Thursday, June 11, 2009

NASA Builds World's Largest Space Parachute for Martian Landing

To survive the thin Martian atmosphere, the 2000-plus-lb. Mars Science Laboratory rover will depend on the largest space parachute ever built. Here’s how NASA’s next chute will work.

By Morgan Lord

Parachute Diameter: 52 feet. (Photograph by NASA).

When the NASA Mars Science Laboratory rover lands on Mars in 2012, it will face a unique obstacle: With an Earth weight of nearly a ton (compared to about 400 pounds for previous Mars rovers) and a Mars weight of about 750 pounds, it is too massive for any existing space parachute. So to cushion its fall through the thin Martian atmosphere (which is less than 1 percent as dense as Earth’s), NASA engineers had to come up with something really big. The new parachute opens to a diameter of 52 feet, making it twice the size of any parachute ever flown beyond Earth.

To test the parachute, which was built by Pioneer Aerospace, NASA brought it into the world’s largest wind tunnel, located at NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif. The parachute passed flight-qualification testing in April, and is now ready for the rover’s 2011 launch date.

• The parachute is designed to survive deployment in the Martian atmosphere at Mach 2.2, where it will generate 65,000 pounds of drag.

• The wind tunnel used to test the parachute is 80 feet tall and 120 feet wide, big enough to house a Boeing 737. It is part of the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex, operated by the U.S. Air Force.

• A nylon and polyester composition keeps the parachute’s total weight down to just 120 pounds.

• The parachute is held by 80 suspension lines, each 150 feet long. The parachute design—where there is a band of material, open space and a mushroom cap—is called a disk-gap-band.

Mars Parachute Photo Gallery

+ CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

Reader Comments (1)

1. RE: NASA Builds World's Largest Space Parachute for Martian Landing
Website: http://singedrac.livejournal.com
Hey I know that wind tunnel! I've been in it! Largest wind tunnel in the world. Ames Research Center at Moffett Field in Mountain View, California. It's like a mile away from me.

35 Tip Jars Designed to Make You Give More

Posted by Ryan Deal

I’ll admit, I rarely tip unless I don’t feel like carrying around the 14 cents that the barista gives me. It’s not because I don’t want to, I just haven’t been given the proper incentive. Here are 36 tip jars with uummph that deserve your spare change. Click here: 35 Tip Jars Designed to Make You Give More

Tom Brady Rescued After Flipping Kayak

By Matt Snyder

If you need a quick chuckle on this Hump-Day morning, just picture a future Hall of Fame quarterback needing to be rescued from a kayaking mishap -- while watching his supermodel wife safely scooting down the stream.

Yes, Tom Brady -- the all-everything quarterback of the New England Patriots -- rented a pair of kayaks Sunday with wife Gisele Bundchen so they could ride down the Charles River side-by-side. Whether he was a bit more adventurous or less capable with the kayak, we don't know. What we do know is that Brady cap-sized his ride and needed to be saved by another man.

"He had to be rescued," an unidentified spectator told the Boston Herald. "The launch guy went out and got him and got him back in the kayak. He's been bragging about it ever since. He's telling everyone he rescued Tom Brady."

"It was more embarrassment than real danger," the spectator said.

It's gotta be pretty tough to embarrass someone who has achieved such great feats on the football field. Brady, after all, has only won three Super Bowls, steered a team to an undefeated regular season, won a league MVP, and holds the record for single-season touchdown passes. He's in the argument for the best quarterback in the history of football. It just goes to show we all have our little moments of humility.

I'm guessing Patriots fans are hoping he stays out of the water for the rest of his playing career, because apparently, he doesn't possess quite the same skills when it comes to kayaking.

