Smoking 2.0

The NicStic is making its way across Europe, and it may hit our shores soon. This product vaporizes tobacco instead of burning it, so you don't get the smoke and funk. Check out the Wired article. By the way, the NicStic English site is hilarious. I don't think they have a capable translator on staff yet. My favorite line: "We kindly ask you to be comprehensive."

That's all you can ask of people. Be comprehensive. Now get out there and be all-inclusive!

Wireless Power at Last

The future of solar may be here. Konarka has been developing solar technology that uses "extremely low-cost photovoltaic cells using organic dyes that convert sunlight to electricity." These can be printed on an abundance of materials, which eliminate the need for wires (wireless power!) and traditional coal and petroleum energy sources. Konarka is already known for producing "light-activated power plastic that is flexible, lightweight, lower in cost and much more versatile in application than traditional silicon-based solar cells." Their product looks a lot like roll film. Awesome. It will be cool to see how this technology will be used in next-generation devices.

Have you met my buddy Ron?

Well, here he is. I was reading a Scooby Doo book to my son the other night and Jessica pointed out the likeness. You can see pics of him at his latest show, Rocks N Glocks. I'd say it's uncanny. Click here to see a larger version of the comic. In fact, here is a pic for quick comparison:

He's definitely sporting a 70's look, and I have to say it looks damn good. I ain't complaining at all. In fact, anyone cool enough to have an illustrated likeness of them published in a Scooby Doo book is probably too cool to be my friend.

Milky Way Makes My Day

For whatever the reason, I always chose the Three Musketeers bar over the Milky Way when I was a kid. Don't ask me why, I think maybe it was cheaper, and when you only have 50 cents, you need to stretch that cash. I tried both of them today and have found that Milky Way is by far the better bar. Not even close. The Three Musketeers has some sort of Mockolate instead of chocolate on the outside, and the caramel in the Milky Way adds another dimension. Why the hell am I writing this? I have to get back to work.

Some Positive News

Somalia just might be turning the corner. The U.N. reports that the country has the best chance in years for peace. Check out the story from Reuters. Why do I bring this up? Because I decided to try to post something positive every day.

Avoiding Fertility Tests is a Crime!

You might not know this, but I am a HUGE fan of Alfonso Cuaron, and I think Children of Men is simply brilliant. The 2nd most important film of the last 25 years didn't get nominated for an Oscar, but I'm over it now. Thanks to this reel of background ads and animations from the movie, put together by the British Animators Foreign Office.

Who Killed the Landfill?

Joseph Longo's Plasma Converter turns our most vile and toxic trash into clean energy—and promises to make a relic of the landfill.

By Michael Behar via Good News.