Technomancer Wizard Hoodie

Ok, I totally need this. Really. I could finally channel all my vast occult knowledge gleaned from my years of playing Warcraft and rain fine down on people! I really could!

This is an offering from those wacky code monkeys at Think Geek and man is it ever cool!

Wild Mage. Wizard. Sorcerer. Illusionist. Enchanter. Invoker. Necromancer. There are so many words to describe people who wield magical powers. We have one word: badass. Let's look at your average adventuring party: The fighter swings her greatsword, cleaving through two orcs. Sweet. The rogue pops out of the shadows, backstabbing the hobgoblin. Nice! The ranger fires an arrow through the throat of The Bandit King, right in the middle of his monologue. Love it. The cleric is adept with both a mace and a bandage. Phew! But the wizard sets entire battlefields on fire without so much a singe on his velvet robes.


You have the Will to be a spellcaster in real life, and ThinkGeek is here like a wizened oracle to deliver you the way. Introducing the Technomancer Digital Wizard Hoodie. Donning this unique garment will transform you into a powerful mage ready to blast off spells at a moment's notice. The sleeves of the Technomancer contain dual accelerometers which sense the movements of your hands. Move them in one of the pre-programmed spell sequences and the sleeves of the hoodie light from within, the internal speaker booms, and the hood illuminates your face in an eerie glow.


Of course, a seasoned wizard has a variety of spells in their repertoire. The Technomancer Hoodie offers ten different spells including fireball, healing, and lightning bolt (lightning bolt, lightning bolt!). Each spell is accompanied by unique light and sound effects powered by the embedded speaker and over two dozen bright multicolored LEDs. Of course, you'll have to train daily to learn the right sequence of movements to cast each spell. We hear the College of Winterhold is accepting applications.


Product Specifications

• Transform yourself into a powerful mage with this hoodie
• Dual accelerometers in the sleeves sense your hand movements
• Move your hands in the right sequence to cast a specific spell
• Internal speakers will create the spellcasting sound effects
• LEDs in the hood and sleeves light up with the appropriate color
• Ten different spells including: fireball, healing, and lightning bolt
• Illustrated directions included to teach you the movements for each spell
• Patent pending technology designed by ThinkGeek
• Machine Washable: Electronic components can be removed for washing

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Welcome 2012

Happy New Year Everyone!

So, has anyone else made resolutions? I prefer to set goals for the year. Here are a few of mine. If you have any you want to share, please do so.

• Get rid of the rest of the books. 

I've gotten my book collection down to a manageable level but I still have far too many. My goal is to have only one bookshelf full by the end of the year. I have a digital copy of every single book I possible could have and have stored copies on a hard drive so my Kindle isn't overloaded. As it is, if I live to be 150 I will never get through all the new books I have yet to read....and that is if I stop today. Oh well, I can think of worse problems to have.

• Improve my health.

I know I'm a geek but running through Azaroth and killing Orcs does NOT equal a fitness program. I need to actually step away from the computer (shudder) every now and then and actually venture outside. I actually live in a really cool place. I'm not out on my porch for 5 minutes before I see other humans actually walking around. Kids play, pets roam. The last place I lived I never ever saw that. In 20 years I never saw kids playing outside. Spooky. Anyway, my goal is to get in a walk at least every other day. Outside. I'll take my phone. LOL. Me without technology is NOT pretty.

• Go to church more often

Bet you didn't see THAT coming, did you? Yes, the resident Techno-Geek, holder of advance science degrees is a Christian. It's okay; I'm Catholic. That means I'm from the branch that believes in Evolution, Medicine and all of the other advantages of the 21 century. I'm also a firm believer that a healthy spiritual life is as important as a healthy body and education. It's all about balance my friends.

• Read more books

Again, it's about balance. A little less time sitting in front of the computer screen and a little more time sitting and...oh, wait. Anyway, reading on my Kindle is a good break from the instant communication world of the Internet. Oh, heck, who am I kidding? I just need to get some of the books read so I can buy more.

Well that's it for now. See you all soon!

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Angry Birds Pork Rinds: It's about time!

This is one of those things that I didn't realize I wanted until I saw them. This is even better than microwave pork rinds (which I still don't grasp).

From the website:
Need to make three stars on every level of Angry Birds? Then you'd better pop open a can of Tiger Blood and a bag of Angry Birds Pork Rinds! Taste the crisp, salty, inspiring, savory flavor that only green pigs can produce.


Get them before the lawyers beat you to them! You can find them, where else, but over at Think Geek.

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Think Geek does it again!

Once the moodInq canvas is implanted, you can change your tattoo in less than five minutes. Choose from professional artwork or upload your own files, run the moodInq Wand over your canvas, and voila! New tattoo!

Another hit from those Code Monkeys over at ThinkGeek!