3 People Shot at DC Holocaust Museum

Holocaust Museum: No words to express our grief and shock

By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent and News Agencies

The United States Holocaust Museum Director on Thursday expressed her shock at the fatal shooting that took place at the museum the day before, saying "obviously, there are no words to express our grief and shock." Sara Bloomfield described Stephen T. Johns, the security guard killed when a neo-Nazi opened fire in the museum as "a great friend who greeted us every day with a wonderful smile - and he will be missed." The Museum will be closed Thursday in tribute to Johns; Holocaust Museum director Sara Bloomfield said that flags at the museum have been lowered to half-staff in honor of the slain. Johns, who is African-American and a 1988 graduate of Crossland High School in Maryland, worked for Wackenhut Services Inc., which has contracted security services at the museum since 2002, according to a company statement. Johns had been posted at the museum since joining the firm in 2003. The museum has about 70 officers and supervisors on the force. U.S. President Barack Obama and others commended the work of Johns and the other guards. "We have lost a courageous security guard who stood watch at this place of solemn remembrance," Obama said in a statement. "My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends in this painful time." Washington D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty also had words of praise. "The men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line to ensure our safety are truly heroes, and I am deeply saddened that this senseless act of violence threatened the safety of our community," Fenty said in a statement. The security guard died of his wounds in hospital a few hours after the attack and the assailant was listed in critical condition. Washington Police Chief Cathy Lanier said the gunman was engaged by security guards immediately after entering the door with a rifle. The second he stepped into the building he began firing. Law enforcement officials said James W. von Brunn, an 88-year-old white supremacist, was under investigation in the shooting and that his car was found near the museum and tested for explosives. The weapon was a .22-caliber rifle, they added. They spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to discuss the investigation just beginning. Bill Parsons, chief of staff at the museum, said Johns and other guards did exactly what they were supposed to do to protect people at the museum. "Never take your guard force and security people for granted," he said. Lanier said the gunman appeared to have acted alone. Fire department spokesman Alan Etter told CNN a third person was hurt after being cut by broken glass. The museum normally has a heavy security presence with guards positioned both inside and outside. All visitors are required to pass through metal detectors at the entrance, and bags are screened. In the wake of the shootout, the New York Police Department stepped up security at the city's Museum of Jewish Heritage and other Jewish landmarks Wednesday, the New York Daily News reported. Uniformed police officers were stationed outside the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park City minutes after the murder of a security guard in the nation's capital, according to the paper. The attack came hours before Eric Holder, America's first black attorney general, was due to attend a play at the museum in honor of Anne Frank. The museum, located just off the National Mall near the Washington Monument, is a popular tourist attraction. It draws about 1.7 million visitors each year. Roads surrounding the museum were closed just after the attack. Stephanie Geraghty, 28, who had been visiting the museum, said the shooter appeared to be a white male carrying a silver gun. "I heard the first shot, it sounded like something had been dropped from the upper stories down," she told Reuters. "The next two came really fast - bam bam. At that point everyone took off, chaos, running." A woman whose teenaged daughter was visiting the museum at the time of the shooting said that the children heard several gunshots before they were evacuated from the building. Sandy Perkins says her daughter, Abigail, called her shortly after the shooting and said some of her friends were very shaken, but otherwise were fine. The teens did not see where the shots were coming from before they were safely evacuated to buses outside the museum. Police search Von Brunn's home in wake of shooting Von Brunn is being investigated as the prime suspect in the shooting at the U.S. Holocaust Museum, according to unnamed law enforcement agents, but officials have declined to publicly confirm him as their suspect. According to Joseph Persichini, assistant director in charge of the Washington FBI field office, authorities have dispatched people to a suspect's home to check his computer. He said they are investigating this as a possible hate crime or domestic terrorism. Von Brunn has a racist, anti-Semitic Web site and wrote a book called Kill the Best Gentile. In 1983, Von Brunn was convicted of attempting to kidnap members of the Federal Reserve Board. He was arrested two years earlier outside the room where the board was meeting, carrying a revolver, knife and sawed-off shotgun. At the time, police said Von Brunn wanted to take the members hostage because of high interest rates and the nation's economic difficulties. On his Web site, Von Brunn says he was a PT boat captain in the U.S. Navy Reserves during World War II.

'Joint Resolution' Could End Crackdown On Medical Pot in CA

By Joe Eskenaz

Sen. Mark Leno today announced he has introduced a "joint resolution" to end the federal crackdown on medical marijuana use in California. While this is a matter of serious legislation, one can't help but notice the howler of a marijuana-related "joint" resolution. Leno's spokeswoman, Ali Bay, confirmed that this was not an attempt at a cute double-entendre by the senator; "We do not have any choice in the wording." If you're going to introduce legislation simultaneously to both houses, this is what you've got to call it. So there you go.

