Hoverboard

Hoverboard Concept

The Hoverboard concept was first introduced in the movie "Back to the Future 2". In the movie, the hoverboards were the size of skateboards and were completely noiseless with no moving parts. They could support the weight of a human rider and hover him several inches above the ground on a mysterious cushion of invisible magnetic energy. They could even hover over water. During a televised interview with the movies director, Robert Zemeckis, he explained that "hoverboards float on magnetic energy". He also added, "they've been around for years, it's just that parent groups havn't let toy manufacturers make them. But we got our hands on some and put them in the movie". He was only joking of course but interesting enough, Mattel(whose logo appeared on the hoverboard props) soon found themselves overwhelmed with callers asking where they could buy one. Although they looked pretty convincing in the movie, the hoverboards were simply wooden props attached to the actors feet. To make the boards fly, the actors were suspended by cables.
How it works
This personal hoverboard uses high performance hovercraft technology to lift a 250+lb rider 3 inches above the ground. A 6 horsepower 4-stroke gasoline engine spins a 5 bladed propeller to force air under the craft. Some air is diverted into a flexible skirt around the perimeter of the craft. The skirt is a type of air bag which helps to trap air under the craft to increase efficiency and hover higher. The higher it can hover, the better it can pass over obstacles. This is especially helpful over terrain that is not completely flat. There is a slight gap between the flexible skirt and the surface while its hovering. When hovering, the craft is virtually friction free and only requires a small thrust to move at high speeds. The craft hovers best over smooth flat surfaces. The hoverboard has been used over a variety of terrains such as pavement, dirt, grass, snow, ice and even shallow water.

Thruster
The unit is propelled forward by a rear mounted thruster assembly that uses a mini 3 horsepower 2-stroke gasoline engine to spin a 14 inch ducted propeller. The thruster produces about 20 lbs of forward thrust at full throttle. Steering is accomplished by a small movable electronic rudder mounted inside the rear thruster. The directional thrust is capable of pushing the hoverboard forward at 20+ mph.

Controls
A hand controller is held by the riders and is used to control the rudder position and engine speed and hover height. By using the hand controls, the rider can cause the hoverboard to turn left and right, speed up, slow down and stop.

Safety
In the event that the rider jumps off the hoverboard, the hand controller will simply unplug from its cable. This causes the engines to shut down and the hoverboard to stop. This prevents the hoverboard from continueing off on its own. The propeller ducts are covered with 1/4" metal mesh screens to protect the rider from the fast spinning propellers and to prevent debree from falling inside. A rubber anti-slip pad is attached to the hoverboard to allow the rider to achieve good footing traction when riding in any climate conditions.

Construction
The hoverboard is made using sandwich foam core construction and has a hard fiberglass outer shell for light weight and high strength. The unit weighs approximately 80 lbs.

Specifications Footprint size------96 inches x 30 inches Weight------80 lbs Lift engine------6 horsepower 4-stroke Thrust engine------3 horsepower 2-stroke Lift engine fuel------unleaded gasoline Thrust engine fuel------50:1 oil gas mix

Performance Capacity------1 person Maximum lifting------250 lbs Hover height------2 inches Top speed------20+ mph Steering------rear mounted rudder Terrain------concrete, sand, grass, ice, snow, water

src:futurehorizons.com

Sonic Devestator

Sonic Devestator- This handheld space age weapon of the future is powered by (2) 9 volt batteries conatined within the handle. It is capable of emitting intense ultrasonic blasts from its output transducer. The sonic blast is capable of inducing intense pain and discomfort in humans and animals It is effective for approximately 20ft but some people are even effected at distances as great as 50ft. Some people are more sensitive to sonic waves then others. The batterys will last for nearly 20 hours of continuous operation before needing replacement. The unit is now fully adjustable and has controls for effecting and experimenting with its output blast. The user adjustments are as follows:

Frequency adjust- Allows adjustment of output center frequency from approximately 15khz to 30khz by an adjustment knob on the back of the unit. Humans are able to hear up to about 20khz. A low frequency switch on the back of the unit allows you to select a lower adjustable center frequency range of 5khz to 20khz.

Sweep on/off- By selecting this switch to the on position the unit can be made to sweep its frequency back and forth which causes intense sonic effects.

Sweep adjust- Allows the selected frequency to sweep back and forth by approximately 5khz. By adjusting the knob you can make the unit sweep slower or faster causing an intense sonic output wave to be produced. There is also a low sweep switch which allows the sweep time to be much slower.

Our research has shown that by using these adjustment controls it is now possible to drastically increase the sonic output effect of the unit. It is possible to adjust the output for a maximizing effect on certain targets such as humans, dogs, unruly animals etc. One interesting characteristic of high power sonic waves is they are able to transmit much farther then normal sound waves and can easily be heard through thick walls and over long distances if properly tuned.

