Monday, September 10, 2007
Flexing Muscle Sheets Made With Rat Heart Cells
Grafting rat muscle to synthetic fibers. Amazing
Imagine origami that can fold itself into the shape of a fish or a slug—and then swim or crawl around under its own power. Researchers at Harvard University have created thin sheets of elastic film studded with rat heart muscle cells that are bringing that fantastic scenario closer to reality.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/09/070906-flexing-muscles.html
Top Ten External Drives
External hard drives aren't as fast as internal models, but they are great for backups and are easy to install. Ratings and rankings can change due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info.
Edited by Melissa Perenson
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,123728-c,harddrives/article.htmlFounding Fathers not Christian?
Interesting read here, and from what we have been taught about them, starts to make quite a bit of sense
http://dim.com/~randl/founders.htm
Is a Virus Behind the Bee Plague?
Scientists have identified a likely culprit underlying the massive and mysterious plague that has killed off tens of millions of bees in the United States over the past year. By sequencing the DNA of every microbe inhabiting the bees, researchers have pinpointed a novel virus strongly linked to infected hives. The findings could help beekeepers protect their colonies. The research also suggests an effective new method for identifying infectious pathogens, be they from bees or humans.
"This is a very significant finding," says Dewey Caron, an entomologist at the University of Delaware, in Maryland, who was not involved in the study. "It's not yet a smoking gun, but it really helps narrow the search."
Over the past year, tens of millions of bees have mysteriously vanished from their hives, amounting to a loss of 50 to 90 percent of U.S. colonies. While honeybee populations have sustained several major hits to their numbers over the past century, this particular plague is unique in that adult bees seem to disappear from their hives without a trace. Because honeybees pollinate hundreds of species of fruits, vegetables, and nuts--commercial beekeepers truck their hives across the country during flowering season to pollinate crops--that loss is a major agricultural concern.
They found that one particular virus, known as Israeli acute paralysis virus of bees, was found only in colonies that suffered significant losses. In a follow-up study of 51 bee colonies from across the country--30 diseased colonies and 21 healthy ones--all but one colony infected with Israeli acute paralysis virus also had colony collapse disorder. In other words, the virus could predict collapse 96 percent of the time. The findings are published today online in the journal Science.A Helmet That Detects Hard Hits
Riddell is equipping football helmets with technology to identify when a blow could cause a serious injury.
There is a growing awareness that football players, from the high-school to the professional level, can suffer permanent brain damage from repeated concussions, even relatively minor ones. The impact of these blows often causes trauma to the brain that goes undetected by athletes, coaches, and medical personnel: athletes tend not to report potential injuries, while football staff often miss the signs of a concussion. Playing through such injuries puts an athlete in danger of sustaining further, more severe brain damage.
Now Riddell, a sporting-equipment manufacturer based in Rosemount, IL, is equipping its new line of helmets with sensors that measure the magnitude, location, and direction of a hit. The collected data can then be uploaded to a user's computer and analyzed with a Web-based application. The helmet system will be sold to individual consumers for the first time this fall.
http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/19356/?a=fChismillionare's Monday deal of the Week!
Acer Aspire Laptop Computer 2GHz Turion 64 Mobile MK-36, 1GB DDR2, 80GB, DVD±RW DL, Windows Vista Home Basic, 14.1" LCD
All for $439.99 That's less than what Blasster paid for his Iphone even after getting his 100 for goodwill back.
Get it here. http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=205073947&adid=17070&dcaid=17070
Friday, September 7, 2007
Baltimore dance contest gone wrong
Yah don't want to stereotype but I thought she had it won at the dog pissing on fire hydrant move.
http://view.break.com/361126 - Watch more free videos
Chick Gets Asked To Leave Plane For Dressing Like a Ho Bag
StayclassySanDiego.com - Kyla Ebbert was escorted off a Southwest Airlines flight two months ago for wearing an outfit far less revealing than a bikini top. After the plane filled, and the flight attendants began their safety spiel, Ebbert was asked to step off the plane by a customer service supervisor, identified by the airline only as “Keith.” They walked out onto the jet bridge, where Keith told Ebbert her clothing was inappropriate and asked her to change. She explained she was flying to Tucson for only a few hours and had brought no luggage. “I asked him what part of my outfit was offensive,” she said. “The shirt? The skirt? And he said, 'The whole thing.' ” Keith asked her to go home, change and take a later flight. She refused, citing her appointment. The plane was ready to leave, so Keith relented. He had her pull up her tank top a bit, pull down her skirt a bit, and return to her seat.
