SunFyre...words from a seated position

Last night my daughter's ballet class had a Halloween party. The whole family was invited to watch.

She's been trick-or-treating for three years now. The first year she was a princess. Last year she was a fairy. And this year... a fairy princess!

I knew princesses were popular, but I had no idea how popular. There are 17 girls in her ballet class. We had a Minnie Mouse, a pirate, a witch, and no kidding, 14 variations of the princess.

Each of the Disney princesses were represented at least once. We had a mermaid princess, a Snow Princess, and at least six fairy princesses. They went around the circle, each describing their costume.

A few seconds later the pirate explained that she was a pirate princess. Not to be outdone, the witch called herself an evil Princess. Poor Minnie Mouse looked like an outcast!

Labels: Halloween, parenting

"Toyota Motor's concept car "i-REAL" during a pre-event for the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show in Tokyo, 11 October 2007. The one-seat electric vehicle runs at a maximum speed of 30 kph in high-speed mode and moves slowly among pedestrians at similar eyesight in low-speed mode. " Source: AFP

My Two Cents: I think Toyota's new concept car isn't a car at all. Take a look, it's a futuristic wheelchair. Granted, it's a wicked cool wheelchair, but it's still a wheelchair. It goes only 20 miles an hour, so it won't be hitting the freeways anytime soon.

Why can't wheelchair companies create this thing? Wheelchairs are built by people who can walk... and they're afraid of getting sued. So because of that, they don't build cool wheelchairs.

Here are the things that would make this a terrific wheelchair!

• First, this woman is seated at nearly standing height... something wheelchair users would want.
• The wheelchair looks cool, and easily could be painted or customize on the outside to fit the user's personality.
• Big ass wheels. It looks like it could handle small bumps, and maybe even small curbs with ease.
• Cool microphone... I'm assuming that microphone has something to do with the wheelchair. Maybe not, but I'll soon so.
• I'm sure there is USB port and a hard drive in there somewhere. It probably plays iTunes.
• It's wicked fast 20 miles an hour is about 3X faster than the fastest wheelchair on the market.
• If the price tag is less than $25,000, it would be cheaper than a typical wheelchair.

Things that could suck about this futuristic wheelchair:

• Three wheels mean it will tip over on extremely uneven pavement or when colliding with a fat guy at the mall.
• You're going to have to raise your desk up on blocks.
• Too fat for doorways.
• Optional "hot Japanese girl" isn't covered by insurance.

I hope the Toyota power wheelchair will be on the market soon!
UPDATE: Video Added

Labels: Automotive, Japan, technology, Toyota, videos, wheelchair users

A hobbyist flew a weather balloon to near-space, using off-the-shelf parts, with a payload of a GPS, digital camera, 900MHz radio, and SMS module. There are some amazing photos & videos on the site, near the peak of the flight you can actually see the blackness of space. Also, check out the .kmz file for loading into Google Earth.

read more | digg story

Labels: exploration, gadgets, science, videos

A woman approaches the pharmacy counter and says "I'd like to buy some cyanide, please."

"Cyanide!" The pharmacist says, "why do you need cyanide, ma'am?"

"I'm going to poison my husband." she said matter-of-factly.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but I can't do that." The pharmacist explained, "poisoning your husband is illegal. I'd lose my license, and you would go to jail. I cannot give you cyanide."

He continued, "But may I ask, why is it that you want to kill your husband?"

She calmly showed the pharmacist to photograph of her husband in bed with the pharmacist's wife.

"Oh, I see. You didn't tell me you had a prescription."

Labels: Friday Funnies, marriage, murder

Toyota, Honda, and Nissan unveiled new concepts in environmentally friendly technology. The hybrid isn't the only game out there, and it may not even be our best option for the future.

read more | digg story

Labels: Automotive, technology, Toyota

A disabled Arkansas teenager is setting his sights on bagging an elk in Saskatchewan.

Joe Parsons will be aiming for an elk from his wheelchair because the 16-year-old has a severe form of Muscular Dystrophy.

