Peacock Chair

The peacock chair integrates modern technology sensors into an antique chair to create a mystical, interactive, playful throne where peacock feathers majestically open to frame the individual sitting upon it. The peacock chair is the first in a series of Interactive Spaces' chairs that integrate physical objects with art and technology

Space Currency

TRAVELEX PRESS RELEASE
TRAVELEX LAUNCHES QUIDs IN SPACE
Date : October, 2007

Foreign exchange specialist Travelex today unveiled a unit of currency that has been created for use in space. It is the first currency of its kind in the universe and has been developed in partnership with a team of scientists from the National Space Centre and the University of Leicester.
With Virgin Galactic making its maiden voyage in 2009 and with the signing in April this year of the Global Exploration Initiative, an agreement between the US and the UK to work together on future planetary explorations to the Moon and beyond, Space Tourism is soon to become commonplace. Recognising that tourists could soon be heading further than Spain and Greece Travelex has teamed up with the National Space Centre to create the Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination or QUID.
The QUID has been designed to withstand the stresses of space travel and the extreme environment found in orbit around the Earth. It has also been created so that it can be purchased on earth in any one of the 176 currencies used around the globe.
Professor George Fraser from the University of Leicester commented: “None of the existing payment systems we use on earth – like cash, credit or debit cards – could be used in space for a variety of different reasons. Anything with sharp edges, like coins, would be a risk to astronauts while the chips and magnetic strips used in our cards on Earth would be damaged beyond repair by cosmic radiation. What’s more, because of the distances involved, it is more than 230,000 miles from the Earth to the moon, chip and pin technology is also out of the question.”
Professor Fraser continued: “We have had to completely rethink the design of the currency from the materials used to the payment mechanisms and aesthetics. The currency cannot contain any chemicals that might contaminate the astronauts’ life support systems and must be able to survive the extreme environment of space. We also had in mind that the currency should be meaningful for any intelligent life we might encounter in other planetary systems.”
A space qualified polymer called PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) will be used to construct the QUID’s - a material widely used by space agencies because of its versatility and durability. Best known for the ‘Teflon’ non-stick pan coating, it can resist high temperatures and corrosive materials. Importantly, too, the currency will not emit any dangerous chemicals into the space tourists’ environment. As a plastic it can be moulded into any shape so can have round edges to avoid damaging people and equipment if accidentally allowed float free in zero gravity.
The QUID is lozenge shaped which means it has no sharp edges but is still easy to store and transport. Each one contains eight planets orbiting a sun, reflecting the position of the planets in Earth’s Solar System. In addition to the aesthetic appeal this will help if the QUID needs to be used on planets inhabited by other life forms. Each of the orbiting planets will carry a number, like the serial numbers on notes, giving the disc a unique code thus allowing currency to be tracked and helping to prevent counterfeits.
Different colours and sizes are used to denote different values. They are valued from one to ten and by looking at today’s rates one QUID would cost you £6.25, 12.5 dollars or 8.68 Euros.
Travelex comment: “It’s only a matter of time before people will be walking up to our shops and asking for QUIDs for their two weeks in a space hotel. There will be a real need for this currency to be introduced to meet the needs of those intergalactic tourists. Wherever we go on holiday – whether its Spain or Saturn we’ll always want to take some cash. Apart from anything else, if you’d just had a fortnight in space you’d definitely want to buy a souvenir to bring back.”
Travelex is currently making preparations for space tourists to be able to change the currency at its shops around the UK and also has plans to make them available online. In addition, a request has been submitted by the business to open the first bureau de change on the moon.
High earning businessmen and celebrities can travel into space today for around $10 million. Microsoft billionaire Charles Simonyi and Iranian American businesswoman Anousheh Ansari were the most recent space tourists, travelling to the International Space Station with SpaceAdventures at a cost of around $20 million.
Britain’s Virgin Galactic, the world’s first spaceline, takes off next year taking space tourists on sub-orbital missions. These flights go past the 100 kilometre altitude to where space officially begins. Another 'NewSpace' entrepreneurial venture, Bigelow Aerospace in the US, last year claimed that it intends to have space hotels ready to deploy within five years. It has launched two test ships already and they are in orbit now.
National Space Centre scientists predict that regular trips to space will be commonplace within five years with tourist facilities on the moon a distinct possibility by 2050.
Tania Burchell, Space Communications Press Officer added: “Space tourism is a reality. There is every chance that in our lifetime we’ll see a week-long loop around the moon in the same holiday brochure as bucket and spade holidays to Spain.”
The QUIDs also require a new space age wallet to prevent them from floating around in gravity free areas. The coins can be stacked upwards in a fabric tube fastened at the top by Velcro. The currency makes ‘science fact’ of some of the other space currencies featured in popular science fiction; including the Altairian dollar from the Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Gold pressed Latinum from Star Trek’s Deep Space 9 and Galactic Credits seen in Star Wars.