Usually I’m not a big “cause” guy. But this is too much. I can’t just sit by and watch an innocent slut be embarrassed and ridiculed for dressing like a two bit whore. After all isn’t this what every blue blooded American dreams of when they are traveling to begin with? A little eye candy to ogle at to pass the time? I mean if chicks are getting kicked off the plane for dressing too provocatively what’s next? Women need to wear birkas? Nationwide curfews? No I can’t sit by and do nothing. I need to put the power of the Stool to good use. I’m calling for a nationwide boycott of Southwest Airlines until one of the following three things happens.
#1 Southwest fires the gay customer service agent (Keith) who accosted this fine young lady.
#2 Southwest writes Kyla a personal apology and gives her two plane tickets to come to Boston to attend a future Barstool Sports Signature Party. Hell, if Southwest doesn’t step up I may do it myself.
#3 Southwest gives me two tickets to Hawaii in January. I have a wedding there and I can’t afford to go unless some travel agent steps up and give me tickets or does a trade with me for advertising.
So there you have it. Those are the only 3 things that will cause me to end this boycott.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Volvo ReCharge Plug-In Hybrid Concept Car/
It's called the ReCharge, a concept car from Volvo to be unveiled officially next week at the Frankfurt Auto Show, it's a plug-in hybrid with a battery-only range of 100 km before you need to have the car's four-cylinder 1.6-liter Flexfuel engine kick in to power the car and recharge the battery. The ReCharge is built off a specially designed Volvo C30, meaning it's got a platform that doesn't need to be built from scratch -- boosting the possibility we could see something like it really hit the streets. The best news would be for the environment which would see "about 66% lower emissions of carbon dioxide compared with the best hybrid cars available on the market today." We can already hear the birds singing. Full press release after the jump. UPDATE: First video of the Volvo ReCharge just posted here.
Volvo ReCharge Concept Car
Volvo ReCharge Concept: Plug-in hybrid with battery-only range of 100 km - and Flexifuel engine for backup powerVolvo Cars is introducing the Volvo ReCharge Concept, a plug-in hybrid with individual electric wheel motors and batteries that can be recharged via a regular electrical outlet for maximum environmental benefit. Recharging allows the car to be driven about 100 kilometres on battery power alone before the car's four-cylinder Flexifuel engine is needed to power the car and recharge the battery. Volvo ReCharge Concept makes its debut in a specially designed Volvo C30 at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
"A certain proportion of electrical vehicles will be necessary to meet the CO2 emission demands of the future. Since the Volvo ReCharge Concept combines an excellent battery range with a backup combustion engine, it is a very interesting concept," says Magnus Jonsson, Senior Vice President Research and Development at Volvo Cars. The ReCharge Concept has been developed at the Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center (VMCC), the Volvo Car Corporation's think-tank in Camarillo, California.
"This is a ground-breaking innovation for sustainable transportation. A person driving less than 100 kilometres a day will rarely need to visit a filling station. In the USA, this may apply to almost 80 percent of drivers," says Magnus Jonsson. Thanks to the excellent electrical range from a fuel consumption angle, the Volvo ReCharge Concept is exceptionally kind to the car owner's wallet. When driving on electric power only, operating costs are expected to be about 80 percent lower than that of a comparable petrol-powered car. When driving beyond the 100 km battery range, fuel consumption may vary from 0 to 5.5 litres per 100 km depending on the distance driven using the engine"This plug-in hybrid car, when used as intended, should have about 66 percent lower emissions of carbon dioxide compared with the best hybrid cars available on the market today. Emissions may be even lower if most of the electricity in intended markets comes from CO2-friendly sources such as biogas, hydropower and nuclear power," says Magnus Jonsson
An electric motor at each whee
The Volvo ReCharge Concept combines a number of the latest technological innovations into a so-called "series hybrid" where there is no mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels.
The battery pack integrated into the luggage compartment uses lithium-polymer battery technology. The batteries are intended to have a useful life beyond that of the car itself. Four electric motors, one at each wheel, provide independent traction power. Four-cylinder 1.6-litre Flexifuel engine drives an advanced generator that efficiently powers the wheel motors when the battery is depleted.
