Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Google Books offers PDFs of public domain books

Adam sez, "Google Books has just started offering downloads of their
public domain books as PDF files. You can search for 'free view'
books to find other ones. (disclaimer: I'm the engineer who did this,
but I'm nothing to do with PR)" Link
http://tinyurl.com/lbsjs
ALTERNATIVE SHOPPING LIST GENERATOR:
http://tinyurl.com/jd8el
A long time ago I found a neat little program that allowed you to
paste any text into it. It would then present you with that text one
word at a time a preset and controllable speed. Using it, I found I
could get my reading speed up about 1.5 times what it is normally.
It was demo-ware and the full version was about 40 bucks. I was
broke at the time and did not buy it. I believe the company that
made it is now out of business.....
Enter Web 2.0 goodness.
http://www.spreeder.com/
Essentially the same thing for free on the web.
try it out. You will find your reading speeding up and your
retention/comprehension getting better as well. The downside is that:
a) you cannot focus on anything else while you are doing this
b) you have to read at your computer, and only stuff on a computer
c) you have to cut/paste everything into it to use it. (the local/
commercial version allowed you to open text files and web-pages, no C/
Ping necessary).
Enjoy!
FOR DONI:
Beginning Google Maps Applications with PHP and Ajax
Posted by samzenpus on Monday August 28, @01:38PM
from the map-it-out dept.
Michael J. Ross writes
"Just as PHP and other Web scripting languages have made it possible
to create dynamic Web pages, online mapping services are making it
possible to create dynamic maps that can be customized by a Web site
owner, or made customizable by a site visitor. In the case of Google
Maps, this is done using the built-in application programming
interface (API), which is described in a new book, Beginning Google
Maps Applications with PHP and Ajax: From Novice to Professional."
http://tinyurl.com/havb6
Universal backs free music offer Vivendi Universal, the world's
biggest music group, has signed a deal to make its music catalogue
available on a free legal downloads service. Under the agreement,
Spiralfrog will offer Universal's songs online in the US and Canada.
New York-based Spiralfrog will launch its service in December and
make its money by carrying adverts on the site.
http://tinyurl.com/lxacx
Cardboard Speakers

How many times have you thought "I wish I could just fold up these
speakers and take them with me?" OK, me neither. But for the travel
vagabond, student, art student, MUJI has designed these fold-up
speakers. Known in Japan as a company that makes simple, elegant
products that are environmentally friendly, their name literally
translates into "No Brand Goods."
These MUJI Cardboard speakers retail for $42 for a pair, and are
easily assembled . Besides, they would be a big conversation piece
when you pull them out of your purse at a party.
Small in size, big in design.
Via Ubergizmo
http://tinyurl.com/j7sz3
QSST, new supersonic jet, will travel coast-to-coast in two hours
Posted Aug 29th 2006 4:57AM by Cyrus Farivar
Filed under: Transportation

Many of us here at Engadget are, or at least wish we were, the
jetsetting type. The type to constantly bounce around to Boston, San
Francisco, Hong Kong and other exotic locales. We'd definitely
appreciate being able to traverse the continent in two hours, and
while our overloads, erm, friendly bosses might appreciate that, our
accounting department probably wouldn't. And surely this new
generation of supersonic flights, which will reach top speeds of Mach
1.8, aren't going to come cheap. According to Wired News, this new
supersonic private jet, called QSST ("quiet supersonic travel") is in
production by Lockheed Martin. The new jet sports a "patented
inverted V-tail", which will reduce the sound of its sonic boom to
less than a hundredth of the original Concorde, one of the reasons
why it was met with limited success in the US. The QSST's current
price tag of $80 million is still cheap by comparison to the first
generation of Concorde jets, which cost $46 million in 1977 (nearly
$150 million in 2005 dollars when adjusted for inflation). So save
your pennies, kids, we'll be saving ours.
http://tinyurl.com/lqkog
AO+ Pen Table

Aimed at design professionals, the AO+ Pen Table works in conjunction
with Adobe Photoshop, allowing users to easily create digital
masterpieces. This system can be projected onto any flat surface for
maximum flexibility. Video after the jump.
http://tinyurl.com/esqat
(Video) Philips READUS

The Philips READUS is “the world’s first prototype of a functional
electronic-document reader that can unroll its display to a scale
larger than the device itself.” See a functional prototype after the
jump.
http://tinyurl.com/nnlnh
OR
Philips READUS E-Reader Scroll Prototyp You've heard of e-ink
devices, like the Sony Librie, or e-reader, or whatever. But you've
never seen a real working prototype of an electronic reader based on
a flexible e-paper, that rolls up like a scroll. And you've never
seen a video of said device being explained by a Norwegian named Hans
to an Austrailian guy named Max...Mad Max. Whatever, I don't care
what his real name is. What we care about is the prototype's 5-inch
screen that runs at 320 by 240 pixels. The screen, by E-Ink
corporation, only uses power to change states, so battery life is
measured in page turns. Vid, after the jump.– BRIAN LAM
Philips READUS [TechEBlog]
http://tinyurl.com/zvold
Ban Beater Recycles Your Bathwater For Plant Watering/Car Washing

This may be old hat to our UK readers, but the Ban Beater device is a
gadget that helps you recycle your used bathwater for outdoor use.
After you bathe, use the Ban Beater to suck up the "greywater", take
it outside, and you've got enough water to feed your plants. You
could technically use the water to wash your car, but considering the
stuff coming off of your body when you take a shower, we wouldn't
recommend it. Either way, you're saving money and water by
repurposing your own filth.
Available now for 39.99 ($73). – JASON CHEN
http://tinyurl.com/f9fme
Mozilla accepts Microsoft's offer of assistance Posted Aug 29th 2006
8:00AM by Chris Gilmer Filed under: Business, Developer, Internet,
Windows, Web services, Mozilla In shocking news released in the past
few days, Microsoft will actually be working with the Mozilla
Corporation to get Firefox and Thunderbird to play nicely with
windows Vista. A few weeks ago as we reported here, the Director of
Open Source for Microsoft had invited Mozilla developers to Redmond
for a Vista Lab. Even though the two compete in the browser wars,
Microsoft invited Mozilla developers to a full four day session with
Vista engineers so that they could get a better idea on the new
technologies and structure set to be used in the new operating
system. Through the new training, the Mozilla developers have been
testing and developing new integration points with Vista.
http://tinyurl.com/hgdtx
BookMooch Online Book Exchange Posted Aug 29th 2006 7:30AM by Chris
Gilmer Filed under: Business, Internet, Web services, Social Software
BookMooch does exactly what their tagline states and helps bring new
life to old books. BookMooch is similar to a used book library
online, making it easier to search and locate books that you might
not have wanted to pay full price for, but are totally worth
reading. BookMooch is also trying its hand at social networking by
creating a community for exchanging books online, and have developed
a points program for listing and buying books. Being that the site is
extremely simple to use, and from my searches on it, they have a nice
selection listed, BookMooch just might have a nice swapping
community. The exchange process is simple. Search for the book of
your choice,save the search or mooch the book, then buy it. Users can
also check out the Amazon info on the book.
http://tinyurl.com/kugy8
17 Web Based Competitors to MS Office
Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Monday August 28, @07:38PM
from the wildly-flailing-for-vc dept.
prostoalex writes"Red Herring magazine takes a look at 17 projects in
the Web 2.0 space competing with Microsoft Office for the attention
of the office workers worldwide. The table lists Thinkfree, Zoho
Writer, Writeboard, Google Writely, Rallypoint and JotSpot Live as
Microsoft Word competitors, JotSpot Tracker, Numsum, iRows, Zoho
Street as Microsoft Excel alternatives, S5, Zoho Show as PowerPoint
contenders, ThinkFree, gOffice and Zoho Virtual Office as suite
offerings. Even Microsoft Project has its fair share of Web 2.0
competitors: Basecamp and JotSpot Project Manager made the list."
http://tinyurl.com/l4ppx
Sphelar®, Spherical Microsolar Cell Applications From Kyosemi Corp.
August 29, 2006 07:34 AM - John Laumer, Philadelphia

