Neat Stuff

Sunday, November 11, 2007

It pays to build a green home in Portland, OR

by Marisa McClellan
Nov 9th 2007 @ 10:02AM

Portland, OR may be going where no city has gone before. They are in the process of considering the implementation of regulations for new home construction that will force builders to pay up if the homes they construct aren't exceptionally energy efficient. On the flip side, they will give builders cash rewards if they construct homes that are at least 45% more energy efficient than the minimum standard.

This plan will go before Portland residents in a series of hearings in January. If the new regulations are passed, they will go into effect in 2010.

[via Apartment Therapy: green home]

Filed under: Home, GreenTech

Blockbuster unclear on how the Internet works

by Jonathon Morgan
Nov 9th 2007 @ 5:32PM

Ah, the wonder of Pay-Per-View and the Internet, making it possible to download movies directly to your home. No need to use gas driving to the movie store, or all that plastic for the DVD case -- even the DVD itself is unnecessary. What a fantastic way for the eco-conscious person to reduce their energy consumption!

That is, unless you download your movies at Blockbuster. In yet another ~~desperate~~ attempt to bring people back to their stores, the company will be installing kiosks that allow you to download movies straight to your iPods (or whatever you use as portable media player). Why anyone who likes to watch movies on their portable device would schlep up to Blockbuster when they already have a computer in their house is beyond me.

But what I do know, is that the company has succeeded in taking two good ideas -- centralized movie rental and digital distribution -- and combined them to make something completely useless (not to mention the additional waste and drain on the environment).

Lame.

Recycled beer makes cows happy

by Jonathon Morgan
Nov 11th 2007 @ 10:01AM

Remember that one time you and your frat buddies got really loaded and decided to put beer in the dog's water bowl? Dude! Bro! That was totally outrageous!

Just think of how awesome that'd be if you did it with a bunch of cows!

Of course I'm joking, so you can hold off on that tersely worded email to PETA. However, some UK farmers really are feeding beer to their cattle -- and apparently it's good for them.

The idea comes from Greene King, the brewery behind Old Speckled Hen and Abbot Ale. They've started recycling beer dregs (from the bottom of kegs and pint glasses) into alcoholic (yet somehow non-harmful) animal feed. That feed is then used by local farmers who've noticed "rather a lot of happy cows" out in the pasture.

Not only is this a novel way to cut back on waste, but I'm sure it has drastically reduced the never-ending boredom of bovine life. Everyone wins.

[Via Treehugger]

Filed under: Food

IT: Hidden Music Claimed In Da Vinci Painting

Posted by kdawson on Sunday November 11, @02:30AM
from the tinfoil-palletes dept.

snib sends us to CNN for coverage of an Italian musician and computer technician who claims to have uncovered a hidden musical score in Leonardo Da Vinci's "Last Supper." Giovanni Maria Pala published this and other findings about the 'Last Supper' painting in his book The Hidden Music, released in Italy Friday. "[This raises] the possibility that the Renaissance genius might have left behind a somber composition to accompany the scene depicted in the 15th-century wall painting. 'It sounds like a requiem,' Giovanni Maria Pala said. 'It's like a soundtrack that emphasizes the passion of Jesus.'"

[+] steganography, music, encryption, completeandutterbs (tagging beta)

Your Rights Online: FBI May Have Datamined Grocery Stores With Help From Credit Companies

Posted by Zonk on Friday November 09, @10:01AM
from the so-you-like-hummus-do-you-mr.-smartguy dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Recent media reports indicate that in 2005-06, the FBI went trawling through grocery store records in order to track down Iranian terror cells. They hoped to locate 'Middle-Eastern terrorists' through the purchase of specific food items. Many of these items, though, are not sold through big-box supermarket chains, and the majority of mom and pop ethnic markets do not have the detailed computer purchase histories that Safeway or Whole Foods have. What the FBI seems to have done is instead put together a list of everyone who shopped at a Middle Eastern food market. All signs point to the credit card companies providing this data, and not the individual stores. If so, this could be the tip of a (potentially illegal) data-mining iceberg."

