Saturday, August 28, 2010 at 11:25PM 
iPhone 3G capture on 07.30.2010, 11:40 PM.
Post processed with Camera Bag app, Helga filter.
Kurt Starnes | Share Article | Email Article | Post a Comment | tagged Photography, Texas | in From The Field Saturday, August 28, 2010 at 9:24PM
Hover Chair Scene from Wall-E | © 2008 Pixar
The Ithaca College Tots on Bots project aims to mobilize infants with physical disabilities by setting them atop a “mobile robot” equipped with a Wii Balance Board to let the young operator steer by leaning — which, it turns out, works pretty well. Additionally, the vehicle uses sonar to avoid nasty crashes and a remote control that an adult can use to take control. Further study has to be made before any long term developmental benefits can be ascertained, but in the meantime it does look like a lot of fun.
This is a wonderful and magical tool for disabled toddlers, but it may be adopted by healthy children at the insistence of parents seeking an extra household errand-runner.
Ten years into the future, the prophecy of Wall-E may be realized.
Kurt Starnes | Share Article | Email Article | Post a Comment | tagged Robots, Technology | in News | 3 References Saturday, August 28, 2010 at 8:00PM ;)
The Drop 600 LTD in ZebrawoodALTERED WIRELESS ELECTRIC SKATEBOARDS:
THE DROP 600 LTD ($759.95) The ultimate street carving machine. Lots of pintails and tear drops makin’ waves, but The Drop 600 is in a class of it’s own. There’s plenty of room for your feet and just the right amount of flex on an extended wheel base. Who says a skateboard can’t improve the quality of life and human understanding. Powered by our ALT MODULE 600 and available in Zebrawood. Pressed & Assembled in Orange County, California.
A gas motor powered skateboard was my dream as a kid, but now it’s this electric skateboard from Altered. They claim their 600 watt models, like the sleek The Drop 600 LTD shown above, will top out at almost 20 MPH and have a range of about ten miles. I imagine 20 MPH feels a lot faster than it sounds, with pavement just inches away.
At the bottom of the range is the 250 watt Wombat ($299.95) and at the top is the 800 watt beastly Green Machine ($799.95), with knobby, pneumatic tires and a high clearance deck for off-road treks.
Altered’s angle is that these electron powered boards serve as alternative modes of transportation as well as thrilling sports machines. Schweet.
Kurt Starnes | Share Article | Email Article | Post a Comment | tagged Green, Transportation | in Recreation | 2 References Friday, August 27, 2010 at 6:18PM ;)
Ferrari P4/5 | Wikipedia Commons
Bugattis Sell for ‘Crazy Money’ as Classic Cars Beat S&P 500 - Bloomberg:
Jim Glickenhaus, 60, became legendary among collectors for rebuilding a new $1.1 million Ferrari Enzo because he said the design of the brand, owned by Fiat SpA, had deteriorated. The investor spent another $3.2 million to strip down the car and, with the help of Italian firm Pininfarina SpA, remake it with about 200 new custom parts, including a carbon-fiber body and seats designed to fit Glickenhaus’s shape.
Interesting article on wealthy folks buying collector cars not only from passion, but as hard asset investments.
The story of Mr. Glickenhaus and his rebuilt Enzo is astonishing. Glickenhaus says that he won’t be surprised if his one-off Ferrari sells for $100 million in 50 years.
Kurt Starnes | Share Article | Email Article | Post a Comment | tagged Automobiles, Wealth | 2 References Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 9:24AM
Spotted at Whole Foods Market in Dallas, Texas. A Google search revealed that this fictitious brand was created by Christy Carroll:
The Whole Foods produce folks charged me with creating four unique designs based on fictitious brands for their produce boxes. Cosmic Fruits & Vegetables was my interpretation of a fruit crate from the atomic era.
Box copy reads:
Cosmic Fruits & Vegetables
Shipped By Leet’s Fleet Produce Distributors
Packed By Doane Zone, Planet Earth
I also thought one of the other fictitious brands, Yeti’s Best, was very nice.
Image grabbed on iPhone 3G and post-processed with CameraBag’s Colorcross Lolo filter.