STUFF: News, Technology, the cool and the plain weird

[MIKA27]

4M WATER ROCKET KIT

There’s still just a little bit of summer left for some and will soon begin other parts of the world, so now is the time to loosen up and have some fun. Sure, you could head to the beach one more time, or you could find a new way to spend your time. You know what sounds like a bit of fun? Shooting a water rocket high into the air.

If that sounds relevant to your interests, check out the 4M Water Rocket kit. It’s a kid-friendly and grownup-worthy kit which provides almost all of the necessary materials and instructions required to build your very own water-powered rocket. The device requires an air pump (not included) to send bubbles into the water bottle, thus creating pressure and sending it flying high into the air in explosive fashion. In fact, the water rocket can reach heights up to 30 feet. The kit provides safe, simple fun. It’s available for $18 on Amazon [Purchase]

[MIKA27]

The Hateful 8 – Official Teaser Trailer

Here’s your first look at Tarantino’s new Western.

[MIKA27]

KEEMALA RESORT PHUCKET THAILAND

Located in an isolated woodland/hillside location just 40 min from Phuket, lays one of the most highly anticipated resorts to open this year, the magical Keemala Resort. Positioned in the hills and within the lush woodlands, Keemala offers a retreat from every day life and welcomes you in to an enchanting evergreen wonderland. Guests are invited to immerse themselves into one of the many retreats on offer among the lush woodland, you can choose from four separate styles - clay and straw cottages, tent villas, tree houses and birds nest villas, each boast outdoor bathtubs and rainfall showers, a private pool and wide open spaces that encourage guests to rebalance, rejuvenate and relax among the trees, streams and waterfalls of the natural landscape. The place is perfect to invigorate the mind with massage or meditation beneath the trees.

[MIKA27]

WALD PLUG LAMP

Wald Plug Lamp could be your first step into the minimal aesthetic movement. Something simple, smart, that provides a "clean” look. The elegant "floor lamp” requires no wires, it fits into a light socket without any additional support or base, allowing you to quickly move it around the house if you want to. It´s a great mix of modern and classic, metal and wood, a winning combination that results in a piece of exquisite taste and build quality. You can choose between different finishes for both of the components, giving you a nice range of chromatic and texture combinations. The LA based Feltmark studio really hit the spot with this one.

[MIKA27]

OMEGA SEAMASTER 300 SPECTRE WATCH

The strap isn't quite the same as the original Bond watch. And this isn't a Rolex. But the Omega Seamaster 300 Spectre Watch will be on his wrist in the upcoming film. The watch is based on the '50s model of the same name, which happened to be among the first to use the anti-magnetic Omega Caliber 8400 movement. The seconds hand is changed from the original, from a point to a "lollipop" with a circular end, and the numerical indices on the bezel run from 0-11, so as to better keep up with time in different parts of the world. It's finished with a black and gray NATO strap sporting both 007 and Omega logos on the hardware, and is fittingly limited to just 7,007 pieces.

[MIKA27]

CHAR-BROIL ELECTRIC SMOKER

There's nothing like perfectly-smoked meat. But traditional smokers require serious babysitting. The Char-Broil Electric Smoker delivers great-tasting meat without the hassle. It has digital controls to accurately dial in your temp, a box to hold up to four cups of wood chips for longer jobs, and a thermometer for checking on your meat's internal temperature. There's also a glass door and light that lets you check on your food without opening the door, but thanks to the remote control, you don't need to check on it until it's time to eat.

[Habana Mike]

Simply Stunning: Watching Patagonia's Sky Fill Up With Clouds Is So Beautifully Ominous

This whole timelapse video, Patagonia 8K by Timestorm Films, is totally worth watching in its entirety just to see the landscapes of southern Chile and Argentina, but I especially enjoy the clip right above where the scattered clouds dance and merge together to form a dense layer that completely blocks out the sky. You know it’s coming down after that.

