Train to the Roof of the World

Wired Article

Guys, this is just an interesting article in this month's Wired magazine. China is expanding it's rail system further west all the way to Tibet. The two interesting parts are 1) the technology is just plain cool....they had to build over permafrost without heating the ground...and other interesting things like the high altitudes which caused some issues, and 2) the political aspect where it will allow Tibet to be more quickly incultureated with western ideas and allow China to force even more control on the province.

I believe the latest leg they're opening is 1,215 miles long at a cost of 2 million per mile?

Read the whole article when you get a chance!

high tech tools for the LAPD

Stick It To 'Em

I guess this is a good use of technology. Apparently the LAPD will be able to shoot a dart at cars that transmits a GPS signal through an encrypted cellular channel so they can aprehend vehicles without the dangerous chase. The computer will just track the car and allow for a calmer arrest.

I wonder what type of warrent system they'll need to shoot one at a car? Can they shoot one at your car to track you because you were speeding, or ran a red light? Then just stop and pick you up later when you stop by the grocery store?

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18lbs of berries picked for jam

The Escapist - OMG Girlz Don’t Exist on teh Intarweb!!!!1

You've got to read this- at least through case 4.

The Escapist - OMG Girlz Don’t Exist on teh Intarweb!!!!1: "I am a girl on the internet. Yes, I said it. A girl on the internet. There really are quite a few of us. I can type. I can play games with the best of you. And you, my friend, are about to get owned by a girl."

World RPS Society

Humorous video on the ultimate sport:

World RPS Society - Home: "art 3 of the Championships. Find out about what kind of training it takes to compete at the World Class level of Rock Paper Scissors"

Shopping for Justice

Shopping for Justice, Sojourners Magazine/May 2006

This article is very good and I believe the same things the author does. But what I need to know is where do you shop when you live somewhere like Upland, Indiana? Even when I shop at the local supermarket, Lance's, I don't know where the stuff is coming from. I suppose I could just ask?

Oh, and I guess this is a good followup to the last post :)

--Jeff

Goodbye, Blog

I agreed with most of this article and I know who Alan Jacobs is up at Wheaton. But I think he's a little off target on what most people think about blogs? I do believe blogs are a great starting point for conversations, because they provide the information necessary for good conversaton. But I never thought of blogs and the comments that people post as being good conversations themselves.

I for one plan to keep using the heck out of netvibes to keep me updated on the information I'm interested in. Most of my conversations with people are informed from these many blog postings.

What do you guys think?
The Friend of Information but the Enemy of Thought?

New running shoes!

Check out the specs here

I've been having this terrible heel pain all year and haven't been able to run with Madeline like I want to. So my friend Dan tells me about this place in Fort Wayne called 3 Rivers Running Co. It's a running store where they check your arches and then analyze your running gate by video taping you while running on a tread-mill and then looking at it in slow motion. They said I had a mid to high arch but that it is really flexible. That means it flattens out when my foot hits the ground.

So they put me in this really nice shoe (actual ones in the picture) and I've run twice now with no pain. When you're standing in them it feels like you're wearing a Birkenstock because the arch support is so good. Unbelievable. Okay, I thought this was blog worthy information :)

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Alright, last one

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Working across street

Google Calendar SMS feature officially launched - Lifehacker

Briefly I've tried to get Gcal to sync with my Razr and bypass my pda in the process (sounds so dorky) . I see I can save the calendar as an .ics file then import it into the pda, then bluetooth events individually to my phone, but that is too cumbersome. Here's a temporary solution, (but alas, I have no free sms feature though it is only 5 cents a message, if I'm not mistaken). Any luck with gcalsync lately? What about the xml feature, would that work to sync via Opera?

Google Calendar SMS feature officially launched - Lifehacker: "Google Calendar SMS feature officially launched"

A Safer Table Saw

Dave, I think you'll really appreciate this one! A table saw that doesn't cut off fingers. Check out the video linked to the article where they used a hot dog for testing purposes.

Also, note that this is still a long way from actually being implemented due to the high costs of manufacturing, etc.

NPR : Making the Case for a Safer Table Saw

'Fly Electric' - CD-Rom motors

Sent to me by Scott:

'Fly Electric' - CD-Rom motors: "'CD-Rom' brushless motors are fantastic! They generate stunning power from very little weight. Combined with LiPoly cells they are unbeatable. I have made dozens of these motors for myself and friends, and more to experiment or understand the principles."

Bathroom pre-plumbing

Freshly painted