Electric car with a combustion engine as backup
In principle, the Volvo ReCharge Concept is a battery electric car with an efficient generator, an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), that steps in when battery charge becomes insufficient for adequate driving performance. The APU is designed to distribute electrical power to the individual motors at each wheel. Since the combustion engine only powers the APU, it can operate in an optimal fashion, both for regulated emissions and CO2. The APU is sufficiently powerful to supply an entire villa with electricity. For example it could with minor modifications in principle give the car owner an electricity generator right at his front door in the event of a power failure
The driver can choose the power source
The combustion engine starts up automatically when 70 percent of the battery power has been used up. However, the driver also has the option of controlling the four-cylinder Flexifuel engine manually via a button in the instrument panel.This allows the driver to start the engine earlier in order to maximize battery charge, for instance when out on the highway in order to save battery capacity for driving through the next town
"There is a considerable difference between our plug-in hybrid and today's hybrids. Today's hybrids use the battery only for short periods to assist the combustion engine. Our solution is designed for most people to run on electric power all the time, while providing the extra security that comes with having a combustion engine as a secondary source of electrical power," says Ichiro Sugioka, project manager for the Volvo ReCharge Concept. He adds: "What is more, our C30 with plug-in hybrid technology retains its lively and sporty driving properties. Acceleration from 0-100 km/h takes 9 seconds and top speed is 160 km/h."
Specially developed electric motorsThe central electrical components in the Volvo ReCharge Concept demonstrator - the generator for the APU and the wheel motors - were developed together with British electromagnetic specialists PML Flightlink.
With an individual electric motor at each wheel, weight distribution as well as mechanical efficiency and traction are maximized. The friction in mechanical gears is eliminated. Since the car does not have the transmission found in ordinary cars, there is no need for a gear lever. To help maximize the environmental benefits, the Volvo ReCharge Concept has high-efficiency tyres developed by Michelin. They are specially designed to accommodate the wheelmotors. Further more, the car has All Wheel Drive in the truest sense of the term. Power to each wheel is controlled individually
The energy that is generated during braking is transmitted to the battery pack. When the system is ultimately developed, traditional wheel brakes will be completely replaced by electrical brakes with minimal energy wasted through friction. To ensure reliable operation of the drivetrain and braking system, driver inputs are fed into a quadruple-redundant electronic control system.
Ecologically sound solution for commutersThe Volvo ReCharge Concept is best suited to car drivers who cover moderate distances every day. For example, a commuter who has less than 100 kilometres (62 miles) to drive between home and workplace can cover the entire round trip on electric power alone and the equivalent daily fuel economy will be zero litres per 100 km.
Even drivers who cover more than the battery-only range will benefit from the ReCharge Concept. For a 150 km (93 mile) drive starting with a full charge, the car will require less than 2.8 litres of fuel, giving the car an effective fuel economy of 1.9 l/100km (124 mpg)
"The only requirement is that the car owner has access to electrical outlets at convenient places, such as at home or at the workplace. A full recharge takes 3 hours. However, even a one-hour quick charge should provide enough charge to drive about 50 kilometres," says Magnus Jonsson.
TIVO HD now $299
TiVo® HD combines the clarity of high definition with the smart, easy-to-use TiVo Service†. It works with any cable set-up. It connects to any home network for the best of both broadcast and broadband content. It downloads movies from the Internet to your living room. It can pause, rewind, and slow-motion with razor-sharp HD clarity. Plus, TiVo HD connects to virtually any cable service via CableCARDs1, so it replaces your existing cable box.
FAQ's here
http://www.tivo.com/whatistivo/tivohd/faqs/index.html
Welcome to Boston- here's what we think of you!
Well, as any sociologist knows, the only way to stop stereotypes is to stereotype the shit out of the other side. College kids, welcome to our city. Now here's what we think of you.
by Peter PowersHarvard
What We Think You All Are: Douchebags, Pretentious douchebags, ripe for a fall douchebags, not hot enough to warrant a ride to Harvard Square, suicidal, doomed
Why We Don't Go On A Jihad Against You: Because you would all flee to Canada once you saw us coming, because you make us feel manly, because maybe you know somebody that can introduce us to Natalie Portman, because your dad is our douchebag boss.
