Blog

Watch the Solar Sail or not

Watch the Solar Sail or not

07.11.01.Cosmos.1 On June 21, 2005, Cosmos 1, a project of The Planetary Society and Cosmos Studios, is launching a breakthrough mission to assist the world community in developing future solar sail technologies. Four days after launch, the spacecraft will deploy its eight silver sails and become one of the brightest objects crossing the night sky. [via] Link. The bad news is, it seems like it may have not made it to orbit. Update: It’s alive, but in a lower orbit, and we still don’t really know where it is. Link.

Crack Balls

Crack Balls

crackballs.jpg
It’s fireworks time! Skylighter.com has a recipe for a more powerful version of those balls that bang when you knock them together. You paint smooth rocks with a mixture that contains powdered glass, potassium chlorate, and sulfur (all disclaimers in place). Then let dry. Drop or throw the rocks, and they’ll “bounce” repeatedly with a loud explosion each time.
Link
(scroll down to middle of page).

The Edsac Simulator

The Edsac Simulator

Squares The EDSAC was the world’s first stored-program computer to operate a regular computing service. Designed and built at Cambridge University, England, the EDSAC performed its first calculation on 6th May 1949. The Edsac simulator is a faithful software evocation of the EDSAC computer as it existed in 1949-51. The user interface has all the controls and displays of the original machine, and the system includes a library of original programs, subroutines, and debugging software. The simulator is intended for use in teaching the history of computing; as a tutorial introduction to the classic “von Neumann” computer; or as an historical experience for current computer practitioners. [via] Link.

How to run homebrew on 1.5 PSPs

How to run homebrew on 1.5 PSPs

Images-61 Several sources are reporting that it does indeed work. You’ll need to do some funny trick with swapping Memory Sticks (so you do need two of them) and modifying the PBP file of the homebrew application you’re trying to run, but when all is said and done it will hopefully work for you. All necessary files, including a tutorial, are available… Link. Bonus link: PSP MAME is updated.

How to Make a Pinata

How to Make a Pinata

Images-59
Boingboing has a post about Pinatas fashioned after popular cartoon characters and sold by small-time street vendors are the subject of a new legal crackdown by big entertainment companies including Disney. Bummer, but don’t fret- if you really want that Nemo or Winnie the Pooh Pinata Disney Online’s Family Fun shows how to make your own. [via] Link.

Another DVD fair use tool…

Another DVD fair use tool…

Images-1-10
DVDFab Decrypter (Win) is a simple version of DVDFab Express. It copies entire DVD movie to hard disk, and removes all the protections (CSS, RC, RCE, Macrovision, UOPs and Sony ARccOS) while copying. Good for when you need to make backups of your DVDs or put a copy of the movie you bought on another device, just like we can with CDs. Link.