Glass Wings Blog: May 2016

That Emoji Does Not Mean What You Think It Means

Sun, 1 May 2016 14:24:38 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://gizmodo.com/that-emoji-does-not-mean-what-you-think-it-means-1770296372>

"By now you probably know that the emoji you send on an iPhone might not
be the emoji that is received on a Nexus. Since emoji are designed
differently across platforms, sometimes your text messages might get

(More...)

Brewer Threatens Restaurant For Using The Word 'Hofbrau'

Sun, 1 May 2016 14:25:30 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160324/09403434004/brewer-threatens-restaurant-using-word-hofbrau.shtml>

"We talk a great deal of the problems that are created when the
government approves trademark applications for words that are either
common or generic. But does the generic nature of a word change when

(More...)

The dark side of Guardian comments

Sun, 1 May 2016 14:26:38 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/12/the-dark-side-of-guardian-comments>

"As part of a series on the rising global phenomenon of online
harassment, the Guardian commissioned research into the 70m comments
left on its site since 2006 and discovered that of the 10 most abused

(More...)

You Won’t Believe...

Sun, 1 May 2016 14:28:06 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://medium.com/@fart/you-won-t-believe-the-19-ways-this-returning-servicemember-surprised-his-daughter-by-shutting-down-d39bc369cfea>

"these disney princess reimagined as plus-size disney princesses are
beautiful"

(More...)

Why the modern bathroom is a wasteful, unhealthy design

Mon, 2 May 2016 12:32:57 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/jul/15/why-modern-bathroom-wasteful-unhealthy-design>

"Piped water may be the greatest convenience ever known but our sewage systems
and bathrooms are a disaster"

(More...)

'We are the forgotten people': the anguish of Australia's 'invisible' asylum seekers

Mon, 2 May 2016 12:34:08 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/apr/13/we-are-the-forgotten-people-the-anguish-of-australias-invisible-asylum-seekers>

"Nearly 29,000 asylum seekers are in Australia on temporary ‘bridging visas’.
These people may be free from detention but – with many denied education,
healthcare and the right to work – they remain locked in desperate poverty and

(More...)

The Greenhouse Gamble wheels

Mon, 2 May 2016 12:35:50 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://globalchange.mit.edu/focus-areas/uncertainty/gamble

"The Greenhouse Gamble™ wheels were developed by the MIT Joint Program on the
Science and Policy of Global Change to better convey uncertainty in climate
change prediction."

(More...)

The Unsafety Net: How Social Media Turned Against Women

Tue, 3 May 2016 14:34:14 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/10/the-unsafety-net-how-social-media-turned-against-women/381261/>

"Under the banner of free speech, companies like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube
have been host to rape videos and revenge porn—which makes female users feel
anything but free."

(More...)

Lawyers who won Happy Birthday copyright case sue over “We Shall Overcome”

Tue, 3 May 2016 14:35:40 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/04/lawyers-who-won-happy-birthday-copyright-case-sue-over-we-shall-overcome/>

"Civil rights anthem never should have been copyrighted, plaintiffs say."

Excellent news.  Via Marius Piedallu van Wyk.

(More...)

How the UK's biggest pharmacy chain went from family-run public service to debt-laden hedge-fund disaster

Tue, 3 May 2016 14:36:41 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://boingboing.net/2016/04/14/how-the-uks-biggest-pharmacy.html

"In 2007, Boots was acquired by the giant hedge fund Kohlberg Kravis Roberts,
who loaded up the company with debt, made massive cuts to staff, remade the
stores as retailers first and health providers second, and used a system of

(More...)

KING: The ‘Trump Effect’ is terrifying children across America — including my own 9-year-old son

Wed, 4 May 2016 13:22:34 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/king-trump-effect-terrifying-kids-u-s-article-1.2601049>

"A recent survey of school-age children showed that the rise of Donald Trump
and his bigotry is terrifying American kids."

(More...)

David MacKay

Wed, 4 May 2016 13:23:47 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://mjg59.dreamwidth.org/41948.html

"The world is already a less fascinating place without him."

Vale David MacKay, who made a real difference in the world.

(More...)

Gone In Six Characters: Short URLs Considered Harmful for Cloud Services

Wed, 4 May 2016 13:24:41 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://freedom-to-tinker.com/blog/vitaly/gone-in-six-characters-short-urls-considered-harmful-for-cloud-services/>

"TL;DR: short URLs produced by bit.ly, goo.gl, and similar services are so
short that they can be scanned by brute force.  Our scan discovered a large
number of Microsoft OneDrive accounts with private documents."

