Friday, August 31, 2007
No explanation needed
I don't believe any reasoning or explanation is required for this, but what the hell. Star Wars is cool.
Some pics of Blass's Tattoo post
While not getting a yellow card for his posting style on something that begs for images because they were so cool, I have provided a couple cool ones above.
New Mercedes nav lets Google and Yahoo show the way
Mercedes is introducing a feature called Search and Send to that will allow you to send Google and Yahoo! driving directions directly to your car's navigation system. How it works: you get driving directions from either source, and then hit a button labeled Send to Car. If you have a Tele-Aid subscription, when you get in your new Mercedes you can hit the "i" button, and the car will download the directions. Voila and giddyup.
You can even send directions from your PDA, or have someone else send directions to you while you're in the car. However, the unique identifier that gets the directions to your specific car and no one else's isn't spelled out. It also isn't clear if this is only for new cars, or if your 2005 CLK and your woeful sense of direction can ever benefit. The release says it will start off on the S, CL, and new C-Class, and be phased in across the range over time. It doesn't become available until September 5, but you can see a video of it here.
Wachowski Brothers: No More :(
Larry Wachowski
You know the guys who brought us the Matrix trilogy, and V for Vendetta. Are no longer brothers, Larry is now living as Linda after having sex gender reassignment surgery.
You know the guys who brought us the Matrix trilogy, and V for Vendetta. Are no longer brothers, Larry is now living as Linda after having sex gender reassignment surgery.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Lightning Bolt: Hits Plane midflight
high voltage
Lightning Bolt Hitting Plane Taking Off Osaka
This shot shows a lightning bolt striking an airplane taking off Osaka's airport, then hitting the ground. Lightning is not dangerous for airliners, as the electricity flows around their aluminum skin, but looking at the stunning video loop after the jump and knowing that tomorrow we have to fly to Berlin for IFA, they sure scare the hell out of me.
Apparently, no plane has fallen down in the US because of lightning bolts in 40 years, even while every airliner in the country could get hit at least once according to the statistics. Now, can anyone explain to this ignorant (me) how 100 trillion (million million) watts can hit a plane and nothing happens to the electronics inside, while my cell can wreak havoc in the presence of just a few microwaves?
Top 10 Tech Toys You Can Actually Afford
Nice article on 10 tech items that you can actually afford, Chismillionaire this is for you:
Top 10 Tech Toys You Can Actually Afford
Top 10 Tech Toys You Can Actually Afford
Very interesting, lost city found in Pacific
Very interesting, lost city found in Pacific
Aug. 24 - A Japanese researcher claims there are ruins of an ancient civilization under the Pacific Ocean.
Professor Masaaki Kimura of Ryukyu University claims that underwater rock formations are the remnants of an ancient Asian civilization that disappeared under the sea off the coast of the southwestern tip of Japan. He also believes the legends of the lost continents of Mu, or Lemuria, and Atlantis could have been based on these ruins.
Stefanie McIntyre reports.
Soundbite:
# Professor Emeritus of Ryukyu University, Masaaki Kimura
Aug. 24 - A Japanese researcher claims there are ruins of an ancient civilization under the Pacific Ocean.
Professor Masaaki Kimura of Ryukyu University claims that underwater rock formations are the remnants of an ancient Asian civilization that disappeared under the sea off the coast of the southwestern tip of Japan. He also believes the legends of the lost continents of Mu, or Lemuria, and Atlantis could have been based on these ruins.
Stefanie McIntyre reports.
Soundbite:
# Professor Emeritus of Ryukyu University, Masaaki Kimura
Your Money & Your Brain
The book takes a look a Chismillionare's favorite aspect of finance while he was getting his Master's in Finance- behavioral finance. MRI technology has allowed researchers to really see the impact and consequences of financial decision making from a physiological perspective.How peoples brains work differently when it is a gain and a loss. It helps explain why an 80% chance of success and a 20% chance of failure are the same thing, but the brain interprets them so differently. For instance, MRI brain scans of those about to receive a large amount of money are the same as those of people on cocaine. No wonder poor decisions with money are so easily and often made.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/074327668X/ref=wl_it_dp/105-1543516-0579639?ie=UTF8&coliid=I468MOWSVDRZA&colid=3OI5QKUG9C8B8
Awesome Coin Trick
Awesome Coin Trick 10 quarters in 10 separate shot glasses at the same time, Amazing!!
and
Professional Quarter Bouncer: A Documentary/Skill Video
and
Professional Quarter Bouncer: A Documentary/Skill Video
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Kids ride a zip line to school
These kids ride a zip line 1200 ft above ground to school while the rest of us are stuck with crappy school buses.
