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Wednesday, June 2, 2010
The Batman Begins soundtrack just got better
Author: John
From: http://thechive.com/
Thanks to Ben Dillon who sent this in, “It took two years of listening to this soundtrack before going to bed every night before I noticed.”
We checked the actual play list and it’s legit.
Dolphin uses iPad as way to communicate with humans
Michael Leddy of Orange Crate Art came across this press release about a dolphin named Merlin who uses an iPad.
Dolphin enjoys using the iPadLast week, a young bottlenose dolphin named Merlin became the first of his species to join the growing number of enthusiasts using the Apple iPad. Dolphin research scientist, Jack Kassewitz of SpeakDolphin.com, introduced the iPad to the dolphin in early steps towards building a language interface.
“The use of the iPad is part of our continuing search to find a suitable touch screen technology which the dolphins can activate with the tip of their rostrums or beaks. After extensive searching and product review, it looks like our choice is between the Panasonic Toughbook and the Apple iPad,” Kassewitz explained. “We think that once the dolphins get the hang of the touch screen, we can let them choose from a wide assortment of symbols to represent objects, actions and even emotions.”
Kassewitz explained the requirements of the technology. “Waterproofing, processor speed, touch-sensitivity, anti-glare screens, and dolphin-friendly programs are essential. As this database of dolphin symbols grows — we’ll need fast technology to help us respond appropriately and quickly to the dolphins.”
The research was being conducted at Dolphin Discovery’s dolphin swim facility in Puerto Aventuras, Mexico, along the picturesque coast now referred to as the Riviera Maya. The dolphin, Merlin, is a juvenile, born at the facility only two years ago. “Merlin is quite curious, like most dolphins, and he showed complete willingness to examine the iPad,” said Kassewitz.
For now, the researchers are getting Merlin used to the touch screen by showing him real objects, such as a ball, cube or plastic duck, then asking the dolphin to touch photos of those same objects on the screen. “This is an easy task for a dolphin, but it is a necessary building block towards our goal of a complete language interface between humans and dolphins,” Kassewitz said.
Kim Jong-il Owns Some Cool S*#t!
From: http://www.ranker.com/
Kim Jong-il, the leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, has been well-known for spending billions of dollars to strengthen his military power in hopes of maintaining control over North Korea. But of course, that’s never enough for Kim. He must surround himself with things that don't remind him of work. During times of economic despair and devastating famine, Kim managed to find the time to buy a ton of pretty cool sh!t.. Since we can't have a Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous episode about him, this list of his funny, crazy, even awesome collection of belongings will have to do
We expect world leaders to have armored CARS. Homeboy has (multiple) armored TRAINS. He has a collection of 6 private well-furnished trains, 2 of which are decoys -- 3-train Monty! Kim's trains are equipped with conference rooms, an audience chamber and bedrooms, along with a necessary pair of Mercedes-Benzes on standby (cause you never know).
Due to his fear of flying, Dear Father uses the private trains to travel abroad and makes stops at military bases, factories and farms for internal inspection missions.
During his travel there are two trains that act as decoys. The proceeding train takes off to make sure that the tracks are safe and if anything goes wrong his dummy train takes the bait. The second train carries little Kim and his gangsters while the third train follows along for security purposes... wait... did this article just blow his cover?...
Of course, he also has satellite phone connections and flat-screen TVs so that he can be briefed and issue orders, or just enjoy the latest season of Desperate Housewives. Even Kanye doesn't roll like this powerful "Communist" leader, but more on that later...
The Jonger ain’t a gangsta if he’s got no hoes, so he travels with broads and fancies them up with fine dining and hard liquor (see below) every time he goes out.
North Korea's Supreme Leader is very self conscious about his height. Not only does he spike up his hair to compensate for his short stature, but he also owns some pretty snazzy 5-inch platform shoes, a-la Bart Simpson from that one episode where he's trying to grow an inch overnight.Kim Jong Il says screw his starving country, he needs to get a little respect around here and he can't do that with everyone looking down at him, now can he?
