Boing Boing

Garden Jawa

Cory Doctorow — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:37:54 PST

Bonnie sez, "Measuring close to a foot tall and crafted in durable all-weather resin, the Garden Jawa protects your tomatoes, zucchini, and daffodils from the dark side, armed with a garden tool bandolier, a garden hose, and a thumbs-up attitude. Reflective amber-colored eyes peek out from underneath his hood, challenging any unwelcome visitors looking to feast on his turf. True to nature, the Garden Jawa is still up to the well-known mischievous antics we know from the movies. Case in point: If you've caught StarWars.com's Flickr sets lately, you may have caught this little guy sneaking into Skywalker Ranch to snag some pics in front of the Main House. We've also caught him snooping around Lucasfilm's Presidio campus, reclaiming a bit of green from the dry California summer months. "

Garden Jawa a StarWarsShop Exclusive (Thanks, Bonnie!)

Crime ring that hit 280 cities' ATMs at once busted

Cory Doctorow — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:28:56 PST

The global crime ring that hit ATMs in 280 cities worldwide last year simultaneously for $9 million have allegedly been busted.

A federal grand jury in Atlanta has indicted eight men in connection with the scheme, including five Estonians, one Russian, one Moldovan and one unidentified man. Prosecutors allege that the men "used sophisticated hacking techniques" to defeat the company's encryption system. The scam, which hit RBS WorldPay last November, involved an elaborate plan in which the attackers first bypassed the encryption on the debit cards, which RBS WorldPay issues to customers for employee payroll purposes. They then raised the limits on the accounts attached to the cards.
Once that was done, the gang then allegedly "provided a network of 'cashers' with 44 counterfeit payroll debit cards, which were used to withdraw more than $9 million from more than 2,100 ATMs in at least 280 cities worldwide, including cities in the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Italy, Hong Kong, Japan and Canada. The $9 million loss occurred within a span of less than 12 hours," the Department of Justice said in a statement on the indictments released Tuesday.

U.S. Takes Down $9 Million RBS WorldPay Hacking Ring (via /.)

Sapolsky's outstanding Stanford lecture on "The Uniqueness of Humans"

Cory Doctorow — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:23:54 PST

Stanford primatologist and anthropologist Robert Sapolsky scores big with this grad lecture on "The Uniqueness of Humans," a humbling, inspiring and sweet 30 minutes on what it is about humans that makes us unique from our animal cousins, and how many of the seemingly unique features of humanity can be found elsewhere.

Sapolsky make me want to go back to school, enrolling in the Stanford anthropology program, just so I can take his classes.

Class Day Lecture 2009: The Uniqueness of Humans (Thanks, Avi!)

Previously:

Space Mountain queue gets short-play video-games

Cory Doctorow — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:17:47 PST

A reader writes, "Passengers riding Walt Disney World's updated Space Mountain attraction will be able to play video games as they wait in line. Each game lasts about 90 seconds with a 90-second interval and the games can accommodate 86 players at one time."

Space Mountain is a notorious slow loader (all coasters are, since they can't do that lovely continuous belt thing that characterizes, say, the Haunted Mansion; nor do they support giant boats like Pirates of the Caribbean). Anything to make the queue less dull is great news!

Walt Disney World's Classic Space Mountain Attraction to Reopen with a Few Surprises

Previously:

Super Mario gloves

Cory Doctorow — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:13:22 PST

Crafster member Leahseraph, the creator of these Super Mario Fire-Flower gloves "just winged it," making up the pattern as she went.

Geek Craft: Super Mario knitted flower gloves (via Wonderland)

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Sweet, inadvertent Sesame Street PSA for gay marriage

Cory Doctorow — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:10:02 PST

Monsters and Rockets sez, "Sesame Street is 40 years old today! In this early clip, Grover and a little boy named Jesse define marriage. It's a cute bit, but the remarkable thing is that given recent headlines this actually plays a lot like a PSA about gay marriage. At no point do Grover and Jesse say that a married couple has to be a man and a woman, and the things they say make up a marriage - kissing, hugging, being friends, helping each other - would apply to any married couple, straight or gay."