Absolutely amazing and beautiful part of the world. One of the top places I've ever visited.

Helps there's no cellphone reception for miles, hundreds of miles!

[MIKA27]

Software That Learns To Drift Could Teach Autonomous Cars To Drive Like Ken Block

Most researchers developing artificial intelligences are working towards a goal of making robots that can one day adapt to any situation. But researchers at MIT have instead created an AI that can learn to drift an RC car, which means that one day the terminators will drive even better than Ken Block can.

The machine learning software is first taught how to control a standard RC car — turning the wheel to the right makes the car go right, etc. — but then has to rely on simulations to determine what corrections need to be made to acceleration and steering to account for a decreased lack of friction between the floor and tires.

Small plastic balls attached to the RC car and cameras in the lab allow the learning software to keep track of the position and motion of the vehicle while it applies what it learned in the simulation to the real world. Not surprisingly, the RC car performed slightly differently outside of the perfectly-controlled simulation, but the software was able to easily adapt its controls to ensure the vehicle wouldn’t spin out.

The researchers were even able to change the friction between the RC car’s tires and the floor using salt, but that didn’t trip up the software AI. It was also able to easily maintain control of the car when it occasionally collided with another RC vehicle. Eventually this approach to autonomous learning could be incorporated into self-driving vehicles. So when the surface of the road becomes more slippery due to weather, the vehicle will be able to quickly adapt to any scenario while maintaining complete control.

[MIKA27]

The Crazy Simulator Where Pilots Learn How To Fly The F-35

How do pilots learn how to fly a fighter jet that cost a trillion dollars to develop (or a $135 million a pop to make)? By hopping in a total bad arse simulator that mimics everything about the F-35 in basically the sickest video game ever. The pilots in the simulator look like they’re flying some space age ship, with helmets that make them look like they have alien eyes.

It’s really cool. The pilots train on these simulators at Luke Air Force Base and it’s a cross between a roller coaster ride and the most realistic flight sim video game there is. That is to say it looks like a helluva lot of fun.

[MIKA27]

Disney's Star Wars Land Looks Amazing

Now that Disney has the rights to all things Star Wars, it’s looking to get as much mileage out of the franchise as possible. That might explain why Disney is building not one but two 14-acre Star Wars theme parks in the US. These photos look insane.

Disney bigwig Bob Iger revealed the two theme parks during the D23 keynote this week. One will be at Disneyland Anaheim in California, and the other will be in Disney’s Orlando theme park in Florida.

The park will be filled with various alien races, droids and other Star Wars characters, and every single store will be populated by “local inhabitants” to keep it all authentic.

Iger promised that “nothing in the land would stray from [star Wars] mythology”, so it’s going to be great for super-Star Wars geeks to get in on.

You’ll be able to enjoy “signature experiences” from the Star Wars universe at the new parks, including an experience that will see you take control of the Millennium Falcon on a “customised, secret mission”.

Even if you’re not a Star Wars fan, these parks look like they’ll be so much fun.

[MIKA27]

USS MACON CUTAWAY WALLPAPER

Click image to enlarge

The USS Macon and its sister ship, the USS Akron, were the largest helium-filled airships ever made. They were launched in 1933 and 1931 respectively, and each only had a service life of roughly two years – both were lost in separate severe storms.

Macon had a hull made from structured duraluminum with three internal keels, it held its helium in 12 gas cells made from a lightweight gelatine-latex material and power was provided by 8 Maybach 12 cylinder engines each capable of 560 hp, and each able to be rotated up, down, left and right, as an early example of thrust vectoring.

Both the Macon and the Akron operated as flying aircraft carriers, they could carry up to 5 Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk aircraft which were typically used for scouting. Interestingly, the water vapour was condensed out of each engine’s exhaust gasses and stored as secondary ballast – this compensated for the weight of fuel lost during operation.

