Passive satellite built for NASA’s Project Echo in the 1960s
Thursday, March 23, 2017
‘YCAM’ 10th anniversary poster
Rikako Nagashima (Tokyo, Japan) – Ryuichi Sakamoto ‘YCAM’ 10th anniversary; 2013
Monday, September 07, 2015
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Friday, June 06, 2014
Thursday, June 05, 2014
when the internet dictates art
Artist, Ben Redford asked the internet for suggestions to create a new artwork, stipulating that he's only draw what people told him to. This is the result:
Zoomed in 400%
Zoomed in 400%
For more, go to [Internetopia]
Thursday, April 10, 2014
The day the internet died... [Heartbleed]
Ok, so maybe that's a bit dramatic.
The internet is still there. The thing is, you really just shouldn't log in.
A vulnerability has been discovered on Monday, April 7th 2014 in OpenSSL that makes a secure login and your information saved on those severs visible to nefarious crackers.
It came with an implementation made to OpenSSL two years ago, called Heartbeat, which is a sort of pinging between you and the SSL server to keep your connection alive. This implementation can be exploited and the cracker can then read 64k of the server data at a time, including the SSL Certificate of the website. This vulnerability is called Heartbleed, from the 64k private data that can be bled from the Heartbeat implementation.
It came with an implementation made to OpenSSL two years ago, called Heartbeat, which is a sort of pinging between you and the SSL server to keep your connection alive. This implementation can be exploited and the cracker can then read 64k of the server data at a time, including the SSL Certificate of the website. This vulnerability is called Heartbleed, from the 64k private data that can be bled from the Heartbeat implementation.
Now before you freak out, this doesn't affect the entire internet (or two thirds, as has been widely misreported). It only affects servers running OpenSSL, which excludes 1/3 of the internet already (eg. Microsoft, along with many other websites use Microsoft-IIS/8.0, instead of OpenSSL). This is where mainstream media stopped reading. What they fail to mention, is that this Heartbeat "feature" has to be enabled on the specific implementation of OpenSSL as well. So the good news is that it works out that only about 17% of the internet is vulnerable.
This is where the good news ends though, because, of those 17% compromised sites included are:
Amazon, Imgur.org, Archive.org, OkCupid, Lastpass, Tumblr, Flickr, (actually the entire Yahoo suite, including Yahoo Sports & Finance), 500px, etc..
A list has been posted on GitHub (which was also vulnerable, but has since been fixed)
It is recommended that all servers running OpenSSL either upgrade to TLS 1.1 (TLS 1.0.2b and prior implementations of OpenSSL are vulnerable) or recompile OpenSSL with the heartbeat feature disabled.
For users, you should wait till the websites did this, before you log in, to prevent third parties from seeing your info as you log in to a site that is clearly no longer secure.
So like I said at the start of this. You really shouldn't be on the internet now, at least until all this is fixed.
The great people at LastPass has a little online checker: www.lastpass.com/Heartbleed to check if a website is safe to log into. I recommend you try it before logging into your social media & banking sites, especially is you are one of those people who use one password across many sites. (Don't do it, just use a free password manager like KeePass or LastPass instead.)
That's all from me for now. Keep safe.
Thursday, May 02, 2013
Bad Ideas = Better Ideas
Suggest a Bad Idea to Prompt Better Ideas from Others
Half of the problem with collective indecisiveness is blank slate syndrome. Blogger Jon Bell recommends providing a poor suggestion to a group in order to get better ideas from everyone involved.
Coming up with an idea out of the ether is difficult. Whether it's deciding where to eat, or picking a group activity, conjuring up something everyone will enjoy is a daunting task. If your group is stuck in a rut, try offering an option that nearly everyone will dislike and they may be more inclined to come up with something better. For Jon Bell and his group, recommending McDonald's seems to get the brain juices flowing:
An interesting thing happens. Everyone unanimously agrees that we can’t possibly go to McDonald’s, and better lunch suggestions emerge. Magic!It’s as if we’ve broken the ice with the worst possible idea, and now that the discussion has started, people suddenly get very creative. I call it the McDonald’s Theory: people are inspired to come up with good ideas to ward off bad ones.
The concept works on more than just meal locations. Creativity is born out of brain movement, not stagnation. If you find yourself struggling to come up with a good idea, start with a bad one and try to build on it.
McDonald's Theory | Jon Bell
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
What is wrong with #Facebook #Twitter #GooglePlus sharing, and howIFTTT can help.
It's taken me almost a week to try and figure out how to share across multiple platforms and stay connected with all my various communities, and I have come to the conclusion that there is no elegant solution.
The problem lies in that all the social platforms are not becoming more open, but, in fact, they are more closed than ever.
You can share from Facebook to Twitter fairly seamlessly, by using going to your Twitter settings and linking it to Facebook, and vice versa, but this leaves Google+ out in the cold.