Besides, Gene Simmons wears 'em in public regularly, and nobody questions his manhood.
Lifestyles of the Rich and Tyrannous!Dude's got 17 different palaces, some of which have underground tunnels leading to other homes or offices. From his office located in Central District in Pyounhyang to his vacation home in the Potae Rodongja District, he’s got a pad for every occasion.
If he wants to hunt guillemots and Jet Ski during the winter, he will be visiting his Wonsan Chalet. For late night parties with the officials, he resides in his official home in Pyounhyang where the second floor is fully equipped with entertainment.
And of course, almost every person knows that when you’re doing something risky, like, say… building a nuclear bomb, you should have a backup plan in case something decides to backfire. Or if you happen to be insanely paranoid that another country will nuke you.
With the Youngsung 21 Complex, complete with iron rods and concrete covered with lead to protect the headquarter, Kim is sure to be safe - so please, nobody worry about him.
When Dear Leader isn’t busy shopping for a new castle or posing nuclear threats to The World, he is comfortably kicking back in one of his home theaters watching a movie from his massive collection of 20,000 DVDs. Since there is a time lag for word coming out of North Korea, our sources have not yet confirmed whether the il-Father has upgraded the collection to Blu-Ray. We're pretty sure he stays out of the torrent scene, though.
He's actually considered to be a bit of a movie buff. In fact, he’s incapable of sitting in front of his TV screen without being able to interfere with the production in some way shape or form.
We're not exactly sure how this works in practice.
According to sources, he revolutionized Korean Fine Arts by integrating history, political ideology, and movie-making into the art of film and cinema, all while ensuring North Korea's national security, spending time with his family, and partying with his officials. Sounds like the man could teach Steve Jobs a thing or two about multitasking!
He also has a collection of "James Bond" movies, and "Friday The 13th" series. Loves "The Godfather" and collects all of Elizabeth Taylor's movies (did we mention he also wears high heels? Yeah...).
With every single Oscar-winning movie within reach, we take this time to formally invite the Kimster to make a Top 100 Films on Ranker. Mr. Jong-il, we promise to give you a prime spot on the homepage. Add a link from the list to your blog or MySpace! You've declared yourself an "internet expert" ( http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,299757,00.html ), so we're sure you are savvy to the value of a backlink on Ranker.
In the early 1990s, trade figures leaked to the media revealed that Kim was the largest single consumer of Hennessy cognac, importing more than $650,000 worth of top-of-the-line stock per year for his private collection. Yes, a love for top-shelf cognac is another thing KJi has in common with the rap community.
This particular liquor sells for $650 in Korea. However, the average Korean worker earns about $900 a year. So... yeah...
So what’s a little guy like Kim doing with so much Hennessy? A man who consumes that much liquor in a year probably won't live to see his son’s next attempted escape to Disneyland, let alone his next liver biopsy. If all this is just going to him and his bitches, we're talking about a Keith Richards-level constitution. The man's a roller, no question.
He has a wine cellar containing nearly 10,000 bottles. Think there's any "2 buck Chuck" in the mix?He also has a library filled with thousands of cookbooks and texts on gastronomy. Needless to say, Kim Jong Il is a bit of a "Foodie".
Sure, the quality of life in his country is going down the tubes every single minute, but Supreme Leaders have to able to wind down too. With all the touring on private trains, to Hennessy consumption, to DVD-watching and Pee-Wee Herman style Platform-shoes dancing, the man deserves a break.
So many fun things to do, so much country/freedom to destroy, so little time. Good to know that one of the world's most feared and watched tyrants likes to forget his troubles bingeing on truffles and Cabernet.
Bon Vivant!
