Comments from Xenobiologista

Xenobiologista commented on Pet's Eye View Camera...But You Don't Want To Know

Mon, 05 May 2008 17:15:20 EDT

There's this guy in Germany who made his own from one of those crappy keychain digicams. Whoa...I haven't looked at his site for a while and it seems he's adding a cat GPS logger. [www.mr-lee-catcam.de]

Xenobiologista commented on Dolphin Gets Prosthetic Tail

Mon, 05 May 2008 17:10:37 EDT

I'm going to reiterate what OG512 and Denver_80203 said: a LOT of the information we get out of veterinary medical research contributes to human medical therapies. And that IS, in a way, one of the utilities of animals to humans. If it offends you to think that that much money was spent on a dolphin or a bald eagle, just think of them as very large lab rats.

Xenobiologista commented on Eagle With Prosthetic Beak Will Be Better, Stronger, Faster

Mon, 05 May 2008 17:06:38 EDT

One thing that all the humanocentric bigots are missing - a TON of veterinary medical research feeds into human research. The information that the makers of the prosthetic beak got from the design and testing process could also help make better prosthetic limbs...which Gulf War veterans better appreciate.

Xenobiologista commented on Fresnel Telescope Will Spot M-Class Planets 30 Light Years Away

Fri, 02 May 2008 12:15:50 EDT

A 30-meter panel may require a spaceship with secondary lens and camera located several kilometers away to line up within a few millimeters

You know who we need for contractors on this one? The Ringworld Engineers.

Xenobiologista commented on Hackers Attack Epileptics Forum With Snow Crash-like Seizure Inducing GIFs

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 01:21:22 EDT

@HKLV: congrats, first intelligent comment in a while.

And for the cretins who think this is cool, anybody who doesn't live in a shoebox has known that blinking lights can sometimes trigger seizures since the Pokemon debacle in the 90s.

Xenobiologista commented on The Ultimate Twirling Pen: It's Annoying With or Without the LEDs

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:35:21 EDT

This is so nerdy it's almost a parody of itself. That said...I like nice pens and at under ten bucks the first two aren't bad.

Xenobiologista commented on Pube Grooming Kit Makes Your Muff Best In Show

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:33:45 EDT

I think it's pathetic how long this thread is considering the subject is only VAGUELY a gadget. (yeah, I'm being a hypocrite by adding another comment)

The few times I've tried waxing, the dislocated hair follicles BLED. Maybe I just have extra thick hairs, but I think women who subject themselves to this on a regular basis must be idiots.

Xenobiologista commented on Brass Knuckle Umbrella is a Class 5 Weapon

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:28:29 EDT

If I wanted a covert weapon umbrella I'd just get a regular one with a metal tip and grind it to a point.

Actually, next time I move to a big city I may do that to stab perverts on the subway. (guy grinding against me in a crowded train == UGH)

Xenobiologista commented on Japan's QR Codes Being Tested in SF

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:25:03 EDT

Wouldn't restaurants that got bad reviews just NOT participate, thereby making the codes useless? (except as a quick thumbs-up/thumbs-down guide by their presence or absence.)

Xenobiologista commented on Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader Locked Up: Why Your Books Are No Longer Yours

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:27:31 EDT

@androver : Say more like 25. Some books are sleeper hits that take several years after publication to become popular - The Lord of the Rings, for instance.

Xenobiologista commented on Broken ATM Doubles Withdrawals (While Supplies Last)

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:17:57 EDT

@bez_online : You noticed that, but somehow you didn't notice that it's a joke picture showing the three wheels of a slot machine on the ATM's screen?

Sorry to nitpick =)

Xenobiologista commented on Condiment Pistol Blazes Burgers With Deliciousness

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:14:31 EDT

Kids + mustard-shooting gun = all-yellow wardrobe.

Xenobiologista commented on Video: RSD5 Solid State Fan In Action

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:44:11 EDT

@dantaylor08 and squeakytoy: Ozone up in the stratosphere = good, ozone down here where people can inhale it = bad. It's pretty damn poisonous - strong oxidizer (3 oxygen atoms in an unstable configuration).

