Sunday, October 08, 2006

Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor RC

Want to see if your Windows XP-based PC can run Windows Vista? Just download, install, and run the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor RC.

This small software tool will scan your computer and create an easy-to-understand report of all known system, device, and program compatibility issues, and recommend ways to resolve them. Upgrade Advisor can also help you choose the edition of Windows Vista that best fits the way you want to use your computer.

Should Everest Be Closed?

Tourism is turning the world's highest peak into its biggest garbage dump, claim conservationists, who are pressing for controls on climbing. But will this cost sherpas their livelihood? Dan McDougall in Kathmandu reports on the campaign.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

How To Wash Your Car

Paul Dolton - The Worlds Best Car Cleaner

Water Balloon Explosion

Using A High Speed Camera at Around 5000fps.

How Do Planes Avoid Colliding?

There's a little box that yells "Traffic! Traffic!"

By Daniel Engber

Download the MP3 audio version of this story here, or sign up for The Explainer's free daily podcast on iTunes.

The Brazilian courts ordered the detention of two American pilots on Monday, a few days after the jet they were flying crashed into a passenger liner over the Amazon jungle. Interviews with the pilots may help explain how the accident occurred, even though both planes were outfitted with automatic collision-avoidance systems. What's a collision-avoidance system?

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Our Lake Is Complete!

This is the new and improved evaporation pond for our neighborhood! It has been dug out and lined with a rubber blanket so it can hold water from the waste treatment system. Just in case you are worried about smell... The water released is cleaner than a public swimming pool and is chlorinated.
It took 5 days and several fire hoses to fill this bad boy up. Not too bad of a view if you ask me!
Makes you want to go swimming doesn't it.
This is what it used to look like!

Did Costco Get A Fountain?

This is what happens when a Semi-truck cuts the corner and takes out a fire hydrant! (yup, that's me looking stunned in the lower right hand corner of the photo.)

At every fire plug there is a shut off valve in the ground at a distance of about 15 feet. This way when this type of thing happens it can be shut off.


The tool in the guys hand works the emergency shut off valve.

There was a ton of water that flowed down the streets in all directions.