Sprint HTC EVO 4G - As Good As It Looks? Yes!
intomobile.com — The Sprint HTC Evo 4G is the kind of Android phone that will probably be the talk of the town even after the next iPhone launches. That should say a lot about Evo’s badass-ness.
Click here for the full in-depth review: Sprint HTC EVO 4G - As Good As It Looks? Yes!
Scientists breed goats that produce spider silk
by Lisa Zyga
from: http://www.physorg.com/
Goats that produce spider silk protein in their milk could enable researchers to collect large quantities of the silk. Image credit: National Science Foundation.
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers from the University of Wyoming have developed a way to incorporate spiders' silk-spinning genes into goats, allowing the researchers to harvest the silk protein from the goats’ milk for a variety of applications. For instance, due to its strength and elasticity, spider silk fiber could have several medical uses, such as for making artificial ligaments and tendons, for eye sutures, and for jaw repair. The silk could also have applications in bulletproof vests and improved car airbags.
Normally, getting enough spider silk for these applications requires large numbers of spiders. However, spiders tend to be territorial, so when the researchers tried to set up spider farms, the spiders killed each other.
To solve this problem, Randy Lewis, a professor of molecular biology at the University of Wyoming, and other researchers decided to put the spiders’ dragline silk gene into goats in such a way that the goats would only make the protein in their milk. Like any other genetic factor, only a certain percentage of the goats end up with the gene. For instance, of seven goat kids born in February 2010, three have tested positive for having the silk protein gene. When these transgenic goats have kids and start lactating, the researchers will collect the milk and purify the spider silk protein into “much, much higher quantities,” Lewis said.
Other than their ability to produce the spider silk protein, the goats do not seem to have any other differences in health, appearance, or behavior compared to goats without the gene, the researchers said.
In the future, the scientists plan to incorporate the silk genes into alfalfa plants, which they say could produce even larger quantities of silk. They explain that not only is alfalfa widely distributed, it also has a high (20-25%) protein content, making it an ideal crop to produce silk protein.
More information: via: National Science Foundation
Audi designs a foosball table, redefines "fine motor skills"
by Noah Joseph
from: http://www.autoblog.com/
Audi Design Foosball Table – Click above for high-res image gallery
We know what you're thinking. I love me some foosball; if only the game were infused with a bit more... car. Well, Audi Design has answered your prayers, good friend.
The design was initially unveiled a couple of years ago, but is only now entering production, albeit limited: Only 20 examples of this soccer table are being produced by specialist firm Leonhart, each carrying a heft €12,900 (~$16k) price tag.
And yes, you could probably get yourself behind the wheel of a nice used A4 for that amount. But would that be as much fun? Well, probably. But for the fanatic who's already got an R8 in the driveway, this very well might be the ultimate addition to the gaming room. Details – including endorsement from none other than the head of the Bavarian Table Soccer Association – in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Audi]
Ingolstadt, 2010-05-31
Audi Design soccer table starts production
Audi Design soccer table starts production
- An exclusive hand-made series of just 20
- Emotion-packed design and excellent game quality
- The table costs 12,900 euros and can be ordered from quattro GmbH
A football is always a football! You can kick an old one around just as easily as a modern one. The same applies to the good old table soccer game. A strong wooden frame, 22 players and of course the traditional green pitch – what more could you need for excitement and fun? The Audi design team nonetheless decided to take a closer look at this rectangular table, and decided that a rounded-off shape would be better. Two years ago the Audi Design soccer table was still a study from Audi Concept Design Munich; now a small batch is to be produced. Times change: let nobody say that a table soccer game doesn't have to look good. After all, in professional soccer these days the ball is made from polyurethane, not leather.
What does the Audi Design soccer table feature apart from emotion-packed design? Of course –"Vorsprung durch Technik"! The materials, workmanship and technical interpretation all satisfy the very highest standards. Aluminum and high-strength plastic fittings are added to the handcrafted wooden core. Also important: the table meets the high standards demanded in professional tournaments – a unique combination of function and design. Only 20 of these tables will be built initially: an exclusive series costing 12,900 euros per table.
