Digital Technology for Digital Living.
March 17, 2008
Beer OS - Happy St. Patrick’s Day
Every year on March 17, we honor Saint Patrick (circa 385–461), one of the patron saints of Ireland. Whether or not you choose to celebrate the holiday by wearing green, eating Irish foods, imbibing Irish drink (usually Guinness), or attending parades, we wish you a safe a happy holiday.
Everyone wants to be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day… even computer operating systems. So as you raise your glass to St. Patrick this year, try to pretend your beer was a computer operating system. It might go a little like this…
Macintosh Beer
Considered by many to be a “light” beer. All the cans look identical. When you take one from the fridge, it opens itself. The ingredients list is not on the can. If you call to ask about the ingredients, you are told that “you don’t need to know.” A notice on the side reminds you to drag your empties to the trashcan.
DOS Beer
Requires you to use your own can opener, and that you read the directions carefully before opening the can. The can is divided into eight compartments of 2oz each, which have to be accessed separately. A lot of people keep drinking it after it was discontinued.
Windows 3.1 Beer
Was the world’s most popular beer in the mid-1990s. Looked a lot like Mac Beer’s. Requires that you already own a DOS Beer. Claims that it allows you to drink several DOS Beers simultaneously, but in reality you can only drink a few of them, very slowly, especially slowly if you are drinking the Windows Beer at the same time. Sometimes, for no apparent reason, a can of Windows Beer will explode when you open it.
Windows NT Beer
Windows NT beer could only be purchased by the truckload. This caused most people to have to go out and buy bigger refrigerators. The can looked just like Windows 3.1 Beer. Touted as an “industrial strength” beer, and suggested only for use in bars.
Windows XP Beer
Tastes like Windows 2000 beer but comes with a pretty dress. It opens sometimes without asking and if you leave a case of it open for awhile, it might explode all over your basement. Oh best of all, sometimes Windows XP Beer likes to open your front door and let people in to hang advertisements all over your house and steal your credit card number.
Windows Vista Beer
Windows Vista Beer looks a lot like the newest Mac Beer but tastes more like Windows XP Beer. Most people will probably keep drinking Windows XP Beer until their friends try Windows Vista Beer and say they like it. Many people try Windows Vista Beer, then spit it out and spend hours trying to put Windows XP Beer back into the same can.
UNIX Beer
This very heavy beer comes in 32oz cans, and has been around for years, rumor has it that it was originally brewed as a hoax by a couple of bored workers, only for them to find that some people actually liked the stuff. It tends to be drunk only by freaks or eccentric academics, often with beards; and drinkers of it do not like drinkers of any other beer. In its basic form it doesn’t look particularly impressive, but with the addition of a magic ingredient named “X”, it can be converted into an all-singing all-dancing beer on a par with the others. Many other varieties exist, with a huge range of flavors and (often unpronounceable) ingredients. Mac Beer has many of the same ingredients as Unix Beer.
OS/2 Beer
Tasted like a mix between Unix and DOS Beer. Allowed you to drink several DOS Beers and a Windows 3.1 Beer simultaneously, but slowly. You never saw anyone drinking OS/2 Beer, but the manufacturer (International Beer Manufacturing) claimed that 9 million OS/2 Beer six-packs were sold. The best place these days to find a an OS/2 Beer is inside an old ATM machine.
Amiga Beer
The company went out of business, but their recipe was picked up by some weird German company, so now this beer is an import. This beer never really sold very well because the original manufacturer didn’t understand marketing. Like Unix Beer, Amiga Beer fans are an extremely loyal and loud group. When this can was originally introduced, it appeared flashy and colorful, but the design never changed much over the years, so it looked dated in its later years.
VMS Beer
Requires minimal user interaction, except for popping the top and sipping. However cans have been known on occasion to explode, or contain extremely un-beer-like contents. Best drunk in high pressure development environments. When you call the manufacturer for the list of ingredients, you’re told that is proprietary and referred to an unknown listing in the manuals published by the FDA. Rumors are that this was once listed in the Physicians’ Desk Reference as a tranquilizer, but no one can claim to have actually seen it.
methodshop | Comments (0) | Software, Geek
March 04, 2008
IT Through The Decades - Olivia Munn
Olivia Munn, the foxy geek hostess from Attack of the Show (G4 TV) and Playboy Magazine (Feb 2007), is in a new viral YouTube video for Dell Computer called “IT Through The Decades.”
The clip helps promotes Dell’s servers by poking fun at all the poor IT related decisions companies have made the past few decades (1978-2008). In the clip, Mike the IT guy suggests “new” technologies like databases and bar codes and gets made fun of by his colleagues.
Olivia doesn’t have a ton of lines but she definitely adds some sex appeal to the YouTube clip. Warning: It’s a little long (especially for a “viral” clip). Olivia fans will also probably get a kick out of seeing her dressed up in retro 70’s and 80’s outfits. You can save this clip off YouTube by following these instructions.
