:50am PST Bubblegum: View this post on Instagram I finally had my Bubblegum Milkshake @ismaaeelwagiet 😂 #blue #soblue #bubblegum #bubblegummilkshake #milkshake #ivewantedthisforsolong #sodamngood #yummy #gibsonsburgers #gibsonsburgerscapetown #vandawaterfront #capetownA post shared by Ann (@annwats78) on Nov 30, 2019 at 6:51am PST Trifle: View this post on Instagram Lunch Trifle ShakeA post shared by Martin Samuels (@martinsamuels) on Nov 4, 2018 at 2:41am PST Source: Reuters Read the rest
Worldwide vinyl supply may be threatened after devastating Apollo Masters fire
The vinyl record industry could be in for real trouble after a devastating fire on February 6th completely destroyed the vinyl manufacturing facility, Apollo Masters, in Banning, CA. Ben Blackwell, co-founder of Third Man Records, tells Pitchfork via email:“From my understanding, this fire will present a problem for the vinyl industry worldwide. There are only TWO companies that make lacquers in the world, and the other, MDC in Japan, already had trouble keeping up with demand BEFORE this development.” (The emphasis is Blackwell’s.)Blackwell also wrote that there have been “whispers” of another company “entertaining the idea” of entering the lacquer marketplace, but that Apollo was also the “primary or possibly only supplier of the styli” that are used in the vinyl pressing process. “I imagine this will affect EVERYONE, not just Third Man Pressing and Third Man Mastering, but to what extent remains to be seen.”Read the rest on Pitchfork.Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash Read the rest
Virginia will eliminate state holiday honoring confederate generals and make Election Day a holiday instead
Lee-Jackson Day is a state holiday in Virginia, meant to honor Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson as "defenders of causes." But the Virginia House voted to stop lionizing the slave-owning generals and instead establish an "Election Day" on the first Tuesday after the First Monday in November.Not everyone is happy with the change, reports CNN:Lee-Jackson Day, founded more than 100 years ago, is observed with Civil War-themed parades, wreath layings and reenactments hosted by Confederate memorial groups, though these celebrations are increasingly unpopular. Defenders of the holiday say it honors Virginia history."I think Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee are some of the greatest men to have ever lived," a supporter named Carson Via told the Roanoke Times at last month's Lee-Jackson Day celebration in Lexington while dressed in a Civil War uniform. "Great men, and we're all getting washed away."Virginia has struggled to confront its Confederate legacy in recent years. In April, a Virginia judge ruled that statues of Lee and Jackson in Charlottesville were "war monuments" that the city couldn't remove without permission from the state.Image: CC0 Public Domain Read the rest
Joy Division "Unknown Pleasures" puffer jacket
Los Angeles streetwear brand Pleasures celebrated the 40th anniversary of Joy Division's "Unknown Pleasures" album with a licensed line of apparel including this puffer jacket. The clothing, including hats and t-shirts, feature a plot of radio frequencies of the first pulsar discovered by scientists, a visualization that Peter Saville brilliantly borrowed for the album's cover art. (More on that in this Scientific American article.)The reversible puffer jacket is $240 from Crusoe & Sons.(via Uncrate) Read the rest
Sales of Apple Watches eclipse watch sales of entire Swiss watch industry
Sales of Swiss watches are declining, and sales of Apple watches are rising steeply. This must be a surprise to the makers of Swiss luxury watches, who lifted their imperious snouts in disdain at the cough-drop shaped Apple Watch when it first came out. From Enrique Dans's piece in Forbes, titled, How Apple Killed The Swiss Watch Industry:In 2015, the year the Apple Watch was launched, LVMH watch division president and Tag Heuer CEO Jean-Claude Biver said the Swiss industry was not afraid of Apple’s new product, because it could not be repaired in a thousand years or eighty years, nor inherited by children, nor would it ever become a status symbol. As is always the case when disruption occurs in an industry, traditional competitors are not able to see the threat, and continue to try to analyze it according to the variables that were important yesterday.Dans writes, "As soon as you start using the Apple Watch, you realize one thing is clear: the rest of your watch collection will live on in a drawer from now on."Photo by Chris Abney on Unsplash Read the rest
Here's a simple recipe for making Japanese style fluffy pancakes
A while back I posted about the kind of fluffy pancakes you can get in Japan and how one guy said he makes them in a rice cooker. I still haven't tried it yet, but here's a simple recipe that I'd like to try from Kitchn:Here’s how to make it at home: All you do is grease the insides of your rice cooker, pour your pancake batter in, set it to “cook/warm,” close the top, and for a 10-cup rice cooker, set the timer for 45 minutes or so, keeping an eye on it. Don’t worry if the giant pancake appears “wet” when you open the top. It’s just condensation from the steam. But do yourself a favor and give it a touch: it should feel firm and bouncy.Image: Flipper's Pancake in Tokyo by Mark Frauenfelder, CC BY-SA 4.0 Read the rest