The photo is of two new photovoltaic device prototypes: a flexible
see-through Sphelar® sheet; and, a dome-style Sphelar® module.
“Sphelar® is the trademark given to a proprietary spherical solar
cell product Kyosemi Corporation has developed on its own. This tiny
solar cell measuring a mere 1 mm across…” “Sphelar® captures
light from all directions, which means it can catch reflected light
and diffused light. In addition, there is no need for the superfluous
operation of tracking the sun.” “Sphelar is produced using a
unique process whereby melted silicon is subjected to free fall , and
spheres are formed naturally by the microgravity conditions, so there
is hardly any waste of raw materials at all”. Pretty much like a
modern version of the “shot tower”, but for use in the war on
climate change (WACC). For details on projected energy efficiency,
sheet stock and dome applications, commercialization strategy, and,
also, a general description of how Laurie Anderson put Sphelar to use
in a performance piece, look here . For engineering design details of
the Anderson installation, look here . Kyosemi Corp. projects that
cost of manufacturing will be roughly half that of rigid solar cell
modules.
Via: Sustainable Industries Journal (subscription only).
http://tinyurl.com/hn8z9
more later
There is already an underwater hotel in the gulf of california...
been there fro years, but that one you must dive in order to get to/
from your room.
08. 28. 2006
Poseidon Resorts: spend your next vacation with the fish

We all know there are plenty of places in the world that let you
enjoy interacting with the beauty of perfectly clear blue-green
waters and undersea life. But, is there really anywhere you can
immerse yourself in it . . . literally? Presenting Poseidon Resorts,
where your entire vacation is spent underwater. Based on submarine
technology, with more than 60% of the exterior surface consisting of
transparent acrylic "windows," Poseidon offers guests the opportunity
to spend every minute of their stay enjoying spectacular panoramas.
Each guest suite is built around a private reef that is lit for
viewing. A food dispenser is included, as well, to attract various,
view-enhancing undersea creatures. The five-star luxury complex,
which is accessible by a series of tunnels from the surface, includes
a revolving restaurant, pool (?!?!), bar, café, tennis courts, dive
shop/water sports center (of course), library, and luxury spa/
hydrotherapy center. Poseidon’s website indicates that, although
construction has begun on the system of pods that make up the
individual suites and common facilities, the resort is due to be
relocated from its original site. So, alas, the time has not quite
come yet to whip out the rewards card and book a long weekend; but he
reality of this next step in vacation retreats seems near.
http://tinyurl.com/g9gke
FOR JACK:
Logitech MX Revolution laser mouse reviewed
The reviewer concludes that the extra features probably aren't
necessary, but could in the long term increase user productivity if
prospective buyers spend some time customizing the button functions
and getting used to the new features. If you think you can do without
the new features, you might consider picking up one of Logitech's
other no-frills gaming mice, which feature much higher sensitivities
and equal, if not lower, prices.
http://tinyurl.com/hgvcv
Venzero ONE media player spotted, snapped
Posted Aug 27th 2006 7:41PM by Ryan Block
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

The last time we saw a Venzero ONE, it was at a café in New York and
was in severely pre-production condition; a little rickety, a little
shaky, but still showed some real potential. Now, from here it's a
little difficult to tell of these new shots of the ONE in the wild
indicate that it's much closer to completion than it was a few months
ago, but we hope they move fast and get this thing out because in a
couple months the Zune and the MusicGremlin (and maybe even the
wireless iPod) could make this device's big selling point, the
Shareport USB file swapping system, a little shall we say, démodé.
[Via DAPreview]
http://tinyurl.com/etz95
Top Gear: Mini Cooper Special

In this Top Gear segment, Richard Hammond takes several tuned Mini
Cooper S vehicles out for a road test — the “Works” (197bhp),
“Digitec” (216hp), and “Hartge” (200bhp). Video after the jump.
http://tinyurl.com/zp3m7
DIY Electro-Graf Here’s an interesting DIY project: “Electro-
Graf“, which is basically “a graffiti piece or throw-up that uses
conductive spray-paint and magnet paint to embed movable LED display
electronics.” Learn how to make your own with this tutorial. Video
after the jump.
http://tinyurl.com/hq77z
GM builds the Sequel advanced hydrogen fuel-cell concept vehicle
August 28, 2006 Way back at the start of 2005, the world’s largest
automotive manufacturer, General Motors, showed the Sequel advanced
hydrogen fuel-cell concept vehicle at the 2005 North American
International Auto Show (NAIAS), billing it as the culmination of US
$1 billion of intensive research it had conducted into fuel cell
technology. Like most show cars, the Sequel was not a working model,
but now General Motors Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner has gone on
record as saying “the most technologically advanced car GM has ever
built” has actually been built, has an operating range of 300 miles,
and will be made available to journalists in the near future. The
Sequel is a truly remarkable vehicle, having superseded the AUTOnomy
and Hy-wire as GM’s primary showcase of future fuel cell vehicles.
See the extensive technical diagrams and photographic library we have
assembled here, and read on for all the available detail.
http://tinyurl.com/jpsnc
Syllabus for Mitch Kapor's Berkeley course on open source
http://tinyurl.com/f2sdh
Research, learn and collaborate at Zimbio
Zimbio is a collaborative media portal site. Users create portal
channels about key information they are interested in. These portals
provide significant meaningful information on topics that people are
knowledgeable and passionate about. Zimbio, like Wikipedia, is a
form of a social information network that actually works to provide
meaningful and useful information that people are passionate about.
Upon registering on Zimbio, users can collaborate by adding
meaningful information and pictures, and expanding on the topics in
question. It's nice to see that sites like Zimbio and Wikipedia are
around and easily accessible providing people with information from
well informed users. I will still have my fingers crossed that they
don't become infected with bunk content.
http://tinyurl.com/j25c5
FairUse4WM cracks Windows Media DRM
Posted Aug 25th 2006 1:25PM by Jordan Running
Filed under: Audio, Utilities, Windows, Microsoft

Critics of online music stores like the new Napster and Yahoo! Music
Unlimited say by giving them you're money you're really just renting
your music, since if you stop paying their fees, you lost the ability
to listen to the tracks you've downloaded. But if the makers of
FairUse4M have anything to say about it, that's no longer the case.
Engadget has the scoop on this new, probably-illegal program for
Windows that strips the DRM from Windows Media 10 and 11 files,
allowing you to play those Napster tracks indefinitely, even after
you've canceled your subscription. Engadget's Ryan Block says, "we
can verify with all certainty that yes, Windows Media DRM can now be
easily and quickly stripped from PlaysForSure media services," but it
didn't work on their Vongo videos or Windows Media 9 DRMed files.
This is a pretty big deal for Microsoft, which has busily been
ensuring record companies for years that PlaysForSure is the best way
to protect their content. For awhile software has been available that
strips the DRM from music purchased from Apple's iTunes Music Store--
the difference is, one had to pay for each of those tracks in the
first place, whereas with Windows Media-based subscription stores,
one could buy a one-month subscription and potentially unlock tens of
thousands of files for the price of a single CD (or for free, if one
takes advantage of a free trial period). Yow.
http://tinyurl.com/kk7df
Philips Shows Light Emitting Clothing
Posted by Hemos on Monday August 28, @07:58AM
from the dear-god-do-i-hate-august dept.
Paul Cobbaut writes "From Physorg: Philips Research intends to
impress the visitors at this year's IFA (Internationale
Funkausstellung) with a world-first demonstration of promotional
jackets and furniture featuring its innovative Lumalive technology.
Lumalive textiles make it possible to create fabrics that carry
dynamic advertisements, graphics and constantly changing color
surfaces. Here is the Philips Press Release."
http://tinyurl.com/kywk2
Data Mining Used to Create New Materials
Posted by Zonk on Sunday August 27, @03:41PM
from the looking-forward-to-red-kryptonite dept.
Roland Piquepaille writes "MIT researchers have successfully
integrated data mining tools and modern methods of quantum mechanics.
They've designed software which can help predict the crystal
structures of materials. To simplify, they say they've used methods
used by online sales sites to suggest books to customers. And it
seems to work: they claim they can determine in days the properties
of atomic structures that might have taken months before. Read more
for additional references and pictures."
http://tinyurl.com/knspb
Switch off television, ring in memory! Turning off the television,
picking up a crossword and eating more fish could be the key to a
better memory, an Australian survey has found. Results of the on-line
survey of almost 30,000 people, conducted as part of Australia's
science week, also found people who read fiction had better memories
than those who don't, while heavy drinkers found it more difficult to
recall names. But neuro-psychologist Nancy Pachana said television
was not necessarily bad for memory, with wider health and diet and an
active lifestyle more crucial to a good...
http://tinyurl.com/ed259
TEC Gas Grills
Ultimate grill heat

