Monday, November 30, 2009

François Knorreck's Motorcycle-Lamborghini Hybrid



In 1989, François Knorreck took a long ride in the sidecar of a friend’s motorcycle and enjoyed it so much that he decided to build a rig of his own. Now, 20 years, 63 bodywork molds and innumerable headaches later, he has it: a handcrafted masterpiece that’s part motorcycle, part Lamborghini.

Here's the breakdown:

BODY-- The sidecar isn’t merely welded to the motorcycle—the two are seamlessly linked, from the chassis to the wiring to the carbon-fiber, hand-crafted body.  This was not easy to do.  Knorreck built an adjustable aluminum chassis so he could tinker with the wheelbase and other elements to see what worked best before adding interior parts. He found that moving the sidecar’s wheel forward just enough, relative to the motorcycle’s rear one, provided additional stability and ensured a straight ride.


FUEL-- The original motorcycle had a gravity-fed system in which the fuel ran down to the carburetors from above. But Knorreck found that he had to relocate the tank and place it underneath the body of the sidecar. Then he added an electrical pump to route the fuel to the engine.

COST- $22,000




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Chip Tha Ripper – Fat Raps feat. Curren$y & Big Sean (prod. Chuck Inglish)


You might know Chip Tha Ripper from his features on a couple Kid Cudi songs, but his buzz is growing and his mixtape, The Cleveland Show, drops on December 1st.  Here's a dope track off the tape featuring Spitta & Big Sean.  Chuck Inglish on the beat.  

Download it:

DOWNLOAD: Chip Tha Ripper- Fat Raps feat. Curren$y & Big Sean (mediafire)

Stream it:

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RJD2- Games You Can Win feat. Kenna



Very smooth.  This is a new track off RJD2's 2010 project, The Colossus. 

Download it:

DOWNLOAD: RJD2- Games You Can Win feat. Kenna

Stream it:

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I'm Back



Thanksgiving break is over and I'm back to school, which paradoxically means I have time to blog... Anyway, there has been some controversy concerning my decision to exclusively post about hip hop (yes Dave and Jordan, I'm referring to Max's house).  So, I'm proud to announce that I will be posting about anything and everything... again.

Also, David "Davey P" Primer has signed on as a co-author.  I will let him introduce himself.  Anyway, as always, check back for interesting news, music, and info at Your Favorite Blogger's Favorite Blog!

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Saturday, November 28, 2009

Method Man & Raekwon – Mef Vs Chef pt.2 [Radio Rip] + Wu Massacre Trailer



Yes, it's some new Wu Tang.  No, it's not CD quality, but wait a couple days.  Eariler this week, Math Files debuted the first leak from the upcoming Wu-Massacre album.

Download it:

DOWNLOAD: Method Man & Raekwon- Mef Vs. Chef pt. 2 (mediafire)

Also, the Wu released a three part trailer for Wu-Massacre inspired by David Fincher’s “Se7en” [deadly sins].  Here's part II, which also happens to be my favorite:

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Drake- Room For Improvement (Mixtape)



Here's the NoDJ version of Drizzy's first mixtape, Room For Improvement,which features some old Drake verses that were never released.  For those of you who actually listened to Drake back when this first dropped, see if you can tell the difference.  Here's the tracklist that seems to be missing some of the originals:

01. Special f. Voyce
02. Do What You Do
03. Money (rmx) f. Nickelus F
04. AMPM f. Nickelus F
05. City Is Mine (Extended)
06. Thrill Is Gone f. Voyce
07. Video Girl f. Voyce
08. Come Winter
09. A Scorpio’s Mind f. Nickelus F
10. S.T.R.E.S.S. f. Nickelus F
11. Try Harder
12. Do What You Do (rmx) f. Malice (Clipse) & Nickelus F [Bonus]

DOWNLOAD: Drake- Room For Improvement (No DJ Smallz)

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Thursday, November 26, 2009

Common- Strange Fruit feat. John Legend (prod. Kanye West) [Unreleased]




I like this one... it was supposed to be on Common's Finding Forever, but Cassidy ended up with the beat (???).  Anyway, here it is:

Download it:

DOWNLOAD: Common- Fresh Fruit feat. John Legend (mediafire)

Stream it:

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Lupe Fiasco – Enemy of the State: A Love Story (Mixtape Download)


It's here!!  Lupe finally gave us what we've all been waiting for... Here's the tracklist and a split/labeled version (as the original leak was “cassette style”):

01 Intro
02 The National Anthem (Radiohead)
03 Turnt Up (Travis Porter)
04 Fireman (Yoga Flame) (Lil Wayne)
05 L.A.S.E.R.S. Manifesto Interlude
06 Angels (rmx) (Dirty Money)
07 So Ghetto (Jay-Z)
08 Say Something (Timabaland)
09 Thank You (Jay-Z)
10 The One (Slaughterhouse)
11 Popular Demand (Clipse)

DOWNLOAD: Lupe Fiasco- Enemy of the State: A Love Story (mediafire)

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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Mick Boogie & Terry Urban Presents Le Da Soul



20 years of De La Soul?  Yes please.  Dedicated to one of the most influential hip hop groups of all time, Mick Boogie & Terry Urban compiled some dope sounds from the likes of Camp Lo, CurT@!n$, Big Pooh, Talib Kweli, ESS, and many more.  Here's the tracklist:



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Monday, November 23, 2009

Snoop Dogg- I Wanna Rock You (Mixtape)


The Boss Dogg's new album, Malice In Wonderland, drops December 8th, but I know some of you can't wait.  Snoop decided to hit us over the head with this new mixtape featuring Ice Cube, Nipsey Hu$$le, The-Dream and more.  Production from the likes of DJ Whoo Kid, DJ Skee and DJ Scream.

DOWNLOAD: Snoop Dogg- I Wanna Rock You (Mixtape) [sendspace]


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Lupe's new Mixtape to be named "Enemy of the State: A Love Story"



A couple days ago, Lupe announced he had a new mixtape dropping on Thanksgiving... but there was no official title.  He announced the official title today on his Twitter: Enemy of the State: A Love Story.  I am very excited for some new Fiasco... FNF Up!

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Wiz Khalifa - Young Boy Talk


Another leak off Deal or No Deal... droppin tomorrow (11/24)!  Production by Sledgren.

Download it:

DOWNLOAD: Wiz Khalifa- Young Boy Talk (usershare)

Stream it:

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Artists to Watch-- Danny! + Where is Danny? (Free Album)




Danny!, himself, says he sounds like "Kiley Dean sprinkled with a dash of Ray Conniff, a pinch of Ja Rule, and a hearty helping of ZZ Top.  On crack rocks."

This statement alone speaks volumes, yet I continue.  Danny! hails from Columbia, South Carolina and is a former student at the Savannah College of Art & Design.  Most recently, he signed to Definitive Jux Records, but not before releasing five self-produced studion albums, three instrumental albums, and even a greatest hits compilation prior to his deal with Def Jux.

I was expecting an album from Danny! soon, but not a free one.  This holds true to Q-Tip's Industry Rule #4080, which states "Record company people are shady."  I guess Danny! just wanted people to hear it so he released it for free.  A retail version will be made available in the coming weeks on iTunes, which will contain bonus tracks, but in the meantime- enjoy!

DOWNLOAD: Danny!- Where is Danny?  (Free Album) [mediafire]

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Wiz Khalifa - Friendly feat. Curren$y


Fly Society and Taylor Gang link up for another track off Khalifa's upcoming album, Deal or No Deal, which drops tomorrow.  Can't wait!!

Download it:

DOWNLOAD: Wiz Khalifa- Friendly feat. Curren$y (mediafire)

Stream it:

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Sunday, November 22, 2009

XV- Nevermind


About a month or two back, I posted an "Artists to Watch" profile on XV.  His buzz has been steadily growing since his debut in 2006 and he's recently been working on a project called Beneath the Surface with YNotMyDreamBeneath the Surface drops tomorrow, but in the meantime here's some previously unreleased XV:

DOWNLOAD: XV- Nevermind (prod. Seven) 

Want to hear it before you download it?  Stream it:



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Saturday, November 21, 2009

UPDATE


So, after about a week of thinking, I've decided to convert Your Favorite Blogger's Favorite Blog from an internet potpourri to a music blog.  Let me be clear, it is music that I like and listen to (primarily hip hop) and by "hip hop," I don't mean most of the garbage that's played on the radio 8 times per hour.  I like a lot of up and comers like XV, Big Sean, Emilio Rojas, and Neako to name a few. 