Man's Best Friend
'The Device' is the world's first all-in-one beer making machine. Just add the right ingredients, press the right buttons, twist the right valves and after two weeks you'll have gallons of the amber nectar. I make use of another invention that provides me with beer, with even less hassle - it's called a bar. Check out a video of it in action after the jump.
The wonderful contraption has been built by PopSci staff photographer, John Carnett. Eventually he hopes to add another section that will make the raw ingredients from grain. Perhaps after this he will start growing his own crops - now that would be real home-brewing. [Pop Sci]
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Shift 2.0
Take a look at what is happening. Get your kids prepared!
Very special thanks to Mrs. Chismillionare for sharing this.
Very special thanks to Mrs. Chismillionare for sharing this.
Understanding Red Wine
Red Wine Basics
An Introduction to Red Wine
First things first, red wine is well…red, but why? It's color can be derived from a vast assortment of grape varietals ranging from grapes that are reddish, deep purple, and even a beautiful blue on the color scale. These grapes give rise to a wine that is color classified with such descriptors as garnet, almost black, dark red, light red, ruby red, opaque purple, deep violet, maroon and the list goes on. It is the grapeskins that are responsible for the red wine’s distinct color spectrum. The skins are in contact with the grape’s juice during the fermentation process, allowing the dispersion of both color and tannins. The individual wine’s particular red hue depends on the grape type used in the process and the length of time the skin’s pigmentation is in contact with juice.
zSB(3,3)
There are right around 50 key red wine varietals that consistently manifest themselves in today’s worldwide wine market.
Red Wine Glass Choice
Red wines will put their best foot forward when poured into and sipped out of a wine glass with adequate room. A distinctly oval or egg-shaped bowl that narrows slightly at the top as opposed to a slender flute-like glass is necessary to enjoy a red wine to the fullest . The ideal red wine glass will accommodate between 10-22 ounces of liquid, allowing more room to swirl your wine and better surface area for allowing the wine to breath a bit. On the serving note, keep in mind that most red wines are at their best when serving temperatures are between 60-65 degrees Farenheit – serve them too warm and the taste of alcohol is overly evident, serve them too cold and they will quickly veer towards bitter and more astringent on the palate.
Red Wine Style
As with all wines, the particular winemaker will have adequate “say” in the style of wine he will produce. That said, red wines are often classified by “body-type.” For example, one might say that a certain red wine is “light-bodied” – referring to the mouth-feel and tannin structure. A light-bodied wine will have fewer tannins present and less presence on the palate. These are wines that are often less demanding partners with flavor-filled foods. An example of a light-bodied red wine would be one derived from the Gamay grape varietal, such as France’s famed young red wine: Beaujolais Nouveau. A medium-bodied red wine will contain more tannins than the above Beaujolais Nouveau, but will not have near the pucker power of a high-powered California Cabernet Sauvignon or an Italian Super Tuscan. Typical examples of medium-bodied red wines include: Merlot, Shiraz or a Chianti. Full-bodied red wines boast the highest tannin (and often alcohol) content. Prime examples of full-bodied reds are France’s esteemed Bordeaux wines, California’s key Cabs and Italy’s sizzling Super Tuscans. In general, Light-bodied wines tend to “feel” more like water in the mouth. In contrast, “full-bodied” wines feel heavier, more like milk, this effect is due in large part to the higher tannin (and again, alcohol) content.
An Introduction to Red Wine
First things first, red wine is well…red, but why? It's color can be derived from a vast assortment of grape varietals ranging from grapes that are reddish, deep purple, and even a beautiful blue on the color scale. These grapes give rise to a wine that is color classified with such descriptors as garnet, almost black, dark red, light red, ruby red, opaque purple, deep violet, maroon and the list goes on. It is the grapeskins that are responsible for the red wine’s distinct color spectrum. The skins are in contact with the grape’s juice during the fermentation process, allowing the dispersion of both color and tannins. The individual wine’s particular red hue depends on the grape type used in the process and the length of time the skin’s pigmentation is in contact with juice.
zSB(3,3)
There are right around 50 key red wine varietals that consistently manifest themselves in today’s worldwide wine market.
Red Wine Glass Choice
Red wines will put their best foot forward when poured into and sipped out of a wine glass with adequate room. A distinctly oval or egg-shaped bowl that narrows slightly at the top as opposed to a slender flute-like glass is necessary to enjoy a red wine to the fullest . The ideal red wine glass will accommodate between 10-22 ounces of liquid, allowing more room to swirl your wine and better surface area for allowing the wine to breath a bit. On the serving note, keep in mind that most red wines are at their best when serving temperatures are between 60-65 degrees Farenheit – serve them too warm and the taste of alcohol is overly evident, serve them too cold and they will quickly veer towards bitter and more astringent on the palate.