Serious chefs know that a hot bed of charcoal or wood coals is the
best way to grill meat. Unfortunately the 30-40 minute wait (and air
pollution) for the fire to be ready are a major drawback to using a
traditional fire, but most propane grills are too feeble to be a
useful alternative.
Enter the ceramic infra-red burner by the Thermal Engineering
Corporation (TEC) of Columbia, South Carolina. Ceramic plates
perforated with thousands of burner ports heat up to 1700 degrees and
throw off as much heat as any bed of coals. From a standing start,
it's ready to cook in 5 minutes, and will put a deliciously crispy
seared crust on whatever you're grilling. It's highly fuel efficient,
too, since radiant heat transfer is roughly proportional to the
fourth power of the burner temperature. Don't be fooled by the modest
BTU ratings, those are a measure of the fuel input, not the heat
output. One improvement can be made: replace the factory grid
(stainless steel channels) with the Char-Broil cast iron replacement
grid sold at Home Depot. Yes, these are expensive, but I have seen
similar prices for grills that are really nothing special... all show
and no go. TEC has a press release that says Char-Broil will be using
TEC's technology in 2007, so the entry price may come down soon. I've
been using the Patio II model for 5 years and am very happy with it.
-- Jan Gazda
TEC Patio II
$1,400
Available from Buck Stove, Pool & Spa
Manufactured by TEC Gas Grills
http://tinyurl.com/kjaag
50 Common Interview Q&A
Bhuvana Sundaramoorthy has collected some (actually 50 of them)
frequently asked interview questions, which makes it very handy when
you are going to have an interview. Best of all, there are answering
tips associate to the questions
http://tinyurl.com/ev9vm
School yourself on wine

Blogger and chef JoAnna offers some tips for expanding your wine-
tasting palette, suggesting that you buy two bottles of the same
variety of wine and do a side-by-side taste comparison. When you do,
you'll find:
One will be more acidic...
one will be perfumed more strongly...
one will be clearer in color...
one will have more tannin & astringency...
one will be more.... You get the picture?
If you still don't feel up to the task, we've highlighted several web
sites and tips for finding a good wine. Think you know your wine? Let
us know how you got so smart in the comments or at tips at
lifehacker.com. — ADAM PASH
Do It Yourself Wine Tasting Course [ChefBlog]
http://tinyurl.com/ze69s
DIY: Make an Altoids tin survival kit

Field & Stream online has a step-by-step for creating your very own
Altoids tin survival kit, complete with all the gear you'd need to
survive in the wild (well, maybe not you, but someone who doesn't cry
if they don't hear the Windows/Mac boot-up music every morning).
The "Pocket kit" includes fire-starting gear, an LED flashlight, a
compass, water bag, iodine tablets, fishing gear - and oh so much
more, all stuffed into your tiny little Altoids tin. We've covered
several inventive uses for the lovable Altoids tin, but there's
always room for more. — ADAM PASH
Make a Survival Kit out of an Altoids Tin (and Two More Life-Saving
DIY Projects)
http://tinyurl.com/msr7n
introChispito Wind Generator
The Chispito Wind Generator was designed to be simple and efficient
with fast and easy construction. There are no limits to what you can
do with wind power. There is nothing more rewarding and empowering
than making a wind powered generator from scrap materials. Most of
the tools and materials in this manual can be found in your local
hardware shop or junk pile.
For more information and inspiration on wind generator construction,
please visit http://www.velacreations.com
http://tinyurl.com/fooqz
Get Your Sweetheart to Do Chores Without Nagging
Gretchen Rubin from The Happiness Project has an excellent list of
tips for getting that special someone in your lives to do chores
without resorting to nagging. I have a hunch, this will be a much-
printed and distributed article.
Here’s a smattering:
Have clear assignments. I always call repairmen; the Big Man always
empties the Diaper Genie.
Every once in a while, do your sweetheart’s task, for a treat. This
kind of pitching-in wins enormous goodwill.
Assign chores based on personal priorities. I hate a messy bedroom
more than the Big Man, but he hates a messy kitchen more than I. So I
do more tidying in the bedroom, and he does more in the kitchen.
Do it yourself. I used to be annoyed with the Big Man because we
never had cash in the house. Then I realized: why did I get to assign
that job? Now I do it, and we always have cash, and I’m not annoyed.
Keep a to-do list. That way, if an energetic mood strikes, you know
what needs doing. This works very well with the Big Man. He makes fun
of me, but I see him consult the list.
The list is HUGE, and all very useful. Bookmark it. Print it. Make it
a set of rules for your house. Thanks, Gretchen.
Tips for Getting Your Sweetheart to Do Chores Without Nagging - [The
Happiness Project]
http://tinyurl.com/ggzts

Double-Walled Beer Glasses
HOME | DRINKWARE | 
Here's a classic beer glass with a twist — it's insulated to keep
your beer cold and the glass from sweating all over you. Like the
insulated iced tea glasses from last year, these double-walled beer
glasses ($75/set of 6) are made out of a material that's used to make
scientific lab glass and are way stronger than traditional glassware.
http://tinyurl.com/evgsz
Spread some light around with Lumalive technology