In addition to calling for an end to Drug Enforcement Agency Raids -- such as the one on San Francisco's Emmalyn's California Cannabis Clinic in late March, Leno's bill (SJR 14) requests the creation of "comprehensive federal policy to ensure safe and legal access to medical marijuana for patients who benefit from its therapeutic use."

The bill will be heard in committees later this month. Our calls to Leno and members of medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access have not yet been returned. More as we know more.

UPDATE, 12:35 p.m.: Americans for Safe Access Spokesman Kris Hermes notes that "there will be some people who seize upon the wording" of this "joint resolution" -- but "the real issue is the message the state is sending to the federal government that it's not acceptable to interfere in the implementation of California's medical marijuana law."

Hermes says the votes are there for the resolution to pass the Senate and head to the Assembly, which he he expects will happen sometime in July. Since this is a non-binding resolution, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's signature is not required.

UPDATE, 1:30 p.m.: Leno was less willing to predict success than Hermes -- "I don't presume anything. My experience is dealing with medical marijuana is always a challenge. I've often said legislators are behind their voters on this issue."

He predicts it will first be heard in the Health Committee next month before moving to the floor.

See the original image at universetoday.com — First Extra-Galactic Planet May Have Been Detected

Written by Nancy Atkinson

Panel on the right shows The upper panel shows the simulated light curve (black dots) of a planetary event in M31. Credit: Ingrosso, et al.

Using a technique called Pixel-lensing, a group of astronomers in Italy may have detected a planet orbiting another star. But this planet is unique among the 300-plus exoplanets discovered so far, as it and its parent star are in another galaxy. The Andromeda Galaxy, to be exact. Technically, the star in M31 was found to have a companion about 6 times the mass of Jupiter, so it could be either a brown dwarf or a planet. But either way, this is a remarkable feat, to find an object of that size in another galaxy.

Pixel-lensing, or gravitational microlensing was developed to look for MAssive Compact Halo Objects MACHOs in the galactic halo of the Milky Way. Because light rays are bent when they pass close to a massive object, the gravity of a nearby star focuses the light from a distant star towards Earth. This method is sensitive to finding planets in our own galaxy, ranging is sizes from Jupiter-like planets to Earth-sized ones. And recently, astronomers used gravitational microlensing to be able to see about a dozen or so stars in M31, an extraordinary accomplishment in itself.

The advantage of microlensing is that it works best for more distant objects, therefore in theory it would seem to be ideal for planet hunting in other galaxies. So, the researchers from the National Institute of Nuclear Physics in Italy, led by Gabriele Ingrosso decided to see if this method would work to detect planets orbiting the stars seen in Andromeda. They used a Monte Carlo approach, where they selected the physical parameters of the binary lens system –a star hosting a planet– and calculated the pixel-lensing light curve, taking into account the finite source effects. The team thought they should be able to detect a planet with about 2 Jupiter masses.

The light from one of the stars they studied in Andromeda showed a distinct variability, most likely from a companion, which could be an orbiting planet based on the object’s mass.

One disadvantage to microlensing is that exposures are available for a few days at most, so the team is hoping for another chance to follow up on their discovery.

The team notes in their paper that perhaps an extrasolar planet in M31 might have already been detected since an anomaly in a pixel-lensing light curve was previously reported by another research team in 2004, who claimed that a possible binary system in M31 was responsible for an observed anomaly in an observed light curve.

Read the team’s paper here.

Long-lost World War II sub found off Swedish coast

(CNN) -- Lighthouse keeper J.A. Eckerman was the last person to see World War II Soviet submarine S-2 before it sank in January 1940 between Sweden and Finland.

A team of Swedish and Finnish divers had been searching for the Soviet submarine S-2 since 1999.

As the submarine dove near the island of Market, northwest of Aland, Eckerman heard a loud explosion and saw smoke rise from the water.

The long-lost wreck was missing for 69 years until a team of Swedish and Finnish divers -- including Eckerman's grandson Ingvald -- discovered it this year.

What remains of the sub was found between the Swedish coast and the Finnish island of Aland, northeast of Stockholm, in late February, the divers announced Tuesday.

The submarine was very badly damaged by the explosion, said Marten Zetterstrom, one of the divers. The front gun is still there, and a torpedo is still in one of the tubes, but about 20 meters (about 65 feet) of the vessel is missing.

The search had been going on for nearly 10 years, the divers said in a news release.

