Archive for the ‘Technology’ Category

MythBusters: Water Special


17 Nov

Second MythBusters retrospective in a row, though it looks like next week will be fan requests. Tonight was water myths, and this episode highlighted my biggest problem with the retrospective shows- no real information about the myths themselves.

The hubby did not remember the steam powered machine gun (I did), but at least they gave the outcome of that myth- busted. I did not remember the octopus egg hatching in a human stomach myth (hubby does), and they did not tell us the outcome of that myth, just talked about how cool it was to play with the octopus. Frustrating!

Students to Aid in Preserving Shipwrecks


16 Nov

If we want more kids to be interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) careers, we need to give them more opportunities like this.

While not every school has shipwrecks near by, let alone shipwrecks from the Revolutionary War, it’s still a fabulous opportunity for kids to see real world applications of some of the great technology we currently have, while at the same time providing valuable information to the people working on this project.

It might also get some kids interested in archaeology, but we can forgive them that. Kudos to the Nation Science Foundation for funding this work.

MythBusters: Location Special


10 Nov

It’s the semi-annual retrospective/count down show. This time, we’re counting down the different locations they’ve been to. I don’t mind retrospectives, as we often get a little more information about the different myths.

This time, I learned about the existence of M6 and M7. I don’t know that I had ever realized that the build team had their own workspace. I remember the early seasons, and I remember the comments about neighbors not liking them (I mean, dead pigs in the sports car, that smell would have pissed me off, too), but I hadn’t realized it was a separate location.

Cold Fusion, Anyone?


04 Nov

The US Department of Energy and the US Patent Office consider all cold fusion machines to be hoaxes. The fact that the US Patent Office refuses to even look at cold fusion patents could lead to the US falling behind in race for clean, cheap energy.

They say physics rules out the possibility. Are we that arrogant, to believe we know everything about physics?

An Italian physicist has conducted two successful public demonstrations of his cold fusion machine. The physicists who witnessed the demonstrations were won over. But Rossi won’t discuss details, because he work can not be patent protected.

MythBusters (ep 176)


03 Nov

I love sewer explosions that send manhole covers 150ft in the air as much as the next MythBusters fan. It was a cool experiment. However, I really, really want to talk about the truck bed liner.

The first response at our house- why aren’t they making siding out of that? I’m not certain pieces of siding individually coated in the truck bed liner would have the same explosion proofing effects; it may be that the entire structure needs to be coated in one continuous layer, but still- a bomb proof house. How handy would that be for the zombie apocalypse?

MythBuster (ep 175)


27 Oct

Modern explosives are stable- especially ones carried by the military- you know where they have to possibly carry them through a warzone in a pack on a soldier’s back? Yeah, the military is not using anything that blows up on impact. I don’t know that I’d want to cook with it, though, even if you can.

LOVED the throwing guillotines, though I really thought Grant might end up losing a finger. I was glad Tory’s simple design was the one that worked best because it actually seemed like something that could have existed in the era the myth was from.

MythBusters (ep 174)


20 Oct

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a MythBusters where everything was plausible or confirmed. Even with that, here are the lessons I took away from the episode:

Guys who operate excavators are crazy. Actually, I’ve met a number of heavy machine operators, and I think crazy might be a good adjective for all of them. They say don’t try this at home, but they only got these “myths” because the excavator guys already had.

I would rather take a ride in the duct tape sailboat than in the duct tape plane. I can swim, but I can’t fly.

MythBusters (ep 173)


13 Oct

People naturally walk in circles, who knew? Apparently lots of people since that was the actual myth Adam and Jamie were testing. I did wonder why they used the earphones, blocking out additional sensory information. This wasn’t a myth about people who couldn’t see and hear walking in circles, just about people who couldn’t see. I think it would’ve been a truer test without blocking hearing.

Watching a truck go flying at 300mph toward a parked car in slow motion is cool. But no explosion. Apparently, there’s a reason special effects people choose to work with this stuff- it’s safe.

Geek Girl Con: Women Running Geeky Businesses


11 Oct

I attended 2 panels at Geek Girl Con.

I was disappointed in Women Running Geeky Businesses- not because of the panelists, who were great, but because it didn’t focus on the challenges of being a woman running a business, running a geeky business, or being a woman running a geeky business. It was mostly about how to run a business. That’s not bad, but also not what I’m looking for in a panel specifically about being a WOMAN running a GEEKY business.

There are gender issues in geek culture. That’s why this con exists. I wanted to hear those addressed.

Geek Girl Con is a Success


10 Oct

Geek Girl Con sold out on both Saturday and Sunday. In fact, I got there late enough on Saturday to check in with my pre-bought ticket that they did not actually have any 2 Day passes left- the girl had to take a guest pass, cross out the “guest” and write 2 Day on it. They were also out of lanyards and the generic con swag bags.

I am thrilled that the con did so well in its first year. There is definite room for improvement, but the first ever Geek Girl Con definitely has to be considered a success.

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