Comments (0) Boing Boing: Steam-powered Gameboy video
Better than Steam Punk – A steam powered gameboy. Short video showing a DARK area with what seems like an old steam engine (small) hooked to a generator, meter and then gameboy. Would love to see more of the setup with decent still pix and maybe a post describing it.
Elderly Instruments – Dopyera Collection – Introduction
The John and Rudy Dopyera Collection
We are very proud to offer for sale the combined collection of John and Rudy Dopyera. Few instrument makers represent the American Dream quite as completely as these two inventors, innovators, marketers, and all-around creative force behind both the National and Dobro companies.
The Dopyera brothers were born in what is now Slovakia, and came to the U.S. with the wave of Eastern European immigrants around the beginning of the 20th century. (In fact, the word “Dobro†is both a contraction of “DOpyera BROthers†and the word for “good†in their native tongue.) Engineers, tinkerers, businessmen, and accomplished musicians (their family had a history of violin making going back centuries, and Rudy was by many accounts an exceptionally talented and soulful Gypsy-style violinist), the two Dopyera brothers combined their Old World skills and traditions with the booming technology and futuristic tastes in art of pre-WWII America. Who else thought that spun aluminum might be a good material for sound projection? Who else engraved beautiful Art Deco designs on the bodies of their guitars? Only the Dopyeras.
The unusual, experimental, and mostly one-of-a-kind instruments in this collection – John’s unusual (and spectacular sounding!) resophonic violin, Rudy’s balalaika-inspired Lullabyka, the Art Deco-influenced steel body uke and tenor guitar, even the actual workbench on which John perfected the fabled tri-cone resonator system – are uniquely American (and uniquely Dopyera) innovations.
There’s no doubt that many of the great blues and slide guitar players owe their careers to these radical innovations of the Dopyeras; and there’s no question that both country and bluegrass music developed a whole new voice after the introduction of the Dobro. Because of the Dopyera brothers, American instruments – and American music – have never been the same.
Some seriously cool instruments!  Interesting guitar vise and workbench too. Wonderful stuff!
Electric Harley. The part I have trouble with here is the 560 pounds of lead acid batteries in the frame. And the exposed belt drive coming out the side. And the uglyness (sp?) of the beast. That much weight, build a trike…
Christiania Bikes UK – homepage
Never seen these before, and I don’t understand why they aren’t everywhere, other than the cost. One of the stories quoted a cost (my price translation from english pounds to us dollars may be off) of around $2,000.00 for a kid carrier version. None the less, these are wonderful! I’m gonna have to build one or more along these lines for use around here.
Rig of the Day: Now that’s a TV – The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
Now that’s a Mac!
Boing Boing: Microsoft Zune won’t play purchased Microsoft media files
Not only Viral DRM but won’t play their own files. Now this is just REAL STUPID! Is SCO running the R&D department for Micro$loth now?
Boing Boing: Chumby chairman interview: squeezable, open bean-bag computer
Open in several ways. Strange ideas but may be the leader in future open architecture equipment.
‘Berlin’: Rotating Fireplace of Glass and Steel – Gizmodo
Designer fireplace. Hope it is gas fired, as where would you put the wood? And why the hell would anyone want a fireplace to rotate???
This is some of the most overpriced weird stuff I have ever run across. One example is the 6 pack of black toilet paper for only 22.95 + shipping. Course it is French… 😉
UNEASYsilence » Hand Grenade Lamp
This is cool. Will have to try to make one. Got a friend that has some of the casings.
USB Aroma Joule: Whole Lotta Stinkin’ Goin’ On – Gizmodo
Get thee away, thou foul stinking instrument of satan! This is so much worse than the plugin odor maskers. I hope they come with warnings for folk that are hyper sensitive to odors.
2 thumbs down!
Jake’s Kerosene Lamp & Lantern Workshop
Interesting site about collecting, making and repairing kerosene lamps and lanterns. He also has several other interesting sites.  One is where he is rebuilding an old schoolbus into a really fine camper. Another is on building bicycles. Well worth the browsing time if you are into this kind of stuff. Already linked to his water cooled computer pages. This dude is a serious junk lover and hardware hacker!
WTF: USB Injection Needle Scares Mom, Holds a Gig – Gizmodo
The USB flash drive has now come full circle, where now it even looks like you can shoot up your data with the Syringe USB Flash Drive. Available in capacities from 128MB to 1GB, it’s not hardly voluminous enough to give that warez mule operation of yours a shot in the arm but it might be just big enough for Flat Top to shoot Coca-Cola. I know, I know, the whole thing makes no sense. – Charlie White
No idea why anyone would want anything like this but here it is. A thumb drive in a clear case that looks like a syringe. Kinda. Or an ear wax removal tool. Or something medical anyway.
I’m mainly posting this because after looking at the stuff I have posted so far today it seems that political tags have been on almost all of them, so here’s one that isn’t. Of course I bet it wouldn’t make it onto a plane… 😉
The Hipster – A Personal Trailer – Gizmodo
These look like they would be perfect for use on trails and such for multi day hikes instead of backpacks. Would allow a much heaver load to be carried with less wear and tear to the person.
5 Ways To Peak Your WiFi Feng Shui: Featuring the Radiolabs Stage 1 Parabolic Antenna – Gizmodo
More wifi goodness. I think I’m gonna get a wifi usb dongle and use a old DishTV dish to mount it on and try that.   Got at least two around here somewhere that are junk.
Hornmassive, One Big-Ass Horn – Gizmodo
Now that’s one big horn! Front row center anyone? What’s that can’t hear a word you’re saying… 😉
UNEASYsilence » It glows when you blow!
Some design concepts need to die a quick and quiet death. The breath powered led nose ring is one of them. For more details and a pix follow the above link…
Field & Stream – Photo Gallery – Make a Survival Kit out of an Altoids Tin
Though their layout is rather a pain with over 19 pages for this article alone the info isn’t bad. I’ve covered another survival kit in an Altoids tin before I think but the materials were a bit different. This is well worth a look should you be thinking about (and you should have one or more ready at all times just in case) getting or making a survival kit.
Audio Peacock Struts Its Stuff Around In Search of Perfect Audio – Gizmodo
And here we have the just plain weird…
Georgia Institute of Technology :: News Room :: Hydrogen Fuel Cells Power Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Above is the original article and site. Below is the physorg.com article
Now why couldn’t physorg.com add a link to their article linking to the original?
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