If you’re looking for more Olivia Munn, just Google search her name. YouTube is full of clips of her doing things like riding a Hawaii Chair, seductively eating hotdogs and recovering from a baby oil slip. Too bad she’s dating that turd biscuit Bryan Greenberg from One Tree Hill.
methodshop | Comments (0) | Video, Geek
February 07, 2008
Croatian Smurfs Fail World Record Attempt
Last month, 395 Croatian men, women and children covered themselves in blue paint, dressed up as Smurfs and got ready to go down in history… as failures.
The “Croatian Smurfs” had gathered in an attempt to smash the previous world record for “most Smurfs gathered together at one time.”
Unfortunately due to a research error (possibly caused by Gargamel), their attempt was all in vain.
According to the latest, but out of date, Croatian printing of the Guiness World Records book, the record for most Smurfs gathered in one place was 291. With 395 Smurfs, the Croations thought they were sure to earn a new world record.
However in 2007, a group of students at Warwick University beat them too it. The Warwick students had managed to round up a grand total of 451 Smurfs and according to Guiness, currently hold the world record.
They were close, but Croatians needed a little over 50 more Smurfs to beat the Warwick University record. Perhaps they should have contacted Guiness World Records before the attempt. I want to feel bad for them, but just seeing the the 2 words “Croatians” and “Smurfs” in the same sentence kind of freaks me out.
A somber spokesman for the Croatians had this to say: “We could easily have got more Smurfs, but we thought that over a hundred more than the American record… would be enough.”
In case you’ve never heard of The Smurfs before, they are are a fictional group of small blue creatures who live somewhere in the woods. The Belgian cartoonist Peyo introduced Smurfs to the world in a 1958 Belgian magazine called Le Journal de Spirou. However, Smurfs are probably best known from the 1980s animated Hanna-Barbera Productions television series, The Smurfs (DVD).
methodshop | Comments (0) | Geek
September 12, 2007
Urine Powered Batteries
Before you flush the toilet, you might want to check the power level in your batteries. You could be flushing away a free source of energy.
In 2005, Scientists in Singapore developed a battery powered by urine. The Scientists were able to produce electric power using liquid as a catalyst thanks to a special mixture of magnesium and carbon inside the batteries.
Now, a Japanese company has brought this urine powered battery technology to market with the NoPoPo (Non-Pollution Power) Aqua Batteries. Just use the included plastic pipette to inject urine into the battery chamber. Grossed out by pee? You can also use other types of liquid including beer, apple juice, cola, and saliva and of course urine. When I first heard about the NoPoPo, I thought it might be a joke. Making silly inventions is a popular hobby in Japan called Chingdogu. But the NoPoPo is no joke.
A single urine powered AA battery can power a flashlight for about 20 hours (500 milliamp-hours). Not exactly the most powerful battery on the shelf, but it’s a great start for this environmentally friendly energy technology. The NoPoPo aqua powered batteries are currently only available in both AA and AAA sizes, but the company has future plans to produce all common battery sizes.
Off the top of my head, here are just a few reasons why you should love the NoPoPo:
- used batteries contain mercury and are bad for the environment
- using your own body fluids to power batteries will save you money
- it’s a reliable source of power for life saving tools like flashlights and radios
- people who live in remote areas and don’t have access to fresh batteries can now use battery powered gadgets and technology
Unfortunately the NoPoPo can currently only be purchased in Japan. Hopefully one of my Japanese readers will send me some.
BeSocial: methodshop.com | digg story | flickr
methodshop | Comments (2) | Geek
Popstar Feets - Celebrity Shoe Blog
The next time you do a Google Image search of your favorite musician, don’t be surprised if a picture of their shoes ends up in the results. Who do you have to thank for this unusual honor? Her name is Helen Lawrence and her blog, Popstar Feets, might be one of the most original blogs ever created. When getting an opportunity to take a photo with popstar, most people like to shoot from the waist up. Not Helen. She prefers to angle her camera a little lower and checkout the celebrity footwear. Then she blogs about it.
Here’s an interview with Helen Lawrence from Popstar Feets complete with an exclusive ;) picture of Adidas sneakers that belong to Chris Martin from Coldplay.
BeSocial: methodshop
methodshop | Comments (0) | Geek
August 22, 2007
Largest Hand in the World
Lui Hua can’t play the Nintendo Wii or Guitar Hero. He wants to but he physically can’t…. at least not yet. Why? Hua suffers from a rare condition known as macrodactyly. When he was hospitalized in Shanghai last month, his left thumb measured 10.2 inches and his index finger measured close to 12.
From The Shanghai Daily:
“It was the biggest hand in the world,” said Chen Zuliang, a hospital official. “Liu’s fingers stopped growing in recent years so plastic surgery was at last possible to correct the malformation.”