In the world of wearable electronics, the idea of embedding LEDs into
fabrics is not a new one. But here’s what is new - with the latest
Lumalive technology from Philips, product manufacturers can integrate
LEDs into fibres without leaving a trace whatsoever. Which means, if
you are, say, wearing a jacket with Lumalive technology, you would
have all the electronics, batteries and LEDs so seamlessly integrated
into the fabric that it would be invisible. This adds up to the
result that the fabric would be soft and washable, yet you won’t
feel like you're lugging a sack around when you wear it. With the
lighting technology, you can activate your choice of dynamic
messages, graphics etc on the Lumalive surface at the simple flick of
a button.
Philips plans to unveil this technology at the consumer electronics
show IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung) this year. This technology
will not be limited to textiles alone, as Philips is going to
demonstrate its use with furniture as well. Now, that makes me think:
if this technology is going to become really popular and accessible
to the masses, the applications could be enormous. And probably
distressful as well. Just imagine how much more garish the fashion
industry would get. I shudder at the thought. And with a table that
can light up with a flick, would it be the end of candlelit dinners ?
Ok, that was an exaggeration . . . but really, is Lumalive going to
be self-indulgence or necessity ? Wait and watch.
http://tinyurl.com/z73fw
My 3rd Hand
Ever dropped your cell phone -- or had it slip off the passenger seat
-- while driving? The cursing doesn't help, but this invention might.
My 3rd Hand is specifically designed to grab the offending object
with an extended "grabber." When it retracts, It's small enough to
store it in the glove compartment or attach to your key chain. What a
good idea.
The company does post a disclaimer that the product is not intended
to be used while actually driving a motor vehicle.
They currently have a summer promotion for the month of August only:
Buy one and get the second one for free.
$19.95 @ My 3rd Hand.
http://tinyurl.com/klbda
GEN H-4 personal helicopter is for realz and for sale Remember that
personal helicopter we peeped last year which some of you didn't
think was real? Well, we tracked down the manufacturer and yeah, you
guessed it, dug out the price. Ok, it's not exactly the Bell Rocket
Belt we were promised back in the 60's when Engadget was an upstart
think-tank focusing on emerging technology for the US military.
Still, the Japanese built GEN H-4 co-axial helicopter features a
125cc, horizontally opposed 2 cylinder engine capable of launching
your ass some 1,000-meters (about half a mile) high at a max speed of
90km/hour, or a bit more than a Sammy Hagar. While it would appear to
lessen the risk of setting fire to your nether regions, any margin of
safety gained is likely offset by the threat from decapitation. For
as the machine translation states: the H-4 is not a finished product,
yet is "probably" possible to self-assemble. Oh, ok then, can we just
PayPal the ¥3,780,000 (about $32,500) or will a personal check
suffice? Yet judging by the photo, it's safe enough for children to
operate so let's not go all pansy just yet.[Via Impress]
http://tinyurl.com/roodj
Diebold machines fail in Alaska primary when you hear the words
"electronic voting machines" and "problems" in the same sentence, you
don't have to be a rocket scientist to infer that our old friend
Diebold is somehow involved. The latest chapter in the company's
woeful history of security lapses and tampering accusations comes
courtesy of Tuesday's primary election in the great state of Alaska,
where several of Diebold's "high-tech" touchscreen units were unable
to use their dial-up modems to upload voting results to the Division
of Elections' central servers due to an inability to pick up dial-
tones and "other problems." Apparently thirteen total precincts
experienced the issues, forcing election workers to toil into the wee
morning hours manually uploading their data and getting it to sync
with the overall numbers. The Director of Elections, Whitney
Brewster, attempted to reassure voters that the integrity of the
process had not been compromised by pointing out that "just because
they're not being uploaded doesn't mean they're not being recorded
accurately." That's probably true, but with all the scrutiny and
negative publicity surrounding the company, it's going to be hard to
convince some folks that any election involving Diebolds's products
is ever on the level.
http://tinyurl.com/fhxvc
What does it cost to get a patent?
© Copyright 1993 to the present, Oppedahl & Olson LLP.
Disclaimer: This is not legal advice. Click for information on the
purpose of this page.
The cost to get a United States patent is made of several components.
These include the cost to prepare and file a patent application,
various prosecution costs, and the issue fee. Some of the costs are
payable to the Patent Office. After the patent has issued, keeping
the patent in force requires paying maintenance fees to the U.S.
Patent Office after 3 1/2, 7 1/2, and 11 1/2 years. Many of the
Patent Office fees are discounted for applicants who qualify as small
entities (generally, all individuals and organizations except for-
profit businesses with 500 or more employees). The filing fee,
depending on the number of claims in the application, can be anywhere
from about $400 to $1,000 or more. But for most applicants, the main
cost item in the patent application is the professional charges by
the patent attorney or agent preparing the patent application.
At Oppedahl & Olson LLP, our experience is that a patent application
covering something that is very simple and easy to describe can cost
the applicant as little as $2,000 to file with the Patent Office.
Other inventions, especially inventions that are very complicated or
have substantial electronic or software content, can cost as much as
$8,000 or $10,000 or more to be filed with the U.S. Patent Office.
These costs may seem quite high. However, patents are only intended
to protect commercially useful inventions, and patent costs are
generally small compared to the costs of turning an invention into
product, and then of marketing and selling the product. If you do not
have good reason to believe that the profits from the invention will
greatly exceed the costs of getting the patent, you probably should
not be patenting the invention.
http://tinyurl.com/rcrbu
Hydro-dis — New Chemical Free Water Disinfection
August 25, 2006 12:26 AM - Warren McLaren, Sydney
Hydro-dis is a “water disinfection technology will allow businesses
and everyday families to clean and reuse water again and again
without the use of external chemicals.” It has been developed as a
joint venture between the University of South Australia’s Ian Wark
Research Institute, and an Adelaide company, SSS Water. The three-
stage disinfection process, can treat any type of water, and is being
commercialised so it can be rolled out through an international
distribution arrangement. SSS Water reckon the “technology has
applications worldwide for grey water, drinking water, pools and spas
and cooling tower water disinfection and other products..."
Apparently it can achieve the disinfection at low cost, which should
allow for better water conservation and management. Though the
process itself is currently a trade secret. Via ::UniSA Media Release.
http://tinyurl.com/pezxz
Car Buying: 16 Tips to the Best Deal
A time where it took my negotiation skill to the extreme is when
buying a new car. And trust me, it is stress to talk to the car
salesperon. How do deal with the common tactic from the car
salesperson, or any quick tips on getting the best deal? Get Life On
the Road has 16 tips to the best deal. Read it, use it, I am sure you
will get better deal from it. Here is a snippet of those tips:
11) Even if you really love the car, don’t act like you do until the
price has been put to paper. At that point, start acting like you
really want to purchase the vehicle but the money is the only thing
that is holding you back.
12) Buying a year-end holdover is a common technique. Dealerships
want to make room for the next model year, and it can be difficult to
move holdover vehicles, especially if there has been a major change
in the model — body style changes, engine choices, trim levels can
all change year after year.
13) Negotiate the trade-in and the new vehicle purchase separately.
Your trade-in is not worth more or less based on the value of the
vehicle you wish to purchase, however many dealerships will tell you
that because the care you wish to purchase is so low-priced, they can
not offer you much for your trade-in. Your trade-in is worth the same
amount, regardless of the sticker price of the new car. If you get
trade-in quote from a dealer, request the dealer write it down and
sign it. Take that document to the next dealer so they can attempt to
beat the trade-in offer.
Car Buying: 16 Tips to the Best Deal - [Get Life on The Road]
http://tinyurl.com/mxfsa
http://www.squidoo.com/waldorfandstatler/
a nice site devoted to two muppets.
Now playing on the Net: War propaganda
Amid the home videos of dancing teens and sporting events on YouTube,
a well-crafted, nine-minute video makes a direct appeal to Americans
to oust the Bush administration.
"People of America, we wish to share with you our thoughts on the
events we experienced," says the narrator of "Iraq--the truth?" The
narrator claims to represent those opposing the U.S. in Iraq.
"Despite the madness we have endured we see no harm in presenting you
with the criminal nature of your newly elected emperor."
http://tinyurl.com/gerqw
Automaker aims to bring clean cars to the masses
SANTA ROSA, Calif.--ZAP CEO Steven Schneider is right: People do
notice you more when you drive an unusual car.
During a 15-minute test drive of the company's all-electric Xebra
car, nearly every pedestrian downtown here stopped and turned as we
passed by. There was the elderly couple with their mouths slightly
open and the two guys in their 30s in the park who pretended not to
look. A group at the corner switched from staring at the cars and
scooters arrayed in the lobby of ZAP's headquarters to watch a Xebra
in action.
Granted, two guys in their 20s laughed at the pink, egg-shaped car
with three wheels. But the two 12-year-olds with a mom loved it.
"It's cool," said one of the kids, who asked for a tour of ZAP's
lobby. Unfortunately, because the company had so much tourist traffic
that it crimped productivity, the lobby is open only one afternoon a
week.
http://tinyurl.com/rq8d9
Social Bookmark Style Shopping
http://www.thisnext.com/
Solution for Road Rage? The perfect gift for the passive-aggessive
driver in your household.
It's called the Drivemocion, which is a small electronic display that
can attach to the back window (replacing that moldy "Baby On Board")
and types out messages such as "Back OFF," "THANKS," and a few we
can't print. It even has smilie faces and frownie faces, for the
computer geek in you. If you program it to read-off one of the four-
letter words, you'll vent your anger but don't blame us if the guy
behind you rams your car. Available in versions with 2 messages, 3
messages, or 5 messages on the Drivemocion website (which shows all
three as being sold out at the moment). Via techeblog.
http://tinyurl.com/fxe4z
NUFF SAID
http://www.goldenpicklejuice.com/
Ultraviolet bread box preserves bread, freaks out friends (causes
sunburnt hands) Contrary to appearances, this is not a device for
creating giant mutant bread, it's actually a bread box designed to
prevent mold from growing on your run of the mill unmodified loaf of
carbs. Based on the same groovy kind of UV light used in food and
medical sanitization, the breadbox should be relatively easy to build
for anyone with minimal DIY skills -- and even if it didn't work
exactly as intended, would be a stylish addition to any mad
scientist's (or fantasy lad's) kitchen. But according to the folks at
InventGeek, it actually does its job, increasing the shelf life of
bread by about 50%, and preventing any mold from growing on the
exterior of the bread (it may still grow inside, however). They
didn't say what the bread tasted like after being baked a second time
in UV, but you want to give it a shot yourself, the total cost of
parts should only run you about $65.
http://tinyurl.com/hmgdf
(BAH on the next one)
Company claims to have developed new technology that provides
unlimited free energy August 20, 2006 Steorn, an Irish company,
claims to have produced a groundbreaking (we do not use this word
lightly) technology which is based on the interaction of magnetic
fields and produces free, clean and constant energy. If the claims
are true, the new technology will enable a significant range of
benefits, from the convenience of never having to refuel your car or
recharge your mobile phone, to a genuine solution to the need for
zero emission energy production. It will also provide a secure supply
of energy, since the components of the technology are readily
available. Steorn’s technology appears to violate the ‘Principle
of the Conservation of Energy’, (energy can neither be created nor
destroyed, it can only change form) considered by many to be the most
fundamental principle in our current understanding of the universe.
Fully aware that its claims will be considered bunkum by anyone who
has graduated kindergarten, Steorn today issued a challenge to the
global scientific community to test its free energy technology.
Steorn has placed an advertisement in The Economist to attract the
attention of the world’s leading scientists working in the field of
experimental physics. From all the scientists who accept the
challenge, twelve will be invited to take part in a rigorous testing
exercise to prove that Steorn’s technology creates free energy. The
results will be published worldwide.
http://tinyurl.com/he7xd
GigaView HDD Multimedia Player The GigaView is a 3.5-inch hard drive
enclosure that lets you display the digital media contents of your
hard drive on a TV. Once you've inserted a hard drive (or memory
card) into the GigaView, simply hook the box up to a TV using one of
the included cables and let the multimedia madness ensue. It's able
to play back all the formats that make trolling through Usenet and
IRC worth while, such as the myriad forms of Divx and MPEG, though
it's audio playback seems to be limited to only MP3.
The GigaView supports hard drives up to 400GB in size, certainly more
than enough to hold a couple of silver screen masterpieces (and photo
slideshows, and home movies...). Able to output a video signal
through standard RCA cables, S-Video and VGA, the GigaView is
compatible with both PAL and NTSC TV formats. Happy day!
The GigaView certainly isn't the only hard drive enclosure/media
player on the market, nor is it as feature-filled, but for only
around $75, it wouldn't make a bad addition to one of the bedrooms.
Besides, anybody's who's anybody is already running a home theater PC
in their den of multimedia marvels. – NICHOLAS DELEON
Product Page [Maplin Electronics via The Red Ferret Journal]
http://tinyurl.com/zvbvo
(NEAT)
Pinhole Camera: Disguised as a Screwhead

