Star Wars lightsaber headed for the stars

Original Words by: Joshua Topolsky

According to recent news out of NASA, the next time the Discovery crew take their ship into orbit, the "force" will be with them -- because they're taking Luke Skywalker's lightsaber along for the ride. That's right, for the film's 30th anniversary, the original lightsaber prop from the first Star Wars film is taking a ride into actual space... but that's not all. Apparently, Chewbacca will be on hand to pass the saber to officials from the Houston Space Center, and then together with Jango and Boba Fett, he will help push a plane back on the tarmac (for reasons unknown to us). But wait, there's more. When the Discovery lands in Houston after its space travels, the crew will be greeted by a group of Stormtroopers and other "Star Wars notables," including the much-loved R2-D2, who will then deliver the lightsaber to a waiting line of Hummers. Afterwards, there will be a party at the Mos Eisley Cantina, where Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes will play a set of their greatest hits.


Dkoda's Thoughts!:

I love the idea of sending this icon piece of future-inspired technology prop into space but I wonder what an Alien life-form might make of it if it were to encounter the lightsaber.

Maybe it will think we are a species of great intelligence and wisdom...or when it turns it on and a couple of lights dazzle them, and not much else...they'll think...hahaha...pewny Earthlings and their primitive toys! AhH..hahaha!!!

With this thought in mind I motion for a life-size Terminator robot to be sent with it...just to cover any angles which might make us look like an easy planet to over -rule. I mean, lets face it...meeting the Terminator as a peice of space JUNK from Planet Earth would give anyone second thoughts about invading our sweet homeland!

Original Post on Engadget

F-Cup Tea

Ladies, did you ever want to enlarge your breasts without getting surgery? Well, you are now in luck! A Japanese firm has come up with the solution; F-Cup Tea Bags. Apparently, if you drink a cup of this "special" tea everyday, your boobs will grow bigger! Typical wacky Japanese marketing....

[VIA]

Self-Shifting Digital Paintings

Artist San Base, who was born in Russia and lives in Canada, has combined his training in fine arts and computer engineering to meld painting with algorithms.

He devised his "Dynamic Painting" concept when art supplies became too expensive following the economic collapse of the former Soviet Union in the 1990s.



When he didn't have fresh canvases to use, Base painted over his used canvases. Liking the effect that created, he began intentionally transforming the same picture over and over.

It occurred to him that a computer or TV screen would be a better "canvas" for bringing his pictures to life, so he wrote a software program to automate the image generation and transformation.



Base creates images by selecting basic components, like colors and shapes, and then mapping out how he wants them to morph over time. He has written a software program that digitally "paints" the images he designs.

To him, the algorithms that create the paintings are like DNA, guiding how the art will develop.

Words and Images [VIA]

Argument Chair

This hand-made chair is by far the weirdest and coolest I have seen in a while. The cushioning is made from boxing gloves and has adjustable legs for uneven surfaces. However, with a price-tag of $5,865 I think it will be a little out of my price-range.

[VIA]

Alien V Predator 2: Requiem

PHilfy and I have been huge fans of the comic book series of Aliens Vs. Predator for a long time now and have seen it undergo huge changes in the plot when it was first converted to a movie 3-4 years ago. Now Hollywood have taken up the story again and are probably going to destroy the franchise once more with alot less terror/suspense and bucketloads more gore. I pray that as I write this, I will be proven wrong but after watching the trailer, I have been left with a big doubt-cloud over my head. Watch it and weep.

Watch the TRAILER here.

Dark Horse were licensed to create a great comic book series using AVP.

Even the Alien V Predator V Terminator series was amazing!

Futura X All City Style Train

Bigshot Toyworks recently showed at the SDCC 07 their newest incarnation of the All City Style Train series; "Classic Burners", Volume 1, The Break Train featuring the art of Futura.



This 20-inch long by 4-inch tall train is limited to 500 pcs, will cost approx. $USD 75 and has been a collabortive effort between Maharishi X Futura X Bigshot Toyworks and Toytokyo.



You can play around/design your own All City Style train by visiting their site.

Thanks again to Toysrevil for the image and info.

She One Fall/Winter Collection

Our good friend She-One has dropped a great line with Addict Clothing for the 2007 Fall/Winter Collection.

The SHECAMO III SoftSwitch Jacket has an iPod dock on the inside pocket and controller on the left sleeve.

See more images on She-One's blog and at the Addict Clothing site.

Steampunk Monocle

Found a british Steampunk enthusiast who is curently selling his Steampunk "Scientific Goggles" on eBay for a few quid. This is what he had to say about his invention:

"Imagine if you will the 19th century, built on the back of 200 years of scientific progress, forged in the super heated vapours of steam and iron, cog and gear, where zeppelin cities hover over a nation powered by steam itself, of clock work automotons and goggle adorned mad scientists. This is the world of steam punk.
The success of the inquisitor upon the scientific community was monumental.



By the middle of the 19th century, the grand human genome project had been completed, and with various fragile treaties with the martian imperial council, more complex and varied research was attempted, spawning a new wave of bio aetheric and ambient aetheric technology. by blending the fusion technology of the martians, with human curiosity and ingenuity, the Inquisitor took a brave step into the sub atomic world..
it has moving armateur, two lenses, one with a working iris. it has two flashing valves, an adjustable leather strap, microscope effect works."



LINK Via Boing Boing

Waiter-less Restaurant

There is a new restaurant in Nuremberg, Germany that does not have any waiters. Instead, the restaurant is fully automated with a "rail" system that brings food to each table via a network of steel rails from the kitchen.

"Dishes like "organic beef in buttermilk" and "sausage en croute" glide along the rails to customers, propelled by gravity.

For the magic to work at all, Mack had to install the kitchen directly beneath the roof of the multistory restaurant. Customers order their meals using a touch-screen system that is placed at each table, and the entire restaurant is networked via a computer system.

Customers' orders are registered upstairs in the kitchen and a computer in the cellar keeps track of supply stocks. The system also calculates the likely delivery times for drinks and meals at every table and keeps customers informed.



The setup is more reminiscent of a post office sorting room than a traditional restaurant, which might offend some gourmets. But Mack believes there is a global market for his new invention. His gravity feed rail system is patented in Germany and he is seeking protection for the invention internationally so that he can license it to restaurants abroad."

Only down-side I can think of is what if I don't want my meal too spicy or I dont want gherkins in my burger? How do you tell a computer that?

Words and Images from Spluch.

Criss Angel-Carrot Top Trick