`Pulsar Advanced Technologies has announced will next week launch its lead product, the Vulcanus MK4, a water heater USING microwave technology to heat water on demand. This technology with super-heating capabilities will drastically cut energy costs and totally eliminate the need to store hot water. [..]
Powered by electricity and unaffected by the volatile gas markets, the Vulcanus MK4 can heat water from 35 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit in seconds and can source multiple applications at once: showers, dishwasher, sink usages and more. The Vulcanus MK4 is the size of a stereo speaker with a sleek modern look, making it ideal for condos and apartments, while powerful enough to serve the needs of any size family.’
`VIA’s long-awaited Nano-ITX boards have been spotted in the wild in Japan, by the good folks at Akiba PC Hotline.
The boards on display (and possibly even on sale in small numbers) are a fanless EPIA N8000E running at 800MHz, and an fan-cooled EPIA N10000E running at 1GHz. Pricing looks to be around $350. [..]
The main thinking behind the board however is unchanged: Low power consumption board, 12 x 12cm Nano-ITX form factor. [..]’
`What you’ll see while visiting Koenig, at 545 West 23rd Street, is a sealed, space-hogging wooden box, the size of a small house or a pre-1970’s mainframe computer. It has two extensions; one like a cabinet, the other like a top-loading chest. You are invited to place an object, any object, into the chestlike extension. Close the hatch. A yellow light goes on. You hear a sliding sound and a clunk. Your item has temporarily disappeared into the big box, just as dozens of others have, including wallets, photographs, specially made items (artists have brought their own work) and, memorably, a 2-year-old child. (The daughter of another Koenig artist, Erik Parker, spent a few hours in the box, emerging delighted but respectfully mum about her experiences – the Gelitin team had sworn her to secrecy.)
Take a seat. Eventually – the wait can be from a few minutes to more than an hour – a light on the other extension goes on. Open the door, and you’ll find your object joined by a brand-new, handmade “duplicate,” or at least something that more or less resembles the original. [..]’
`With today marking the 42nd anniversary of the murder of John F. Kennedy, [The Smoking Gun] has gathered an assortment of documents and photos detailing aspects of the killing, material released by the federal Assassination Records Review Board.
The following selection of documents touches on everything from JFK’s autopsy and a cop’s notes of his post-arrest interviews with Lee Harvey Oswald to the bill for the late president’s casket and a photo of Abraham Zapruder’s camera.’
A while ago I posted a story about someone filming a commercial by throwing thousands of superballs down a steep road. Well, here’s the finished thing.
`Sending 250,000 multi-coloured ‘superballs’ bouncing down the streets of San Francisco may seem the strangest way to do this, but that’s exactly what Danish director Nicolai Fuglsig did for the BRAVIA commercial in July this year. San Franciscans have seen some unusual things in their time, but even this gave them something to talk about. And we’ve got the feeling that this commercial is going to do exactly the same thing.’
I don’t even know what they’re trying to sell. I don’t even think it matter. That’s a lot of superballs. I better buy it, whatever it is. :)
(various formats)
`My friend DVDTracker, sent me an IM on AR15.com and asked, “OP, I wonder how difficult it is to shoot a lock off? I’ve seen it done on TV and in movies, but wonder if it is as easy as they show it to be. How about if I send you some funds to buy some locks. Will you shoot them and report back?”
The only answer was, “Sure! Why not?”‘
With pictures of padlocks suffering a varying degree of damage.
`Astounding comments from Amanda Vanstone ridiculing federal airline security measures and questioning increased spending on national security warranted an apology and the Immigration Minister’s resignation, Labor frontbenchers said last night.
In a wide-ranging speech to Adelaide Rotarians, Senator Vanstone dismissed many commonwealth security measures as essentially ineffective. “To be tactful about these things, a lot of what we do is to make people feel better as opposed to actually achieve an outcome,” Senator Vanstone said. [..]
The Immigration Minister also told of a grisly conversation with Mr Howard during a discussion on increased spending on national security.
Senator Vanstone said: “I asked him if I was able to get on a plane with an HB pencil, which you are able to, and I further asked him if I went down and came and grabbed him by the front of the head and stabbed the HB pencil into your eyeball and wiggled it around down to your brain area, do you think you’d be focusing? He’s thinking, she’s gone mad again.”‘
`The end of World War II saw an intense scramble for Nazi Germany’s many technological secrets. The Allies vied to plunder as much equipment and expertise as possible from the rubble of the Thousand Year Reich for themselves, while preventing others from doing the same.
The range of Germany’s technical achievement astounded Allied scientific intelligence experts accompanying the invading forces in 1945.
Supersonic rockets, nerve gas, jet aircraft, guided missiles, stealth technology and hardened armour were just some of the groundbreaking technologies developed in Nazi laboratories, workshops and factories, even as Germany was losing the war.’
`For the first time, researchers say, they’ve found an electric fish sabotaging another fish’s electric signals.