The sub had a crew of 46 and four passengers when it sank.

Sweden and Finland claim credit for sinking the submarine with mines. Russia has contacted Swedish and Finnish authorities to clarify what caused the submarine to sink, the divers said.

Finland was at war with the Soviet Union at the time the sub sank. A deal between Germany and the Soviets had put the Nordic nation within the Soviet "sphere of influence," and Soviet troops had invaded Finland late in 1939.

The fighting was mostly confined to Finland's eastern border. Just two months after the submarine's sinking, a temporary peace agreement was reached.

Sweden remained neutral in World War II

Hole-y Cow

Written by Daniel Lew

From DamnInteresting.com

fistulated cow

Animals can live a surprising amount of time with a permanent hole to their stomach, especially if it is a surgically made fistula. Humans have had fistulas; the first human on record as having one was a French Canadian by the name of Alexis St. Martin. He sustained a life-threatening musket wound in 1822, and was marked a terminal case by his physician. However, he managed to heal and was mostly functional again within two years - except for a hole in his stomach that would never close. Through this hole doctors were able to examine inner workings of his stomach.

Nowadays, agricultural scientists learn about the digestive system of cattle by putting holes in cows - and the cows stay alive and well. These cows (fitted with a sealing cover called a "cannula") each have a hole into their stomach. Through this hole one can extract food caught mid-stream through the digestive system.

Fistulated cows are used to research the digestibility of different foodstuffs for cattle. One can feed the cow, then later catch the food while it's digesting to see how it's doing. Without fistulated cows, one would have to look at external factors in order to garner information about the best food for cows - none of which are as accurate as food sampled right from the stomach. Since cattle is such an important part of life (for milk and beef), it is important to feed them well.

Do not worry too much about negative effects of fistulation on the cow: the operation does not cause the cow any pain, and even prolongs the lifespan of cows. A fistulated cow that grows sick to its stomach can have helping substances put in directly. Plus, a single fistulated cow benefits livestock all over the world.

One could understand how some people might get upset based on a fistulated cow's alternate purpose - entertainment. Occasionally scientists will let people stick their hands inside of the cow to see what it is like. So, if you ever find yourself wondering what the inside of a cow is like, make friends with someone at an agricultural university.

More pictures here: http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/reach-in-and-touch-the-inner-cow.html

Ten Classic Restaurant Commercials from the 1980s

By Katharine Shilcutt

If you're a child of the '80s, much of your misspent youth was misspent in front of the television taking in shows like Mr. Wizard and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But just as those classic TV shows from your childhood have remained with you all these years, so have the equally classic commercials. Who hasn't found themselves mysteriously and involuntarily humming the Showbiz Pizza tune to themselves while grocery shopping, or antagonized a boyfriend by asking "Where's the beef?" while he's walking around in his boxer briefs?

Below are ten of our favorite '80s restaurant commercials.

Showbiz Pizza: There was a time when the kid-friendly pizza parlor market wasn't dominated by Chuck E. Cheese. Showbiz Pizza was the place where "a kid could be a kid" and could also be terrified into incontinence by the giant animatronic animals in the "showbiz" section of the restaurant. But they did have great Skee-Ball.

The Noid: If there's a person who doesn't recall trying to "avoid the Noid" by ordering Domino's Pizza, it's because they were the weird kid in the neighborhood whose mom ordered the creepy square pizzas from Little Caesar's for birthday parties instead (and probably served R.C. Cola instead of Coke, too).

Get Rid of the Clown: It's difficult to imagine that there was a time when the marketing geniuses at Jack in the Box wanted to get rid of "the clown" to improve their image. Most people recall the series of commercials in which the drive-thru clowns were blown up, but more will remember Jack's triumphant return 14 years later.

Webster Sells a Whopper: What could make a Whopper even better? (Nothing, if you're being perfectly honest with yourself; those things are straight out of Satan's kitchen.) According to Burger King, the cuter of the two tiny black man-children that were on TV at the time. Who doesn't want to buy something from wittle Webster? Just look at those wittle cheeks! Ahem...where were we?

McDLT: There was a time when McDonald's tried to sell plain hamburgers by calling them McDLTs. And there was a time when Jason Alexander had hair. And there was a time when these two uncanny things came together in a commercial that's a celebration of all things horrifyingly '80s: the retina-burning hues of the clothes, the cheesy music, the idea that prancing to said cheesy music will sell burgers. At least Alexander put his Broadway training to good use...