(More...)

Save The Asian Elephants

Thu, 5 May 2016 12:49:15 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://stae.org/

"The plight of elephants in Africa is widely recognised.  But far less is known
of the even more desperate threats facing Asian (or Asiatic) elephants, whose
surviving population is barely 5% that of African elephants."

(More...)

Renderings vs. Reality: The Improbable Rise of Tree-Covered Skyscrapers

Thu, 5 May 2016 12:50:37 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://99percentinvisible.org/article/renderings-vs-reality-rise-tree-covered-skyscrapers/>

"In a world of online design competitions and social image sharing, many
architects have taken to crafting ever more extreme models and renderings for
public consumption. Some have even started covering their rendered buildings,

(More...)

A Stanford student won $15,000 for an invention that helps autistic kids pick up emotion

Thu, 5 May 2016 12:51:51 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.businessinsider.com.au/the-autism-glass-project-wins-mit-health-tech-prize-2016-4>

"Voss’ invention is Autism Glass, a device that uses Google Glass equipped with
artificial intelligence software to give kids with autism access to learn about
people’s emotions."

(More...)

The secret rules of the internet

Fri, 6 May 2016 13:45:54 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.theverge.com/2016/4/13/11387934/internet-moderator-history-youtube-facebook-reddit-censorship-free-speech>

"The murky history of moderation, and how it’s shaping the future of
free speech"

(More...)

Old news goes viral

Fri, 6 May 2016 13:46:52 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.braidwoodtimes.com.au/story/3848574/old-news-goes-viral/

"Braidwood Historical Society committee Member John Stahel found this
small article about the dangers of coal consumption while trawling
through some old copies of the Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal

(More...)

The Raycat Solution

Fri, 6 May 2016 13:48:09 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://vimeo.com/138843064

"In the 80ies, a curious project was proposed by two scientists: why not
[create] a breed of radioactive cats that would change colors when they
are next to nuclear waste?"

(More...)

What It’s Really Like to Work in Hollywood (If you’re not a straight white man.)

Sat, 7 May 2016 15:05:39 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/02/24/arts/hollywood-diversity-inclusion.html>

"The statistics are unequivocal: Women and minorities are vastly
underrepresented in front of and behind the camera. Here, 27 industry
players reveal the stories behind the numbers — their personal

(More...)

Pictures: An Elite Viking’s Prized Possessions

Sat, 7 May 2016 15:06:30 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/03/160323-vikings-galloway-hoard-treasure-scotland-archaeology/>

"Buried for more than a thousand years, Scotland's “Galloway hoard” may
include rare artifacts looted from medieval monasteries."

(More...)

What would society look like with universal basic income?

Sat, 7 May 2016 15:07:30 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/economy/2016/04/what-would-society-look-universal-basic-income>

"It may seem blasphemous to neoliberals, but a universal basic wage may
be the only choice we have."

(More...)

Saturday Spotlight: Top 10 Patriotic Cookies

Sat, 7 May 2016 15:08:27 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://cookieconnection.juliausher.com/blog/saturday-spotlight-top-10-patriotic-cookies-1>

"If there's one thing I've learned over my last several weeks of travel,
it's that, while we may all look and sound very different from place to
place, the global cookie community is fundamentally connected by the

(More...)

Whale and dolphin communication research

Sun, 8 May 2016 12:37:33 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
Dolphins have a language that helps them solve problems together
<https://www.newscientist.com/article/2084557-dolphins-have-a-language-that-helps-them-solve-problems-together>

"Bottlenose dolphins have been observed chattering while cooperating to
solve a tricky puzzle – a feat that suggests they have a type of

(More...)

Transcript: Interview with Yanis Varoufakis

Sun, 8 May 2016 12:39:45 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.economist.com/ESDvaroufakis

"Greece’s former finance minister talks Greece, Europe, the Labour Party
and the future of social democracy"

(More...)

'We can't stay here': five case studies in decay and neglect in remote NT

Sun, 8 May 2016 12:41:46 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.crikey.com.au/2016/04/19/cant-stay-five-case-studies-decay-neglect-remote-nt/>

"What is it like to live in community housing in the Northern Territory?"

There's a lot of room for improvement.

(More...)

This adblocker-blocker helps you get around sites that ban you for hiding ads ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Sun, 8 May 2016 12:43:09 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://thenextweb.com/apps/2016/02/11/around-and-around-we-go/

"It’s simple, really: it tricks sites that use anti-adblocker technology
into thinking you aren’t using an adblocker."

(More...)

