Last week, I wrote about Britain's high-security Fareham Shopping Centre, a high-value target where photography has been banned for "security reasons" -- this is the site where a pair of middle aged grandparents were banned for life as "terrorists" for taking a picture of their grandchildren.

Now, crack operative Matthew Fowler has penetrated the security perimeter around this facility with a hidden camera and smuggled out a reel of strategic photographs of the mall, including this (upside-down) map, which, incredibly, shows the location of the local Boots outlet and the Woolworth's store! With this kind of high-value intel, the Fareham Centre will be ours!

Agent Fowler has also provided us with a riveting walk-through video that reveals many key tactical elements of the structure, from the sort of chairs provided in the food court to the kind of tennis-shoes you need to wear if you want to blend in with the native population.

Tremble, Fareham Shopping Centre! I know not where you are, and care less, but still, you will be mine! Hahahahahahahaahahaha! Hahahahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahahaha! Link to images, Link to video

See also: UK mall bans grandparents for trying to photo their grandkids

This footage from an Indian traffic cam depicts some of the most skillful, hair-raising, gutsy and balletic lane-changing and merging I've ever seen. It's like watching a hive-organism coordinate some kind of distributed intelligence dance. Link (via Making Light)

China Daily reports that a cab driver has been ripping off his fares by employing a man to hide in the cab's trunk and steal stuff out of the luggage.

About halfway home, the driver received an “urgent call” and told Lei that he would have to drop her off and turn back. He waived her fee, unloaded her luggage and helped her get another taxi.

When she returned home, Lei discovered that her notebook computer had been removed from her luggage and called police.

After a month-long investigation, police determined that the driver had hid somebody in the trunk specifically to steal luggage. Both the driver and the “trunk man” were arrested.

Link

Warren Ellis's profane and angry take on the Three Laws of Robotics is good reading -- especially if you envision the future as an organic process where "laws" are emergent phenomena arising from lots of individual, uncoordinated actors (e.g., the Internet) instead of a centrally planned affair contrived by Wise Men in white robes (the Foundation).

2. Robots do not want to have sex with you. Are you listening, Japan? I don’t have a clever comparative simile for this, because frankly you bags of meat will fuck bicycles if they’re laying down and not putting up a fight. Just stop it. There is no robot on Earth that wants to see a bag of meat with a small prong on the end approaching it with a can of WD-40 and a hopeful smile. And don’t get me started on that terrifying hole that squeezes out more bags of meat.

Link

Today in my ongoing series of photos from my travels -- this decor-encrusted dashboard of a Singapore taxi. This is apparently an infamous cab among the locals (at least everyone I showed it to immediately recognized it), and it's quite a contrast from the usual super-neat and tidy S'pore cab. I enjoyed the hell out of it, though. Link

Link (via Digg)

Elizabeth sez, "Almost all apartments have coat closets. Very few have TARDISes. For the New Year, my roommates and I converted our normal coat closet into our very own time-travelling space ship disguised as a blue police box. And now we can bask in the glow of the time vortex held within whenever we want to. Pictures, and a description of the creation process, are on my blog." Link (Thanks, Elizabeth!)

Mike Huckabee may have won the Iowa primary, but does he really think that Canada's Parliament resides in a "national igloo?" Rick Mercer's comedic Canadian TV show "Talking to Americans" (asking people on the streets of US cities nonsensical questions about Canada to see if they call shenanigans or whether they become genuinely alarmed at the idea that, say, the Canadian elderly are set adrift on ice floes instead of being sent to retirement homes) caught Huckabee on video during his days as governor of Arkansas and asked him to send a message of support to Canada and its struggling "national igloo," a notional ice-sculpture scale replica of the White House in which the Canadian Parliament meets and debates.

