Draft of Declaration of Independence named subjects, not citizens
Hyperspectral images of a draft of the Declaration of Independence reveal that it originally used the word ‘subjects’ instead of ‘citizens’ at a critical juncture. After writing “our fellow subjects,” author Thomas Jefferson scrubbed it out and replaced it with the familiar alternative. To the Library of Congress, whose Preservation Research and Testing Division analyzed the document with the latest high-resolution camera equipment, it illustrates an important moment: “when [Jefferson] reconsidered his choice of words and articulated the recognition that the people of the fledgling United States of America were no longer subjects of any nation, but citizens of an emerging democracy.”…
Gallery: Digitizing the past and present at the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress has nearly 150 million items in its collection, including at least 21 million books, 5 million maps, 12.5 million photos and 100,000 posters. The largest library in the world, it pioneers both preservation of the oldest artifacts and digitization of the most recent–so that all of it remains available to future generations. I recently took a tour of two LoC departments that exemplify this mission: the Preservation Research and Testing Division in Washington, D.C., and the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center in Culpeper, Va….
Nomen Ludi
Ever get a weird memory about a game, book or movie from when you were a kid, but no-one else has any idea what you’re going on about? Enjoy Nomen Ludi, a Boing Boing special feature….
MagicJack dials wrong number in legal attack on Boing Boing
Gadget maker MagicJack recently lost a defamation lawsuit that it filed against Boing Boing. The judge dismissed its case and ordered it to pay us more than $50,000 in legal costs.
A girl at the 1978 comic-con
Comic fandom’s rarely held to be a welcoming place for girls. But one correspondent remembers fondly her trip to the 1978 San Diego Comic-Con, when she was a wee 8-year old. Other females, however, were few and far between.
Chip Sounds
“It boasts a totally separate sonic spectrum than the other forms of electronic music,” says David Viens. “It brings back fond memories.”
Sony, B&N promise to rekindle rights for book owners
Named the “Daily Edition,” Sony’s new ebook reader hits stores next month. Notwithstanding differences between the respective libraries, it offers all the best features of its main rival, the Kindle. But Sony says it offers one thing that Amazon won’t: actual ownership of your books.
Glittergeddon!
Channel 4′s documentary-style drama, The Execution of Gary Glitter, imagines an alternative Britain that reintroduces the death penalty and hangs the celebrity sex offender. It’s a story about the moral quandary of capital punishment, generously garnished with the British media’s creepy obsessions.
Brainwave toys are back
Weird headsets that read people’s minds? It sounds like dystopian science fiction, but these gadgets are set to be the holiday season’s hot toys.
Dear Britain, please stop helping the fascists
By subjecting nationalist toad Nick Griffin to the Two-Minute Hate, the U.K.’s media establishment turns a fool into a victim.
Joey Roth on design
He designed the bizarre, beautiful Sorapot, and recently turned his talents to audio.
Delete this book
Every time I see my living room bookshelf, I feel silly. This is because it’s the ultimate poseur bookshelf.
Spontaneous gadget generation amid mushroom rings in woods near Worthing, England.
When I was a kid, I found a TRS-80 Model 100, a motorcycle and a giant pig in a forest clearing.
Peek Email Theory
The Peek, a simple handset that looks like a cellphone but does nothing but email, makes an argument for cheap, on-the-go messaging.
It Is With Great Regret…
The following correspondence was found among the effects of Chalmond Carmon, Chief Alderman of Windyvale, upon the disposition of his estate. It appears he told no-one of the information contained therein. (more…)
Such Bravery
After my husband’s funeral, I closed the gate and wandered back to our salt-rimed townhouse, through a throng of youngsters and their bitter songs of Jerusalem. My guardsman trailed at a distance. (more…)
Mechanical Fingers
If the X-Finger looks like a prop from The Terminator, relax. It isn’t out to kill you, and it isn’t robotic. In fact, it’s a mechanical prosthetic finger so effective it provides articulation as fast and flexible as the real thing.
Researchers Dream of Humanizing Androids
“I believe that the next-generation humanoid robots should have a spine as we do.”
A Sinister Reading of The Poky Little Puppy
Text abridged. MP3, 1.9 MB. And stay away from the fence. (more…)
Nuclear Power’s Softer Side
“The promise of nuclear fusion is safe, clean energy,” said Rob Goldston, director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. “With fusion, if all the fuel burns at once, your shift supervisor will get annoyed with you. With fission, if it all burns at once, your nearest 200,000 neighbors have to move out of their homes.”
Inside Seagate’s R&D Labs
“When I joined Seagate, the idea of conquering 100 Gb per square inch seemed unimaginable,” Kryder said. “Even 20 seemed unlikely.”