Although parts of the sonic output are actually above the range of human hearing, the output can easily be heard when the trigger is pulled because the frequency is being swept back and forth. It is a very loud and painful screeching type sound. A good example of the type of irritation it produces is to say its like somebody scratching their fingernails on a chalkboard but at 130 decibels which is about the same sound output levels experienced at a rock concert. When the device is properly tuned and used on a human target the effect causes intense naseau and headaches usually within less than 60 seconds of exposure. Some people actually feel intense pain and pressure on their eardrums and the natural reaction is to want to get away from it as quickly as possible. The device does not cause any permenant harm or damge. The effects of being hit by a sonic blast usually subside after an hour or so.

The sonic waves are highly directional and most of the output is emitted out the front in an invisible cone shape of 45 degrees to be aimed directly at the intended target. The operator is able to hear the sonic blast but its at tollerable levels as long as its pointed away from the operator. The unit is highly effective against most animals due to their ability to hear in the upper frequency bands. Because of this fact it makes a great anti-dog deterrent.

This new improved unit is replacing our older sonic unit and is being sold for the same price which is $150. We have also updated the construction plans to include the new design for those of you who wish to build one yourself. The military is currently working on a high power unit similar to this concept for crowd control and for use on the battlefield.

Clinton supporters boo Obama

CNN's Sasha Johnson reports that when televisions broadcast Barack Obama's comments on the Iraq war, midway through his election night speech, some Hillary Clinton supporters at her campaign headquarters began to boo.

Filed under: New Hampshire

THE EVILS OF DYNASTIES

"Virtual Reality" column of Tony Lopez
Tue, June 12, 2007 Issue of The Manila Times

Just how bad dynasties are to the economy and the country can be gleaned from the
amount of taxpayers' money these people have access to.

Take the Senate. There will be siblings - Pia and Alan Cayetano. In addition,Alan's
wife, Laarni, took his old congressional seat from Taguig. There will probably be a
father-and-son senator - Nene Pimentel and Koko Pimentel. The No.2 most popular
senator, Chiz Escudero, has his father, Sonny, as congressman from Sorsogon,
his son's old turf. Ed Angara is senator; his son and namesake is a congressman.

A senator draws P200 million in pork barrel; a congressman, P70 million. Therefore,
Pia, Alan and Laarni will rake in P470 million a year, or P1.4 billion in three years.
Nene and Koko will have P400 million between themselves yearly, or P1.3 billion in
three years. Chiz and Sonny will enjoy P270 million per year, or P810 million in three
years, just like the Angara father-and-son tandem.

How much does the average poor make a day? A third of the 85 million population,
or 25.5 million of the people of this country make less than $1 a day, or P365
(or P17,155) a year.

According to Ping Lacson, the P200-million pork barrel of a senator is just a starting
figure. If a senator sponsors a Cabinet department during the budget hearings and
sessions, he/she is given access to P350 million in the line budget of that department.
So P200 million plus P350 million, that's P550 million.

What do the Filipino people get in return for electing these people? Very little, if any.

In the last 100 years since Filipinos began electing their representatives, the Philippines
degenerated from being the No. 1 economy, trading and commercial power in Asia to
No. 73 least compe-titive country in the world. Today,the Philippines is less free than
it was a century ago. Did you know that the Philippines used to be Asia 's industrial power?

As late as the 19th century, the Philippines was already one of Asia 's premier industrialized
countries and was the center of culture and education. The country was producing iron-ore
sheets, refined iron ore, liquor from molasses using then unheard-of boilers, fine textiles
for export, and was using steam engines and steamships. It established the first bank in
Asia , made the first typhoon forecast in Asia , and set up the first European-style
universities in Asia .

Manila had a street car system, just like San Francisco ; and had a ferrocarril line from the
city to Dagupan in the north and from Manila to Batangas and Bicol in the south. By 1895,
Manila had an electric light system. The first taxi fleet, the first airline, the first modern
newspapers, the first conglomerate were established by Filipino tycoons. What happened
after that?

During the last 100 years, Japan became a military power and the world's No. 2 economic
power next to the United States .

During the last 50 years, Taiwan , South Korea , Hong Kong and Singapore became economic
miracles. Taiwan , Malaysia and Singapore became nation states (they used to be unknown
islands while Filipinos were already conducting diplomatic relations with Europe and China ).
In fact, at one time, the Sultan of Sulu was a frequent visitor in China because he liked it
there. He stayed there for three months, but died of syphilis. The Chinese erected a
monument in his honor.

In the last 30 years, the Philippines became the slowest growing economy per capita in Asia ,
bar none. During that time, Congress produced 15,000 laws and law schools 30,000 lawyers,
half of whom are active. So two lawyers for every one law. Yet, the Philippines has a very
poor human rights and economic rights record.

We got our priorities wrong. We gave the people the power to vote even before the people
and those they elect learned how to govern properly, or at the very least, prepare or educate
themselves to have a modicum of competency and honesty.

These days, people kill people just to be able to serve the people. People bribe people just
to be able to serve the people. That is the meaning of a heated electoral contest. And of
fraudulent elections.

Should our politicians be blamed for the nadir we have fallen into? I will say No if those
families mentioned in the first part of this column will return their pork barrel and declare,
"from now on, I will truly serve the people." C'mon, give the money to the 12-million school-
age children who are out of school because of extreme poverty. You don't deserve so much
money.
You didn't earn it.