The Washington Post’s IT Blog brings us a study by the FCC that points out something obvious to a lot of us: broadband Internet speeds are often slower than advertised.
There are a number of other interesting findings, worth checking out. Looks like the FCC might actually be on our side for a change.
[via Consumerist]
Perfect for the 50th Anniversary of this incredible work, and only $5!
Andy Baio arranged this collaboration of expert 8-bit musicians through donations at Kickstarter, and I can’t think of a better reason for the service.
Outstanding.
Vote for one of 16 world-changing ideas to help Google decide where to spend $10 million…
The biggest problem I’m having is deciding which one to vote for, they’re all good. We only have until October 8th!
[via @GingerTPLC]
Yikes, it looks as though NASA has somewhat of a problem right now, with no clear resolution in sight.
While I’m glad that Phil Plait explains the situation so well, I’m torn. On the one hand, spending more money during this continued financial crisis seems insane considering the debt we’ve accumulated.
On the other hand, this spending is for science, and there are a lot of other programs I’d consider cutting first.
Sigh.
I love, love, love this! OK, it’s geeky, but bear with me here, I’m excited:
Let’s inject a fast, standards-compliant (i.e., not broken), and secure browser into the lumbering behemoth that is Internet Explorer (6, 7, or 8), with users hardly noticing the difference … except for the improvements, of course.
Google’s new open-source browser plug-in has to really be getting under Microsoft’s skin. Microsoft won’t play ball with the rest of the online community, so the community creates tools that hijack IE, turning it into something useful.
Fan-freakin’-tastic.
[via Gizmodo]
While you might not have time to learn a foreign language in-depth when you travel, based on my experience in China this summer I can say that it’s EXTREMELY helpful to know even minimal amount of the native tongue.
Enter the good old BBC, who offer a quick fix of essential phrases in 36 languages, including cheat sheets and audio examples.
[via Lifehacker]
Tiny Sketch is a contest featuring art and programming with Processing, an open-source graphics programming language.
Limitations often bring out the best in people, which is definitely the case in this competition, as entries are limited to 200 characters or less.
[via Waxy Links]
O’Reilly Radar posts an account by John Graham-Cumming about how he leveraged technology with a lot of hard work to get one of my heroes, Alan Turing, an official posthumous apology from the British Government.
Brilliant, moving, and very deserved.
How can you question the usefulness of a site like Twitter?
It’s brought us the Longest Poem in the World!
Amazing and very funny. The absurd rhymes always bring a smile — but watch out for strong language, as this stuff is unfiltered.
[via Waxy Links]
CNN.com reports on the latest, somewhat staggering, numbers released by Facebook. It once again proves that social networks cannot be stopped, and have become a daily part of many of our lives.
Although I don’t personally use Facebook (I’m a Twitter fan), I’m also sick of the bashers out there. If it’s not for you, no problem. That’s the great thing about the Internet — use what you want and ignore the rest.
But don’t scoff and malign our kids (and many adults) because they use and enjoy Facebook, MySpace, or another social network. Sure, they can lead to bad things from time to time. So can real life situations, and we all need to be aware of the risks inherent in our activities, online and off.
Social networks are a revolutionary, fun, and incredibly efficient way for people to stay in touch with one another. They’re here, critics, and it’s time to get used to it and stop complaining.
Ah, Lifehacker. Geeks after my own heart, to be sure.
Here are full instructions for ten DIY computer repair and upgrade projects that anyone can do with a little time and patience — you’ll save money, do a better job than many repair shops, and have the satisfaction of knowing you did it all by yourself.
Phil Plait has the best reaction I’ve seen to the furor over President Obama’s speech to students last week on his Bad Astronomy blog.
Both Mr. Plait’s reaction and the Obama speech itself are worth reading … these days it seems as though the fringe is winning, and those of us who value truth and reason, regardless of our politics, need to stand together against this craziness.
Matt Thompson speaks truth in ways that renew my faith in the power of the Internet to connect us and keep us informed.
There’s a lot more than can be said about journalism today, of course, but this is an excellent start.
[via Waxy Links]
