News stories the mainstream media missed : 12/11/10

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Here are some news stories from this week that I think the mainstream media completely missed out on. All links are from legitimate news sources and not the fringe / wacko sites.

Special FIVE POINTS OF FIST OF DEATH NINJA KARATE NEWS version!! (Ok, fine, I’m really doing Christmasy stuff this weekend and I’m way behind. But FPOFODNKN sounds way cooler.)

* LA banned any new fast food restaurants in poor neighborhoods some time ago, but promised it was only a temporary thing. Apparently all the bribe checks bounced, because this week they made it a permanent ban! Take that all you wackos who want jobs and food! [REASON]

* Mount Everest. No breathable air. Hidden pits of death you can fall into. And frozen dead bodies everywhere. Hey, howcome none of those little details are in the damn brochure?! [GODHEADV]

* Fu-Go Fire Balloon Bombs sounds like the daily special at a half-star Japanese restaurant. But it’s actually a world war II prototype weapon the Japanese invented to bomb America. Crazy invention details to follow. [ENVIRONMENTAL GRAFFITI]

* I remember my first philosophy class. The professor started one lesson by saying “We mostly visualize the future as one direction. Forward. Never ending and heading off in one direction.” (he drew a long line on the chalkboard going right) “My question today is” (he drew a line on the chalkboard from the beginning of the same line, but this time going to the left) “Why can’t our past, and time, go on forever as well, but in the opposite direction?” Cheesy? Definitely. A slow pitch? Big time. But it was a 101 class, and that was enough to blow the mind of quite a few classmates. I hope he’s reading my blog today, because scientists have just found out “the universe may have existed forever”. [THE ECONOMIST]

* You remember when reporters were blunt and factual and weren’t all trying to be your OMG LOL BFF and all that crap? This site put together a old-school news reporting 101 on Wikileaks! More news like this please. [TECHNOLOGY REVIEW]

That’s all I got for now. Back Monday!

Just saw “Predators” with Adrien Brody. I liked his character!

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OK, I admit, this is nothing but a shameless plug for the recent Predators movie that I just got from Netflix.

I finally got around to seeing it (as part of my INSOMNIA THEATER movie club) and there’s this part near the end I laughed at…

PREDATORS AWARD WINNING MOMENT 1


PREDATORS AWARD WINNING MOMENT 2


I met my hot and gorgeous wife just like that!

OK, I didn’t have my AA-12 automatic 12 Gauge shotgun with me that night we met, though, and there were a few other things that were completely different, but it was mostly like that. Kinda. Sorta. Not really. And I don’t look anything like Adrien Brody. I think. Hey, the dialog was somewhat right!

Anyhow, the original Predator movie from ’87 was still better that this new one, but Predators was a fun “I’ll watch it again if it comes on the TV” movie. Plus it lived up to my expectations on what it would be and the character Royce was a decent enough badass. Three and a 3/4 stars for the movie.

Walgreen’s says there was “unauthorized access” to their customer email list

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I got notice from Walgreens about some “unauthorized access” to their customer email list recently.

The email said…

“We recently became aware of unauthorized access to an email list of customers who receive special offers and newsletters from us. As a result, it is possible you may have received some spam email messages asking you to go to another site and enter personal data. We are sorry this has taken place and for any inconvenience to you.

We want to assure you that the only information that was obtained was your email address. Your prescription information, account and any other personally identifiable information were not at risk because such data is not contained in the email system, and no access was gained to Walgreens consumer data systems.”

It’s great that Walgreen’s straight up told everyone what happened, and it’s also great their sysadmins know to keep their critical data systems separate.

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend creating a throwaway email account on Google or Hotmail that’s just for stores, giveaways, and signups. My junk@[you.can.probably.guess.what.domain].com email address is full of trash, but I know everything in there is always unimportant.

Here’s a copy of the Walgreen’s email…

Walgreens Info


Free phone call from Santa, courtesy of Google Voice

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Google is once again busting out the awesomeness by offering a free phone call from Santa through their Google Voice service.

The setup is really straightforward, and although it’s mostly geared for kids, there’s a few options that can make it funny to send to just about anyone. It also has a email and Facebook and Twitter option if you want Santa to go all high-tech on you.

