The Army began using tungsten in its weapons to replace depleted uranium, which is also allegedly (but notoriously) nasty stuff. Tungsten is used in missiles carried by drones, the Phalanx anti-missile gatling gun, anti-tank rounds and a lot more. What's crazy is that even as the Army stops using tungsten in training ammo, it's still looking at tungsten as a depleted uranium in other stuff.

On the other hand, it's not like bullets and other weapons, though they might be more advanced technological terrors, aren't designed to horrible things to human beings in the first place. [Danger Room, Image: longhorndave/Flickr]

“I stopped and I lifted up my sweatshirt and I took out the cell phone to check it to see if it was damaged and this bullet falls out,” Richard told the local CBS affiliate WWL. He said the shot—which was strong enough to tear a hole in his sweatshirt—felt like a punch to the chest.

Investigators said that the bullet could have come from as far away as a quarter of a mile, and that people shoot guns in that area all the time.

“We have no reason to believe that there was any type of criminal intent,” Sheriff Jack Strain told WWL. “That this truly was just an incident where someone discharged his weapon, whether it was target practicing or hunting." He did add though, "To have such an impact at such a vital location and to be saved by your cell phone, I'm sure has given [Richard] time for pause, and to be thankful.”

Well, Motorola, it seems this Thanksgiving at least one customer is going to thank you for saving its life—probably one more than Samsung, Nokia or even Apple can claim. [WWL-TV (check out the video) via AP, Thanks, David]

A reader of our friends at Brazilian creativity blog Brainstorm9 got his prize and sent them the photos of the fake popsicle/package, designed to fool consumers and make the iPod sustain the sub-zero temperatures and the humidity of a freezer. The fake popsicle, which you can only see when you open the external packaging, was approved by Apple in Cupertino to guarantee that the shuffle didn't get damaged. If shows the following tag:

Not very lickable, but hey, it's a free iPod! Here's what it says:

Contratulations You won an iPod shuffle from the iPod on a stick Kibon promotion. To ask for your headphones, charging dock and manual with warranty, call 0800 707 1315, give your information and the serial number of your iPod shuffle. It's very important that you save this popsicle to show when you receive the complements. Expires on August 31 2008. Limited edition.

And then adds, "Don't eat." No kidding. Fortunately, they send you a real popsicle along with the iPod complements. And failing that, you can always use strawberry syrup. [Brainstorm9]

Bullet Brazil is the company that developed the idea for Unilever's Kibon, which is the Brazilian equivalent of the Good Humor ice cream brand. They started to think about it back in March with the objective of putting the shuffles directly in the hands of the prize-winner. "It works like this: the consumer buys an Fruttare popsicle which comes in 10 different fruit flavors," Neto told us, "and may find an iPod Shuffle inside the package," ready to play.

However, since people would be able to tell that an iPod is inside by looking at the package itself, they had to find an alternative. The popsicles with prize inside had to be exactly the same as the regular popsicles. The obvious solution was putting the shuffles inside a real popsicle, but this was ruled out as the humidity would have destroyed the shuffle in no time, even with plastic around it. The other idea: a fake ice cream that looked exactly like the real thing. "We developed a special prototype that emulates the real ice cream;" Neto says, "it protects the iPod from humidity, and it feels like the real ice cream. It is virtually impossible to fell the difference without opening the package." Their testing proved successful.

Apple was not convinced about it, however. As we know, Cupertino is extremely concerned about their image and they couldn't afford faulty iPods falling into the hands of consumers. Even if the propsicle could protect the iPod against humidity, Infinite Loop still had to check if the special fake ice cream could protect the electronic circuitry against temperatures between -4 and -22 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 and -30 degrees Celsius), which is the normal temperature range of a standard freezer. After a never-ending number of tests, they saw it worked and Apple gave the go-ahead from California.

With the iPod ready to go, the only question left was how to get the charger and the manual. They solved it by providing a 800 number and a code to the winners. And the final touch: they will get a real popsicle in the package, same flavor as the fake one.

Now everything is ready for Kivon's "iPod no palito" summer promotion starting on December 18, except us: yes, it is summer in Brazil now and we are all freezing up here. Screw Vegas. I say let's all go and cover CES from Fernando de Noronha. [Bullet via Brainstorm#9 - Muito obrigado, Neto and Carlos]

The fact that he had a 20GB (older and thicker) iPod probably helped slow down the bullet more than if he had one of the newer (and thinner) 30GB ones. In that sense, an Archos would probably be enough to stop a tank shell. – Jason Chen

Ipod saves Soldier's Life [Flickr via Neatorama]

I don't know about you but most of the lady-geeks I know like their wireless, vibrating devices more powerful, more...er....ergonomically shaped and for use in private or semi-private situations. The thought of walking down the street with a little red heart vibrating in your panties—it probably sounds better in theory than it actually feels in practice.

Any experienced gadget-girls care to comment? –Dana Bushman

Wireless Vibrating Heart Shaped Panty Insert [via Ubergizmo]