Arphid Watch: Leeches and Ghosts: “In this study we show that the modeling predictions are quite accurate. We show how to build a portable, extended-range RFID skimmer, using only electronics hobbyist supplies and tools. Our skimmer is able to read ISO-14443 tags from a distance of 25cm, uses a lightweight 40cm-diameter copper-tube antenna, is powered […]

AlterNet: The Da Vinci Senator: “In his dream, America, the one he believes both the Bible and the Constitution promise, the state will simply wither away. In its place will be a country so suffused with God and the free market that the social fabric of the last hundred years — schools, Social Security, welfare […]

Fighting the L$ downward spiral – a solution: Not usually talking about the economy, Gwyn attempts this time to see a possible solution to the L$ inflation, as proposed by some very talented residents of Second Life, and discusses the implications. ———- the problem with this system is that it adapts to and accepts devaluation […]

Chinese Death Van.: Remember a previous post on Neatorama on mobile gallows in Africa? Well, China took it one step further. Executions there are carried out in a more modern fashion: in a mobile execution chamber inside a “death van” that shuttles from town to town. Makers of the death vans say the vehicles and […]

In a purr-fect world…: My friend Kambri just alerted me to a project she worked on called the Meow Mix House, where apparently 10 cats are living right now in complete and utter luxury. I hate to sat it, but I noticed that there are NO BLACK CATS in the house. The reason why I […]

A New Internet2: The Internet2 high-speed-networking consortium announced today that its new nationwide fiber-optic network will be built by Level 3 Communications Inc. and will be operational in about a year. Internet2 decided earlier this year not to renew a contract with the telecommunications company Qwest to lease high-speed lines for use in Abilene, the […]

Wired 14.06: START: Day 18: I take the Dell to Best Buy’s Geek Squad and tell a technician that I’m having a bit of trouble with it. Less than four hours later I get a call back from Carla. She declares it a total loss and advises wiping the hard drive and restoring it with […]

science on a sphere – data visualization & visual culture – information aesthetics: a 4-projector system that displays images on a spherical screen. the Science on a Sphere system can display & animate vast amounts of visual data from the Earth, Moon, Sun & the other planets. the sphere is suspended by thin wires, so […]

SLA 2006 Conference Blog: Springer Launching New eBook Collection Springer eBook Collection Originally uploaded by mesmerini. Today I had the opportunity to meet with representatives from Springer who gave me a demo of their new eBook Collection. I was already a bit familiar with it because my own library is buying it and I had […]

Books, money and milk cartons : For about 20 years, she has been a quietly formidable philanthropist. Her gifts – nearly £70m so far – have often gone towards human rights projects in the third world, where a small amount can be a significant windfall. But recently she has been branching out. Last spring, she […]