The brown ghost knifefish (Apteronotus leptorhynchus) generates a weak electric field that it uses to detect obstacles and to communicate with other knifefish. When confronting a rival knifefish, both males and females can raise the frequency of their own electric signals close enough to the other fish’s to distort its electric field, reports Sara Tallarovic of the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio. In previous experiments, such jamming blinded fish-guidance systems.’
Strange fish, strange university name.
`A trip to the restroom resulted in a trip to the hospital for a Bloomington man who accidentally shot himself in the hand over the weekend at a gun show.
Faribault Police Sgt. Richard Larson said the 59-year-old man shot himself while removing his gun from a hook in a bathroom stall while attending the 31st annual Faribault Rifle and Pistol Club gun show on Sunday morning.’
`Because diarrhea affects over 30 million Americans every day, and because I am one of them.
Because just like AIDS and breast cancer, diarrhea can only be conquered by self-righteous fashion accessories.
Because I thought “outside the bun” for lunch yesterday and had to make two separate stops on my way back to the office.
Because diarrhea doesn’t care whether you’re black, white, young, old, male, female, gay or totally gay.’
`A team of young scientists has created what they believe to be the perfect paper plane.
It can fly more than 100ft (30m) and remain aloft for about 20 seconds. Most importantly, it is easy to make. The plane, named Avenger, has been judged by academics to contain the ideal balance between complex aerodynamic principles and simplicity of design. Its looks may also have helped: the delta wing is reminiscent of Concorde.’
Very little detail on this specific plane, but some general tips if you want to make some paper planes of your own.
A 70-something year old women who’s apparently good at computer games.
She swears a lot while she’s playing, as all good gamers should. :)
(5.5meg Quicktime)
`A fortysomething man in overalls sings about proper terminilogy for your anatomy. You don’t often see a song played on a miniature guitar that contains the word “vulva”.
This clip originally appeared in the 1984 video Strong Kids, Safe Kids, starring Henry Winkler.’
[sings] Our anus is a useful thing indeed, the anus gives relief in times of need..
This is two posts for the price of one. :)
This fellow has built a robotic fish and has links to some articles and photos about the fish:
`The world’s first autonomous robotic fish are the latest attraction at the London Aquarium.
Biologically inspired by the common carp, the new designs can avoid objects and swim around a specially designed tank entirely of their own accord.’
As well as the fish, he’s also built a web page that is state-of-the-art for the year 1994. Including small, pixellated graphics and horribly annoying flashing text. Takes me back a few years, it does, yet it’s dated August 2005.
Maybe he let his robot fish code his page for him? That’s about the only explaination I have. :)
(2.7meg Flash video)
see it here »
Inlcuding `How To Masturbate in your Grandmother’s House’, `How To Masturbate at the Office’, `How To Masturbate in the Line of Gunfire’ and more.
In all cases it seems step one is `Don’t Panic’. A good tip that one.
A list of 55 statements made by George Bush and 55 reasons why they’re misleading.
You can search for misleading quotes from other Republicans aswell.
`Bakery products made by Wichai Singwong look horrible. His little bread-baking factory looks like a dissecting room. However, if you overcome your natural aversion and bite off a piece of a freshly baked head, an arm or a finger, you will immediately realize that this is rather delicious bread indeed.
The idea to bake bread in the form of various human body parts occurred to once unsuccessful sculptor, Wichai Singwong, after he saw the movie Hannibal starring Anthony Hopkins. Singwong apparently thought that people would be willing to buy crispy and tasty loaves and buns that looks like severed hands, arms, heads and fingers.’
With a relatively small picture. They do look pretty realistic.
`Creationism and intelligent design are going to be studied at the University of Kansas, but not in the way advocated by opponents of the theory of evolution.
A course being offered next semester by the university religious studies department is titled “Special Topics in Religion: Intelligent Design, Creationism and other Religious Mythologies.”
“The KU faculty has had enough,” said Paul Mirecki, department chairman. “Creationism is mythology. Intelligent design is mythology. It’s not science. They try to make it sound like science. It clearly is not.”’
I’ve blogged this before. But this version has funky music to go along with it.
Not safe for work. Unless your boss is particularly loose, I s’pose.
see it here »
`Deputies were called to the Holiday Inn on Fort Myers Beach Saturday night after several people reported spotting a naked man cavorting around the building.
Two women said Jeremy Miljour, 26, of Bonita Springs, approached them asking them to “touch him.” [..]
Despite the 50,000 volt shock to the sensitive area, deputies say Miljour continued to attack them. So they sent another 50,000 volts through the probe.
That was apparently too much for Miljour, and he surrendered. He was taken to the hospital to have the probe removed.’
Strangle little animation of a tree and come guy who seems quite fond of the tree.
How does the tree feel about this tho? :)
Everyone ends up happy in the end.
(3.5meg Quicktime)
`The new Sedition Laws in the anti-terror bills clearly target people who call for acts of non-violent civil disobedience. Under the laws there is no defence for calling for change to any law by anything other than lawful means. Penalty is up to seven years jail.