Red Wine Style
As with all wines, the particular winemaker will have adequate “say” in the style of wine he will produce. That said, red wines are often classified by “body-type.” For example, one might say that a certain red wine is “light-bodied” – referring to the mouth-feel and tannin structure. A light-bodied wine will have fewer tannins present and less presence on the palate. These are wines that are often less demanding partners with flavor-filled foods. An example of a light-bodied red wine would be one derived from the Gamay grape varietal, such as France’s famed young red wine: Beaujolais Nouveau. A medium-bodied red wine will contain more tannins than the above Beaujolais Nouveau, but will not have near the pucker power of a high-powered California Cabernet Sauvignon or an Italian Super Tuscan. Typical examples of medium-bodied red wines include: Merlot, Shiraz or a Chianti. Full-bodied red wines boast the highest tannin (and often alcohol) content. Prime examples of full-bodied reds are France’s esteemed Bordeaux wines, California’s key Cabs and Italy’s sizzling Super Tuscans. In general, Light-bodied wines tend to “feel” more like water in the mouth. In contrast, “full-bodied” wines feel heavier, more like milk, this effect is due in large part to the higher tannin (and again, alcohol) content.
Teen trades first unlocked iPhone for Nissan 350Z
The iPhone has been perhaps the most hyped tech gadget of 2007, and a 17 year-old from New Jersey recently achieved fame by being the first to "unlock" the Apple device. George Hotz, who many are referring to as the new "DVD John," rigged the $599 iPhone to operate on any network with any SIM card. For his epic hack, Hotz was given a free Nissan 350Z and three 8 GB iPhones. All he had to do was hand over the compromised handset to Terry Daidone, owner of phone refurbisher and aftermarket parts maker CertiCell. Not bad for a kid that hasn't even started his first day of college.
A bad-ass 350Z is definitely a hell of a deal in a trade for a phone that costs a mere $499-$599. If Hotz doesn't get into legal trouble for his work, we think the brilliant teenager will likely get a killer job with a tech company well before he finishes college... right about the time he gets his third speeding ticket.
[Source: iPhone JTAG]
Movei Traliers
Most everyone already uses this, but this is the best place to watch trailers for movies:
http://www.drfoster.f2s.com/
for these computers the 480p work best
you might need to install Quicktime, dont' worry its free:
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/
http://www.drfoster.f2s.com/
for these computers the 480p work best
you might need to install Quicktime, dont' worry its free:
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/
65 Must see Movies at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival
65 Must see Movies at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival
Great article, looks like we got some good Indy Films coming our way!!!
Great article, looks like we got some good Indy Films coming our way!!!
Every Cigar has a story
Follow Don Pepin Garcia along from the field to the rolling to the shipping of cigars in Esteli, Nicaragua.
Mean and Green
- great editing in this clip
http://www.windingroad.com/multimedia/multimedia-issue-25/2008-dodge-viper/
http://www.windingroad.com/multimedia/multimedia-issue-25/2008-dodge-viper/
Monday, August 27, 2007
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds, Live from Radio City
Highly recommended- Live from Luther College is one of Chismillionare's faves.
DVD also available
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SQKZOC/ref=wl_itt_dp/105-1543516-0579639?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3T6ORIZHT9TNH&colid=3OI5QKUG9C8B8
Amsterdam - Bike
This is a bike garage outside of Centraal Station:
These are everywhere, every street has it owns bike path with lights:
for more pics of bike in Amsterdam click here
These are everywhere, every street has it owns bike path with lights:for more pics of bike in Amsterdam click here
Greatest video game accessory EVAR
Home racing games have come a long way since Pole Position, with controllers providing feedback to virtual drivers, while true to life graphics and vehicle driving dynamics making the action feel much more real. Microsoft has even engineered some real-life smoke from their official steering wheel, even though the software giant from Redmond, Washington really wishes the problem didn't exist.
The pneumatic experts at Festo have taken a big step towards making the most real-life racing game experience, and the extent of on-road feel of their new contraption looks very impressive. Festo uses Fluidic Muscles and mechatronic systems to give users a true sensation of either driving or flying, depending on the software being used. It's really more of an industrial simulator than a game, and we're pretty sure it costs a bit more than a Playstation 3. Either way, we'll need to come up with a business case to AOL for buying one for the Autoblog team.