This wireless pinhole video camera looks like a screw. Pervy, ain't
it? We don't know anything else about this cam, as the blog we're
linking to just shows some stats (300 lines of resolution.) If anyone
knows something, drop us a tip.– BRIAN LAM
Pinhole Camera [Darkcreek]
http://tinyurl.com/jepj6
150 cool and free programs for Microsoft Windows XP The supreme list
of cool windows programs has been revealed by Blake Handler
http://tinyurl.com/ecba4
Ferocious ants bite like a bullet Trap-jaw ants bite with a force of
over 300 times their own bodyweight, new high-speed digital images
have shown. Their jaws spring shut at more than 100 km/h (66mph)- the
fastest recorded speed at which an animal can move its body parts.
The pictures also reveal these tiny creatures, native to Central and
South America, do more with their vicious jaws than simply giving a
nasty nip. By biting the ground, the ants hurl themselves upwards
when danger looms.
http://tinyurl.com/ls7yq
Adventure Medical Kits
Full medical station in a pouch

During an emergency, instilling order, confidence, and calm is the
major assignment of the first aider. Over the years of running a
large household I've found that keeping medical supplies together in
one handy place helps me provide that stability in those early
moments of panic. My highly-evolved first aid kit has become
extremely refined, but also slightly less portable. I could no longer
get all that I needed quickly out to the yard, or in the car, or
packed into a backpack.
After some experimentation, I found what works best is a pre-packaged
medical kit. They appear to be expensive, but are really not when you
tally up the costs of the components -- most of which have a pretty
long shelf life.
The kits from Adventure Medical Kits are highly praised in search and
rescue fields. Expeditions carry larger versions. The case is hardy,
lightweight and quick to navigate through. An amazing amount of stuff
is squirreled away inside, all easy to reach.
The kit I prefer, the AMK Fundamentals, contains a full spectrum of
basic first aids, burn materials, CPR mouth barrier, scissors,
tweezers, syringe, plenty variety of bandages, a SAMS splint (which I
wish I had earlier when my wife broke her wrist), a decent small
emergency medical book (Wilderness and Travel Medicine), and extra
containers for personalized pill transport. With this kit you'd be
prepared to handle most injuries a non-doctor could manage. It is
rated for 1-8 people and is one of the more complete versions available.
AMK offers all manner of kits customized to particular outdoor sports
like kayaking or biking. This one is perfect for a family on the go.
I'll pack it along when we go on vacation. (I also carry one of AMK's
ultralight kits in my briefcase bag.)
-- KK
Fundamentals Medical Kit
(in their Mountain series)
$87
Manufactured by Adventure Medical Kits
Available from Chinook Medical
http://tinyurl.com/jvhgx
Learn a second language from the Foreign Service Institute

Web site FSI Language courses scans and rips the foreign language
courses created by the Foreign Services Institute (the main training
facility for American Foreign Service Officers and personnel), making
them available for free in electronic format.
I've looked at a lot of different free language resources (and we've
discussed a few here), but the courses available from the FSI are
some of the best and most comprehensive free options I've seen. The
MP3 audio and supplementary text PDFs look like a great way to learn
anything from Cantonese to Turkish, and they appear to be actively
adding new content. Thanks Mike! — ADAM PASH
FSI Language Courses [via Bunch of Nerds]
http://tinyurl.com/jo7p8
Airfare prediction site Farecast adds a city near you