"It's a attractive task to transfer our cars' design language to other day-to-day articles, and the results are often surprising!" says Wolfgang Egger, Head of Audi Group Design. "The Audi Design soccer table features large-area, flowing surfaces and sharp, clearly defined lines. The brushed aluminum frame creates an exciting contrast to the white body. Our design team looks forward to displaying one of these tables at our Concept Design studio in Munich."
For this project, nothing has been left to chance: ten Audi trainees at the Audi instructional workshops in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm had the task of building the soccer tables. A year's painstaking craftsmanship, closely supervised of course by the design team in Munich, was needed before the high-precision prototypes were ready. Table soccer manufacturer Leonhart, a Bavarian company that has specialized in these popular leisure games since 1949, used them to produce a small, exclusive batch of tables. Its expertise is essential, since professional players have tuned their reactions to identify even the slightest differences in the way the table behaves.
Thomas Przesdzink, German table soccer champion on several occasions and Chairman of the Bavarian Table Soccer Association, has already tested the new Audi Design table. His verdict: "It looks just great. That tells us nothing about how it performs, but here too I was pleasantly surprised: this is a very good table. From a sporting point of view, it could certainly be used for an official tournament series."
James Bond’s famed Aston Martin for sale
AP James Bond's actual Aston Martin DB5 as driven by Sean Connery in the "Goldfinger" and "Thunderball" movies is for sale for the first time.
LONDON — James 
It is the first time the distinctive silver-colored car has been available to the public to buy.
It is one of two, and the sole remaining, of the original "007" DB5s that appeared on screen with Sean
The model comes complete with its "Q-Branch" gadgets including machine guns, bullet-proof shield, revolving number plates, tracking device, removable roof panel, oil slick sprayer, nail spreader and smoke screen.
Several of the gadgets are fully operational, although the machine guns are not real.
The car is being sold by U.S.
It has remained in his possession and has rarely been seen publicly over the past 40 or so years. Lee plans to use the proceeds from the sale for the Jerry Lee Foundation.
It will be auctioned on Oct. 27.
Copyright 2010 Reuters
Britain's youngest mum: Girl who was pregnant at 11 says she will fight to see her daughter
By Maureen Culley
From : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
Aged just 12 years old, this is Britain's youngest mother holding her newborn baby.
Still a child herself, the new parent's sunken, fearful eyes and inability to smile transform what should be a joyful moment into a desperately unsettling scene.
Tressa Middleton's pregnancy four years ago shocked the nation when she admitted having sex while drunk and spoke of her excitement at becoming a mother.
Now the Scot is 16 and fighting for the right to see her adopted daughter again, as the uneasy images of her holding her baby are shown for the first time.
She yesterday admitted spiralling into a deep depression and turning to alcohol and drugs after the baby was born, when she found herself battling to keep the infant.
Unsettling: Pictures taken of Tressa Middleton soon after the birth in 2006
Miss Middleton said she has quit drugs and alcohol and spoke of her regret at ever letting her baby go.
She told the Scottish Sun: 'I'm not a big drinker now and I don't smoke hash any more. In the past I've cut myself but I don't do that any more. I'm going to give myself a couple of years to get my life sorted, then I'm going to fight for access to my little girl.
When her daughter was born in 2006, the pair were taken into foster care. Eighteen months ago, a child psychologist decided it was in the best interests of the infant that she be adopted.
Miss Middleton signed papers handing over her daughter to an anonymous couple who, when the adoption became official, decided that they did not want to allow the birth mother any access.
Her only contact is now a letter from the child's new parents every six months, updating her on the little girl's progress.
Miss Middleton said yesterday: 'I got to meet her adoptive parents but I wasn't allowed to know their names. They were maybe mid-30s. They seemed lovely but it doesn't really matter who was taking her - I never wanted to let her go.