The pneumatic experts at Festo have taken a big step towards making the most real-life racing game experience, and the extent of on-road feel of their new contraption looks very impressive. Festo uses Fluidic Muscles and mechatronic systems to give users a true sensation of either driving or flying, depending on the software being used. It's really more of an industrial simulator than a game, and we're pretty sure it costs a bit more than a Playstation 3. Either way, we'll need to come up with a business case to AOL for buying one for the Autoblog team.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Lexus LS 460s To Make Beautiful Music in 12-Car Symphony Performance
LONDON — The Lexus Symphony Orchestra will appear on stage in London this weekend. In place of the expected formally clad string and brass players, a dozen Lexus LS 460 SE-Ls will sit on stage, doors open, and perform orchestral works piped through the cars' 19-speaker Mark Levinson Reference Surround Sound audio systems. The music was recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra, with the Bach Choir, in London earlier this summer and includes two original works: "Summon the Hero," which Lexus says shows the car audio's "more dynamic and upbeat capabilities;" and "Karma Nirvana," a piece to show the "softer side" of the high-end audio system.
They can be heard at Lexus' U.K. Web site. For the performance, the cars will be arranged onstage like a traditional orchestra, with each car playing the parts of a section, including strings, brass, woodwind, bass and percussion. Lexus is taking pains to note that no PA system or special effects are involved and that all sound will come from the "perfectly standard" cars themselves. The Lexus performance will take place at the "Last Night of the Summer Proms" Pops in the Park event in South London. This will be the second appearance for the car orchestra; the first was earlier this month at Castle Howard near York, England. After the concert, audience members will be invited to check out the cars and their audio quality up close.
Google Voice Local Search - FREE
Welcome to Google Voice Local Search
Google Voice Local Search is Google’s experimental service to make local-business search accessible over the phone.
Google Voice Local Search is Google’s experimental service to make local-business search accessible over the phone.
Amazing Photo Gallery of Pics of Earth
This summary is not available. Please
click here to view the post.
Ahh Fredo - We Knew it all along--
AT&T Ditches 'Fewest Dropped Calls' Ad Campaign
Following a Better Business Bureau investigation into Cingular's (now AT&T's) "fewest dropped calls" ad campaign and a protracted legal fight with Sprint over the issue, AT&T is reportedly dropping its claim, according to an employee.
Turns out, the assertion was never really true, and was based on only a small part of a larger Telephia report. As a whole, the report notes that AT&T Wireless did not have the most reliable network in places like New York, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles, according to Broadband Reports. Recent studies from Consumer Reports and JD Power mirror these findings, and have placed Cingular/AT&T at or near the the bottom of their rankings for reliability and satisfaction.
Update 8/23: An AT&T spokesman says that dropping the "fewest dropped calls" language is just part of an overall shift to a new message: "More bars in more places." Okay then!
Following a Better Business Bureau investigation into Cingular's (now AT&T's) "fewest dropped calls" ad campaign and a protracted legal fight with Sprint over the issue, AT&T is reportedly dropping its claim, according to an employee.
Turns out, the assertion was never really true, and was based on only a small part of a larger Telephia report. As a whole, the report notes that AT&T Wireless did not have the most reliable network in places like New York, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles, according to Broadband Reports. Recent studies from Consumer Reports and JD Power mirror these findings, and have placed Cingular/AT&T at or near the the bottom of their rankings for reliability and satisfaction.
Update 8/23: An AT&T spokesman says that dropping the "fewest dropped calls" language is just part of an overall shift to a new message: "More bars in more places." Okay then!
How to Buy a Cheap Airline Ticket in First Class
Step-By-Step Guide to Finding and Purchasing Cheap First Class Seats:
These discount first class tickets are the airline industry's best-kept secret. Called Y-Ups, they price like a coach ticket, they look like a coach ticket, but when you sit down, you are one seat behind the pilot -- and they serve warm cookies.
FareCompare.com is the only web site that tracks over 100,000 of these confirmed discounted first class airfares. Y-Up airfares are intentionally published by the airlines to look exactly like a coach ticket, but the seats are allocated in the first class cabin. This sneaky little trick allows corporate travelers to legitimately & inexpensively get around their "No First Class Travel" policy.
Y-Up airfares are deeply discounted first class airline tickets available for travel within/between the United States and Canada. They do NOT apply to international coach, business or first class air travel.
Full Article: How to Buy a Cheap Airline Ticket in First Class
2008 Dodge Viper--> 600hp with a warranty
0-60mph in 3.7 sec in first gear. Quarter mile in 11.8 sec @ 125mph. 22mpg highway fuel economy.
I love this country!!!! Any 18 year old in flip flops with enough money can go buy this thing.