Monthly Archives: December 2008

Yeah, I Noticed

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Google Blog Search loses its bearings

The Google Blog Search results have generally been the fastest and most useful tool of this kind (Google displaced Technorati, which had long served in this role, some time ago). But a couple of months ago Google Blog Search started becoming pretty much useless. Instead of only reporting links from the “main” blog content, it reported all links on a blog page, including the so-called “sidebar” or blogroll, where many bloggers place a lengthy static list of blogs they read.

via Daring Fireball

Can You Say 'Antikythera' Three Times, Fast?

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Archimedes and the 2000-year-old computer

[I]n 212 BC, the Syracusans neglected their defences during a festival to the goddess Artemis, and the Romans finally breached the city walls. Marcellus wanted Archimedes alive, but it wasn’t to be. According to ancient historians, Archimedes was killed in the chaos; by one account a soldier ran him through with a sword as he was in the middle of a mathematical proof.

One of Archimedes’s creations was saved, though. The general took back to Rome a mechanical bronze sphere that showed the motions of the sun, moon and planets as seen from Earth.

This Place is Full of Vultures. Vultures Everywhere!

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Tourist scams

After reading the whole list, one might get the impression that everyone in Europe is a thief.

My wife and I were ready to leave Rome after a great 10-day visit. We were picked up at our hotel by a cab and asked to be taken to the train station. The cab driver asked if we were leaving to fly home, and we said yes. He then proceeded to tell us that there were major problems with the train to Fiumicino Airport, the line was down, etc…but he would be glad to take us to the airport for €80! Thank God I had built enough time into our schedule so that I could investigate the train situation myself. I told him no thanks and asked him to take us to the train station anyway. There was no problem with the train and we made it home sans difficulty.

via Schneier