The recession has hit Batman pretty hard. In fact, he can’t even afford gas for his old Batmobile anymore. He’s replacing unleaded with peanuts.
They might want to attach a fricken’ laser beam to his head. It’d be nice to have a weapon other than trample, you know, just in case we happen to be chasing down a criminal overlord.
Gas prices may be hovering right now but we should be focusing on getting off foreign oil and getting on to the grid. The Wheego Whip is the car that can help us do just that despite being made by Chinese manufacturer Shuanghuan Automobile. It looks just like a Smart Car, except it’s actually an all-electric vehicle. For $19,000, you’ll get a plug-in car that can hit a 60 MPH top speed and does 50 miles on a single charge. Mediocre, but perfect for short trips or if you live in a city.
Unfortunately, the Fed has to do a bunch of safety testing on it before it can be driven on highways and such. For now, it’ll be limited to 35 MPH, making it a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle or NEV. Have fun playing Wheego Polo in a few of these $19,000 golf-karts.
That’s right. The next time you go to the bar and order a tall, cold Sierra Nevada (sponsor us!), drink it knowing that it’ll not only get you drunk but also that your efforts are not in vain. The California-based brewing company unveiled an initiative to convert beer waste into ethanol that can be used to power certain vehicles. Yeast, sugar and water are used in conjunction with an EFuel 100 Microfueler. This ensures that nothing is wasted. Get it? Wasted? Just drink the damn beer and be happy.
I’m no stranger to furniture made from recyclables. After all, I write about it all the time and I just so happen to sit on my ass for the same duration. Upon seeing Ryan Frank’s design, pictured above, I immediately thought of how comfortable it would be to pass gas while sitting in it. Well, more comfortable than doing so in a chair made from a tire or a wooden stump.
I mean, this thing is made entirely of used plastic bags. The seat itself is made from recycled aluminum, but the plastic bags are what give the chair character. Break wind while sitting in this thing and you’ll float away in more ways than one.
Tuesday night at the National Clean Energy Summit, Mayor Bloomberg of New York City expressed his vision of a cleaner more green New York. He urged the need for energy-efficient design and proposed alternative methods of obtaining power, whether it be by wind or solar means. He goes as far as suggesting to add wind turbines to both the Brooklyn Bridge and Empire State Building, a move that would dramatically change the NYC skyline.
But with good intentions, Bloomberg hopes to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the city by 30% before 2030 making New York the cleanest air of any large American city. Our hats are off to you Mr. Bloomberg, we wish more leaders cared about our well-being as much as you do.
Steampunk Gas Mask 9 is a new take on gimp suits everywhere. You wouldn’t wear this in public, so why not sport it during steamy sadomasochistic adventures with your significant other in the privacy of your bedroom? The designer Bob Basset is either into bondage masks or some other freaky shit we never knew existed.
A Soviet-era gas mask enhanced with refined leather and brass makes for either an excellent Halloween costume or some kinky experiences in the sack. Just make sure you don’t leave it out in the rain or get fluids on it, OK?
The ultimate eco-rumor has been making its round this morning. Nikkei biz daily in Japan is reporting that the next-gen Toyota Prius, due out in 2010, will have solar panels to power accessories and amenities like air conditioning and the radio. Getting excited ’cause you were thinking about getting a Prius? Not so fast.
Apparently, only high-end versions of the 2010 Prius are receiving the solar panel treatment. To boot, Toyota is exploring the option of charging a costly premium for the paneling. For now, we’ll have to wait and see whilst Toyota barrels ahead in the auto industry.
Know what sucks? Getting stung by a wasp. Know what really sucks? Someone stabbing you with the WASP Knife. Sure, getting a blade to the gut can be painful, but with the WASP, you’re also getting a crushing 800 PSI blow to your body. Whether you’re fighting dirty terrorists on dry land or stabbing sharks in the high seas, this knife is going to make sure your target is inflicted with massive damage. And while you can’t make a lamp out of it, it’s still one impressive knife.
Using disposable cartridges of compressed gas, the additional force caused by the WASP will probably rupture internal organs and fracture bone. Supposedly, the knife is for non-civillian use but some scammy website has it on sale for $380. If you’re one ruthless sonofabitch, might as well slap down the Benjamins for some cutthroat action.
While there seems to be plenty of Pedro’s Bill’s and Achmed’s Jim’s to pump my gas for me while I clean off the face of my Rolex (here in Jersey we still don’t have self-serve, huzzah for laziness), someone seems to think that a robot could complete the task much better than a minority upstanding citizen.
Costing a tremendous $110,000, the Gas-Pumping Robot matches your car to a database which contains all of the nozzle size info and fuel cap variations. The robotic arm can then unscrew the cap and send the nozzle into your car, filling your tank in an ultra expensive fashion. (more…)
