Wednesday Weekly Links: January 29, 2014

January is almost over, and it’s already been an interesting ride this year.  2014 is turning out to be an interesting year.

New ideas are emerging as well as a changing geopolitical landscape.  While this isn’t the change many were supposed to “believe in,” things are definitely not going to be stagnant.

Unix

• Bridge Linux:  Every now and then, a new Unix-like OS enters town.  This distro uses Arch as its base and comes in a variety of desktop environments.  There is a 32 and 64-bit edition.  Dalton Miller, the founder of the project was recently interviewed by DistroWatch.
• Bitcoin and TigerDirect: The online electronics retailer is now accepting Bitcoin as payment.  As mention of the digital currency goes more mainstream, it will be interesting to see what happens next.
• David Gerwitz recommends Chromebooks: Gerwitz of ZDNet has recently started recommending Chromebooks for everyday users.  The big reasoning according to him is that, “For people who don’t need all that Windows has to offer, for those who live in their browsers, Gmail, Facebook, and such, for those who write simple documents and need simple spreadsheets or presentations, for those who just need to get something done quickly and easily, the Chromebook is an ideal choice.”

Overlooked Pop Culture

• CNN US Edition Covers Bieber instead of Ukraine: During the unrest in the Ukraine, a Reddit user caught the front page of CNN’s website (U.S. Edition), where Justin Bieber was front and center.  There seems to be a trend of people getting tired of celebrity “scandals.”
• GMO Tobacco Virus Killing Bees?: This article from InfoWars links to a study from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Beltsville, Maryland and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science in Bejing.  It will be interesting to see how science finds a way to overcome a virus that allegedly jumps from plants to animals.
• From the Fuck the Police Files: The Smoking Gun recently reported on a Pizza Hut Manger who spit on the food of a deputy who had busted her for riding in a car with someone who might have been drinking.  In Tennessee, it’s an automatic DUI.  She lost her job, and the cop probably lost some of his faith in fast food chains.