Airfare prediction web site Farecast gets a lot more useful today, as
they up their destination cities from 2 to over 55.
When I posted about Farecast back in June, I was dying to give it a
try for a trip of my own, but Seattle and Boston were the only cities
available. With over 55 U.S. airports and an RSS feed for tracking
fares and predictions, I'm looking forward to trying Farecast on an
upcoming trip.
If any of you have had a chance to kick Farecast's tires (that is, if
any of you fly from Boston to Seattle often), let us know how the
predictions worked out for you in the comments or at tips at
lifehacker.com. Thanks Stephen! — ADAM PASH
Farecast
http://tinyurl.com/ehqrv
Welcome to My Dream App. You're about to be involved in a revolution in the software industry: a no holds barred, totally transparent and ridiculously low barrier version of Macintosh shareware development. Ever wished you had the programming chops to create a killer app? For the first time, you're going to have a chance to make those dream apps come true.
By entering the contest, your idea will be competing for a slot in the initial round of the 24 best, decided by our three developer judges, Austin Sarner (AppZapper), Jason Harris (ShapeShifter), and Martin Ott (SubEthaEdit). Each of these talented Mac developers will be weeding the coolest ideas out of the bunch, focusing on innovation, marketability, and feasibility of development. Then comes the fun part. These 24 entrants will, over the next five weeks, compete, blog, and further develop their ideas. The catch? The rest of the users on the site will be voting to determine who stays in.
We have high-profile Macintosh developers, well-known tech journalists, popular bloggers, and the best UI designers in the industry lined up to give feedback and help develop your ideas over the five weeks of voting. People like Kevin Rose (Digg), original Mac evangelist Guy Kawasaki, New York Times columnist and best-selling author David Pogue, and even Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. But of course, by the end of it, only three ideas will remain.
This is the best part. Not only will each of the winners receive a prize (ranging from iPod Shuffles to Mac Books), but under development manager John Casasanta's watch, their ideas will be made into full shareware applications by each of the developer judges and published under My Dream App, with royalties reserved for each winner.
The next couple of weeks are a critical part of the event, and to get the best 24 app ideas possible, we need you to enter. We don't care if you've never bought, or for that matter, downloaded a shareware app before. We don't even care if you're a Mac user. What we care about is the quality of the idea. So if you've had something stewing in the back of your head for a while, or experience an epiphany sometime during the next couple of weeks, register and enter your idea. We're looking forward to seeing it.
And, well, if you don't, go ahead and register anyway. It's free, it's going to be a lot of fun, and as you post feedback on blog posts, reply to discussion threads in the forums, and of course, vote on your favorite apps, you will be leaving your mark and helping change the face of software development forever.
Good luck to those who plan to enter!
20 Great Resources on Entrepreneurship
A topic that we usually introduce about at lifehack.org is
entrepreneurship. It is a sexy topic to talk about within the
business/management category. We could learn a lot from some
successful entrepreneurs because they are productive and motivated.
At Listible, it has a lot of 20 good resources for entrepreneur, from
blogs like our favorites: Steve Pavlina and Guy Kawasaki, and other
less mentioned but with hidden gems of good posts:
http://tinyurl.com/fd6q7
Cool Coffee table.... too expensive:
Designed by Bernard Vuarnesson, this coffee table has a top in
"carabottino" style, clearly of oriental inspiration. Four pull out
shelves with slight borders can be flexibly used to add significant
capacity to the table. Shown here in beech with double face top in
blue/beige laminate, the Tetra is also available in Iroko with black/
beige laminate, and in Iroko wenge stained wood with white/beige
laminate.
http://tinyurl.com/gmozj
Now this is funny..... as far as I know, 'lost' and 'don't know
where they are' are equal terms.......
NASA to Search Attics for Missing Moon-Walk Tapes
from the Seattle Times
WASHINGTON - Red-faced because the best pictures of its glory days are
missing, NASA said Tuesday it was launching an official search for
more than
13,000 original tapes of the historic Apollo moon missions.
What's missing are the never-before-broadcast, clear, original videos
- not
the grainy, converted pictures the world watched on television more than
three decades ago.
The tapes aren't lost, says the NASA official in charge of the
search. But
he doesn't know where they are. Most likely they are somewhere at the
sprawling Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., which
misplaced the
tapes originally. But they also could be stored somewhere else.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/
2003201902_moontapes16.htm
l
http://tinyurl.com/hgjye
look at defanition 1.1
Lost (lôst, lŏst) 
v.
Past tense and past participle of lose.
adj.
Unable to find one's way: a lost child.
No longer in the possession, care, or control of someone or
something: a lost pen.
No longer in existence; vanished or spent: lost youth.
No longer known or practiced: a lost art.
Beyond reach, communication, or influence: The expedition was lost to
the world for two months.
Not used to one's benefit or advantage: a lost opportunity.
Having not been or unlikely to be won; unsuccessful: a lost battle; a
lost cause.
Beyond recovery or redemption; fallen or destroyed: a lost soul.
Completely involved or absorbed; rapt: lost in thought.
Bewildered or confused: I'm lost—can you start over?
http://tinyurl.com/znk24
Martial Artists' Moves Revealed in "Fight Science" Lab
They can crush a stack of concrete slabs with a bare fist, walk
with catlike balance on a bamboo pole, and generate deadly kicks and
punches at lightning-fast speeds.
Real-life martial artists have long defied what many people would
think is humanly possible, and their seemingly superpowered abilities
have inspired generations of movies and television shows.
But where do the true skills end and the special effects begin? Maybe
Hollywood magic doesn't enter the equation as soon as you think.
For the upcoming television special, Fight Science, researchers used
high-tech equipment to put real martial artists to the test. The
feature will air on August 20 on the National Geographic Channel.
(National Geographic News is a division of the National Geographic
Society, which is part owner of the National Geographic Channel.)
The action took place inside a specially designed film studio that is
part laboratory and part dojo, a school for training in the various
arts of self-defense.
Here world champion martial artists from diverse disciplines were
pitted against a customized crash-test dummy outfitted with impact
sensors.
The sensors—along with infrared, high-speed, and high-definition
motion-capture cameras—allowed scientists to measure and map the
speed, force, range, and impact of the fighter's techniques.
The result is an unprecedented look at how martial artists generate
the power and speed behind each move.
Inside the Dojo
Randy Kelly, vice president of sales and business development for
Robert A. Denton, Inc., knows a thing or two about crash-test dummies.
His company is one of the world's largest suppliers of sophisticated
force-measurement devices for vehicle safety tests.
http://tinyurl.com/m7ydo
Getting Things Done Software Systems (Part 1 of 2)
Native Windows (offline-capable) software
Scope

While there are a great number of ways to put a Getting Things Done
system into action on a Windows PC, I'd like to compare and contrast
the benefits of using native Windows software like Outlook (arguably
the most popular personal information management software on Windows)
and handheld computers (in this case a Pocket PC) versus using online
web-based software. Today's post will focus on the "offline" native
Windows and Pocket PC software.
Quick Overview of GTD Concepts
If you've read the Getting Things Done book, or are already familiar
with the system, feel free to jump to the next section.
Almost all geeks that are interested in any way in productivity and
productivity software have probably heard of GTD, or Getting Things
Done. GTD is a productivity system developed by David Allen for busy
executives, which has achieved a certain cult-like status amongst
geeks. Many popular blogs like 43Folders and Black-Belt Productivity
have popped up over the past few years and have become extremely
successful discussing different approaches to the GTD system.
In it's most basic form, GTD is a system for helping to collect,
organize and act on your thoughts and outstanding "to-do" items. It
can be implemented completely using paper and pen, but obviously this
isn't what appeals to most geeks.

Briefly, GTD teaches you to collect all of your incoming information
into a single location (inbox), then deal with each incoming item
only once, choosing exactly what to do with each item at that time
(processing). Note that it's important to note that the act of
collecting should be separated from the act of processing - this
seperation is an integral part of the GTD system. Finally, GTD
teaches you to perform a weekly review, to ensure that all of the
tasks you are tracking are up-to-date, and that you have a sense of
everything you are attempting to keep track of. For a visual
description of this process, you can download a free PDF. To download
this PDF, you will need to register with a valid email address. (I
know - PITA).
Finally, what is the point of all this? Getting Things Done's main
point is that if you can collect all of your outstanding to-do items
and random "oops, I should..." thoughts and write them down in one
location, your brain can relax and stop trying to track them all.
This allows you to actually focus on what needs to get done. There is
also an element of determining which project a given task belongs to
(or if it is itself a project), and what context the task can be
performed in. The concept of contexts is another discussion
altogether, but it's important to keep it in mind since there are
varying ways to track context in different software applications.



