Google Takes a Stand!

As you may guess, I am not a big fan of China and it's policies against freedom. I will say that I have always been in the middle on the issue of us doing business with them. The idea that bringing a censored Internet to China is better than no Internet to China has always seemed to hold water with me. But it has always made me uneasy. While abstractly I understood, I knew that I couldn't ever pander to China even for money.

So I have to say that I am really happy that Google won't be pandering to China any more. They are "Reconsidering their approach to China". I was already a Google fan and this has just furthered this fondness! So who is next? Microsoft? Yahoo?

(HT: The Hill)

Metal Velcro

Awesome isn't it? There really is metal velcro or, without the trademark term, hook and loop fastener. It is so cool! From the press release:

Hook and loop fasteners made of spring steel have now been developed at the Institute of Metal Forming and Casting of the Technische Universitaet Muenchen. These fasteners are resistant to chemicals and can withstand a tensile load of up to 35 tonnes per square meter at temperatures as high as 800°C.

This is so cool! I love watching materials innovation. In the article it says that they were looking for automotive innovations and uses in construction. How neat!

(HT: Next Big Future)

Why I Don't Own a Smartphone

I love gadgets and tech. But I don't own a smartphone. Heck, I don't even own a "real" phone plan. It is for a couple of reasons. First, I have 4 kids so if I am not home I probably am to busy to talk (ie out with the kiddos). But the second has to do with the costs. PC World has a great image that compares all the smartphone plans. The cheapest ends up being just over $100 a month. That is really pricey and they all go up from there. They seem to be fun toys but...I also find that I might as well just use my laptop because I can do more on it. Between Starbucks and my church I have great access to free wifi. How about you? Do you have a smartphone? Do you think they are worth the price?

Bing?

Apparently Microsoft has come up with their own search engine. I really like Google but I am intrigued....

Viagra: The New Weapon in the War on Terror

Yes, I said Viagra. It only took 4 Viagra to bribe an Afghan chieftain. I think we are all familiar with the fact that the CIA sends in agents to find informants. And the fact those "assets" aren't giving us information out of the goodness of their hearts but due to some payoff be it money, women, or weapons. But that can have it's downside.

The usual bribes of choice -- cash and weapons -- aren't always the best options, Afghanistan veterans say. Guns too often fall into the wrong hands, they say, and showy gifts such as money, jewelry and cars tend to draw unwanted attention.

"If you give an asset $1,000, he'll go out and buy the shiniest junk he can find, and it will be apparent that he has suddenly come into a lot of money from someone," said Jamie Smith, a veteran of CIA covert operations in Afghanistan and now chief executive of SCG International, a private security and intelligence company. "Even if he doesn't get killed, he becomes ineffective as an informant because everyone knows where he got it."

The key, Smith said, is to find a way to meet the informant's personal needs in a way that keeps him firmly on your side but leaves little or no visible trace.

In this case it was a 60 year old man with 4 wives. It took 4 little sample pills and he was ours. I am cool with this because they can't shoot us with our own weapons or really do us any harm with bribes like this. And maybe they will share and the enemy will be, how do I say, otherwise engaged;)?

(HT: Neatorama)

Pregnancy Twitter

So are you a tekkie who wants to start your baby off the right way? Well, you can get the Kickbee and twitter your pregnancy. It reads the fetal movement and then posts Twitter alerts. This is ridiculously cool.

With Kailani's recent announcement, I think I have found the perfect gadget for her!

I'm a PC!

I think the new Microsoft commercials are a great comeback at all you Mac heads. I found this interview with the first "I'm a PC" guy and it is a little interesting. What do you all think about these commercials? I personally am tired of the idea that all the interesting and creative people are only on Macs. Now I am not interesting or creative but still;).

Science Dork Alert!

There is an awesome article how engineers are retrofitting UC Berkley's stadium. Why?

Memorial Stadium was built in 1923 atop the Hayward Fault, which the U.S. Geological Survey said has a 70 percent chance of hatching a 6.7-magnitude or greater quake by 2030. The earth could move up to 6 feet horizontally and 2 feet vertically, presenting a challenge to engineers charged with saving the stadium and the football fans who might be inside.

