Chismillionaire thinks this is much better than renting or other "touring" experiences, the SuperCar life lets you beat these super rigs all day at a track as they were intended.
Have the housing slump and high gas priced whittled your Murcielago budget down to something more along the lines of a Malibu? Well don't worry, just because that condo you tried to flip didn't sell doesn't mean you have to give up your supercar dreams -- just live them out for a day with a little help from Supercar Life.
Describing itself with as something akin to a "fantasy camp for driving enthusiasts," Supercar Life gives participants the chance to climb behind the wheel of five world-class supercars and explore their limits on a racetrack. In addition, the Massachusetts-based company employs several active Rolex Grand Am series drivers to provide instruction and guidance, teaching how to get the most out of each vehicle.
Participation for each day is limited in order to maximize everyone's seat time, and after some instruction and practice everyone hits the track -- drivers of each car follow an identical model piloted by an instructor, who helps guide them through the course and maintain safety. Drivers can go at whatever speed is comfortable for them, however, so rest assured you'll get to drive plenty fast.
Days last from approximately nine to five, including catered trackside meals, and end with a champagne farewell toast. The company creates a DVD of each driver behind the wheel, so you can channel your inner Jeremy Clarkson, as well as giving away souvenirs and a photo of you with your favorite car. Speaking of the cars, Supercar Life's stable includes some pretty desirable wheels: a Ferrari F430, a Lamborghini Gallardo, an Aston Martin DB9, a Porsche 911 Turbo (997), and a Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black Series -- each one more than capable of three-digit speeds and designed with track days in mind.
So what does it cost to live the Supercar Life? Well, a lot less than actually buying one of these machines, but still not cheap: the starting price is $4990, with an optional Luxury Package including a night at a luxury hotel and VIP airport transfers for $5670. That said, most of the cheaper ways to sample these five supercars going 100 mph end with a trip to prison.
Supercar Life is planning events at various racetracks around the country, with the next scheduled for the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana on May 6. All cars are equipped with automatics so it's not necessary to know how to drive stick, and participants can bring a guest to share in the amenities and watch from trackside. Learning to drive at high speeds on a track can be challenging, and at the end of the day your instructor will offer advice on improving your techniques. Of course after winding out F430s and Gallardos all day, the real challenge will be keeping the needle at 65 for the long drive home. For more information check out Supercar Life's website.
This week we'll take a look at, and a listen to, one of the most innovative guitarists out there - Charlie Hunter. Lets start with a picture of his guitar:
See those big knobs? They tune the 3 bass strings. The 5 smaller ones tune the regular guitar strings. That's right - this guy doesn't need a bassist - he plays both parts AT THE SAME TIME. If it was just a novelty it wouldn't really be worth noting, but it's not. This guy rocks.
His music tends to be on the jazzier, more out-there side of rock - so if that's not your bag I apologize, but you have to appreciate his playing regardless.
Just a Closer Walk with Thee:
(Don't know the name of this one):
Album Recommendation:
You might recognize the title - it's originally a Bob Marley album. Charlie Hunter and the rest of his quartet at the time re-did the album in its entirety - completely instrumental. Natty Dread was an amazing album for Bob Marley and it get a masterful treatment here. Highly recommended.
Not sure yet? Don't worry, Charlie understands. He even offers three full CD's worth of live MP3's for free download on his official site here.
April 20 has been designated as global cannabis appreciation day. It is a day to let the world know that this beautiful plant genus is part of our society and one of the most important bounties of nature. As our civilization evolves, it is becoming essential for us to celebrate this day and share the wealth and knowledge that comes from harvesting and consuming what we have so generously been provided with.
Unfortunately however, as the Western World develops it is becoming more bipolar. While many countries upon analyzing the evidence for ending prohibition begin to lax their laws for possession, the governments of Canada and the United States are intensifying their war against cannabis.
In Canada, our Conservative government, lead by neoconservative Stephen Harper, is in the processes of dismantling Canada. They are doing this by implementing the Security and Prosperity Partnership and adopting the failed US “War on Drugs” policy. Their most recent attempt to implement this plan is by introducing Bill C-26 which is a US inspired mandatory minimum prison sentence for the possession of marijuana. “A person could be jailed for at least 6 months for the crime of growing as little as one marijuana plant if this legislation passes.”
In the United States, the most recent statistics are revealing that police are targeting and arresting minor marijuana offenders. Marijuana arrests in the US have topped previous records and are costing taxpayers billions of dollars per year. This brutal policy has created a prison population that is equivalent to being the 4th largest city in the United States.
Since our governments, corporations, and media are trying so desperately to wage war against nature by continuing their neo-conservative agenda, I thought it would be a good idea to summarize some of the medical benefits, social activities, and history of one of the most beautiful creations in nature - Ganja (also known as cannabis, marijuana, weed, pot, herb, grass, Mary Jane, reefer, skunk, kif, Maui wowie, the chronic, and Bud).
THC, the main active ingredient in marijuana, is concentrated in the flower of the cannabis plant, and since flowers are the sex organs of a plant, I can not envision a better way to spend a day than smoking some BC Bud. So yours truly will be taking part of the day off while enjoying this exquisite bounty of nature. However I have compiled the following information for those who wish to join in the festivities or want to learn more about this plant.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that those who consume cannabis are not criminals. They are your brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, and your children, and many have been sacrificed to further the agenda of certain individuals and organizations who feed off the profits from the criminalization of this simple plant that has the potential to save us and our environment.
The information presented has been broken down into the following sections for ease of reference:
Timeline: The following site www.concept420.com has published a timeline documenting the historical use of Marijuana starting from 6000 B.C. where Cannabis seeds were used in China for food, all the way up to June 2003 where Canada became the “first country in the world to offer medical marijuana to its patients”. This data was acquired from Erowid with the additional information of Canada’s medical marijuana legislation.
