Author Topic: Interesting Non-Game Stuff (Read 73003 times)

manfred · « **Reply #100 on:** September 13, 2007, 08:19:56 AM »

Miracle bottle helps saving lives

The device is an all-in-one filtration bottle which removes all bacteria, viruses, cysts, parasites and fungi instantly from water without the aid of foul-tasting chemicals such as iodine or chlorine. Using unique technology, the 750ml plastic bottle can be filled with water from a dirty pond or river and with just a few pumps and the twist of a cap, clean drinking water begins to flow. It can distill 4000 or 6000 liters without changing the filter.

It will be soon officially launched, but the inventor has already received calls from the UN and Army generals asking about the product, which was recently voted Best Technological Development for Future Soldier System Enhancement by Soldier Technology 2007. He came up with the idea for his invention after watching TV coverage of the devastating Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004.

Another source.

Murometz · « **Reply #101 on:** September 24, 2007, 04:28:11 PM »

Made to order submission idea

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070924/ap_on_sc/germs_in_space

manfred · « **Reply #102 on:** October 11, 2007, 01:45:30 PM »

Back to the Burning Salt Water post from above - there is actually an article where the inventor notes it is not a fuel - that more energy is consumed than produced in the process. The evil thermodynamical laws strike down another dream of free energy. The experiment is far from useless, as applications in desalination and hydrogen production are still possible.

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Gathering 'Storm' Superworm Poses Grave Threat to PC Nets

A paranoia inducing report of a very low-profile worm, made for profit, not for fame; that will do whatever its authors command it to do. A few attacks on anti-spam sites have been already reported, and possibly some pump-and-dump stock scams. For now, it is merely gathering strength...

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Two points, or well, three points to take out of one article:
1. Global climate changes are not necessarily that global; the climate can differ radically in various places.
2. With a bit of luck, we can get an ice age!
3. If that happens, the southern hemisphere may be easily more habitable.

manfred · « **Reply #103 on:** October 19, 2007, 03:05:53 PM »

American Lawbreaking

Now for something a little different: an article that "explores the black spots in American law: areas in which our laws are routinely and regularly broken and where the law enforcement response is … nothing. These are the areas where, for one reason or another, we've decided to tolerate lawbreaking and let a law—duly enacted and still on the books—lay fallow or near dead."

Maggot · « **Reply #104 on:** October 20, 2007, 09:05:28 AM »

I'm guessing that those laws are deemed to be so absurd by the law-enforcement agencies that think it no great crime if someone were to break them?

manfred · « **Reply #105 on:** October 25, 2007, 10:39:01 AM »

Now for something much more useful in the daily life:

What to do if you are attacked by monkeys

dark_dragon · « **Reply #106 on:** October 26, 2007, 07:37:04 AM »

Google trend: http://www.google.com/trends

what people are searching for! Quite interesting!

Ancient Gamer · « **Reply #107 on:** October 26, 2007, 08:31:03 AM »

I don't believe it! I don't believe that they can conjure up that list without one single XXX reference.

They probably filtered away anything lewd and kept the rest.

Chaosmark · « **Reply #108 on:** October 26, 2007, 10:09:30 AM »

The monkey attack thing is quite interesting. And yes, it DOES have some good applications.

...It also gives me a good reason to carry around a staff of some sort...

manfred · « **Reply #109 on:** November 26, 2007, 01:50:38 PM »

Temples of Damanhur

You know, if a particular person claims to have visions of an idyllic place, where the people lived in peace, you can be pardoned for having certain doubts. And if the person attempts to build a temple according to the visions, then it starts to be strange.

But what to say if somebody actually builds a HUGE underground complex with some incredibly rich ornamentation?

Pariah · « **Reply #110 on:** November 26, 2007, 05:08:42 PM »

Quote from: Ancient Gamer on October 26, 2007, 08:31:03 AM

I don't believe it! I don't believe that they can conjure up that list without one single XXX reference.

They probably filtered away anything lewd and kept the rest.

Quote from: Google

Hot Trends reflects what people are searching for on Google today. Rather than showing the most popular searches overall, which would always be generic terms like 'weather,' Hot Trends highlights searches that experience sudden surges in popularity, and updates that information hourly. Our algorithm analyzes millions of web searches performed on Google and displays those searches that deviate the most from their historic traffic pattern. The algorithm also filters out spam and removes inappropriate material.

So they don't filter it, it's just things like weather, pr0n, and "hardcore asia" have so many hits on a regular basis that they'll never show up in the hot trends.

Dragonlordmax · « **Reply #111 on:** November 28, 2007, 04:09:42 PM »

Quote

The algorithm also filters out spam and removes inappropriate material.

Your own quote says they do filter it....

valadaar · « **Reply #112 on:** November 28, 2007, 06:04:33 PM »

It might, depending on what is and is not appropriate....

manfred · « **Reply #113 on:** December 07, 2007, 12:03:25 PM »

Why don't we love science fiction?