"I just thought it'd be really incredible to go hunting in Canada and shoot a big bull elk," he said from his home in Searcy, Ark., on Wednesday.

Joe's dream trip became a reality after his mother applied to Hunt of a Lifetime, a non-profit organization that grants hunting and fishing wishes for children under the age of 21 who have life-threatening illnesses.

"Joe has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and also has cardiac and respiratory failure that he takes medications for," his mother, Christy, said. "It's a disease that there's no cure for and it affects all of the muscles in the entire body. He's been in a wheelchair since he was 10."

Joe's three-day hunt, which begins today, will be at a game preserve, increasing his odds of bagging a big one.

Joe's wheelchair is outfitted with a battery-operated rifle mount that moves side to side or up and down so he can get a bead on his game.

Since Joe's arms have limited mobility, a straw-like tube attaches to the trigger mechanism, so when he's ready to fire, all he does is sip on the straw to pull the trigger.

"I just enjoy hunting with my dad and having a good time," Joe said.

Sources: Regina Leader-Post, canada.com

My two cents: This is the first time I've ever seen assistive technology designed to kill something. It's terrific. Assistive technology should be designed with the end user in mind. I've never had the desire to hunt, but I'm glad Joe is getting the opportunity.

Assistive technology usually is focused around the home environment, and occasionally around a work environment. We see far too little assistive tech developed for recreational purposes.

Here's a small list of assistive technology I'd like to see developed to enhance my life.

• The robot backrub... a life-size robot woman with extra soft hands!
• The robot kitty litter scooper... I would be a hero in my house if I could scoop the poop.
• The printer paper fetcher... my assistant wouldn't have to jump every time I hit print. Better yet, it could fetch the paper, then wad it up into a ball and throw it in the trash. It would save a step.
• The kid spanker... I can't beat my children, but I could let a robot do it.
• The kid anti-drowning device... it would be a large net in the bottom of my pool. If I hear a large splash, I wouldn't have to panic, call for help, or dial 911. I'll just push a button and a giant net will scoop my kid of the pool. I'd purchase a second button that would blow him dry and send him to his room.
• The wife mute button... enough said.

If you can invent any of these things... let me know, I'll make you a millionaire.

Labels: adaptive technology, disabled people, Friday Funnies, humor, hunting, smart homes, technology, wheelchair accessibility

Here's my weekly YouTube video blog. This week's topic is "Why you should give your kids lots of opportunities to create art." If you watch you'll also get to learn why I'm wearing that ridiculous hat.

Labels: art, Halloween, hats, parenting

If you're interested, you can check out my Technorati profile. I'm trying to attract a little more interest to SunFyre. Since switching from a manual blog to Blogger, I've seen my traffic go down consistently. The time savings and the features are so beneficial , however, it's going to be difficult for me to leave Blogger completely.

SunFyre's Technorati Profile

Labels: Blogger, Technorati

I ran across this videowhen reading about Stephen Colbert running for President. I like John McCain a lot, and if he still involved when the Pennsylvania primary rolls around I'll probably vote for him. Unfortunately, he's probably too much of a straight talker, and is definitely too intelligent to get elected by the Republicans. Our party tends to vote for the charismatic leaders, rather than the deep thinkers.

He's the kind of guy who I think can beat Hillary Clinton in a head-to-head debate, but first he has to get past the primaries.

Anyhow, here's a video of him when he stopped by The Daily Show to visit Jon Stewart.

Labels: 2008 elections, Comedy Central, John McCain, Jon Stewart, Republican Party, Stephen Colbert, videos

Researchers at the University of Washington have created a vocal joystick for surfing the web. It uses vowel sounds to navigate the mouse. It uses the "K" sound and the "CH" sound to click and to click and drag.

Here's a video to the vocal joystick with a demonstration.

I'm having increasing difficulty navigating using my mouse. Because of this I'm intrigued, but not sold. I've been reading a little bit about brain-interface computers that literally use your thought processes to navigate a computer environment. This seems to be a much more effective way, especially with the increased likelihood that we will be in a three-dimensional computerized environment in the future.