Event: Origin of 420 - This day is Marijuana appreciation day. “April 20, and the significance of the date could be religious or infamous, depending on whom you ask. But for many who describe themselves as members of the counterculture, April 20 -- or 4/20 -- is a day to celebrate the pleasures of altered consciousness, loosen the bonds of convention and, in short, slack off and smoke a lot of pot.”
Video: 420 Revealed: A Day of Peace (7:52) - “HIGH TIMES Editor-in-Chief Steven Hager visits ABC News to explain the origin and significance of 420 in this 2002 interview. Noting incidents of violence surrounding a day of peace -- a trend sadly continued by the Virginia Tech shootings -- Hager calls for the date to also be used for an exploration into the cause of such tragedies.”
History: A brief history of the criminalization of cannabis - “Those who voted on the legal fate of this plant never had the facts, but were dependent on information supplied by those who had a specific agenda to deceive lawmakers. You'll see below that the very first federal vote to prohibit marijuana was based entirely on a documented lie on the floor of the Senate. You'll also see that the history of marijuana's criminalization is filled with: Racism, Fear, Protection of Corporate Profits, Yellow Journalism, Ignorant, Incompetent, and/or Corrupt Legislators, and Personal Career Advancement and Greed.”
Medical News
Medical News: Marijuana Cuts Lung Cancer Tumor Growth In Half, Study Shows - “The active ingredient in marijuana cuts tumor growth in common lung cancer in half and significantly reduces the ability of the cancer to spread, say researchers at Harvard University who tested the chemical in both lab and mouse studies.”
Suppression: U.S. Government Repressed Marijuana-Tumor Research - “A Spanish medical team’s study released in Madrid in February 2000 has shown that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active chemical in marijuana, destroys tumors in lab rats. These findings, however, are not news to the U.S. government. A study in Virginia in 1974 yielded similar results but was suppressed by the DEA, and in 1983 the Reagan/Bush administration tried to persuade U.S. universities and researchers to destroy all cannabis research work done between 1966 and 1976, including compendiums in libraries.”
Medical News: Cannabis sativa hemp, the miracle plant, contains the cure for cancer and other ailments - “My name is Rick Simpson. I have been providing people with Hemp Oil medicines, at no cost, for about three years. The results have been nothing short of amazing. Throughout man's history hemp has always been known as the most medicinal plant in the world. Even with this knowledge, hemp has always been used as a political and religious football. I want this knowledge out there for everyone to learn! Watch the documentary Run From The Cure to understand more about using cannabis as a cure for cancer and other medical problems!”
Medical News: New Studies Destroy the Last Objection to Medical Marijuana - “New research on "vaporization" has demonstrated that all those fears about the ill effects of smoking marijuana are 100 percent obsolete….Unlike smoking, a vaporizer does not burn the plant material, but heats it just to the point at which the THC and the other cannabinoids vaporize…. In a rational world, the government officials objecting to medical marijuana based on the health risks of smoking would greet this research with open arms. They would join with groups like the Marijuana Policy Project in spreading the word about this important, health-enhancing technology.”
Video: Valerie Corral at 2004 Cannabis Therapeutics Conference (32:15) - “Co-founder of WAMM (Wo/men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana) in Santa Cruz,CA, Valerie tells of the amazing help that Cannabis brings to the terminally ill, with spiritual benefits from a mindful approach to life and death in hospice. Conference hosted by Patients Out of Time.”
Medical News: Marijuana Ingredient May Prevent Mad Cow Disease - “According to basic research of scientists of the National Centre for Scientific Research in Valbonne, France, cannabidiol (CBD) may prevent the development of prion diseases, the most known being BSE (bovine spongiforme enzephalopathy), which is often called mad cow disease.”
Medical News: Marijuana skin cream could help allergies - “The chemicals that give marijuana its mood-altering kick might also be an option for treating skin allergies, according to a study done in mice.”
Scientific Research: Nature’s Themed issue: Cannabinoid Receptor 2: CB2 Receptors (January 2008 Volume 153, No 2) - “This issue has been edited by Ruth Ross and Ken Mackie and contains 16 review articles and 5 original articles which seek to give further insight into the function and role of the hitherto enigmatic CB2 receptor. The meeting ‘CB2 cannabinoid receptors: New vistas’ was held in Banff, Canada in 2007 and was organized by Keith Sharkey, Ken Mackie, Betty Yao, Marnie Duncan and Ruth Ross. This meeting was designed to bring together scientists studying CB2 receptors from diverse perspectives, including those interested in the chemistry of CB2 ligands, the role of CB2 receptors in normal biological processes, and the involvement of CB2 receptors in pathological processes.”
News: Former Surgeon General: Mainstream Medicine Has Endorsed Medical Marijuana - “The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization and the second largest physician group in the United States. Its 124,000 members are doctors specializing in internal medicine and related subspecialties, including cardiology, neurology, pulmonary disease, oncology and infectious diseases. The College publishes Annals of Internal Medicine, the most widely cited medical specialty journal in the world. In a landmark position paper released in February, these distinguished physicians are saying what many of us have been arguing for years: Most of our laws have gotten it wrong when it comes to medical marijuana, and it's time for public policy to get in step with science.”
Medical News: Smoked Marijuana Improved ADHD Driver's Performance - “Researchers noted that 'people with ADHD are found to violate traffic regulations, to commit criminal offences and to be involved in traffic accidents more often than the statistical norm' and conclude from their investigation that 'it has to be taken into account that in persons with ADHD THC may have atypical and even performance-enhancing effects.'”