If you’d like to read more about the USS Macon you can click here

[MIKA27]

Kill Zombies at Melbourne's Virtual Reality Game Centre

It’s like Timezone but for the year 2015. Over the weekend, the world’s first virtual reality game centre, Zero Latency, opened in Melbourne. Upon putting on the Oculus Rift DK2 headset, you’ll soon be transported into an immersive world where your mission is to fend off bloodthirsty zombies.

It took director Tim Ruse and his team three years of research, development and funding (including a grant from Film Victoria) to launch Zero Latency. Set in a 400 square metre warehouse space—covered in a white grid pattern and fitted out with 129 PlayStation Eye cameras—Zero Latency offers players a free-roam, physical gaming experience. “Imagine a game that doesn’t feel like a game. Where your body is the controller. And your mind believes it’s real,” reads the website.

Appealing to your laser tag-loving teen, you’ll be armed with a rifle and a backpack, which houses an Alienware Alpha PC that renders the virtual world seen through your Oculus headset. The rest is up to you to navigate through the physical space to target and kill zombie attackers who come at you through a range of virtual environments.

Zero Latency is located at 22-32 Steel St, North Melbourne. Each game session goes for about an hour, and costs $88 per player with the option to go solo or in teams of up to six.

[MIKA27]

TOUCHJET WAVE

Turn nearly any TV into a touchscreen with the Touchjet Wave. This diminutive device uses infrared sensors to detect finger movements, letting it support both taps and gestures. It runs Android 4.4, so it supports tons of apps, includes an IR stylus, so you can save your screen from fingerprints, and clips to the top of your TV, letting it support screens up to 80 inches in size and resolutions up to 4K at 30fps over HDMI.

[MIKA27]

Boeing Patented A Drone That Turns Into A Submarine -- Just Like In Movies

The idea to build a plane that turns into a submarine is not new. However, the mission to build an unmanned variation of such a vehicle is rather 21st-century. Boeing actually already has a design ready.

Earlier this year, the USPTO awarded the aviation giant with a patent for a “rapid deployment air and water vehicle.” It’s evidently exactly what it sounds like: a drone that can be launched from an aircraft carrier and dive into the ocean near its target. That’s when the magic happens. When the drone hits the water, the patent says it detaches portions of the wings with “an explosive bolt or water soluble glue” in order to reduce drag. The drone can then deploy a payload and/or resurface to send messages back to the mothership.

This is not yet a real vehicle. Boeing just has a patent on the design, and it’s unclear if the company ever plans to build it. It’s basically an invention from a Batman movie, so it’s hard to comprehend just how useful it would be in real life. However, people have been trying to build something like this since before World War II, so there’s obviously interest. The United States Navy even built and tested a drone that can be launched from underwater. Now let’s see if the private sector can do the reverse.

[MIKA27]

How DNA Could Replace Hard Drives

The capacity of our digital storage devices has skyrocketed in recent years. But there’s one storage medium that still kicks the crap out of our state-of-the-art solid state, and humans didn’t invent it. It’s called DNA.

A team of scientists is trying to figure out whether the double-helix molecules that encode every plant, animal and microbe on planet Earth can be used to preserve our data for thousands of years. At the 250th meeting of the American Chemical Society today, ETH Zurich’s Robert Grass is presenting a proof-of-concept demonstration of the technology. His research team has managed to encode DNA with 83 kilobytes of text from the Swiss Federal Charter from 1291 and the Method of Archimedes from the 10th century.

Like Computers, But Better

“A little after the discovery of the double helix architecture of DNA, people figured out that the coding language of nature is very similar to the binary language we use in computers,” Grass said in a statement.

On hard drives, we use zeros and ones to represent data. DNA, meanwhile, uses four chemical bases (A,T, C and G), strung together like rungs on a sugar-phosphate ladder. It’s got four letters instead of two numbers, but both systems can store endlessly complex permutations of information.