Until that happens, however this could be a good intermediate step.

My biggest concern is that, aside from disabled users, there are many applications. My experience is that whenever a technology is only applicable to the disabled, the price tag is extremely high and the technology advances extremely slowly.

Voice recognition has been around since the early 90s, but the technology didn't advance until recently when it could be used to navigate telephone menus, for hands-free dialing, and soon you'll be able to order your McDonald's takeout without the expense of a 15-year-old.

There's much more potential for brain-interface navigation in the mass market. Imagine being able to navigate a map projected onto your windshield while driving your car, without ever taking your eyes off the road. He would simply think about where you wanted to go and a map would adjust to place directions directly in front of your eyes. Better yet, imagine driving your car simply by thinking about the controls rather than being required to use your hands.

Check out the video, and let me know what you think.

Labels: adaptive technology, disabled people, technology

I like breasts. They are functional, fun, and aesthetically pleasing.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.

One of the most terrifying questions a woman will ask herself is "Is that a lump?"

If you're a man... and you like breasts... there are three things you should do.

First, donate.

There are several reputable charities that do research, treatment, recovery, support and prevention. Men, if you enjoy breasts as much as SunFyre, please donate.

I'm aware of three national charities that are very reputable. They are the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, National Breast Cancer Foundation, and the American Cancer Society.

Additionally, many communities have breast cancer treatment foundations and endowments. Contact your local hospital or United Way and ask them what charities would benefit from your donations locally.

Second... buy something pink.

If you're not secure enough in your sexuality to wear it, give it to a woman that you love. Every year women's clothing stores and a variety of other department stores support Breast Cancer by offering pink products and donating a portion of the proceeds to Breast Cancer charities. They usually contain a pink ribbon, the symbol for Breast Cancer support.

If you happened to be the owner of the store that men frequent, I urge you to create your own products. I think there should be a breast cancer first person shooter game, preferably one with zombies. Zombies are cool.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, squeeze some breasts.

Seriously. While annual doctor's visits are important, and breast self-examination is also important, many lumps are discovered by male partners. All breasts have a little fibrous tissue that can be felt. One indicator is changes in this tissue. Men often notice these changes, simply because they are typically paying attention when they manipulate a woman's breasts. A physician only sees a particular woman once a year, and can only notice problems if lumps are large, or if they show up on a mammogram. A husband can monitor the situation weekly, or perhaps daily, and the test is far less expensive!

One small warning... please make sure you have permission of the woman that you intend to examine. She may not find your willingness to save her life a comfort if she doesn't know it's coming. For example, as I've experienced myself, the large breasted woman in front of you at the checkout counter at the grocery store, while her life may be at risk, may also have a brick in her purse. Ouch!

All kidding aside, best wishes for women and their families affected by this disease.

Each October I usually write a blog post about how much we like them, and how men should be more involved in Breast Cancer awareness. This year it's a little more personal.

Last November I lost one of my closest family friends to breast cancer. Diane and my mother met while they were both pregnant. My mother gave birth to me and Diane gave birth to a little girl named Dawn 10 days later. Diane was a nurse and my mother was a substitute teacher; at that time both low-paying jobs. They would babysit for each other because neither could afford child care. Dawn and I became lifelong friends, and "Aunt Diane" as I called her became like a second mother. Diane Sandstedt died last November; she was 57.

Labels: boobies, breast cancer, charity, health

...for groundbreaking studies in surface chemistry. This science can help us to understand such varied processes as why iron rusts, how fuel cells function, how the catalysts in our cars work, production of artificial fertilizers, and can even explain the destruction of the ozone layer.

read more | digg story

Labels: Nobel Prize, science, technology

The following is an excerpt from the July 1943 issue of Transportation Magazine. This was quite serious at its time and written for male supervisors of women in the work force during World War II. #1 on the list sets the tone: "Pick young married women. They usually have more of a sense of responsibility than their unmarried sisters."As someone who works as the sole male in an office I found the entire article incredibly useful. I'm thinking about printing and posting it. What do you think?

read more | digg story

Labels: corporate culture, humor, women