Google Reader Shared Post - Source URL Astronomy Picture of the Day RSS Feed

M1: The Crab Nebula from Hubble This is the mess that is left when a star explodes. The Crab Nebula, the result of a supernova seen in 1054 AD, is filled with mysterious filaments. The filaments are not only tremendously complex, but appear to have less mass than expelled in the original supernova and a higher speed than expected from a free explosion. The above image, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, is presented in three colors chosen for scientific interest. The Crab Nebula spans about 10 light-years. In the nebula's very center lies a pulsar: a neutron star as massive as the Sun but with only the size of a small town. The Crab Pulsar rotates about 30 times each second.

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by Brett & Kate McKay

These days, nothing can be more routine for a man than shaving. We hardly give a second thought to scraping a razor against our skin each morning. If we fear anything about the process, it’s that we’ll nick ourselves or end up with severe razor burn.

But it wasn’t always so.

Shaving was once a dangerous and sometimes lethal endeavor. Before the advent of safety razors and sanitation laws, a man risked his life when he decided to clean up with a close shave. Here are three stories of men who met their end in pursuit of a baby smooth face.

Michael F. Farley, 1921

Michael F. Farley immigrated to the United States from Ireland in 1881 when he was 18 years old. He ran a successful liquor business in New York and was elected to Congress in 1915. But Mr. Farley’s Horatio Alger story was cut short after a visit to the barbershop. Little did Mr. Farley know that the badger brush the barber was using to create that nice luxurious lather on his face was contaminated with – I kid you not- anthrax. Farley was infected with the virus and died a few days later. Who knew a barber brush could be a weapon of mass destruction?

John Henry Taylor, 1911

John Henry Taylor was a friendly horticulturalist who decided to take a trip on a Red Line cruise ship back in 1911. In between matches of shuffle board, Mr. Taylor felt his beard was getting a little rough and decided to visit the on-board barber. The waves must have been pretty rough that day because the barber gave ol’ John Henry a little nick on the neck. Because small cuts are par for the course when getting a shave, John Henry didn’t think much of it and returned to his cabin. But later that night, his throat began to swell up and fill with fluid. The ship doctor said it was just a case of blood poisoning and told Taylor that it would soon heal itself. Two days later the swelling increased, and Taylor could no longer speak. A week after the initial cut, John Henry Taylor suffocated and died from severe edema.

John Thoreau, 1841

John Thoreau was the brother of famous American writer and Transcendentalist, Henry David Thoreau. In the winter of 1841, while taking part in his daily shave, John Thoreau cut himself with his razor. A few days later he came down with lockjaw and died in Henry David’s arms. His brother’s death devastated Thoreau. He didn’t talk to his family or write in his journal for weeks.

Thoreau’s good friend, Ralph Waldo Emerson, suggested that he go spend some time out in the woods alone near a pond called Walden. Thoreau took this sage advice, and one of America’s greatest essays was born. All thanks to shaving.

Brett McKay runs The Art of Manliness with his wonderful wife Kate. You can learn how to get a close shave without killing yourself in their new book, The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manner for the Modern Man.

Google Reader Shared Post - Source URL The Consumerist

Most Americans drive cars, but haven't the faintest idea how they work. Often we have car care axioms inherited from our parents or driving teachers that apply to cars from a generation or two ago. What are some commonly believed car care myths that simply aren't true?

For example, you don't really need to change your oil every 3,000 miles unless you tend to do a certain kind of driving.

Myth: Engine oil should be changed every 3,000 miles.

Reality: Despite what oil companies and quick-lube shops often claim, it's usually not necessary. Stick to the service intervals in your car's owner's manual. Under normal driving conditions, most vehicles are designed to go 7,500 miles or more between oil changes. Changing oil more often doesn't hurt the engine, but it can cost you a lot of extra money. Automakers often recommend 3,000-mile intervals for severe driving conditions, such as constant stop-and-go driving, frequent trailer-towing, mountainous terrain, or dusty conditions.

And a run-down battery doesn't recharge as soon as you might think after a jump-start.

