In 2011, manufacturers shipped 487.7 million smartphones and only 414.6 million computers—that’s desktops, laptops and tablets. Combined. We’d heard prophecy of this day, and now it may have arrived. More »
from Gizmodo
From Gizmodo: How To Land a Plane That’s Missing Half a Wing
From NPR News: Rights Group Says Syrian Security Forces Detained, Tortured Children
That is MESSED up! Â Syrian government has a lot to answer to!
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Children as young as 13 say government forces have tortured them by burning them with cigarettes and pulling toenails with pliers.
from News
From Gizmodo: Anonymous Leaks an Entire Secret FBI International Conference Call
I don’t know if Anonymous does it all correctly but one thing is for certain.. they sure know more about tech and Internet than FBI!
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Usually the FBI is the one doing the wiretapping, but Anonymous has turned the tables on the feds, intercepting an entire phone conversation between American and British cops. The investigation? Anonymous and LulzSec. Irony! More »
from Gizmodo
From Gizmodo: Scientists Have Wired a Cockroach, Matrix-Style
What?! Now I am REALLY freaking out… so we are one step closer to Matrix… o.O
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Cripes, why don’t we just hand the planet over to the robots already. Things were bad with the self-controlling war machines and computers capable of destroying our greatest trivia minds, but now we’ve invented biological electricity harvesters. Might as well build a fleet of Squids while we’re at it. More »
from Gizmodo
From Gizmodo: Fifth Grader Accidentally Concocts a New Explosive Molecule
Admittedly, I did spend my childhood playing with explosives. But I certainly never had as much success as 10-year-old Clara Lazen (not pictured), who accidentally created a new energy storing molecule, tetranitratoxycarbon, that could be used as an explosive. More »
from Gizmodo
From There, I Fixed It – Redneck Repairs: Historical Thursday: The Dynosphere
Announced in 1932, the Dynosphere was marketed to be the “automobile killer,†a new mode of transportation that would revolutionize the market by being more reliable and affordable than its 4 wheel counterparts. Popular Science featured the machine on its cover and the world quickly became excited about this revolutionary invention.
Fitted with a gasoline engine at its base, it powered the large latticed wheel and pulled it towards itself – pushing the whole machine forward. It could hold up to two people and had the potential to get up to 30mph. There was also a smaller, electric one-man model up for grabs.
The world was excited to see the machine in actions, and hundreds gathered in the seaside resort of Weston-Super-Mare, England to watch its inventor, Dr. J. A, Purves, take the thing for a ride. Alas, the machine did not live up to its hype. It was unwieldy, large, and because its only way of steering was for the driver to physically lean in a desired direction, had horrible handling. It even ran over a spectator during its maiden drive.
Responding to the objections from consumers, Dr. Purves tried to come up with safer models that could hold more people had better visibility. Unfortunately, the 5-passenger version he concepted never made it past the drawing board and the other models were never made available to the public. A shame.
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Pictures and Information courtesy of: Untrue Song and Burbia.
As always, if YOU have an idea for a Historical Thursday, let me know at thereifixedit@gmail.com