Emerson
What We Think You All Are: future production assistants, grimy, the losers that play ultimate Frisbee on the Common, AV dorks
Why We Don't Go On A Jihad Against You: Because maybe you'll end up working at 'EEI and will have the balls to tell the hosts to stop yelling, because no one knows where the hell you people live
UMass Boston
What We Think You All Are: gritty, working moms, OFD, scary, the janitor in our office with big dreams of wearing a suit and tie to work for $3 more an hour
Why We Don't Go On A Jihad Against You: Because no one wants to go all the way to UMB to find you, because we could get crushed by the crumbling buildings, because you're actually from Boston and are probably tougher than us
Suffolk
What We Think You All Are: lazy, desperate to go to school in Boston, future financial customer service reps, a guy that gets his dad to drop him off at college each morning
Why We Don't Go On A Jihad Against You: Because once you actually land a job, you'll make us look good by comparison, because no one wants to drive to Billerica and Weymouth
MIT
What We Think You All Are: Asian, Chinese, Korean, North Korean, suicidal but crazy enough to do it, virgins, Asian virgins, freakishly smart
Why We Don't Go On A Jihad Against You: Because we like a challenge, because you're the geeks that make video games, because we saw what could happen when nerds are bullied in Revenge of the Nerds
Tufts
What We Think You All Are: pissed off that you're not at Harvard, rich douchebags, the people that made Somerville expensive, heading back to the Upper East Side in four years, over-the-top liberal do-gooders in shit brown and blue t-shirts
Why We Don't Go On A Jihad Against You: Because as long as you're still around maybe Jessica Biel will stop by for a visit, because it's more fun to watch you seethe because you're not as special as the kids at Harvard, because Mayor Curtatone would probably tow our car
Simmons
What We Think You All Are: Lesbians, lesbians that couldn't get into Smith
Why We Don't Go On A Jihad Against You: Because you're chicks, because no one knows where your campus is, because maybe you really are lesbians and will respond to our incessant chants of "Scissor her!"
Emmanuel
What We Think You All Are: anonymous, a bunch of guys that better be getting laid with that ridiculous guy-girl ratio, our future nannies, slow
Why We Don't Go On A Jihad Against You: Because you're named after our Lord and we're scared of eternal damnation
BU
What We Think You All Are: Jihadis, Saudi royalty, Jersey trash, hot Jewish chicks, retards when it comes to crossing a street, hockey players, suckers for concrete and loneliness, sluts
Why We Don't Go On A Jihad Against You: Because that's exactly what some of you want, because you go to clubs and act slutty and feign self-esteem, because it's amusing that you get so worked up about a hockey tournament that no one really gives a shit about
Lesley
What We Think You All Are: The upper echelon of nursery school teachers, depressed
Why We Don't Go On A Jihad Against You: Because we're going to need a babysitter in a few years and you'll work cheap
Boston College
What We Think You All Are: preppy douchebags, Jersey trash, slutty Catholic girls who know exactly where Planned Parenthood is, popped collars, delusional about your place in the world, delusional about the quality of your athletic program, on a mission to give Doug Flutie the best blowjob of his life
Why We Don't Go On A Jihad Against You: Because the ACC isn't inviting Regis to join anytime soon, because you're cheap dates, because even we are a little leery about the power of Flutie
Bunker Hill Community College
What We Think You All Are: slightly retarded, multiple offender, going there on a dare, probably the child of someone we know so we'll end it there
Why We Don't Go On A Jihad Against You: Because retarded people are sneaky strong, because you learned to enjoy killing when you were doing a stretch in Leavenworth, because the way our lives are going, we'll probably end up working for you
MA College of Art
What We Think You All Are: Hippies with paintbrushes, soon-to-be welfare recipients, people that disappoint their parents
Why We Don't Go On A Jihad Against You: Because you're too high to notice, because that's exactly what your parents want, because then who would sell their art in Starbucks
Berklee
What We Think You All Are: Hippies with musical instruments, buskers, the shithead that I'm about to run down because none of you know how to cross the street
Why We Don't Go On A Jihad Against You: Because one of you band dorks is going to be famous, because the rest of you will be playing at our weddings
Northeastern
What We Think You All Are: Meatheads, rioters, the intern we get to torture, Jersey trash that couldn't get into BU, Massholes that should have gone to UMass and are just pissing their parents' money away
Why We Don't Go On A Jihad Against You: Because you live to riot, because we'll be needing you to go on Dunkin' Donuts' runs soon, because it's more fun to watch you get your hopes crushed in the Beanpot
Conversion Central: 101 Tools to Convert Video, Music, Images, PDF and More
Conversion Central: 101 Tools to Convert Video, Music, Images, PDF and More
Posted on September 5, 2007 by Yoav Ezer
Filed Under Productivity, Series, Microsoft, Excel, PDF
Few things are more irritating than having to deal with a format that is incompatible with what you need it to do. It doesn’t matter if it’s a media file, document, or shoe size; it’s just plain frustrating. To make your life easier, check out this list of 101 tools that will allow you to convert just about anything.
Mega Tools
There are lots of specialized tools out there, but sometimes you just need one good tool to get the job done. These mega tools are great for general conversions.
1. Zamzar: Zamzar does all sorts of conversions, ranging from documents and images to music and video. In addition to its versatility, this tool boasts the ability to do all of your conversions without downloading software.
2. SUPER: This aptly-named tool offers a simple and efficient way to convert any multimedia file to any format you need. You won’t need to download any additional codecs or deal with any time or function limitations.