I’m getting on the sendacallfromsanta.com site and firing off a few right now.

Thanks Google!

“Kokumi” wants to be a flavor along with sweet, salty, bitter, sour and “umami”

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So I was reading the latest Food Business News magazine from my monthly reading pile when I saw an article that said “Kokumi Strives To Become New Flavor”.

Apparently I’m a platinum member of the old fart club now, because the only tastes I knew of were sweet, salty, bitter and sour. Somewhere along the way, something called Umami got in the door, and now Kokumi wants to join the party.

According to the article, Kokumi is “the rich, strong taste in food”, while another website defines Umami as the “savouriness” of food.

Here’s the best part. The article says “By human sensory analysis, we found that various extracellular calcium-sensing receptors (CaSR) agonists enhance sweet, salty, and Umami tastes, although they have no taste themselves… these characteristics are known as “kokumi taste” and often appear in traditional Japanese cuisine.”

Soooo it’s a taste that has no taste.

Right.

Here’s the link to iPhone Genius Scan of the article…

Kokumi - New Flavor

A drive through (and pick up a drink) store called Hit and Run? [PHOTO]

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I’ve been on the road again this week, and recently I was passing through deep (deeeeeep!) southwest Texas when I saw this awesomeness off the road. A drive through and pick up a drink store called “Hit and Run”.

Hit & Run Drive Thru


Stores like this are all over the place in Texas. Drive up, grab a drink and some snacks, and keep on going! But I don’t think I’ve ever seen one quite so ballsy, though. (pun intended)

Cold beer! Getcher cold beeeeerrrr! Cold beer!

RT Tuesdays : 12/07/10

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Every Tuesday I re-post all zee tweets that didn’t originate from this blog just to keep everything in sync.

This last week on Twitter…

  • HuffingtonPost AT&T rated worst carrier–surprised? http://huff.to/gLVQvj (about 12PM December 7th via web by bbosker Retweeted by RoyceEddington and 89 others)
  • According to the height sticker by the restaurant door I just ate at, I’m 6 feet 6 inches tall today! My clothes feel the same though. (12:00 PM Dec 6th via Twitter for iPhone)
Angry Tier 1

Angry Tier 1

Angry Tier 2

Angry Tier 2

  • Wikileaks releases “List of facilities ‘vital to US security'”. What possible positive good will come of releasing this? http://j.mp/eZG0sP (11:35 PM Dec 5th via Twitter for iPhone)
  • The new Wendy’s fries are really good! Even at 1 AM! That is all! (1:02 AM Dec 5th via Twitter for iPhone)
  • Angry Birds Christmas Tip : the advent clock isn’t set to your local time zone. Everybody gets it at the same time. http://yfrog.com/f1b4v0j (10:43 PM Dec 4th via Twitter for iPhone)
Angry Birds Advent 2

Angry Birds Advent 2

  • Angry Birds Christmas only lets you open a level a day like an advent calendar! Free update from Halloween version. http://yfrog.com/1739s0j (12:15 AM Dec 4th via Twitter for iPhone)

Angry Birds Advent

Angry Birds Advent

  • New Apple iPad cases now come with a cleaning cloth. In grand Apple tradition, early adopters got screwed again. http://yfrog.com/72ultfj (12:49 PM Dec 3rd via Twitter for iPhone)
Thanks Apple!

Thanks Apple!

  • Yes, the sign says no MEN beyond this point. But it says nothing about A man! Semantics! Right? Right? http://yfrog.com/j0ias0j (11:15 PM Dec 2nd via Twitter for iPhone)
Semantics matter!

Semantics matter!

  • billamend Kevin Bacon’s Logitech ad is six degrees of brilliant…can’t wait to show my Tremors-loving wife…http://bit.ly/fw37pP (6:00 PM Dec 2nd via web Retweeted by RoyceEddington and 25 others)
  • CNN: Interpol puts Julian Assange on most wanted list. Specifically an Interpol “Red Notice”. http://j.mp/hyntRZ (12:55 AM Dec 1st via Twitter for iPhone)

Monday Morning Music : 12/06/10

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Every Monday I like to post some music to start the week off on the right foot.

