Saturday, January 30, 2010

Dexterous Bot Kicks Human-Butt at Pen Spinning

You can try and try, but all the practice in the world can't compete with this robotic hand's pen spinning skills.

Ishikawa Komuro Lab's dexterous, high-speed robotic hand is lightning fast. It can close its fingers in less than 1/10th of a second and uses breakneck actuators with harmonic drive gears along with 1000 FPS cameras.

In addition to pen spinning, it can dribble ping-pong balls, tie knots, throw balls, grasp falling objects, and pick up rice grains with a pair of tweezers. Soon, humans won't be the ones getting cheered on at sports events… it'll be these guys. Multiple videos in the gallery below.

Slackline Record Holder Nearly Buys the Farm

http://www.wonderhowto.com/wonderment/slackline-record-holder-very-nearly-buys-the-farm-0113530/

Slacklining is an *extreme-nut* sport of balance. It is a version of "tightrope walking" across great heights (note: distinct difference from tightrope: the rope is not as taut, but more elastic, trampoline-like).

Christian Schou currently holds the Guinness World Record title for the highest slackline (or tightrope walk). He accomplished this feat in Kjerag, Norway at 3,280 feet or 1000 meters (that is 3 times the height of the Eiffel towers!).

The painful to watch video is unfortunately not in English. Skip ahead to 2:19 for his insanely-close-to-death balancing act.

World's Best Survival Skills

http://www.wonderhowto.com/wonderment/world-s-best-survivalism-howto-s-0113581/

* Making and Using the Bow Drill (Hard)

* Canadian Skin On Frame Canoe 1 (Hard)

* Canadian Skin On Frame Canoe 2 (Hard)

* Coil Basket (Medium)

* Beech Bark Container (Medium)

* Crafting a Fish / Eel Trap (Medium)

* Carving a Dish (Medium)

* Crafting a Classic Kuksa Cup (Medium)

* Making a Berry Picker (Easy)

* Making a Crook Knife Case (Medium)

* Processing Lime Bark Cordage Fibres (Easy)

* Cordage Making (Easy)

* Elderflower Cordial Recipe (Easy)

* Carving a Comb (Medium)

* Birch Tar Collection (Easy)

* Making a Whistle from Elder (Easy)

* Make a Woven Birch Bark Basket (Easy)

* Carve a Bullroarer (Easy)

* Making a Large Fishing Hook (Easy)

* Weave a Basic Wicker Basket (Medium)

* Make a Birch Bark Container (Easy)

Robbie Maddison's 2008 New Year's Eve record 322ft jump

Eco Electric ATV

Electric All Terrain Vehicle the E-Force ATV

The All New Eco Electric ATV the E-Force is here. The first quiet, zero emission at tailpipe, adult sized electric ATV with adult sized power for extreme terrain and towing capacity. The E-Force’s mega torque electric drive system has more than three times the torque of similar sized gas ATV!!! A dream come true for farmers and property owners, its direct drive electric motor has the power to pull farming equipment, pull a trailer full of wood, fix fence posts, grade a horse arena, use inside barns and arenas without disturbing animals. The E-Force can handle rugged terrain, move small planes with a front hitch, and is perfect for Rangers to patrol parks, campgrounds, and large events. Hunter’s can easily sneak up on game, no more exhaust gas to give away your presence. Go on an Eco ATV moose tour, foliage ride in fall, or just ride in the woods with friends without disturbing the animals and environment around you. No more complaints from your neighbors about noise, The E-Force is power packed, quiet, and will reduce your hydrocarbon footprint!

http://www.ecoeatv.com/

Friday, January 29, 2010

Optifade Hunting Camo

The traditional approach to hunting has been to smell, sound or appear as something familiar to prey—through cover scents, calls and camouflage patterns of sticks and leaves. GORE™ OPTIFADE™ Concealment is the first concealment system designed around animal vision and not human eyesight.

http://www.optifade.com/hunting-gear/

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

"Some People Push Back": On the Justice of Roosting Chickens By Ward Churchill

"When queried by reporters concerning his views on the assassination of John F. Kennedy in November 1963, Malcolm X famously – and quite charitably, all things considered – replied that it was merely a case of "chickens coming home to roost."