You can use a service like gplus.to to RSS your Google+ feed, and have that then post to Twitter/Facebook/etc. via ifttt.com, but you lose all rich data, like links and images, to be replaced by bit.ly links.
Twitter doesn't auto expand links from bit.ly, nor does Facebook or App.net, which is strange, cause if you post a link natively on those platforms, if will expand, give the webpage title and even an image of the site.
That is how they hook you in and force you to post from their site.
So, the elegant solution with inline images and web-previews are out, but what if you don't have time to check and update all your social networks?
In comes IFTTT.COM
IFTTT.COM (if this then that) is actually a great service, that can do a plethora of things based on rules (they call it recipes) that you set, which, when the rule is met, an action is taken. These actions can vary from mailing you whenever the weather changes at set times of the day, to reposting tagged images on Facebook to Instagram, and there are thousands of pre-made recipes online at their site.
I have recipes that save Instagram photo's Flickr, report on changing weather, post Google+ to Facebook and mirrors my App.net to Twitter. Plus, there are various community builds that use hardware sensors to do all kinds of home automation & social integration (take for example the Belkin WeMo switch).
So, for the time being, or until Google releases the long awaited wrtite API (for more info check here), you are kinda stuck using various hacks, all the while, competing services are becoming more closed and stripping functionality and access from their API's (I am looking at you, Twitter) to force you to use their site.
For more on this, Frederic Lardinois wrote a great article over at TechCrunch.
It's called "Will Google+ Ever Get A Full Read/Write API?"
The problem lies in that all the social platforms are not becoming more open, but, in fact, they are more closed than ever.
You can share from Facebook to Twitter fairly seamlessly, by using going to your Twitter settings and linking it to Facebook, and vice versa, but this leaves Google+ out in the cold.
You can use a service like gplus.to to RSS your Google+ feed, and have that then post to Twitter/Facebook/etc. via ifttt.com, but you lose all rich data, like links and images, to be replaced by bit.ly links.
Twitter doesn't auto expand links from bit.ly, nor does Facebook or App.net, which is strange, cause if you post a link natively on those platforms, if will expand, give the webpage title and even an image of the site.
That is how they hook you in and force you to post from their site.
So, the elegant solution with inline images and web-previews are out, but what if you don't have time to check and update all your social networks?
In comes IFTTT.COM
IFTTT.COM (if this then that) is actually a great service, that can do a plethora of things based on rules (they call it recipes) that you set, which, when the rule is met, an action is taken. These actions can vary from mailing you whenever the weather changes at set times of the day, to reposting tagged images on Facebook to Instagram, and there are thousands of pre-made recipes online at their site.
I have recipes that save Instagram photo's Flickr, report on changing weather, post Google+ to Facebook and mirrors my App.net to Twitter. Plus, there are various community builds that use hardware sensors to do all kinds of home automation & social integration (take for example the Belkin WeMo switch).
So, for the time being, or until Google releases the long awaited wrtite API (for more info check here), you are kinda stuck using various hacks, all the while, competing services are becoming more closed and stripping functionality and access from their API's (I am looking at you, Twitter) to force you to use their site.
For more on this, Frederic Lardinois wrote a great article over at TechCrunch.
It's called "Will Google+ Ever Get A Full Read/Write API?"
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Interior Design predictions 2013
Steve Cordony, interior design editor, Belle magazine, and stylist: “This coming year I think we will see lots of natural materials such as marble, timber, brass, copper and cut glass which evoke a sense of calm and grounding. Using different shades and tones of trending colours such as blue, green and orange will inject warmth into our spaces. Quirky pieces (think spiky sculptures and animal shaped ceramics) and one-off finds will add a sense of interest and adventure into our interiors.”
Stylist and author Megan Morton: “People are now understanding the value and inherent beauty of interiors that are created with hand and heart. This explains the rise and rise of the craft and handmade movement. I predict we will see an even richer combination of made and bought, providing even more delicious spaces.”
Interior designer Greg Natale: “I see Memphis Milano becoming an influence on design again. Memphis was a design movement and furniture company started by Ettore Sottsass in the 80s. It was a reaction against Modernism and I think personally, they were trying to create warm interiors again by injecting humour and colour. What I like about Memphis is the asymmetrical shapes, black and white stripes, strong colour and wit.”
Stylist Jason Grant: “I like to encourage people to find their own style, to buy what they love and not to to be a slave to trends.”
Interior designer David Hicks: “2013 will see individual style flourish as we continue to head in a non-conformist way. Regency, bold patterns and extravagant designs may give way to the liveability of more subtle, tactile designs with pops of pattern and colour.”
Interior designer Aaron Wong: “”I feel that interior design is taking a bigger interest in not just what fills out the room but how the walls and ceilings are treated. I think there will be more interesting finishes for walls and ceilings that go beyond your standard paint and wallpaper. Oh, and brass!”
Stylist Jane Frosh: “‘Gold, peach and dusty emerald confetti bomb explosion. Boom! (How much fun would that be?) Rockstar glam slammed back to earth with natural linens and textiles.”