Except that DNA, Grass argues, is much, much better. Today, a hard drive the size of a small book might back up roughly five terabytes of data, and that drive’s components might last about 50 years. Meanwhile, a microscopic droplet of DNA can hold the complete “instruction book” — billions upon billions of letters — for thousands of organisms. In theory, Grass says, a fraction of an ounce of DNA could store more than 300,000 terabytes of information. Even better, from archaeological and paleontological studies, we know that DNA can last for hundreds to thousands of years.

Time Capsules

Frozen DNA locked inside cells might last a few millennia, but Grass sees no reason we can’t do better. That’s why his team is now packing DNA into tiny, heat-resistant silica spheres. After baking some of these spheres at 160ºF for a week — the equivalent of keeping them at 50 degrees for 2,000 years — the DNA inside was still error free. Kept in cold storage, one of these capsules might end up lasting tens of thousands, perhaps even millions of years.

That sounds pretty promising, but the experimental technology still faces some big hurdles. For one, DNA-based archives aren’t yet searchable, which poses a rather major problem in terms of usability. Imagine what a nightmare it’d be to recover a lost file on a backup drive if you had to sift through every single document yourself. Then there’s the currently-staggering price tag: Grass reckons that encoding and storing a few megabytes of data today would cost thousand of dollars.

But scientists are hopeful these obstacles can be overcome. Grass’ team is already working on methods for labelling specific bits of DNA, the first step toward creating a searchable archive. And as the methods are refined and automated, the cost of genetic storage could drop substantially.

What sorts of data might we want to store on DNA? Grass imagines it could help us track and preserve our ever-evolving troves of online information — for instance, changes in Wikipedia pages over time. Or the entirety of humanity’s online Starcraft experience, or every episode of Doctor Who plus outtakes, until the end of time. Maybe even the IRS could finally digitize its records — hey, one can dream.

My mind, however, immediately jumped to the biological storage potential. Imagine if you could not only pack your genome into a capsule, but stick your entire biography right alongside. In the future, humans might be able to clone your fleshy self back into existence and reconstruct your memories. Creepy or amazing? You decide.

[oliverdst]

Boeing Patented A Drone That Turns Into A Submarine -- Just Like In Movies

The idea to build a plane that turns into a submarine is not new. However, the mission to build an unmanned variation of such a vehicle is rather 21st-century. Boeing actually already has a design ready.

Earlier this year, the USPTO awarded the aviation giant with a patent for a “rapid deployment air and water vehicle.” It’s evidently exactly what it sounds like: a drone that can be launched from an aircraft carrier and dive into the ocean near its target. That’s when the magic happens. When the drone hits the water, the patent says it detaches portions of the wings with “an explosive bolt or water soluble glue” in order to reduce drag. The drone can then deploy a payload and/or resurface to send messages back to the mothership.

This is not yet a real vehicle. Boeing just has a patent on the design, and it’s unclear if the company ever plans to build it. It’s basically an invention from a Batman movie, so it’s hard to comprehend just how useful it would be in real life. However, people have been trying to build something like this since before World War II, so there’s obviously interest. The United States Navy even built and tested a drone that can be launched from underwater. Now let’s see if the private sector can do the reverse.

Let me know when they patent a submarine that turns into a drone

[MIKA27]

Trailer for New Frankenstein Flick Looks … Interesting

From first looks at this clip it feels a lot like a mad scientist version of Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies.

McAvoy is the narcissistic, sardonic genius as Victor Frankenstein and Radcliffe is his loyal, pragmatic sidekick as Igor (without whom Victor would be lost). It all looks … interesting. Director Paul McGuigan hasn’t directed a feature film since the B-level superpower movie Push back in 2009, and before that it was Lucky Number Slevin. But he did direct a handful of episodes in the smashing Sherlock series starring Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock alert!). And the screenplay comes from Max Landis, who’s been quiet since his breakout with Chronicle but has four movies slated to come out this year, including this week’s Jesse Eisenberg assassin vehicle, American Ultra.

