It is in the form of a fake twitter site called “TwitterHealth”, and the sole purpose is to trick users into revealing their twitter account details. If you have been contacted, DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY INFO. If you have already, then I would recommend contacting twitter and changing your twitter password and password retrieval details immediately.

In this case, I’m using a standard, small, mid-range speaker placed on a level surface, with a plastic food lid serving as a membrane. The lid has a raised edge and a flat, recessed central area, so it turned out to be perfect for the experiment. The lid is then secured to the speaker’s mounting frame hardware with small strips of duct tape.

On the top of the lid, I poured a small layer of water to serve as the visualization mechanism. This provides a great resolution and clarity in the visualization. You can also use sand, ferromagnetic fluid, and a variety of other liquid/semisolid substances for this medium.

To power the speaker, a function generator was used connected directly to the speaker’s terminals, to ensure decent accuracy for the frequency range. The function generator’s range was 0 to 2mhz.

The audio frequency range used was 52 to 150 hz initially, then higher frequencies at higher amplitudes.

The videos have been edited for a variety of visual effects, with at least a few seconds of unaltered footage in each.

A list of hopes (and quiet predictions) for GTA V:

1. Airplanes. Seriously, there’s only so far you can go flying helicopters. Both more RC planes and traditional

2. Less Driving. Ok – we get it, it’s mostly filler to make what would otherwise be a medium length game longer, but driving 4-5 minutes for a one-minute mission is not a great return on investment.  At least offer a skip feature?

3. Ethical Gameplay or choice-based outcomes. We had a little glimpse of this in some of the previous franchises, but it never really made much of an impact in the story lines it was associated with, and it didn’t seem to adversely impact it at that. Why not show that, if you lead a life of crime and debauchery, it usually doesn’t end up as glamorously as scarface?

4. A lighter environment. Let’s face it – GTA IV was fun but a little depressing. Showcasing some of the more downtrodden aspects of immigrant life may add a sense of realism to the game, but jesus it’s depressing.

Check it out in PDF (54k)

Solution (do BEFORE you import your bookmarks):

1. Create a new profile by going to the start menu in windows and selecting ‘run’, then entering ‘firefox.exe -ProfileManager’. This will open the FireFox profile manager.
2.Create a new profile, then select and run. Note – this profile won’t have your own preferences, but it’s just for temporary purposes.
3. Now, close firefox and go back to mozbackup.
4. Use mozbackup to import the same bookmarks file with all your history.
5. Go to the Bookmarks menu (top left menu > bookmarks > show all bookmarks). ‘Export your bookmarks to HTML’ using the “import and backup” menu.
6. Go to the start menu again in windows and select ‘run’, then enter ‘firefox.exe -ProfileManager’. This will open the FireFox profile manager.  This time, select your normal profile.
7. When firefox loads, go back to the bookmarks menu from step 5. Use the “Import bookmarks from HTML” to find your file and re-import the bookmarks.
8. Presto, no memory-clogging history to search through!

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PS – Do not attempt to make this device at home. I’m a completely untrained professional assembling this, and I make no assurances whatsoever about its safety.  I accept no responsibility if you choose to make this device on your own.

1. Find the file “Weaponsinfo.xml” in your GTA IV directory.
2. make a backup.
3. open the file weaponsinfo.xml with a text or code editor.
4. replace the <weapon type=”MP5″>..</weapon> portion of the file with the code below:

<weapon type=”MP5″>
<data slot=”SMG” firetype=”PROJECTILE” damagetype=”EXPLOSIVE” group=”ROCKET” targetrange=”140.0″ weaponrange=”150.0″ clipsize=”1″ ammomax=”999″ timebetweenshots=”50″>
<damage networkplayermod=”2.0″ networkpedmod=”1.0″/>
<reload time=”66″ fasttime=”66″ crouchtime=”66″/>

<aiming accuracy=”1.0″>
<offset         x=”0.15″ y=”1.0″ z=”0.53″/>
<crouchedoffset x=”0.12″ y=”1.0″ z=”0.05″/>
<reticule standing=”1.0″ ducked=”1.0″ scale=”0.0″/>
</aiming>

<pickup regentime=”600000″ ammoonstreet=”4″/>

<controller>
<rumble duration=”200″ intensity=”0.4″/>
</controller>

<flags>
<flag>GUN</flag>
<flag>CAN_AIM</flag>
<flag>CAN_FREE_AIM</flag>
<flag>CREATE_VISIBLE_ORDNANCE</flag>
<flag>KEEP_CAMERA_BEHIND</flag>
</flags>