New UN report finds almost no industry profitable if environmental costs were included

Mon, 9 May 2016 13:29:20 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.exposingtruth.com/new-un-report-finds-almost-no-industry-profitable-if-environmental-costs-were-included/>

"The truth is that our current system allows pretty much every corporation to
externalize both environmental and social costs."

(More...)

Unseen colour footage of David Attenborough's Zoo Quest series unearthed from BBC archive

Mon, 9 May 2016 13:30:14 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-04-19/unseen-colour-footage-of-david-attenboroughs-zoo-quest-series-unearthed-from-bbc-archive>

"The find, which staggered even Attenborough himself, will be shown as part of
his 90th birthday celebrations"

(More...)

A serious problem the news industry does not talk about

Mon, 9 May 2016 13:31:23 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://medium.com/we-are-hearken/a-serious-problem-the-news-industry-does-not-talk-about-346caaa6d1cd>

"The culture of journalism breeds disdain for the people we’re meant to be
serving, i.e., the audience."

(More...)

Why Hollywood Makes More Sequels Every Year (Even Though We Like Them Less)

Tue, 10 May 2016 12:04:06 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-hollywood-makes-more-sequels-every-year-even-though-shane-snow>

"How important is originality in filmmaking? Instead of heading to the theater
forBatman vs. Superman or My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 last week, I took a
painstaking look at the data on 600 recent movie sequels to find out. This is

(More...)

Indian Government Agencies Demand Access To WhatsApp Messaging Groups

Tue, 10 May 2016 12:04:58 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160419/11393534213/indian-government-agencies-demand-access-to-whatsapp-messaging-groups.shtml>

'According to India resident Prasanto K. Roy, local governments are demanding
that administrators of WhatsApp groups (the latest beneficiaries of the
encryption rollout) register with the local magistrate, and will apparently

(More...)

Techdirt Reading List: Moral Panics And The Copyright Wars

Tue, 10 May 2016 12:06:14 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160421/11171234236/techdirt-reading-list-moral-panics-copyright-wars.shtml>

"Patry goes back and explores just how the legacy players have long twisted
language to make arguments around copyright that have little basis in reality,
but which sound good to policymakers (and to the press). Since that is

(More...)

Read All of Shakespeare’s Plays Free Online, Courtesy of the Folger Shakespeare Library

Wed, 11 May 2016 12:08:49 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.openculture.com/2014/03/read-all-of-shakespeares-plays-free-online-courtesy-of-the-folger-shakespeare-library.html>

I've read most of the comedies - and it's fun to get together with friends or
family and read a play out aloud, optionally with gesticulation and/or sound
effects.  Give it a try!  Via Lionel Lauer.

(More...)

Download 448 Free Art Books from The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Wed, 11 May 2016 12:10:05 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.openculture.com/2015/03/download-422-free-art-books-from-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art.html>

"Since I haven’t yet turned to art collection — I suppose you need money for
that — these books don’t necessarily make me covet the vast sweep of artworks
they depict and contextualize. But they do make me wish for something even less

(More...)

The Pentagon’s Twisted Potlatch

Wed, 11 May 2016 12:11:18 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://fpif.org/pentagons-twisted-potlatch/

"The logic of military spending leads countries to effectively destroy their
own property and burn down their own villages."

(More...)

HKFP Lens: The best of Peter Yuen’s wildlife rescue photography

Thu, 12 May 2016 13:08:01 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/04/24/hkfp-lens-best-peter-yuens-wildlife-rescue-photography/>

"Hong Kong-based wildlife photographer Peter Yuen gave up the local rat race to
become Asia’s top wildlife rescue photographer, working with welfare and
conservation NGOs all over the continent to promote their causes. In 2015 alone

(More...)

Ask Ethan: Why don’t you look like a scientist?

Thu, 12 May 2016 13:09:05 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://medium.com/starts-with-a-bang/ask-ethan-why-don-t-you-look-like-a-scientist-175601a75361>

"As you can tell by my photo atop the page, or by my Facebook profile photo
(below), I don’t exactly conform to the stereotype of how a scientist ought to
look."

(More...)

This Performer’s Ring Manipulation Skill Will Amaze and Hypnotize You! [Video]

Thu, 12 May 2016 13:10:21 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.geeksaresexy.net/2016/04/24/hypnotizing-optical-illusion-rings-video/>

"Watch as Manipulation performer Ouka uses up to 8 rings to create optical
illusions that will [amaze] you!"

(More...)

