tagged w/ Mods
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Yves Smith-It seems more than a bit peculiar that, per American Banker, financial services industry participants have paid for three academics to issue a lengthy paper attacking a leaked draft settlement between state attorneys general and mortgage servicers. We have pointed out in multiple posts that the state AGs bargaining position is weak due to the lack of investigations. If the banks don’t like the terms, they can tell the AGs to see them in court.
But far more interesting is how embarrassingly bad this paper, “The Economics of the Proposed Mortgage Servicer Settlement,” by Charles Calomiris, Eric Higgins, and Joe Mason, is, yet how the economics discipline continues to tolerate special-interest-group- favoring PR masquerading as research.
In real academic disciplines, investigators and professors who serve big corporate funders have their output viewed with appropriate skepticism, and if they do so often enough, their reputation takes a permanent hit. Scientists who went into the employ of tobacco companies could anticipate they’d never leave that backwater. Even the great unwashed public knows that drug company funded research isn’t what it is cracked up to be.
But in the never-never realm of reality denial within the Beltway, as long as you can get a PhD or better to grace the latest offering from the Ministry of Truth, it gives useful cover to Congresscritters and other message amplifiers who will spout whatever big donor nonsense they are being asked to endorse this week.
The Academy Award winning documentary Inside Job depicted how the fish has rotted from the head in the economics academy, using former Harvard dean Larry Summers, former Fed vice chairman Frederic Mishkin and Columbia Business School dean Glenn Hubbard as object lessons.
Despite our publication of Academic Choice theory, which provides more formal support for the Inside Job observations, we’ve seen perilous little in the way of a change in attitudes from within the academy. So to make a wee additional contribution on this front, we are inaugurating the Frederic Mishkin Iceland Prize and making Calomiris, Higgins, and Mason its initial recipients based on their remarkable work as exemplified in this paper.
First and foremost is that this article goes well beyond the normal boundaries of shilldom, which is generally confined to cherry picking of data and artful framing. There are multiple, gross distortions, which call into question either the writers’ honesty or their knowledge of the basics in the mortgage servicing arena. But that level of inaccuracy is necessary to create the simulacrum their patrons desire, that of a parallel universe in which servicers are virtuous, borrowers are scheming, and the rule of law operates only for the benefit of corporate interests.
Another one of its distinctive contributions is the multiple layering of what mere mortals would call “stupid”. For instance, this paper cites earlier work on strategic default and mortgage mods that is analytically dubious. So it creates a steaming edifice of garbage but via its extensive citations, it hews to the form of normal academic output, making it look legitimate to those who don’t know the terrain.
Let’s look at the paper in some detail. It is so wrongheaded in so many places that a detailed shred would tax the patience of readers. So for the most part, I’ll stick to broader issues.
Attack on principal mods based on inaccurate and misleading reporting of history. The main reason for this paper being issued is most likely to be to demonize the notion of principal mods generally rather than the 50 state AG settlement proposal since any deal would be negotiated and completely voluntary (note that the paper’s depicting them as “government mandated” is one of its many distortions).
First, it charges that principal mods don’t work. Any honest appraisal can’t possibly conclude that, since in every local/regional market housing downturn prior to 1995, mortgage mods to borrowers with viable income was standard practice by banks. (so much more at link and sources and your brain will explode like mine!!! have fun and enjoy!)-FiggYves Smith-It seems more than a bit peculiar that, per American Banker, financial... more
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Game Mod Guru Richard DaLuz has once again pulled out another creative project, this time he's sliced open a corner table and installed a Super Nintendo. Why? Why not? He says that it's a donation for his workplace and a "quick project". If you'd like to see more of his stuff, check out his Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/vomitsawGame Mod Guru Richard DaLuz has once again pulled out another creative project, this... more
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• Miniskirts years 60s 70s • Girls sixties seventies images gallery minidress pictures
----The miniskirt is a skirt with a hemline well above the knees ( generally 20 cm , or more , above knee level ).
The mini was the defining fashion symbol of "Swinging London" in the 1960s.
The miniskirt's existence in the 1960s is generally credited to the fashion designer Mary Quant who was inspired by the Mini Cooper automobile, although the French designer André Courrèges is also often cited as its inventor (the French referred to it as la mini-jupe), and there is disagreement as to who invented it first.
Some give the credit to Helen Rose who made some miniskirts for actress Anne Francis in the 1956 science fiction movie forbidden-planet.
Recently, Marit Allen, a Vogue "Young Ideas" editor at the time, has stated that "John Bates, in particular, has always been completely unappreciated for his contribution to the innovation and creativity he brought to the London design scene." He bared the midriff, used transparent vinyl and, Marit Allen asserts, was responsible for "the raising of the hemline. It was John Bates, rather than Mary Quant or Courrèges, who was responsible for the miniskirt."
Bates' costumes and accessories for Diana Rigg as Emma Peel in the ABC TV series, The Avengers, from 1965-7, helped to define "Mod style".
