Tag: boing

Pound sinks as Britain weighs EU exit

Britain is to hold a referendum this summer on whether to leave the EU . Proponents of “Brexit” want to see less immigration and more self-determination ; advocates of staying in the union anticipate horrors both economic and human if the country becomes, once again, an “island” . Polls are running neck and neck . Britain is important enough that its departure could deal a mortal blow to the European Union ; the Scots and Irish, in particular, are uneasily tied to England’s destiny. Meanwhile, the pound is headed south , presumably in search for warmer climes.

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Pound sinks as Britain weighs EU exit

Scan of original 1977 35mm print of Star Wars released online

A restored high-definition digital scan, taken from 35mm prints of the original, unmolested version of Star Wars, is now available online to those who are looking. May the celluloid will be with you. Always. While this isn’t the first time that attempts have been made to restore Star Wars to its original theatrical version—that’s the one without the much-maligned CGI effects and edits of later “special” editions—it is the first to have been based entirely on a single 35mm print of the film, rather than cut together from various sources. Here’s a post from the team who located prints and restored the film : Despite having access to the original source, and to all the cleaned footage as the project progressed, I was still completely blown away by the final version. I had no idea it could look so good! Honestly! Way back at the start I had created a comparison clip with the 2006 Bonus DVD on top and the raw scan of LPP on the bottom, in order to see which frames (if any) were missing from the print, and I remember being rather alarmed that it made the GOUT look good!: Creator George Lucas said, in disowning his original work, that all the copies of it were destroyed. “The only issue with Team Negative 1’s version of the film,” reports Mark Walton, “is that it isn’t exactly legal.” Here it is, compared to the official Blu-Ray: https://youtu.be/mo24gFFk7WM https://youtu.be/pFp9bSp-fro https://youtu.be/3Wjx01CuqDs

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Scan of original 1977 35mm print of Star Wars released online

An easy way to get 2GB of free Google Drive storage

Today is Safer Internet Day 2016, and to celebrate Google is giving users 2GB of free Google Drive storage. The only “catch” is that you have to go through a 2-minute security update , which you should do anyway. [ via ]

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An easy way to get 2GB of free Google Drive storage

Bunnie Huang’s "Essential Guide to Electronics in Shenzhen"

Bunnie has a years of experience partnering with manufacturers in Shenzhen, so he knows what he’s talking about. This looks like a fantastic resource for hardware entrepreneurs. Bunnie Huang, the infamous hardware hacker known for reverse engineering the XBox and the Novena, is publishing “ The Essential Guide to Electronics in Shenzhen .” He started a crowdfunding campaign on Crowd Supply yesterday and it soared past its goal of $10K (at $35/ copy) in less than 24 hours. This is a must-have guide for any hardware startup founder, maker, or IoT developer looking to China to manufacture. With Overcoming the language barrier is one of the keys to unlocking the market’s full potential, and this book’s point-to-translate format enables a fluidity of interaction with market vendors that no translation app or guide book can match. “Going to Shenzhen, China is a massive enabler for Makers, hackers, and entrepreneurs alike. The Essential Guide to Electronics in Shenzhen is the book I wish I had when I first stepped foot into China a decade ago.” – bunnie

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Bunnie Huang’s "Essential Guide to Electronics in Shenzhen"

The creator of Papyrus, the world’s second-most reviled font, was paid only $2,500 in today’s money

John Brownlee interviews Chris Costello, the type designer behind Papyrus , described as “that font comedians move onto when their Comic Sans jokebook gets a little dog-eared.” “There have definitely been days I wish I never sold the rights,” he laughs, acknowledging the font definitely has its share of critics. He says he never dreamed Papyrus would end up installed on over a billion computers around the world. If he did, he probably would have asked for more than the equivalent of $2,500 today for it. (more…)

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The creator of Papyrus, the world’s second-most reviled font, was paid only $2,500 in today’s money

Themepark in an ancient, cavernous Transylvanian salt-mine

Transylvania’s Salina Turda themepark is housed in an ancient salt mine with millennia of history. Visitors use its vertical shafts to access vast underground salt caverns and lakes dotted with a concert hall, mini-golf courses, bowling alleys, and rowboats. (more…)

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Themepark in an ancient, cavernous Transylvanian salt-mine

GM’s Dieselgate: mechanics privately admit update removes crimeware from Opel cars

Luc Pauwels from Belgium’s VRT News took his Vauxhall (GM) Opel Astra in for service, and a mechanic there disclosed that Vauxhall had asked him to flash the firmware of any diesel Opel Zafira to remove a defeat-device that caused it to emit 500% of the legal NOx limit — an order that came down right after the Dieselgate scandal broke. (more…)

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GM’s Dieselgate: mechanics privately admit update removes crimeware from Opel cars

David Bowie, RIP

“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring. — David Bowie David Bowie died today after an 18 month battle with cancer. The pioneering musician and artist had celebrated his 69th birthday on Friday with the release of his new album, Blackstar. Damn, I’m going to miss him. We all are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYYRH4apXDo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDoW1vFLJp4 https://youtu.be/A8u8mODGOlg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2HWuR2mq5M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kszLwBaC4Sw

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David Bowie, RIP

‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ overtakes ‘Avatar’ as highest-grossing film in US history

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” just pushed James Cameron’s “Avatar” aside as the top-grossing film in North America. In just 20 days of release, the seventh installment in the space opera saga has earned more than “Avatar’s” $760.5 million lifetime gross. From Variety : One important caveat is that this massive haul does not account for inflation. When pricing increases are factored in, “Gone With the Wind” remains the highest-grossing film in history with $1.7 billion and the first “Star Wars” is runner-up with $1.5 billion. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is in 21st place behind classics such as “The Sound of Music,” “E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial” and “Titanic.” Globally, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” ranks as the fourth highest-grossing pic in history, having earned $1.5 billion worldwide. It opens this weekend in China, the world’s second-biggest market for film. Depending on how enthusiastically it is received in the People’s Republic, “The Force Awakens” could shoot past “Avatar’s” record $2.8 billion global haul.

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‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ overtakes ‘Avatar’ as highest-grossing film in US history