Sesame Street: Grover discusses What Is Marriage? (Thanks, Monsters and Rockets!)

Previously:

T-Mobile aggressively rolling out 21Mbps wireless broadband

Xeni Jardin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:46:03 PST

Glenn Fleishman of WiFi Net News says, "T-Mobile is going full throttle on building out faster mobile broadband networks: 21 Mbps starting next year. Hallelujah, said the netbook. (For comparison, 3G speeds = up to 14 down, 5.8 up.)

The men who stare at Goatse

Xeni Jardin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:16:06 PST

Found on Sean Bonner's tumblog.

Food Fight

Maggie Koerth-Baker — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:55:36 PST

The Good News: If you're in New Orleans on November 22, you can watch a mock battle between Jared the Subway guy and the inventor of the po' boy sandwich (both are reenactors as the po' boy inventor is dead and Jared is probably not allowed to participate in anti-fast food stage combat). The Bad News: The fact that such an event exists bodes poorly for the future of po' boy itself. The sandwich, which owes its name and origins to 1929 labor disputes, is losing ground to fast-food chains, a still under-populated city and cost-cutting measures. From The New York Times.

Yves Béhar's seven-hour vibrator

Mark Frauenfelder — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:38:17 PST

Yves Béhar (who is in an epic struggle with Marc Newson to claim the title of "sexiest industrial designer alive") designed this vibrator. It looks like a Miyazaki cartoon creature.

The Form 2 takes a two-pronged approach to the vibrator, giving its user what they're calling "Sensation in Stereo." The "ears" can be positioned independently like a Gumby action figure for maximum, um, range, and the entire thing is made from phthalate-free platinum silicone to be completely waterproof. There's even a cute iPod-esque docking station for charging and it can operate UP TO SEVEN HOURS on a single charge.

A New Vibrator by Yves Behar Arouses Our Interest

Previously:

MJ's funeral cost a mil

Xeni Jardin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:46:53 PST

Michael Jackson's funeral cost one million dollars. His final outfit cost $35,000, and the flowers cost $16,000. Lord. Obviously I'm no MJ anyhow, but when I die, if there's a mil lying around? Feel free to bury me in nekkid dirt and use the rest to feed pie to starving kids.

Lovecraft sculptures

Mark Frauenfelder — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:00:46 PST

Joe Broers makes Cthulhu Mythos sculptures, which come with "fictitious 'documentation' that helps provide a feeling of verisimilitude to the project."

Miskatonic Valley Fine Art (Via Superpunch)

Teenage Ray Kurzweil on "I've Got A Secret"

David Pescovitz — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:30:33 PST

Hey look, it's Singularity evangelist and famed inventor Ray Kurzweil appearing on a 1965 episode of "I've Got A Secret." He was 17 years old. Check out the video of the appearance at the new Imaginary Foundation blog. "Ray Kurzweil's Got A Secret"

Growing penis tissue in the lab

David Pescovitz — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:08:06 PST

Researchers have grown replacement penis tissue for rabbits from the animals' own cells. The erectile tissue was then implanted and the rabbits apparently went on to screw like rabbits, successfully reproducing. According to the scientists at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, this was the "most complete replacement of functional penile erectile tissue reported to date." Someday, the technique could help human patients who require penile reconstruction due to abnormalities, cancer, or injury. It might even be used to treat extreme cases of erectile dysfunction. The research was led by tissue engineering pioneer Dr. Anthony Atala, who I posted about in 2006 for his success engineering an artificial bladder that has since helped more than two dozen patients. From the Medical Center:

