Have Laptop Will Travel

The Next Generation Of Pregnancy Test

Originally posted on January 9, 2007 @ 12:11 am

Yes I know my title is a little unusual for a post from me but this evening I saw a commercial for a pregnancy test that had me laughing so hard, I almost wet myself.

Thanks to YouTube, I have the commercial clip below for your viewing enjoyment but first before you watch it, read the words that the announcer says:

It has arrived. The next generation of pregnancy test.

It’s design breath takingly simple. It’s circuitry – incredibly precise.

Without a doubt, it is the most sophisticated piece of technology – you will ever pee on.

Finally, a test that can be used up to four days early and also gives you a result in words.

Clear Blue digital pregnancy test, so advanced, it’s easy.

Without a doubt, it is the most sophisticated piece of technology – you will ever pee on. LOL!

That is the funniest line in the entire commercial… and you even get to see what appears to be pee hitting this “sophisticated piece of technology”.

Yeah, I have a great sense of humor. :)

Canadian Spy Coins

Originally posted on January 11, 2007 @ 3:01 pm

Eisenhower silver dollarThis photo released by the Central Intelligence Agency shows a hollow container, fashioned to look like an Eisenhower silver dollar, which is still used to hide and send messages or film, without being detected.

It is similar to the Canadian coin that was found on some United States contractors.

Because it resembles ordinary pocket change, it is virtually undetectable as a concealment device.

In a U.S. government warning high on the creepiness scale, the Defense Department cautioned its American contractors over what it described as a new espionage threat: Canadian coins with tiny radio frequency transmitters hidden inside.

The government said the mysterious coins were found planted on U.S. contractors with classified security clearances on at least three separate occasions between October 2005 and January 2006 as the contractors traveled through Canada.

Read the full story via MSNBC.com

Google Tribute To Edvard Munch

Originally posted on December 12, 2006 @ 12:16 pm

Google does it again with a great tribute logo to Edvard Munch’s birthday (December 12, 1863 – January 23, 1944) and his best-known painting “The Scream”:

Google Edvard Munch The Scream

Munch’s painting The Scream (1893; originally called Despair) is one of the pieces in a series titled The Frieze of Life, in which Munch explored the themes of life, love, fear, death and melancholy.

As with many of his works, he painted several versions of it. One version was stolen in 1994 and another in 2004. Both versions have since been recovered.

To view more of Edvard Munch’s work, check out the The Munch Museum website.

The World’s First Life Form

Originally posted on January 10, 2007 @ 11:46 am

PleoThis morning I was introduced to Pleo, a Ugobe Life Form which is basically the Furby of the future… well kind of…

It’s very modern in what it does compared to the Furby but this isn’t a cute little Gremlin looking thing, it’s a long extinct Camarasaurus, a dinosaur from the Jurassic period.

So what is a Camarasaurus? CAMARASAURUS (KAM-ah-rah-sawr-us) “Chambered Lizard” (Greek kamara = chamber + sauros = lizard, referring to the holes in its vertebrae).

Can a long-extinct species be resurrected? Ugobe designers and engineers studied the long extinct Camarasaurus, a dinosaur from the Jurassic period. Pleo, a Ugobe Life Form is the authentic recreation born from that study. UGOBE’s designers and engineers recreated Pleo’s physiology from the fossils of the original. His height and weight are consistent with that of a one-week old infant camarasuarus.

Pleo is a ‘designer species’. He incorporates all the basic traits of autonomous life. He is specifically engineered and enhanced to mimic life and relate to his owner on a personal level.

Pleo is equipped with senses for sight, sound, and touch. He learns as he explores his environment. He will exhibit genuine reactions to sensory stimuli.

Every Pleo begins life with certain tendencies but, interaction with his environment has subtle effects on his behavior. Every Pleo eventually exhibits a unique personality.

This little creature is capable of expression. Apparently it can feel joy and sorrow, anger and annoyance.

When Pleo is tired, he will become drowsy and go to sleep – even dream and just like with Furby’s, if you put two or more Pleos together, they will recognize one another. Yikes.

The more I look into this thing, it’s a lot like a Furby for sure. Be careful though. They can transmit colds to each other. Achoo! Pleo even sneezes!

I found a YouTube video with a running time of 5 minutes 31 seconds of this thing in action. Check it out if you dare.

Google New Year 2007

Originally posted on December 31, 2006 @ 8:54 pm

Google does it again with a great tribute logo to the year 2007 which is just a few hours away:

Google 2007

2007 (MMVII) is the current year in some parts of the world and the upcoming year in other parts, due to the fact that there are still a few hours left for the Western Hemisphere.

It is the 2007th year of the Gregorian calendar. It is also the 7th year in the 21st Century.

Most of 2007 overlaps with the Year of the Pig in the Chinese calendar.

Dates from the first of January 2006 until the 17th of February 2007 are in the Year of the Dog in the Chinese calendar.

The next year of the pig will start in 2019.

This year will also be the year of the sign Pisces in Western Astrology. The next year of Pisces will take place in 2019.

2007 also celebrates the Centenary of Scouting.

If you know any other interesting bits of trivia about the year 2007, be sure to leave a comment.

Be sure to check back as I have some new and exciting things planned for my Have Laptop Will Travel blog.

Have a Happy New Year. See you next year! :)