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Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts

Incredible Engineering: the maeslant storm surge barrier

Incredible Engineering: the maeslant storm surge barrier




the maeslant barrier (maeslantkering), a huge storm surge barrier at the mouth of the port of rotterdam in the netherlands, is the largest hydraulic engineering structure on earth and, according to hard-fact bible wikipedia, ‘the largest moving structure on earth’. it was opened in 1997 as the final part of the delta works, an enormous project undertaken in order to protect certain coastal areas of the country from the sea after a flood in 1953 killed more than 1800 people in the area.




the barrier consists of 2 incredible movable gates which automatically sweep across the water, meeting in the middle of the waterway to form a temporary wall, each of the gates rotating on 680-ton steel ball joints which, with a diameter of 35ft, are also the largest in the world. the barrier’s movable design was chosen as the waterway it guards is far too valuable in terms of trade to shut off permanently: this single barrier cost $700m and has absolutely no effect on ship traffic.




a few weeks ago (november 8th) the barriers were used for the first time prior to fierce storms and succeeded in protecting the port from flooding. the gates, weighing the equivalent of 4 eiffel towers, took 30 minutes to close.




below is the barrier as seen on google maps, the direct link is here.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Airport Runway Supported by Pillars





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10 Coolest USB Accessories

10 Coolest USB Accessories

Published on 1/31/2009 under Objects
TAGS: USB Accessories, Best USB Accessories, USB Cooler, USB Rocket and Missile launcher

USB Beverage Cooler

This is -literally- the coolest one of all: a USB mini fridge for your drinks. Plug this USB LED Beverage Cooler ($29.99) to your PC's USB port and chill a can on your own desk. The LED Beverage Cooler is retro styled and has a small blue LED inside. The LED helps your drink stay cool by tricking it to think the air inside the cooler is from the Arctic, because everyone knows that blue lights make you feel cold. So add a little style to your desk and keep your drink cold at the same time. Chill, dude.



USB Missile Launcher

The workplace has become a dangerous place. Sonic grenades, catapults, lightsabers, ninjas... you need protection, and not just any. Defend your office with this awesome USB Missile Launcher ($32.49) and fire those missiles right from your desk. The Missile Launcher moves Left, Right, Up and Down, has got pre-recorded sound effects and shoots more than 10 feet at an extremely fast rate.





USB Pole Dancer

It sounds like the ultimate male fantasy - a Pole Dancer on your desk everyday In fact, it should be included as part of the standard workplace agreement, but well, it's finally within your grasp – so to speak. The USB Pole Dancer ($67.99) is the pole dancer you can admit to when everyone's watching. Just plug her into your USB port and start typing. As you type, she performs. The lights flash, the music plays and your bikini-clad blonde performs her routine. And there's no need to go tucking dollars anywhere (we read somewhere, they do that): the faster you type, the faster this cheeky minx dances.


USB Desk Vacuum

Messy desk? Well, this tiny retro-designed USB Desk Vacuum ($13.49)can’t help with the big stuff, but it can definitely help keep your workstation crumb-free! Just plug it into a free USB port and vacuum up those crumbs... and yes, the mini-vacuum handle tilts back, just like the real one. Cool, as in "clean."


USB Microscope

This USB Digital Microscope ($74.95)allows you to capture some incredibly high quality images and video (up to 200X) and display them on your PC using a simple USB connection. View specimens collected around the house, backyard, your desk, or the fridge. Look at the micro-printing on a dollar bill or examine the traces on your motherboard. This microscope provides you an easy way to zoom in on a wide variety of objects to satisfy your curiosity of the world around you. Ever wondered what lint looks like or the mold growing on your week-old bagels? Now you can find out.


USB Airplane Fan

The aviators out there can now keep cool during their flight simulator sessions in front of the computer, using this USB Airplane Fan ($17.95). Cool man, cool!


Star Wars Lightsaber USB Lamp

Fans of the Star Wars saga can now light up their workspace using the weapon of a Jedi: the Star Wars Lightsaber USB Lamp ($26.24). The lightsabre is 13 inches tall, and yes, it can be removed from its dock to be used as your weapon of choice.


USB Plasma Ball

Just the word plasma makes you think of going boldly where no-one has gone before. However, the beauty of this awesome USB Plasma Ball ($10.95) is that you don't have to wrestle Klingons in the outer regions of the Thark Quadrant to play with it; just plug this neat gizmo into your USB port, and streams of red and blue plasma light will flicker out from the core of the hand-blown glass sphere throwing mesmerising light trails across its surface. Touch the sphere with your fingers, and blue light will shoot out towards your fingertips.


