May
30


It seems like high gas prices are finally having an affect on the US. For a while, people got by on the hope that prices were just in a spike, but with oil prices soaring above even the most cynical forecasts, it looks like expensive gas, and changed driving habits, are here to stay.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) just released their March, 2008 numbers, and they show a huge decline of 4.3% over last March. 4.3% might not seem like a whole lot, but just by looking at the above graph, you can see that any drop would be in huge contrast to the trend over the last 25 years.

2008 marks the first time since 1979 that there has been a drop in miles travelled in over the month of March. This drop corresponds to 11 billion less miles traveled, according to FHWA. Over the first quarter of 2008, greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector have also dropped 9 million metric tons compared to past years, something that no amount of political posturing has yet to accomplish.

As we come up on the most heavily travelled summer months and a national average price for unleaded gasoline about to pass the magic $4.00 mark, it will be interesting to see if this trend continues. When more data comes out, we’ll be sure to cover it. In the meantime, you can check out these breakdowns of miles travelled in both city and rural areas over the last 3 years:

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May
30


Dozens of world-class sky divers have been practicing for the commercial in California, and yesterday they pulled of a portion of it live on camera high above Spain. What did they do exactly? Five separate aerial formations were formed to spell out the word “H-O-N-D-A” in sequence. Back in the early years of television, commercials were done live all the time, but those were shot in a studio, not 40,000 feet above the earth’s surface.

In light of Honda’s belief that the process of doing something difficult is often more interesting than the end result, the live commercial that aired isn’t the final product at all. The actual final commercial using footage from this jump and probably others will air sometime in June. We’ll see then if it’s as good as “Cog”. Check them both out.

Source: Youtube

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May
30

oh. hello kate moss

Posted In: kate, moss, hello, oh, image, pic, picture by Alex

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May
30

i can has som more?

Posted In: more, has, som, can, i, image, pic, picture by Alex

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May
30

Poor Decisun

Posted In: poor, decisun, pic, image, picture, lolcat by Alex

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May
30


The planex USB audio adapter allows you to enjoy crystal clear music and voice chatting when connected to your PC/laptop USB port. The adapter with built in headphone and microphone input system is less susceptible to the noise inside the computer. Also it has its own volume control and microphone input on/off button.

Planex USB audio adapter PL-US35AP measures 76 × 30 × 15, supports OS Windows 98 SE/Me/2000/XP/Vista and Mac OS X 10.3 ~ 10.5. The device weighs approximately 32 g and is available for approximately 1,980 yen ($19).

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May
30



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May
30


Over the years, Milan has evolved from merely hosting a furniture fair every spring to having almost every street taken over by all types of innovative design every April. This year, sustainable design joined in the fray more than ever, with many exciting exhibits highlighting socially conscious design, including the Well-Tech Awards. At this inspirational show we discovered the Lifesaver bottle - a beautifully simple concept for portable water filtration, and one that could make a real difference to a world increasingly threatened by shortages of clean, drinkable water.

The Lifesaver was developed in response to natural disasters such as 2004’s tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. The concept is relatively simple, based upon the fact that the smallest virus is 25 nanometers across, so by using a filter with holes 15 nanometers across, all nasties can be trapped without the need for chemicals. The term ‘nasties’ is actually quite an understatement. Lifesaver can filter out bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi and all other microbiological waterborne pathogens. And in the real world, of course, the bottle was much harder to realize than we’ve described it. The bottle is the world’s first ultra filtration water bottle, and the inventor put all of his life savings into developing it.

But it was this level of development effort that has brought about a product that is exceptionally easy to use. Fill it with water by unscrewing the base and dipping it in the nearest puddle or stream, screw the base back and use the pump to force the water through to a teat at the other end. The clean water can then be drunk directly or poured into a separate container for storage. These simple instructions make it suitable for use by children, and in developing countries.


The unit uses replaceable filters, which can treat about 4000 liters of water – five and a half years of usage if you drank 2 liters every day. The filter is speedy, too - 750ml of water can be prepared in just under a minute. And users can rest safe in the knowledge they’re getting maximum life out of the product without poisoning themselves, as the unit has a unique feature to shut itself off when the cartridge has expired.

Costing £230 ($460), the Lifesaver isn’t exactly cheap, but it is a world first, and we’re sure the price reflects the genuinely innovative R&D that went into its development. Not only was it featured at Well-tech, it won ‘Best Technological Development for Future Soldier System Enhancement’ at Soldier Technology 2007. It’s ironic that a design that can bring world peace can also support world conflict, but here’s hoping it’s used for the former rather than the latter.


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May
30

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North is up (the 12 o’clock position) in this seam-corrected 360 degree polar projection using images from sols, or Martian says, 1 and 3. Seam boundaries show different times of day.

Mars, a cold desert planet with no liquid water on its surface, has water ice that lurks just below ground level in its arctic region. Discoveries made by the Mars Odyssey Orbiter in 2002 show large amounts of subsurface water ice in the northern arctic plain. Phoenix will use its robotic arm to dig through the protective top soil layer to the water ice below and ultimately, to bring both soil and water ice to the lander platform for sophisticated scientific analysis.

For information on the Phoenix Mars Lander, visit www.nasa.gov/phoenix.

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May
30

Local Authorities Approve Planning Application for New Pit and Paddock Facility at Silverstone

Members of Aylesbury Vale District Council’s (AVDC) Strategic Development Control Committee have approved the planning application for the new Pit and Paddock facilities at Silverstone.

The facility is a key part of the BRDC’s overall vision for Silverstone and the vital first stage in reconfirming its position at the pinnacle of the motorsport industry and as the home of motor racing. Under current proposals the Pit and Paddock complex would be moved from its current location between Woodcote and Copse to a new location between Club and Abbey. Included in the complex are new garages, a race control building, media centre, hospitality and VIP spectator zones and a primary paddock.

The proposals also involve creating a new pit straight, with reorganised entry and exit points, a reconfiguration of Club Corner and a new Abbey section. The Pit and Paddock complex is the first proposal in a 10-year programme that will see a new manufacturer test centre, business park, extreme sport and leisure complex, two hotels, a new university campus and a ‘Welcome Centre’.

Taken together, the redevelopment will deliver a world-class venue for motorsport, education and high technology development that will ensure the UK remains at the forefront of the motorsport industry and maintains its position as a major regional and national employer. Richard Phillips, Managing Director at Silverstone Circuits, said: “We are absolutely delighted that AVDC’s planning committee have unanimously supported and voted in favour of this proposed milestone development. This is a turning point for Silverstone and a bold commitment towards the BRDC’s support for motorsport in the UK and for retaining the British Grand Prix. The current programme provides for work to start on site later this year.”

Councillor Michael Edmonds, Deputy Leader of AVDC and Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: “This is an exciting project that will help Silverstone retain the British Grand Prix and strengthen its international role as a world-class motorsport facility. We are very proud to have Silverstone in our district and want to do all we can to promote both the circuit and the wider attractions of Aylesbury Vale as a great place to visit and do business in. Our aim is to help ensure Aylesbury Vale remains the home of Formula One in Great Britain.”

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