Myth: After a jump-start, your car will soon recharge the battery.

Reality: It could take hours of driving to restore a battery's full charge, especially in the winter. That's because power accessories, such as heated seats, draw so much electricity that in some cars the alternator has little left over to recharge a run-down battery. A "load test" at a service station can determine whether the battery can still hold a charge. If so, some hours on a battery charger might be needed to revive the battery to its full potential.

For all of the myths and their subsequent busting, steer yourself over to Consumer Reports Cars.

Car care: Myths vs. reality [Consumer Reports Cars]

(Photo: BunnyStudios)

Google Reader Shared Post - Source URL mental_floss Blog

There are traditional Jack-o-Lanterns with a face carved on the front and a candle inside. Then there are art pumpkins, with skillfully carved scenes of all kinds. A third category contains the geeky Jack-o-Lanterns that do something strange and unexpected, like the ones we are looking at today.

1. RoboPumpkin

Yes, this is a real pumpkin! The RoboPumpkin is from artist Joseph Paul Johnston. The metallic spray paint makes it look like aluminum. A detached face, a few spare parts, and a string of Christmas lights make it into a robot. His Flickr set describes the steps to make it.

2. Snap-o-Lantern

The Snap-o-Lantern is a small robotic pumpkin that opens its jaws to reveal sharp, snaggly teeth! It’s almost a cross between the prank chattering teeth and a jack-o-lantern. A small battery-operated servo motor runs the hinged jaws, and LEDs light up the eyes. See a video of the Snap-o-Lantern in motion.

3. Project Squirrel-o-Lantern

The neighbors complained about squirrels eating their jack-o-lanterns, but this guy decided to let the squirrels do the designing work for him. He left an unlit but partially-cut pumpkin outside and enticed the neighborhood squirrels to come and carve a Jack-o-Lantern face. You’ll have to admit they did a pretty good job!

4. Cylon-o-Lantern

You can carve a pumpkin to look like a Cylon, but you need the lights running back-and-forth to make it really resemble the evil robots from Battlestar Galactica. Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories rigged a group of six LEDs linked to a KITT Scanner Circuit. See the finished product in action in this video. Science fiction fans might also enjoy trying a Dalek Pumpkin.

5. Steampunk Pumpkin

The Steampunk Pumpkin not only has the steampunk sensibility with its brass fittings, it also blows fog out of its ears! The fog machine is controlled by a motion detector, so the show starts when someone approaches the pumpkin. The lights inside change color, too! See the Steampunk Pumpkin in action in a video at Instructables.

6. Rovin’ Pumpkin

The fertile minds at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories have announced their Halloween pumpkin project for 2009. The Rovin’ Pumpkin is a simple robotic pumpkin, that will sit still for a while, then suddenly move around on wheels, while its glowing green eyes scare the wits out of everyone.

7. Pumpkin Skull

Ryan McFarland made this Skull Pumpkin which incorporates the pumpkin guts for added gore. The eyes are illuminated with LEDs.

8. Dark-detecting Jack-o-Lantern

Batteries and LEDs make a Jack-o-Lantern easy to deal with compared to candles. Next innovation; make your pumpkin turn itself on and off! See instructions for equipping yours with photosensitive lights. You don’t even have to be home for your lantern to light up at night.

9. Punkin Chunkin’

Punkin Chunkin’ is a sport of a sort where competitors sling pumpkins as far as they can using a trebuchet or catapult, or shoot them with a canon. The World Punkin Chunkin’ Championship will be held November 6th, 7th, and 8th in Delaware, but there are other local events around the country. Image by Flickr user NickG-B.

See also: The Art of the Jack-o-Lantern, Do It Yourself Molded Pumpkins, and A Dozen Pumpkins.

Google Reader Shared Post - Source URL MAKE Magazine

Shared by AdamFort
Way to much free time

It's like a pop-up book, kind of, except way more complicated and expensive and made of Lego elements by YouTube user talapz. Words fail me, too. [via The Brothers Brick]

Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in LEGO | Digg this!

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Shared by AdamFort
Wow, You all need to read this.

[link] [443 comments]

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