Jetpack!
Martin Aircraft claims a theoretical top speed of 63 mph and a max range of 31.5 miles. The jetpack is classified as an ultralight per US FAA regulations and is limited to 5 gallons of gasoline onboard.
Worth following the link to watch the video of the unit in flight.
Bad Program
If this is what you see when your program is running on a dual core machine, please don't try and convince me that it multi-tasks. I don't need to see the source. I don't want to debate it.
Al Gore Places Infant Son In Rocket To Escape Dying Planet
"On his new planet, Kal-Al's Earth physiology will react to the radiation of a differently colored sun, causing him to develop abilities far beyond those of mortal men," political analyst Sig Schuster said. "He will be faster than a speeding Prius, stronger than the existing Superfund program, and able to leap mountains of red tape in a single bound. These superpowers will sustain him in his never-ending battle against conservatives, wealthy industrialists, and other environmental supervillains."Al Gore Places Infant Son In Rocket To Escape Dying Planet | The Onion - America's Finest News Source
Best onion article I've seen in months.
Five Reasons You Don't Have a Personal Jet Pack Yet
Flying around with your own personal jet engine, strapped to your back, has been one of the hallmarks of futurism for decades. Which sucks, because futuristic stuff is supposed to eventually happen. So why the hell aren't we all flying to work via rocket power? Because you're about as aerodynamic as a potato, my friend. Here are five reasons the jet pack just hasn't happened yet.From Mad Engineering: Five Reasons You Don't Have a Personal Jet Pack Yet
No jet packs. No flying cars. And no personal army of fembots. The future is here and it is as boring as the present.
China Presses Hush Money on Grieving Parents
The official came for Yu Tingyun in his village one evening last week. He asked Mr. Yu to get into his car. He was clutching the contract and a pen.From China Presses Hush Money on Grieving Parents - NYTimes.com
...
The contract had been thrust in Mr. Yu’s face during a long police interrogation the day before. In exchange for his silence and for affirming that the ruling Communist Party “mobilized society to help us,” he would get a cash payment and a pension.
Mr. Yu had resisted then. This time, he took the pen.
Sad story but a must read. And a warning on what happens when government bureaucracy is run for the interests of the bureaucrats and not the people they serve.
Portable Rotary Phone
The infamous Portable Rotary Phone is an original rotary phone that has been modified to be a cellular phone. The Port-O-Rotary has a functional rotary dial, rings the original, loud metallic bells when a call is received, and even has a dial tone!
Perfect desk phone to put next to your steampunk modified laptop.
How to Travel by Cargo Ship
Most of the major global shipping lines CMA-CGM, Canada Maritime, and Bank Line offer paying passengers to hop on one of their lines. As a paying passenger you are accommodated in guest cabins and have access to most areas of the ship.From How to Travel by Cargo Ship
This looks like the type of travel that just might become the next big hipster trend if enough people blog about it; posting iPhone snap shots of engine rooms and exotic food.
miffy & friends
miffy & friends
Originally uploaded by tritia.
What nine month old would refuse a dinner like this?
Horn Subwoofer Takes Up Crazy Man's Entire Basement
From:
Retromodo: Horn Subwoofer Takes Up Crazy Man's Entire Basement
His subwoofer is his basement. So shut up about your Dolby 7.1 set up.
A Modest Proposal for Ending Socialized Capitalism
Socialized capitalism of the sort the Fed and the Treasury are now practicing, consisting of private gains and public losses, is untenable. On the other hand, it's also true that giant Wall Street investments banks as well as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are too big to fail.From Robert Reich's Blog: A Modest Proposal for Ending Socialized Capitalism
Great post from one of my favorite economists. Reich's description of bailouts as Socialized Capitalism is spot on.
Believe Me, It's Torture
You may have read by now the official lie about this treatment, which is that it “simulates” the feeling of drowning. This is not the case. You feel that you are drowning because you are drowning—or, rather, being drowned, albeit slowly and under controlled conditions and at the mercy (or otherwise) of those who are applying the pressure. The “board” is the instrument, not the method. You are not being boarded. You are being watered.From Believe Me, It's Torture: Politics & Power: vanityfair.com
Christopher Hitchens on being water boarded. You can follow the link to see him tortured.
Buzzball
The Buzzball delivers a thrill like no other interactive ride can, where the pilot has the power to create their own unique ride experience - from fun goer to thrill seeker. The Buzzball is a future product in development.
Buzzball
Yet another human sized hamster ball. This one with what looks like a five point safety harness.