Gizmodo launched an interesting contest some time ago and now we have the results. I was all about using one’s Photoshop skills to portray Bill Gates in history. It was all about imagination and fun and the results were quite interesting. I definitely laughed my head off while looking at these pictures. The entire Gallery can be viewed Here. Have fun!

The US Government will eventually find a way to generate even more taxes from gasoline use and this latest series of tests seems to aim exactly towards this reality. Some researchers at the University of Iowa Public Policy Center have developed a special system for charging drivers various federal taxes. All is based on the distance the individual travels and not on how much gas they purchase.We currently have 2,700 different drivers from Iowa, Texas, Maryland and California that are testing the system. Federal gas tax is currently 18.4 cents per gallon and has remained unchanged since 1993. Automobiles are also getting more efficient when it comes to fuel efficiency. This is why the US Government is not at all happy at the moment and the raw reality is that individuals are paying fewer taxes each year, taxes that are needed by the authorities.
Now there is a solution: instead of paying a fee on fuel purchased, drivers might end up having cars equipped with a taxi-like meter. Individuals will then receive a monthly bill that they have to pay, based on the number of miles traveled. The solution seems to be very good for the US Government but will probably enrage drivers. When technology gets mixed with tax paying, it is not good news for us. Who knows what will happen next? Maybe paying energy taxes based on how much time the light bulb stays on. The University of Iowa Public Policy Center researched an interesting system but that does not mean it should be used to generate more taxes from the population. In my view, this will only enrage drivers. But then again, I would love to test the system myself and see what that gadget in the picture actually does and there is always a very skim chance that we would end up paying less taxes.

A design student in Germany, Sebastian Ritzler, just created a special rolling white cane named Mygo that might be very useful to blind people. Mygo helps by utilizing a sensor camera combination that ends up measuring the ground below and it gives users real feedback via wireless headset. This cane ends in a small wheel that is combined with a steering engine that can be steered easily as it gives feedback through the grip. This Mygo is very adjustable and waterproof and works on lithium-ion battery that lasts for around 6 hours. It is quite interesting and Ritzler is trying to make it as affordable as possible at around $200. If it really does what it says and really helps blind people, it is a pretty interesting deal.

Tony Wright is an individual that does not stand out in the crowd but now he became famous. The reason? Breaking the world record for the longest phone call ever, with 40 hours and still going. Just in case you care, the previous record was of 39 hours, 18 minutes and 24 seconds, set on November 3 2005. Well, Tony Wright broke the record while talking to Jenny Barnard. It is interesting that people, as soon as they found out, took chat slots with Wright in order to help him beat the record. The good news is that the phone call is made by using Tesco Internet phones, making the call almost free. Way to go Tony!

Via Engadget

I am looking at the picture above and I am trying to wonder if this is a commercial for clothes or I should take a look at the model instead. The lovely lady above is actually wearing a very high tech Army Combat Shirt that is made out of an anti-microbial fabric. The good news is that this army combat shirt is flame resistant and improves breathability. The bad news is that it is kind of tight and I keep looking besides the essential and think about the lady wearing it. OK, leaving jokes aside, this suit is to be worn under the Interceptor Body Armor and comes with 8-bit camouflage pattern. It is also equipped with anti-abrassion elbow pads, infrared identification tabs and cargo pockets. It does look like a pretty interesting armor.