The Register delivers the good news that a US federal judge had slapped down the practice of pretexting and ordered a Wyoming company to pay almost $200,000; AccuSearch was also permanently barred from selling individuals' phone records without their permission. The FTC had filed suit in 2006 against the company and four others. AccuSearch had advertised a service that made phone records of any individual available for a fee. The current article makes no mention of whatever became of the other four accused data brokers.

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Dave made a VESA mount laptop stand for his Lenovo X61 tablet laptop. He writes:

I run Ubuntu Linux on it but this Instructable is probably Windows compatible. I bought a VESA mount arm from Ergotron. I wanted to be able to reposition my laptop for better ergonomics but I wanted to be able to still use it as a tablet (possibly while standing). There are several VESA mount options for laptops, but none seemed to suit my needs. I decided to build this out of Plexiglas and several screws with nuts and washers.

Make a VESA mount tablet PC stand - Link.

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Pre-PMA 2008: Nikon has today announced two new models in its 'L' series of entry level digital compact cameras. There aren't any earth-shattering innovations to be found on the spec-sheet; the L16 combines a 3x Nikkor zoom lens with a 7.1 MP sensor while the L18 has a slightly higher resolution of 8 MP. The L18 is available in a range of colors while the L16 is available in black or gray only.

Pre-PMA 2008: The entry-level Coolpix S210 offers an 8.0 megapixel sensor and 3x 38-114mm equiv. lens. Electronic VR takes care of camera shake issues - though not as effectively as the lens and sensor based systems offered higher up the range. A 2.5" 230k dot LCD on the rear of the camera displays photos crisply enough and the brushed-aluminum and chrome casing gives it a touch of class. Click through for the details.

Pre-PMA 2008: The Coolpix S520 is a 8.0 megapixel, 3x zoom compact with lens-shift stabilization. It's also rather dinky and cute if that sways your decision one way or the other. A 2.5" screen with 153k dots occupies the rear of the camera along with the typical Coolpix array of buttons and you can choose your favorite three scene modes to store for quicker access. Obviously an array of colors will be available if the pictured 'Urban Black' doesn't tickle your fancy.

Pre-PMA 2008: Apparently the Nikon Coolpix S550 is the smallest 10 megapixel compact with a retractable 5x zoom (as of time of publication etc etc). Very nice, but what we would like to know is how many compromises have to be made to chase such a pointless accolade. The lens covers 36-180mm equiv. but the 'stabilization' is electronic - lens or sensor-based optical systems are more effective. Click through for the full story.

Pre-PMA 2008: Nikon has today announced another model in its S-series of ultra compact digital cameras. The S600 sports a 10MP sensor and a 4 times stabilized Nikkor zoom lens with a 35mm equivalent zoom range of 28-112mm, all wrapped up in an attractive metal body. The camera is expected to hit the shelves in April.

Pre-PMA 2008: The Nikon Coolpix P50 intrigued with it's combination of (relatively) low price, 'mini P5100' styling and 28mm wideangle lens. The 8 megapixel P60 is no less alluring but for different reasons; for a start the wide lens is gone, replaced with a 5x 36-180mm equiv. unit backed up by sensor shift stabilization. Then there is something we don't see very often in non-superzoom compacts - an electronic viewfinder. A (decent) EVF is arguably better than the rather crummy optical viewfinders usually seen in mid-range compacts, at the very least in terms of accurate framing. Of course, Any type of viewfinder is preferable than trying to compose on a sun-splashed LCD. More after the click.

Pre-PMA 2008: Nikon today announced a new Nikkor unlike any before it and likely to prove an effective 'halo' product as well as an invaluable tool. The PC-E NIKKOR 24mm f/3.5D ED is a wide angle lens offering both tilt and shift movement. Also announced was the development of two further PC-E Nikkors in 45mm and 85mm focal lengths which shall be on show at PMA 2008.

Pre-PMA 2008: Nikon today replaced the Micro Nikkor 60mm F2.8, adding two aspherical elements to control aberrations - a world's first for SLR micro lenses. A Silent Wave Motor, ED glass lens element and the latest Nano Crystal Coat technology have also been added to bring this lens bang up to date.