Huckabee gave a stirring endorsement to the igloo, presumably after ascertaining that the igloo was not used by homosexuals. Link

Freddie Freelance sez, "German Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries has drawn a line in the sand on the Internet connection data that Germany's requiring be collected since January 1st & hold for 6 months. From Heise Online:"

"Connection information can assist in the prosecution of terrorists and organized criminals but cannot be used to help the music industry pursue its rights under civil law," said the SPD party politician in an interview with Focus, the German news magazine. "Any government that tries to broaden its scope will lose all credibility."

Link (Thanks, Freddie Freelance!)

Peter from the DefectiveByDesign campaign sez,

Yesterday, Viviane Reding, European Union commissioner for information society and media, issued a report sanctioning a "transparent" DRM framework for the EU. This irresponsible and senseless report comes just as Sony BMG have announced that they would join Warner Music Group, EMI, and Vivendi's Universal Music Group in selling DRM-free music downloads in the United States. That Reding would take this moment to propose that the European Union seek to impose DRM on European citizens is both senseless and irresponsible.

Join us in demanding that Reding retract her statement and issue a new report stating that the EU will neither endorse nor sponsor the creation of any DRM technology scheme.

Link (Thanks, Peter!)

A new show of Erik Otto's mixed-media artwork opens tomorrow, January 5, at San Francisco's Gallery Three. Otto's captivating work draws from his experiences in graffiti, animation, commercial art, graphic design, and set production. The exhibition, titled "The Calm Before The Storm," runs until February 2. All of the pieces are also viewable online. Seen here, "What Lies Ahead" (mixed media on wood panel, 50" x 32"). Link to online gallery, Link to Gallery Three

If only all software instructional videos were as funny and useful as this one, called "You Sucjk at Photoshop." I hope the creator, Donnie Hoyle, makes more of them. Link (Thanks, Gord!)

The NY Public Library has scans of an 1804 book from China that shows 22 engravings of common punishment methods of the day.

Shown here: a malefactor enduring the "punishment of the wooden collar." Can anyone translate the Chinese characters on the collar?

Link (Via BibliOdyssey)

CNN Europe reports that members of a Czech art group are in trouble for hacking a television broadcast and inserting a phony video of a nuclear explosion.

On June 17, viewers of a Czech television channel watching a Web cam program monitoring weather in various Czech mountain resorts could see a nuclear explosion taking place in the Krkonose or Giant Mountains in the northern Czech Republic.

Link (Via Spluch)

Every time I post a link to the Daily Mail, I get a bunch of email from UK readers telling me that the Daily Mail is a horrible fascist newspaper that would instantly putrefy any fish you wrapped in it, but I still enjoy some of the articles in it -- such as this speculative piece on what it would be like to be the last human on Earth.

Some areas of rural Britain would be worth avoiding, not least because a potent threat to our survivor would come from Britain's two dozen or so remaining nuclear reactors, mostly dotted around the northern and eastern coasts.

If their staff vanished, and as back-up power supplies failed, a real danger would be that one or more would go into meltdown as cooling pumps failed.

The equivalent of several Chernobyls could render big areas of the country uninhabitable. With prevailing winds as they are, it would perhaps be best to head for the westernmost parts of the country or even try to escape Britain altogether.

Assuming our survivor avoided this radiation fall- out, hygiene would be an issue - if he chose to remain in the city, he would find the lack of mains sewage and drainage a problem after only a few days, as the pumping stations failed, while rivers would probably be too polluted to bathe in.

The only hot water would come from a stove, and washing oneself and one's clothes would be a chore (fortunately the world's shops are full of many, many lifetimes' worth of clean clothing).

As for our survivor's health, the lack of any other people to spread infectious diseases would be a blessing, but the risk of accidents would be a constant worry - even a broken limb could quickly prove fatal if the injury was not dealt with correctly.

The best last-human-on-Earth novel I've read is Earth Abides, by by George R. Stewart (cover shown above). Link (Via Spluch)

Kevin Kelly is giving away True Films, his must-have book of documentary recommendations as a free, ad-supported, PSD, using Adobe's new service that lets you embed Yahoo ads into Acrobat files.