Foxes That Endure Despite a Lack of Genetic Diversity

Fri, 13 May 2016 12:25:22 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/26/science/channel-island-foxes-least-genetic-diversity.html>

"The Channel Islands, off the coast of Southern California, are a
natural laboratory for a particularly adorable experiment in evolution.

(More...)

How the furry community rallied when Zarafa Giraffe lost his head

Fri, 13 May 2016 12:26:49 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://kernelmag.dailydot.com/issue-sections/features-issue-sections/16458/furries-community-zarafa-giraffe/>

"A Smokey the Bear in a cheerleader outfit dances on a table; a pair of
snow-white Grimm’s Fairy Tale wolves nuzzle noses, near a black dragon
with motion-detecting video pupils. It’s “drag queens vs. furries” night

(More...)

Aphantasia: How It Feels To Be Blind In Your Mind

Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:04 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.facebook.com/notes/blake-ross/aphantasia-how-it-feels-to-be-blind-in-your-mind/10156834777480504/>

"I have never visualized anything in my entire life. I can’t “see” my
father’s face or a bouncing blue ball, my childhood bedroom or the run I
went on ten minutes ago. I thought “counting sheep” was a metaphor. I’m

(More...)

The Linux Scheduler: a Decade of Wasted Cores

Sat, 14 May 2016 12:44:25 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://blog.acolyer.org/2016/04/26/the-linux-scheduler-a-decade-of-wasted-cores/>

"This is the first in a series of papers from EuroSys 2016. There are
three strands here: first of all, there’s some great background into how
scheduling works in the Linux kernel; secondly, there’s a story about

(More...)

Practical Applications For Massive Surveillance Databases: Timely Birthday Cards, Travel Diaries

Sat, 14 May 2016 12:45:30 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160425/09105834270/practical-applications-massive-surveillance-databases-timely-birthday-cards-travel-diaries.shtml>

"If you want to get a feel for the gobsmacking amount of information
being collected by UK surveillance agencies (MI5, M16, GCHQ), all you
have to do is see how it's being misused."

(More...)

Copyright Maximalists And Lobbyists Celebrate Vancouver Aquarium Censoring Critical Documentary With Copyright

Sat, 14 May 2016 12:46:45 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160423/23345034257/copyright-maximalists-lobbyists-celebrate-vancouver-aquarium-censoring-critical-documentary-with-copyright.shtml>

"The Aquarium wanted to get the entire film blocked by the court, giving
you a pretty clear vision of how they were looking to censor the film."

(More...)

Star Trek Meets Batman

Sat, 14 May 2016 12:47:45 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uJxTghyaO0

"The crew of the Enterprise encounter the world of Batman. (This is fan
made at no profit whatsoever)"

(More...)

LED Light Ballerinas

Sun, 15 May 2016 12:49:07 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHGeeyDqutw

"Sugar Plum Fairy Remix"

Great use of modern lighting technology!  Via Muse.

(More...)

Parents have been spanking children for millennia. 50 years of scientific evidence says they were wrong.

Sun, 15 May 2016 12:49:56 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.vox.com/2016/4/27/11510118/spanking-children

"For 20 years, developmental psychologist Elizabeth Gershoff has been
chasing a question: Does spanking actually do a child any good?"

(More...)

Inside OpenAI, Elon Musk’s Wild Plan to Set Artificial Intelligence Free

Sun, 15 May 2016 12:52:51 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.wired.com/2016/04/openai-elon-musk-sam-altman-plan-to-set-artificial-intelligence-free/>

"That’s right: Musk, Altman, and company aim to give away what may
become the 21st century’s most transformative technology—and give it
away for free."

(More...)

Claude Shannon: Tinkerer, Prankster, and Father of Information Theory

Sun, 15 May 2016 12:53:58 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/software/claude-shannon-tinkerer-prankster-and-father-of-information-theory>

"A profile of Shannon reveals the many facets of his life and work"

A lovely retrospective on an important centenary.  Via Kam-Yung Soh.

(More...)

Studio Ghibli’s ‘The Red Turtle’ Will Premiere At Cannes

Mon, 16 May 2016 12:50:41 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/studio-ghiblis-red-turtle-will-premiere-cannes-138860.html>

"Though produced in Europe, The Red Turtle was made under the auspices of
Studio Ghibli. Dudok de Wit reportedly created the storyboards at Ghibli in
Japan under the oversight of Isao Takahata, who is credited as the film’s

(More...)