This week…

Florence + The Machine – Dog Days Are Over (2010 Version)



Sleigh Bells – Riot Rhythm

Sleigh Bells “Riot Rhythm” from Bo Mirosseni on Vimeo.



Prince – Batdance



…and finally, Streetwize (AKA Kim Waters?)- Brown Sugar

News stories the mainstream media missed : 12/04/10

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Here are some news stories from this week that I think the mainstream media completely missed out on. All links are from legitimate news sources and not the fringe / wacko sites.

* Get married to a woman 40 years younger than you are. Quit smoking when you’re 106 years old. Apologize for cooperating with the Nazi regime 50 years after the fact. Could this the Dos Equis’ “most interesting man in the world’s” evil twin brother? [MSNBC]

* How many levels of hell are there? We have a volunteer who wants to find out! Step right up! Step right up! “A former Roman Catholic priest charged with sexually abusing a teenage boy in rural Texas is now accused of plotting the teen’s murder.” At the sound of the FWOOOSH the time will be one sinner past midnight. [FOX NEWS]

* Some people deserve free speech more than others! That’s apparently Al Sharpton’s motto as he’s trying to get the FCC to yank Rush Limbaugh’s broadcast license because he doesn’t agree with what he’s saying. Um, Al? I might have some bad news for you on this one. [EXAMINER.COM]

* Did you know the TSA is looking for new recruits? And they’re advertising these job openings on pizza delivery boxes? Suddenly a great many things about the TSA make sense. [UPI]

* China and Russia say using dollars are sooooo 1990’s and they’re, like, totally over them. This is bogus news for US. [CHINA DAILY]

* So there’s glowing trees in the works? Bio-luminescent trees like the Avatar movie had? And they’re specifically designed to replace streetlights? Somebody go get the knights who say “Nee”. Their awesome shrubbery has been found! [MSNBC]

* Why do kids from the same parents with the same genes and living in the same household all come out different? That’s one of those questions you think you have the answer to, until you actually try and answer it. Scientists think they got it now. [NPR]

* In the “maybe things really are getting worse” department, NYC has decided if they feed prisoners less food, they’ll save some money! You know things are getting bad when ideas like this make it out the door and get approved. [UPI]

* And finally, Al Gore admitted he made a slight boo-boo. An itsy bitsy one. He really didn’t mean it when he said corn ethanol was good for the environment. He just wanted some votes! Ah. I see. So my next question would be what else have you done for votes that was “good for the environment”? [MSNBC]

That’s all I got this week. Back Monday!

Tiger Text – for (apparently) secure SMS and text messaging

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I’ve been so buy at work I haven’t had time to post about a great little app I found while going through the monthly reading pile.

The winter 2010/2011 issue of CSQ had a interview with TigerText CEO Jeffrey Evans. TigerText is an ingenious little app that Evans says is “a texting service that allows senders to have absolute control over their messages.”

“The sender chooses a lifespan for their messages from one minute to 30 days. Once that lifespan is expired, the message deleted from your phone, the recipients phone, and all servers in-between. The messages cannot be copied or forwarded. You have control over the communication that you send. When it’s gone, it’s gone.”

Oh hell yes. Where do I sign up?

TigerText is free for Android, iPhone, Blackberry and Windows 7. All you do is download the app from your phone’s app store, setup a user name, and you’re done!

TigerText can scan your existing contacts and automatically add those who already have TigerText installed on their phone (based on matching emails and phone numbers I’m guessing). I chose not to do that and am using the individual direct-invitation option (which I think is a little more secure).

There’s a very thorough walkthrough the first time you launch the app that shows you how to set your messages to delete. You can set each message individually so sections of conversations will delete at different times.

After the scheduled time is up, you will be left with nothing but tiger tracks on screen where the conversation used to be.

TigerText Test photo


Evans says there’s nothing he can do about someone taking a screenshot of the conversation in progress, a video/photo of the phone as you’re typing, or anything out of the app’s control like that. But he does say the TigerText servers don’t keep any information, and when the conversation is deleted, it really is deleted everywhere.

I like it. It’s easy enough to use daily and adds another layer of privacy to SMS and text conversations.

Check it out at TigerText’s website.