Who knew the Postal Service was that cool?

You know I can' resist posting gems about Star Wars or the crazy stuff that comes from it.

This is another one of those less that practical applications of Star Wars imagery.

I'd also like to point out that R2D2 seems to be the most used icon when it comes to making stuff.

Make an R2-D2 mailbox out of paper

Almost as good as the electronic lawn-mowing robot dog

I think if I had some involved shopping task, I would try this out:

Robot babysitter keeps kids occupied in Japanese store

If it didn't threaten to crush my children, or maim them permanently, I would feel comfortable with letting technology keep an eye or cam on them.

The economic solution for your stun gun needs.

For the those of you with both a frugal and a paranoid personal safety side, this is the ideal solution for you: 950,000 volts in a 'Runt'

I don't personally jog alone, at night, in dangerous places, but if I did, you can bet I have one of these little bad boys with me.

To give you and idea the amount of power you'll be packing, the average police grade Taser packs a 50,000 volts.

So rest assured your potential attacker will be nicely incapacitated.

High tech and it's increasing role in our lives...

I came across this article and realized that there are a million uses for our everyday technology that we haven't even begun to tap into.

Why don't we live in a constant state of MacGyver-ness?  Is the everyday ballpoint pen being used to its fullest potential? Are you sure you can use your shoe laces as some sort of grocery carrying device?

I think we short change ourselves when forget that the items we use everyday can transform into something extraordinary.

The guy in this article does: http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/18/german-trucker-uses-mobile-as-ear-warmer-court-believes-it/

Time in a bottle...or etch-a-sketch...whatever...

This is probably the best use of free time I've seen in a while.

If this guy could make the electronics a little smaller and refined, I'd try to talk my wife into buying one.

Etch A Sketch clock automatically draws, redraws time

For those of you who know me well, you know that I have dreamed of one day owning an electronic, lawn-mowing dog. Nay I even daresay that I've prayed for one.

For 2 reasons:

First, how cool would that be? No muss, no fuss and a great looking lawn all the time.

Second, how cool would that be?!!!

My dream will come to fruition. The next step towards that dream has arrived.

Here's the latest: Husqvarna introduces pricey solar powered Automower

If only I had the disposable cash to make this wish a reality.

This article is pretty funny: Thai monks told to behave on networking Web sites

I'm not sure if being a monk is like being a priest, but I would venture to guess that similar rules apply.

It also begs this question: If a monk could do that sort of thing, where would he take his date?

Lately, I've been trying to get in shape-ish. I've been exercising and trying to eat reasonably.

I've come across this "exer-cycle": 'HyperBike': Godzilla on two wheels

I can only believe that this would work if it made you want to get out of the public eye faster. I suppose it's possible to burn calories out of embarrassment.

I should have thought of projects like this one while I was in college: MIT students simulate life on Mars

I would have gotten to go on vacation on the school's dollar all in the name of science.

I could have simulated effects of low-gravity environments by staying at luxury hotels where they do everything for you.

If I only knew then...

Plug-in bouncer...

I found an interesting Do-It-Yourself project:  Homegrown security bot heckles vagrants, longs to be a real cop

I'm tempted to try it myself, but I don't think my kids will appreciate being the subjects.

I think he could market and sell these things as "Bar-bots".  Kind of catchy, eh?

Star Wars stuff is always cool...

I'm not sure I can think of anything to say about this one, that hasn't already been said.

But, I will say that I would be too amused by this desk to ever get anything done:  "Carbonite Desk"

I found this article on a giant "action figure" on eBay: Towering Gort

I can actually only think of one person of all that I know who would really want this.

In fact he's the only guy I know who even recognize who Gort even was before this article.

Fear the Elmo

I was reading through some news and found this almost disturbing video of a robot "toy" Elmo:

 

I just saw this documentary on the future production of food crops. It's an eye opener. Large seed companies have patented genetically altered strains of common food crops and then sued independent farmers for patent infringement when strains of the altered crops appear in the farmers fields. You won't look at corn the same way again. Here's a link to the movies site: The Future of Food

My wife found this: Hillary Obama

It's a little disturbing, but it's pretty funny.

I don't usually endorse a movie unless I think it's really well done, or has some sort of interesting twist or aspect to it.

We recently watched Amazing Grace (2006). It's a movie about William Wilberforce, who was a British abolitionist from the late 1700's.

It was really well acted, and written. I expected this show to be somewhat boring as I don't usually go for historical movies, but this one was pretty engaging.

I highly recommend renting it.

Yay!...Telemarketers are still at bay.

I just saw this post: Congress bars 'automatic removal' of Do-Not-Call list numbers

Always check the to...

I came across this funny article that demonstrates that sometimes e-mail is too easy:

Lilly's $1 Billion E-Mailstrom by Katherine Eban

Placebos...

As part of a project I worked on, we had to document clinical study drugs.

Often these studies included control & test medication.  The control drug is usually a very well documented drug like aspirin or ibuprofen.  Sometimes it's a placebo.  Placebos are not usually accepted as a standard practice for treating medical maladies.

Here's an interesting news article where a VA doctor actually prescribed a placebo: Gulf War Veteran Gets Placebos Instead Of Real Medicine

It's definitely incentive to check the ingredients in your prescriptions.

Something Nice…

I've been watching all of the show Sliders. In the 4^th season there's an episode called "Roads Not Taken". They had a poem that I liked. I found it on the net of course. Here it is:

Sudden Light by
Dante Gabriel Rossetti(1828-1882)

I HAVE been here before,
But when or how I cannot tell:
I know the grass beyond the door,
The sweet keen smell,
The sighing sound, the lights around the shore.

You have been mine before,—
How long ago I may not know:
But just when at that swallow's soar
Your neck turned so,
Some veil did fall,—I knew it all of yore.

Has this been thus before?
And shall not thus time's eddying flight
Still with our lives our love restore
In death's despite,
And day and night yield one delight once more?