On July 20 surgeons undertook a seven-hour operation to reduce the size of Liu’s fingers and thumb. Doctors removed 11 pounds of flesh and bone in the procedure. A second surgery is scheduled to take place. Enlarged limbs can be caused by a number of medical conditions. Lymphedema is perhaps the most common cause and results in some extraordinarily enlarged limbs.
BeSocial: methodshop | digg story | flickr
methodshop | Comments (0) | Games, Geek
July 25, 2007
Cheapest Linux Box Ever
Linux users are so creative… and cheap. Sometimes their love for free open source software takes hold in other ways. For example, check out this picture of a custom Linux box I found on afrotechmods.com.
Ubuntu Feisty OS: $0.00. Cardboard box: $0.00. Duct tape: $1.00.
Having the bitchin’est case mod this side of the trailer park: priceless.
BeSocial: digg it | flickr | methodshop
methodshop | Comments (0) | Geek
June 28, 2007
Mr. Wizard R.I.P.
Don Herbert, who explained the wonderful world of science to millions children on his Nickelodeon cable TV show “Mr. Wizard’s World“, has died after a long battle with multiple myeloma. He was 89.
Herbert used basic experiments to teach scientific principles to his TV audience via an in-studio guest boy or girl who assisted in the experiments. Herbert liked to perform his scientific experiments as “tricks” to get the kids hooked, then explain the science behind it later.
Herbert wrote several books, including “Mr. Wizard’s Supermarket Science” and “Mr. Wizard’s Experiments for Young Scientists.”
In recent years, he helped set up his website mrwizardstudios.com.
[Via latimes.com]
BeSocial: digg story | methodshop
methodshop | Comments (0) | Geek
June 14, 2007
USB Fart Fan
Chances are, you have at least one coworker with a tendency to “let one go” at the office. Hopefully you don’t work in cramped cubicle farm. It’s not exactly a fun time. Especially when the said fart “lingers” and someone has overkill the room with Axe Body Spray (Paul).
Honestly, we all blow hot air from time-to-time… whether it be talking smack to our boss about how busy we are, or literally blowing hot air after a big Mexican lunch (Chris). In the latter case, it’s good to know we have back up from the good folks at Thanko.
She looks pretty happy. I wonder what she ate for lunch.
The Thanko USB seat vent is designed to cool off that hot seat of yours while increasing air flow to the immediate area. Greg at GetUSB.info proudly filed this under useless USB gadgets. That’s probably because he doesn’t know Chris or Paul.
BeSocial: digg story | flickr | methodshop
methodshop | Comments (0) | Geek
June 08, 2007
Badonkadonk Land Cruiser Review
Every once in awhile I’ll find something really random or weird on Amazon.com (can you say Mongolian Goat Hide Pillow?). But I think that a personal land cruiser/tank named after a giant ‘ass’ takes the cake.
The JL421 Badonkadonk Land Cruiser is a custom made tank modeled after Jabba’s Sail Barge from Star Wars. The exterior is a steel shell with a rust patina. Remember this is a “tank” so there’s lots of protective armor like fixed slats protecting the windows, and a unique industrial-strength rubberized flexible skirt that shields and protects the wheels to within an inch of the ground, while still allowing for enough flex to give clearance over bumpy and uneven terrain.
And if you wouldn’t be noticed enough just by driving around in a mini tank, the Donk features lots of exterior lighting. We’re talking head and tail lights, turn signal lights, trim lighting, and underbody lighting (did they have ground effects on Tatooine).
Don’t forget to bring your iPod while you’re cruising around in the Donk. Inside there’s a 400 watt premium sound system with PA system that you can use to blast sound outside the vehicle.
Continue Reading >>
methodshop | Comments (1) | Geek
June 01, 2007
Man Quits Job to Make Lego Art
Hate your job? Wish you could just play with Legos all day? Meet Nathan Sawaya. His daily workspace went from florescent lights and dull paperwork to an explosion of color. Sawaya abandoned a career as an attorney in 2004 to take on Lego sculpting full time.
Just imagine that conversation for a second: “Hi mom. I quit my job as a lawyer, sorry for all that wasted money, but I’m gonna play with Legos….”
So what does Sawaya’s workspace look like now he’s a professional Lego artist? Basically Sawaya lives and works in a Lego playland. Clear plastic crates stuffed with Lego bricks in every hue are stacked high against the walls. There’s a computer on the floor, but it’s not functional. It’s made entirely of Lego and so is the cash register, monkey, bowl of fruit, and vase of flowers.
Want a closer look at closer look at Sawaya’s Lego art? Sawaya’s national touring exhibit, “The Art of the Brick,” is making the rounds. Its next stop is the Discovery Center Museum in Rockford, Illinois, on June 15; it will stay there until September 3. You can get more info at nathanbrickartist.com.
