Google acquires G.co domain for its shortened URLs

Google has acquired G.co to use as the exclusive domain for shortened URLs of its sites, following in the footsteps of other major Internet companies that have bought .co domains recently and bypassing the crowded field of .com sites.

Google will use G.co for creating URLs that act as shortcuts to its sites, making their URLs easier to distribute via social networks and microblogging services and simpler to remember for end users — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Stools Upholstered with Large-Scale Knits / Claire-Anne O’Brien

UK-based textile designer Claire-Anne O’Brien loves playing with the textural elements of knitting stitches. Here, she’s used a combination of hand and machine knitting to create dramatically oversized patterns as upholstery.

On her website, you can also see interesting examples of her Modular Stitch concept, which plays on the most basic element of knitting — the loop — via CRAFT

C8 Pilot Mark II Vintage / Christopher Ward

Christopher Ward’s latest offering is the new C8 Pilot Mark II Vintage, a contemporary take on the IWC B-Uhren watches used by pilots and navigators in World War II.

The design shares many of the characteristics of the watches commissioned by the Luftwaffe, and then the RAF, designed to be worn over thick flying suits. The watches had large faces to provide maximum visibility. In the cramped, cold and extremely noisy environment of a fighter plane’s cockpit, such a watch was a godsend — via Watchuseek Watch Blog

Suzuki GSX750 Inazuma / Luciano

We don’t see many Suzukis here. Of the Japanese big four, Suzuki is probably the least represented in the custom motorcycle world. But this classy machine shows what can be done with a bread-and-butter model—in this case, the GSX750 Inazuma of the late 90s. At the time, it was regarded as a competent roadster somewhat overshadowed by the Bandit 600, which offered similar performance. This 2002-model custom comes from Luciano, one of our Italian readers, and he’s lifted his GSX750 into another league — via Bike EXIF

Knit TARDIS Socks Pattern / Anna Richardson

These awesome TARDIS socks from Anna Richardson on Ravelry are sleek and cool and a subtle way to show your Dr Who devotion.

Inspired by Dr Who, these knee-high socks are from another Time and Dimension entirely. Featuring a cable and TARDIS pattern with expanded calf with the initials DW worked in, these socks are constructed toe-up using easy to follow charts with additional written instructions

Nice! — via CRAFT

Egypt’s Indiana Jones steps down

Egypt’s antiquities minister has been fired after months of pressure from critics who attacked his credibility and accused him of having been too close to the regime of ousted president Hosni Mubarak.

Zahi Hawass, known for his trademark Indiana Jones hat, lost his job along with about a dozen other ministers in a Cabinet reshuffle meant to ease pressure from protesters seeking to purge remnants of Mr Mubarak’s regime — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Wall Street Journal hits back over phone-hacking scandal

The Wall Street Journal has attempted to redirect the criticism that has been levelled against its owner, Rupert Murdoch, against the journalists who uncovered allegations of illegal phone-hacking at the News of the World.

In an angry, unsigned editorial, the paper accuses the Guardian and the BBC of driving the phone-hacking story for “commercial and ideological motives”. It implies the Guardian did not have the right to make “lectures about journalistic standards” because of the newspaper’s involvement in publishing the WikiLeaks embassy cables — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Australiar and the fucking idiot dilemma

There are definitely times when you wonder if light-fingered alien doctors have been handing out mass lobotomies while we sleep. Or there really is something in the water. Or the Brits were right and there’s a dash of ovine DNA in the cocktail shake. Wondering whether we were always just this fucking dumb, or we’re somehow getting dumber.

Like times when a mass of Australians latch onto a head-pulsingly inane slogan and start riding it like the seductive sheep of yore. Little has exemplified our current slump into mouth-breathing idiocy better than the recent Juliar gag. Ho! disgruntled letter-writers say to celebrate their annual flicker of brain activity. We took a word, and then we… changed it a bit… and it means another thing! That’s commentary. Political observation in this country is like watching a guy slumped on a couch trying to eat pre-chewed food out of his chest hair — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Surprise twist as former News International chief arrested over hacking scandal

The former Murdoch chief executive, Rebekah Brooks, has been arrested on charges of conspiring to intercept communications and corruption allegations, thought to be related to payments to police.

Police questioned the former News International boss at a London police station where she was arrested by appointment. She was questioned by police after two separate investigations: one into phone hacking, Operation Weeting, and the other, Operation Elvedon, which is looking into the bribery of police — via redwolf.newsvine.com

The Ark In Space: Snow Leopards Discovered Flourishing in Afghanistan

The Snow Leopard is known for its elusive nature and wildlife groups have been concerned for decades about their dwindling numbers.  Yet there is some good news — the species is, it seems, flourishing in one remote part of Afghanistan.The war torn country is home to a vigorous population of snow leopards. The World Conservation Society recently laid a number of camera traps in the Wakhan Corridor. This mountainous area is a long panhandle in the north east of the country and the camera traps captured snow leopards on film in sixteen places — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Uniformity / Blacksand

Blacksand Uniformity’s strongly curved case houses a finely crafted movement the Swiss automatic Blacksand calibre 1970 with 35 jewels, a COSC- and Chronofiable-certified movement that beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and has a five-day power reserve — via Watchuseek Watch Blog

Kawasaki S1 / Twinline Motorcycles

The Kawasaki S1 is rarely found in the US. Which is a pity, because this air-cooled two-stroke triple is reportedly a fun ride. Sometimes known as the Mach 1, it lived up to its name—road testers managed to wring almost 100 mph out of it in the early 70s. This dark and subtle café racer comes from Twinline Motorcycles of Seattle — via Bike EXIF

New method for making human-based gelatin

Scientists are reporting development of a new approach for producing large quantities of human-derived gelatin that could become a substitute for some of the 300,000 tons of animal-based gelatin produced annually for gelatin-type desserts, marshmallows, candy and innumerable other products.

Their study appears in American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry — via redwolf.newsvine.com