Pop Culture

Boing Boing reader Keane Beamish shot this wonderful photograph of the Aurora Borealis in Unst, in the Shetland Islands to the north of Scotland. There are more northern lights photos, and wonderful landscape shots, in his photo set, here. Shared in the Boing Boing Flickr Pool.

The new International Symbol of Accessibility replaces the old, static "disabled" icon, which depicted a rather static, object-like disabled person in a wheelchair -- the new ISA shows a person zooming dynamically in a wheelchair instead. It's been officially adopted in NYC: After several years of petitioning for change, designers from Gordon College in Massachusetts have come up with an alternative to the traditional stick figure sitting back in a wheelchair. Their new character is dynamic, leaning forward with its arms at the ready. "It's such a forward-moving thing," Victor Calise, commissioner of the New York mayor's Office for People With Disabilities, told The Chronicle of Higher Education. Calise, who himself was paralyzed in a cycling accident at the age of 22, plans to begin putting the new logo in place all over New York City this summer. Revamped disability icons coming to New York City (Thanks, Matthew!)

(YouTube link)Vivid Sydney is an annual festival going on now through June 10th, featuring light shows, music, drama, and other performances in Sydney, Australia. This video show parts of a light show called PLAY by Spinifex Group projected on the Sydney Opera House. The full 14-minute Spinifex show is also available to watch. You can see more video clips of the opening night of the festival at vimeo. -via reddit

Photo by Gouldina1, shared in the Boing Boing Flickr Pool. Photo by David Glicksman, shared in the Boing Boing Flickr Pool. Photo by Stuart Watson, shared in the Boing Boing Flickr Pool. Photo by Doran, shared in the Boing Boing Flickr Pool. Photo by donovanbeeson, shared in the Boing Boing Flickr Pool.

Antitrust investigators at the Federal Trade Commission are looking into whether Google is abusing its market dominance in online display advertising, reports the New York Times. Reports Edward Wyatt, "People who have been contacted in connection with the inquiry said that the F.T.C. had begun asking questions about Google’s practices, specifically whether the company was bundling advertising services together in a way that prohibited rivals from competing for the business of advertisers."

Ninja BBQ SetDon't let Father's Day sneak up on you. Get your favorite grill master the Ninja BBQ Set from the NeatoShop. This dangerously fun set includes a stainless steel fork and spatula with sword shaped handles. The set comes housed in a black carrying case that converts into a heavy duty pocketed apron. It is the perfect gift for Dad's who love to do battle with the grill. Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more great Kitchen Stuff.Link

Emily Stoneking, an artist in Vermont, makes delightfully macabre knitted works, often of dissections. Here's an alien who had the misfortune to experience a breakdown while passing through our solar system. Link -via Lustik

The Dutch MEP Marietje Schaake has a fantastic, must-read essay on the problem with "cyber-war." She lays out the case for securing the Internet (and the world of people and systems that rely on it) through fixing vulnerabilities and making computers and networks as secure and robust as possible, rather than relying on weaknesses in security as vectors for attacking adversaries. Mass surveillance, mass censorship, tracking and tracing systems, as well as hacking tools and vulnerabilities can be used to harm people as well as our own security in Europe. Though overregulation of the internet should never be a goal in and of itself, regulation of this dark sector is much needed to align our values and interests in a digital and hyper-connected world. There are many European examples. FinFisher software, made by UK’s Gamma Group was used in Egypt while the EU condemned human rights violations by the Mubarak regime. Its spread to 25 countries is a reminder that proliferation of digital arms is inevitable. Vupen is perhaps best labelled as an anti-security company in France that sells software vulnerabilities to governments, police forces and others who want to use them to build (malicious) software that allows infiltrating in people’s or government’s computers. It is unclear which governments are operating on this unregulated market, but it is clear that the risk of creating a Pandora’s box is huge if nothing is done to regulate this trade by adopting reporting obligations. US government has stated that American made, lawful intercept technologies, have come back as a boomerang when they were used against US interests by actors in third countries. Other companies, such as Area Spa from Italy designed a monitoring centre, and had people on the ground in Syria helping the Assad government succeed in anti-democratic or even criminal behaviour by helping the crackdown against peaceful dissidents and demonstrators. It's just not good policy to make the people who are supposed to be securing our computers dependent on insecurity in computers to achieve that end. In defense of digital freedom (via Techdirt)

Wally Wood is one of the best comic book artists that ever lived. The more I study his work, the more admiration I have for his talent. Wood is best known for his stories in EC's Weird Fantasy and Weird Science Fiction, but he was prolific and drew for other comic book publishers, too. Last year Vangaurd published Wood's non-EC science fiction work, Strange Worlds of Science Fiction (the book is out of print, but you can get copies for $57 and up on Amazon). Today, Vanguard released Eerie Tales of Crime & Horror: The Complete Non-EC 1950s Crime & Horror Comics of Wally Wood. This 200-page volume is a great deal at $23. Vanguard Wally Wood Classics series follows the hit Strange Worlds of Science Fiction with Eerie Tales of Crime & Horror. From EC Comics to Witzend, Sally Forth, MAD, Daredevil, Mars Attacks, Cannon, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, and more, this Eisner Award Hall of Fame Talent is one of the most noted comic book creators ever. This volume of Vanguard's Wally Wood Classics collects for the first time ever, the complete non-EC 1950's crime and horror comics of Wallace Wood. Sensationalistic stories from vintage comics: Eerie, Atomic Spy Cases, Dark Mysteries, Crime Smashers, Witchcraft, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Mask of Fu Manchu. Eerie Tales of Crime & Horror: The Complete Non-EC 1950s Crime & Horror Comics of Wally Wood More Boing Boing posts about Wally Wood

The hottest celebrity trend right now appears to be having a bun in the oven. Some are having boys and some are having girls, but all 25 of the women on our list are having their babies in their own stylish celeb way. Since it seems like just about everyone in Hollywood is either pregnant, announcing their newborn or staving off baby bump rumors, we decided to compile a master list of everyone who is confirmed to be pregnant right now. Not who just had a baby or who’s midriff might be a little less concave. Every woman on this list is definitely having a baby–and providing a glimpse into their personal lives through their personal pregnancy style. For instance, Kate Middleton is tackling her royal pregnancy in a predictably prim and proper (and pastel) way, while Halle Berry is taking her unexpected pregnancy in relaxed stride. Some celebrities like Jamie-Lynn Sigler are calling the paparazzi to watch them shop while pregnant, and others, like Penelope Cruz have just about dropped off the face of the earth. And don’t even get us started on Kim Kardashian‘s insane devotion to high fashion while she’s hugely pregnant with her first child. Check out these 25 moms-to-be and see if you would cop their pregnancy styles. [Photo Credit: Getty Images & Splash News] Related: Kim Kardashians’s Maternity Style Evolution