Taco Hell: Speaking of horrifying, Taco Bell got on the '80s diet bandwagon with this abomination: a seafood salad. It's difficult to imagine any food could look more gruesome than the blocky, greasy fish filets shown at the beginning, but Taco Bell somehow managed to make its own food look even worse by comparison.

Let Me Get You a Bib: Seafood was still a novelty item to most people living in landlocked areas in the '80s, and Red Lobster was the first national chain to promote the idea of such exotic items as halibut and shrimp to people living in Topeka and Sioux Falls. The commercial below does a far better job of illustrating this concept, as the cretin demolishing his lobster like a five-year-old has to be shown how to use a lobster cracker by the waitress.

IHOP: The breakfast item that everyone loves but hates to order has had a long lifespan as far as menu items go: the Rooty Tooty Fresh 'n' Fruity at IHOP was around even in the '80s, selling for a mere $2.99 and featuring eggs, pancakes and two of the saddest sausage links you've ever encountered. Now if we could only get those waitresses back in the Dutch milkmaid-style uniforms...

Hamburger University: One of the most prominent characters from '80s commercials was the Hamburglar, as seen in the McDonald's commercial below. He's faded from popularity now, which is really for the best because - when you think about it -- he's kidnapping adolescent students from Ronald's class with the full intent of devouring them at his home later on, John Wayne Gacy-style. Cheerful commercial, right?

Where's the Beef?: No '80s commercial lineup would be complete without the classic and overplayed Wendy's commercial that everyone loves to despise. Perhaps the most comforting thing about the commercial -- other than the hate-tinged nostalgia that comes with viewing it -- is the knowledge that even 25 years later, little old ladies will still band together and angrily cause a commotion if they feel they've been stiffed. Some things never change, and Wendy's knew it could count on the righteous indignation of the elderly to be a constant for years to come.

Trent Reznor Quits Web 2.0, Offers Cutting Advice To Haters

thubmnail icon: Trent Reznor Quits Web 2.0, Offers Cutting Advice To Haters

Odds are that if you have a Twitter account, you're one of the 640,000+ people following @trent_reznor. And one of 640,000+ people having their images of him systematically reformed one lovesick tweet at a time. Anyway, all that's over now: With what is apparently one last twit, Trent linked to a lengthy missive he posted on the NIN forum explaining the thinking behind "lowering the curtain" on his angsty mystique and making himself more approachable, and the attendant, inevitable fallout. Fallout which has become too distracting and destructive for him to bear, so he's retiring his Web 2.0 presence. If you're looking for someone to blame, try this guy (who made a big stink when Trent was trying to raise money for his ill fan), or the girls at Metal Sludge (a forum of "unattractive plump females ... people NOBODY will fuck [who] make up stories about their incredible sexual encounters with people they WISH they could fuck"). By the way if you're a poster over at MS, Trent offers some handy advice on how better to cut your veins. Because he cares. Here's the unedited dispatch, typically articulate, worth a few minutes of your day:

It's been an interesting experiment over the last couple of years or so. Faced with leaving the infrastructure of traditional record labels and figuring out what the right thing to do is in this new world - I found myself realizing that for me to have any concept of how to interact with the community and know what they might want / what they find appropriate, I need to immerse myself in that world and live it for a while. The reason no record label knows how to market anything to new media is they don't live there. They don't get it because they don't use it. What you've seen happen with the marketing and presentation of NIN over the last years is a direct result of living next to you, listening to you, consuming with you and interacting with you. Directly. There's no handlers or PR people here, it's me and my guys - that's it. There's no real plan, even - it's just trying to do the right thing that respects you the fan, the music, and me the artist. That's the goal - a mutual and shared respect.
When Twitter made it's way to my radar I looked at it as a curiosity, then started experimenting. I thought it through and in light of where I was / am in my career I decided to lower the curtain a bit and let you see more of my personality. I watched some of you get more engaged because you started to realize there's a person (flaws and all) back there, and I watched some of you recoil in horror because I'm not what you projected on me. All expected. I'm not as concerned about "breaking" your idea of NIN at this point. It is what it is and I am what I am. The relationship between artist and fan is changing if you haven't noticed, along with the way we consume and experience music and even communicate since the internet arrived.