[Source: cnn.com]
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methodshop | Comments (0) | Geek
May 25, 2007
Lazy Segway Mom
Wow, sometimes people are lazy. Here’s a picture of a woman pushing her baby with a Segway. Besides being lazy, isn’t that kind of dangerous anyway? Because of the way the Segway works, I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t be able to reverse quickly or move out of the way with the stroller in case of an emergency.
Click here for a bigger image
Question of the Day: Should you need a license to drive a Segway, or a license to be a mother?
BeSocial: flickr | digg story | methodshop
methodshop | Comments (0) | Geek
May 23, 2007
How Your Cursor Works
Ever wonder how your mouse connects to the cursor and moves it around your screen? Believe it or not, I found a website that explains this technical process clearly thanks to a giant digital magnifying glass.
Go to this website http://www.1-click.jp/ and then move your cursor around.
Who knew?
BeSocial: digg it | methodshop
methodshop | Comments (2) | Geek
May 18, 2007
5 Outrageous Inventions
Many inventions are quite useful in everyday life, but these 5 (link) could quite possibly be the most outrageous ever…
Then again, there’s always Japanese Chindogu.
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methodshop | Comments (0) | Geek
May 09, 2007
ESPN Producing Gascasts for GSTV
Wish you could get sports scores while you are gassing up your car? According to LA Times.com, now you can.
ESPN, the American sports news network, announced a partnership with Gas Station TV (GSTV) to provide 45-second broadcasts for thousands of TV screens located at gas pumps across the United States.
“It’s another opportunity for fans to be able to watch us,” ESPN spokesman Mike Soltys said.
ESPN will slowly ramp up production of the gascasts. The network will initially just produce one segment per day for GSTV. But eventually ESPN hopes to produce multiple segments everyday.
Where can you see these gascasts? Right now only in Atlanta, Dallas and Houston. But next month GSTV hopes to install more screens at gas stations in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.
BeSocial: digg story | methodshop
methodshop | Comments (0) | Digital TV, Geek
Ivy League Grad Gets Lowest SAT Score as Experiment
At the age of 33, Colin P. Fahey decided to throw away his dignity, mock his Ivy League education, disgrace his Master’s degree, and prove that in just over three hours he could answer every question on the SAT incorrectly!
If you don’t live in the US, then you may not know exactly what the SAT is. The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is a dreaded exam that all high school students in the United States have to take for college admissions. The SAT is given multiple times a year at thousands of testing centers throughout the US. Unless there are special circumstances, the test is given on a Saturday, starting at approximately 9:00 AM in each time zone. So basically if you aren’t paying attention, a single SATurday morning can ruin the rest of your life!
Back in 2003 when Collin took the test, 1600 was a perfect score. Remember, Collin is a smart guy. He’s an Ivy League Grad. But is he smart enough to get every question wrong? What was Collin’s final SAT score? Just 400 points combined (math & verbal). In case you are curious, 400 points is the lowest SAT ‘raw score’ in history. Congratulations to Collin.
But there’s always room for improvement. Collin accidentally got 2 questions right in the math section. I guess you can say Collin intentionally failed at failure. How humiliating! Maybe he’ll do worse next time.
Sure 400 seems low . . . but it rounds up to like 540 Canadian right? You can read more about Collin’s experiment here.
BeSocial: digg story | methodshop
methodshop | Comments (0) | Geek
May 03, 2007
Toilet Tunes: iCarta iPod Dock Review
The bathroom. It’s one of the most important (and hopefully used) rooms of your home. So much so, that people usually add radios to their bathrooms and provide a soundtrack to their personal grooming and thinking. But isn’t this the iPod generation? Why just settle for a radio? The iCarta iPod dock lets you bring and enjoy your iPod into your private sanctuary.
This iPod dock is integrated into a toilet paper holder and is compatible with all dockable iPods. It features four integrated high performance moisture-free speakers and is powered by an AC adapter… so you can power up your iPod while you download.
For showering, shaving, and all other things you might use your bathroom for, enjoy your music your way. Bring in your iPod. Let it enhance each moment of your life.
Power Requirements:
- 12V, 1.5A AC adapter Unit Dimension
- Width 8.25 x Height 3.68 x Depth 7.12 inch, 210mm x 93mm x 181mm
- Accepts standard toilet paper rolls
You can charge your iPod while playing music. The only problem is that it isn’t waterproof – but then again, neither is an iPod. By the way, that song stinks. Light a match.
Be Social: digg story | methodshop
methodshop | Comments (0) | Music, Geek
April 17, 2007
Pictures of Geek Culture
These pictures of “geek culture” will either amaze or disturb you. Enjoy.
Did anyone else want to kick over that arch of monitors?
BeSocial: digg it | via scribd.com | methodshop
methodshop | Comments (0) | Geek