[+] falafel, business, politics, privacy, usa (tagging beta)

Science: Adult Brains More Flexible Than Previously Thought

Journal written by stemceller (975823) and posted by Zonk on Friday November 09, @10:32PM
from the you-must-unlearn-what-you-have-learned dept.

stemceller passed us a link to the official site for Johns Hopkins, which is reporting on some research into cognition. Generally, doctors have understood our best learning to be done at a young age, when the brain has a 'robust flexibility'. As we get older, our brain cells become 'hard-wired' along certain paths and don't move much - if at all. Or, at least, that was the understanding. Research headed by the hospital's Dr. Linden has taken advantage of 'two-photon microscopy', a new technique, to get a new picture inside a mouse's head. "They examined neurons that extend fibers (called axons) to send signals to a brain region called the cerebellum, which helps coordinate movements and sensory information. Like a growing tree, these axons have a primary trunk that runs upward and several smaller branches that sprout out to the sides. But while the main trunk was firmly connected to other target neurons in the cerebellum, stationary as adult axons are generally thought to be, 'the side branches swayed like kite tails in the wind,' says Linden. Over the course of a few hours, individual side branches would elongate, retract and morph in a highly dynamic fashion. These side branches also failed to make conventional connections, or synapses, with adjacent neurons. Furthermore, when a drug was given that produced strong electrical currents in the axons, the motion of the side branches stalled.'"

[+] biotech, science, ronpaulisanazi, braaains (tagging beta)

Dude, you're getting a drink: Dell dude now a waiter

Posted Nov 8th 2007 3:09PM by Nilay Patel
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Oh, how the mighty have fallen: Ben Curtis, famous just a few years ago as "Steven the Dell Dude," is now a waiter / bartender at Tortilla Flats in New York. Although the Steven ads were hugely popular and generated tons of buzz (and revenue) for Dell, the company eventually dropped the campaign after Ben got arrested for buying pot in 2003 -- shocking no one who actually watched the commercials, but apparently not the message Dell wanted to send the parents fronting the cash for all those machines. Although he's down to slinging drinks, Ben's taking it in stride, saying "There were times when I made boatloads of money as an actor, but here I can be myself." That doesn't mean he's given up the dream just yet: he's hoping to score big with his band, Whale, which he says has "the green light," but has "decided to take a little time off to record our EP and package ourselves properly." Hm, seems like a perfect opportunity to get back together with Dell, actually -- it could use some new music after getting caught using GarageBand's built-in loops in that XPS One teaser.

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NASA helps predict, prevent disease outbreaks

Posted Nov 8th 2007 5:02PM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

We could almost swear we've heard this same scenario played out in a 80s era sci-fi drama, but apparently, this ain't out of any movie script. By utilizing 14 orbiting satellites and enlisting the assistance of NASA's Applied Sciences Program, scientists are reportedly observing our planet's environment to "help predict and prevent infectious disease outbreaks around the world." Apparently, the satellites collect environmental change data, which is then forwarded on to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Defense and broken down to estimate and track epidemics. The remote sensing technology is currently be used to target and track malaria (among other things), and NASA surveillance systems can also be used to determine if a given outbreak was caused by "natural circumstances" or if bioterrorism was to blame. Phew, at least we know 28 Days Later won't become an infamous example of life imitating art... right?

[Via Slashdot]

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Solar-powered ferry could be headed to San Francisco

Posted Nov 9th 2007 3:05AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Transportation

A DIY nuke detector won't be the only oddity out in the San Francisco Bay before too long, as we're hearing that Hornblower Yachts is currently lobbying for Coast Guard approval to operate a solar-powered ferry in the area by 2009. The sails (but not the actual vessel) would be created by Australia's Solar Sailor, which already has a sun-lovin' boat that cruises around the sunny Sydney Harbor and utilizes eight solar sails to dramatically decrease its consumption of diesel. Furthermore, the firm is planning to deliver a set of sails to a ginormous passenger boat in Shanghai and could be close to landing a contract for four 100-person ferries in Hong Kong. If you're wondering just how much coin you'd have to cough up to snag a few solar sails for personal use, we're told that $1.5 million of the estimated $8.5 million reserved for the San Fran boat will be headed straight to Solar Sailor, so yeah, only the affluent need apply.