As seen in Bon Appetit and Time Magazine!
Garden in a Bag sprouts in a sack
What an original way to show someone you care. Our Gardens-in-a-Bag
offer a living reminder of your good wishes that will last for a very
long time. The best part is that they are so easy to grow -- right in
the leak-proof bag! Simply mix the enclosed tin of seed into the bag,
add water and watch it grow. That's it! They do great sitting on a
windowsill or under a desk lamp. Give them and grow them any time of
year!
Available (and organic!) herbs include Basil, Oregano, Italian
Parsley and Chives. Also available: Viola, Good Luck, Lavender,
Alpine Strawberry and Mini-Tomato. Click below for more details!
http://tinyurl.com/hrcay
Ingenious tomato planter turns gardening upside down! Thanks to a
whole new direction in growing tomatoes, your crop will be bigger,
better tasting, healthier, and easier to grow than ever before. You
can water, feed, trim and harvest without bending or kneeling—and
since your crop is upside down and will never touch the ground,
staking, caging, bacteria, ground rotting, fungus and small animals
become problems of the past. It’s the perfect gift for any gardener.
Great for those in apartments or small backyards. Water and
fertilize through the built-in top funnel; trim and harvest at chest
height! Also for cukes, peppers, flowers. Just add your soil and
plants. Topsy-Turvy™ Planter makes it easy to grow tomatoes and
vegetables because it eliminates the need for a backyard garden plot.
http://tinyurl.com/hcpsh



As seen in Lucky Magazine!
Even if you live in an apartment, you can still experience the joy of
nurturing, growing and harvesting your own beautiful herb garden.
These kits are easy to grow indoors any time of the year, or outdoors
during spring and summer. Just add potting soil, water, and a little
place in the sun.
This unique seed collection allows you to easily grow and maintain a
delicious culinary herb garden in your own garden or windowbox. The
herbs can be used fresh or can even be dried or frozen, providing
flavoring for your meals all year long.
Kit includes seed for ten of the most flavorful culinary herbs (Greek
Oregano, Thai Basil, English Thyme, Santo Cilantro, Sweet Italian
Leaf Parsley, Garlic Chives, Bouquet Dill, Mint, Sweet Marjoram, and
Lavender), wooden markers to label the planted seeds, a natural wood
pencil, and a helpful booklet with detailed growing instructions and
recipe ideas.
http://tinyurl.com/h5g4p
The cocoa in question was made from the same beans as chocolate, but it was not processed into a confectionary product. Processing usually strips cocoa of the flavanols that are believed to be beneficial to arterial health. “There’s a huge difference between cocoa and chocolate,” said Dr. Naomi D. L. Fisher, the lead author of the study.
Both Dr. Fisher and her co-author Dr. Norman K. Hollenberg, receive grant support from Mars Inc., which also supplied the cocoa used in the experiments. The paper was published in the August issue of The Journal of Hypertension.
The researchers studied 34 healthy subjects, 19 of them over 50. None were taking any medications, and all were free of cardiovascular, endocrine and kidney disease. Each consumed a quart of flavanol-rich sweetened cocoa every day for four to six days.
All of the subjects had significantly improved readings on several tests of blood flow that often deteriorate with age. But the effect was much more prominent in the over-50 group than in the younger subjects.
The scientists found that the cocoa flavanols work to widen arteries by the same mechanism as the heart drug nitroglycerin.
“In theory, this should reduce the risk for heart disease,” said Dr. Fisher, who is director of the hypertension service at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “But we need long-term, large-scale prospective trials to actually prove that.”
Coffee as a Health Drink? Studies Find Some Benefits
Coffee is not usually thought of as health food, but a number of recent studies suggest that it can be a highly beneficial drink. Researchers have found strong evidence that coffee reduces the risk of several serious ailments, including diabetes, heart disease and cirrhosis of the liver.
Among them is a systematic review of studies published last year in The Journal of the American Medical Association, which concluded that habitual coffee consumption was consistently associated with a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. Exactly why is not known, but the authors offered several explanations.
Coffee contains antioxidants that help control the cell damage that can contribute to the development of the disease. It is also a source of chlorogenic acid, which has been shown in animal experiments to reduce glucose concentrations.
Caffeine, perhaps coffee’s most famous component, seems to have little to do with it; studies that looked at decaffeinated coffee alone found the same degree of risk reduction.
(continued)...
Zyb will keep your contacts safe
Helpful reader Roar Nielsen remembered reading a post where I
admitted to dropping my Treo in a toilet after a night of carousing.
He recommended a new service called Zyb that lets data enabled
cellphones replicate all the important information via the internet.
The service is very similar to the online storage that the Hiptop
uses, except this is manual and currently supports over 200 phones.
Yahoo Mobile's Contact Backup service is very similar, but Zyb has
many fewer restrictions as to who can sign up.
Zyb users can manage synced contacts with a web interface, and they
can be shared with other Zyb users. Each account can be linked to
multiple mobile phones, and Zyb can be used to push old contacts to a
new phone. The early adopter geek in me is thrilled at the prospect.
Most cellphones ship with the required SyncML data interface so the
majority of phones are compatible. There's no cost to use the
service, and the founders guarantee that it will remain that way. The
company's business model shows plans to roll out additional fee based
premium features in the future. Eventually you'll be able to sync
your contacts from the website to Outlook or an iPod.
http://tinyurl.com/l6y52
Make your own touch-screen barcode scanner
For all you obsessive-compulsive types out there who need to keep
track of every single box of paper clips and old Popular Mechanics
magazines crammed into your overstuffed desk drawers, Max's App Note
Blog has posted an easy way to categorize your useless swag with a do-
it-yourself touch-screen barcode scanner. Little more than a standard
commercial touch-screen attached to a Metrologic Voyager scanner with
a RS232 null-modem cable (instructions for building your own are
included), this project has all sorts of practical applications, from
making sure the nano you just bought isn't some cheap knockoff to
giving your kids a head start on the technology they'll need to
master in order to become successful grocery store cashiers. And if
for some reason you fall upon hard times and are forced to sell off
most of your possessions, the touch-screen barcode scanner will make
your fire sale look that much more professional to the folks
snatching up your treasured gear at insultingly low prices.
http://tinyurl.com/zxxyg
China's cheap-as-free Ainol V3 MP3 players
While not the most attractive or featured-filled of their kind,
there's really no arguing with the price on these DAPs. The 512MB
version of the Ainol V3 retails for a mere $50 (in China, of course),
and packs in MP3, WMA, WAV and OGG codec support, a 1.3-inch screen
running at 160 x 129 for a bit of photo viewing or text reading, FM
radio, USB 2.0 and a most welcome miniSD slot. There's also a
rechargeable battery included that should last up to 8 hours, and the
V3 manages to squeeze it all into 0.5-inch thick enclosure. If 512MB
plus whatever miniSD sticks you have lying around isn't enough
storage, you can always jump to the 1GB version for $69.
http://tinyurl.com/jezlr
AND
Ainol's 1GB US$70 Mp3 player
(link to this article)
August 14, 2006 We just can’t get over how hot MP3 players are at
present. From being non-existent just a handful of years ago,
portable audio player sales last year hit US$5 billion in the United
States, which comes into perspective when you find out that the
combined home and automotive market for fixed audio systems was US
$5.11 billion. Whatsmore, the MP3 market is expected to more than
double again by 2009.
http://tinyurl.com/ehyv4
Siemens VDO shows off eCorner motor-in-hub concept
We've seen various implementations of all these assorted next-gen car
technologies that Siemens got ahold of for their new eCorner system,
but they've managed to squeeze them all into a single wheel, creating
quite an interesting system for use with fuel cell or hybrid cars.
First off, there's an electronic motor integrated into the wheel hub,
allowing for more efficient power use and independent rotation from
the rest of the car. Next up is an active suspension system and
Siemens' very own electronic wedge brake (EWB). Finally, the
independent steer-by-wire function built into the wheel allows for
some very interesting maneuverability. Siemens expect cars that would
use such functionality to be common in 15 years or so, but we hope we
don't have to wait that long for all the fun and power savings this
system promises.
http://tinyurl.com/flvwx
Homebuilt "Evette" electric car gets 200 miles per charge
It may not be as badass-looking or quite as fast as the Wrightspeed
X1, but Tom and Yvette Sines' "Evette" electric car does have the
edge in at least one area: it's street-legal. And it ain't too shabby
in terms of performance either, with a range of 200 miles and a top
speed of 60 miles per hour. Like the Wrightspeed, however, a big
chunk of the car is nothing but batteries, with twenty-four 12-volt
batteries packed into that fiberglass body, which can supposedly be
recharged at a cost of just $2 (although they'll have to be replaced
every three to five years). While it's a one of a kind wonder for
now, the husband and wife duo are currently seeking investors to help
them mass produce the car, which they say could go for as little as
$25,000 once production ramps up -- although we're guessing they'd
probably have to change the name, or face some expenses of another sort.
http://tinyurl.com/j7gyo
ANOTHER ONE:
(Video) Flexible Plastic Display
Plastic Logic has developed new technology which “enables active
electronic circuits to be produced on large flexible plastic
substrates with high yield.” Video after the jump.
These circuits are constructed using solution processing and direct-
write techniques and consist of transistors and other components that
are produced from polymers and a variety of other materials
http://tinyurl.com/eg4s5
BookMooch - Almost free real books
What is BookMooch? According to John Buckman (founder of the new
system), here is the description:
BookMooch is a web site where anyone can give away books no longer
wanted. In return, you get to ask other people for books you do want.
There is a point system based on the books you offer/give and other
aspects, when the goal is reached you can “mooch a book” from
another user, this means you’ll receive the desired book in your
home, for free. The person sending the book has to pay for the
sending costs which are different from country to country and etc.
I think BookMooch is missing a real beta mode version, it seems like
there are still some bugs and other things to test out. In this
Inquirer interview, John Buckman says there were 2 weeks of intense
beta testing, but maybe that wasn’t enough.
What I think about BookMooch:
The idea is good but the system still needs some adjustments.
The portuguese version of BookMooch has some crucial spelling
mistakes, using the google translation system is a not a smart idea…
I sent them an e-mail regarding this aspect and received a reply from
the founder - John Buckman - asking to translate other things as
well. It was a cold e-mail with no thank you message, just a
paragraph asking to make more translations. So here it is, the public
gadgetizer translation service, helping BookMooch get better.
On the home page:
BookMooch - uma vida nova para seus livros -> BookMooch - uma nova
vida para os seus livros
Revisão -> Procurar
Juntar -> Registar
Busca -> Pesquisar
Receber pedidos para seus livros -> Receber pedidos para os seus livros
Afixar seus livros e receber pontos -> Enviar os seus livros e
receber pontos
PS - Of course I won’t do the whole BookMooch translation, there are
services to do that kind of work.
http://tinyurl.com/gurqw
Security 'bad news for sex drive' A woman's sex drive begins to
plummet once she is in a secure relationship, according to research.
Researchers from Germany found that four years into a relationship,
less than half of 30-year-old women wanted regular sex. Conversely,
the team found a man's libido remained the same regardless of how
long he had been in a relationship. Writing in the journal Human
Nature, the scientists said the differences resulted from how humans
had evolved. The researchers from Hamburg-Eppendorf University
interviewed 530 men and women about their relationships. They found
60% of 30-year-old women wanted sex "often" at the beginning of a
relationship, but within four years of the relationship this figure
fell to under 50%, and after 20 years it dropped to about 20%. In
contrast, they found the proportion of men wanting regular sex
remained at between 60-80%, regardless of how long they had been in a
relationship.
http://tinyurl.com/lbkfx
Anderson Powerpoles
12-volt plug system