Medical News: Marijuana can prevent cancer, not cause it - “The Office of National Drug Control Policy has been spending millions of taxpayer dollars on advertisements and printed material declaring that marijuana causes cancer. The truth is just the opposite - marijuana can prevent cancer. Recent research has shown that the cannabinoids found in marijuana can not only halt the spread of cancer but can also kill cancer cells.”
Medical News: Marijuana May Slow Alzheimer's - “THC, the key compound in marijuana, may also be the key to new drugs for Alzheimer's disease. That's because the marijuana compound blocks the formation of brain-clogging Alzheimer's plaques better than current Alzheimer's drugs. The finding -- in test-tube studies -- comes from the lab of Kim Janda, PhD, director of the Worm Institute of Research and Medicine at Scripps Research Institute.”
Medical News: Results from Two Studies of Marijuana and Multiple Sclerosis - “Two recent studies – one conducted in Great Britain and one in Canada – provide new information about the possible effectiveness of marijuana or its derivatives as a treatment for MS symptoms.”
News: Marijuana might cause new cell growth in the brain - “A synthetic chemical similar to the active ingredient in marijuana makes new cells grow in rat brains. What is more, in rats this cell growth appears to be linked with reducing anxiety and depression. The results suggest that marijuana, or its derivatives, could actually be good for the brain.”
News and Economics
News: Pot Prisoners Cost Americans $1 Billion a Year - “The new report is noteworthy because it undermines the common claim from law enforcement officers and bureaucrats, specifically White House drug czar John Walters, that few, if any, Americans are incarcerated for marijuana-related offenses. In reality, nearly 1 out of 8 U.S. drug prisoners are locked up for pot. Of course, several hundred thousand more Americans are arrested each year for violating marijuana laws, costing taxpayers another $8 billion dollars annually in criminal justice costs.”
News: Researchers say marijuana is less of a drag than cigarettes - “A study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine was completed on 5,263 teenage students in Switzerland and is producing some hair raising results. In line with a lot of studies that have been released in 2007 and 2008, this study boldly claims that it has found that marijuana use does not produce the fearful symptoms spread by anti-drug groups. The study seems to make a case that teenagers who use only marijuana, opposed to students who use marijuana and cigarettes are more active in sports, have better grades, are more socially adept and have used less illegal drugs.”
Article: Marijuana, War on Drugs, the Prison Industrial Complex, and a couple of Documentaries - “While we wait for Mr. Fleming’s movie to hit the theaters, why not enjoy some of the other great documentaries out there about Marijuana and the complete disaster known as the ‘War on Drugs’ (Please note that the first few minutes of the first movie are in Dutch, but the rest is in English).”
News: Denver 'Legalizes' Possession of Marijuana, Again - “The measure, which passed with a solid 57% of the vote, reads as follows: 'The Denver Police Department and the City Attorney’s Office shall make the investigation, arrest and prosecution of marijuana offenses, where the marijuana was intended for adult personal use, the City’s lowest law enforcement priority.'”
Video: Police Officer Steals Marijuana (0:55) - “Police Officer bakes brownies then calls 911 and says ‘I think we are dying.’ This shows us how little the law enforcement community actually knows about Marijuana and its effects. By making this call, the officer actually admits to stealing and consuming an illegal substance. Should not he then be charged with possession and theft? Why was he allowed to just resign? Is he above the law? This is Pathetically hilarious if you consider how many people are rotting in jail for lesser crimes.”
News: Marijuana arrests in 2006 hit an all time record in the United States, where police arrested a record 829,625 persons for marijuana violations. However, now in 2008, with the slumping economy, “lawmakers from California to Kentucky are trying to save money with a drastic and potentially dangerous budget-cutting proposal: releasing tens of thousands of convicts from prison, including drug addicts, thieves and even violent criminals… A plan in Mississippi would offer early parole for people convicted of selling marijuana or prescription drugs. New Jersey, South Carolina and Vermont are considering funneling drug-addicted inmates into treatment, which is cheaper than prison.”
News: PM 'stands by stance on cannabis' - “Downing Street has signalled Gordon Brown remains determined to tighten the law on cannabis - against the advice of an independent panel of experts… If the government went ahead and reclassified cannabis to class B, ministers would be rejecting the findings of the council's panel of 23 drug experts - which has never happened before on a decision about drug classification.”
Atrocity: Quadriplegic Serving 10-Day Sentence For First-Time Marijuana Charge Dies In DC Jail - “A 27-year-old quadriplegic man sentenced to serve ten days in a Washington, DC jail on charges that he possessed a minor amount of marijuana died while in custody last week (2004) due to inadequate health care, including prison officials' failure to provide him with a ventilator.”
Statistics: Drug War Clock - This site keeps track of the money spent on the War On Drugs in the United States. “The U.S. federal government spent over $19 billion dollars in 2003 on the War on Drugs, at a rate of about $600 per second. The budget has since been increased by over a billion dollars.” Further information on Americas war on drugs available at Basic Facts About the War on Drugs, and information on the American prison system available at Human Rights Watch.
Entertainment
Music: Bob Marley: No Woman No Cry (5:56) - Here is a little Marley to light up your day. This song specifically is one of my favorites and I hope you enjoy. And here is the Boney M (4:34) version just in case you enjoy your 70’s flash, I know I do.
Spirituality: Spiritual use of cannabis - “The cannabis plant has an ancient history of ritual usage as a trance inducing drug and is found in pharmacological cults around the world. Hemp seeds discovered by archaeologists at Pazyryk suggest early ceremonial practices by the Scythians occurred during the 5th to 2nd century BC, confirming previous historical reports by Herodotus. In India, it has been engaged by itinerant sadhus for centuries, and in modern times the Rastafari movement has embraced it. Some historians and etymologists have claimed that cannabis was used as a religious sacrament by ancient Jews, early Christians and Muslims of the Sufi order.”
