Boing Boing: Dangerous Things on your desk

Must remember to blog later: we now are the proud owners of a desktop trebuchet. There's a review of the kit I bought for David here.

Yes, yes, those flingy contraptions from Return of the King; but I first saw a modern one on a Nova special.

Buy Me A Ticket On A Rocket Plane

"Initially, the cost of the flights will be too high for most people to afford. However, within 10 to 12 years, suborbital spaceflight would be a real option, Rutan said.
The best part of all, Rutan added, was that 15 years from now, 'every kid who dreams, 'Wouldn't it be cool to fly in space?' will know that in your lifetime, you are going to go to orbit. "

SpaceShipTwo teams with Virgin Airways for the next phase: commercial space travel for the quite, quite wealthy, but they envision that in a couple of decades it will be more affordable for more people.

Is it too early to make our reservations? Is there a payment plan?

Firing disrupts Powell Haiti trip

"Mr Powell is on a one-day visit to help promote political stability. He was also due to meet young Haitians living with HIV, to mark World Aids Day"

I wonder who else in this administration has bothered/would dare to mark World Aids Day?

Meanwhile, must have been interesting when the shooting broke out.

Absolut-ly Cool Ice Bar

Amazing Race setting: Nordic Sea Hotel's Ice Bar