MSFT's apparent incapacity for patching MSIE vulnerabilities hasn't deterred open-source hackers, who have released a free software patch for a well-known Explorer vulnerability.

Update: Andrew sez, "...it contains buffer overflow exploits that are wide open for hax0r5 to take advantage of. In addition, it redirects weird URL requests to -it's own website-."

Update: Yoz points out that the patch has been patched. Link (via /.)

Good letter from an Atari fan to Atari, describing the way that their anti-copying technology has screwed the innocent in order to get at the guilty. Link (Thanks, Marie!)

The entire town of Tortilla Flat, Arizona, is up for auction on eBay. The first order of business for the new owner is to fix the town's lone computer's shift-key.

THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO OWN YOUR OWN HISTORIC TOWN. TORTILLA FLAT IS ONE OF THE LAST REMNANTS OF THE OLD WEST. THE SCHOOL, GENERAL STORE, RESTAURANT, OLD TIME ICE CREAM & CANDY STORE AND THE POST OFFICE HAVE BEEN RESTORED OR REBUILT. TORTILLA FLAT IS LOCATED 18 MILES NORTH-EAST OF APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA ON HIGHWAY 88 AND IS THE ONLY SETTLEMENT BETWEEN THE "JUNCTION" AND ROOSEVELT DAM, A DISTANCE OF 47 MILES. THE SETTLEMENT IS SITUATED IN THE VALLEY ALONG TORTILLA CREEK SURROUNDED BY THE MYSTERIOUS SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS, THE LEGENDARY LOCATION OF THE LOST DUTCHMANS MINE. TO DRIVE TO TORTILLA FLAT IS TO PASS THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR SCENERY IN THE WORLD. TORTILLA FLAT'S FINE RESTAURANT, THE SUPERSTITION SALOON, IS FAMOUS FOR ITS KILLER CHILI, HUGE HALF-POUND COWBOY BURGERS AND HOME-COOKED MEXICAN FOOD. IT'S KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND REGULARLY VISITED NOT ONLY BY LOCAL RANCHERS, COWBOYS AND PROSPECTORS, BUT ALSO BY PEOPLE FROM SURROUNDING TOWNS AND TRAVELERS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES AS WELL AS THE WORLD. IT IS A DESTINATION PLACE FOR ARIZONA. YOU ARE PURCHASING ALL THE BUILDINGS/LAND IS LEASED FROM THE TONTO NATIONAL FOREST SERVICE CALL 1-888-299-6792 ASK FOR SHERRI PACK EXCULSIVE AGENT TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

Link (Thanks, Dan!)

Dodgeit allows you to create throw-away email addresses (for crappy registration sites), and then delivers the email that comes into the resulting mailbox as an RSS feed that you and everyone else who can guess at your throwaway email addy can read. That's pretty sweet.

Pick a throwaway address, say: deeznuts@dodgeit.com Give that address out whenever you need to. Check deeznuts from homepage of dodgeit.com. Subscribe to RSS feed to keep an eye on the mailbox. Get it?

Link (Thanks, Phil!)

Nick sez, "Dean Allen at Textism created a found alphabet in a rural setting. The alphabet has a pleasant rustic feel, using mostly earth tones." Link (Thanks, Nick!)

My Small Times column this month is online. It's about how microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)--the tiny machines that trigger the airbag in your car and squirt out the ink in your desktop printer--are now being integrated into white goods.

"I'm not talking about an accelerometer-laden Rosie the House-Cleaning Robot, although she may be on deck soon, too. I'm talking about newfangled washing machines, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, ovens and even refrigerators that will ease the pain of some household chores while keeping your utility bill in check."

Link

Red Versus Blue is a series of comedy short films made by scripting avatars in the game Half Life Halo and recording screen-movies of the results, then adding voice-over and sound-effects, a process called "machinima." The first two episodes of the next season will be screened at Lincoln Center on January 3. That's pretty cool -- it's almost as if Homestar Runner came to Carnegie Hall.

We are extremely pleased to announce that Red vs Blue Season 2 will debut on January 3, 2004 at the Lincoln Center in New York City. We're extremely honored to be invited back to this prestigious venue and we hope that any Red vs Blue fan in the area will make it to the 9:30 PM show. The plan is to show Season One in its entirety and then show Episodes One and Two of Season Two. Also, the entire cast and crew of Season One will be on hand for the event, which is a milestone in itself -- we have never been in the same place at the same time. So, if you want your RvB DVD signed by the cast, this may be your one and only shot.

Link (via Ambiguous)

Lucas Gonze has created an app to render out text in the alphabets made from astronomical phenomena and human brain-whorls. Link (Thanks, Lucas!)

The Canadian government is syndicating its daily news items as RSS feeds. There are a bunch of feeds running, including:

National news
Regional news
Aboriginal peoples
Business
Children
Educators

Link (Thanks, Andrew!)

A wistful, meandering walk through the graveyard of dearly departed logotypes. Link (thanks, Jean-Luc)

At left, my favorite from this wonderful collection of the works of Suehiro Maruo -- sexy, disturbing, nostalgic, and supercool. Link (thanks Invisible Cowgirl, via Fleshbot)

This week's Entertainment Weekly lists the 10 Best Novels of 2003. Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom is number five. It's also one of Sunday, December 28th's NYT's "New and Notable" paperbacks. Link

BoingBoing pal Roland Piquepaille says:

The nanotechnology research field is pretty fertile these days. Researchers at Harvard recently showed a nanowire which could be the next big diagnostic tool for doctors. Meanwhile, University of Southern California scientists have developed a 'nanosensor' that only works when noise is added. And another Harvard team has developed nanoscale fibers that are thinner than the wavelengths of light they carry which may have applications in ever-shrinking medical products and tiny photonics equipment such as nanoscale laser systems, tools for communications and sensors. This news roundup contains more details and references about these projects. You'll also find a stunning picture of a s ilica nanowire wrapping a beam of light around a strand of human hair.

Link

Amazing free downloadable paper-motorcycle kits. Link (Thanks, bakahage!)

Nice NYT piece about the ongoing efforts to rebuild old Disney rides as CGI, using the Web to coordinate volunteers:

At least two other sites are creating virtual versions of discontinued Disney rides: Adventure Thru Inner Space (www.atommobiles.com/cgi-project.htm), a Disneyland attraction that gave visitors the experience of being smaller than an atom, and If You Had Wings (dizneyworld.net/iyhw.html), a Disney World ride to exotic travel destinations. Although these re-creations have not been authorized by Disney, a spokesman said the company "appreciates their passion."

Why do Disney rides inspire such allegiance? "Disney is one of the few organizations that produce elaborate dark rides, that invest in story line," explained Cory Doctorow, a technology activist and writer whose recent novel, "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom," is set in a Disney World of the future.

Link

The FCC has announced a new docket for commentary on "smart radios." It's seeking comment on how to encourage frequency-agile radio technology, including through use of location-snesing technologies to know, a priori, whether the radio is situated out in the bush where it won't interfere with other users if it transmits at higher power. I'm going to be writing some EFF/communtiy wireless comments in this docket -- if you've got a dog in this fight, you should send comments to the Commission, too. Link

Vanessa sez, "This is just amazing -- the authors manipulated images from the Bayeux Tapestry and created a Flash-based kit where you can make your own medieval comic strip. Images are scalable, type can be colored. You can send your images as ecards to the medievalists of your acquaintance." I made an Orwellian one that I'm quite proud of, in my own, quiet way. Link (Thanks, Vanessa!)