News: Moses was high on drugs: Israeli researcher - “High on Mount Sinai, Moses was on psychedelic drugs when he heard God deliver the Ten Commandments, an Israeli researcher claimed in a study published this week… “‘As far Moses on Mount Sinai is concerned, it was either a supernatural cosmic event, which I don't believe, or a legend, which I don't believe either, or finally, and this is very probable, an event that joined Moses and the people of Israel under the effect of narcotics,’ Shanon told Israeli public radio on Tuesday. Moses was probably also on drugs when he saw the ‘burning bush.’”
Documentary: Hemp Revolution - “This documentary covers a whole lot of ground. It deals with every historical and contemporary aspect of hemp usage and cultivation (mainly in the U.S.), which turns out to be a lot. From describing the production of a fibre much more durable and economic than wood, the documentary discusses hemps multilateral uses as e.g. food products, as a non-polluting fuel and as a pharmaceutical product with much less grievous side effects than chemical pharmaceutical products. The film also investigates why America went from a country which produced vast quantities of the non-narcotic industrial hemp, to the complete ban on hemp production in 1938. This story in particular is interesting, and it points out that the large oilbased industries actually had a key role in the aforementioned ban. Food for thought! The conclusion of the documentary could be that hemp may prove to be a valid alternative to both oil and wood in the future.”
Social Networking and Activism
Social Networking: Marijuana Nation - “Let's all fight for Cannabis Freedom at Marijuana Nation, a user driven social content website dedicated to Marijuana news and resources.”
Activism: No Extradition for the BC3! - To truly become free from our brutal laws against marijuana we must join in the struggle and there is no better way then to help “three Canadians (who) face life imprisonment in a US federal prison simply for political activities in Canada to legalize marijuana around the world.”
Children's Book: "'It’s Just a Plant' is an illustrated children's book about marijuana. It follows the journey of a young girl as she learns about the plant from a diverse cast of characters including her parents, a local farmer, a doctor, and a police officer."
Documentary: If you like watching movies then the following two documentaries will not only inform you, they will make you laugh and cry, dance and sing, and most likely pray while you wait in anticipation for the time when we will all be free to live life as we see fit: Grass (1:18:37) and Hemp Revolution Part 1 (33:40) and Part 2 (39:04)
I hope you enjoy your journey, and if you want to have a little snack along the way don’t forget to make some Ganja goo balls
Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Selling His Ferrari On eBay by Peter Mychalcewycz, posted Mar 20th 2008 at 1:02PM
Want to live like a Microsoft mogul? For $41,100, you can be well on your way.....sort of. According to MyRide.com's Celebrity Car Parade, Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, is selling his 1995 Ferrari 456 GT on eBay.
The Allen-owned land rocket is a an absolute peach of a ride. It is Silverstone green, a unique color that looks blue and has a hint of green when hit by the sun. The interior is supple tan leather top to bottom and features a lightning fast manual six speed transmission. It has a top speed of 186 mph and reaches 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. At press time, the bidding was up to $41,100.
Now that the boring technical aspect of the car's description is out the way, we can get down to what really matters. This car was driven by frickin' Paul Allen. If you are even remotely interested in utilizing a car as a status symbol, there is no ignoring this particular automobile. The opportunity to live the mogul life may never present itself. The chance to drive like a mogul, however, is a just a mouse click away.
Darrell Anderson always knew that running a bath required more electricity and water than taking a shower, but he's an engineer at Google, so he decided to quantify that difference. His tool of choice? A new resource monitoring system designed by some ex-NASA engineers called Agilewaves with a price tag north of $10,000.
The company's high-end systems provide granular data on a home's electricity, water, and gas consumption, and can compute carbon dioxide emissions from that information. Their system, part of which you can see above, can hook up to 100 types of sensors, and even allows Anderson to measure the pull from individual circuits.
While the company's standard package provides visualization options, Anderson decided to take the analysis into this own hands, logging the raw data and running it through GoogleCharts. That let him see that 25 percent of his home's energy bill was going to watering the lawn. And he got to answer the bath question.
Now, Anderson can say with confidence, "Taking a bath is roughly three times as expensive as taking a shower."
Energy usage monitoring systems are growing in popularity, or least the number of businesses trying to sell them is. (Examples: Onzo, GE) The idea is that if a product makes invisible power usage visible, consumers will respond by reducing the amount of energy they consume. The energy savings immediately translate into money savings, and you help save the world while saving yourself cash.
Companies like FatSpaniel already have dozens of systems installed, but most of them are high-end set-ups geared towards dedicated environmental thinkers who have installed solar power systems. On a broader scale, the California utility PG&E has promised to install lower-resolution energy monitors called smart meters in all its customers homes, but that's not happening in all of its homes until 2011.
The latter initiative is important because energy solutions need to be within reach of mainstream consumers, "cost-competitive," as the industry lingo goes. After all, that's why Google's green initiative, RE < C, is dedicated to making renewable energy cost less than coal.
As the prices of energy monitors fall, more and more consumers will be able to know their own energy profiles as well as Anderson does, allowing them to reduce their energy consumption as painlessly as possible.
Luxurious Tree Houses Have Adults Never Wanting To Grow Up
Tree Houses Offer Cathedral Ceilings, Sliding Doors, Decks
A fabulous spring day like Thursday makes anyone want to be outside, maybe even climb a tree house.Images | Video
It's hard to deny the inner-child when climbing 20-feet up into a tree house that looks like it was built for Peter Pan. Tree house designer Pete Nelson said he finds the trees first before coming up with a design. "The trees dictate the design," Nelson said.
