Goodbye Winter: The Stuff That Got Me Through [Lifechanger]
Saying hello to Spring is always bittersweet for me. More
Staring Directly At the Artificial Sun [Image Cache]
That's not the sun. But for a brief period, in a small Arctic town in Canada, in the dead of winter, it was the next-best thing. More
RoboPlow Is Man’s Secret Weapon In the Battle Against Mother Nature [Robots]
Though it seems like the weather's warming up now, think back to February when Mother Nature was piling on the snow with callous indifference. Feel that bitter cold on your face, that strain in your lower back. Now meet RoboPlow. This is the idea that every geek has had, but the guys at IdeaLaboratories were just fed up enough to actually see it through. The RoboPlow sports a 50" blade, six wheel drive, and a bad attitude when it comes to all things snow. In fact, watching this formidable machine slice its way through snowbanks, I'm wondering if the RoboPlow isn't a little too powerful, if we didn't let this arms race with Mother Nature push us to create a technology that should never have been created. Watching this video and seeing the RoboPlow barrel down the driveway, I felt a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach that it was just going to keep going into the street, plowing straight on through the traffic. RoboPlow, like RoboCop before him, has a singular directive. In this case it's to annihilate snow. But I'm sure somewhere in one of those RoboCop sequels there was a lesson to be learned about the dangers of giving robots too much power. You can't help but wonder: in a post-snowpocalyptic world, will the RoboPlows have any reason not to plow us ? [ Reddit ]
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RoboPlow Is Man's Secret Weapon In the Battle Against Mother Nature [Robots]
The Inflatable Sleeping Coat Could Solve a Lot of Problems [Concepts]
This inflatable sleeping coat would be perfect for the millions of homeless people in the world—though as it's but a concept, the wearable sleeping bag won't be warming anyone up anytime soon, sadly. [ Reddot via LikeCool ]
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The Inflatable Sleeping Coat Could Solve a Lot of Problems [Concepts]
The 404 Podcast 524: Where you should avoid racist polar bears
A 404 sticker at the Winter Games in Vancouver; thanks Drew! (Credit: Drew Meyer/The 404) On today's episode of CNET's The 404 Podcast, the guys share the mics with longtime friend Clayton Morris of "Fox and Friends" and co-host of the Grizzly Bear Egg Cafe . Anyone who listens to our show on a regular basis knows that very little preparation goes into each episode, but we always have a great time with Clayton, and today we spend the first half of the show talking about Jeff's appearance on NPR's All Things Considered , where he spent some time speaking with host Robert Siegel about his concerns over racism in multiplayer video games . After Wilson spends some time drooling over Siegel's baritone radio voice, Clayton tell us about his humble beginnings in the broadcasting industry and even does a few spot-on impersonations of New York's local television anchors. After the break, Clayton tells us about his brief but educational sojourn into the armpit of the Internet that is Chat Roulette . Acting as the illegitimate child of Omegle and Skype, the site uses your Webcam to pair you up in a video chat room with a stranger on the Internet. Clayton and the three of us attempt to describe the most common shared experience on CR: what might seem like a completely innocent Web site used to create new friendships across the world quickly falls flat on its face as you're faced with the worst the Web has to offer. Racism, misogyny, nudity, and pornography are just a few of the scenes you'll witness, so enter at your own peril, and don't forget to breathe...it's just a Web site. EPISODE 524 Listen now: Download today's podcast Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video Video coming soon, check back later today! ... Originally posted at The 404 Podcast
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The 404 Podcast 524: Where you should avoid racist polar bears
Patagonia Down Sweater Special Edition Winter Jacket [Winterized]
Patagonia's Down Sweater is the classic jacket for the cold and dry climate. In Fall comes the special edition with ripstop, water-resistant, nylon half the weight and twice as strong as previous. It's so thin, feathers show through the shell. The result of the nylon being lighter brings the total weight of the jacket from 12 ounces to 9 ounces. I'm curious how much lighter these jackets can get without being made of NASA aerogel. And when synthetic fillers will outpace down for performance. Seems like a fine piece of gear, for those who need the extra warmth. (I generally prefer man made filler and more breathable mid layers to deal with perspiration.) [ Patagonia (Although the neat jacket won't be out til Fall)]
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Patagonia Down Sweater Special Edition Winter Jacket [Winterized]
Frosty the Fire-Breathing Snowman Caught on Video [Image Cache]
In case you haven't heard, there's a bit of a Snowpocalypse happening. Delayed flights aside, it's really not so bad though. After all, it finally lured the abominable fire-breathing snowman out of his cave and right into this video. Built by some folks in Bel Air, Frosty—or at least I like to think that's his name—is one huge snowman with flamethrower lungs: And here I was proud of building a six-foot tall snow beast when I was ten. [ Baltimore Sun ]
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Frosty the Fire-Breathing Snowman Caught on Video [Image Cache]
Columbia’s Heated Bugathermo Boots Aren’t Really So Hot [Review]
Outside spent two months wearing Columbia's $250 lithium-ion-packing heater boots through snow. Unfortunately, the promise of toasty winter feet is little more than a promise. Not only were the boots, in both men's and women's configurations, heavy and uncomfortable; the Bugathermos weren't especially warm, either. And the embedded heaters? I could barely feel the warmth. When hiking on a ten-degree day with the heat turned on for one foot but off for the other, my feet felt about the same. Especially given the fact that toes are amongst the parts of your body most prone to frostbite, it's a shame to hear the Bugathermos didn't perform better. And until they do, I'm sticking with keeping my feet warm the old fashioned way—slicing open the nearest Tauntaun and coating my hiking boots with scalding hot blubber. [ Outside and Columbia ]
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Columbia's Heated Bugathermo Boots Aren't Really So Hot [Review]