All mobile OS roads lead back to WebOS: While WebOS is dead, the cards interface has flourished. Windows Phone, Android, and iOS all adopted a very similar multitasking view. In addition, safari and chrome replaced their tab view to a cards view with the same gestures as well. Frankly, it would be a lie to say that these OS’s were not influenced by WebOS. I really wish the Palm devices had been available in Australia, because I thought it looked years ahead of any competition. That the design choices have made it into iOS, Android and Windows Mobile is testament to the fact that - much like Xerox’s OS that influenced Mac OS and Windows on the PC - some ideas are too good to die. Just a shame Palm got swallowed by HP and then booted into the ether. ...

First Dog on the Moon points out the smaller programs which have been slashed in the budget: Read it all. Crying with laughter.

Leonardo da Vinci, applying for a job with the ruler of Milan: My Most Illustrious Lord, … 1. I have plans for very light, strong and easily portable bridges with which to pursue and, on some occasions, flee the enemy, and others, sturdy and indestructible either by fire or in battle, easy and convenient to lift and place in position. Also means of burning and destroying those of the enemy. … 5. Also, I have means of arriving at a designated spot through mines and secret winding passages constructed completely without noise, even if it should be necessary to pass underneath moats or any river. ...

Beyonce and Solange, after the elevator ride with Jay: “Look,” Beyoncé said, gently. “I love you and I appreciate you. I know what you were trying to do. I appreciate that you were trying to defend me. I’m not mad at you for tearing into him.” “Oh you’re not mad?” “—Let me finish, Solange. I’m not mad at you for tearing into him. I am mad at you for not sticking to the plan.” ...

Good write-up from Greg Jericho on the Guardian: So all up in percentage of GDP terms, revenue will continue to rise over the next four years from 23.0% in 2013-14 to 24.9% of GDP by 2017-18. It’s worth noting that the ALP governments never had a revenue take of more than 23.2% of GDP… Expenditure in 2014-15 is expected to decline in real terms by 1.7%, which is among the biggest cuts in the past 40 years. But it’s worth remembering that that cut is in comparison to spending in 2013-14 – which includes the extra $11.9bn Joe Hockey spent in the Myefo – including nearly $9bn on the RBA. So that alone made reducing expenditure in this year an easier job. ...