The problem with really getting engaged in a community is getting through the clutter and noise. In a closed environment like nin.com a lot of this can be moderated away, or code can be implemented to make it more difficult for troublemakers to persist. It's tedious and feels like wasted energy doing that shit, but some people exist to ruin it for others - and they are the ones who have nothing better to do with their time. Example: on nin.com, there's 3-4 different people that each send me between 50 - 100 message per day of delusional, often threatening nonsense. We can delete them, but they just sign back up and start again. Yes, we are implementing several changes to address this, but the point is it quickly gets very old weeding through that stuff.

Back to Twitter. I approached that as a place to be less formal and more off-the-cuff, honest and "human". I was not expecting to broadcast details of my love life there, but it happened because I'm in love and it's all I think about and that's that. If this has bummed you out or destroyed what you've projected on me, fair enough - it's probably time for you to leave. You are right, I'm not the same person I was in 1994 (and I'm happy about that). Are you?

Looks like the Metal Sludge contingency has discover Twitter! Finally! For those of you that don't know what this is, please let me explain. Metal Sludge is the home of the absolutely worst people I've ever come across. It's populated mainly by unattractive plump females who publicly fantasize about having sex with guys in bands. Kind of like a role-playing game where people NOBODY will fuck make up stories about their incredible sexual encounters with people they WISH they could fuck. It would be kind of funny in a sad and pathetic way except the fun doesn't stop there - hate and good old-fashioned outright blatant racism are also encouraged to spice things up and remind you how truly ugly these scourges are. TRULY ugly on the inside (the outside is obvious).

Cutter's tip for my friends there: remember to cut along the length of vein, not across. Bigger payoff.

So when you see the new accounts that pop up daily on Twitter spewing exactly the kind of thing I just discussed, usually from picture-less creatively named profiles, spewing hate at Mariqueen and I, take a moment to visualize the sad couple people behind them.
A few years ago some people tuned me in to that world and when I figured out who these people were, I was amazed that I'd been seeing them in the front rows of the shows for months. I really don't understand what kind of "fan" spends that kind of time and money to travel across the country seeing a band, to then dedicate an incredible amount of time and energy into non-stop hate diatribes online. That one puzzles me a little.

Anyway, I'm bored on a long bus drive and there's no real moral to the story here, just writing. I will be tuning out of the social networking sites because at the end of the day it's now doing more harm than good in the bigger picture and the experiment seems to have yielded a result. Idiots rule.

I had thought a while ago about attempting to start a mainstream public forum that required real verification of it's participants for purposes of context. The idea was to have a place where you can actually discuss whatever and have some idea of who you're conversing with. For example, if we were discussing drumming techniques and you can see that someone participating in the discussion is a drum instructor vs. a 13 year old kid Googling answers, you'd have the proper context in which to have a potentially valid discussion. If we were discussing EDLC's heart condition and a real cardiologist speaks up, I'd value his opinion over, say FredFuckFaceWhateverHisLastFuckingNameIs's "opinion". Know what I mean? Anyway, we're in a world where the mainstream social networks want any and all people to boost user numbers for the big selloff and are not concerned with the quality of experience.

With all of that said, I have business in the real world to attend to including wrapping up the live version of NIN, DOING some cool new shit and spending as much time as possible with the most amazing woman in the world.

It's been fun, Trent.

Newspaper Bags Providing Power to Cell Phones - Its Possible

Sustainable Urban Design

By:	Charlotte E. Henriksen, EnergyMap.dk
Published:	5/15/2009
Technology areas:	Renewable Energy
Technologies:	Photovoltaics

A newspaper bag with integrated solar panels providing power for a cell phone makes life just a little easier for the homeless. Meet Faktor 3 – the company behind the product – on EnergyMap.dk

Faktor 3 is a young design and development company focused mainly on integrating energy-efficient technology, such as solar cells, into industrial and urban design. The three factors of Faktor 3, are: Design, Technology and Sustainability.

For owner Barbara Bentzen sustainability has always been a key issue:

- Our society is extremely consumeristic; and I was really seeking some higher purpose for my craft. The whole idea of incorporating a renewable, free power source, such as solar power, into industrial design intrigued me.

