Art: Needlepoint Macintosh by Ben Fino-Radin

Needlepoint Macintosh 128k (remember those? I do) by Ben Fino-Radin. You can change the "screen" by inserting the cards.

Gadgets: Toy fire-bombed cars

Nothing says Christmas like a fire-bombed automobile, or so thinks the makers of these "Urban Collectables". Yours for only $50(US), or you can pick up a can of gasoline and a Matchbox car for a do-it-yourself project.

Gadgets: Foldable personal helicopter

The KA-56 "Wasp" is a single-person helicopter developed Russia in 1971 to be folded down small enough to be carried by a single (presumably strong) person.

Art: Knitted 1:1 scale Ferrari by Lauren Porter

Knitted 1:1 scale Ferrari on a hand-welded frame by Lauren Porter and 20 of her friends.

Tech: 60-room luxury airship

The "Manned Cloud" is a 1640 square foot helium-filled airship, capable of carrying its 60 luxurious rooms aloft at more than 173 mph. The French designers of this craft expect to have it airborn in about a year. Potted petunias not included.

Leading surveillance societies

Note that the US leads the list (along with Britain and China) as the society with the most government surveillance. Canada's status dropped last year from "Significant protections and safeguards" to "Some safeguards but weakened protections". Found on "Evolving Thoughts", courtesy of ScienceBlogs.

Gadgets: Love mattress

One inventor has proposed a solution to numb limbs for sleeping couples. Personally, I'm not sure how comfortable a mattress made of foam blocks would be.

Tech: Body orifice Scanner

The BOSS (Body Orifice Security Scanner) replaces body cavity searches of prisoners attempting to smuggle into prisons, among other things, cell phones (that must be uncomfortable). So far, the device has nabbed 21 people in one prison in Britain where it is currently being tested. How long before we see these things at airports, I wonder?

Amusing: Asus monitor 1, crossbow 0

Follow the link to see a Youtube video of a demonstration of the resilience of the Asus LS201 monitor. After attempting to hammer nails into the screen they shoot it with a crossbow.

Gadgets: CarCapsule keeps the snow off

CarCapsule lets you cover your car it's own plastic dome to prevent it being covered with snow. Looks like a silly idea until you spend 20 minutes some morning scraping off ice after a night of freezing rain.

News: Jesus saved by GPS

Dina Cellini of Bal Harbour, Florida had their $800(US) baby Jesus figure equipped with a GPS, as well as placing the nativity scene behind plexiglass. It seems that every year they have a figure stolen and last year even chaining it down wasn't good enough. And, lo, the baby Jesus once again went walkabout, but GPS did make a Sign for the wise Police and they were led across the street to where the babe was found in the "care" of an 18 year old girl. She may have wanted to find Jesus, but what she found was a charge of grand larceny.

Tech: Living in the Anthropocene Era

Some scientists are suggesting that we are no longer living in the Halocene era but, because of Man's significant influence on nature, should term our era the Anthropocene era. There is a great deal of debate at to when this era could be said to begin, whether as recently as within the last few hundred years or as early as with the advent of wide-spread agriculture.

Tech: foldable batteries

These foldable batteries deliver 1.5 volts (no word on amperage or discharge time) but are only 0.5 millimetres thick.

Gadgets: Table with simulated water finish

The "water table' is not actually covered in water but uses the same type of glass used for telescopes.

Gadgets: Harp-shaped radiator

Hide your radiator in plain sight by disguising it as a harp. Looks like something siderea would like.

Gadgets: right-angle camera lens

The right-angle lens lets you take pictures of people beside you without them knowing. I'm sure there are lots of legitimate uses for this. Really. Just can't think of any. A $40(US) idea for the closet stalker on your list.

Tech: Robotic anti-aircraft gun goes on killing spree

In October, this Oerlikon GDF-005 robotic anti-aircraft gun, killed nine people and wounded 14 during a live-fire demonstration in South Africa before it could be shut down. Am I the only one that thinks arming robots is a bad idea?

Amusing: Password panties made for the Mac

Password panties to protect your valuables. Note that they are made for the Mac because Windows is notorious for crashing before you're finished, and there is less risk of getting a virus.

Tech: paper-thin transparent speaker

This speaker is just wafer thin and transparent, but can generate virtual surround sound. No word on the sound quality or when it might become commercially available.

Video: Timelapse shot of a balloon fiesta

Follow the link to see a time-lapse video of a balloon fiesta in Reno