mr. mash potato head

You gotta take a look at this site lmao I wanna make one
http://www.mrpotatomash.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrtruffle/sets/72157594245474039/ full set

showme-reduces-water-consumption-shower-hogs

The show-me shower system uses a LED display system to notify you how much water you use during your time in the shower. One LED is lightened up for every five liters of water consumed. Would you want something like this installed to help reduce household water use?

Cardboard Kids Centers

I love the idea of recycling. Being a mom on a budget it's my job to find entertainment for the kids. The cheaper the better.

Take a look at these photos:

Chain Mail from Pop can tabs

http://www.instructables.com/id/Genuine-chainmaille-from-pop-tabs/

Peter Potty

http://www.peterpotty.com/

HA ah this is a urinal that adjusts to height!

You fill the top with water and the lil man in your life flushes when done and the waste ends up in the green container to empty into the toilet ... now what about the urinal puck??

Halloween Costume Ideas

Yes it may be too early for some of you but I need get started as early as possible ... here are a few picture ideas I've pulled off the internet

remember the glo worm? ha ha

tootsie roll

mermaid... i can make one like this for marlee for sure

maggie simpson lmao

bunny bunting bag

funny pics

Just Not What They Used To Be

Russel Crowe

'James Bond' (Roger Moore )

Rod Stewart

Richard Gere

Pierce Brosnan

Mickey Rourke

Clint Eastwood

Brendan Fraser

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Alec Baldwin

Val Kilmer

5 min chocolate mug cake

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well.
Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well..
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Lettered bean bags

Definately my next project... although I should finish the others?! maybe? dang i need beans... This one will turn into a "must do project"

Fly In urinal

who says men can't be toliet trained?

ZUBBLES?!

COLOURED BUBBLES!!

That don't stain !??

Gotta get me some of these.. um i mean the kids .. gotta get the kids some of these..

Siksika Pow Wow

Well weather reports showed rain all weekend but we went anyways.
And you know it was clear to set up and we got a nice spot (higher ground)
Set up all four tents around our screen tent. even had a little hallway. Which was great for those late night bathroom trips.

The kids all danced and we ate flank and fried potaoes and even had a dry day sunday to pack up.
Once i figure out how to convert and edit a .mod to fit here then i can upload an amazingly cute video...

stay tuned

StorkCraft - followed thru

Well i'm impressed to say the least.
Storkcraft did infact ship the replacement parts.
I recieved them waaay eariler than the esitimated time too.

way to go storkcraft !!

Storkcraft - recall update!

Wow!!

I sent off the recall replacement bracket request form on the 17? they shipped the 19th. est date of delivery by fedex the 21st!

They gave me the tracking number via e-mail today!

I'm impressed way to go Storkcraft for honouring your word.

And I'm one thankfull mother of a 2yo, who was woken up by his screaming because he hit his head on the door handle, on the door to his room, last night cuz he got scared because he wasn't in "his bed"

MAYA ANGELOU'S' BEST POEM EVER

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to...
something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a youth she's content to leave behind.....
a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to
retelling it in her old age....
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...
one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .......
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal,
that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a feeling of control over her destiny...
how to fall in love without losing herself..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend without;
ruining the friendship....

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.....
when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..
that her childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...
how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.. .
whom she can trust,
whom she can't,
and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to go...
be it to her best friend's kitchen table..
or a charming Inn in the woods...
when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
What she can and can't accomplish in a day...
a month...and a year...

Stork Craft Crib RECALL!!!!!!!

So tonight my youngest boy broke the crib bracket on his bed!