Nelson has been making "big kids" dreams come true and "little kids" back yards into fairytale lands with his custom, luxury tree houses for 20 years.
"It's so fun to see people's faces when they come to a tree house. It just puts a smile on everybody's face. It's a beautiful thing," Nelson said.
The tree house that you only imagined when you were a child is coming to life next Friday at Longwood Gardens.
NBC 10 got a sneak peak Thursday of the three tree houses that will be on display. One is called the birdhouse, one is designed after a Norwegian church and one that is almost like a tree house gazebo was built to be wheelchair accessible.
"I always say there's a universal age in a tree house. Older people act younger," Nelson said.
Longwood Gardens calls the latest exhibit "Nature's Castles.
"Like something out of the "Swiss Family Robinson" and made from all types of wood, the trio of tree houses is luxurious compared to that tree fort you tried to make as a child.
These tree houses have cathedral ceilings, sliding doors and decks perched high amongst nature. There is no secret knock needed to get in, just bring your imagination."
I haven't grown up yet I don't want to," Nelson said.
Copyright 2008 by NBC10.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Zodiac denotes an annual cycle of twelve stations along the ecliptic, the apparent path of the sun across the heavens through the constellations that divide the ecliptic into twelve equal zones of celestial longitude. The zodiac is recognized as the first known celestial coordinate system. There are two independently-created zodiacs from which.....
Sports Hubris' John Mugatu previews the 2008 NBA playoffs ... and swears he'll do better on these predictions than he did on his NCAA predictions - or you get a full refund.
Hi-tech appliances are using smart technology to revolutionize the way we do things in our homes. Smart appliances tell you what ingredients you have, help you decide what to eat and will prepare your food to perfection. No more writing out grocery lists by hand. Your refrigerator can create the lists for you. Some smart appliances can even let you know when something is broken and will tell you exactly which appliance parts are needed to repair your appliance.
Smart refrigerator
Loathe writing grocery lists and deciding what to make for dinner? Be sure to put this refrigerator on your “must have” list.
This smart appliance comes with a built-in 15” HD-ready LCD screen and message center. Watch TV or surf the Internet for your favorite recipes, right in your kitchen.
Say goodbye to fridge magnets and wall calendars. The LCD screen also functions as a digital tablet, enabling you to leave hand-written messages for your family or set reminders for yourself. Some models even give you the option to leave voice messages.
Depending on the brand and model you choose, the refrigerator will inventory what’s inside, and based on what you normally stock, create a grocery list for you and send it to the grocery store.
Internet controlled refrigerator-oven
This programmable refrigerator-oven will refrigerate and then cook your meal so it's ready to serve by the time you get home from work.
When in refrigerator mode, the oven keeps your meal properly chilled until the built-in timer activates the unit's oven mode to start the cooking process.
You can use the Internet or your cell phone to communicate with the appliance and activate the built-in timer that switches the unit from refrigerator to oven mode to begin cooking your meal.
Barcode scanning microwave
Smart microwaves take the guess work out of microwave cooking.
The microwave's built-in barcode scanner recognizes the type of meal, its size and brand by scanning the barcode on the product package. When a product is scanned, the microwave quickly sifts through up to 4,000 barcodes in its memory, automatically selecting the correct temperature setting and cooking time.
Smart laundry room appliances
Smart washers and dryers are the answer for people tired of spending too much time in the laundry room. These smart appliances, currently in development, will do everything but fold the laundry.
Connect the washer and dryer to your household network and they can text message, instant message or even display a message on your television screen when a cycle is finished. You can also use your computer or cell phone to start and stop the appliances, reducing the number of trips to the laundry room.
Microsoft's near-mythical Surface table just appeared at five AT&T Stores across the country (with seven more locations soon to get one), and we were happy to have a go with it this morning. As you'll see in the video, this one is programmed for mobile phone sales pitches, and doesn't have all of the fun apps we've heard about, but even here, Surface's massive, beautiful potential is obvious.
I panned and zoomed around coverage maps easily, best when I relaxed my touch, as pressing too hard made the table less responsive. Placing a specially-tagged phone on the Surface brought up information about it, including service plans, accessories, and the ability to see it in different colors. When two phones are placed on the table, a side-by-side comparison chart appears. The actions available on the AT&T Store table include flick, zoom in/out, flip, drag and the object-sensing ability.
My favorite part of the Surface is that it has lots of touch points; one person can zoom in on an object while another person flicks a different object. At one point, we had 30 fingers on the table, and they were all registering. The ability to collaborate in a physical way (group painting or photo sharing come to mind) will definitely be a big draw. Inevitable comparisons to the iPhone—curiously unavailable to place on the table—are warranted: It's basically the same feel, but 10x bigger.
Don't expect this to replace AT&T reps just yet, as purchasing still can't be done directly on the Surface. Still, it's definitely one cool tool that we look forward to seeing in other arenas. It's at five AT&T locations starting today (two in NYC, one each in San Fransisco, San Antonio, and Atlanta), and it will be in 12 stores by next month. [Microsoft Surface]
Photos taken by great outdoors-explorer photog, George Steinmetz. Gallery contains some nudity [but nothing prurient, etc.] Really an awesome look into largely unknown culture & people who, when pics were shot, had basically never had contact with "civilization" before. Some of the pics are truly fantastic.
On Tuesday we asked you to share your favorite DVD ripping tools; today we've sifted through hundreds of comments to bring you the five most popular answers. Hit the jump for a closer look at five of the best and most popular DVD ripping tools, then cast your vote to determine the best ripper of the bunch.
In my side career as a graphic novelist, I'll be attending the New York Comic Con today and tomorrow to hype my forthcoming book LOVE & TERROR, drawn by the inestimable Adam Rosenlund. The book, due later this year, is about the intersection of sex, war and terrorism in Iraq, London and Washington, D.C. (that's a preview page on the right).