You know, I think I just might need one of these. 

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Visomate Vision and Posture Reminder

Unless Mom pays you to be her personal assistant, your boss probably doesn't nag you much about your bad computer posture -- that doesn't mean you shouldn't be mindful of it. Propped on your PC, this $26 ultrasonic sensor lets you know whether your back, neck and eyes are at a proper position and distance from the computer. Red light means you're too close, blue light means you're in the recommended range. Just remember our helpful rhyme: "Flashing red, back up your head. Flashing blue, no scoliosis for you."

Ok, even I have to admit this is weird. But it's a gadget and I'll bet no one you know has one!

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A Techno-Geek Watch

This watch is an innovative and especially Geeky gadget that actually gives accurate time as long as you can read the 28 LED’s that illuminate in sequence to tell the current time, day of the week, and date. You may think that this cool looking watch is hard to use, but honestly it is easier than you can imagine. Arabic numbers are used for hours and tens of minutes while Mayan numerals are used for the numbers 1 through 9, which are engraved into the case beside the LED. You can amaze your friends by telling them the time and letting them try to decipher it without giving them the specifics. To learn more or purchase click here.

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Bionic Contacts

The University of Washington's Babak Parviz has created a prototype "bionic" contact lens that creates a display over the wearer's visual field, so images, maps, data, etc., appear to float in midair. The lens works using tiny LEDs, which are powered by solar cells, and a radio-frequency receiver.

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Dynamic Tower

Each of the 80 floors in the world's first moving skyscraper — with offices and a hotel, topped by apartments — will rotate 360 degrees, all at different speeds. Designed by Italian architect David Fisher and located in Dubai (another is planned for Moscow), the prefab, wind-powered tower will cost an estimated $700 million. The residences will sell for $3.7 million to $36 million. The building should be completed in 2010.

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Must See Site of Places Not to Visit!

I included this picture, because otherwise you would never ever believe what I'm going to write: That was a city council meeting in Harrisburg, IL. Harrisburg IL is my choice for a place you don't want to visit!
The man on the right in the photo is the police chief. The man on the left is a city commissioner. The man who is facing the camera is a citizen. So what happened? It seems the council didn't like what the man had to say. So the commissioner got up and tried to forcefully eject the citizen. When that didn't work he belly-bumped him!
I put this up because this is not an isolated incident, nor is it confined to the city council meetings. Everyone in this town is the worst stereotypical description of a "redneck" known. They make the guys from "Deliverance" seem like ultra urban sophisticates!

Now about the town itself: The landscape is pretty. Except that it floods. I mean it floods a LOT! Last year the spring floods destroyed 75 businesses and closed the major grocery store for 3 months. It also has a foul order that comes from the sewage treatment plant. The schools are on the academic AND financial watch lists. The unemployment rate is at more than 40%.

So don’t go there! For more places not to visit check out Dontgothere.org. This site is outstanding. Real people talking about real experiences in various locations around the world. It’s really a lot of fun to read and if you have been someplace really bad, add your story! You can also check out the new book that will be released soon. Above all else you need to warn others: DON'T GO THERE!



don't go there

travel

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Afterlife Travel Kit

Here is one for the "weird" file: The afterlife travel kit.
Life is full of questions and many of those questions center on what happens after life is over. What's on the other side? Will science or politics hasten our finding out? Do they have cheese whiz in Heaven? And once you do shuffle off your mortal coil, what's there to do anyways? Well, we've had a sneak peek (don't ask) and brought back these Afterlife Travel Kits to help lighten your soul.
First off, each kit includes an official certificate of reservation (to prove you really are on the guest list). You'll also get an official ID card. A first class ticket is included too (travel up to the Pearly Gates or freefall to the Inferno). To adjust to your new life after death, please make sure to read the mini informational guide. Oh yeah, and because we love ya, you'll also snag a VIP pass to make sure you can get into all the best parties. The Afterlife Travel Kit - don't leave life without it.

Afterlife Travel Kit

• Everything you need to enjoy your trip to Heaven or Hell.
• Each kit includes:
  • Certificate of Reservation
  • First Class Ticket
  • ID Card
  • Mini Information Guide
  • All Access VIP Pass
• Each kit is themed for the afterlife destination of your choice (or get one of each - just in case)
• Dimensions:
  • Certificate: 8.5" x 5.5"
  • Ticket: 8.5" x 3.5"
  • ID Card: 3.5" x 2"
  • VIP Pass 3.25" x 5.5"
• Manufacturer's Money Back Guarantee - if you die and can't get in, the manufacturer will refund 100% of your purchase price!