Techdirt Reading List: How To Fix Copyright

Mon, 16 May 2016 12:51:46 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160428/10474934303/techdirt-reading-list-how-to-fix-copyright.shtml>

"Once again, the book is an excellent read. It is not — as some believed — an
entire book dedicated to discussing possible solutions. Instead, it again
spends a lot of time making sure people really understand how messed up

(More...)

Marc Randazza Wrote An Amicus Brief About Klingon, And It's Magnificent

Mon, 16 May 2016 12:52:56 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://popehat.com/2016/04/28/marc-randazza-wrote-an-amicus-brief-about-klingon-and-its-magnificent/>

"Whether you like law, or language, or Star Trek, the brief is a joy. Marc
continues to demonstrate that legal writing can be entertaining, irreverent,
and persuasive at the same time."

(More...)

Game Critic Keeps YouTube Vids Ad-Free By Creating ContentID Feeding Frenzy

Tue, 17 May 2016 13:11:33 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160428/05581634296/game-critic-keeps-youtube-vids-ad-free-creating-contentid-feeding-frenzy.shtml>

"You should know by now that YouTube's ContentID system is a horrible mess.
This system, which allows purported intellectual property owners to claim other
people's uploads as containing their content, and then allowing those purported

(More...)

Captured U.S. Trade Agency Resorts to Bullying Again in 2016 Special 301 Report

Tue, 17 May 2016 13:12:41 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/04/captured-us-trade-agency-resorts-bullying-again-2016-special-301-report>

"Every year at around this time the United States Trade Representative (USTR)
issues a Special 301 Report in which it chastises other countries for not
submitting to its unilateral demands (often lacking any legal basis) as to how

(More...)

Creating a Prosthetic Hand That Can Feel

Tue, 17 May 2016 13:13:32 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/bionics/creating-a-prosthetic-hand-that-can-feel>

"DARPA’s HAPTIX program aims to develop a prosthetic hand that’s just as
capable as the original"

(More...)

Poor teeth

Wed, 18 May 2016 13:08:30 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://aeon.co/essays/there-is-no-shame-worse-than-poor-teeth-in-a-rich-world>

"If you have a mouthful of teeth shaped by a childhood in poverty, don’t
go knocking on the door of American privilege"

(More...)

Australians Should Be Allowed To Circumvent Geoblocking: Productivity Commission

Wed, 18 May 2016 13:11:29 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/04/productivity-commission-says-australians-should-be-allowed-to-circumvent-geo-blocking/>

"Australian consumers should be allowed to use technologies like VPNs
and proxies to defeat the efforts of companies like Netflix and HBO that
stop them from accessing digital content libraries from other countries.

(More...)

Desert Critters

Wed, 18 May 2016 13:12:11 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://vimeo.com/164132084

"A Desert Fox finds his everyday life ruined when he gets tailed by a
younger puppy that just wants to be his friend!"

(More...)

North Carolina Judge Sentences Fellow Veteran to Jail – Then Goes Behind Bars With Him: 'We're in the Foxhole Together'

Thu, 19 May 2016 16:20:09 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.people.com/article/north-carolina-judge-joins-veteran-jail

"A judge who sentenced a fellow veteran to jail was so concerned about the
decorated soldier's wellbeing that he served the man's sentence right alongside
him."

(More...)

Cthulhu Company Kickstarted Itself to Death, Then This Happened

Thu, 19 May 2016 16:21:23 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://geekandsundry.com/cthulhu-company-kickstarted-itself-to-death-then-this-happened/>

"How does a half-million dollar Kickstarter fail? And why would another company
step in and spend six figures to raise it from the dead?"

(More...)

Return of the bison: new American national symbol tells story of strife

Thu, 19 May 2016 16:22:33 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/30/bison-national-symbol-american-history>

"Nearly wiped out in a bid to demolish Native American resistance, the bison’s
history paints a picture of strife and redemption that mirrors the US’s own"

(More...)

Basic income and other ways to fix capitalism | Federico Pistono | TEDxHaarlem

Fri, 20 May 2016 14:58:53 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2aBKnr3Ep4

"A few years ago, those who warned us about the risks of technological
unemployment were labelled as luddites, crazy, or techno-pessimists. Now some
of the greatest economists agree that automation poses a serious threat to the

(More...)

Values and vaccines

Fri, 20 May 2016 15:00:31 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://aeon.co/essays/anti-vaccination-might-be-rational-but-is-it-reasonable>

"The conflict isn’t about science,’ Goldenberg says. ‘It’s a conflict about
much deeper values, and the science serves as placeholders for arguing out
value disputes.’  Scientists try to fight with facts, assuming the public just

(More...)

