Canada changed it's clocks this past weekend as part of the torturous process of daylight savings time. CGP Grey has an excellent video explaining the idiotic process, and some excellent reasons why it no longer makes sense. Video
I've read about this story in the past, but stumbled across it again this week. The story is about an Indian man's struggle to bring sanitary napkins to the poor, and remote areas of the world. Article
If you made this up, people would accuse you of guilding the lily. The man who championed the UK government to introduce porn filters to ISPs was arrested for possession of child pornography. Article
When I buy movies and TV shows, I tend to buy them from iTunes. The system is just too convenient not to. One feature I wish was available was a discount when purchasing something previously rented. I regularly see movies listed which I'm unwilling to pay $20+ for sight unseen, however, I don't want to pay $5 to rent it, and then discover I want to buy it. I've done this a number of times, and often end up waiting for them to appear on Netflix instead. Article
Significant objects is an anthropological experiment designed to explore the power of narrative. Simple, common objects were given detailed stories, and then put for sale online. The results are impressive. Article
I'm not particularly fond of Business Insider, but they have a good guide to starting a watch collection. Article
With the recent revelations that the CIA is spying on the Senate Intelligence Commitee which oversees it, perhaps now US lawmakers will do something about the intelligence community. Article
Speaking of the US and human rights violations, the Chinese have grown tired of the US claiming moral superiority in the world while trying to police it. They have released a paper outlining some of America's transgressions. Article
In the current age of world travel, and instant access to information, learning about other cultures has never been easier. Cultures and language change and grow thanks to interactions with the outside world, and attempts to keep culture "pure" lead to stagnation (just look at Quebec). A recent article in Salon attacked white women for "putting on Arab face", and appropriating Arab culture by taking up belly dancing. The Daily Banter has an amusing rebuttal. Article
Last week I posted a series of new paintings by Steven Strang. Here is a late addition.
When a group of artists see their own shadow while drinking on a patio, does that mean spring is coming?
My introduction to comic books was Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. Sadly most comics are a disappointment after that. It didn't stop me from collecting for years, but Miller was always a favourite. I was ecstatic when he and Robert Rodriguez teamed up to bring Sin City to the big screen. Miller's visual style and story telling work perfectly as a movie storyboard. The sequel to Sin City is due for release in August. It may be one of the few movies I make an effort to see in a theatre. Video
There have been a few attempts to introduce election reform in different countries recently. The Republicans tried to introduce a voter ID law to prevent low income citizens from easily voting. More recently, the Conservative government here in Canada is trying to railroad through the Fair Elections Act in an attempt to increase their funding, and make it more difficult for citizens unlikely to vote for them. This bill has very few upsides, and needs to be stopped. (As an aside, naming something The Fair Elections Act isn't going to fool anyone. Just like calling yourself the Democratic or People's Republic of somewhere isn't fooling anyone into believing you're not a dictatorship.) Article
Male modeling is one of the few industries where men are paid significantly less than women (the others are porn and prostitution). The Guardian talks with a male model about the business. Article
I have a couple of Pegs in the shop, and use them as stands for my iPhone and iPad. The Federal's scratch and dent sale is a great chance to buy the Peg at a discount. Article
Vellum was the medium of choice for book making for over a thousand years. The process of making it is no longer broadly known. This is a great article discussing the details and giving excellent sources to find out more. Article
Really, who needs freedom of the press anyway? Article
You can probably name a dozen famous male scientists with ease, but are unlikely to be able to name many women scientists. Here are a few you should know more about. Article
This two wheeled car is impressive. Using a pair of gyroscopes, the car can be kept upright, even when hit or pulled. I'd love to see these on the road in the near future. Article
For those of you who are fans of the 90s classic, Hackers, XKCD has a great comic for you. Article
Apple has recently published a white paper on iCloud security details. The paper gives me even more confidence in using iMessage as a secure communications method. Article
I can't eat sushi, but this laser engraved seaweed makes for some striking food. Article
Nuclear energy has been attacked by peace and environmental activists for decades, but the reality is, nuclear energy is our best choice as a sustainable energy source (Pandora's Promise is a good documentary which dispels the myths behind nuclear power). Fusion reactors are the long term dream, but the development process is unnecessarily slow. Article
Love this image from The Canary Islands showing a waterfall of clouds. Article
When you assert, you make an ass out of an emergency response team. Article
Bitcoin has been in the news lately, and is coming onto the radar of non-tech people. The latest episode of The Talk Show with John Gruber discusses Bitcoin and its underlying technology with Glenn Fleishman. The whole episode is 2.5hrs long, but is worth listening to if you want to understand the technology better Podcast
What to watch this week:
I've mentioned HBO's True a Detective already in my link list. The first season ended last night, and if you haven't seen it, the whole season is worth your time and attention. I've also been watching S2 of Line of Duty. It's a Brit police drama, worth a watch. I can also recommend the documentary The City Dark on Netflix. It discusses the issues with light pollution in our modern world.
Previous link posts can be found here