Drop by the NBM booth between 2:30 and 4:00 today or 5:00 and 6:30 tomorrow to see your fourth-favorite DANGER ROOM writer ... and also this cartoonist/war correspondent/miscreant. And for anyone willing to stick around, there might just be a war-themed night of drinking and carousing.
VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- The world has never been more connected, but in some corners, it's developing a real hang-up over the ubiquitous cell phone.
Taking a cue from France's national railway, which offers phone-free "zen zones" on high-speed trains, Austria's second-largest city this week began ordering public transit commuters to keep their phones on silent mode.
The crackdown in the southern city of Graz has triggered a noisy debate between advocates of free speech and people who say they're simply fed up with having to listen to annoying ring tones and intrusive cell phone chatter.
"I know I insulted the cell phone goddess a little," Graz Mayor Siegfried Nagl said.
"But people need to know they don't have the right to be on the telephone permanently and constantly," he told Austrian television. "It's just not healthy to never be able to get any peace and quiet."
Graz's response to the proliferation of cell phones reflects a growing backlash against their abuse around the world, where mobiles and other portable communication devices outnumber people by a margin of 2-to-1 in many countries:
- This week, U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio filed pre-emptive legislation aimed at ensuring Americans won't be subjected to cell phone chitchat on airliners. DeFazio, D-Ore., introduced his bill after the European Union scrapped a longtime ban on the use of cell phones on flights and Air France-KLM launched trial on-board cellular service.
- Last month, police in New Jersey started slapping drivers with a $100 fine for talking on a hand-held device or sending a text message. Across the U.S. this year, at least 21 state legislatures are considering some kind of ban on texting while driving.
- France's SNCF rail company, determined to spare travelers cell phone cacophony, now operates "zen zones" in select compartments aboard intercity TGV bullet trains. The railway asks passengers seated in those areas to turn off their phones so everyone can "travel in a totally relaxing environment."
Denmark, Germany and Finland - home to mobile phone giant Nokia Corp. - offer similar "quiet compartment" sanctuaries on trains.
And aviation experts say the risk of in-flight cell phone use interfering with jetliner navigational equipment is minimized because the new systems won't connect in-flight phones directly to the ground. Instead, they'll use an onboard base station to link up to a satellite and then to ground networks.
But silencing chatterboxes isn't always easy.
Last May, Sweden's Stockholm Transport did away with "cell phone free zones" on subways, buses and commuter trains just 10 months after launching the spaces.
"It relied on people showing respect, but it didn't really work," spokesman Bjorn Holmberg said: Too many passengers wanted to use their commute to catch up on work calls, and some just felt safer with cell phones in hand.
In Graz, 120 miles south of Vienna, officials concede the new ban is purely voluntary, and say transit police won't be conducting inspections or handing out tickets.
Bus and streetcar commuters are still allowed to tap out cell phone text messages, or use their laptops to make wireless connections to the Internet.
Recent polls suggest two in three Austrians support the idea of getting cell phones under control in public places. Officials in Linz, the country's No. 3 city, are also considering transit restrictions, and some are even calling for a crackdown on personal cell phone use at the office.
"I don't really understand what all the fuss is about," said commuter Erich Matthes. "Who or what is so important that you can't stay off your cell phone for half an hour? Must one really be reachable everywhere at all times?"
Josef Kalina, a senior official with Austria's governing Social Democratic Party, dismissed the Graz ring tone ban as "a completely anachronistic idea."
"You really have to wonder what the politicians will think of next," he said. "How about a total ban on freedom of speech in the public transit system? Using the law to regulate communication between human beings should be rejected as absurd."
Shoots and leaves: To facilitate the breakdown of cellulose into fermentable sugars for making ethanol, Mariam Sticklen of Michigan State University is genetically modifying corn with genes that produce cellulose-degrading enzymes in the plant’s stems and leaves. The enzymes are activated only after the corn is harvested, when the plant is ground up. Credit: Michigan State University
In an effort to help boost the nation's supply of biofuels, researchers have created three strains of genetically modified corn to manufacture enzymes that break down the plant's cellulose into sugars that can be fermented into ethanol. Incorporating such enzymes directly into the plants could reduce the cost of converting cellulose into biofuel.
Last year, new federal regulations called for production of renewable fuels to increase to 36 billion gallons annually--nearly five times current levels--by 2022. Today, nearly all fuel ethanol in the United States is produced from corn kernels. To meet the required increase, researchers are turning to other sources, such as cellulose, a complex carbohydrate found in all plants. Corn leaves and stems, prairie grasses, and wood chips are leading candidates for supplies of cellulose. Cellulosic ethanol has many advantages over that produced from corn kernels. Cellulose is not only extremely abundant and inexpensive; studies also suggest that the production and use of ethanol from cellulose could yield fewer greenhouse gases.
However, the biggest obstacle to making cellulosic ethanol commercially feasible is the breakdown of cellulose. Enzymes that degrade cellulose, called cellulases, are typically produced by microbes grown inside large bioreactors, an expensive and energy-intensive process. "In order to make cellulosic ethanol really competitive, we really need to bring those costs down," says Michael J. Blaylock, vice president of system development at Edenspace, a crop biotechnology firm based in Manhattan, KS.
Mariam Sticklen, professor of crop and soil science at Michigan State University, in East Lansing, figured that she could eliminate the cost of manufacturing enzymes by engineering corn plants to produce the enzymes themselves. Instead of relying on the energy-intensive process of producing them in bioreactors, "the plants use the free energy of the sun to produce the enzymes," she says.