<projectile>
<typetocreate type=”ROCKET”/>
<offset    x=”0.54″ y=”0.0″ z=”0.055″/>
<rotoffset x=”0.0″  y=”0.0″ z=”-1.571″/>
</projectile>
</data>

<assets model=”w_mp5″>
<anim group=”gun@mp5k” meleegroup1=”firearm_core”>
<rates firerate=”1.0″ blindfirerate=”1.4″/>
</anim>
</assets>
</weapon>

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And before everyone says “well, there goes the neighborhood!”, the vortex ring cannon has a variety of safety features to prevent blowouts and gas leaks around the main mechanisms. Gas is fed through a one-way valve, and the gas is physically disconnected from the combustion chamber and tube assembly further preventing any issues that way. the chamber itself has two give points to release overpressurized gases, and the assembly is open in the direction of the slow amplifier and stabilizer tube.

With any luck, it will be able to knock down a paper airplane!

Some of these locations and sightings based on the UFO sighting listings by UFOs Northwest , with permission.

Check it out at the Google Earth Forum, and the map is the attachment (note: you will need google earth to view this map)

DOWNLOAD GOOGLE EARTH: http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html

In this case, you can find the flight simulator feature by going to “tools > enter flight simulator” or by pressing “cntrl + alt + A”. Detailed guides will walk you through the actual takeoff process, but the movement control keys are generally the numpad keys, and ‘Page Up’ is the throttle. a light approach is needed to control the flight, but it’s definitely an interesting treat to be able to fly over familiar haunts and your own town. You can choose between a small private prop plane, or a traditional jet fighter for your flight.

Use your judo to conquer your enemies, or drive through an embedded video. Vanquish the foe of boredom in this promotional game, by the company Agency One.

Play the Game Now!

So that brings us to July 11, 2011. Sandbox 3 was quietly released for download on CryMod.com . This is crytek’s official outreach to the crysis 2 modding community, and is the central go-to point for these pioneer days of modding crysis 2. While the leaked version of the editor has been around for quite some time apparently, those that loathe the act of piracy can finally have their day!

I’m not going to lie, it’s a big file. At 416mb compressed, it can be a slow download. Still, at around 15-20 minutes, it wasn’t bad. The installation took a while, extracting to around 2gigs. On opening the installation program, the user is faced with a traditional overlaying title screen, very reminiscent of the previous Sandbox releases.

The next screen is where the full visage of the program really takes hold. On load, the user is thrust into the crysis 2 universe much like sandbox for the original crysis. You can choose to go into game mode at any time, like the far cry 2 editor, and toggle AI/physics as needed. You definitely take a graphics load working with the editor, with a decent GTX 465 dragging down to 15-20fps at points. However, when the viewer remains stationary, you can top out at 99-120+ FPS easily even overlooking dense city scenes.

For beginners, the make it ridiculously easy to learn by reverse-engineering. All of the maps from crysis 2, and the wars, are included for editing. I suggest taking your favorite level and saving it as a new map, then adding and re-arranging. The directional controls are pretty straightforward – select entity, move using the traditional easy-to-recognize main buttons in the top center-ish. A quick tip is that you can duplicate items by clicking, then pressing control+c.

All in all, i’d say it’s a great first impression of an editor that has a lot of potential to eat up a large chunk in people months, and that’s a great review!

This device, using the same basic principles as a smoke ring generator (like the kind sold as a novelty during halloween), “shoots” a ring of air using a small combustion chamber.  The device is mostly completed, with only a couple of parts still needing to be acquired.

Inside, a combustion chamber with two outer layers for blowout mitigation provides the pressure, which subsequently feeds into a threaded area which initializes the vortex, then feeds into a gradually expanding tube which finally stabilizes. Without going into the finer details, this process creates the rings at the edges of the tube, which are then shot out the end of the barrel.

With the project, I’m hoping to simply be able to visualize the concept in a fog-laden “cloud chamber”, and maybe have a little fun with a new mad science project. Check out the prototype in progress below!

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Whenever sound is played at equal volume from both speakers, the tube seems to attenuate higher frequencies and radiate the infrasound and lower audible frequencies. It also creates an interesting demonstration of the effect of compression phases in sound, as the radiated sound seems to mostly be audible near walls or other points where the pressure wave would compress. Walking right by the unit in operation leaves one mainly hearing the attenuated higher frequencies.

Having found this video on YouTube, well, that’s kindof a buzz-kill. But not an entirely unexpected buzz-kill.

2. Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware
Viruses aren’t the only threat to your average PC.  Malware is a prominent and growing threat to the security of the web as a whole.  Take a look at Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware software to round out your computer security programs.

3. FireFox
Let’s face it – Although it had its hay-day in the formative browser war years, Internet Explorer hasn’t quite kept up with the speed and web standards (With the exception of IE 9 to come). FireFox is a palpably quicker, W3C-compliant browser that offers a great deal of customization, plugins, and tabbed browsing. It will also run along side IE, making it easy to try on the side.

4. GIMP.
Ok, so the name isn’t exactly P.C., but GIMP (which stands for “Graphical Image Manipulation Program”) is a great free graphics program with a diverse range of features and effects. It’s a good middle ground between the limitations of the classic MS paint, and the expensive industry-leader Photoshop.

Crysis 2 Single Player map names (in alphabetical order not by level – most should be obvious frankly)

• AlienVessel
• batterypark
• bryantpark
• centralstation
• cityhall
• convoy
• downtown
• FDR
• floodedstreets
• hive
• intro
• madisonsquare
• prism
• roosevelt
• spear
• terminal
• timessquare
• warehouse
• centralpark (haven’t played in the storyline yet, but i’m guessing)

As the intro scene reveals, NY has been ravaged by an alien virus, and subsequent rioting. The streets are littered with the long-gone.The visual impact of realizing an air-born view of the city is actually the game is where the almost indiscernible reality of the graphics hit you – It’s like stumbling into a brick wall.  Watching the face of the fake news reporter, you start to realize how far down the detail goes. From skin pores to age lines, without the usual akward texture movements around the mouth and eyes when talking.

Running in extreme mode, the ray tracing of the light is flawlessly realistic (running on a DX11 GTX 465). Looking around, there are so many hints of daily life gone awry in the shadows, intensely specific details about your environment and everyday objects, in a mostly free-form environment like Crysis. Minor flaws in the textures and pixel-level viewing are really the only reminders that you’re in a game, which may not be a bad thing. Something to keep you grounded other than the massive weight of the nanosuit.

The enemy AI is incredibly responsive , at least from the tactics seen so far. With threats coming in all directions, the only way to survive is looking over your shoulder, sweeping rapidly to see the enemy pop up. Explosions pierce the silence when you strafe a barrel mid-gunfight, a familiar tactic for any crysis fan.

When not fighting, enjoy the serene view of the metro skyline. Familiar buildings grace the backdrop, with an incredibly detailed and glare-inducing sun at various stages throughout the game.

The controls also feature an expansive amount of actions, from simple leaning to sneak attacks, to complex power-assisted jumps and the usual enemy grabs.

In short, This is the last line i’m writing tonight before getting back to the game (and eventually work)

You can also filter by different types of vessels, or many other search criteria.

Check it out at http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/

FAR CRY 2:

• Total Frames: 3722, Total Time: 51.01s
• 1680×1050, 4X AA, all other  settings maxed
  
• Average Framerate: 72.97
• Max. Framerate: 110.37
• Min. Framerate: 57.88

GTA IV:

• Average FPS: 65.01
• Duration: 37.34 sec
• CPU Usage: 36%
• System memory usage: 72%
• Video memory usage: 96%
• Video Mode: 1680 x 1050 (59 Hz)
• Texture Quality: High
• Shadow Quality: High
• Reflection Resolution: Very High
• Water Quality: Very High
• Texture Filter Quality: Anisotropic x4

CRYSIS:

• Benchmarks to Come

FRONTLINES: FUEL OF WAR :

• Benchmarks to Come

A recent christmas gift, this beautiful piece of graphics bliss easily runs everything I could throw at it on the highest settings, with 8x Anti-Aliasing. Crysis, the previous graphics benchmark, ran at 1680×1050, under the highest detail settings possible, with 8x AA, at 60-70fps. Reducing it to 4X AA shot it up to between 80 and 100fps, and under the most intense action (and cheating to view the entire level from above, it only sank to 30-40fps.

Using the relatively new (early 2010) Fermi architecture, it boasts an almost ridiculously high texture fill rate making all movement completely smooth. No more do quick turns or new scenery clog up the graphics processing and produce any noticeable delays. The average framerate is around or above the highest rate the eyes can perceive.

Currently Tested and Beautiful on the highest settings (some 4X AA):
GTAIV, Crysis, Far Cry 2, Frontlines: Fuel of War

Web-based games have long-since established themselves as a classic timesink. Whether it’s internet poker, farmville(tm), or one of many flash-based sidescrolling games, we all get our fix. With that in mind, I present the Great Internet Timewasters list, Volume 1.

