Appeals were continuing for Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo to be released from prison, a week after he was awarded his prize. But a crackdown on dissidents was also continuing, despite fresh calls for China to permit freedom of speech. (Oct. 15)
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Canon’s prosumer line just got a little better, with the 18 megapixel, 1080p recording 60D hitting stores and, now, getting recommended reviews. Photo Blog and Camera Labs have weighed in so far, and both have positive conclusions, most notably regarding that movie mode. The camera will kindly record in 1080p24 in addition to 1080p30, but the autofocus while filming is panned, called “fairly useless” thanks to only happening when you half-press the shutter button, and then taking a few seconds to figure things out — but that’s just like the EOS 7D and T2i . Overall the 60D scores highly and easily bests the 50D it replaces, but the real competition is Nikon’s D7000 , which interestingly is busting out at retail already, offering a similar price point, similar capabilities, and a magnesium alloy chassis, versus the plastic one on the Canon. How will they compare? We’ll just have to wait for the next round of reviews to find out. Continue reading Canon’s 60D impresses reviewers, but a challenger approaches (video) Canon’s 60D impresses reviewers, but a challenger approaches (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 09:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Oregon police say a would-be thief tried to dig through a bathroom wall to get to valuable gems in a museum. He was caught before he could take anything. (Oct. 15)
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Image credit: The Food Forest From building a DIY compost tumbler through composting human waste to planting a permaculture allotment , we’ve featured some great how-to videos for the crunchier, dirtier end of green living. But this next one should appeal to the hippies and the high-fliers alike—surely everyone … Read the full story on TreeHugger
Continue reading …How afraid of Meg Whitman are the Dems and their handmaidens in the National Association of Gals ? Last week, the National Organization of Women and the PAC of the California NOW chapter took heat for their endorsement of state Attorney General Jerry Brown (D) over Meg Whitman (R) in the gubernatorial race in the wake of comments by a Brown aide that Whitman was a “whore.” At the time, national NOW President Terry O’Neill said that anyone who “from here on” calls a woman a “whore” should be fired. She might want to have a talk with California NOW President Parry Bellasalma, who today told TPM in response to a question that “Meg Whitman could be described as ‘a political whore.’ Yes, that’s an accurate statement.” There’s no way the NAGS would allow ANY liberal woman to be called a “whore” under any circumstances…even if she were actually taking money for sex. What a loser organization.
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Photo via sanberdoo How long can you expect new gadgets you bring into your home to last? From appliances to wireless network devices, we should have a better idea of how many years we can expect it to run without problems, so that we can make smart purchasing decisions. But beyond a two-year or five-year warranty, it can be a mystery just how long a dishwasher is expected to keep cleaning efficiently. Thankfully, the National Association of Home Builders has released a new study detailing the lifespans of many of our home’s electronics. So…ab… Read the full story on TreeHugger
Continue reading …Hammacher Schlemmer’s tablet-controlled ‘Emotive Robotic Avatar’ captures your heart, nest egg
October 15, 2010 No Comment
Yeah, it’s almost time for the holidays, and smart busy-bodies are already checking items off their shopping lists. For that special someone, consider the most outrageously overpriced plastic toy we’ve ever seen. $65,000 buys you this “Emotive Robotic Avatar” from Hammacher Schlemmer , a little servo-actuated guy that can wave its arms around and go from looking happy (above) to evil (below). It’s all controlled by a tablet PC with a 30 foot range that receives a real-time video feed, as we saw when we checked this guy out at the Toy Fair earlier this year , back when he was called Quasai. As shown in the video after the break, the “operator” can even speak through the robot, which will pitch shift his or her voice, a trick sure to give your children nightmares. If that doesn’t work, just tell ‘em you blew their college fund to buy the thing and they’ll have to get work study jobs. That ought to send the shivers up their spines. [Thanks, Evan] Continue reading Hammacher Schlemmer’s tablet-controlled ‘Emotive Robotic Avatar’ captures your heart, nest egg Hammacher Schlemmer’s tablet-controlled ‘Emotive Robotic Avatar’ captures your heart, nest egg originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 08:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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France bestows Legion of Honor on Robert Redford; Liza Minnelli cancels performances due to illness; Carrie Underwood and ‘The Blind Side’ win ICM Awards. (Oct. 15)
Continue reading …This guy wasn’t going to win anyway, but this won’t help : The last name of Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney is misspelled as “Whitey” on electronic-voting machines in nearly two dozen wards — about half in predominantly African-American areas — and election officials said Wednesday the problem cannot be corrected by Election Day. Good luck with all that.
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