links for 2010-07-05


  • Anne Lukeman's "22 frames that always work" transmutes the Wally Wood comic classic, 22 panels that always work," into a film-making equivalent.
    (tags: film)
  • In 1951, when the Soviet Union was on its high, authorities had an idea of building special floatation devices for tanks. First sample workpieces for T-54 tank were made at in 1952, and, some several weeks later tests were carried out on the Oka river. In the next two years trial test at the sea were conducted. And in 1957, eventually, the floatation device was passed into service.
  • Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has called for ideas of ‘bad laws’ which restrict freedoms. The government want to hear about laws which should be repealed or offences which should be scrapped. We think that they should scrap the law that says that all schools must hold an act of (broadly Christian) collective worship every day because:

    • It forces young people to pray or worship in other ways, regardless of their personal beliefs
    • It does not respect children’s and young people’s rights to freedom of religion or belief
    • It does not recognise the plurality of beliefs in the UK
    • The system whereby you can opt your child out of religious worship is deeply flawed in theory and practice
    • Under 16s can’t opt-themselves out without their parents’ permission
    • Inclusive assemblies are a better alternative and contribute more to well being and development.

  • An ill thought out and rushed in bill (part of the "wash up" at the fag end of the last parliament). Lots of loopholes eg the hacking of your home wireless network and subsequent misuse is YOUR responsibility not the hackers. The ability of the Secretary of State to alter what's illegal without any further recourse to Parliament, EVER, is particularly draconian and worrying. It ALL needs to go in to go and IF a replacement is required it need to be PROPERLY thought out and consulted.
    (tags: politics)
  • But no matter how much I talk about awareness and avoidance, people always want to hear about martial arts, too. It seems the Paralyzing Nerve Point Strikes of Long Dong Do are sexier than just knowing where trouble is likely to occur and arranging to not be there when it does. All right, let's talk a little about the "sexy" stuff. But please, let's keep in mind what really matters—awareness and avoidance.
  • It's finally here — the biggest alternate timeline of all alternate timelines, the alternate history trope to top all alternate history tropes. Today we look at some alternate histories of the Second World War.
  • This article will give you some background on surveillance and countersurveillance, but no amount of theory can substitute for the real thing. So if you're serious about learning how to follow someone undetected and how to detect someone who's trying to follow you, you need to get out there and practice. Practice means picking a subject and following that person around without his or her seeing you. But be careful: to anyone who notices what you're up to, your behavior will be indistinguishable from that of criminals, and you can easily get yourself into trouble with this exercise.