Typically, the breakdown of cellulose requires three different cellulases. Last year, Sticklen reported modifying corn with a gene for a cellulase that cuts the long cellulose chains into smaller pieces. The gene came from a microbe that lives in a hot spring. A month later, Sticklen inserted a gene derived from a soil fungus into the corn genome. That gene codes for an enzyme that breaks the smaller pieces of cellulose into pairs of glucose molecules. In this latest effort, Sticklen has modified corn to produce an enzyme that splits the glucose pairs into individual sugar molecules; the enzyme is naturally produced by a microbe that lives inside a cow's stomach. The final result: three strains of corn, each of which produces an enzyme essential to the complete breakdown of cellulose.
To avoid the possibility of transferring the genes to other crops or wild plants, the enzymes are only produced in the plant's leaves and stems, not in its seeds, roots, or pollen, says Sticklen. What's more, to prevent the corn from digesting itself, she engineered the plants so that the enzymes accumulate only in special storage compartments inside the cells, called vacuoles. The cellulases are released only after the plant is harvested, during processing. Sticklen described her modified crops last week at the American Chemical Society's national meeting in New Orleans.
Although it's possible to incorporate all three genes in a single plant, says Sticklen, using three different varieties of corn, each carrying a different gene, will allow her to control the conversion of cellulose into sugars. Preliminary studies show that the enzymes are just as efficient as commercially available enzymes when combined at a ratio of 1:4:1, she says. The results suggest that mixing the three different plants using the same ratios will provide the best outcome.
"I think the strategy of compartmentalizing the enzymes in the vacuoles is terrific," says Susan Leschine, a microbiologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. "The question I have is, do the enzymes work under conditions that are realistic?" For instance, different microbe species secrete their own cellulases that work synergistically to chip away at the cellulose fibers. It's unclear, Leschine says, how well an enzyme taken from a microbe that lives in a hot spring will work with an enzyme drawn from a soil fungus. "These different enzymes may not be active under the same conditions," she says.
Edenspace, which is currently developing Sticklen's technology, expects to begin field trials of her genetically modified corn within the year, with the goal of commercializing the technology within the next three years, says Blaylock. The company is not alone in pursuing this strategy: Agrivida, an agricultural biotech company based in Medford, MA, is also genetically modifying corn to simplify the production of cellulosic ethanol.
"This really is a worthwhile path to follow," says Michael Ladisch, professor of agricultural and biological engineering at Purdue University, in West Lafayette, IN. "However, at the end of the day, it's more complicated than it seems." The main obstacle is finding ways to ensure that the enzymes will survive the chemical and physical pretreatment needed to remove the lignin--the tough polymer in cell walls that provides plants with strength--from the cellulose fibers, says Ladisch, who is currently on leave from Purdue to serve as the chief technical officer at Mascoma, a biofuels company based in Brighton, MA.
One solution is to engineer the plants so that they require only a mild pretreatment. For instance, Sticklen is working on reducing the amount of lignin contained in corn, as well as modifying the molecular configuration of lignin, which would make it easier to break down. Although her work is currently focused on modifying corn, Sticklen says that the technology could eventually be transferred to other crops as well, such as switchgrass.
Prayer and a wing: A preproduction Boeing 787 was unveiled last year, but parts of its wing box (bottom)--the major structure of each wing--buckled in stress tests. The structure, made of composite materials, measures more than 15 meters by 5 meters and weighs 55,000 pounds, including testing hardware and instruments. The company is stiffening this version as it tweaks the design of future wing boxes. Credit: Boeing
Boeing says that its 787 Dreamliner--a midsize, fuel-efficient passenger jet that is currently in development--will be the first commercial aircraft in which major structural elements are made of composite materials rather than aluminum alloys. The changes are expected to slash component weights 20 percent, significantly boosting fuel efficiency.
Such composite materials--layers of superstrong carbon fibers and epoxy--have long been used in military jets, where money is rarely an object, and in commercial jets for parts like luggage-rack frames. But Boeing is learning how hard composites can be to analyze effectively and build economically for commercial jet structures. The company has had to delay the 787's introduction because elements of the composite-made wing box--the major structure inside each wing--buckled in stress tests.
The wing box begins in roughly the middle of the plane and extends about two-thirds of the wingspan. This key component--more than 15 meters long and 5 meters wide--was designed and built by Boeing together with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Fuji Heavy Industries, in Japan. Pat Shanahan, vice president for the 787 program, said in a conference call last week that structural testing had "identified the need to stiffen elements within the center wing box."
The fix requires adding new brackets and other parts to wing boxes already built, as well as modifying the design of boxes not yet built. The retrofits of existing boxes will intrude into wiring pathways, compounding the problems. So Boeing is pushing back the 787's delivery date about six months, from the first quarter to the third quarter of 2009.
The issue with composites isn't that they aren't strong; it's that they are so internally complex. They consist of layers oriented in different directions; those layers, in turn, are made of individual fibers that may vary somewhat in composition. This makes it difficult for engineers to accurately mimic their performance in computer models for premanufacture testing.
"Composite materials are more difficult to analyze than simple homogenous metals," says John Hansman, director of the International Center for Air Transportation, at MIT. "You generally don't model every fiber in the structure, so you come up with models that have simplifications
What's more, he says, composites allow engineers to make custom shapes, but these custom shapes compound the already difficult modeling problem. "You have many more design options, which can be both a strength and a weakness. There are many more things I can do with composite materials--add strength in specific places, take it away--but then you have combinations of both the geometry and the particular layup of the composite materials" that are unique.
Boeing's mechanical stress tests start with representative pieces (known as coupons), then move on to progressively larger parts of the structure, and finally to the full structure. Boeing puts the structural parts into huge hydraulic machines that bend and twist them to mimic stresses that go far beyond worst-expected conditions in real flights. It was during such tests that problems emerged with structural spars in the wing box.
