"When this Azola couple got back from their honeymoon, they had about an hour of matrimonial bliss before being forced to flee as their house was engulfed in flames. So you can understand they had some things on their mind other than the status of their AT&T | Dish receiver as they ran for their lives. When they called to cancel service, the customer service rep asked if they had "remembered to pick up the receiver" as they left the house..." - Link (via Consumerist)
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
A Tale of Two Decisions
"According to Higazi, the investigators coerced him into confessing to a role in 9/11. Higazi first adamantly denied any involvement with 9/11 and could not believe what was happening to him. Then, he says, the investigator said his family would go through hell in Egypt, where they torture people like Saddam Hussein." - LinkThursday, October 25, 2007
The Book of SPAM
"Quick: what’s a product that’s found in 99% of all supermarkets in the US, sells about 80 million pounds every year, has a 20,000 member-strong fan club, its own museum, and even its own Broadway musical? It’s SPAM, of course!" - Link (via Neatorama)Climate Could Wipe Out Half of World's Species
"If present global warming trends continue, the number of plant and animal extinctions we've witnessed over the past few years could be just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. A new study to be published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B has suggested that rising temperatures could spark a wave of mass extinctions, claiming close to half of all species." - Link
Monday, October 1, 2007
DirectTV Uses Illegal Telemarketing
"DirecTV is defending automated sales calls to Do Not Call List subscribers as 'informational,' and 'not telemarketing.' The satellite TV provider recently called customers to say: 'Because you are on our Do Not Call List, we can't call you with all of our super-awesome special promotions.'" - LinkCondoms and HIV Cocktails will give you AIDS
"The head of the Catholic Church in Mozambique has told the BBC he believes some European-made condoms are infected with HIV deliberately. Maputo Archbishop Francisco Chimoio claimed some anti-retroviral drugs were also infected 'in order to finish quickly the African people'." - CNN Link (via Boing Boing)Friday, September 28, 2007
Patriot Act Unconstitutional
"The critical legal issue was that in the Patriot Act, Congress amended FISA to change the language from requiring "the purpose" of the search or surveillance be to obtain foreign intelligence information to only "a significant purpose" of the search or surveillance." - LinkTuesday, September 25, 2007
Ultra-Simple Hovercraft
NEEDED:- BATTERY POWERED LEAF BLOWER (or gas powered), or use the type of cannister vacuum cleaner which has a blower outlet, such as older "Shopvac".
- PLYWOOD, 3ft or 4ft square, 3/8in or 1/2in thick (or buy a 48in precut round tabletop).
- PLASTIC SHEET, 1ft larger than the above wood (Avoid using 1mil thickness garbage bags, instead use a heavy 4mil or 6mil plastic dropcloth from a paint store, or 'Visqueen' sheet, or an old plastic shower curtain)
- SMALL PLASTIC DISK, coffee can lid, or 6" disk 1/8in thick plastic or thin wood.
- BOLT, 2in, 1/4-20, NUT, 1/4-20, FENDER WASHERS (TWO)
- or instead use four small self-tapping wood screws
- SMOOTH FLOOR (linoleum, ball court, or smooth concrete)
- electric saber saw, drill, razor knife, staplegun, duct tape
- Optional: lawn chair and clamps/screws to hold it down.
- Optional: some sort of rubber bumper for the edge. Nail on some old bike tires? Just cover it with duct tape? - Link
Shopping Research - a few useful links
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
