Cluebert 10 Most Useful Online Tools

It can turn into a real scavenger hunt to find useful online tools. Here is a list that I found that some may find interesting and maybe even useful.

Audi's e-Tron Is Coming

Audi has introduced it's offering of an electric powered sports car, the e-Tron. It may be on the market by 2012. It has a 42.4-kilowatt-hour liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery with a range of 150 miles. The full recharge time is about 6 hours at 230 volts.

This auto looks to be some competition for the Tesla Roadster.

How 3-D TV Works

Wired magazine has provided a primer on how 3-D television works. Did you know that the Ohio St. vs USC football game was broadcast in 3-D on a closed circuit signal to a select audience back in September? The reports I got were that it was a very impressive demonstration. The technology required the use of special glasses, but I'm not certain if it were the polarized glasses or the electronic ones.

Cartoon of the Day

Monty Python's Flying Circus Turns 40 This Week

October 5 marked the 40th anniversary of Monty Python's Flying Circus TV debut. Here are a couple of clips of the classic sketches "Upper Class Twit of the Year" and "Argument Clinic."

VASIMR Tested at Full Power

Big news from the Ad Astra Rocket Company on their VASIMR engine. They have completed their first full power test in a vacuum chamber in Houston, TX.

The VASIMR engine is slated for use on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2013 for the purpose of orbital adjustments to correct for atmospheric drag.

Eventually, this technology could be used to have spacecraft reach Mars in less than 40 days. No doubt this is a game changer when it comes to manned exploration of the solar system and beyond. In the near term, it will save millions in fuel costs since the mass of fuel required to be put into orbit will be significantly reduced for the ISS and other deep space probes.

Massive Texas Wind Farm Operating

Starting last Thursday, a west Texas wind farm began operations with 627 wind turbines on 100,000 acres with a capacity of 781.5 megawatts. That is equivalent to a mid-sized nuclear power unit and provides enough power for about 230,000 homes. This appears to be some competition for the plans of T. Boone Pickens.