With Landis and McGuigan combined, that’s quite the mish-mash of sensibilities, but off-kilter action with a strong central relationship at the core seems to be a connecting factor. To Radcliffe’s credit, he has been making enjoyably strange choices since turning into a full-blown grown-up actor, and like Horns before it, Victor Frankenstein looks like it’s either going to go horribly right or horribly wrong, depending on your sensibilities.

[MIKA27]

Man Arrested For Digging Up His Dead Dad

A rural Kentucky man was arrested Monday night for allegedly attempting to dig up his dad’s grave—apparently so the two could settle a father-son argument, cops say.

Michael D. May was at the Pilot Baptist churchyard in Eubank around 10:30 p.m. when authorities say a Lincoln County sheriff’s constable spotted his pickup truck. When the officer pulled into the property, he allegedly found the 44-year-old suspect with a shovel and pickaxe, digging at the burial plot of his old man, who died 30 years ago.

The constable immediately called for backup. He and three officers handcuffed May, but not before the suspect allegedly cracked into six inches of hardened earth, according to authorities. A roughly 2-by-3-foot swath of soil was removed, police told The Daily Beast.

“We arrest him, actually, for public intoxication … and he told [the deputies] he was going to dig his dad up to argue with him,” Lincoln County sheriff Curt Folger said. “It’s crazy … I thought, ‘What the hell?’”

“He was pretty messed up,” Folger added.

Greg Haynes, the pastor of Pilot Baptist Church, said he witnessed May’s bid to reconcile the rift that apparently went to the grave with May’s father. May told cops he wanted to make sure his dad’s eternal fate was sealed, Haynes said.

“He said, ‘Daddy didn’t do things right, and I need to dig him up and get him into heaven.’ I said, ‘After 30 years, you’re a little late on that,’” Haynes told The Daily Beast.

“You don’t just go digging up your daddy’s grave,” Haynes added. “You just don’t. I ain’t heard of it.”

Church treasurer Lewis Johnson, who said he knows the May family, said the suspect’s father was beaten to death at a sawmill after drinking with coworkers.

May was charged with public intoxication of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and violating graves. He’s at the Lincoln County jail, where one jailer said, “He’s a little out of it, so it could be a while” before he’s released.

[MIKA27]

CONFEDERATE G2 P51 COMBAT FIGHTER

The Alabama-based bike makers at Confederate pump out nothing but gold. I’ve been a fan of their futuristic motorcycles for years, and the Confederate G2 P51 Combat Fighter is the latest addition to the already impressive stable.

This head turning 2-wheeler is constructed entirely out of 6061 aerospace billet aluminum, and packs a mean punch to match its aggressive aesthetics. Powering the chopper is a big-block, air-cooled V-twin engine that’s good for over 200 horsepower, along with 170 lb-ft of torque.

The bike has also been outfitted with a 5-speed overdrive and straight cut transmission. Each one sits on lightweight carbon fiber wheels wrapped in road-gripping Pirelli tires. The brand will be producing a total of 30 black and 31 raw machined billet aluminum, for a total of 61 bikes – all carrying a price tag of $120,000. [Purchase]

[MIKA27]

KEYCLIP

It’s time to rethink that chunky, fat wallet you’ve got in your back pocket. Instead of having to carry your keys in one pocket and your wallet in another, the KeyClip allows users to consolidate into one holder.

