An interesting article in the New York Times points out that the success of Roll-n-Glow space heaters is due, in large part, to the involvement of the Amish. These pricey space heaters have the look and feel of a real fireplace, and the marketing blitz that highlights the Amish craftsmanship involved with each heater significantly increases the quality credibility. As it turns out, many of these marketing campaigns have been a bit on the shady side—making it appear that the entire unit was an Amish invention, crafted from start to finish using their skilled labor. In reality, they are only involved with the mantles.

Naturally, many have condemned Heat Surge, the company behind the Roll-n-Glow, claiming that they are exploiting a decent, God-fearing community. But one has to wonder—who is really being exploited here? The Amish are probably making a killing. The overwhelming success of this campaign has spawned imitators and put the Amish on the technology map. Perhaps Roll-n-Glo is just the first step in building an Amish technology empire. In the future we will all be clamoring to a press event held in a barn, where Jacob will deliver a keynote on a new hand-crafted line of wooden cellphones that make crystal clear calls and protect us from Satan. [NYT]

1. Trying to saw a two-by-four alone looks awfully stressful: our moustachioed French hero has grown three heads in his panic. But recruiting a team of builders gets that barn made like they were Amish (though we all know the lazy French are incapable of such efficiency).
2. If you link arms, you can make kick-ass birdhouses. But watch out for the ghostly silhouettes inching ever closer.
3. Tools required to make birdhouses/barns/Core 2 Duo processors include: a chainsaw, a syringe, multiple dustpans, and a pastel scarf rakishly knotted around the neck. Optional but strongly recommended: party hats.
4. Doing basic arithmetic makes French barnbuilders very content.
5. OH GOD they've grown multiple heads again! At least people seem to be buying their barns, which apparently have shrunk into shoebox-sized models somewhere between here and the first panel.
6. Something awful has happened. Our heroic Frenchmen are now plugged directly into electrical outlets, with internal temperature monitoring. Is this some kind of Shyamalanianian twist and they were robots the entire time? This narrative ends on such a disturbing note. [Sony, thanks Christopher!]

They've joined up with a lawsuit challenging the National Animal Identification system, which requires livestock to be tagged with an RFID chip. The government says the chips help them track livestock disease. The lawsuit says that the RFID chip is in fact a "Mark of the Beast," as foretold in the book of the Bible that set up one of Arnold's worst movies ever, End of Days:

"Use of a numbering system for their premises and/or electronic numbering system for their animals constitutes some form of a 'mark of the beast' and/or represents an infringement of their 'dominion over cattle and all living things' in violation of their fundamental religious beliefs."

It's a serious enough violation of their religious beliefs that, if enforced, many would not be able to farm, even though they maintain a bunch of heirloom crops and livestock—which they note could be genetically handy if disease or a terrorist attack seriously batters our food supply. Personally, I'm not quite ready for Armageddon, so maybe the government should back off, just in case. [Threat Level via Fark]

In Holmes County, Ohio, home to the world's largest Amish community, an estimated 80% of Amish families now have photovoltaic panels.

Apparently the adoption of electricity is partly motivated by the government requirement of lighting road vehicles (including buggies) at night. Well, that and Internet porn.

I never thought I'd be writing this on a tech blog...but...I can't...for the Earth...we should do as the Amish do! I just blacked out for a minute, but I think I'm ok. – Mark Wilson

Amish Are Surprise Champions of Solar [new scientist via digg]

After viewing your site for years it appears that those with webtv can't view it anymore because SOMEONE re-formatted it........never had a problem until this week..........will this force me to join the 21st century and buy a real computer? Nope. Goodbye Gizmodo! I'll miss ya!

Sorry to see you leave, Fritz. While I have no idea what happened to our WebTV compatibility, everyone at Gizmodo hates losing a loyal reader. But what if...and we're just spitballing here...we stopped publishing stories about heretical electronic innovation? Would you possibly reconsider your decision?

On a side note, my grandmother had WebTV until a year ago when she made the transition to a PC with flying colors.

-Mark Wilson

Why would anyone who refuses to buy a computer read Gizmodo, anyway? Because we're certain that it isn't the writing.