Octopodial Chrome

Fast Company has an excellent article about Wal-mart’s big compact fluorescent push. Very interesting to see how once an idea makes economic sense big business gets behind it 100%.

Dheera Venkatraman has suggested a technique to reveal information hidden by blurring. It’s quite simple and should work; of course a new blurring algorithm could defend against it.

By now many of y’all should have heard that former Chief Justice William Rehnquist spent nine years addicted to the sedative-hypnotic Placidyl. Jack Shafer in Slate writes about the double standard we have for drug addiction amongst the powerful.

Andrew McCarthy reviews The Truth about Muhammad, a new book by Robert Spencer which closely examines the life of the supposed prophet and what it implies for his modern-day followers. An excellent review filled with disturbing facts.

I’ve earlier written about the December Mix; now I’m listening to the January Mix. This month’s songs are:

1. Death Cab for Cutie: The New Year
2. The Postal Service: Such Great Heights
3. Billy Bragg: A New England
4. Walter Egan: Magnet and Steel
5. The Beatles: Nowhere Man
6. Brendan Benson: Cold Hands, Warm Heart
7. David Grey: Please Forgive Me
8. The Doves: Snowden
9. Joe Jackson: Steppin’ Out
10. Dream Academy: Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
11. Regina Spektor: Us
12. Aztec Camera: Walk Out to Winter

While not quite as perfect as the December Mix, it’s still a great listen—check it out.