For more, head to:
http://theinteriorsaddict.com/top-interiors-predictions-for-2013
Stylist and author Megan Morton: “People are now understanding the value and inherent beauty of interiors that are created with hand and heart. This explains the rise and rise of the craft and handmade movement. I predict we will see an even richer combination of made and bought, providing even more delicious spaces.”
Interior designer Greg Natale: “I see Memphis Milano becoming an influence on design again. Memphis was a design movement and furniture company started by Ettore Sottsass in the 80s. It was a reaction against Modernism and I think personally, they were trying to create warm interiors again by injecting humour and colour. What I like about Memphis is the asymmetrical shapes, black and white stripes, strong colour and wit.”
Stylist Jason Grant: “I like to encourage people to find their own style, to buy what they love and not to to be a slave to trends.”
Interior designer David Hicks: “2013 will see individual style flourish as we continue to head in a non-conformist way. Regency, bold patterns and extravagant designs may give way to the liveability of more subtle, tactile designs with pops of pattern and colour.”
Interior designer Aaron Wong: “”I feel that interior design is taking a bigger interest in not just what fills out the room but how the walls and ceilings are treated. I think there will be more interesting finishes for walls and ceilings that go beyond your standard paint and wallpaper. Oh, and brass!”
Stylist Jane Frosh: “‘Gold, peach and dusty emerald confetti bomb explosion. Boom! (How much fun would that be?) Rockstar glam slammed back to earth with natural linens and textiles.”
For more, head to:
http://theinteriorsaddict.com/top-interiors-predictions-for-2013
Animal Chair Collection
Artist, sculptor and photographer, Maximo Riera most recent project, The Animal Chair Collection.
The series of biologically accurate animals covers
mammals, reptiles and insects. The dynamic, sculptural furniture is
daring with strong baroque stylings. The intricate detailing and commitment to anatomical design are
commendable.
For more on The Animal Chair Collection visit Maximo Riera online.
Monday, December 03, 2012
Cat Scratch DJ Deck Toy
Don’t be surprised when you set up Suck UK’s Cat DJ Scratching Deck and find out that Kitty’s scratching is far better than yours. This deck comes flat-packed and folds together with a poseable tone arm and a top that spins as your cat paws at it.
[http://coolhunting.com/]
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Coding while we sleep
It's midnight and I really want to be coding. I'm half way or so through adding a git-annex-shell to git-annex, which will enable some nice features with ssh access. I've done the research, and written the documentation, laid all the necessary refactoring groundwork, and written much of the code and just have to connect it all up and test it.
This is a dangerous point to be at, because I have it all in my head, but I'm tired. If I start coding now, I could make a stupid mistake and find myself stuck in a blind alley at 5 am. I've been there before. Even if I avoid hard stuff, I'd surely look up and an hour or more would have gone by, it'd be past 1 am -- and I know that once I stop coding it can take me hours to spin my thoughts back down to the point where I can go to sleep.
Also, I can feel the back of my mind still working on something. Some bits feel like they might not quite mesh up right in my mental model. I don't consciously know what the problem is. I need to sleep on it; it will probably be clearer later. Like yesterday when I lifted a bag of groceries into the car and paused, realizing code I'd written two months ago had a major bug, one I'd never seen, in an edge case that had never came up, but was surely there.
I always assumed that when programmers got older and stopped coding late it was because they couldn't take the strain. Nah. We're just coding even as we sleep. :)
~Joey
This is a dangerous point to be at, because I have it all in my head, but I'm tired. If I start coding now, I could make a stupid mistake and find myself stuck in a blind alley at 5 am. I've been there before. Even if I avoid hard stuff, I'd surely look up and an hour or more would have gone by, it'd be past 1 am -- and I know that once I stop coding it can take me hours to spin my thoughts back down to the point where I can go to sleep.
Also, I can feel the back of my mind still working on something. Some bits feel like they might not quite mesh up right in my mental model. I don't consciously know what the problem is. I need to sleep on it; it will probably be clearer later. Like yesterday when I lifted a bag of groceries into the car and paused, realizing code I'd written two months ago had a major bug, one I'd never seen, in an edge case that had never came up, but was surely there.
I always assumed that when programmers got older and stopped coding late it was because they couldn't take the strain. Nah. We're just coding even as we sleep. :)
~Joey
Tuesday, August 07, 2012
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Art Lebedev Svintus Power Strip
Svintus power strip really pigged up and technically is a strip no more, but rather a multi-snout cutie that you will not want to hide behind a couch. It’s pink, yet a fully functional device with seventeen snout-plugs.
For more: http://www.artlebedev.com
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Justin Bieber
Looking at "Try Me" I am unsure where to touch him...
The marketing team failed on this one.. or exceeded their expectations, depending on how you look at it.
The marketing team failed on this one.. or exceeded their expectations, depending on how you look at it.
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