GREETINGS. This is John Hodgman writing at the witching hour (5:48PM EST).
It is Hallowe’en, and thus time to CRACK THE CRYSTAL SKULL at last.
Please see the enclosed video.
That is all.
Archive for October, 2008
HALLOWE’EN
Friday, October 31st, 2008TED talk about cool materials for toys and other uses
Friday, October 31st, 2008
This is a fun TED talk: “The Inventables guys, Zach Kaplan and Keith Schacht, demo some amazing new materials and how we might use them. Look for squishy magnets, odor-detecting ink, “dry” liquid and a very surprising 10-foot pole.”
Keith Schacht & Zach Kaplan: Products (and toys) from the future
$20 kit produces trillions of universes
Friday, October 31st, 2008
Are you willing to take on the responsibility that comes with bringing trillions of universes into existence, each teeming with sentient life? That’s something to ponder before plunking down $20 for this make-your-own-universe kit, created by artist Jonathon Keats.
If two events are possible, quantum theory assumes that both occur simultaneously - until an observer determines the outcome. For example, in Schrödinger’s famous thought experiment, in which his cat may have been killed with a 50 per cent probability, the cat is both alive and dead until someone checks. When the observation is made, the universe splits into two, one for each possible outcome. For example, Schrödinger’s cat would be alive in one universe and dead in the other universe.
According to the theory, any kind of measurement causes the universe to split and this is the basis of Keats’ new device. His universe creator uses a piece of uranium-doped glass to create a steam of alpha particles, which are then detected using a thin sliver of scintillating crystal. Each detection causes the creation of a new universe.
The make-your-own-universe kit
Email error on road sign
Friday, October 31st, 2008
The Welsh portion of this sign reads, “”I am not in the office at the moment. Please send any work to be translated.”"
Today on Boing Boing Gadgets
Friday, October 31st, 2008
Today on Boing Boing Gadgets, there was the usual spurting of Halloween themed posts: a little boy dressed as Wall-E’s Eve, a spinal cord beer funnel, some cute Pac-Man pumpkins and the awesomest little boy mech walker costume.
Otherwise, we started the day by watching two robots box and do their best Lou Bega impression. We looked at a futuristic car straight out of an MGM cartoon, and as agony aunts cackled over Apple’s blunders.
There was a baby carriage for larval Slim Pickens, and an examination of a modern-day masturbation table for the treatment of “hysteria” / “stress.”
In realer tech news, Brownlee despaired that the new PSPs are hacker proof, while Rob looked at a joystick for sweaty gamers. Rob spotted a fax machine that can send and receive email, and a keyring that infinitely simulates the fun of popping bubble wrap. There was an expensive sudoku watch with only one puzzle, and Beschizza got all sweaty when looking at a tiny wireless router that plugs into any antenna.
Otherwise, Asus threw a customer in jail for threatening to report their shitty tech support to the press, and we stole a tank as Barack Obama. And, as always, much more besides.