'After I'd signed the adoption papers, I went to court to fight for twice-a-year contact. I'd even tried to make a deal that if I signed the papers I would get to see her once a year, but the adoptive parents didn't want that. They don't want me to see her. They want to get on with their lives. It makes me hate them.
'At the end of the day, she's my wee girl and I'm doing them a favour. I wasn't asking for much, asking to see her once a year, but they thought I was.'
Heartache: Tressa, now 16, wants to see her child
When she became pregnant in 2005, the case prompted dismay from church and family groups, amid criticisms that a Scottish Executive campaign to cut teenage pregnancies had failed.
Concern over 'broken Britain' rose further when details of Miss Middleton's chaotic home life in Armadale, West Lothian,emerged.
She was one of six children - by four different fathers - to her then 34-year-old mother, who said she was 'proud' of her daughter for keeping the baby.
On the bleak streets where Miss Middleton was raised, petty crime is rife and drink and drugs are ever present. Boarded-up windows abound and gardens are strewn with bed frames, discarded mattresses and other rubbish.
Children gather on street corners and it is far from unusual to see young girls pushing prams.
Despite barely being out of primary school, Miss Middleton smoked up to 20 cigarettes a day, used cannabis and downed cocktails of Buckfast tonic wine and vodka.
Speaking under the cover of anonymity at the time, she disclosed that she had discovered the pregnancy weeks after having drunken sex in August 2005.
Drawing on a roll-up cigarette while heavily pregnant, she said: 'I slept with him because I was drunk and I wanted to. I don't regret it because if I didn't have sex with him I wouldn't have my baby. I knew straight away that I couldn't have an abortion because that's something I don't believe in.'
The girl was scared to tell her mother who, ironically, had given birth to her youngest child days before her daughter found that she was pregnant.
Miss Middleton admitted that she had an argument with her mother after breaking the news of her pregnancy.
'It was hard but it has brought me and my mum closer together,' she said. 'It's good to know I'll have my mum there to help me if I need her.'
Now 16 and legally an adult, she is able to speak openly about her experiences for the first time and has also allowed the images of those early moments after the birth to be published.
Miss Middleton, who believes she has 'turned a corner' in her life, hopes to join the Army and prove that she deserves to see her child again.
She spoke yesterday of the time when she first felt that she would lose her daughter.
This came before the adoption was even official, when the baby went to live with her foster family and the teenager was allowed to see the child only every three months at a family centre.
A child herself: Tressa with her newly-born daughter
The young mother said: 'My daughter sometimes called me "Mummy" then one day she called me by my first name and called her foster carer "Mum". It really hurt and I burst into tears. Then she wouldn't come to me. She refused and would start screaming. It felt like every time I saw her I was losing her more and more.
'The adoptive parents gave her their surname. They've kept her first name the same, but hearing that her name had changed was heartbreaking. It's like they're turning my wee girl into someone different. She was dressed different and her hair was different. It was hard to see someone else bringing up my wee girl.'
Miss Middleton is not allowed to know where her daughter is living or see photographs, although the latest progress letter, from March, described the three-year-old as 'a very happy, chatty, self-confident and together little girl.'
Miss Middleton said: 'When I read it I just started crying. It says she can read numbers 0-9 and count to 20. That's all the things I wanted to teach her as her mum. It's wee simple things like that which affect me.
'I get upset when I see wee girls walking past with their mums. I miss my wee girl every day. I've kept all her clothes from when she was a baby. I keep under my pillow a wee pink Babygro and hat from when she was born.'
Miss Middleton, who now has only limited contact with her own family and lives in Dumfries, admitted, however, that adoption was in her daughter's 'best interests'.
But she added: 'It was the hardest thing I've ever done. I don't think I can give my daughter the life she needs just now.
'When I'm older I want to build a relationship with my daughter. I'm concentrating on sorting myself out so that one day I'll hopefully see my wee girl again. I love her to bits.'