1. Balldroppings.com
Ok, the URL could be a little misleading. But this simple javascript-powered whole-window “game” is remarkably addicting in its simplicity. A point at the top spawns balls that drop down and bounce with an almost hypnotic rhythym, hitting and bouncing off lines that you can draw on the screen. A music note plays each time the ball strikes, which really rounds out the senses.  You can change the tempo, or trap the balls to make a sound that can only be described as a hive of angry wasps.

2.

1. SearchTempest – http://www.searchtempest.com/

This service allows you to search by a wide variety of factors, opening the search results for each city in a separate frame for each search that yielded a research.  Save your mouse-clicks from having to open a tab for each results.

1. CraigsPal

This free program allows you to search by different criteria, using a standalone program that needs no web browser. It also conveniently saves your previous searches (until deleted manually) allowing you to return to your search. You can also highlight and mark as read, much like managing most email clients. It is however ad-supported, generally with a banner ad at the top.

In addition to making your searches easier, You can also improve your own postings with just a few easy tips.

1. Use a craigslist template.

Luckily, with craigslist you can use some light HTML skills to quickly enhance your ads. Make your ads look more professional, and standout with unique layouts and personal graphics.  Search the web for easy copy-and-paste web design templates.  If you know HTML, even better! You can use virtually any table layout – just make sure to use inline CSS since craigslist strips out classes otherwise.

2. Use special characters to bring your listing out of the shuffle

Window’s character map offers some great ways to make your listings stand out. Any character from the Arial font can be used, generally (note – macs may display differently). Some of the best are : “★ ☎  ► █  ♣” . These can be used in the text, the title of the listing, and the location box. They’re a great way to get noticed. In fact, some people may even ask if they’re a premium feature.

But within the last week, sears has rolled out a zombified version of their main online store, featuring clothes for “female zombies’ plus”, a zombie gift guide, and even a zombified twitter feed. Complete with a zombie makeover for the models on the microsite, it’s sure to make an impression for any zombie lover or Halloween aficionado.

Check it out at Sears.com

Whether it’s just looking for the next interesting thing to do, a sight to see, or just aimlessly exploring the city, it’s fun to venture without having to leave your living room. While it’s normally a fairly mundane journey, occasionally you run into interesting findings, strange sightings, and akward candid-camera moments. See a few below, or use the contact form to send me your own! (I promise to post them if they’re interesting)

1. M.C. Escher meets Office Buildings in Austin, TX
This satellite view shot was stitched together from two passes of either their satellite or a plane. Clearly, though, the angles are a little off.

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2. Former Nazi Submarine Bunker with Duck
While checking out an old nazi bunker featured on the History Channel’s “underground” Series, I stumbled onto this art installation. Visit Google Maps to see Duck

This audio experiment, created for a friend, is an audiovisual exploration of the sound of a dishwasher, featuring samples from several machines modified with the use of special audio frequencies called “Binaural beats”. I’ve infused the humble, ubiquitous machine we’ve all come to know and rely on, with an emotional side relying on the brain’s unique ways of interpreting sound.

Hypothesis:
That binding agents added to the plaster of paris mixture will strengthen the resulting hardened mixture in terms of tensile strength and compressive forces.

Experimental steps:

1. Measure out and record an amount of plaster of paris in the powdered form

2. Add a pre-determined percentage of an additive or adulterant, or an equal weight of plaster of paris for the control group mixtures

3. weigh and add a volume of water, along with additive or control plaster,  to create the plaster of paris mixture

4. Prepare mold.

5. To prepare each sample, measure out a constant volume of the mixture and pour it gently and slowly into the mold, taking care not to cause air bubbles.

6.  Dry the prepared samples for 24-48 hours or until as dehydrated as possible.

7. As soon as dried, remove the samples gently from the mold. How you do this will depend on the mold provided, but if it’s a simple cup you can invert the cup and tap the sample out onto a soft surface (I’d suggest a paper towel)

8.  Follow one of the experimental ideas below for each sample prepared:

Experiment 1.A : determining  strength

1. Prepare a weight application rig. This can be something as simple as two books or 2×4 boards spaced apart so that the sample just barely covers the gap resting on both ledges.

2. Add an incremental amount of weight to the top of the sample. Start very light, and add more weight in progressive steps. Record each step, and any respective observations or physical changes (like cracking, flaking, etc)

3. At the failure point, record the amount of weight it took to break the sample.