As The Avengers' filmed episodes were made several months before screening, Avengers producer Brian Clemens confirmed in interviews that the miniskirt designed by Bates had to be used as a "gamble", since they did not know if it would catch on in public or be seen as a fashion failure by the time the episodes aired .
However, Emma Peel's fashions were accepted by the public and even spawned a line of replicas of her clothes for public sale.
Another, more "immediate" proponent of the miniskirt on television was Cathy McGowan, who introduced the weekly rock music show, Ready Steady Go! (1964-66).
Fashion review link--
http://digilander.libero.it/guido_1953/pics/miniskirts/miniskirts-girls.htm
Epic moments of......(LINK)-
http://digilander.libero.it/guido_1953/pics/x-vietnam-raquel-welch-1967/welch-vietnam-1967.htm• Miniskirts years 60s 70s • Girls sixties seventies images gallery... more
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Unlike any other laptops, this one has a beautiful wooden box covering by Jeremy Hopkin, with a Hewlett-Packard ZT1000 laptop with a 15? active matrix screen, while the keyboard and the touchpad are made of copper. Using the leftovers of all the clock pieces and broken or old watches, an antique key is created to switch on this device, just something that looks similar to the keys on a musical box.
Read more: You Love Devices with an Antique Look? Go For the Victorian Laptop Mod | Walyou http://www.walyou.com/blog/2010/04/07/victorian-laptop-mod/#ixzz0kS4Hjt0n
http://www.walyou.comUnlike any other laptops, this one has a beautiful wooden box covering by Jeremy... more
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Designed by Game Boy modder Thretris, it's an original 1989 model, and comes with not just a fancy new exterior, but also a new audio output so that budding chiptune artists can use the handheld to record Game Boy music (note the regular headphone jack still works, though, so you can game as the 80s' intended).
http://kotaku.com/5499651/the-19th-century-called-it-wants-its-game-boy-back/gallery/Designed by Game Boy modder Thretris, it's an original 1989 model, and comes with... more
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Check out this competition that Nokia have been running - some of the videos of what they've got hackers doing are seriously cool!
The competition called out to hacking/modding communities to harness the power of the N900 and attach it to something that's both cool and that they love and the results are nothing short of epic. It's too late to submit your own ideas, but that just means it's now the time for the five winning teams to bring their creations to life!!
The five winning teams are:
“Haptic Guide” – a modern take on directions with this ‘wearable’ guide.
“Solderin Skaters” – record and score your skateboarding tricks to your phone, then challenge your friends.
“KAPing With The N900” – flying high with aerial photography taken on an N900.
“Light Hack Crew” – merging light graffiti and the N900’s photo capabilities.
“Sketch Your World” – the N900 and Etch-A-Sketch teamed up to create kitsch custom art.
There's more info on all the teams here: http;//blogs.nokia.com/pushn900/
Plus, the teams will be uploading regular progress updates via the blog.
http://twitter.com/pushn900Check out this competition that Nokia have been running - some of the videos of what... more
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In the world of totally useless mods nothing is sacred, including it seems Nintendo's classic gaming console the NES.
"Dave" has built and electric guitar made from one, check the video for all the features, my favourite has to be the tone knobs with the Mario characters.In the world of totally useless mods nothing is sacred, including it seems... more
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JClem
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2 years ago
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I am now leading a team at Valve! I finally have all the resources needed to do some very exciting stuff that you guys will love. I look forward to revealing more specific details when the time is right.
-IceFrog
Read and Discuss...I am now leading a team at Valve! I finally have all the resources needed to do some... more
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Just when I thought that singing Big Mouth Billy Bass fish couldn't get more annoying some guy hacks it to say Twitter updates. An ARM microcontroller was implanted in his head enabling him to read tweets aloud.
When you look past the annoying voice of the fish, the technology is pretty cool. Dan Ros implanted a MBED chip in the fish and added an SD card with .wav files. But having the fish say recorded phrases was just boring so he came up with the Twitter idea, attached an Ethernet wire and wrote some MBED code.
Apparently the fish is offline now, but you can Twitter to him and he will say the words out loud. Is it just me or does anyone want him to just start singing "Don't Worry, Be Happy" again?Just when I thought that singing Big Mouth Billy Bass fish couldn't get more... more
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Basically if you're so tight that you're not content with just pirating games it seems some clever hackers have found a way of emulating bits of the Wii hardware:
"The Wii-Optical-Drive-Emulator (WODE) makes it possible to load Wii and GameCube ISO files from an SD card or USB storage device. This hack uses the ribbon cable for the optical drive to connect to the Wii, requiring no soldering. The WODE is based on an ARM9 processor, runs Linux, and features a backlit LCD screen and 4-way center click joystick. Storage can be hot plugged and then an ISO selected using the stick and LCD display. Selected ISO files appear in the game channel as if an original disc had just been inserted into the drive."
Next level hacking for sureBasically if you're so tight that you're not content with just pirating... more
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JClem
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2 years ago
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If Lord Byron had been hip to this newfangled computer thing way back in his day, this might just have been the sort of peripheral he'd have been sporting.