This is the third version of a guide I have been developing for the past 5 years. It takes the 200 best documentaries I have reviewed on my website True Films and puts them into one handy book. For an explanation of why I bother to order the content of a website into a book see the previous entry.

In True Films, I cover only true films: documentaries, factuals, non-fiction, reality-based series, and some instructional how-to. You can get a sense of what I like from the site. I love documentaries that 1) surprise me, and 2) inform me.

Each review is a rave review; that is, I only review films I love and believe others will enjoy. Merely good films are left unmentioned. I also include what no other film review source does: I provide 4 to 5 screen shots from each documentary to give you an idea of what the texture of the film is. And I only review documentaries that can be seen easily on DVD or tape at consumer prices (either as Netflix rentals, legal downloads, or online purchase). Documentaries available only in theaters, or as high-priced "educational films" are regrettably ignored. Earlier editions of this book have been available on Amazon, Lulu, and as a cheap download from my site. But with this new version 3.0 I am trying something new. I am offering this 200-page full-color guide (perfect as a companion if you have Netflix) as a FREE download. It's in PDF format, but with a twist. To help offset the significant bandwidth costs of these downloads (I hope my server can take the wave), I have appended advertisements to the PDF book. Here is how the ads work: If you choose to see the ads, they will appear in a gray sidebar on the right, adjacent to the pages of the book, just outside the frame of the page.

Link

Joel Schlosberg says:

Otto Preminger's rarely seen, never-released-on-video psychedelic comedy Skidoo (previously on Boing Boing) will be airing on Turner Classic Movies on January 5 (late night January 4), as part of TCM Underground.

I've been waiting for years to see this. Link

Here's my second post today about parks in Florida: a sign in an Orlando park erected to refresh visitors' memory of the City Code forbidding them to "lie or otherwise be in a horizontal position on a park bench."

Tacky Fabulous points out, "Somebody must have tried the 'I wasn't laying down - I was just positioned horizontally' excuse."

I know - you're saying to yourself, "But wait a second! Didn't Orlando hover near record high rates for murders in the year 2007? Shouldn't there be a sign, instead, that reads: "Please do not impale with bullets or otherwise inflict death blows on other beings?" The answer is yes, but people who commit homicides tend to start as people who recline on park benches. It's textbook.

I also like the part prohibiting people from "remaining" in "bushes, shrubs, or foliage." Link

Brian figured out how to hack together a damned fine trashcan meat-smoker for less than $50:

So there you have it, a working smoker made from easily available parts.

Here's what I spent:
Trash Can w/ lid: $12.00
Electric Hot Plate: $13.00
Grating: $10.00
Wood Chip Box: $10.00 (actually, I already had this, but they are cheap if you need to buy one.)
Temperature Gauge: $9.00

So for just over $50, you can build a smoker.

Link

Andy Switky of IDEO shares these great vintage photos of a situationist prank waypoint mapping project. Andy writes:

I spoke at a conference in Wuxi about a month ago and hung out with great folks from the London College of Communication. We got to talking about GPS for some reason, and one of them remembered a couple pictures he picked up at the Ordnance Survey, the UK mapping equivalent of the USGS. The pictures are from the early 1950s and presumably show "waypoints".

Link to image 1, Link to image 2 (Thanks, Lyn Jeffery!)

TechEBlog says: "Tim converted his garage into a full-functional one-lane bowling alley (Brunswick A-2 pinsetter), complete with black lights for the 'cosmic' effect." Link

Jeff's family got the plans for their 1950s ranch house and faithfully recreated it in gingerbread.

Using elevations from a recent renovation, my wife constructed the sides and the girls set out to decorate. I, being the professional photographer in a previous life, was tasked with documenting the finished model. As we are a multicultural family, matzot was used for the hipped roof and garage doors.

Link (Thanks, Jeff!)

Cow farts contain methane, a greenhouse gas. Kangaroo farts do not. So scientists in Australia are going to transfer intestinal bacteria of kangaroos into cattle and see what happens.