The scientists first harvested smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells, the same type of cells that line blood vessels, from the animals’ erectile tissue. These cells were multiplied in the laboratory. Using a two-step process, the cells were injected into a three-dimensional scaffold that provided support while the cells developed. As early as one month after implanting the scaffold in the animal’s penis, organized tissue with vessel structures began to form.
The cells were injected into scaffolds on two separate days, enabling them to hold almost six times as many smooth muscle cells as in the previous studies – which the scientists believe was a key to success. During an erection, it is the relaxation of smooth muscle tissue that allows an influx of blood into the penis. The relaxation is triggered by the release of nitric oxide from endothelial cells...
Functional testing of the implanted tissue showed that vessel pressure within the erectile tissue was normal, that blood flowed smoothly through it, that the response to nitric oxide-induced relaxation was normal as early as one month after implantation, and that veins drained normally after erection.

"Laboratory-Grown Replacement of Penile Erectile Tissue"

Previously:

Organs grown from patients' cells - Boing Boing

Blackwater accused of $1 Million in secret payoffs to silence Iraqi officials

Xeni Jardin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:02:44 PST

NYT: Mercenary overlords at Blackwater made secret payoffs of about $1 million to Iraqi officials to silence criticism and buy support after Blackwater security guards shot and killed 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad.

Archaeologists May Have Found Remains of Lost Persian Army

Maggie Koerth-Baker — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:56:30 PST

2,500 years ago, an army of 50,000 men left an oasis in western Egypt and were never heard from again. Now, archaeologists think they may have uncovered the missing troops, who were probably killed in a sandstorm.

...the team decided to investigate Bedouin stories about thousands of white bones that would have emerged decades ago during particular wind conditions in a nearby area. Indeed, they found a mass grave with hundreds of bleached bones and skulls. "We learned that the remains had been exposed by tomb robbers and that a beautiful sword which was found among the bones was sold to American tourists," Castiglioni said.

And now, unless popular film and novels have lied to us all, every last one of those skeletons will struggle to its feet and--enraged at the disruption of a centuries' long slumber--visit destruction upon archaeologist and Bedouin alike.

Vanished Persian Army Said Found in Desert, from MSNBC, via Martin Bosworth, who agrees with me about the inevitable walking skeletons. In your heart of hearts, you know we're right.

Image courtesy Flickr user spratmackrel, via CC

Cellphones and Cancer: OMG + FUD + WTF

Xeni Jardin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:54:01 PST

Everyone's still confused about whether there's a link between cellphone use and cancer. In other news, everyone's still worried there may be a link between cellphone use and cancer. Safer either way, perhaps: use corded earbuds to reduce RF exposure?

Frank Fairfield is totally awesome

Xeni Jardin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:09:38 PST

Last week, I stumbled into a jam session with Frank Fairfield and other musicians by accident, and blogged a quick iPhone video snapshot. The next day, I started googling and YouTubing and Myspacing to find out more about each of the musicians, and found this. A stunning video of Fairfield performing "Nine Pound Hammer." Give me chills. Shot and directed by Keith Musil (I'm dying to know what he shot with, doesn't it look great?).

There are a few more YT clips in this series, they're all gorgeous. I missed Fairfield's live show last night at the Redwood in LA with Blind Boy Paxton, but I hope to catch them, together or separately, soon.

Robin from the Fleet Foxes described him like this, in Rolling Stone:

"He's like 26 years old and he sounds like Mississippi John Hurt," says Robin. Fairfield plays fiddle and banjo player and strums back-porch bluegrass, complete with shaky jug-band vocals reminiscent of The Foggy Mountain Boys from way back in the '40s (think O Brother, Where Art Thou?).
"He's kinda crazy," says Robin. "He has his own radio show where he just plays these old gramophones. He just puts a mic up and plays all these field recordings from the 1900s; it's insane. He dresses like it's the early 1900s. He's born out of time, and his voice is amazing."

Buy his music: His self-titled album Frank Fairfield, and the EP I've Always Been a Rambler (Amazon MP3s).

