A Lego Technic Motor was attached to a Jensen #75 steam engine to make a crude generator. He then added a 5V regulator circuit and soldered a female USB connection. He also added some circuit protection. It even looks like a cute little rest stop on the Oregon Trail before you had to dump all that leftover buffalo meat you shot into the river (sigh, what a waste.) He should remember though that water, heat and electronics usually don't mix or he might end up taking the pony express to the nearest Apple store. [Boing Boing Gadgets]

Before you go and ridicule these people with emails they'll probably never read (because they're insane mountain people), the charger doesn't charge your standard AA batteries. It charges a 48V battery bank. You know, to power their house. It's the same battery bank that they use solar arrays and wind turbines to charge when not using that steam engine. Because they're crazy hippies that none of us can relate to. [Other Power via Boing Boing]