Shanahan said in last week's conference call that Boeing has traced the problem back to an error in earlier modeling analysis, but he did not explain the details. "We discovered it. We'll go back and correct it," he said. Shanahan added that Boeing has not lost faith in its decisions to more widely use composites; 95 percent of thousands of tests have yielded as-good or better-than-expected results. On one such test--of the composite-made fuselage "barrel"--engineers had to stop the test for fear of breaking the test equipment, he bragged.
David Roylance, a composites expert and associate professor in materials engineering at MIT, says that Boeing's experience with the 787 shows that the industry is still on a learning curve in using composites more widely in commercial planes. "There are a whole variety of things with composites that are engineerable, but are different than metals," he says. "So it takes time for people to feel comfortable with it."
*ON APPROVED CREDIT. Available only at participating authorized Maserati Dealers through April 30, 2008 to qualified lessees with approved credit through Maserati Financial Services. Delivery by April 30, 2008 required. Subject to availability, quantities are limited. Required dealer contribution could affect price. Dealer prices will vary and affect lessee cost. Actual lease price determined by your authorized Maserati Dealer. Payments will also vary based on length of lease and options selected. Payment shown based on a 39-month closed-end lease for a new 2008 model year Quattroporte Automatic with MSRP of $126,310.00. Total cash due at signing is $9,894.26, including capitalized cost reduction of $7,500.00, first month’s payment of $1,499.26 and $895 acquisition fee. No security deposit required. Total amount of monthly payments is $58,471.14. Purchase option at lease end for $58,593.00 plus taxes. Lessee is responsible for insurance, maintenance, repairs, $.60 per mile over 10,000 miles per year, excess wear and a $495 termination fee. Title, taxes, registration and dealer fees are extra. See your participating local authorized Maserati Dealer for details. Maserati urges you to obey all posted speed limits.
The first package on the M3 E92 bumps the 4.0-liter V8 engine to 435 horsepower (up from the standard M3's 414 hp) and also adds 18 pound-feet of torque. Hamann has removed the speed limiter, so the M3 now has a top speed of 187 mph.
The second tuning kit is called the Sportkit HM/M +35. It raises performance to 455 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque. The top speed with this package? Just a hair under 200 mph. Along with the improved engine, Hamann offers a sport suspension and a sport braking system that utilizes perforated and internally ventilated brake discs that work in conjunction with the six-piston system in the front and the four-piston in the back.
Another significant addition to the M3 is the sport exhaust system. It's made from non-corroding stainless steel and includes both a metal catalyzer and a middle-and-rear-section muffler that delivers a throaty sound and noticeable performance improvement.
Aside from the power upgrades, the Hamann M3 has an aerodynamic kit with front and rear spoilers, side skirts and a roof spoiler. It rides on 19-inch alloys with 20-inchers as an additional option, and the interior features carbon-fiber trim.
What this means to you: Whether you want a huge horsepower bump or just a little nudge, Hamann has the kit for your M3. — Paul Tassi, Correspondent
This is the Chismillionaire sedan. More performance than my current sedan favorite the Quattroporte with the looks to match. We'll have to see how the Porsche Panamera looks in final form(currently a bit of a wart if you ask me) since it will certainly be a juggernaut dynamically in comparison to the Rapide.
Caught weeks ago in the cold of the Arctic Circle, the 2010 Aston Martin Rapide is now undergoing high-speed tests on the Nürburgring test track in Germany. And like the previous prototypes, this Rapide test mule has only minimal camouflage.
The lack of a cover reveals an interesting new design twist — a roof that's nearly all glass. There are a few pieces of equipment attached to this particular prototype, but it's a relatively unobstructed design otherwise. A few other luxury sedans have similar setups, so this appears to be an emerging trend in the segment.
Like the current range of Aston Martin coupes, the Rapide sedan sounds as good as it looks. Not a surprise really, as the Rapide will use essentially the same 5,935cc V12 as the DB9. Output is expected to jump significantly, though, so expect to see the final number approaching 500 horsepower. The corporate ZF-built six-speed automatic transmission is the likely gearbox and it will send the power to the rear wheels.
Production of the 2010 Aston Martin Rapide is expected to start in Graz, Austria, in late 2009. Supplier Magna Steyr will build up to 2,000 Rapides a year under contract with Aston Martin.
SAN DIEGO Electric muscle cars may seem like the ultimate automotive oxymoron. But that isn't stopping a unique automotive partnership from rolling out the Tjaarda EVX Mustang and the HST Shelby Cobra EVX.
The two are set to appear at the 34th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach's "Green Power Prix-View," which takes place April 18-20.
Both feature 300-horsepower electric motors using lithium ion phosphate battery packs developed by K2 Energy Solutions. HST International brags that they deliver "1,000 lb-ft of torque at zero rpm and have the capability to do zero to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds and a range of over 100 miles." The Shelby Cobra EVX has a top speed of 150 mph and a range of 120 miles. The EVX Mustang has a top speed of 120 mph and a range of 110 miles between charges. Its creator said, "The exterior is a modern version of a muscle-car-era classic Mustang."
The Tjaarda EVX Mustang starts at $80,000, while the Cobra comes in at $125,000.
What this means to you: The long reach of the green movement extends even to some of your favorite muscle cars. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
The original version of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution was published online Thursday (17th April) among a "treasure trove" of the scientist's papers, photographs and other documents.
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All you art collectors out there. Here is a chance to get a Giclee copy of some of Ian M Sherwin work. Ian is planning on doing a whole series of Marblehead, Massachusetts paintings. His work is amazing.
Microsoft's near-mythical Surface table just appeared at five 
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