“The truth is,” Aldiss has written, “that we are at last living in an SF scenario.” A collapsing environment, a hyperconnected world, suicide bombers, perpetual surveillance, the discovery of other solar systems, novel pathogens, tourists in space, children drugged with behaviour controllers – it’s all coming true at last. Aldiss thinks this makes SF redundant. I disagree. In such a climate, it is the conventionally literary that is threatened, and SF comes into its own as the most hardcore realism.

... The further oddity is that fantasy – Terry Pratchett, Tolkien, Philip Pullman – is not embarrassing to us at all; indeed, it’s downright respectable. Perhaps this is because these are seen as children’s books that grown-ups can read, whereas SF is seen as irredeemably adolescent. This is to ignore the fact that it tends to be much more demanding and much bleaker.

“In a fantasy story,” Aldiss says, “there’s a big evil abroad, but, in the end, everything goes back to normal and everybody goes home to drink ale in the shires. In a science-fiction story, there may be a terrible evil abroad, and it may get sorted out, but the world is f***ed up for ever. This is realism. It’s certainly not beach reading, unless you can find a really nasty, shingly beach.”

And there is more stuff to ponder on.

Pariah · « **Reply #114 on:** December 07, 2007, 12:36:07 PM »

I used to live by a real nasty, shingly beach...

manfred · « **Reply #115 on:** December 24, 2007, 06:16:46 AM »

This is what I want to find under the Christmas tree:

My very own micro nuclear reactor!

Toshiba has developed a new class of micro size Nuclear Reactors that is designed to power individual apartment buildings or city blocks. The new reactor, which is only 20 feet by 6 feet, could change everything for small remote communities, small businesses or even a group of neighbors who are fed up with the power companies and want more control over their energy needs.

Chaosmark · « **Reply #116 on:** December 25, 2007, 12:34:22 PM »

While absolutely awesome, how expensive is it? 10k? 50k? 100k? Inquiring minds want to know (and can't find it on their own).

Sidenote: Toshiba apparently has more than one of these designs, because I've come across a 10 megawatt one, and a 200 kilowatt one.

the Wanderer · « **Reply #117 on:** January 13, 2008, 08:12:35 PM »

Ok, so I randomly found this page a while ago. (It was suggested I put it here so it doesn't get lost)
I'm not so sure it's not game related, but here it is....enjoy!

http://www.science.uva.nl/~seop/archives/spr2000/entries/time-travel-phys/

valadaar · « **Reply #118 on:** January 14, 2008, 09:54:21 AM »

Neat site describing various firearm tests:

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/theboxotruth.htm

I found a lot of info during my creation of my 30 bullets sub (http://www.strolen.com/content.php?node=4619)

Quick way to answer some questions during Modern RP...

eg. How many armor points is my AK47 ammo strapped to my chest????
Answer: None.. http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot9_2.htm

Murometz · « **Reply #119 on:** January 16, 2008, 10:25:24 AM »

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20080111/sc_space/sourceofmysteriousantimatterfound

manfred · « **Reply #120 on:** January 22, 2008, 04:12:04 PM »

Just the equipment for uncouth modern times:

"energy weapon protection device"

...in other words, taser-proof clothes, for students, political activists, and criminals alike. Don't wallow in a state of shock - do something about it!

dark_dragon · « **Reply #121 on:** January 27, 2008, 02:24:22 AM »

http://www.songbirdnest.com/

oooOOOOhhh YES! Itunes-like player integrated seamlessly with web-wide mp3 search. Win/Linux/Mac It R.O.C.K.S.

Still in alpha/beta. It will _probably_ crash.

forgive my use of hyperbole...

dark_dragon · « **Reply #122 on:** January 27, 2008, 02:38:31 AM »

VIA has launched their new pico-itx recently. Full x86 platform. up to 1gb ram, via c7 1ghz cpu.

http://www.mini-itx.com/reviews/pico-itx/

it is only 10 x 7.5 cm (less than 4 x 3 in)

Guilty as charged....

Chaosmark · « **Reply #123 on:** January 28, 2008, 01:37:55 AM »

Been using Songbird for a few months now. It works quite well, even as a Beta. I haven't upgraded to the newest version, but it certainly works great. The one complaint I have about it is that it tends to have naming problems when you import new music files. But, renaming is easy and quick, so no real problem there.

Edit: And no, it has crashed on me maybe once, and otherwise messed up twice. This thing is ROBUST. They dun gooooood.

manfred · « **Reply #124 on:** February 12, 2008, 03:56:20 PM »

http://www.nationalpost.com/story-printer.html?id=589efd96-7ca6-4058-be32-156b137c500c

How a high-school drop out earned some decent money by forging classical art pieces without anyone noticing... until he got careless, and misspelled the cuneiform on an ancient Assyrian stone relief. See kids, this is why spelling is important..

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http://www.michaelcrichton.com/speech-complexity.html

Micheal Crichton on Complexity Theory, and why should one be careful with doomsday scenarios, and simple solutions for a non-linear world. He meanders a bit, but makes the point well.