[Image courtesy of Solar Sailor]

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Paramagnetic paint lets you change your car's color on a whim

Posted Nov 9th 2007 3:07PM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Transportation

Sure, the whole "temporary vehicle paint" idea was a fine concept if you adored hassles, but Nissan's got a much cleaner approach for those who appreciate easy. Yep, the same folks who dreamed up that self-healing paint some two years back are now talking up their paramagnetic concoction, which purportedly enables motorists to change the color of their ride at the press of a button. The secret is a "special polymer containing paramagnetic iron oxide particles," which is applied to the whip's exterior; an "applied electric current then adjusts the spacing of small crystals within the iron oxide particles, and therefore affects their ability to reflect light and change color." Essentially, vehicles could rock a default color when turned off, and then your imagination could go wild once you turned over the ignition. If all goes well, expect to see commercial applications ready to roll by the time Fast and the Furious: 10 Times 2 Many hits theaters (or 2010, whichever comes first).

[Via Autoblog]

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New helmet allows fighter pilots to peer through the jet

Posted Nov 10th 2007 12:13PM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Wearables

No, the headgear in the photo above wasn't some unused prototype created for The Terminator; rather, it's a snazzy new helmet designed to give fighter pilots a better look at their surroundings. Within the tinted faceplate are two projectors which sync up with plane-mounted cameras and display images from the outside for the pilot to view. Essentially, this enables the operator to view high-resolution images (yes, even at night) of areas previously imperceptible without a warplane constructed entirely of plexiglass, and onboard sensors make sure that the imagery reflects exactly where the pilot is looking at any given moment. Furthermore, computerized systems can even feed in "essential flight and combat data on to the display," as well as target symbols of friendlies / enemies. The new visual system is apparently just one amenity on the oh-so-sophisticated Joint Strike Fighter, which the British are planning to pay £66 million ($139 million) apiece for after it hits the production line.

[Via Switched]

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Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Pascal's wager on the enviroment

This was a good argument to weigh whether or not you should do something about the environment.

Making energy from dirt

by Brad Linder
Nov 6th 2007 @ 9:56PM

While we've been running around trying to figure out how to save the planet, it turns out some scientists have figured out how the planet can save us. And when I say the planet, I mean the ground beneath our feet.

Living Power Systems has developed a commercial microbial fuel cell similar to the plant-powered fuel cell we told you about a fee weeks back. But the Living Power Systems fuel cell runs on dirt. Or rather, it generates electricity from bacteria in dirt.

If you think back to your third grad science class, you'll probably remember that you can generate electricity from a potato or other living material. But you generally get such a small amount of energy that it's not really worth the trouble to harvest it. Living Power Systems' technique is exciting because it actually makes dirt power usable. I'm not saying you'll be able to power your laptop computer with dirt anytime soon, but home lighting and cellphone chargers aren't out of the question.

Microbial Fuel Cell technology will probably be deployed first in developing nations where access to electricity is a bit more inconsistent and unpredictable than in say, New York City. But as the technology gets more and more refined, we could see dirt powered cellphone towers or even homes.