Trump University and the art of the get-rich seminar

Fri, 20 May 2016 15:01:48 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/04/we-witnessed-the-birth-of-trump-university/>

"Though neither of us were rich, we were both confident about one thing: real
secrets to the easy life weren't generally shared through free seminars given
at local hotels. So how could a business like NGC persist, even thrive?"

(More...)

WORLD ORDER "QUIET HAPPINESS"

Sat, 21 May 2016 19:33:06 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9JtUC8hl8o (India)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP74qtaDIYk (China)

Love their work.  Via Jane Rakali.

(More...)

A commentary on Sci-hub

Sat, 21 May 2016 19:41:24 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://blogs.ch.cam.ac.uk/pmr/2016/04/30/a-commentary-on-sci-hub-1-scholarly-publishing-is-broken/>

"Everyone blames everyone else. Some suffer, some get super-rich.
Everyone is losing out. It must change. Completely. If not from within,
then from without."

(More...)

Eva Orner on Chasing Asylum: ‘Every whistleblower that I interviewed wept’

Sat, 21 May 2016 19:42:30 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/apr/30/eva-orner-on-chasing-asylum-every-whistleblower-that-i-interviewed-wept>

"New film features shocking footage from within offshore detention
centres. ‘I wanted to make a film that would shame Australia’, the
film-maker says"

(More...)

Mantas Dancing

Sat, 21 May 2016 19:43:26 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ggXEI6gLko

"Manta Alley, Komodo, pure awesome"

Mantas are cool.

(More...)

Climate-exodus expected in the Middle East and North Africa

Sun, 22 May 2016 12:08:15 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://phys.org/news/2016-05-climate-exodus-middle-east-north-africa.html>

"The number of climate refugees could increase dramatically in future.
Researchers of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and the Cyprus
Institute in Nicosia have calculated that the Middle East and North

(More...)

The Refugee Crisis Is Humanity’s Crisis

Sun, 22 May 2016 12:09:59 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/02/opinion/the-refugee-crisis-is-humanitys-crisis.html>

"This is the third in a series of dialogues with philosophers and
critical theorists on the question of violence. This conversation is
with Zygmunt Bauman, emeritus professor of sociology at the University

(More...)

The Art of Andres Amador

Sun, 22 May 2016 12:11:57 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.andresamadorarts.com/

"In the beach mural exploration (aka: playa paintings, beach art) I use
a rake to etch designs onto the beach during the low tide. Raking
exposes the wetter sand, causing a color difference between the raked

(More...)

Preserving community character is impossible

Sun, 22 May 2016 12:13:36 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.vox.com/2016/5/3/11568632/community-character-impossible

"State officials hatched a plan to bring 1,100 jobs to the small town of
Nickerson, Nebraska (population 400), and were surprised to find
unanimous disapproval from the town council and most of the community."

(More...)

How about unpaid internships for new managers?

Mon, 23 May 2016 13:00:25 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://newworkplace.wordpress.com/2014/03/11/how-about-unpaid-internships-for-new-managers/>

"...if the unpaid internship system works so well for developing entry-level
workers, why not apply the underlying logic and practice to budding managers
and CEOs as well?"

(More...)

David Bowie’s BLACKSTAR LP Transforms When Exposed to Light

Mon, 23 May 2016 13:01:49 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://nerdist.com/david-bowies-blackstar-lp-transforms-when-exposed-to-the-sun/>

"Ashes to ashes, funk to funky; Starman returns to the stars, and still, as
Bowie implores us to remember, the sun is still shining."

(More...)

Download 6600 Free Films from The Prelinger Archives and Use Them However You Like

Mon, 23 May 2016 13:02:48 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.openculture.com/2016/05/download-6600-free-films-from-the-prelinger-archives-and-use-them-however-you-like.html>

"Features, commercials, art pieces, stock footage, home movies, propaganda: the
history of cinema so far has produced countless individual forms, all of which
also count as documentaries. Watch any kind of film made sufficiently long ago

(More...)

14 Years Later, "Piracy is Progressive Taxation" still rings true

Tue, 24 May 2016 12:41:26 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/14-years-later-piracy-progressive-taxation-still-rings-tim-o-reilly>

"Fourteen years later, our business has continued to grow, and the principles I
laid out in this 2002 essay have helped to guide our strategy to fuel our
success."

(More...)

Don't pooh-pooh it: Making paper from elephant dung

Tue, 24 May 2016 12:42:23 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-36162953

"While elephant poachers are only interested in the animals' tusks, for Kenyan
entrepreneur John Matano it is all about what comes out of the other end of the
world's largest land mammal."

