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They're gasoline-powered inline skates! Via McClatchy's China Rises newsblog, which says:The skates have a 25cc engine and a small fuel tank behind the right heel, and are controlled by a handheld throttle. But there is no brake! The only way of stopping is a waist-level shut-off button that kills the motor. Skaters likely then go sprawling ( Read more... )

By invitation of a well-known official, I visited the Navy-Yard yesterday, and witnessed the trial of some newly-invented rifled cannon. The trial was of short duration, and the jury brought in a verdict of "innocent of any intent to kill ( Read more... )

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Laptop use is popular on the outdoor patio at Diedrich, especially since the free wifi went in. There's only a couple of working plugs at one end of the place, so people who want to sit elsewhere have brought in an indoor/outdoor extension cord. It usually snakes through the bushes and over to the other side and sits near a table ( Read more... )

Attempts to change one's personality, one's approach to life, even to physically alter the function of the brain, are incredibly rewarding when they succeed. A small chance of success is worth a thousand dispiriting failures. I won't minimize the problems, though. The impact of each setback or failure is devastating. (video, .wmv)