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Prolific Printer

Ever heard of Sliverbrook Research? Didn't think so... They've never produced a product, but after years of research claim to have created a 60 pages/minute printer *. In fact, they also claim (and a video appears to show) the "ink jet" prints 30 pages/minute in full color! Now that would be something to see become mass-produced...

*external link to technabob.com

Deleted...uh, completely!

Accidental deletion of not only the main HD but also the backup* resulting in a technician needing the tape backup of some very important data. Unfortunately, that copy was found to be unreadable. ~$220,000 later the data was reentered and the mistake corrected. Ooops indeed!

Oops! IT technician wipes out $38B fund (external link to usatoday.com)

*external link to jonbart.com

Artificial Planetary Chronometer

Now this is a novel idea for a clock: The "hands" are portrayed as orbiting planets around the central larger planet. Evidently, you can only tell the time by looking at the device from top. I think I would like one; part of the problem, however, is that it's from Japan*. Oh well...

Image courtesy of: technabob.com
* external link to technabob.com

Automatic Bicycle Transmission

Trek Bikes, along with a couple of other manufacturers, has released bicycles featuring Shimano's new automatic shifting transmission. Called the Shimano Coasting, this three-speed transmission auto-shifts gears as you ride.

Obviously, three gears limits the bicycle to "around-town" riding but none the less, the actual production of an automatic transmission bicycle is a major milestone. Trek calls their bicycle using this technology the Lime*; a rather hideous looking machine in my opinion.

Image courtesy of trekbikes.com

*external link to trekbikes.com

Dominant Eye Determiner

Since I was early for a meeting in the library this morning I browsed through a recent copy of "Astronomy" magazine while I waited. (Read: Astronomy...not that other stuff!) Below I've reproduced an illustration I found intriguing.


How it works: Look at the diagram while crossing your eyes slightly to make three circles appear. The word that appears in the middle circle tells you which eye is dominate.



The article provided a reason why this is helpful to know, but only in relation to studying the stars. Otherwise, I'm not sure why it matters exactly!

Yer Olde Gini Index

Reading in the textbook for my Sociology course I came across the "Gini Index". Here is the definition from Encarta Dictionary online:

"income distribution index: an index of income distribution in an economy, expressed as a fraction, that indicates the level of inequality between incomes. The higher the fraction, the greater the inequality of incomes."

I'm sure the knowledge of this term won't impact your life profoundly; however, I was intrigued by the name. Which, by the way, comes from the Italian statistician Corrado Gini.

IE 1.0 Anyone?

If you just happen to be looking for Internet Explorer 1.0 (first released in 1995), then OldVersion.com is the place to go. In fact, the site claims 1466 versions of 131 programs.

Today I was looking for the previous version of an audio editing program which I found at OldVersion.com. This is not a site one would use regularly, but it definitely has it's place on occasion!

A cell phone is one thing, but...

...using a laptop while driving is quite another! Sadly, this one fellow in CA didn't live to learn his lesson:

Car crash kills man believed to be using laptop while driving*

It also seems this story gives one more good reason to drive a Hummer!

*external link to sfgate.com

Corn Construction

From my experiences in recent days, I'm beginning to think I should become a corn farmer. Ok, not really...but corn does seem to be the new ecologically-friendly answer to disposable consumer products.

• Green Mountain Coffee Roasters* is using a disposable paper coffee cup lined with a bio-plastic made from corn, rather than a petroleum-based product.
• Mountain Equipment Co-op+ has switched to "plastic" shopping bags called BioBags** made mostly from biodegradable corn starch.

*external link to greenmountaincoffee.com
+ external link to mec.ca
** external link to biobags.ca

Bachelor Breakfast

Since both Andrew and I are alone this week and next (I'm staying at the college over break, and his parents are in FL) we're eating most meals together.


So far, we've been able to create some delicious grub; this morning's "brunch" was no exception. And this time, I actually have photo evidence! Not bad, eh?

Photo by: Andrew G.

What Weather!

Image from MSN Weather as displayed on live.com

Windows Vista Wallpaper: Inside Story

This morning I read an interview with the (somewhat unlikely) photographer for the Vista Wallpaper photos. I thought it was an interesting/inspiring article worth sharing:
Interview with Hamad Darwish, Flickr photographer shooting Vista wallpapers (external link to istartedsomething.com)

Here also is a link to his Flickr album with other images from the same photo shoot:
Windows Vista (external link to flickr.com)

Ice Storm!

Over the past 24 hours we have experienced quite the wintry mix here in Cincinnati! In fact, the precipitation has resulted in a thick layer of ice. The storm is also forested to continue into tomorrow morning.

Don't cry over broken eggs...

...even if there are thousands of them all over the highway!

Truck wreck spills 165,000 eggs on Virginia highway (external link to msnbc.msn.com)

Airborne!

Photo by: Alisa St.

...ok, just barely. But it was still a blast! Thanks Joe & Andrew...

Bid on eBay for one year of university!

No, this isn't for some dodgy diploma mill! Oklahoma Wesleyan University* is actually auctioning one year of tuition and room/board (normally costs $23,000) on eBay+. As of this post, the auction is at $6,500 with 30 bids.

* external link to okwu.edu
+ external link to ebay.com

Brand Confusion?

One company, Sierra Designs*, focuses on outdoor gear and apparel, while the other, Arby's+, is in the fast-food industry. However, their respective logos evidently appear enough alike to make people think of Arby's when they see my jacket! So, I've now been identified as the Arby's-guy?!













Note: All logos are registered trademarks of their respective companies.
*external link to sierradesigns.com
+external link to arbys.com