Posts won't necessarily be daily since I don't want to bore you with long interviews or otherwise pointless content.  I'll be reviewing albums, mixtapes, reminding of you of artists on the rise, and hopefully introducing you to new music that you would have otherwise never been exposed to. 

The decision was the result of a long overdue realization that all successful blogs need a niche as well my introspective conclusion that I am best at analytical writing.  I stay pretty current with new music, so I thought this was the best niche. 

Feel free to post your thoughts/feelings in the comments box.

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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

0.01% of Wikipedia = Biggest Encyclopedia Ever

The English edition of Wikipedia Encyclopedia contains around 3 million articles as of now and if someone were to print the entire Wikipedia encyclopedia into a book, the size of that book would roughly be equivalent to 952 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

To put that in perspective, a student from the UK has actually converted 0.01% of the Wikipedia encyclopedia into a printed book.  Have a look:



This Wikipedia book has some 5,000 pages and it’s a compilation of 400+ featured articles all picked from Wikipedia. And, as you can see, the book is HUGE – it’s about 1ft 7in. high!!

[Link: DigitalInspiration]

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National Geographic Photographer's Amazing Leopard Seal Story

National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen was in Antarctica to capture shots of deadly, 5000 lb leopard seals.  One approached him with its jaws wide open...



You can consider my mind blow.  I'm glad the internet exists so I was able to vicariously enjoy that experience.  Hurray Al Gore!!

[Link: Gizmodo]

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Evan's Mixtape Mondays-- Volume 2


Neako's Rubix Cube: Blue Edition
*Author's note- If you have never heard of Neako and enjoy good hip hop, download any or all of his mixtapes on his MySpace*

You can say what you want about Neako's music (I think it's dope), but there is one undisputed truth; the man is talented.  On the third installment of his “Rubix Cube” mixtape series, Neako produces half of the tape himself-- a true testament to his musical genius.

In my opinion, up and comers produce the best mixtapes because they need to get noticed; they have something to prove.  Weezy can record an entire tape of flops and half of the internet would still say, "MANE U SO DAME SICK WAYNE I LOVE YO MUSIC AND VIDEOS AND YO ACTING."  Neako, who is unsigned and largely unrecognized, was obviously eager to prove his worth on Blue Edition because his flow and delivery have significantly improved since his first tape.  His already punchline heavy rhymes have gotten sharper and the heightened energy in his vocals insinuate perhaps a well deserved boost in confidence.  He has always been sick behind the boards (check out his Dipset massacre remix of Cam'ron's "Get It in Ohio") and Blue Edition is probably his most impressive production to date.  In all, this is a very well rounded mixtape; a great collection of tales of aspiration, love, and deception.




Wiz Khalifa's Burn After Rolling:

Good, but could have been better.  Like Neako, much of Khalifa's music is unknown to the casual hip hop fan.  But for those of you who love Wiz and have stayed current on his music, you're probably wondering, "WTF?!"  6 of the 20 songs on the mixtape were leaked previous to its November 2nd release.

The tape itself didn't beat Flight School, which dropped earlier this summer, but it was alright.  As always, the beats are incredible and the subject matter is some variation of being famous, smoking weed, and making money... but there's some novelty to it.  You see, Khalifa literally paved his own way to success; after the mild success of his 2006 hit "Say Yeah," he started a grassroots internet campaign which has culminated into the enormous buzz he is currently enjoying.  But since his second album, Deal or No Deal, is scheduled for release on the 24th of this month, I feel that this tape was more of perfunctory effort to simply get some new music out to the fans.  Fine by me as long as Deal or No Deal is fire.  Some notable tracks include, "If I Were a Lame," "Gettin Up," and "B.A.R." 