Barbara Bentzen has been promoting the idea of eco-design for some years. She believes that integrating design with sustainability is the way forward:

- In Denmark we have a tradition of innovation, and we have the resources. We just have to remember to consider alternative methods every time we create a new design. We all want to make a difference, but at the moment it is difficult and expensive, so it is a lot easier to just continue as usual. This is a paradigm shift that requires both political and financial backing. It’s going to take time, but we have taken the first steps, says Barbara Bentzen.

Power to the homeless

The four-man team of Faktor 3 are working on a wide range of projects ranging from building materials, to office furniture and paving stones.

One project, which has just been launched, is a solar-powered bag for homeless vendors in the street paper organization “Hus Forbi”. The bag enables the paper vendors to charge their cell phones, which are vital for keeping in touch with friends, family and authorities.

The idea originated from a homeless man and is now a project sponsored by several Neighbourhood Councils, Agenda 21 Centres in Copenhagen and the Merkur Bank – in addition to being carried out as charity work by the project partners Miljøpunkt Bispebjerg, Hus Forbi and Faktor 3.

During the summer of 2009, all 500 of Hus Forbi’s street newspaper vendors will be supplied with a solar cell bag. A prototype of the bag will be presented at the International Street Paper conference taking place in Bergen, Norway, in May 2009.

- This is a great project, says Barbara Bentzen. Usually the homeless have to literally steal power for their cell phones wherever they can. The challenge has been to create a solution that is durable, has a fast charging time and at the lowest price possible; and I think we have succeeded, producing these bags at 1/3 of the usual price.

Faktor 3’s future challenges include designing office furniture with efficient indoor solar cells, solar powered waste collection and compression containers; and cost-efficient, easy-to-use solar lamps. The latter is a project in collaboration with the Risø DTU National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy aimed at providing lighting for African school children as an alternative to traditional, health hazardous, kerosene lamps.

Links

Faktor 3 on EnergyMap.dk

Words cannot describe how awesome this really is

Loop de Loop and Other Extreme Yoga Poses

No, this is not digital computer wizardry. These are real people doing mind-boggling things with their bodies. Their physical pliability isn't innate; it's learned -- which means you can do it, too -- after years and years of dutiful practice. Until then, get your voyeuristic thrill here.

By Chee Gates

Intro to AcroYoga

If your jaw just dropped, you're not alone -- many people experience visceral reactions (i.e. spontaneous muscle contractions, intense feelings of befuddlement and curiosity) when seeing AcroYoga(r) for the first time. But be forewarned: Observers may become die-hard practitioners, so say the group of seven teachers and students shown here. Recently, we captured them working their malleable magic at Om Factory in New York City. What you don't see are the Thai massages they give each other before, during and after completing each move, which help facilitate a sense of trust, solidarity, and utter relaxation (I had one myself, as Chris balanced me on her feet!). Complimentary massage -- the thrill of hanging upside down -- it's easy to understand the addiction. Here, we find out what keeps them coming back for more.

The Players:
Chris Loebsack, 37, AcroYoga(r), Teacher
Becca Krauss, 27, AcroYoga(r), Teacher
Mary Aranas, 49, AcroYoga(r), Teacher
Will Nagel, 38, AcroYoga(r), Teacher
Deven Sisler, 28, AcroYoga(r), Teacher
Mitch Gerbus, 26, Student
Alyona Mindlin, 28, Student

The Positions:
Flyer: The person who is at the pinnacle of the pose.
Base: The person positioned at the bottom of the move; supports the flyer.
Spotter: A person who is not involved in the pose but provides additional balance to ensure safety.

Reverse Star in Scorpion

"I attended the very first AcroYoga(r) class in San Francisco 5 and 1/2 years ago, and I've witnessed how it can bring a community together, especially in big cities where you sometimes feel like you're alone. When you take a class, you touch people you don't know, so you quickly lose any initial discomfort and learn to harmonize with them physically and emotionally." -- Becca, flyer

Hangle Dangle

"Being the base is all about learning technique -- where to place your feet, what angle offers the best support -- more so than physical capability. With time, you learn to completely trust yourself and what you can do. Then the reciprocal effect happens -- you also trust that someone else can also support you. Think of it as mutual empathy." -- Will, base

Urdhva Dhanurasana - Backbend

"The best prep for taking an AcroYoga(r) class is to take a standard yoga class first. If you have a strong understanding of your body, you'll feel more confident and open to new challenges." -- Becca