Xenobiologista commented on Ovopur Water Dispenser Filters Out All of the Fun

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:35:54 EDT

I'm going to guess that this filter doesn't do all that much more than a typical $10-20 pitcher filter does. It's going to cost a lot, and you'll be paying largely for its aesthetic value (looks pretty, no argument with that).

People get so silly about water. My piano teacher used to keep a chunk of bamboo charcoal in her Brita pitcher to "remove impurities". Guess what those little black bits in the pitcher filter are? Activated carbon, chemically the same thing as charcoal and in terms of microscopic structure, probably better than a piece of scorched bamboo at adsorbing organic molecules.

Xenobiologista commented on IMAX Theaters to Ditch Film, Use Digital DLP Projectors

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:06:54 EDT

(Sorry double post)

The thing I'll miss is seeing all those giant strips of film running up and down and back and forth across the projection booths though. It's kinda fun to watch all the apparatus involved.

Xenobiologista commented on IMAX Theaters to Ditch Film, Use Digital DLP Projectors

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:05:00 EDT

Bimbotic moment from my sister:
me: I wonder when cinemas in Malaysia are going to switch to digital projectors.
her: Eh? Isn't this digital already though?
me: I don't think so...you can see the spots on the film mah.
her: But at the beginning it said "Dolby Digital"..

Xenobiologista commented on Korg DS-10 Turns Your Nintendo DS Into a Serious Synthesizer

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:58:23 EDT

A couple of the other girls in my lab like electronica...getting this for my DS and bringing it to work might be fun.

Xenobiologista commented on Pixar's Wall•e New Full Trailer Blasts Us Into Space

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:12:14 EDT

Wall*e reminds me a bit of Pixar's original "Luxo Jr." short film. You know, the whole concept of making machines look cute primarily by the way they move rather than physical appearance.

Xenobiologista commented on Woman Sues Best Buy For $54 Million After They Lost Her Laptop

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:06:33 EST

It's kinda ridiculous for an individual to get $54M for a personal laptop. Maybe if she got together with a bunch of other people who had computers lost, delayed, or buggered by BB staff then they could put together a class action lawsuit, that would make more sense.

Xenobiologista commented on Discovery Venus Fly Trap Robot Swallows Bugs Alive

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:08:32 EST

Because today's kids are too damn lazy to run around with a butterfly net, apparently.

I used to be fast enough to catch grasshoppers barehanded. Wonder if there's any correlation with my dad's rule that we could only play computer games on weekends.

Xenobiologista commented on World's Smallest DS is Real Paper Mario

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 16:11:20 EST

fun stuff. Might make one at work if I get bored, especially since we have a colour laser printer.

Xenobiologista commented on Inflatable Mouse is Super Portable, Fun to Squish

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:07:45 EST

Stupid Yanko Design and their awesome concepts that take time approaching forever to materialize. I'd love one of those for flying, one less bulky thing to stuff in my backpack.

Xenobiologista commented on Zalman FPSGun Mouse Reviewed (Verdict: Not Good For Man Hands)

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 23:54:09 EST

"but the device was far too small to be comfortable for those with even normal sized hands"

Really? I should try it...if I played FPS games that is.

Xenobiologista commented on Vote for Gizmodo in the 2008 Bloggies

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:29:14 EST

I'm seeing a distinct lack of forethought in Gizmodo borrowing one of Cute Overload's "cats in racks" photos to ask people to vote for Giz.

Xenobiologista commented on Battery Eater is More Like a Battery Vampire

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:08:39 EST

@Daniel Rutter: so the idea of "memory effect" is more or less a holdover from the days when most rechargeable AAs were NiCd?

Xenobiologista commented on CarTorrent: Yes, Exactly What It Sounds Like

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:05:07 EST

You know how in some places people ahead of you will flash their lights to let you know there's a speed trap ahead? This could make it easier...