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Monday, November 16, 2009

Tales from the Vault-- Dirt McGirt

Stories of absurdity concerning the late great Ol' Dirty Bastard as told by Dante Ross.  ODB was notorious for his erratic behavior and craziness throughout his short life, which culminated in his untimely death at the young age of 36.  Just read his Wikipedia page and you'll get an idea of what I mean.  Dante Ross, a big name in the music business, did A&R for Dirt Dog and decided to retell some of his most outlandish memorable experiences with the late great.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did:




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Sunday, November 15, 2009

General Atomics -- A Purveryor of Dreams


If you've been staying current with the latest military technology and thought to yourself, "Wow, that sounds like my favorite gun from Red Faction-" you're not crazy.  It's true.

Apparently, the prevailing thought over at General Atomics is what works against the Covenant, works against human beings.  Flawless logic if you ask me.  General Atomics is the company that introduced the Predator drone and has since made the transition over to weapons design.  Their latest achievement?  The first successful test of their Blitzer railgun -- a projectile similar to regular artillery pieces in that they fire a giant shell, but different in that they do so without the use of combustion.

As previously mentioned, you might remember the railgun from Red Faction.  It was the giant rifle that could shoot through any surface and, when acquired, allowed you to play God the rest of match... and now they exist in real life.  Railguns mount the projectile on two magnetized rails (hence the name), which then propel the shell out of the muzzle using electrical conductivity.  Magnetic fields can accelerate a shell far faster than gunpowder, increasing the range and speed of the projectile.

No video was released of the test, but here's a video from last year of a similar, equally badass railgun:


[Link: PopularScience]

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Friday, November 13, 2009

Drake - Heartbreak Drake pt. 3 Mixtape (Download) + Hurt + Scriptures



The dope house hit us over the head with this one... the new Drake mixtape-- Heartbreak Drake pt.3 is here?!  Below are two unofficial, probably unfinished joints for you to sample.  Remember, this is a leaked mixtape-- track titles and verses are subject to change *cough* (No Ceilings).  Without further ado, here's the link:

DOWNLOAD: Drake- Heartbreak Drake pt. 3 (Mixtape)

  


DOWNLOAD: Drake- Scriptures (usershare)

DOWNLOAD: Drake- Hurt (usershare)

[Link: 2DopeBoyz]

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Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Woman Drunkenly Falls into Train's path...



... And the train makes a successful emergency stop (quit your worrying).  As tragic as it (almost) was, can I point out how clumsy she was without being demonized??  The profound lack of grace and coordination in her descent from the platform to the tracks is really something to marvel at.  But seriously, I'm glad the train stopped in time.

And for you sickos out there who were wishing the train didn't stop, don't be disappointed-- movies exist!  The clip below is one of the last scenes in Eli Roth's Hostel, in which a female character throws herself in front of a speeding train after the horrifying realization that her face will be permanently disfigured.  Skip to about 1:40 if you just can't wait for the action:



Fun fact-- the video description is in Polish.   Ironic, because Hostel is set in the another Eastern Bloc country- Slovakia.  Coincidence?

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Pat Robertson-- Muslims => "some fascist group"




After this past weekend's shooting at Fort Hood by Nidal Malik Hasan, it was inevitable for some degree of anti-Muslim sentiment to emanate in its wake.  On his 700 Club TV show yesterday, Pat Robertson claimed that Islam is “not a religion,” but “a violent political system bent on the overthrow of the governments of the world and world domination." 

.....

Here's an excerpt from the show:
"That is the ultimate aim. And they talk about infidels and all this, but the truth is that’s what the game is. So you are dealing with not a religion. You’re dealing with a political system. And I think we should treat it as such and treat its adherences as such as we would members of the Communist Party or members of some fascist group. Well, it’s a tragedy. Our hearts go out to the families who suffered. But those in the Army should be held on account for the fact they let this man loose."
Conservative commentators are ratcheting up anti-Muslim rhetoric as a result of the massacre and Robertson is simply leading the way.