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Background Music For Your Life

Does your life seem dull and uninteresting compared to the drama and action of movies and television? Here at ThinkGeek Labs™ we've examined this phenomenon carefully. With the bevy of reality TV shows and humdrum movies we quickly decided that what people do in real life is NOT significantly less exciting than what fictional characters on the screen experience... but for some reason, real life just SEEMS much more boring. However, after days of extensive highly-scientific double blind testing we were able to discover the difference... Background Music! Your real life experiences just don't have the needed dramatic soundtrack to back them up. Whether you're brushing your teeth, walking your dog or chatting up that cute girl in chemistry class you need the appropriate music and sound effects to enhance the experience. Fortunately we've developed the solution for this irritating life boredom problem with the Personal Soundtrack T-Shirt.

This amazing new wearable audio solution features a working speaker embedded into the front of the shirt. When you push the appropriate button on the pocketable remote you get music or sound effects appropriate for any situation. Check out the chart below to see the extensive list of built in sounds and suggestions on using them for dramatic punctuation in your everyday life.

After wearing and using the Personal Soundtrack T-Shirt for one week our test subjects reported that their lives were 143% more exciting than without the shirt... plus they got more dates and their friends commented on how much cooler they were. When we tried to take the shirts back after the testing period we were overwhelmed by the sound of melancholy background music and crying.

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SteelSeries' World of Warcraft MMO mouse

SteelSeries' World of Warcraft MMO mouse is officially the most ridiculous gaming mouse I have ever seen. Designed with Blizzard just for WoW gamers (just in time for Wrath of the Lich King), it has 15 programmable buttons. You don't even have that many fingers. And it has flashing disco lights. In 16 million colors. Of course, this much nerd doesn't come cheap—it'll be $90 when it drops next month, but SteelSeries gear is tank-like, so you'll be stuck with it for a long time. Which is good, since you're going to be very lonely if you buy one. Update: SteelSeries says that Mac drivers will be out in Dec. or Jan.

Designed by Blizzard® and SteelSeries specifically for World of Warcraft®, The World of Warcraft® MMO Gaming Mouse provides remarkable benefit to all World of Warcraft® gamers, regardless of level or play style. The mouse can be customized to fit the users personal preferences; the illumination feature allows for up to 16 million colors, programmability of all 15 buttons via an intuitive and easy to use drag and drop interface. The fluid integration of software with hardware will provide the user with an amazing in-game experience featuring superior performance, comfort and control. The World of Warcraft® MMO Gaming Mouse is fully scalable to meet and exceed the requirements of even the most discerning World of Warcraft® gamer.

* 16 million illumination choices * A total of 15 programmable buttons
* Several predefined macros and posibility to create your own
* World’s first gaming mouse designed exclusively for World of Warcraft®

• Cable (braided): 2 m / 6,6 ft.
• 15 buttons
• 800 - 3000 CPI
• 3,6 mm lift distance

November 2008

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Just when I thought I'd heard everything...

Along comes this: Drive Bay Toaster!
Having a sneaky way to keep fresh food around has always been an important goal for college students and geeks alike. Usually it’s done with mini fridges, mini microwaves and hot plates. Yet here’s another little gadget to throw on the list. This one is a toaster that is powered by your PC. It inserts directly into the drive bay and will fit a standard 5.25. It includes Windows based software interface which controls the temperature and how long the toast is in for.

Although this is a Windows version they are currently working on a Mac OS version that will hopefully be coming soon. To get this to work it requires an available USB port as well as a 4 pin Molex power connector. You will also need a free PCI slot. It does have a crumb tray like every other toaster and includes a 2 year warranty. It hopefully won’t cause your PC any overheating issues since it has a vent that exhausts the hot air out the back of the case. To pick one up it will cost you $29.99 from Crazy PC.

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Cool Computer Mods

I'm not going to overload here with photos, but I could! I found a new blog to read (you will find a link under my blog list) called Dark Roasted Blend. One of the posts contains many great and really cool computer mods. Like the one pictured to the left.

That's one I have decided to make for my next computer. Considering that I can hang my monitor, it should look pretty cool. Of course there were several really great mods on the page, several of which I may try with my next computer building frenzy.

Here are a couple more photos. Just a couple of my more favoured mods, but be sure to check out the site for all of those that I am not going to put up a picture of!

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Are you Normal or Nuts?

It's been a weird week. For those of you who don't know, my oldest is due to have her first child any time now (I've been on Baby Watch for a week) so I'm on pins and needles waiting for the phone to ring. I was looking through the Readers Digest website looking for their laughs page and came across an article asking the question "Are you Normal or Nuts?" Well I immediately figured I'd fall into the "nuts" category.....especially right now. While they didn't specifically address "Baby Watch", they DID address another quirk I happen to possess: I'm afraid to go to high places, like tall bridges or even the balcony at church. And it's not because I'm afraid I'll fall -- it's because I'm afraid I'll jump! I don't want to kill myself, but I do want to experience that sense of flying or floating. Of course, I know I'd go splat and die, so the desire to jump terrifies me. What do I do?