Technology company co-founder reports car stolen to avoid mechanic's bill
Rather than pay a large repair bill, a gentleman the Marin Independent Journal identified as "the co-founder of a San Francisco technology security firm" apparently reported the car stolen and received a nice insurance payout....and then the police found the car.Marin IJ:“Dhoopar told the CHP and his insurance company that the car was stolen off his street,” Petersen said, “when in fact it had been reported stolen shortly after Dhoopar learned of a large repair bill that he would be receiving from the mechanic.”The insurer paid Dhoopar about $8,200, the full value of the car.Investigators arranged a meeting with Dhoopar on Tuesday in Corte Madera, presented him with the evidence and made the arrest.Dhoopar, the cofounder of a San Francisco technology security firm, could not be reached for comment. Read the rest
A humorous comparison of Trump and Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast
Still seething from the impeachment trial (and if it wasn't that, it would be something else), Trump had a hard time containing himself the following morning at the National Prayer Breakfast. His morning speech was full of his usual narcissistic vitriol. What makes it even more amusing is the comparison between him and Barack Obama in Jimmy Kimmel's montage above. Read the rest
Wacom tablet drivers track apps you open
Robert Heaton actually read the license agreement Wacom wants users of its tablets sign up for, having begun to wonder at what lay within. Alarmed by the expansive, vague clauses therein, he set about intercepting the data going between the gadget's drivers and Wacom's servers. They track every application you open. [via fnordius]I suspect that Wacom doesn’t really think that it’s acceptable to record the name of every application I open on my personal laptop. I suspect that this is why their privacy policy doesn’t really admit that this is what that they do. I imagine that if pressed they would argue that the name of every application I open on my personal laptop falls into one of their broad buckets like “aggregate data” or “technical session information”, although it’s not immediately obvious to me which bucket.It’s well-known that no one reads privacy policies and that they’re often a fig leaf of consent at best. But since Wacom’s privacy policy makes no mention of their intention to record the name of every application I open on my personal laptop, I’d argue that it doesn’t even give them the technical-fig-leaf-right to do so. In fact, I’d argue that even if someone had read and understood Wacom’s privacy policy, and had knowingly consented to a reasonable interpretation of the words inside it, that person would still not have agreed to allow Wacom to log and track the name of every application that they opened on their personal laptop.The wildest thing is Wacom seems to have noticed he was doing tests on their servers that would expose the data collection, and turned it off for a while. Read the rest
The only car from the 1980s I'd drive
Delightful, but barely adequate, the Vanagon is one of the few enduring cars from a decade of shit. This 1987 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia is just waiting for you to make it your own.Bring-a-trailer:This 1987 Volkswagen Vanagon is a Westfalia camper equipped with a pop-top and canvas tent as well as a sleeping loft, convertible bed, stove, refrigerator, sink, and utility hookups. Power comes from a water-cooled 2.1-liter flat-four paired with a four-speed manual transaxle, and the van is finished in metallic blue over a gray cloth interior. New tires were fitted and an oil change, tune-up, and front brake work were performed in the last 500 miles. This Westy Vanagon shows 38k miles and is offered by the selling dealer on consignment at no reserve with curtains, a ladder, manufacturer’s literature, a clean Carfax report, and a clean Florida title. Read the rest
Man climbs stairs with head
The Guinness Book of Records recognizes Li Longlong of China as the person who has climbed the most consecutive stairs with his head. He's held the record since 2012, but extended it in 2015.This video is of his latest attempt was on the set of CCTV Guinness World Records Special in 2015, where he achieved a new record by climbing 36 stairs.Guinness posted an article about him this week, explaining the rules thus: "the participant must not pause for more than five seconds between steps, and that no part of the body other than the head may touch them." Read the rest
Wooden toy train stunts
The literature promises "sick drifts and flips on the Island of Sodor" and that's exactly what you get. Read the rest