*waiting on Robertson's disingenuous apology*

[Link: ThinkProgress]

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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Weird Science-- Surgically Implanted Bra



How does this sound:
"What we've done is build a silicon bra, insert it into the body and attach it to the ribs and to the fascia. It's like a normal external bra where a strip lies on the shoulder and attaches around the body. We attach it to the ribs instead of to the shoulder, and to the fascia in the lower part of the body."
Bizarre?  Awful?  I agree, and I don't even have breasts.  Now I'm sure there are some ladies out there who would gladly have bra straps going through their muscles and ribs just so their breasts look perfectly perky without clothes, but they are the same women who marry 90 year old oil tycoons and die of Vicodin overdoses.  And I digress...

Even though studies on pigs have shown that the procedure is completely safe, I'm still a little skeptical.  My prediction-- women will probably still buy conventional bras. 

[Link: Gizmodo]

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Stranger Than Fiction-- The True Men Who Stare at Goats


How many of the kooky military research projects featured in The Men Who Stare at Goats really happened? Reality is more complicated than the movie (or the book), reports David Hambling at Wired's Danger Room blog. But reality may also be weirder. Hambling's post examines, Snopes-style, the truth or bogosity of such purported American military projects as:

• Psychic Spies
• Drug experimentation
• Killing animals with telepathy
• Sound weapons

Definitely read: Psychic Spies, Acid Guinea Pigs, New Age Soldiers: the True Men Who Stare at Goats.  (<-------- CLICK THIS LINK)

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Monday, November 9, 2009

Mixtape Mondays-- Volume 1




Here's my two cents for free:

Lil Wayne - No Ceilings:
Where do I start?  Well, first of all, I had limited expectations about No Ceilings after struggling through the Auto-tuned ear infection that was Dedication 3 and the most recent failure that was Weezy and Weezer's first (and hopefully only) collabo in "Can't Stop Partying."  With that said, it was a decent effort, but it lacked consistency.  Wayne killed it Drought 3 style on tracks like, "Run This Town" and "Swag Surfin," but failed his attempt at redemption on "Poker Face" (Cudi still reigns supreme as far as verses go).  There are also some other joints worthy of repeat like "Wasted" and "Ice Cream Paint Job," but at the end of the day this Weezy mixtape sounds like, well, a Weezy mixtape-- a couple hot tracks with a lot of skips in between.

Mike Posner - One Foot Out the Door:
So Good.  Sounds more like an album than a mixtape.  Posner, as you may or may not know, is multi-talented; he sings and produces.  On this much anticipated, sophomore effort, he is on point in both departments.  The one thing that I loved about his first tape, A Matter of Time, was the Big Sean/Posner dynamic; Big Sean is a beast and Posner is the songbird of his generation.  This time is no different; Sean kills all his verses and Posner comes with all kinds of beats- spacey, funky, soothing- that always match the lyrics.  Posner shows his dynamic ability with lyrics; he's funny on "Don't Trust Me," he tells a story on "Red Button," and he's introspective on "Speed of Sound."  Props.  This tape has got it all- good lyrics, dope beats, impressive features, and quality vocals.  A+

Coming Soon:
My superior opinion on Burn After Rolling and The Rubix Cube: Blue Edition.  These tapes need a couple more spins before I provide an educated take on them.  Until next Monday, I hope you enjoyed the knowledge I just imparted unto y'all.

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Sunday, November 8, 2009

Awesome Military Technology-- Plasma Knife

Surviving wounds sustained on the battlefield is very much a numbers game; every second counts.  This becomes problematic for Special Forces soldiers operating behind enemy lines because medical care is out of reach.  Fortunately, the U.S. military has started field-testing a solution-- the plasma knife.

The knife, whose blade consists of heated, ionized gas, cuts through flesh just as easily a steel scalpel, but also cauterizes the wound. By sealing off the damaged flesh, the plasma knife protects against infection and stops the bleeding that imperils the wounded soldier.

This knife is currently a medical device, but I personally can't wait for the day it gets developed into a weapon.  A real life light saber?!  Incredible!  Let's hope the mob doesn't get their hands on it though, I'm sure this is more painful that a soldering iron:





... I didn't think this post would be complete until I added a Christopher Walken monologue.

[Link: PopularScience]

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Wasted Technology-- Matte Black Earthrace Power Boat


How sweet does this 78 foot stealth boat look?  Yeah I know, "f@#$ing sweet!"  But is this an attack boat for a platoon of Navy SEALs?  No.  Is it Batman's stealth boat?  Also no.  The Earthrace Power Boat is for incompetent, vegan pussies the Sea Shepard Conservation Society.