(More...)

A lesson about bullying

Tue, 24 May 2016 12:43:32 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+SueTravers/posts/danmkAeGinS

"From a lady named Jodi Williams on FB. It's directed towards teachers, but
could be equally as valuable for parents and those working with adults as well:
Employers, employees politicians etc."

(More...)

Doctors Tell All—and It’s Bad

Wed, 25 May 2016 12:14:58 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/11/doctors-tell-all-and-its-bad/380785/>

"A crop of books by disillusioned physicians reveals a corrosive doctor-patient
relationship at the heart of our health-care crisis."

(More...)

‘You want a description of hell?’ OxyContin’s 12-hour problem

Wed, 25 May 2016 12:27:23 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://static.latimes.com/oxycontin-part1/

"OxyContin is a chemical cousin of heroin, and when it doesn’t last, patients
can experience excruciating symptoms of withdrawal, including an intense
craving for the drug."

(More...)

Good news for the only place on Earth where tigers, rhinos, orangutans and elephants live together

Wed, 25 May 2016 12:33:49 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2016/05/good-news-for-the-only-place-on-earth-where-tigers,-rhinos,-orangutans-and-elephants-live-together>

"The Leuser ecosystem in northern Sumatra is home to some of the world's rarest
and best-loved animals. Thanks to a new government moratorium on land clearing,
conservationists have enjoyed a big win."

(More...)

Could a subway station filled entirely with cat photos improve your commute?

Thu, 26 May 2016 14:45:58 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/would-a-subway-station-filled-with-cute-photos-of-cats-make-your-commute-better/2016/05/04/4869c27e-11f0-11e6-81b4-581a5c4c42df_story.html>

“Wouldn’t it be great if public spaces were designed to make you feel good
rather than slightly inadequate?”

(More...)

Lyrebird/Penguins/The Gorillas Meet Attenborough ft. Aardman Animations #Attenborough90 - BBC Earth Unplugged

Thu, 26 May 2016 14:48:23 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AouO8KG4Wy8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pseB0ZlhTjc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9TTm2fMfSI

"We are celebrating the 90th birthday of Sir David Attenborough! Here at BBC

(More...)

It’s time to future-proof Australia’s copyright laws for the 21st century

Thu, 26 May 2016 14:49:56 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/its-time-to-future-proof-australias-copyright-laws-for-the-21st-century-58785>

"The report [...] makes a number of sensible recommendations that will help
modernise Australia’s copyright laws for the 21st century. Economically, the
report is rigorous and comprehensive."

(More...)

Niche - a genetics survival game

Fri, 27 May 2016 13:48:18 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/80250451/niche-a-genetics-survival-game>

"Niche is a simulation/strategy game about population genetics. Breed
your animals and evolve your own species, based on real genetics."

(More...)

STUNNING: Seattle Judge Hands Activist Kids Landmark Victory For Climate Justice (VIDEO)

Fri, 27 May 2016 13:49:32 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://samuel-warde.com/2016/05/seattle-climate-change-victory-kids/

"Seattle Judge’s landmark climate change ruling: “These children can’t
wait, the polar bears can’t wait, the people of Bangladesh can’t wait.”"

(More...)

Entropic Time (Backwards Billy Joel Parody) | A Capella Science

Fri, 27 May 2016 13:50:30 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6rVHr6OwjI

Very cool!  Via Kam-Yung Soh.

(More...)

The Trouble With Meritocracy

Sat, 28 May 2016 12:21:48 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-olmsted/the-trouble-with-meritocr_b_606692.html>

"Here’s the problem with “meritocracy.” You can’t have the “excellent”
and the “above average” unless you have the “average” and the “below
average.” Anyone can make it, but everybody can’t."

(More...)

These rare Indian records survived over a century and are now online

Sat, 28 May 2016 12:23:13 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/05/these-rare-indian-records-survived-over-a-century-and-are-now-online/>

"Nearly 1,500 recordings from 1900-1940 are now free through the British
Library."

(More...)

Teens Survive Horrific Crash In Tesla Model S

Sat, 28 May 2016 12:24:07 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://gas2.org/2016/05/07/teens-survive-horrific-crash-tesla-model-s/

"Ordinarily, after an accident like that, the father would not only be
mourning his own daughter’s death but also have the burden of informing
4 other families that their child was dead or severely injured. None of

(More...)

Boogie Storm make Simon’s dream come true! | Auditions Week 5 | Britain’s Got Talent 2016

Sat, 28 May 2016 12:25:01 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax7tmaYObIQ

"It’s the moment Simon has been waiting for as Boogie Storm bring their
dancing Stormtrooper act to the BGT stage! (And, Simon can’t help but
press the Golden Buzzer)."