Xenobiologista commented on Suck UK's Customizable Tape Roll Relieves You of Free Time

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:02:19 EST

This reminds me...a lab down the hall at my workplace was throwing out a bunch of really old office supplies and I found a drawer full of transfers*. SCORE!

*granted, back when people were using transfers I was at an age where the only ones I used were of cartoon characters.

Xenobiologista commented on Fujitsu Announces 8.9-Inch Tablet PC

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:57:13 EST

*looks at price*

ouch ouch ouch pain pain pain

Xenobiologista commented on AT&T's SIM-Only Option Loosens the Shackles

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:55:15 EST

If you don't want to be locked into a contract or pay exorbitant rates for prepaid, try looking outside of major carriers. I've been buying 200min/$28.99 prepaid cards from a Wisconsin-based carrier called Einstein Wireless since last October. Since I don't talk much, it's cheap, and for an extra $10 I get unlimited data, including text messages, good for 60 days. The only problems I've had were a result of porting my number (from Verizon) and tech support has been polite and efficient.

Xenobiologista commented on Tomorrow's Masturbation Technology is Here, Today!

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:16:08 EST

Wow, and I thought the fancy toys were just for us girls. "Lotion reservoir" and "one-way valve"? Who knew wanking could be so complicated?

Xenobiologista commented on Harlin eReader V9 Is Like an Oversized Sony Reader, Has Stylus for Note-taking

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:20:49 EST

@Sunatic: actually, I'd love a big screen ebook reader for technical papers. Squinting at small text and figures in scientific journals is bad enough when they're full size, I imagine looking at them on a typical paperback-sized reader would be awful.

Xenobiologista commented on Gizmodo's Very, Very NSFW Porn Convention Adventure

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 22:24:27 EST

I like how he's got this totally stunned look on his face except for the bit where Jason is juggling the dildos.

Xenobiologista commented on Pull Your Dog's Hair Out with the Pet Furminator

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 22:21:18 EST

I got one for $19 off Amazon. It's not bad, but I really don't have anything to compare it with since the only thing I used on my cat before was a $2 human hairbrush. It helped in the summer when she was puking up hairballs half her size.

A word to the stingy: an Amazon user commented that it's basically an Oster clipper blade on a handle. Ignore this unless you ALREADY have a clipper around. I spent several hours shopping around before I came to the conclusion that Oster clipper blades actually cost more than the damn Furminator.

Xenobiologista commented on "Noisy Instrument" Earphone Sounds Like Ocean

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 22:14:01 EST

Help, my headphones have been assimilated!

Xenobiologista commented on 4GB Asus Eee Finally in Five Colors

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 22:12:54 EST

The green one would go great with a Gollum skin I saw in Low Yat Plaza the last time I was home in Malaysia. I wanted to get my DS skinned with him but didn't have time that day.

Xenobiologista commented on Baroque Wars, Star Wars Gets Wiggy With It

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 20:10:57 EST

Who's that supposed to be in the 4th picture? *is confused*

Xenobiologista commented on Inappropriate Gizmodo Browsing Contest Gallery (Some NSFW)

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:38:11 EST

I thought the FCC hearing one was in a church at first.

Xenobiologista commented on Motorola Drops to Third Place Behind Samsung, Nokia - Nobody Wonders Why

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:35:44 EST

My boyfriend is an engineer who makes brain implants and he still hasn't figured out how to get his RAZR to not beep when text messages come in - even when it's on silent! (I embarrassed him by SMSing during an exam to ask "when are you going to be done?") UI sucks.

Xenobiologista commented on Marine Research Facility Designed Using Star Wars Films

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:27:21 EST

I hope those pics are supposed to be exploded views otherwise they don't look terribly safe to be on when it gets windyyYYYYYYyyyyyyyy..........!

Xenobiologista commented on Piano Calculator Makes for Musical Math

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:25:28 EST

You could sort of "hash" melodies by playing them and seeing what numbers came out.