The matte black paint job and sleek design will allow the Earthrace to sidle up next to Japanese whalers (see below) and stage a peaceful protest (?!?!)



God, what a waste.  "Peace" and "stealthy power boat" should never be used in the same sentence.  As usual, I'm not alone on this one; Trey Parker and Matt Stone (the geniuses behind South Park) anticipated this for in the penultimate episode.  Here's what they (and I) think should have happened:


... The boat leaves Perth on December 7 on a three-month journey alongside the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's Steve Irwin to protest Japan's industrial whaling program.

[Link: Gizmodo]

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No Update Since Thursday... Eff!!


Unacceptable (I know).  Check back in an hour or so, there will be updates galore.  Maybe this will hold you over... Seth Rogen's story of getting horribly rejected by Megan Fox on the Jimmy Kimmel Show:

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Thursday, November 5, 2009

Black Angus Calf gets Prosthetic Limb... Guess How She'll Spend the Remainder of her Life?


Multiple Choice:

A) Frolicking in a grassy pasture

B) Getting more delicious fatter, then slaughtered, and then consumed by me

Sorry, but it's true.  Look at this story objectively-- The calf gets severe frostbite on her hind legs and so Nancy Dickenson and her step daughter (pictured above) spend thousands of dollars getting it outfitted with prosthetic legs.

And for what?  To save a cow that was a few months away from McDonald's?  It's a heartwarming story, but a little misguided in my opinion.

Side note-- the operation was done by vets and students at Colorado State University.  

[Link: Gizmodo]

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New Security Sensors Can Smell Fear



I used to think that Arnold Schwarzenegger Terminators were the only things that could smell fear.  I stand corrected. 

Apparently, British scientists are developing two sensor systems that sniff out the criminals themselves by zeroing in on a specific pheromone emitted when humans are in stressful, fearful situations.  The two devices detect the same pheromone in human sweat via different mechanisms: one by laser absorption, the other by a portable optical fiber device.

The devices must pass a series of feasibility tests, but when completed- the devices could be developed in time to help police "sniff" out potential threats at the 2012 Olympics in London.

The British research piggybacks on findings by American scientists last year who collected the underarm sweat of 20 first-time skydivers just before the jump. The researchers found that when other subjects were asked to smell the samples while undergoing brain scans, the parts of the brain associated with fear responded to the smell of the fear pheromone.  The challenge before British researchers is pinpointing the exact chemical makeup for human fear. They must also figure out how to deal with interference from other odors, deodorants and perfumes, but prototypes could be available for testing at border crossings and large public events within a couple of years.

[Link: PopularScience]

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Wednesday, November 4, 2009

AT&T Sues Verizon over "There's a Map for That" Ad

If you read this earlier post, which included Verizon's clever "There's a Map for That" Ad and a detailed explanation as to why AT&T sucks, then you'll probably smile at the recent news that AT&T is suing Verizon because stupid people are being duped into believing that no phone service exists in the vast white expanses on AT&T's barren 3G map:


The ad focuses on 3G coverage; with a discussion of Verizon's various 3G services including video.  But AT&T believes people are being deliberately led to think that in the white spaces, there's no AT&T phone service at all. Here's the accusation:
"Consumers are interpreting the white or blank space on the maps to mean that AT&T customers who are not in an AT&T "3G" coverage area have no wireless coverage whatsoever, and therefore have no ability to use their wireless devices for any purposes in vast areas of the country. This interpretation is not surprising as Verizon, in its own coverage maps, uses white space to inform customers that no coverage of any kind exists."
Simply put, AT&T's case is absurd.  The ad does use some technical jargon that might confuse some, but those are the same people who watch Glenn Beck and believe that that the moon landing was faked on a Hollywood sound stage.  So for all whose IQ's don't fall under the bell curve the especially astute viewers, the ad pretty clearly concerns 3G.