That's ME! I'm not afraid of falling but of jumping too! Oh, wait.....maybe I AM nuts????? No, the answer presented was this: Fear of heights is very common. And lots of people are, like you, more afraid of jumping than falling. For most fears, the treatment is systematic desensitization -- gradual exposure to what you fear.

So no, I'm not nuts (according to the article). That's a relief. All of the scenarios presented were interesting and a few of them sounded like friends of mine, so it is a great relief to know we are all normal. Nice to know that there are degrees of normalcy that allow us to fit into that category, even if we are a little on the off side. Read the article for yourself and see if any quirks you have (or those of a friend or loved one) falls into the normal or nuts category!

Are You Normal or Nuts?

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Talking TV Remote Control Holder

This week's "odd gadget of the week" spotlight goes to the Talking TV Remote Control Holder. It's nothing more than a little curved stand that can hold virtually any remote control. Then, when you take out the remote, it will periodically tell you to put it back in the stand. The quotes it has are "Where's the remote?", "Please put the remote back", and "Are you still using the remote?"

This is perfect for those days when you're at home by yourself and don't have anyone else to nag you. Or of course, if you lose the remote, and you can't get enough of your spouse and kids asking where it is, this holder will chime in as well.
Here's my question: if someone went to all the trouble to create a device that irritates you until you put a remote control away, why can't someone invent something that yells at people to stop watching TV, get off the couch and actually go out and do something?

Anyway, the unusual concept and borderline creepy voice that the holder uses are what makes the Talking Remote Control Holder our odd gadget of the week.

More details, including samples of the voice clips, are here.

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Coke on Social Spark

OK, now almost everyone knows I'm a Coke head. For those who don't, here are a couple of examples.

Once, when I was 5, my older brother got me to trade him bedrooms because he promised that I would be able to get Coke late at night when mom and dad were asleep.

This same brother used to give me a Coke when I'd introduce him to pretty girls at the park.

I also made the people at the cola-that-must-not-be-named challenge mad when I could tell the two drinks apart because I hate their product. I told them that then I took my Coke and ran!

But the real proof came when I was 15. I was staying at my aunts house in Texas. She is a drinker of the cola-that-must-not-be-named. I hate that crap. She was convinced that that other stuff was fine and no one could tell the difference anyway. I told her about the above incident. She dismissed it. She was that kind of person. Anyway, around 1am I became desperate for a Coke So I convinced my cousin to sneak out with me and we walked 4 miles in a downpour to a convenience store to get Coke We slogged through muddy fields in near total darkness so I could have my beverage of choice, the Elixir of Life: Coke!

Now I'm a member of a site called Social Spark. It's a great site for bloggers and it would be great if Coke advertised on there. I've sent an email to Coke (we frequently email each other) and it would be great if all the other Coke heads would do so as well. Send them to Social Spark. They will not be sorry!

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View my Video!

Look, it's a first attempt at making a movie on my laptop...so have some compassion. But isn't my little Geena and our little Urs ADORABLE?!?!?

Yeah, I think so too!

This is our first video and it's an ad for bills.com. Really cool site, so look at the video and then check out bills.com! Their site allows you to take a financial IQ quiz, see where you stand financially and then get help with where you fall short on the sound finances profile. Their experts will help you in every area of your finances even with credit cards and budgeting your monthly expenses. What could be better! You can do all of this in the privacy of your own home, so what are you waiting for, click and go!

I made this video using my digital camera and the Microsoft Movie Maker that came on my laptop. it is amazing what you can do these days with those two items. Now go view my video and then hop over to their website and see how much help they can be to you!



Wasn't that great! I really hope you liked it and I also hope that you will head over to bills.com.
Debt consolidation
Debt relief
Debt help

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Sudoku Toilet Roll

For all those obsessed Sudoku players now you can even play in the bathroom on your toilet paper? That’s right it’s the world’s first Sudoku Toilet Paper Roll. It costs $13 for approx. 240 playing sheets.

OK, I know I'm obsessed with puzzles and games (which explains my love of computers) but COME ON! Even I'm not willing to go this far! This is definitely for the obsessed player.

Of course if someone bought it for me as a gift.....

Anyway, you can of course buy it online. Click here for a Sudoku Toilet Roll!

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Mini Wash Away Your Sins Soul Saver Pack

A Friend got me this for Christmas....I thought I'd share!

The perfect gift for liars, cheater and wrong doers! This mini kit contains baptism in a bottle for a sanctified soak bubble bath, blessed relief holy water, and a 32-page Goody-Goody Guidebook containing hilarious directions and space to write your wrongs. This kit is mini and will fit in the palm of your hand, but really, how much holy water do you really need?

You can get your very own Mini Soul Saver Pack at Prank Place.

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