I don't know why this drawing shows a tank at the front of the truck, but I guess that in Russia people drive T-90s like in the US people drive Fords. I wish the technology was so cheap that this could be implemented for real, because I'm sure it would save a lot of lives on the road. [Engadget]

Like Isaac Newton and gravity, The Christmas Truck was the results of one man's sudden inspiration. Kris Marshall was hauling a generator and a few strands of Christmas lights to his church in a $50 used truck. He simply combined the two and The Christmas Truck was born.

It's amazingly nontechnical, it's literally just lights taped to a truck. According to Marshall "It's not very scientific, it's a hideous site in the daylight, there's black tape and wires in the daytime." But at night it's amazing. Marshall has used eight trucks and added dozens of strand since, though it's always a 2WD Chevy/GMC with a regular cab and eight-foot truck bed "the way a truck ought to look."

By his own estimate there are 50-to-70 strings with a mixture of 50 and 100 lights each, making a conservative estimate of 3,000 lights. There are no LEDs, just the cheap $0.89 strings, though he'd like to add some to take pressure off the taxed generator.

It's a hit around Dallas and Polk Counties in Iowa, where Marshall is a GMC truck salesman. He often pulls hayrides and drives in parades around the holiday seasons. Unfortunately, not all police officers understand.

"It's totally illegal and almost all the cops are cool with that. Almost all... some of them don't get it. Last night I met two cops in four minutes and they just smiled. I think I've got most of them trained."

With the exception of a few tickets for illegal use of lights, the only other downside to The Christmas Truck is when one of his sons decides to use it for a date.

"If you're picking up your girlfriend in the Christmas truck and she's not expecting the Christmas Truck that can be a dealbreaker."

We salute Kris Marshall for a display of holiday exuberance high on awesome but appropriately low on ingenuity for someone who thinks a working heater in a truck is "a luxury."

According to the USAF, the driver lost control of the truck because a "large insect" landed on the driver's back. The truck was hauling Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile parts from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. Fortunately—and unlike other recent incidents that originated at the Minot Air Force base—the crash didn't involve any nuclear warheads. Or an attack by Mothra, for that matter. [Danger Room]

I enjoyed watching a 10 minute 3D 1080p clip of racing cars and Olympic footage with some pretty fugly glasses on. You too can look like an idiot in the back of a truck watching a sweet, mother of a HDTV. Be on the look out for the Panasonic HD 3D truck; a fleet of them started touring the nation late last month. And if you are waiting for the 3D TV itself to hit your living room, Panasonic still plans to bring it to market in 2010. [Panasonic]

Apparently, some crazy vodka-addicted Russian engineers/mechanics/crazy Ivans decided that putting together a Soviet-era truck, a gas tank, a top cockpit, and a jet turbine was something useful. Or funny. Or both. What the frak does this thing really do? What is its purpose? Apparently nobody knows. And, most probably, we will never know.

I guess I'd have to hunt this one down, and press the big red button. [Dark Roasted Blend]

Thankfully, the bicyclist who was hit was not hurt. (Even though his very nice carbon fiber forks on his very nice road bike was smashed up.)

[Photos from Jase n tonic via gadgetlab]

Seriously, don't use your laptop when driving! Cut that shit out! And texting isn't any better either. I don't want you hitting me because you can't control your ADD enough to not fiddle with stuff while behind the wheel. [Ellesmere Port Pioneer via Jalopnik]

Unfortunately for him, a Port Authority officer was on the lookout for altered license plates at that very moment and saw Payano pull off his magic trick. Like most shirtless criminals pinned to the hood of vehicles, Payano denied everything despite overwhelming evidence. He claims that he did not have a cable system in the rig and his EZ-Pass tag should have taken care of the toll. The pictures above seem to refute this claim, but he may retain a lawyer to try and fight the charges nonetheless. Yeah, good luck with that, dude. [Daily News via Core77]

The case, which hooks up to the back of your SUV, also has a built in CD stereo and Sirius Satellite Radio, a battery charger and a 12-volt power adapter. A locking door ensures that those dickwads at Alpha Gamma Phi won't try to make a grab for your beer while you're gone. Party-A-Cargo offers three different versions of its frat-friendly fun box, ranging in price from $2,895 to $3,795. [Born Rich]

Built by 77-year-old Stan Hewitt, the truck took two years and $130,000 to build. It wasn't the first one he did. Before this model, Hewitt constructed another hybrid. That one used 10 wheels instead of the 1-foot-wide treads of the current model, and could only travel at 10 mph on land and 7 mph on water.

It wasn't until 2004 when he decided to redesign it and go for the fully-retractable rubber-tread design, powered by a Chevy Trailblazer engine that also runs the outboard propeller. And then, he painted it green. Which, you know, it is what makes it a winner for me. [Pop Sci]

Damn, this one gets me every single time *sniff*

When complete, the $900 million Atacama Large Millimeter Array will be able to see some of the first galaxies formed after the big bang, or just get excellent television reception. [BBC]

The best part? It actually looks functional, and it's still capable of hauling stuff. – Jason Chen

Dragon Tank Truck [English Russia via Jalopnik]

[Via Techeblog]

This is why in Japan, truck-stop whores don't do it for money; they do it because they're addicted to Pachinko.–Keira K.

Dekotora [Pink Tentacle]

As Brian and I were unboxing the Wii and PS3, Nintendo dropped the bomb on us. A bomb filled with creamsicles, fudge pops, and good humor.

Oh yes, dear readers, just when we were ecstatic about having a Wii, Nintendo delivers us a second Wii via Ice Cream courier. Cool? Very. Delicious, definitely. They even spotted us some ice cream sandwiches. Thanks Erin! Mmmmm, mmmm, good. Twin Wii's? Yes, we're twice blessed. (Both the east and west coast Gizmodo Wiis got delivered to the SF HQ by accident, if you were wondering.)

Click to the jump to see the Awesome Ice Cream Truck in Action.

– Jason Chen