He's playing a bunch of West Coast US tour dates from now through January: San Francisco, Eugene, Portland, Tacoma, Seattle and other ports of call.

Videos:
• Frank Fairfield - "Nine Pound Hammer"
• Frank Fairfield - "Short Life of Trouble"
• Frank Fairfield - "Tim Brooks"

Some blog posts about Fairfield: LA Record, naturalismo, passionweiss. And here's an LA Weekly profile.

Purses made to look like book covers

Lisa Katayama — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:08:27 PST

This is not a book. It's a fabulous little clutch purse that looks like a book cover made by Olympia LeTan. via Kottke.org

Death-ray enthusiast calls for official "Anti-Muslim 'Backlash'"

Xeni Jardin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:35:10 PST

Mil-tech reporter Noah Shachtman: "First, he said he found Saddam's WMD bunkers. Then, he claimed the U.S. military was zapping animals to death with real-life ray guns. Now (...) former Air Force Office of Special Investigations agent Dave Gaubatz is calling for a 'professional and legal backlash against the Muslim community and their leaders,' following the Ft. Hood massacre."

Beautiful infographic: "The Ancient Hebrew Conception of the Universe"

Xeni Jardin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:27:22 PST

Michæl.Paukner's "The ancient Hebrew Conception of the Universe to illustrate the account of creation and the flood." Flickr link, but you really have to see it at the largest possible size.

Alien Appearance

Maggie Koerth-Baker — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:06:59 PST

Extraterrestrial Life Forms: If they exist, do they look like they came from "Star Trek" central casting? In this Scientific American article, Michael Shermer runs some thought experiments about the appearance of E.T. His conclusion: Don't get too attached to this humanoid (or, even, bi-pedal) thing.

Americans watch about 5 hours of TV every day.

Xeni Jardin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:54:53 PST

The Nielsen company reports today that for the 2008-09 season, viewing hit an all-time high: Americans spent about 5 hours a day in front of the TV, up four minutes from last year, up 20% from 10 years ago.

Los Angeles: GAMA-GO sale on Saturday

David Pescovitz — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:44:55 PST

The big GAMA-GO caravan of savings heads down to Los Angeles on Saturday, November 14! Stop by the Bigfoot Lodge and say hi to our Yeti-lovin' pals.
GAMA-GO: LA Holiday Sale

Troubled female ex-astronaut makes plea deal

Xeni Jardin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:46:44 PST

Lisa Nowak, the troubled ex-astronaut whose romantic revenge plot involved diapers, pepper spray, and a car trunk full of kidnapping supplies, today pleaded guilty to felony car burglary and misdemeanor battery.

Slow loris: possibly cutest animal ever

Xeni Jardin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:41:07 PST

This is surely one of the most adorable animal YouTubes in the history of all internets. (via @maggiekb1 via this blog).

Jan & Kjeld play "Tiger Rag" on banjo

Mark Frauenfelder — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:35:36 PST

Jan & Kjeld are Swedish brothers who made a number of banjo records in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Their rendition of "Tiger Rag" in 1959 was popular in Germany. (Via PCL Lunkdump)

MADD honoree trooper busted for DWI

David Pescovitz — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:32:30 PST

Ohio state trooper Gerald Gibson, who was once honored by MADD for having made the most DWI arrests in the city of Lima, was arrested last weekend for drunk driving. (Cincinnati Enquirer, thanks Charles Pescovitz!)

Buzz Aldrin: Honorary Consul General to the Moon

Xeni Jardin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:13:09 PST

Today, the Los Angeles city council appointed Gemini 12 and Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin as its "Honorary Consul General to the Moon."

Inebriated woman falls in front of oncoming train

Mark Frauenfelder — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:20 PST

A woman who appears to have been inebriated fell onto the tracks in a Boston subway as a train was rushing towards her. People on the platform frantically waved at the train, which stopped in the nick of time.