Human-powered insanity

There is an article on Slashdot about this year's Kinetic sculpture race in Baltimore. Build a human powered contraption (emphasis on contraption) and drive it through various obstacles. (Pictures here.)


An amazingly elegant entry from last year. Wildly impractical, but Just. So. Cool.

So, of course, I'm thinking it would be fun to do it next year. My immediate idea was a hovercraft. A giant, human-powered hovercraft. Just to think outside of the box, the propulsion wouldn't even need to be a propeller. Could use a floating drive wheel and oars for a nice technological macedoine. (Spiffy word care of randomdreams!)

The rules say 'It is legal to get assistance from the natural power of water, wind, sun, gravity and friendly extraterrestrials.' I can't help but wonder if a solar furnace powering a steam turbine would be allowed. Probably too dangerous.

Go, Pres, Go!

Two of the current CNN top stories:

More violent clashes in Iraq
Bush to declare end of major combat in Iraq

A sound halfway between 'ewwwwwww!' and 'neato!'

Boy 'pregnant' with twin brother

A seven-year-old boy who was admitted to hospital with stomach pains was actually "pregnant" with his twin brother.

Doctors at Chimkent Children's Hospital in Kazakhstan originally believed Mourat Zhanaidarov was suffering from a cyst.

But during surgery, they discovered he was in fact carrying the dead foetus of his twin brother.