Coding with Fountain Pens

This is a presentation of image resizing software that selects smart paths of low importance in the image to remove or replicate. The result is resizing with subjects preserved. This is interesting stuff, and smart work, although I think it could have some interesting effects on how we view images. The power of the image […]

Bruce Schneier has pointed out an interesting analysis of the protocol used to elect the Doge of Venice from 1268 until the 18th century (pdf). It is quite complicated, involving 10 rounds of expanding the college by election and shrinking it by lot. The paper was prompted by research into computer networks that must elect […]

It’s important for any film to take advantage of the advertising potential that entertainment ‘news’ services offer. I’ve noticed a trend recently, which has probably been going on for some time, of movie after movie breaking increasingly specific box office ‘records’. Spider-Man 3 has the biggest 3-day opening ever. Harry Potter and the Order of […]

Galaxy Zoo is a project which is enlisting the eyes and minds of the public to help classify a large number of galaxies present in sky survey images. It’s fun for a few minutes, and would be great for kids, as they can learn about science while making a concrete contribution. Do galaxies prefer to […]

I await the day we find a cave on which a prehistoric youth has scrawled the equivalent of “first post”. I’m not sure what form that would take, though probably something highly suggestive and wildly inappropriate. The last I heard it was thought most cave art was the work of hormonally charged adolescent boys.