I have been building small portable solar systems for camping and
power outages using 12 volts. You can run regular 110-volt devices by
sending the 12 volts through an inverter, or more efficiently, there
are some really great 12-volt products out there. Unfortunately, most
of the 12-volt devices you can buy come with a cigarette lighter
plug. These plugs are often of poor quality, and are much too bulky,
especially when you want to hook up multiple things to a power source.
I went searching for a better connecting system, and it turns out the
ham radio crowd found a great solution years ago. They are called
Anderson Powerpoles, and are perhaps the perfect 12-volt connector.
Some of the advantages:
* Flat wiping contact system (cleans the contacts every time you use
them)
* Interchangeable genderless design
* Colored, modular housings
* Polarized, so you can't hook things up wrong way
* 15/30/45 amp contacts use the same housing
I chopped off every cigarette lighter plug I have, and now put these
on everything. Of course I still keep one lighter plug around (with a
powerpole on the other end) for when I need juice from a car.
-- Howie Oakes
Anderson Powerpoles
$1 per set
Available from PowerWerx
More info and ideas about Powerpoles
http://tinyurl.com/hhkdx
Evaluate Product Health Hazards Like A Pro
CommonDreams recently reported that “A guide by the Washington
Department of Ecology to educate consumers on the safe and proper
disposal of hazardous household products was withdrawn from
publication a decade ago under industry pressure and never re-issued,
according to agency documents released today by Public Employees for
Environmental Responsibility (PEER)”. Check out this link for more
on the history of the apparent lobbying effort. There’s a good news
ending, at least. An agency from the neighboring US State of Oregon
has updated the guide and that revised version is downloadable here.
Get it while you can: lobbyists don’t give up easily. Like many good
public domain publications, the guide has a proprietary competitors.
One in particular has wider utility. Want to formulate your own
products with low hazard ingredients? Look below for details on free
access.
Check out this interactive online database located on a National
Library of Medicine server (free access via this link). Because it's
never too late for a Federal budget cut or Congressional
intervention, however, we suggest you have at it now, while it's
still up. If your favorite brand is not listed, don’t despair. The
directed toxicology links are useful for learning about the hazards
of product constituents by name, regardless of brand.
http://tinyurl.com/jgbps
Solar Hyper-Concentrators: Reducing The Cost of Solar Power
http://tinyurl.com/h3vyf
Wind Turbines on the Edge: Small Wind Power Could be Moving in Next Door
http://tinyurl.com/g43qz
50 Ways to Save Your Water The folks at Consumer Reports have been
making an effort to be a little greener for a while now, with
resources like their "Greener Choices" section and projects like the
realistic gas mileage tests. Their latest effort is a list of 50 ways
to save water, and it includes a bevy of easy, quick ideas to insure
that more water doesn't go down the drain than it should. Featured on
the list are some that we've trumpeted before, like using low-flow
showerheads and taking care to use the dishwasher correctly. If the
quick fixes are too easy for you, they also offer ideas for long term
investment in water efficiency, including some good ideas for further
research and some interesting stats on where all our water goes (14%
of it leaks!). Worth a look, especially for anyone doing a little
home improvement this weekend. ::Consumer Reports via ::Hippyshopper
http://tinyurl.com/gbdha
Ask the Readers: Create a will? Reader Kristi writes in:
I'm 31, single, and do not have a will. Obviously my family doesn't
know the details of my finances. Do you know an inexpensive way to
create a will and do you have any tips for being prepared for such an
eventuality? (i.e. record of finances, power of attorney, etc.)
We've featured some law books which cover creating your own will, but
not a whole lot on setting things up so that your family will have
everything they need when the time comes. Any readers have tips for
Kristi and anyone else preparing for that inevitable day? Anyone lose
someone recently who wished the deceased had done something
differently to help out his or her surviving loved ones? Let us know
in the comments or to tips at lifehacker.com. — GINA TRAPANI
http://tinyurl.com/jtqk5
MASSIVE ONLINE ARCHIVE OF COMIC BOOKS:
http://www.aibq.com/index.php