Driverless delivery van to be road-tested in Texas
An autonomous delivery van will be tested on the streets of Houston, Texas. It's the first driverless vehicle to win an exemption from requirements that a human operator be present.US transport secretary Elaine Chao said given that the vehicle's top speed is capped at 25mph, these requirements "no longer make sense". The Department of Transportation (DoT) will also be enforcing greater oversight of the testing. It will require Nuro to report information about the operation of the R2 and reach out to the communities where the vehicle will be tested. In a blog post, Nuro's co-founder Dave Ferguson said the decision was a "milestone for the industry". Read the rest
This feature-laden smart suitcase was a Kickstarter favorite
Any frequent traveler will tell you that one of the most important things you can do in order to ensure that you’re comfortable on the go is to have a great piece of luggage. But luggage has come a long way since its humble inception, and it’s now possible to grab a piece of gear that can make your travel life much easier in more ways than one.The Runner: Smart Luggage Set offers unparalleled convenience and functionality for travelers, and it’s available for 19% off its usual price right now.Having raised over $300K on Kickstarter, this suitcase package is a must-have item for any serious traveler.It comes fully-loaded with features like a Smart Lock (which uses Face ID, Touch ID, and Morse Code), built-in weight sensors to ensure that you don’t get charged extra fees at the airport, removable wheels that are easy to replace, a removable battery pack that can be used to charge your devices, and a removable protective sleeve for your laptop.You also get a supremely cool and unique design that’s virtually impossible to damage, along with full access to all of your go-to electronics.Up your travel game with The Runner: Smart Luggage Set while it’s available for 19% off its usual price at $367.99. Read the rest
US Customs destroys the instrument of renowned Mali musician Ballaké Sissoko
This is so heartbreaking. Ballaké Sissoko, the highly-acclaimed African musician from Mali, claims that US Customs officials destroyed his custom-made, irreplaceable kora instrument. He arrived back in Paris after a US tour to find his beloved instrument in pieces, with one of those all-too-familiar TSA notices in the case. Here is a 2011 performance of Ballaké (with Vincent Segal) on All Songs Considered. Image: Post on Ballaké Sissoko's Facebook page. Read the rest
Ace your taxes and become more financially literate with this training
The dreaded tax season is nearly upon us, but you don’t have to suffer this year as you dig up old receipts and fill out an endless number of forms.In fact, you can turn this tax season into an opportunity to maximize your returns while boosting your financial literacy when you pick up the Be a Tax Expert 9-Course Certification Bundle for just $39.With 9 best-selling courses led by the beloved CPA instructor Robert Steele, this training will take the headaches out of doing your taxes while helping you become more financially literate.Through detailed and easy-to-follow lessons, this bundle will walk you through how to file and manage vital tax documents that can save your family or business countless dollars, how to enter tax data for an S corporation while claiming every possible deduction, how to manage corporate income tax, and more.There’s also essential information for small business owners and freelancers who want to maximize deductions without running into any problems down the line, and you’ll even learn how to take advantage of educational tax credits for you and your family.Make the most out of tax season this year with the Be a Tax Expert 9-Course Certification Bundle while it’s available for over 95% off MSRP at just $39. Read the rest
Watch Adam Savage get zapped by electricity
A fun video from 2011 Maker Faire. After his talk, Adam Savage (back when Mythbusters was still on the air) performs the Doctor Who theme song with ArcAttack.We do love Adam Savage around here at Boing Boing. Subscribe to ADAM SAVAGE'S TESTED, his great new YouTube channel.[via IMGUR, congrats, Kristen Lomasney!]Adam Savage does ArcAttack Read the rest
Bermeja, the island that vanished off the coast of the Yucatán peninsula
On this Thoughty2 video, Arran tells the fascinating tale of Bermeja, an allegedly 80 square kilometers island indicated on many maps, starting in the 16th and 17th centuries. The problem is, it doesn't appear to actually exist. Many theories abound about what could have happened to it or why it would be on so many old maps if it never existed. I love the idea that it was put there by a mapmaker as a kind of watermark to prove that other cartographers had simply copied his work. Mexico has gone to great lengths to try and prove the existence of the island because it would give them oil drilling rights for 200 miles around it. Image: YouTube Read the rest
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