Last week, EPIC hosted a conference on the recently signed REAL ID Act, which effectively mandates a National ID card. This should make any minimalist nervous, since it will almost certainly mean more databasing of our lives, worse identity theft (since one ID will be linked to everything), and abuse through expanding scope. Yes, in [...]
Slate’s Savings Glut: The self-serving explanation for America’s bad habits discusses the theory that our economic problems are the fault of foreigners salting away too much cash for the future. The core thesis is that the US is virtuously propping up the global economy by spending like banshees, while too much saving in Asia is [...]
Onward goes the digital march, and we’re not too sad. We always used Ilford photo paper anyway. Gizmodo sums it up most humorously, while PDN gives the straight scoop. Yes, B&W film and paper does have a unique feel, but so does seeing your film get zapped by the X-Ray machine at every dang airport. [...]
Or something like that. Cool Hunting posted this “City Hideout” by OOOMS the other day. I don’t think I’d try using this in downtown DC, but what a hoot – if you managed to set it up without anyone noticing, you really would be completely ignored even on a super-busy street. Of course, watch out [...]
More battles over Secure Flight and the Patriot Act, specifically provisions about library and bookstore records. Sounds like congress is getting testy. Amtrak is still in trouble though. TVs are consuming more power than ever before as they grow larger. Windows XP plug-in lets you view Canon and Nikon RAW digital camera formats. That’s good [...]
Wired writes about “How Gamers Can Help Cure Cancer,” discussing distributed computing. The basic idea has been around for a long time, from distributed.net to Seti@Home and many others. I used to run these things, but I’m no longer convinced they give good bang for the buck. Today, many processors, especially those in laptops, can [...]
There’s no better way to minimize the amount of stuff on your plate than saying “no” to the stuff that doesn’t make sense. LifeHacker points us to To-Done’s tips for saying no. Cool Hunting shows us gold-plated staples as a fashion statement. I suppose it looks very minimalist from a design perspective when used as [...]
I’m torn on the CVS One Time Use Digital Camcorder reviewed by Rainy Day Magazine. I’m opposed to pretty much anything disposable, but I also hate carrying expensive stuff around when travelling – then you have to worry about setting it down at a cafe, leaving it in the room, getting it too near the [...]
Slashdot has a pointer to a “cheap, environmentally friendly” DIY air conditioner that isn’t friendly at all since you have to fill it with ice water, which is probably coming from your electricity slurping freezer. Wired points us to Newsweek’s article on the best tech tools for business travelers. Are you a prosumer? Always check [...]
New Scientist recently ran Driving food home can cost the Earth, which is in the same vein as the previous post. As much as we agonize over minimizing environmental impact by choosing the right foods with minimal packaging, our other choices have a vastly greater impact. Forest for the trees and all that.