Links: July 29th

I haven’t had a lot of time to dig up various links. Compounding that with the fact that the aggregators I visit have been pretty dry makes for a dry LotW!

News

Looks like the Associated Press has done something pretty stupid. Techdirt writes that Reuters should take this as an opportunity.

Programming

Paul Graham has an interesting piece on what he calls the maker’s schedule and the manager’s schedule.

Science

For a number of years, scientists have been rather puzzled by the human tendency to swing our arms as we walk. Anthropologists were inclined to believe it was a trait inherited from our evolutionary development. However, a new study has a surprising (but not unexpected) finding.

Food allergies are fairly commonplace in our society now. But what’s more peculiar is that a recent study reveals that such allergies might have a more geographical component than we thought.

Technology

Paul Graham writes about what he feels is wrong with the Segway. It makes for an entertaining read.

Looks like the Boeing 787 is going to have a hard time getting off the ground, if you pardon the pun. As it turns out, wing loading tests have indicated that the wings (and wing box) aren’t quite up to par in the new aircraft.

Television

In 1957, the BBC pulled off the biggest televised hoax ever conducted by a news agency. How? By showing a “bumper” spaghetti crop grown, of course, on spaghetti trees.

Travel

I’ve linked this elsewhere, but I feel it’s important to share here as well. Scott Fisher wrote a lengthy article detailing his trip into North Korea back (I’m guessing) in 2002. The Orwellian world of the NK regime is fascinating–frightening, in fact–and well worth reading about.

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Quickie: How to Reinstall XP but keep Partitions as Is

I was asked by a friend of mine how to best go about reinstalling Windows while keeping his other partitions intact. It’s really easy, but there are some points where it’s necessary to exercise caution! This little quickie is a guide on how to do exactly that. Read more…

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Using Windows 7 RC, Months Later

Nearly every geek with a blog offered up a hasty review of Windows 7 when the beta first went public earlier this year. The exact same pattern repeated itself some months later when, on May 5, the release candidate was made available to the general public. Seriously, do a Google search for “windows 7 review” (or click the link if you’re lazy). It’s absurd. Yet a majority of these results are focused on the authors’ first impressions with Windows 7. What about using it for a few months? Read more…

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