Nice, haha not really! He doesn't stay in his big boy bed so we keep him in the crib (he still has not attempted to climb out yet) But now what? Sooo, I go searching on the lovely world wide web and luck be a lady ;) what should I find? Storkcraft did a recall on the brackets on cribs made between May 2000 and November 2008. ha ha! mine was AUG 06!

Sooo I've filled out the forms soo they should be sending out replacment brackets at no charge!

But when? That is the question.... I really hope it's sooner than later he's already up 3hrs later than he should be and won't sleep. ~~sigh .... yawn~~

RECALL Q & A

"Out of approximately 4 million brackets in the field the CPSC is aware of 10 incidents of cracked or broken brackets (one similar incident reported to Health Canada). The consensus of the experts and Stork Craft is that if the brackets are subject to extraordinary stress during inappropriate assembly, such as bending brackets back and forth, metal fatigue can occur and weaken the brackets. The experts conducted additional testing whereupon they deliberately did not follow the assembly instructions, abused the brackets by bending them back and forth under significant pressure then tested the crib brackets to ASTM standards. The crib (brackets) still passed, in fact to 4 times the ASTM standards. "

Take a look at your cribs' matress board check to see if it a Storkcraft. Even if your brackets have not broken, get the replacements! Better safe than Sorry!! Follow the linked quote to fill in your request for replace brackets!

ummm I've got pictures to prove they're not sooo safe!!!

"Replacement bracket kits have been made available to consumers at no charge."

Siksika Pow Wow

Camping as a family of five

Yupe you read right we're a family of five actually 7 when the older brothers visit. But I've always wanted a BIG family and no... i'm not mormon!

So throughout the years we've acumulated tents! yes tents! we've got 5 of them maybe more lmoa... but each year we seem to need a bigger one ~sniker~ now we have a 6-8man tent that will work with the playpen and car seat (baby girl likes to sleep in it) and a queen blow up matress and a possibly another twin blowup (if it will fit) otherwise he gets the ground cushions.

I've put together a few tips;

1) First we set up a ground tarp (edges folded under otherwise your just collecting the water between the tent and the tarp. This way the tarp is protecting you from the ground mositure)

2) Set up over head tarps, you can never get to it fast enough if it does end up raining. Preventative preparation is key with a family with small kids. During a downpour your thinking of getting the kids in the tent rather than putting up the tarp.

3) Prepare as much of the meals at home as you can.

• wrap the potatoes in tinfoil (unless you have children old enough to help at the campsite)
• Mix dry ingredients for bannock in a big ziplock bag. (just add water at campsite)
• Marinade meat in ziplock bag and freeze (added cooling agent in cooler)
• Bring instant oatmeal packs (or make your own in ziplock bags)
• Break eggs into one of those personal water bottles (not pop bottles) (the eggs are easier to transport and they will stay whole and pour out- but famlies mainly eat scrambled anyways)

4) Always have boiled water on hand.... (helps with cleaning wounds and baby formula)

5)If you can afford it get two way radios for the kids. this way you know where they are and can check up on them without packing up the younger ones to go look.

Here is the Camp fire Bannock recipe I use :

in a large freezer ziplock bag add 4 cups flour, 4 tsp of baking powder, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Mix dry indgrediants and add water to form a somewhat sticky dough. Now we don't make it all at once just take out some bannock mix into bowl add water and leave rest for later supper bannock. We wrap it around the hot dogs and kids love it.

BIGGEST METEOR SHOWER OF 2009

Wow between 10pm and 2am. Wish it wasn't too late, maybe I'll take the kids to go watch for a bit at prairie winds

Glasses

Sooo I broke my glasses. Yup! snapped 'em right in half and was using duck tape to hold them together... BUT... today got some super glue. Thank Gawd someone invented this stuff. And looky what I found neat a 4 pack of single uses the same price as the single tube. So I bought it and glued my plastic frames back together...

Now I did go to the place where I first purchased my glasses and would you believe they refused to tell me what my perscription was!?! yup they said "well we'd want you to have another eye exam" I don't want another eye exam sheesh! some peoples children anything to get more money outta ya.

So, now I not only hafta pay for another eye exam (hmmm I wonder if they are now covered under the new alberta health care lmao) but hafta pay over $300 for the new frames and what ever else it cost for my lenses... no wonder lens crafters has a payment plan available!

pst... you can get coupons at Lens Crafters on line to print out too.