Firefly Pose on Two-legged Inverted Staff Pose

"The first thing you do in an AcroYoga(r) class is sit in a circle and introduce yourself to the group. Each person has a particular skill or strength -- for instance, I have a background in dance and choreography-that they bring to the table. The fact that you are acknowledged and respected for your gifts gives you positive feedback and makes you want to continue." -- Chris, flyer

This pose is also called "Tittibhasana on Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana"

Mayurasana, or Peacock Posture

"You may not be able to do a handstand on your own, but you may have mastered some of the building blocks of the move. What's great about AcroYoga(r) is that someone else is letting you use her body for support to help you get there. It teaches you that it's OK to play on the edge of your fears and try things you may not think you can do. That's how you change and grow." -- Deven, base

Urdhva Dhanurasana Pyramid

"AcroYoga(r) has the flow of dance, which I love, the spirituality and wisdom of yoga, plus the dynamism of acrobatics, and the loving kindness and partnership of Thai massage. It's everything I want rolled into one package. I'm 49, but feel like a 5-year-old playing on the swings with my friends, and at the same time I'm working on my balance, flexibility and strengthening my entire body." -- Mary, flyer

Back Flying in Natarajasana, or King Dancer Pose

"I've been practicing ballet since age 5, but I've always struggled with balancing. Shocking, I know! After one month of taking AcroYoga(r) classes I could stand on one foot, no problem. For the first time, my mind wasn't in overdrive -- I stopped pushing myself, and I was patient with my body. That was the answer." -- Alyona, flyer

Loop de Loop

"We focus on making 'I' statements while we play, such as '"I feel tightness in my lower back,'" as opposed to making accusations, such as, '"You didn't have your leg straight enough!'" It helps you communicate more effectively and become a better listener. Each pose is a new partnership and a new negotiation -- you have to get to know each other's strengths and weaknesses and be sensitive to them in order to create a symbiotic relationship." -- Chris, base

Beach on Plank

"You and your partner share a unique kind of intimacy -- you're in tune with that person to the point that you breathe together. That closeness makes it more comfortable to be physical with people in a nonsexual way. You realize that your bodies can connect without a feeling of tension or awkwardness, and you carry that lesson with you when you leave class." -- Mitch, base

Eka Pada Koundinyasana (Variation)

"Your body is a geometric collection of lines and curves. In AcroYoga(r), you use your body to create shapes -- triangles, squares and diamonds. So, if you relax into the poses, eventually they'll come to you naturally." -- Alyona

This pose is also called "Pose Dedicated to the Sage Koundinya"

Vasisthasana, or Side Plank Pose

"The big postures are always going to be there -- you'll get to them. What's important is honoring your body in every moment. If you're not feeling it, you don't have to do it. You're not striving for perfection-this is not a contest. It's OK to back off because you've created a safe, encouraging place of self-acceptance." -- Chris

Astavakrasana, or Eight Angle Pose

"My first thought when I walked into an AcroYoga(r) class 5 years ago was 'what the %$#@!' I felt very intimidated. Even though I was a certified yoga instructor, I didn't know if I was strong enough to hang with this group of people. Three hours later, I felt so invigorated that I signed up to take the intensive AcroYoga(r) training courses. Now I can balance a 240-pound man on my feet!" -- Chris

Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana II, or One-legged King Pigeon

"If it looks good, it usually feels good." -- Alyona

Originally published on FitnessMagazine.com, June 2009

Crayola packaging through the years.

Here's an interesting retrospective of Crayola's packaging through the years at top. The bottom photo features the recent limited-edition set of three boxes with the original graphics of each era of the brand's history. The one on the far right most resembles what I remember from grade school! Ah nostalgia.

I just added a lot more photos of older packaging that you can see after the jump. Which Crayola box is from your childhood?

Above: 1903 Crayola

Above: 1930 Crayola

Above: 1935 Crayola box

Above: 1948 Crayola box

Above: And on year later, in 1949, the redesigned again.

Above: 1950's Crayolas

Above: 1964 Crayola box

Above: 1975 Crayola box

Above: "Antique" Crayola box, not sure of the year.

Above: These were simply labeled "Old" 64-count boxes. They most resemble what I remember from 1986-ish.