In an extremely dangerous development for free speech that is yet to be picked up by the mainstream press, the new anti-terror bills clearly outlaw calls for non-violent civil disobedience. [..]
Note the law specifically only offers a defence to people who act in good faith to urge others LAWFULLY procure a change to the law. So the law on sedition specifically offers no defence to those who call for changes to law to happen outside the law ie this obviously includes peaceful non-violent civil disobedience.
So the new sedition law makes it a serious criminal offence to even call for an act of peaceful civil disobedience.’
`Amid fears that Indonesia’s most wanted terrorist will strike again, some police have a new theory: Noordin Top is using hypnotism to elude capture and recruit more suicide bombers. [..]
As fears rise, reports say some police in notoriously superstitious Indonesia believe Noordin may have the ability to hypnotise people, using his mental powers to escape his pursuers and recruit more bombers.
“A village chief fell unconscious after kissing the hand of a man resembling Noordin,” one policeman told the latest edition of Tempo news magazine.
The magazine said the chief’s mind went blank “like he was hypnotised” after meeting a “tabib”, or traditional healer, who looked like Noordin.
One officer said police believed even a skilled religious preacher would have difficulty finding so many followers willing to kill themselves for a cause.’
It’s computer generated, so not as impressive as it sounds. Not that impressive at all really, not sure why I’m posting it. :)
(320kB Windows Media)
`A man who was struck in the head by a train this weekend was also hit in the head by a New York City subway car three years ago, officials said Monday.
Parker T. Hall Houghtaling, of Stanfordville, 23, was hit in the head Nov. 18 by a Metro-North train as it pulled into the Poughkeepsie station. He was listed in stable condition Monday.
In 2002, Houghtaling was waiting at a subway station in Manhattan when he stuck his head out and was hit by a subway car. He was hospitalized with a shoulder injury, nose fractures and bruises, according to the Metropolitan Transit Authority.’
`An Ohio woman will spend a night in the woods without water, food or entertainment as part of her punishment for abandoning 35 kittens.
Painesville Municipal Court Judge Michael A. Cicconetti handed down the sentence on Nov. 17 to Michelle M. Murray, 25. On Sept. 19, park rangers found the kittens abandoned in two parks in Mentor, Ohio. Many of the kittens had upper respiratory infections and nine later died. They were traced back to Murray because they were wearing identification collars. [..]
Originally, Cicconetti said Murray was to have no food, reading material or entertainment devices and was to have only the clothes she wore — as many as she wanted — to keep her warm. Due to plunging temperatures, however, the judge said he may amend his orders and allow her to make a fire.’
`Security guards found Michael Plentyhorse, 18, sprawled with the dummy on the floor with his trousers and pants down.
Police spokesman Loren McManus said: “There was inappropriate activity between him and the mannequin.
“That’s the only way I know how to put it.”‘
I’ve been playing around with the backend of my site a lot again.
The whole site is PHP based now, with pages being generated on the fly from some scripts I’m still fine tuning. There’s even a little counter at the bottom of the pages showing how long the page took to create.
Whilst the way the pages are made is now significantly different than it was a week ago, hopefully they shouldn’t look any different. Pushing the new code to my server has gone surprisingly well so far, so it all looks good.
[By surprisingly well I mean 90%+ of my pages currently spit out a PHP error and not much else. The surprising thing is that I know why it’s happening and I know how to fix it. :)]
`Welcome to Idiot America.
Let’s take a toure, shall we? For the sake of time, we’ll just cover the last year or so. A federally funded abstinence program suggests that HIV can be transmitted through tears. An Alabama legislator proposes a bill to ban all books by gay authors. The Texas House passes a bill banning suggestive cheerleading. And nobody laughs at any of it, or even points out that, in the latter case, having Texas ban suggestive cheerleading is like having Nebraska ban corn. James Dobson, a prominent conservative Christian spokesman, compares the Supreme Court to the Ku Klux Klan. Pat Robertson, another prominent conservative preacher, says that federal judges are a more serious threat to the country than is Al Qaeda and, apparently taking his text from the Book of Gambino, later sermonizes that the United States should get with it and snuff the democratically elected president of Venezuela.
The Congress of the United States intervenes to extend into a televised spectacle the prolonged death of a woman in Florida. The majority leader of the Senate, a physician, pronounces a diagnosis based on heavily edited videotape. The majority leader of the House of Representatives argues against cutting-edge research into the use of human stem cells by saying that “an embryo is a person. . . . We were all at one time embryos ourselves. So was Abraham. So was Muhammad. So was Jesus of Nazareth.” Nobody laughs at him or points out that the same could be said of Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, or whoever invented the baby-back rib.
And, finally, in August, the cover of Time —for almost a century the dyspeptic voice of the American establishment—clears its throat, hems and haws and hacks like a headmaster gagging on his sherry, and asks, quite seriously: “Does God have a place in science class?”‘
