Archive for June, 2007

I’m a Swiss Army Knife - Honest!

Monday, June 25th, 2007

I’ve just been handed a really great summary of what it is like to work for a client who, “just doesn’t get it.”

“Get what,” you ask? Well, a designer or developer of any kind has so many hats to wear I think most people just don’t realize it.

When we look at a project we see it from the perspective of a customer, a salesperson, a psychologist, a designer and finally as a member of the client’s business itself. We have to get our heads around what our client does and what their clients will actually appreciate. Then we have to make sense of it all and produce something meaningful. (Or so one would hope…)

Often these jobs are made harder when the client just doesn’t know what they want at all, or when they don’t understand that changes in the middle of the process can have devastating effects on the delivery date, or the price of the project.

Some clients seem to think that design work is a factory that churns out cookie-cutter solutions to vastly differing problems.

As anyone in the industry knows, this is simply not the case. Enjoy the article. :)

[ If Architects Had To Work Like Web Designers - Shae Allen - Biznik ]

Domo Arigatou Biru Roboto

Sunday, June 24th, 2007

Um, I have nothing to say about this because it speaks for itself. Enjoy!

kampai!

Water/Gasoline Hybrid From A Flame You Can Touch

Wednesday, June 20th, 2007

Check this video out!

This man has developed a process to turn pure water into hydrogen fuel he uses for welding. He didn’t stop there, however. He took his idea and extended it to fueling his internal combustion engine car (the normal kind).

All of that might not seem cool to you, but the cool part is he can stick his finger right into the flame and it only feels warm. It ignites furiously when he uses it to weld metal.

This guy is already driving around in a hybrid gasoline/water fueled car. I want one now, even if it’s a crappy shaggin’ wagon like his. :P

I suppose the unstable OH + H would instantly oxidize anything it came in contact with - thus the insanely hot flame. This report does seem to come from the fact fountain known as FOX News. I’d love to see his car in person and give it a test-drive. If it’s really very functional I’d definitely buy a unit and make my own. :D

Hopefully Canada isn’t as vindictive as the US where one man was charged thousands in back-taxes for using cooking oil to fuel his car. The reasoning was that he wasn’t paying highway repair taxes, so he should pay up now.

[EDIT]

Confirmation Bias? You bet!

I just wish one of these companies would share their plans for free or start producing a whole, tangible product that is poked and proded at by the scientific community. I’ve searched all over in an attempt to find some hard evidence in the form of research affirming such claims. Electrolysis systems have been in the public domain for years now and none have proven to be a full-fledged alternative to current fuel systems - at least not as an addon. Please, prove me wrong!

The worst part is you can’t try it unless you feel like being suckered. Most sites like this one want you to give your money away! Pfft. I’ll do it if I can use my Visa - then I’ll just cancel the transaction on them if they rip me off. ;)

Regardless, I don’t think I’ll hassle myself with this whole ordeal. Perhaps someone else will beat me to the punch and I can read their story and laugh.

Parkour

Tuesday, June 19th, 2007

I didn’t really know what we did as teenagers had a name. Apparently it’s called Parkour.

In my home town we had a small downtown core with ajoining buildings. Many of these buildings had jumpable gaps between them. Being physically fit and somewhat insane in my youth, I with a few select friends would take endless pleasure in hopping the rooves between buildings. One time, we even had a rock war where we hurled the stones you find on a flat, tar-covered building roof at each other across gaps. Yes, we’re all still alive today. Sorry, hopeful armchair-jockeys. ;)

It’s become a sport known also by the name of “Free Running” and there is even a video game made to showcase the “sport”. I don’t believe they throw stones at one-another.

It almost makes me want to trespass on the rooves of city buildings again… almost. I think I’ll stick to DDR. :P

Official Urban Freeflow Website

Now I don’t want to hear about any kids trying this crap. My friends and I, and the participants of this sport could very well have killed ourselves attempting these stunts. At the very least get some vaulting training. I wash my hands of you if you try parkour based on the information on my website.

Life is Uncertain - Eat Desert First!

Wednesday, June 13th, 2007

Is this the Heisenberg uncertainty principle in action?