patently obvious
patently obvious, adj. An idea so blazingly obvious, only the patent office would think it novel enough to patent.
patently obvious, adj. An idea so blazingly obvious, only the patent office would think it novel enough to patent.
Economics professors at Cornell and Indiana U. have found a possible correlation between watching TV before the age of three and autism. The evidence looks even more circumstantial than the study linking early TV viewing to ADHD, but still interesting: really what they’ve found is a correlation between diagnosis of autism and the number of rainy days in a particular county for a given period, which is known to correlate with hours kids spend watching TV. I wonder if they also looked at birth month and whether that has an effect — if it did that might imply a critical period of only a few months. (Thanks to Andrea for the link.)
Update 3:30pm: Here’s the actual study. Plus, Steven Levitt offers some skepticism at the Freakonomics blog. (Thanks to Judith for the links.)
Another reason to not let your toddler watch TV? Read More »
Anders Sandberg has posted some fabulous Warning Signs For Tomorrow over at his blog. And in a similar vein, check out how Dow Chemical designed the biohazard symbol. (By way of Schneier on Security.)
Do not taunt happy fun ball Read More »
Today’s the last day for Californians to register to vote in time for the November 7th election. If you’ve not yet registered, download the registration form and mail it directly to your county elections official. Forms must be postmarked by today’s date.
Last day to register to vote in California Read More »
A few days ago Reuters opened a bureau in Second Life, the online virtual world that’s more second home than game to some 400,000 (presumably part-time) residents. Adam Pasick is bureau chief and sole reporter, and is dedicated fulltime to Second Life. As science fiction writer Charlie Strauss put it a month ago, “Truth stranger than fiction? Must write faster, the clowns are gaining …” (Via NPR’s Marketplace.)
Reuters opens Second Life bureau Read More »
A Fox News cameraman was about 20 blocks away when the New York small-plane crash occurred last week, so he broadcast live via his Palm Treo smart-phone. (Thanks to Jamey for the link.)
Fox uses Treo to break plane crash news Read More »
Google just added support for the Treo 600, Treo 650 and Treo 700p to their Google Maps Mobile software (a client application that runs on your phone). Looks pretty good, and includes the ability to see the current traffic conditions along your route, which ironically the main Google Maps software can’t do. (Thanks to GirlPurple for the link, via Jill!)
Google Maps for Treo 600, 650 and 700p Read More »
Bruce Schneier answers the question “why do we bother making people with security clearances go through airport security?” with the obvious answer “how would an airport screener know if you have a security clearance?”
Heck, as long as we’re living in fantasy land, why don’t they let non-terrorists bypass security and just focus on The Terrorists? After all, it must not be too hard to tell who’s a Terrorist and who isn’t, since we’re already single them out for torture, rendition to Syria and indefinite detention without review. What’s forcing them to spend extra time in line at the airport compared to that?
Why don’t we only search terrorists? Read More »
Google just launched a page for searching through publicly-posted source code (including the ability to search by regexp, language and licence), and Kottke.org has compiled a list of some interesting searches people have uncovered, including password files, backdoors, inside jokes and kludge alerts.
(Thanks to Rawhide for the link!)
Fun with Google Code search Read More »
You’ve probably already heard about the cell phone that screams after it’s reported as stolen. My friend GirlPurple has suggested the perfect add-on market: Custom Scream Tones.
Custom scream tones Read More »