On the morning of September 11, 2001, a few more chickens – along with some half-million dead Iraqi children – came home to roost in a very big way at the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center. Well, actually, a few of them seem to have nestled in at the Pentagon as well."

http://www.kersplebedeb.com/mystuff/s11/churchill.html

http://www.wardchurchill.net/index.html

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Scandanavian Handmade Wooden Cross Country Skis

The History of Cross Country Skiing in Finland

For thousands of years skiing has been the most important way of
moving during the winter time in Scandinavia, Russia and Siberia.
Finnish word for the skis, which is "sukset", is about 6000 years
old. Interesting point is, that Finnish is the only language that has
a special word for skiing, "hiihtää". In other languages the same
thing is expressed as running or driving with the skis, for example
in Swedish it is said "Ã¥ka skidor" ( = 'to drive skis'). In English,
there is only one word, ski, which is used as a verb and a noun.

Special word for skiing is a very good example of the fact that the
skis and skiing have been so important in the Finnish way of life and
culture for number of generations. Even a greek historian Prokopios
wrote in 550's about a people that lived in far north. He used word
"scrithifinnoi" which is later explained to mean "Skiing Finns". In
fact, that is the first known written information about skiing.


http://www.niksula.hut.fi/~jptervon/cross.html

http://www.crosscountryskier.com/features_ancient_art_dec_2003.html
http://www.woodenskis.com/

http://www.eidskog.kommune.no/kunde/filer/e_specialist_skis_Layout%201.pdf

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Rhymesayers Entertainment



http://www.rhymesayers.com/artists



Artists
Abstract RudeAbstract Rude
AtmosphereAtmosphere
On TourBK-OneBK-One
BlueprintBlueprint
On TourBrother AliBrother Ali
EvidenceEvidence
Eyedea & AbilitiesEyedea & Abilities
FeltFelt
FreewayFreeway
On TourGrayskulGrayskul
I Self DevineI Self Devine
Jake OneJake One
Los NativosLos Nativos
MF DOOMMF DOOM
MicranotsMicranots
Mr. DibbsMr. Dibbs
MusabMusab
On TourP.O.SP.O.S
Psalm OnePsalm One
Semi.OfficialSemi.Official
Soul PositionSoul Position
Toki WrightToki Wright

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Signatures: A Backcountry Skiing, Snowboarding, and Telemark Film

RAP4 Real As Possible

http://www.rap4.com/paintball/

Real Action Paintball is proud to announce the RAP4 T68 M4 Military series paintball marker is designed for combat training. Designed for reliability and durability, with rugged features like all-metal construction, the RAP4 T68 M4 Military is perfect for room clearing and building entry training, as well as teaching CQB marksmanship and firearm safety. The RAP4 T68 M4 Military is fabricated with weight, width, length, and ergonomics comparable to authentic M16/M4 style assault rifles, and the pistol grip is identical to that on an M4. This gives operators a true-to-life feel, as if they are training with their duty gear.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Craigslist E-mails from an Asshole.

This is a collection of e-mails sent to people who post classified ads. The goal is to mess with them, confuse them, and/or piss them off.

http://dontevenreply.com/

The Stephen Wiltshire Gallery

http://www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk/index.aspx

Stephen Wiltshire is an artist who draws and paints detailed cityscapes. He has a particular talent for drawing lifelike, accurate representations of cities, sometimes after having only observed them briefly. He was awarded an MBE for services to the art world in 2006. He studied Fine Art at City & Guilds Art College. His work is popular all over the world, and is held in a number of important collections.

Daniel Tammet - The Boy With The Incredible Brain

Travis Pastrana launches Subaru 269ft and behind the scenes