Boleman and Friends: The Blag

Just so you know, he really cares about you.

Filed under: Quickly Posted | No Comments »

Clinton Says She Would Shield Science From Politics: “Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s remarks Thursday amounted to a spirited attack on President Bush for waging what she called a ‘war on science.’”

(Via NYT > Science.)

Filed under: Quickly Posted | No Comments »

Radiohead lets fans pick price for new album: “

Sweet fancy Moses this is awesome!* BB reader Daniel says,

Radiohead has just announced the details for their new album, In Rainbows.

They’re only selling it through their website (at least for now), and for the digital download version, they’re letting listeners pick their own price for the album - it’s literally a donation-based product.

Obviously this is sparking confusion among many, but the only help the website provides are the words ‘It’s up to you.’

Link, album’s out October 10. To recap: the box set (Glorious thick 12′ vinyl! and ‘enhanced CD’) is $80, but the downloads are name-your-own-price. Some readers are reporting that you get the downloads for free anyway if you buy the box set.

No details on the download file format. Does anyone out there know? DRM-free? MP3s? What bitrate, what quality?

I just bought my copy (download, though I’ll probably go back and buy the boxed set, too). I got wonky html on the purchase confirmation screen indicating some code glurbles going on at the online store — not sure if my transaction actually took. Perhaps the shop’s overloaded right now, announcement just went live.

This is major, and it’s such a slap in the record industry’s face. An unsigned superband, treating loyal fans and customers like loyal fans and customers instead of thieves — what a revolutionary concept.

This is big news. This says the major labels are fucked. Untrustworthy with a worthless business model. Radiohead doesn’t seem to care if the music is free. Not that they believe it will be. Because believers will give you ALL THEIR MONEY!

This is the industry’s worst nightmare. Superstar band, THE superstar band, forging ahead by its own wits. Proving that others can too. And they will.

Disclaimer: I AM THE HUGEST RADIOHEAD FAN ON THE PLANET. (* Thanks Coop)

“

(Via Boing Boing.)

Filed under: Quickly Posted | No Comments »

WASHINGTON — The International Association of Fire Fighters accused Republican Rudy Giuliani of exploiting the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks because a supporter is holding a $9.11-per-person fundraiser for the presidential candidate.

read more | digg story

Filed under: Quickly Posted | No Comments »

Man lives after chair leg penetrates eye socket and throat: “

Seen above is an X-ray of Shafique el-Fahkri, a 20-year-old student who was attacked outside of a Melbourne, Australia nightclub in January. During a brawl, another 20-year-old, Liam Peart, threw a metal-framed chair at Fahkri. The chair leg went through Fahkri’s eye socket and down into his neck.
Link (Thanks, Vann Hall!)

“

(Via Boing Boing.)

Filed under: Quickly Posted | No Comments »

Orangutan rips off tourist’s trousers: “Camera-shy orangutan snatches tourist’s backpack and ripped off her trousers when she took a photo.”

(Via Guardian Unlimited World Latest.)

Filed under: Quickly Posted | No Comments »

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate-degrees/life-sciences/psychology/taught/cognitive-neuropsychology/

MSc Cognitive Neuropsychology
Aims and Overview

Cognitive neuropsychology studies the selective effects of brain damage on various aspects of mental life. The aim is to offer a detailed introduction to the methods and results of modern cognitive neuropsychology. The methods will include the application of theories of normal cognition to the study of cognitive disorders arising from brain damage, and the use of inferences from single cases as to the organisation of cognition.

The programme will also explore converging evidence from techniques in cognitive neuroscience, such as functional brain imaging, electrophysiology and connectionist modelling. The programme is run jointly by the Psychology Departments of Birkbeck College and UCL, and brings together some of the worlds leading researchers in the field of neuropsychology from centres such as the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, the Institute of Child Health, and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.

Filed under: Ideas, Sciency Stuff | No Comments »

Sputnik turns 50, NYT science section pays homage: “

The entire Science section in the New York Times today was devoted to the space age, honoring the 50th anniversary of Sputnik. Russia launched the first man-made satellite, Sputnik 1, on October 4, 1957.

This is really a tremendous spread — about 10 articles, plus lots of multimedia stuff — and I can’t stop reading it right now, even though it’s late in the day and I should be eating or sleeping.

John Schwartz has a wonderful piece in here about what might be ahead for the next 50 years in space travel: Link. About today’s special edition, he tells BoingBoing:

The top story is by John Noble Wilford, the NY Times reporter who wrote the story beginning ‘Men have landed and walked on the Moon.’ [Ed. note: Oh snap.]

Just about every story in the section is tied to the theme, and there is plenty of video with a beautiful interactive graphic that shows Sputnik inside and out.

Link to the section.

Here’s a snip from ‘New Horizons Beckon, Inspiring Vision if Not Certainty‘, presented next to a video interview with Schwartz:

NASA has embarked on a program to return to the Moon by 2020, not just for what some critics call ‘flags and footprints,’ but also for a lasting presence with scientific research and preparation for expeditions to asteroids and, eventually, Mars. The space shuttle program is being wound down by 2010 to create the next generation of vehicles.

Other nations, notably Russia and China, have ambitious plans and could spur a space race like the one that sent Americans to the Moon. ‘It took Sputnik for us to recognize what the Soviet Union was up to,’ said Harrison H. Schmitt, who flew the last mission to the Moon, in 1972. ‘I don’t know what it will take this time.’

Private enterprise is moving ahead, beginning with space tourism and, later, transport services for NASA and other governments to outposts like the International Space Station. Beyond that, ventures could include mining on asteroids and manufacturing drugs in space.

John M. Logsdon, director of the space policy institute at George Washington University, says a big question has yet to be answered. ‘At the level of government, I think we’re still struggling as to why we’re sending people to space,’ Dr. Logsdon said. ‘It’s a decent question, and I think it’s an unanswered question.’

“

(Via Boing Boing.)

Filed under: Quickly Posted | No Comments »

Severe depression treated with deep brain stimulation

(Via Neurophilosophy.)

Filed under: Quickly Posted | 1 Comment »

Shyness is not a psychiatric condition

(Via Neurophilosophy.)

Filed under: Quickly Posted | 1 Comment »