Category: cool stuff

Leonardo’s Pushbike

Leonardo’s Pushbike – The Ride by Ellsworth featuring NuVinci’s Continuously Variable Planetary (CVP) transmission – gizmag Article
 A bicycle 517 years in the making? Well, perhaps not – Leonardo Da Vinci’s original mind-boggling sketches of the first Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) used a spiral shaped cog to achieve the goal of perfectly smooth gear ratio alteration. NuVinci’s CVP transmission uses tilting balls to achieve a similar effect.

Kiva.org – Loans that change lives

Kiva.org – Loans that change lives

Kiva lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world. By choosing a business on Kiva.org, you can “sponsor a business” and help the world’s working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the business you’ve sponsored. As loans are repaid, you get your loan money back.

Desktop Earth

CodeFromThe70s.org
Desktop Earth is a wallpaper generator. It will generate a high-resolution, accurate representation of the Earth. The imagery is based on NASA’s Blue Marble Next and Earth’s City Lights.

Day and night is accurately represented depending on the Sun’s overhead position (which depends on both the time of day and the day of the year) and both the snow cover and the foliage changes with the seasons. The program is downloadable from the hyperlinked 70s.orgsite or has the option to get a current snap-shot to view in your browser. If you don’t have enough RAM, the desktop program could tax your resources.

Beer Launching Fridge

John W. Cornwell Beer Launching Fridge
Have you ever gotten up off the couch to get a beer for the umpteenth time and thought, “What if instead of ME going to get the BEER, the BEER came to ME???” Well, that was how I first conceived of the beer launching fridge. About 3 months and several hundred dollars later I have a fully automated, remote controlled, catapulting, man-pit approved, beer launching mini-fridge. It holds 10 beers in its magazine with 14 more in reserve to store a full case. It is controlled by a keyless entry system. Pressing unlock will start the catapult rotating and when it is aiming at your target, pressing unlock again will stop it. Then the lock button can be pressed to launch a beer in the selected direction. Thanks to Randy Marks, who doesn’t even have a TV to use this invention with.

N.M. Orders 500 Talking Urinal Cakes

N.M. Orders 500 Talking Urinal Cakes – Forbes.com
New Mexico recently paid $21 each for about 500 talking urinal-deodorizer cakes and has put them in men’s rooms in bars and restaurants across the state.

When a man steps up, the motion-sensitive plastic device says, in a woman’s voice that is flirty, then stern: ““Hey there big guy, having a few drinks? Then listen up! Think you had one to many? Then it’s time to call a cab or ask a sober friend for a ride home. It sure is safer and a hell of a lot cheaper than a DWI. Make the smart choice tonight, don’t drink and drive!”

The recorded message ends: “Remember, your future is in your hand.”

Questions Couples Should Ask (Or Wish They Had) Before Marrying

Questions Couples Should Ask (Or Wish They Had) Before Marrying – New York Times

I made the mistake of sending this to one of my daughters when it was 1st published last year on Dec. 17th. She wanted to know why I had sent it to her and did I think that she should get married. Well I won’t make that mistake again. Based on the 51% divorce rate in the U.S,, maybe more couples should ask these questions before-hand. Somebody must be asking, because this article keeps showing up in the NY Times most e-mailed top 10 list. It’s back at number one again today. Continue reading “Questions Couples Should Ask (Or Wish They Had) Before Marrying”