(More...)

Bird IQ Tests: 8 Ways Researchers Test Bird Intelligence

Sun, 29 May 2016 13:08:38 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.audubon.org/news/bird-iq-tests-8-ways-researchers-test-bird-intelligence>

"A crow is supposedly as smart as a 7-year-old. Here’s how scientists
figured that—and other facts—out."

(More...)

Maestria, A Beautiful Puzzle Game, Is Now Free On The Play Store

Sun, 29 May 2016 13:10:14 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.androidpolice.com/2016/05/09/maestria-a-beautiful-puzzle-game-is-now-free-on-the-play-store/>

"It is exactly the kind of game I should stay away from if I want to be
productive at all for the rest of the day. It is eerily similar to
Monument Valley in its isometric graphics and pastel color scheme, but

(More...)

Al Jaffee, the Longest Working Cartoonist in History, Shows How He Invented the Iconic “Folds-Ins” for Mad Magazine

Sun, 29 May 2016 13:11:08 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.openculture.com/2016/05/al-jaffee-shows-how-he-invented-the-iconic-folds-ins-for-mad-magazine.html>

"Keep copying those Sunday funnies, kids, and one day you may beat Al
Jaffee’s record to become the Longest Working Cartoonist in History."

(More...)

Announcing The Journal of Open Source Software

Sun, 29 May 2016 13:13:23 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.arfon.org/announcing-the-journal-of-open-source-software

"On the face of it, writing papers about software is a weird thing to
do, especially if there's a public software repository, documentation
and perhaps even a website for users of the software. But writing papers

(More...)

Delicate Layered Paper Sculptures of Birds and Other Animals by Calvin Nicholls

Mon, 30 May 2016 12:53:24 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2015/08/paper-sculptures-calvin-nicholls/

"Straddling a line between 2D and 3D, paper artist Calvin Nicholls forms
carefully cut and layered paper sculptures of animals that seem to break free
from the surrounding matboard and hover just above the surface."

(More...)

I Know Why Poor Whites Chant Trump, Trump, Trump

Mon, 30 May 2016 12:54:35 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.stirjournal.com/2016/04/01/i-know-why-poor-whites-chant-trump-trump-trump/>

"From the era of slavery to the rise of Donald Trump, wealthy elites have
relied on the loyalty of poor whites. All Americans deserve better."

(More...)

Meet the Woman Who Invented Cosplay

Mon, 30 May 2016 12:55:33 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<http://www.racked.com/2016/5/9/11451408/cosplay-inventor-morojo-myrtle-r-douglas>

"Myrtle R. Douglas, otherwise known as Morojo, rarely gets the credit she
deserves for the worldwide phenomenon"

(More...)

Video Games are the new medium for propaganda

Mon, 30 May 2016 12:57:13 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://dailyreview.com.au/video-games-new-medium-propaganda/42066/

"The military is using the games industry to “gamify” war. When coupled with
the nationalism that is typically already on display in these games we can see
how the games industry is an active participant in promoting xenophobic or

(More...)

UK Gov't Pushing For 10-Year Jail Sentences For Copyright Infringement Based On ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Tue, 31 May 2016 12:22:12 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160508/00002934377/uk-govt-pushing-10-year-jail-sentences-copyright-infringement-based.shtml>

'For many years, we've pointed out that so much policymaking around copyright
law is what we'd argue to be purely "faith-based." The fact that there is
little to no actual evidence that stronger copyright protections lead to better

(More...)

Kickstarter’s Mission Is Non-Negotiable

Tue, 31 May 2016 12:25:01 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://medium.com/newco/kickstarters-mission-is-non-negotiable-41520e7a5931

"A close study of Kickstarter’s charter makes for fascinating reading. It
begins with a succinct mission: “To help bring creative projects to life. We
measure our success as a company by how well we achieve that mission, not by

(More...)

3-D Technologies Help The Blind Experience Art More Fully

Tue, 31 May 2016 12:27:18 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.fastcompany.com/3057520/most-creative-people/3-d-technologies-help-the-blind-experience-art-more-fully>

"Companies like 3DPhotoworks and Unseen Art are making classic artworks like
the Mona Lisa accessible to new audiences."

(More...)

Field Trip - Simon's Cat

Tue, 31 May 2016 12:28:10 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7sggjEBnZg

'An adventurous cat takes a walk on the wild side!'

(More...)

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