My advice?  Spend money improving your shitty 3G network and not on frivolous lawsuits... unless you want to be compared to this guy:



[Link: Gizmodo]

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Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Selk'Bags are like Snuggies for Non-Klansmen



Let's face it- no matter who your are, Snuggies make you like a cult member.  I will gladly forgo the satisfaction of full body warmth to avoid looking like Reverend Jim Jones.  Rodrigo Alonso probably considered this logic when he created the Selk'Bag.  It's like a Snuggie, except it makes you look more like a rugged outdoorsman and less like a Jehovah's Witness.

It's padded and shaped to the human form and allows free movement both in and out of sleep, where traditional sleeping bags don't.  I would say Survivorman would rock a Selk'Bag, but that's counter-intuitive to his survivalist nature- he would instead stab a grizzly bear to death, disembowel it, and then sleep soundly inside it for the rest of the week.  But that's a different story.

The point being: Selk'Bags > Snuggies



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Obama's $8 Billion Plan to Modernize the U.S. Power Grid


President Barack Obama announced last week a $8-billion federal plant to modernize the United State's power grid. $3.4 billion will come from the government, and the rest will be put up by private companies.  Here's an excerpt from his speech:
"At this moment, there's something big happening in America when it comes to creating a clean-energy economy. But getting there will take a few more days like this one, and more projects like this one. Here in this region of Florida, this project will reduce demand for electricity by up to 20 percent during the hottest summer days that stress the grid and power plants,. It will provide smart meters to 2.6 million more customers. And most importantly, it will create thousands of jobs - good jobs, by the way, that can't be outsourced; jobs that will last and jobs that pay a decent wage."
In the words of Bill Richardson, former U.S. Energy Secretary, "In my view, we're the world's greatest superpower but we have a Third World electricity grid."  This new plan is not solely about renewable energies.  Here's the breakdown:

-$1 billion for smart meters and other consumer oriented technology
-$2 billion for infrastructure to support those meters
-$400 million to modernize power lines
-$25 million to push for smarter, more power efficient devices

This should increase the efficiency of electricity transport and consumption at homes.  In theory, this plan will return us $20 billion in savings during the next decade, plus it will increase the reliability of the grid to avoid power outages that cost $150 billion a year to the US economy.  About effing time.

[Link: ArtsTechnica]

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NSA to build Storage Facility with a YOTTABYTE of Data



In Utah, the National Security Agency is building a $2 billion storage facility that will house and analyze all forms of electronic communication...a potential yottabyte of everyone's (formerly) personal data. So how big is a yottabyte?  Well, let's start at something familiar-- a gigabyte:
There are a thousand gigabytes in a terabyte, a thousand terabytes in a petabyte, a thousand petabytes in an exabyte, a thousand exabytes in a zettabyte, and a thousand zettabytes in a yottabyte. In other words, a yottabyte is 1,000,000,000,000,000GB.
For all intents and purposes, a yottabyte is essentially infinity.  This new storage facility will be 1 million square feet in size and will burn through more electricity than all of Salt Lake City

But how do you store such an absurd amount of data?

There are a couple theories, but here's one: atomic holographic optical nanotechnology.

Simply put, it uses ultraviolet lasers to read data stored in three dimensions, instead of the two we use on hard discs today.  In more complex terms, it uses ultraviolet light to write data by modifying the position of a molecule to represent either a 1 or 0 binary digit (binary is the numeral system used in almost all digital electronics) within one of Colossal's FEdisks (the 3-D disks of the future).  This kind of technology is still being developed and is expected to begin implementation as soon as 2012.

[Link: Gizmodo]

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Monday, November 2, 2009

Wiz Khalifa-- Burn After Rolling (Mixtape Download)



Finally this tape dropped sometime in the middle of the night on the 2nd.  I say finally because I stayed up late on Sunday night after seeing this on Wiz's twitter:



1 am.... no tape.... 2 am.... no tape.... 3 am.... no tape.  So then I went to bed and downloaded it the next day at about noon.  It's a great mix of mostly new tracks- will definitely be on solid repeat until his album, Deal Or No Deal, drops 11/24.  "Gettin Up" and "One Way" are two of my favorites.  Without further ado:

DOWNLOAD: Wiz Khalifa- Burn After Rolling (Mixtape) [limelinx]

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