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Tilt-shift
You know how in old movies, models always look fake? We see that the focus is too shallow, which tips us off to the fact that it's a small model.
Olivo Barbieri's aerial photographs reverse this effect. Using something called a "tilt-shift lens", the film backing (or digital backing) gets placed parallel to the ground, while the lens can be tilted anywhere you'd like. The result is an image with little vanishing point, and apparently shallow focus.
Blue Jake discusses the effect (and gets some great shots) here.
Google Detente
Google's response to their decision to operate filtered in China.
It hadn't occurred to me that the filtered results will show evidence that they are filtered. I like this touch. Google basically gets to say, "and there's more stuff but your government doesn't want you to see it." I suppose the necessary addendum to "Don't Be Evil" is, "but if it's the only option, do it half-assedly and with a passive-aggressive streak."
Legalized Medical Cowabunga
Hang loose, snot loose. Cystic fibrosis surfers notice a huge improvement in symptoms, due to the ameliorative effects of salt water. Basically since it's hypertonic, it leeches water from the lung mucosa, creating a lubricated surface and helping to clear the sticky, crusty CF mucus. Tubular!
No man is an island, but get enough garbage together...
Building your own island paradise out of soda bottles. And think of the deposit value! Via digg.
Swedes to drop Fossil Fuels
As of 2020, the only oil in Sweden will be on teenagers' faces, sunbathers, and in meatballs. They'll use wind, waves, etc...
More impressive than Iceland, which has the geothermal advantage and a population of approximately Björk.
The 50 Most Loathesome Americans
The Beast's list scores just about 50 bullseyes. Noteworthy caricatures too. Via MeFi.
The conservative movie guide
National Review lists its favorite conservative movies. I love some of these (It's a Wonderful Life, Shane), and I understand most of the choices. But Ghostbusters? What the fuck?
One of the most interesting choices on the list, as far as I'm concerned, is High Noon. You can see their point: Law and order sheriff, everyone around him cowers but he stands up to the bandits. A fairy tale of George W. Bush's universe, right?
But it was written blacklisted McCarthy victim, Carl Foreman. At the time of its release, it was seen as an allegory of McCarthyism. The sheriff is called out by the gang. He seeks allies and community support, but finds that everyone is hiding at home, paralyzed by fear.
Which just goes to show, we all have the same values, more or less. We just argue about the specifics.
Not dead yet, Jim.
Some enterprising Trekkies have dared to boldly film new adventures. They've got the original Sulu on board. The production values are, um, retro. And Uhura's hot.
The Zork Nomination
You are standing inside a White House, having just been elected to the presidency of the United States. You knew Scalia would pull through for you.
There is a large desk here, along with a few chairs and couches. The presidential seal is in the middle of the room and there is a full-length mirror upon the wall.
(via Mefi)
Judging books by their title
Before even writing "It was a dark and stormy night", you might want to give your title a spin through Lulu's title analyzer.
A dictionary for the verbose
Not exactly the Hemingway type? Enjoy the sound of your own voice? Here's some words to drop. Via mefi.
Computertopia
If you thought plastic fantastic was dead by 1979, think again. IBM didn't get the memo that the late seventies were supposed to be dystopian and national-malaise ridden, and instead presents this vision of an office computing Eden.
Ok that's all overstatement. It's a brochure for the IBM 4331 [part 1 | part 2], lovingly scanned by Raymond Frolich.
Of course, for my money, no computer terminal has ever been as hot as the Olivetti TCV-250.
A little naming help?
If you've got a sloop to name, you might want to think about using some of these famous pirate ship names.
What's your most dangerous idea?
Edge.org asks a bunch of very smart people (Michael Nesmith of the Monkees, Daniel Dennett of the 19th Century Beard Club) what gives them the heebie-jeebies.
Jack Abramoff's other career
O'Reilly, Scooter, now Jack Abramoff. The latest glimpse into the fantasy lives of republicans. This was kicked up by Salon months ago.
Those pesky wmf's
If you're reading this from a PC, and haven't done so already, download and run this code. (you can read about it here, and here's the /. story on the issue.) Some are saying this is the worst computer exploit in some time. It'll be interesting to see what the week looks like.