According to the government of Queensland, almost 14% of all greenhouse gas emissions from Australia come from cow farts, so this seemingly silly idea could actually make a big difference.

Link (Thanks, Marilyn Terrell!)

Inspired by the never-ending news of new and ridiculous restrictions on flying, Grig Larson has written a grimly funny little science fiction vignette about what a world in which flying was really "made safe" would be like:

When she gets to the counter, a uniformed woman takes her booklet, and compares it to her ID. She asks for a fingerprint scan. Uh oh! There's a problem. Jill can't remember what finger she used! But the lady helps her out, and within minutes, she's approved to go into the disrobing chamber. The lady gives her a neck tag, stamps Jill's forehead, and sends her on her way past the many guards down a hallway.

Jill knows what to expect. Helpful pictograph signs show her what she will be doing when she gets to the disrobing room. At the end of the hallway, she steps into a free closet, and strips down naked. Don't forget those earrings and hair bands, Jill! Jill remembered that the safety of her personal belongings could never be guaranteed, so she came wearing nothing she couldn't afford to lose. She puts her belongings in a plastic bag, and seals it nice and tight. She sees herself in the mirror. Oh my, Jill. You have been gaining a little weight, haven't we? Better lay off those desserts at the buffet when you're in Los Angeles, Jill!

Link (Thanks, Grig!)

The Guardian asked kids to send in monster drawings for a contest. Will the Cloverfield monster be as cool as these monsters?

"This creature lives down the plug hole and eats all the dead skin and soap from the bath. It has suckers to help it move and a sticky tongue. It is blind and comes out at night. If you happen to see it, it turns into gas and you will faint and won’t remember the next day." -- Saffron Summerfield, 9

Link (Thanks, Jason Louv!)

If you are in Miami, pop open your Charles Fort umbrellas before venturing into Bill Baggs park: it's raining iguanas there.

It was raining iguanas at Bill Baggs Thursday morning. There were a couple underneath buttonwood trees and a third beneath a sea grape. All were about 30 yards from the beach, in the coastal hammock.

"We have found dozens on the bike path after a major cold snap," said Yero. "When they warm up in the sun, they come back to life."

Link (Thanks, Rian Fike!)

Today's Boing Boing tv episode: I take a trip into the alternate reality of pop surrealist artist Tim Biskup. And it's definitely a trip. Then, sculptor Chris Yates demonstrates how he makes a Diesel Sweeties wooden Red Robot from start to finish, slightly faster than normal.

Link to BBtv video and comments

Previously on BB and BB Gadgets:
• Boing Boing hoodie by GAMA-GO with Tim Biskup artwork Link
• Tim Biskup profile Link
• Video of Tim Biskup painting the Helio Ocean mural Link
• Chris Yates's Katamari Damacy homemade model Link
• Diesel Sweeties' R. Stevens Reviews the Wacom Cintiq 12WX Link
• Diesel Sweeeties' Music Snob t-shirts Link

Today in my ongoing series of photos from my travels: the impressive array of plugs at each seat in the meeting rooms at the European Broadcasters' Union (the Eurovision Song Contest people) in Geneva, Switzerland. There's receptacles for British/South African, Continental, Swiss and US/Japanese plugs, at 220, 240 and 110 volts. I used to have to travel to the EBU semi-regularly for DRM standards-body meetings that were incredibly painful -- but at least I could always plug in my laptop. Link

Today's the anniversary of Thomas Edison's vicious electrocution of a live elephant in order to prove the dangers of Nikola Tesla's alternating current and the safety of his competing direct current.

When the day came, Topsy was restrained using a ship's hawser fastened on one end to a donkey engine and on the other to a post. Wooden sandals with copper electrodes were attached to her feet and a copper wire run to Edison's electric light plant, where his technicians awaited the go-ahead.

In order to make sure that Topsy emerged from this spectacle more than just singed and angry, she was fed cyanide-laced carrots moments before a 6,600-volt AC charge slammed through her body. Officials needn't have worried. Topsy was killed instantly and Edison, in his mind anyway, had proved his point.