[via Earth2Tech]

Your Rights Online: School District Threatens Suit Over Parent's Blog

Posted by kdawson on Wednesday November 07, @05:06AM
from the speech-in-a-deep-freeze dept.

penguin_dance writes "A Texas School District is threatening to sue a parent over what it terms 'libelous material' or other 'legally offensive' postings on her web site and are demanding their removal. Web site owner Sandra Tetley says they're just opinions. The legal firm sending the demand cited 16 items, half posted by Tetley, the rest by anonymous commentators to her blog. The alleged libelous postings 'accuse Superintendent Lynne Cleveland, trustees and administrators of lying, manipulation, falsifying budget numbers, using their positions for "personal gain," violating the Open Meetings Act and spying on employees, among other things.' The problem for the district is that previous courts have ruled that governments can't sue for libel. So now, in a follow-up story, the lawyers say the firm 'would file a suit on behalf of administrators in their official capacities and individual board members. The suit, however, would be funded from the district's budget.' So far, Tetley hasn't backed down, although she said she'll 'consult with her attorneys before deciding what, if anything, to delete.'"

[+] chillingeffect, court, internet, education, blog (tagging beta)

Science: Chefs As Chemists

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday November 06, @08:06PM
from the you-want-agar-agar-with-that dept.

circletimessquare writes "Using ingredients usually relegated to the lower half of the list of ingredients on a Twinkies wrapper, some professional chefs are turning themselves into magicians with food. Ferran Adrià in Spain and Heston Blumenthal in England have been doing this for years, but the New York Times updates us on the ongoing experiments at WD-50 in New York City. Xanthan Gum, agar-agar, and other hydrocolloids are being used to bring strange effects to your food. Think butter that doesn't melt in the oven, foie gras you can tie into knots, and fried mayonnaise."

[+] biotech, science, moleculargastronomy, goodeats, borkborkbork (tagging beta)

Science: Astronomers Announce 5-Planet System

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday November 06, @05:35PM
from the looking-for-something-rockier dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Astronomers have detected a record-breaking 5th planet orbiting the star 55 Cancri, 41 light years distant. This planet orbits within the 'habitable zone,' where water could presumably exist, but it's probably another gas giant like Saturn, so any liquid water would have to be on a moon. There's still a big gap between this planet and the outermost planet where no planets have been detected yet, so there could yet be a rocky planet in the system. The lead researcher said he's optimistic that 'continued observations will reveal a rocky planet within five years.'"

[+] science, space, classmplanet, !britneynotnews (tagging beta)

Google gas pumps: the savior of lost men

Posted Nov 7th 2007 7:52AM by Thomas Ricker
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Transportation

Soon, you will never have to admit that you're lost and suffer the humiliation of asking for directions. Google is expected to announce a partnership today with Gilbarco Veeder-Root, to include Google's mapping service on 3,500 Internet enabled gasoline pumps across the US. The maps will be available on the pump's small screen giving motorists the ability to scroll through local landmarks, hotels, restaurants, and hospitals to the bemusement of the guy waiting behind you. The pump will even print directions. The service is said to be ad-free but will offer coupons which sounds a lot like advertising to us. Look for the gPumps to arrive courtesy of that Encore S rig pictured above.

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Gamerator MAME cabinet features 187 games, built-in keg

Posted Nov 6th 2007 7:28PM by Nilay Patel
Filed under: Gaming

187 MAME-emulated games, a 24-inch LCD, cupholders and a built-in kegerator? If it was up to us, the Gamerator would be the only piece of furniture in our living room. Yours now for $2K on eBay.

[Via TechDigest]

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Are you using Vista?

You may identify with this experience if you have tried. This must have been done by a Unix fan.
http://www.theblimp.blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf?autostart=true&enablejs=true&feedurl=http://theblimp.blip.tv/rss&file=http://www.theblimp.blip.tv/rss/flash/345491&showplayerpath=http://www.theblimp.blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf

Too Funny

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

How to make your own Solar Geny for less than $300

This is a pretty old like but looks like it would be fun to try. I might try to see if I can make something to light my walkway etc.
http://www.rain.org/~philfear/how2solar.html