Peter Jackson Won't Replace Guillermo Del Toro On 'The Hobbit'
'Lord of the Rings' director and 'Hobbit' producer won't direct, manager says.
After years of delays and behind-the-scenes battles, the long-awaited, two-part "Lord of the Rings" prequel is searching for a new director after Guillermo del Toro dropped out of the project over the weekend.
One thing seems sure, "LOTR" director and mastermind Peter Jackson, who is producing "The Hobbit" films, doesn't appear to be in the running to step back into the director's chair for the project.
Jackson's manager, Ken Kamins, told Entertainment Weekly over the holiday weekend that he spoke to his client about taking over the project. "As for Peter directing, that's not something he can consider at this time as he has other commitments to other projects," Kamins said. "But make no mistake, Peter and [producing partner Fran Walsh's] commitment to the franchise is total and they will do everything necessary to protect the films and the investment made by New Line, [parent company] Warner Bros. and MGM."
Plans called for representatives of the studios to meet this week with Jackson and Walsh to discuss who might step into Del Toro's shoes. The production of "The Hobbit" has been a long and winding road, and given the huge time commitment to filming two "Hobbit" films back-to-back, Del Toro said in a press release posted on TheOneRing.net on Sunday that he could not wait any longer for filming to start.
"In light of ongoing delays in the setting of a start date for filming 'The Hobbit,' I am faced with the hardest decision of my life," he said. "After nearly two years of living, breathing and designing a world as rich as Tolkien's Middle Earth, I must, with great regret, take leave from helming these wonderful pictures. I remain grateful to Peter, Fran and Philippa Boyens, New Line and Warner Brothers and to all my crew in New Zealand. I've been privileged to work in one of the greatest countries on Earth with some of the best people ever in our craft and my life will be forever changed. The blessings have been plenty, but the mounting pressures of conflicting schedules have overwhelmed the time slot originally allocated for the project. Both as a co-writer and as a director, I wish the production nothing but the very best of luck and I will be first in line to see the finished product. I remain an ally to it and its makers, present and future, and fully support a smooth transition to a new director."
Pre-production on the two "Hobbit" movies, currently slated for release in December 2012 and 2013, has been going on for several years. Just last week, Del Toro, 45, told EW that he's been toiling for two years in New Zealand with Jackson's team designing the creatures, the sets, the wardrobes and action sequences.
Jackson weighed in on the news as well, telling TheOneRing.net, "We feel very sad to see Guillermo leave 'The Hobbit,' but he has kept us fully in the loop, and we understand how the protracted development time on these two films, due to reasons beyond anyone's control — has compromised his commitment to other long term projects. The bottom line is that Guillermo just didn't feel he could commit six years to living in New Zealand, exclusively making these films, when his original commitment was for three years. Guillermo is one of the most remarkable creative spirits I've ever encountered and it has been a complete joy working with him. Guillermo's strong vision is engrained into the scripts and designs of these two films, which are extremely fortunate to be blessed with his creative DNA. Guillermo is co-writing 'The Hobbit' screenplays with Philippa Boyens, Fran Walsh and myself, and happily our writing partnership will continue for several more months, until the scripts are fine tuned and polished. New Line and Warner Bros. will sit down with us this week, to ensure a smooth and uneventful transition, as we secure a new director for 'The Hobbit.' We do not anticipate any delay or disruption to ongoing pre-production work."
Check out everything we've got on "The Hobbit."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
A little iPad magic
Here's a little iPad magic for your Memorial Day afternoon -- turns out the iPad really is a "magical" device. I'm not sure what
But the iPhone can definitely be used for magic, as we've seen before, even if you're not a highly trained magician. But even though this guy is a little late some times (his brain unfortunately falls out of his head, since he misses the timing just a little bit), he pulls off this series of tricks quite well.
[via TDW]
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