How the Media Manipulates Photos

Have you ever wondered whether the photographs you were looking at in your paper or the magazine you were reading have been doctored? May be those photos looked just too good to be true? After all, modern technology has given everyone the power to decide how the picture will look and which story will it tell. This short video by some forensics expert available at Cristian Science Monitor site gives us few tips as to what to look for next time we are admiring the front page. For my money I would have liked to see more dramatic examples, like showing that the ayatollah (on the left) is in fact Boris Karloff in disguise. Still,

The Verdict? It's a PLUG!

New Sanyo - Xacti for YouTube!

Just so that you can eliminate those fuzzy videos YouTube is full of, wonderful folks from Sanyo bring you 'Xacti' what you need: - a new camcorder.

The plug: - As well as being silver, sleek and rather beautiful, the new Xacti DMX-HD1000 will give you almost an hour and a half of HD-quality footage with an 8GB SDHC card. You don't say...

The promised spec?

Full HD (1920 x 1080), 4-megapixel sensor
Supports SD and SDHC, HDMI output, MPEG-4 AVC/H-264 codec
Records up to 1 hr 25 mins full HD quality with 8GB SDHC Card
10 x optical zoom (112.6 x 90 x 54.5 mm)

However, no word on price or availability (so, don't rush to your nearest dealer, not yet) and haven't seen any comments from the dudes lucky enough to try it either. Don't like teasers, therefore, for now,

The Verdict? UnPLUGGED!

[From Akihabara News, via Gizmodo]

Commercial Break

Life's precious wisdom scribbled on the back of the business card. I like this guy so much I keep his feeds in all my blogs. If you like them, go and visit Gaping Void for instructions how to install the widget in your blog.

Verdict? Go away, I told you it's a commercial break!

Balls Up!

BBC reported on Sunday that a demonstration has been held in south-east Afghanistan accusing US troops of insulting Islam after they distributed footballs bearing the name of Allah.

Apparently, the balls displayed amongs others the Saudi Arabian flag which features the shahada, one of the five pillars of Islam - the declaration of faith. The words, which include the name of Allah, are revered and to have a verse of the Koran on something you kick with your foot would be an insult. You don't say...

The offending balls were dropped from a helicopter in Khost province and were intended as a gift to Afghan children. The US military said the idea had been to give something for Afghan children to enjoy and they did not realise it would cause offence. Hmm.

Credits: BBC, Crooks and Liars, and The Tude - thanks, guys, carry on the good work.

The Verdict? It's a PLUG!

Boned in Siberia

This marvel of nature, some 4.5 feet long massive walrus penis bone was sold today at auction for $8000 to a museum. Seen on the photograph is only a portion of a fossilized member.

Discovered in Siberia, the fossilized baculum, or penis bone, is from a species of walrus that went extinct 12,000 years ago. The piece curves to a point and is covered with weathered skin and dry muscle tissue. The auction house said it was believed to be the largest known mammal penis fossil. "We are glad it's going to a museum and not a private collection, so it can on public display. It's definitely something everyone should see once in their life." Here, here!

The story comes from Associated Press via Boing Boing, however they overlooked an important detail. As a native Russian speaker, I can vouch that one of strongest Russian swearing expressions is 'the walrus prick' - the fact that puzzled me greatly through my University years until one of my biology lecturing friends educated me on the subject of walrus's anatomy. Makes sense if you have to make love in cold climate... Absolutely brilliant!

The Verdict? Definitely a PLUG!

steam punk scientific goggles eye piece vintage LARP

This wonderful piece could be yours for about £130 if you hurry up. Lovingly crafyed by Alex from Hove, Sussex, it is offered on eBay for those interested.

In the words of its creator, one first has to imagine "a past that wasn't", the world of steam punk, based on scientific progress, and forged in the super-heated vapours of cog and gear, where zeppelin cities hover over a nation powered by steam. With various fragile treaties with the Martian Imperial Council put into place, more complex research was attempted.

This spawned a new wave of bio-aetheric discoveries, blending the fusion technology of the martians, with human curiosity and ingenuity.

Device has moving armateur, two lenses, one with a working iris. two flashing valves, an adjustable leather strap, and I presume is in working order.

The Verdict: it's a PLUG!