Scientists develop sticky tape inspired by insect feet

Posted Nov 6th 2007 5:59AM by Nilay Patel
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Black gaffer tape might be about to get a run for its money as our fix-it of choice -- researchers at the Max Planck Institute in Germany, in collaboration with a team at Carnegie Mellon, are working on a new type of tape that gets its stick from a pattern of microscopic ridges modeled after insect feet. The two teams studied over 300 insects to develop the tape, which can be reused hundreds of times before losing its stickiness then simply washed in soapy water to regain its initial grip. Tests of the tape have enabled a 4-ounce robot to climb walls, and the team says that although it'll never be as cheap or as strong as regular old Scotch, the product they've nicknamed "insect tape" will be reasonably cheap to use around the house. Yeah, but can you build a server out of it?

Tags: insect, insect tape, InsectTape, tape

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Monday, November 5, 2007

Anyone like Heros?

Study Suggests Genome Instability Hotspots

Posted by Zonk on Monday November 05, @01:26AM
from the perfect-place-to-splice dept.

Dr. Eggman writes "Ars Technica reports on a new study that suggests not only that certain areas of the mouse genome undergo more changes, but that changes to those areas are more tolerable by the organism than changes in other areas. Recently published in Nature Genetics, the study examined the certain copy number variations of the C57Bl/6 strain in mice that have been diverging for less than 1,000 generations. The results were a surprising number of variations. While the study does not address it, Ars Technica goes on to recount suggestions that genomes evolved to the point where they work well with evolution."

[+] biotech, science, genomics (tagging beta)

Animal poo powers zoo

by Jonathon Morgan
Nov 3rd 2007 @ 3:02PM

Filed under: News

If you talk to Chuck Siegel, deputy director of animal management for the Dallas Zoo, he'll tell you that "poo and pee is our bread and butter."

Sounds a little gross, but it's totally true. Animal waste, rather than a useless byproduct, destined to take up space in a landfill somewhere, is instead going to be a source of energy for the zoo. Officials are implementing a plan that would take cardboard, tree limbs, and their never-ending supply of animal poop, and run it through a biogas generator that will help power several buildings.

With a total price tag of around $1 million, it's not exactly cheap. But given the amount of money the facility will save on power, zoo officials estimate that the project will pay for itself within ten years. Holy crap!

Ultracapacitors Soon to Replace Many Batteries?

Posted by Zonk on Sunday November 04, @07:46PM
from the zap-zap-zazp dept.

einhverfr writes "According to an article in the IEEE Spectrun, the synergy between batteries and capacitors — two of the sturdiest and oldest components of electrical engineering — has been growing, to the point where ultracapacitors may soon be almost as indispensable to portable electricity as batteries are now. Some researchers expect to soon create capacitors capable of storing 50% as much energy as a lithium ion battery of the same size. Such capacitors could revolutionize many areas possibly from mobile computing (no worries about battery memory), electricity-powered vehicles, and more."

[+] power, technology, shocking, ultracapacitor, ieeespectrum (tagging beta)

The Dying PC Market

Posted by CmdrTaco on Sunday November 04, @10:06AM
from the netcraft-confirms-nothing dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The PC's role in Japanese homes is diminishing, as its once-awesome monopoly on processing power is encroached by gadgets such as smart phones that act like pocket-size computers, advanced Internet-connected game consoles, digital video recorders with terabytes of memory NEC's annual PC shipments in Japan shrank 6.2 percent to 2.72 million units in 2006, and the trend is continuing into the first quarter of fiscal 2007 with a 14 percent decline from a year earlier. Sony's PC shipments for Japan shrank 10 percent in 2006 from a year earlier. "The household PC market is losing momentum to other electronics like flat-panel TVs and mobile phones," said Masahiro Katayama, research group head at market survey firm IDC. "Consumers aren't impressed anymore with bigger hard drives or faster processors. That's not as exciting as a bigger TV," Katayama said. "And in Japan, kids now grow up using mobile phones, not PCs. The future of PCs isn't bright.""

[+] portables, netcraftconfirmsit, runonsentence, fud, japanisnottheworld (tagging beta)