Darth Vader USB 4-port Hub

Its that part of the dark side which has always beckoned to you in your dreams. Just to make your life the living nightmare that it really is, you could get this Darth Vader USB 4-port Hub ($59.99)and either continue with the torment even in your waking hours or simply give in and admit that you belong to that part of the force.


USB Portable Chess

This unique USB Portable Roll Up Chess Game ($107.99)allows you to track your moves on the board. You can play against a friend or the computer and even use it as a portable game board. The included software allows you to record, save and replay your games. Simply tap the board with your chess piece to signify a move and the software will keep track.

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10 Coolest USB Flash Drives

10 Coolest USB Flash Drives

Published on 2/6/2009 under Objects
TAGS: USB Sticks, USB Pen drive

USB Flash Drive + Bottle Opener

The TrekStor SB-Stick with Bottle Opener ($43.71) will not only quench your storage thirst with its 25MB/s read speed and 12 MB/s write speed, but is also sure to have you sipping suds at your desk thanks to the bottle opener that’s built into the device’s brushed aluminium housing. A USB 2.0 connector port features at the sober end of the device and storage fans can pick the unit up in 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 GB capacities.



Hamburger USB Flash Drive

Hungry? Get the Hamburger USB Flash Drive ($19.99)and eat up to 1GB of information. This "freshly baked" product will certainly be a conversation starter and a convenient reminder of what you'll be having for lunch.





USB Hidden Flash Drive Watch

Bond, James Bond. For wanna-be spies, the USB Hidden Flash Drive Watch ($49.99)features an ample 4GB capacity USB flash drive that slips neatly into the watch case. Simply remove, add data and then re-insert and you're ready to conduct secret missions to building B on the other side of campus. The watch itself has a Japanese movement, plastic case covered by stainless steel mask with brushed silver finish and convex mineral glass.


World's Tiniest USB Flash Drive

Barely bigger than the tip of your pinky, the Pico USB Flash Drive ($24.99) is less than 4mm thick. The polished chrome finish is certainly shiny, but at 8 gigabytes, it’s redonkulously teeny.


USB Flash Drive + Lighter

Electronics and fire have never been friends and you could even say they are essentially sworn enemies. But in the case of the USB Flash Drive Lighter ($50.00)they have decided to call a truce. Long standing differences have been put aside to create a product that is both practical and very unique. This flash drive has an ample 8GB capacity and the lighter is refillable. The USB connector slides out of the bottom of the metal case, using a small slider lever located on the side of the lighter. The lighter has a polished chrome finish and an adjustable flame. Baby, light my flash drive!


Football USB Flash Drive

Touchdown some gigabytes with the Football USB Drive ($19.99). This Super Bowl must-have is 1GB and weights less than 6 ounces.


Pizza USB Flash Drive

More on food department: the Pizza Flash Drive ($19.99) makes for a great gift, or a quick dinner.


USB Flash Drive + Eraser

Want to make a flash drive that nobody in a modern office would even think about taking? Hide it in your Eraser USB Memory Stick ($10.99) and keep it forever on this digital age. After all, nobody uses erasers anymore.


USB Flash Drive Wrist band

No longer do you have to have a lanyard around your neck if you want to wear your flash drive around since this USB Flash Drive Wrist band ($13.99)disguises itself as a wristband that comes in six different colors of red, yellow, blue, green, orange and purple. The USB port doubles as the connector to hold the strap together when wearing it and it sounds fairly durable as the catalog page boasts that the drive is shockproof and moisture proof (we’re assuming moisture from sweat).


Light Bulb USB Drive

Attention Edison's Fans. The Light Bulb USB Drive ($19.99) has got 1GB to light up your info.

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20 Awesome PC Case Mods

20 Awesome PC Case Mods

Published on 2/8/2009 under Tech
TAGS: PC Mods, PC Case Mods

Computers come in many different flavours, but apparently that ain’t enough for everybody. Case modding -the modification of a computer chassis- has become a big hobby for thousands of enthusiasts around the world. Meet some of the best PC Case Mods we've seen.


TIE Fighter by David Barry



Bender by Jan Erik Vangen



Whiskey Bottle by Janos Marton



Kana by Katsuya Matsumura



Hulk PC by Chris Blarsky






R2-D2 by Ken Kirby



WMD II by G-gnome



Moo Cow Moo by Stan Maynard



Atlas Mech by Don Soules



Microwave PC



Maid PC



Heineken PC



Windows XP Box PC By Andy France



Atari 800 ITX by Andy Hutson



Underwood No. 5 by Joel Zahn



BBQ PC by Dean Liou



Coffin PC at QuakeCon 2005



Optimus Prime by John Mangus



Toaster



Gramaphone PC by Tony Greenberg

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