Made from a real sheep's skull -- and real brass, though that's somehow less interesting -- this mouse has everything a megalomaniacal world conqueror needs to feel at home: fine ornamental detailing, the soothing texture of real bone, and the enticing mental image of crushing skulls every time you click. There's not much wiggle room here, you'll either love it or loathe it, but don't fret about the sheep, it died of natural causes.
More pics @link.If Lord Byron had been hip to this newfangled computer thing way back in his day, this... more
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Sometimes mods go to such lengths that words like 'homebrewed' and 'DIY' no longer do them justice. Presenting the Nintendo SNES Portable. Not the first, and probably not the last of its kind, this bad boy mobilizes Nintendo's venerable console with a few buttons from a PSOne controller and a ridiculously detailed skinning job -- yes, even the packaging gets a makeover. The sheer nostalgic overload at the sight of it must be worth something to Nintendo, no? There's not a person, with both a heart and a history of gaming, that can glance at that bulky unwieldy-looking thing and not break into a wistful smile. Really, we dare you. More pictures @link.Sometimes mods go to such lengths that words like 'homebrewed' and... more
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Welcome to Micro Saturday at Engadget! In the absence of hard hitting stories and shocking exposés, we thought we'd turn to the lighter -- and thinner -- side of the news. Enter the Xbox Micro, a 1-inch thick celebration of all that is good and holy about the world of DIY mods. It took six months to make, with a few clever design decisions along the way, but it looks good enough to make even the ninja-black Wii suck its gut in. Comparison pics with the original behemoth are after the break, and hit the read link to see the exposed guts of this little beauty.Welcome to Micro Saturday at Engadget! In the absence of hard hitting stories and... more
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Liquid tubes powered by LED lights are something gaining popularity in dark night clubs around the world, and it looks like the trippy colored lights may be soon illuminating handrails as well. Not only does it add a new “cool” factor to the overall theme of a club, but can also prevent those frequent body spills when an intoxicated soul tries to use a steep staircase. IRL sci-fi environments coming soon to a club near you.Liquid tubes powered by LED lights are something gaining popularity in dark night... more
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zea
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2 years ago
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In Part 1 of a multi-part exclusive interview, GameVisions talks with with developer Vincent van Geel; co-founder of indie developer Isotx, Inc. on Iron Grip: Warlord and the industry at large.
The first installment covers the evolution of the Iron Grip universe from a Half-Life 2 total conversion mod to a full commercial franchise, and the business side of life as an indie including distribution, and DRM.
From the Interview:
"...we wanted to create a small-scaled, yet FPS/RTS hybrid game, not focusing on next-gen graphics like most in this genre do, but focusing entirely on wild arcade-like gameplay that could casually be played at LAN parties and such. It was an insanely risky choice, since most FPS players seem very hooked onto the next-gen appeal of the genre, but we got a good niche-bunch of them to get interested in Warlord. We come from a background of pure gameplay..."In Part 1 of a multi-part exclusive interview, GameVisions talks with with developer... more
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Award
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2 years ago
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Have you got a car that feels a bit sluggish to drive? Not happy with its fuel economy? Are you good with your hands and have time on them? Good, this site should provide inspiration for you.
Basically, this fella has modded his 1991 Honda Civic and shared with the world how he did it and how much of an improvement it has made. Sadly, it would appear, it has also made the vehicle twice as long and probably a hell of a lot harder to park!Have you got a car that feels a bit sluggish to drive? Not happy with its fuel... more
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How to Mod Your Guitar Hero Controller to feature LED Lighting, Be the Envy of All Your Friends with these simple to follow instructions!!How to Mod Your Guitar Hero Controller to feature LED Lighting, Be the Envy of All... more
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[Eddie], who made the Mac Logo LCD Mod, had posted a step by step tutorial on how to do it yourself. He basically just fully disassembled his MacBook, popped out the logo, put one from an iBook or Powerbook, then mounted a small LCD back there and routed it into a USB port internally. He says the extra electronics cause a tiny bulge in the monitor casing. We wonder if this couldn’t lead to stress damage on the main LCD in the long run.[Eddie], who made the Mac Logo LCD Mod, had posted a step by step tutorial on how to... more
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If you've only ever played videogames on a console there is a great deal out there that you're missing out on. Apart from the wider variety of games available, the emphasis on experimental indie developers, and the substantially less idiotic gaming community (you have to be at least smart enough to install the game, after all, and that alone eliminates fully half of Xbox Live), you're also missing out on a rich modding community that often serves to add much-needed depth and variety to pre-existing titles. Sure, sometimes that added "depth," is the "depths of insanity," but you take the good with the face-eatingly crazy.
6. Basic Instinct (The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion)
5. Bill Cosby Smoker Sound Pack (Left 4 Dead)
4. Mario Kart Map (Team Fortress 2)
3. Obscenely Difficult Hacked Levels (Super Mario Bros.)
2. Macho Man Randy Savage Horde Sound Pack (Left 4 Dead)
1. Cat Life (Half-Life)If you've only ever played videogames on a console there is a great deal out... more
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