Pre-PMA 2008: Another new Nikkor was announced today - the AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR. Representing a range roughly equivalent to a 24 - 127.5mm lens for 35mm or FX cameras this new optic incorporates a Silent Wave Motor, two ED glass elements and VR II stabilization and should make an ideal high-quality 'walkaround' for DX-format dSLRs.

Nikon has announced its latest consumer-level DSLR, the D60. It's a 10.2MP digital camera that will look and feel remarkably familiar to users of the D40X. It includes an anti-dust system that incorporates a self-cleaning sensor unit that shakes off dust, coupled with an airflow system designed to channel dust away from the sensor. The model also adds active d-lighting, a stop-motion recording mode and Expeed branding.

We've had a little bit of a chance to play around with and handle the Nikon's latest digital SLR, the D60. Here we line it up against the camera we suspect it replaces: the D40X and see what Nikon has done to refresh one of its recent successes.

Boing Boing Gadget's Joel Johnson celebrates 50 years of LEGO by tackling the Ultimate Collectors Millennium Falcon LEGO set, the biggest building set LEGO has ever produced. The results are a furry of time-lapsed bricking to some great bleep music.

While on BBtv, also check out the coverage of the recent Crucible fire-themed fashion show. Putting the hot in haute couture.

Vlog: 50 Years of LEGO -- Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon Time-Lapse Video - Link

Hot Couture at the Crucible - Link

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Since taking over the FCC, Kevin Martin has supposedly been against regulations -- except in two areas: the cable industry and "indecency." He's been a strong proponent of cracking down on whatever he considers indecent programming, and much of his support for a la carte cable is based on how it might block indecent content. The latest crackdown on indecency has a number of people shaking their heads. It involves fining ABC affiliates $1.43 million for a brief clip of the TV show "NYPD Blue," that aired in February of 2003, and included images of a naked woman from behind. Of course, if Martin really was trying to protect people from viewing such indecent content, perhaps he shouldn't have issued this fine. After all, it was shown on TV nearly five years ago. By now, most people would have forgotten about it... unless, of course, the FCC were to bring the clip back into the news, getting someone to put it on YouTube, and driving well over a million viewers to watch the video since the fine was announced.

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HighWizard writes with word from Engadget that the iPhone SDK Key has been leaked early. "We're not exactly sure how this all went down, but we trust Erica Sadun over at TUAW when she says that it appears that the iPhone's SDK key — which will probably be required by all 'official' third-party apps — has been leaked. Two different sites currently have the key posted, but it's all just for show until next month, when the SDK hits for real — and the code is undoubtedly changed."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

HighWizard writes with word from Engadget that the iPhone SDK Key has been leaked early. "We're not exactly sure how this all went down, but we trust Erica Sadun over at TUAW when she says that it appears that the iPhone's SDK key — which will probably be required by all 'official' third-party apps — has been leaked. Two different sites currently have the key posted, but it's all just for show until next month, when the SDK hits for real — and the code is undoubtedly changed."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Boing Boing reader Phil Lapsley says,

The folks over at governmentattic.org FOIAed portions of the FCC's television complaints database! Browse their site to find citizen complaints about your favorite TV show, or check out a few quick PDF links here: The Daily Show, Desperate Housewives, and The Simpsons.

Matt Mechtley made an articulated camera mount for his bike using an old tripod head. He shows us how in this instructable. - Link & more.

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Da Massive writes "Speaking at the linux.conf.au event in Melbourne, Australia, independent open source consultant Ricardo Gonzalez has told of how he has helped bring 23,000 Linux PCs to over 1000 schools in the Philippines: 'Ministers in the Filipino government now understand Linux can do so much for so little outlay.'" The slow process of educating a government that knew only Microsoft is especially well described in this piece.

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I've got an Obama poster in the right margin of the home page of Scripting News. It'll stay there for the duration as a virtual equivalent of one of those signs people put on their front lawns. I live in California, one of the Super Tuesday states and I'm an Obama voter. That's what the poster means. Pass it on.

After Google indexes Scripting News, this query will have exactly one match. Right now it has none. Let's load up Google with lots of blogs with Californians voting for Obama. And of course every other state in the union.

PS: This is where I got the poster.