A crowd put at 1,500 witnessed Topsy's execution, which was filmed by Edison and released later that year as Electrocuting an Elephant.

Link

Doktor Tchock sez, "Myspace and Boom! Studios teamed up to release each issue of the new comic North Wind simultaneously with the release date for brick and mortar stores. Issue 1 is up now and you'll be able to grab the .cbz of each issue of the 5 issue mini-series in the following months. An interesting approach to digital distribution."

Boom! does a fine line in zombie comix (see Zombie Tales Vol 1 and Death Valley) and they've got a really net-savvy approach to pushing the ole funnybooks.

I've been saying for years that comics publishers should -- at a minimum -- put up downloadable comics after they disappear from the stands, so that people who are coming to the serial after it starts can catch up. The trade paperbacks help here, but usually there's a 2-3 issue gap between the collection and the singles. That means that if you're not a Comics Person and you walk into a bookstore and buy the first collection of Thrilling Underwear Pervert Stories (issues 1-6) get hooked, and decide to brave a comics store for the first time to pick up issue 7, you'll generally find that they're up to issue 9 or 10, and that 7 and 8 aren't for sale and can't be ordered.

The result? You go back to the bookstore in a couple months and look for the collection -- maybe. If you remember. The alternative? The publisher could spend approximately $0.00 and post downloadable singles 30 days or even 60 days after they hit the stands. Now when you go to the store and say, "Have you got TUPS #7?" the Comic Book Guy can smile and say, "Nope, but you can get it free online, and when you've read it, come on back here and I'll sell you #8. By the way, did you know that new comics come out every Wednesday? We usually get a lot of people in on Weds, spruce up the store, set out some collections of other comics you might not have heard of. Also -- would you like me to set aside future TUPS issues for you? As well as collections?"

Yes, a few cheapskates might opt to substitute downloads for singles. But those cheapskates are likely either retired people, students, or other people of limited means -- and if they come into money (say, by graduating and getting a job), they'll be back with their wallets. In the meantime, it's not as if the people who buy their issues in Mylar bags are going to give up on collecting -- Action Comics #1 has been floating around online since the mid-Nineties and the value of the physical object hasn't dropped as a result.

And by optimizing the experience for spenders -- people who drop $25 on a collection in a bookstore that you might be able to convert to weekly comic-store customers -- you churn in fresh customers while still providing a good, low-cost way to get into the medium for kids and students. Link (Thanks, Doktor Tchock!)

Today on Boing Boing Gadgets we looked at this "Love Mattress" concept design which many rightfully pointed out would be a pain to keep clean, some boring earbuds with a slick birch wood shell, a new media streamer from Archos that can't quite do HD for some reason, a clever new conical power strip, an attractive, expensive new glass monitor from Dell (I know!), a tribute to Classic Space LEGO with extra greebles, a hot rock for cooking, coupons from the gubbermunt for digital TV convertor boxes, an upcoming game and guitar that lets you learn to play with a Guitar Hero-like system, Belkin's new RockStar headphone hub, and a brief notice that the new Indiana Jones-themed LEGO sets are now on sale. And some deals (although nothing special).

Photographer Mark Story took photos of people who were born in the 19th century and are still alive in the 21th Century. My own grandmother comes close to making it. She'll be 107 in April.

The photographs for this portrait series were taken in various locations around the world between 1987 and 2005.

The Gerontology Research Group estimates there are 250,000 centenarians (people 100 years and older) currently living in the world. In rare instances, people live to 110 years and beyond, inspiring a new demographic label: supercentenarian. The Gerontology Research Group, through rigorous investigation of records, acknowledges about 65 supercentenarians, and estimates that about 350 are alive worldwide today.

The idea to photograph people who have lived in three centuries evolved over the course of the project. First, I was simply interested in taking portraits of people who appear worn beyond their years by living extraordinarily hard lives. Those experiences drew me to centenarians, and on to supercentenarians and their stories.

Link (Via Ursi's blog)