While plenty of buildings around the world sit atop earthquake faults, Memorial Stadium is unique because of the sheer quantity of people it holds: 75,662. It's also unique because seismologists know exactly where the fault lies - under Section LL, through both end zones and out Section XX.

Cool.

(HT: Instapundit)

Exciting New Addition to the NerdFamily!

The Nerd Family got a Wii! I was out a Costco and had an opportunity to get the last one they had. This (other than the normal computer desires) was the only thing NerdDad had wanted for Christmas and Valentine's Day. Now we couldn't find one or justify the expense for those holidays but... Obviously I seized this opportunity when it appeared. The Wii is so much fun, we love it. Something we didn't know that is cool is that you can play Gamecube games also! What I don't know is if there is an adapter to play GameBoy games. So any of you know? If so leave me the details.

Best Buy Gift Card Giveaway

Best Buy is trying to earn the good will of all the people who bought the HD-DVD players from them before February 23rd since HD-DVD so totally lost out to Blu-Ray. This going to cost them $10 million but I think it is a great idea at twice the price. Anything that will win over early adapters like this is worth its weight in gold. Think about it, they are paying out $50 to people who were willing to spend up to $500 on a player (that isn't counting any disk purchase). These are the target market. They are automatically mailing out cards, starting in May, to people who purchased and are on the loyalty program or purchased on-line. Not one of those? Then just go into the store with a proof of purchase.

Does this rid the HD-DVD purchasers of the ill taste in their mouth over this issue? No, but it does help stop them from assigning blame to Best Buy.

Brilliant, just brilliant!

(HT: Motley Fool)

Technorati Tags: HD-DVD, Best Buy

Cat5 Plant Holder: Techno Green Project

Shog apparently had to much time on his hands and came up with this cool macramé plant holder. While I would have never thought to do it, I think it's cool. If anyone has time and cable (which we might have cable) this would be a great craft project with a kid and it's recycling!

Still A Cool Car

I still think this car is cool. Supposedly they are reworking the transmission but will be producing all new ones by mid-March. I guess that they are going to be doing a patch. Then once they have a permanent solution they will retrofit all the ones that are already out. I do have to say, if I was going to put out $98,000 I would wait for the finished version.

A Very Nerdy Giveaway!

Congrats to Sarslyn over at The Place Beneath for winning our giveaway this week!




In honor of Fall Ya'all Giveaways I have a nice little nerdy thing to giveaway, PNY Attache 1GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive. In order to enter the drawing for this great flash drive you must leave a comment (that either has your email in the profile or in the comment) and a winner will be picked by random. This contest is only open to people with in the mainland US. The winner will be determined Sunday November 4th and I will email the winner.

Spherical Tree House

So this looks very cool. It can sleep 4, is plumbed and has electricity. I am wondering if it sways as you walk in it. You too can have one of these for only a base price of $150,000.

(HT: BoingBoing)

Lego Assembly Line

There does seem to be a little discussion as to the authenticity of this. I think it is real. I also think it is cool. I would love to see the plans and have my kids build part of this. Hey, I would rather my kids build me one that would fold laundry...Off to ponder the possibilities...
(HT: Instapundit)

Stretch Marks No More?

So I was reading Child Magazine the other day and I saw some interesting (and odd) news. First, apparently some people get laser treatment to reduce post-baby stretch marks. Secondly, there is now a new procedure, plasma skin regeneration, that is a treatment out there to rid us of our stretch marks. Supposedly there can be up to 60% reduction after 3 or 4 sessions. Interesting... I don't know if I would ever do it but interesting.

Tech Cakes

Gizmondo has pictures of 10 tech cakes. This one seems the easiest to do. Since it doesn't have any set patterns it won't matter that I am bad at piping;). The Linux penguin was attainable but that is a lot of fondant.

(HT: BoingBoing)

Hollow Celery

While I don't drink I still think that this engineered hollow celery is cool. Anytime science is manipulated for neat things I love it;)!
(HT: BoingBoing)