...........................
click here for whole article
Mario Kart Wii to feature 16-person online multiplayer
This is going to be awesome. Fans of Mario Kart and people who still possess the capacity to enjoy things just received tentative confirmation that their futures are going to be so bright that they'll need sunglasses. The source? It isn't new-fangled space drugs or mind-porn this time around, but Mario Kart on the Wii, online, with a maximum of 16 players.
Battle Mode will be available online as well, although whether or not we'll be able to take part in massive 16-player brawls in Battle Mode remains to be confirmed.
The news was featured in a scan of the original Official Nintendo Magazine on the site Go Nintendo. What else did the article mention? Well, there will also be in-air stunts and updated versions of Mario Kart DS tracks.
It's good to see Nintendo really beginning to implement internet connectivity into their new titles. The company was really weak on the online arena for a long time, with both Microsoft and Sony pre-empting them with an online marketplace component. Perhaps this is a sign of the times however? Either way, more online is more better. Gamers can look forward to Mario Kart Wii around Spring 2008.
'Face pass' is latest security system for NEC laptops
'Face pass' is latest security system for NEC laptops from PhysOrg.com
NEC has launched two new series of laptops with a unique security feature called "face pass" -- or, in Japanese, "kao pass."
[...]
Creative Bus Ads/Art
Using transportation as an advertising medium has brought forward some of the most creative ads.
http://inventorspot.com/articles/taking_transportation_next_level_6455
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Class President strips in front of school (NSFW)
Brave- very brave. What's up with no zoom though.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/801032/high_school_class_president_candidate_strips_in_front_of_school/
Lamborghini Confirms "Very Expensive" Limited-Edition Sports Car For Frankfurt Auto Show
While speaking to Philipp Encz and Chad Thomas from Bloomberg News and other members of the Euro auto press today about the 25% uptick in sales at VW's Lamborghini brand for the first eight months of the year, Lambo president Stephan Winkelmann confirmed that yes, the rumors we've been hearing about are in fact true. There will be a limited-edition sports car unveiling from the bull-brand at the Frankfurt Auto Show in two weeks. The rumored price of $1 million? That hasn't yet been confirmed -- but it also wasn't denied. Our sources tell us his response to the question was:
"I can confirm those rumors, but at this stage I will have to make you wait until the Franfurt Auto Show, where we will release more details...I can't confirm the price at this stage, but it will be very expensive indeed."We're still going to be operating under the assumption it'll follow our initial tip that the car's going to cost upwards of $1.5 million and be like some kind of love child between a LP640 and a jet fighter. We've also learned that In addition to the news about the super-rare Lambo unveiling, we're also told Winkelmann told the press folks enthusiasts shouldn't expect an LM002 follow-up or four-door anytime soon. We guess we'll be showing you some hot and expensive Lambo action for you in Frankfurt in a mere two weeks time.
A family vehicle Chismillionare finds acceptable
2009 Audi RS6 Avant
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/AutoshowArticles/articleId=122481?tid=edmunds.il.home.photopanel..2.*#1
Two Turbos, 580 Horses
For all the RS6's visual drama, though, it's what lurks underneath the hood that is sure to set tongues wagging at this Audi's debut in Frankfurt. The previous model's Cosworth-tweaked twin-turbocharged 4.2-liter V8 is history; this new RS is powered by a twin-turbocharged version of Audi's 5.2-liter V10 engine featuring the latest direct-injection system.
Peak power is put at 580 hp at 6,250 rpm with a mountainous 479 pound-feet of torque at just 1,500 rpm. These numbers eclipse the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V10 of the BMW M5 by 80 hp and 96 lb-ft, while they surpass the 6.2-liter V8 of the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG by 73 hp and 10 lb-ft.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Robocop 20th Anniv - I miss ED 209
Clarence Boddicker! Dead or alive you're coming with me!
Robocop (20th Anniversary Collector's Edition)
Arguably Paul Verhoeven's (Starship Troopers, Showgirls) best, the reissue of this gleefully gory sci-fi shoot-'em-up includes an unrated version that still shocks. But the priceless director's commentary ("RoboCop is an American Jesus!") really steals the show.
— Jake Swearingen
BeInSync online backup utility
BeInSync provides a simple, all-in-one solution for accessing, sharing and protecting your data. Using secure private network technology, BeInSync lets you automatically sync documents, photos, videos, and music across your computers, share files too large for e-mail with colleagues, friends or family, access your files from anywhere, and backup your valuable files and memories to secure online storage. Version 3.1.64 adds online encryption.
BeInSync at Download.com
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