The device holds your keys as well as up to five cards and a bit of cash, and also includes an RFID shield made of copper and fiberglass or carbon fiber laminate to prevent RFID skimming. It can hold three standard keys, and also includes a USB flash drive and a multitool that includes a bottle opener, wire stripper and a screwdriver. If you remove the flash drive and multi-tool, it is capable of holding six standard keys. It’s available in clear, red or blue, and will run you $90. [Purchase]

[MIKA27]

AVI-8 X WORN & WOUND WATCH

Worn & Wound are a website known for watch reviews, but recently they have ventured into watch accessories, and now, they have teamed up with UK´s AVI-8, a brand known for their aviation inspired watches, for this beautiful watch collaboration named WANDW1. The result is a stylish timepiece inspired by military watches from the twentieth century, and features a Two-tone, black PVD/brushed steel case, domed sapphire lens, a Miyota 8245 automatic movement, bright C3 lume, several straps and a custom carrying case. The WANDW1 is a limited edition of 150 units, so hurry up and pick one up before they are all gone

[Habana Mike]

CONFEDERATE G2 P51 COMBAT FIGHTER

The Alabama-based bike makers at Confederate pump out nothing but gold. I’ve been a fan of their futuristic motorcycles for years, and the Confederate G2 P51 Combat Fighter is the latest addition to the already impressive stable.

This head turning 2-wheeler is constructed entirely out of 6061 aerospace billet aluminum, and packs a mean punch to match its aggressive aesthetics. Powering the chopper is a big-block, air-cooled V-twin engine that’s good for over 200 horsepower, along with 170 lb-ft of torque.

The bike has also been outfitted with a 5-speed overdrive and straight cut transmission. Each one sits on lightweight carbon fiber wheels wrapped in road-gripping Pirelli tires. The brand will be producing a total of 30 black and 31 raw machined billet aluminum, for a total of 61 bikes – all carrying a price tag of $120,000. [Purchase]

That's Mad Max as hell!!!

[MIKA27]

Q-JAYS EARPHONES

q-JAYS are the newest and surely one of the smallest earbuds on the market. They aim to be the highest quality earphones on sale so it´s no small goal…developed and built in Sweden, the quality level of craftsmanship and materials is top of the line. Featuring advanced audio engineering to provide you an exquisite sound performance, and solid steel to ensure durability, the high-tech earbuds have two built in speakers inside each one of them, one for low frequencies and the other one for mid-range and high ones, they also benefit of a low crossover filter and a seamless frequency response, correcting usual irregularities that may occur on other devices. One of its greatest features are its interchangeable cables, it´s true that sometimes you get broken cables on your headphones, and then have to get new ones, well not anymore with this pair, just get new cables and continue using your original high quality earpieces. Solidly built and with a sound quality unheard of in something this size you need to check it to believe it. Available for iOS, Windows or Android.

[MIKA27]

California Burning: Dramatic Photos Of Firefighters In Action

On Friday, California firefighters managed to fully contain the once-69,000-acre Rocky Fire. But 17 other fires still burn, with 13,000 men and women actively involved in fighting them. These photos capture the ongoing intensity.

Want to follow along at home? This map from Cal Fire uses live data to plot its ongoing firefighting efforts.

It’d almost be a relief to be able to call this year a new record for wildfires, but it’s not, it’s only above average. With the persistent drought and high levels of fuel, it appears as if fire seasons like this one could be the new normal.

Governor Jerry Brown stated those factors, “have turned much of the state into a tinderbox.” And declared a state of emergency late last month.

[oliverdst]

California Burning: Dramatic Photos Of Firefighters In Action

On Friday, California firefighters managed to fully contain the once-69,000-acre Rocky Fire. But 17 other fires still burn, with 13,000 men and women actively involved in fighting them. These photos capture the ongoing intensity.

Want to follow along at home? This map from Cal Fire uses live data to plot its ongoing firefighting efforts.

It’d almost be a relief to be able to call this year a new record for wildfires, but it’s not, it’s only above average. With the persistent drought and high levels of fuel, it appears as if fire seasons like this one could be the new normal.

Governor Jerry Brown stated those factors, “have turned much of the state into a tinderbox.” And declared a state of emergency late last month.

http://www.komonews.com/home/video/Watch-KOMO-Photographer-gets-doused-in-fire-retardant-in-Chelan-321922371.html?tab=video&c=y

if the video is taking to long to load: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=7b2_1439675404