(PG-13 Language) The Avengers take on The Justice League in this ridiculously over the top cosplay battle from the guys at RackaRacka. Despite Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark’s wonderful toys, the Hulk’s fist is still our favorite weapon.
via The Awesomer
Marvel vs. DC: Fight!
From The Wirecutter: The best consumer-grade SSD (for most people)
Samsung carries the day—no one else controls the whole manufacturing vertical.
via Ars Technica
From The Wirecutter: The best consumer-grade SSD (for most people)
Inside the Fiery Workshop of a 21st Century Swordmaker
Down a stretch of country road in upstate New York there is a shed. The shed itself is nothing spectacular, a whitewash number with years of weathering. But inside sparks fly, fires breathe, and slabs of steel are fashioned into capable killing machines. This is Odinblades, a grimy shrine to the ancient art of swordmaking.
And it’s also where John Lundemo, a 58-year-old blacksmith, spends his days.
Ask any sword seller in the NYC area about Lundemo and they’ll most likely know, and sell, his work. Sword forums, filled with buyers, sellers, and makers, sing his praises. People who’ve wielded his blades say they look and feel natural, like they were grown out of the ground. He’s one of the best swordmakers in the northeast, and a contender for the most talented in the entire country. But every work of steel starts right here at Odinblades, an homage to his own Norwegian heritage.
“I was throwing out some encyclopedias that had gotten all moldy, and I was thumbing through them and this picture of Odin came up—the helmet, the wings, the ravens on his shoulder,” Lundemo says. “He was just the coolest…and that’s how I got it.”
The dungeon-esque workspace is like an eccentric house of horrors with whirring grinding wheels and fire-breathing forges next to a Ricky Martin poster, a Ludwig drumkit, guitars, amps, and various Christian iconography. It’s far removed, what some would call “the middle of nowhere,” but that’s how Lundemo likes it. Things tend to get noisy.
“I saw this place, and I knew it was perfect,” Lundemo says. “I can crank up the noise in here. I can run machinery all night if I want. I can sand all night in here…I don’t have any neighbors. It’s perfect.”
Viking longswords, horsechoppers, samurai-style blades. Whatever custom sword you want, Lundemo will make—with a few exceptions. No fictional or historical replicas, so leave your Game of Thrones Ice blueprint at home. All of his swords are his own creations pulled from historical reference and customer specifications. Hilts may be a little longer, or blades a little bigger, but they’re all fully functioning cutting machines.
Every blade begins from a slab of metal. Lundemo cuts out the general shape and grinds it to perfection.
Then the fun begins.
He begins with a process called “normalizing,” where he heats the blade in the forge. This straightens the steel grain so the sword has a uniform hardness. Once the steel is a nice burnt orange, Lundemo perilously drops it into a vat of peanut oil cooking near 400 or 5oo degrees, releasing a burst of flames. This is called a “heat treat” or “quench.” After a few moments, he pulls the sword out of the vat, now a dark charcoal black and smoking. Then Lundemo has about 90 seconds to align the blade just right with a straightening tool. He sets the blade aside and lets it cool.
He repeats this process, called “tempering,” a couple more times, lowering the temperature each time. After that the sword is sanded, and sometimes depending on the make, dipped into a vat of acid to create a “blade pattern,” or hamon, on the sword itself. At last, the blade is attached to the hilt or grip—and there you go. You’ve got a sword.
Unfortunately, the sword-buying market isn’t what it used to be. Lundemo is so quick to sell every blade he makes, he doesn’t even own a sword himself. He represents an old guard of blacksmiths, many of whom have retired or passed away. Some blacksmiths who work for competing workshops have even apprenticed under Lundemo. But the real threat to making a living off custom-made swordmaking is foreign markets creating dressed-up inferior weapons at a low-cost. And for a customer that’s usually searching online and for the best price—it’s hard to sell quality through pixels on a screen.
As a swordmaker who’s spent more than 30 years perfecting his craft, Lundemo never had a teacher. Trial-and-error was his textbook. He started as a jewelry maker in New Mexico and soon became fascinated with swords after watching the Hammer film Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter. After taking up sword fighting himself, he thought he could make better weapons.
“We used to use steel blunts for our swordfighting, and naturally you’d bang them together they’re not going to last forever,” Lundemo says. “I didn’t know about balance, and I didn’t know about heat treating. I was making swords for so many years before even knowing any of that stuff. I was basically swinging around big metal crowbars. It took a long time to learn that stuff. That didn’t happen overnight.”
What didn’t happen overnight, actually took many years. Today, Odinblades, and his own semi-custom shop Longship Armoury, makes swords that sell around the world, from one to several thousand dollars each. Although the US used to be the biggest market, many Odinblades find their way on the other side of the Pacific, mostly in China where buyers are rediscovering their cultural heritage.
“It’s been hard for me,” Lundemo says. A fire a couple years back nearly destroyed his workshop and everything in it, putting him out of work for almost half a year. Sword buying and renaissance festivals aren’t as lucrative as they use to be. But watching him dance among his medieval machinery, boisterously toiling away on one of his many lethal works of art, his enthusiasm is infectious. He doesn’t explain his love for swordmaking in flowery language about preserving history or some forgotten art, it’s simply “what he knows.”
Before leaving Lundemo’s rusted palace of cold steel and the old ways of war, the blacksmith shows off his wares. A five-foot-long horse chopper is destined for a buyer overseas and half a dozen other swords eagerly await future owners. Lundemo grab a long sword with ornate designs near the hilt, etched in dark steel, with brown leather wrappings. It’s the first blade Lundemo made near 3 decades ago, a Conan the Barbarian look alike. He laughs at its crudity, pointing out the number of rivets in the handle, and puts the sword back in the case among the rest.
He’s come a long way. He’s got the scars and the skill to prove it.
Video and GIFs by Michael Hession
via Gizmodo
Inside the Fiery Workshop of a 21st Century Swordmaker
Remember Those Computer Games from School? Play Them Now for Free
Nostalgia is a powerful force, but we live in a world where some memories are re-livable thanks to the Internet. Nothing really gets deleted from the Web, so from photos of last week’s vacation on Facebook to learning world history, the past is accessible to all. Today, we’re going to go back in time and play some games that you might have enjoyed while in elementary school. Since most of these titles are at least 20 years old, they’ve become publicly available. Some are clones of the originals, but there’s something here for everyone who enjoyed an educational game during free…
Read the full article: Remember Those Computer Games from School? Play Them Now for Free
via MakeUseOf
Remember Those Computer Games from School? Play Them Now for Free
3D Animation Of Bullet
Saw this posted on a Facebook Gun Group. Geco is a German ammo manufacturer. They made this gorgeous 3D animated video to showcase their 9mm match ammo called Hexagon.
The post 3D Animation Of Bullet appeared first on The Firearm Blog.
This New Series About Hacking Could Actually Be Amazing
Here’s the teaser for the new hacker television series Mr. Robot that took the South by Southwest Film Festival by storm earlier this year. It’s sort of like a darker version of Hackers, with a tormented geek hero named Elliot who is tempted by Anonymous-like forces of chaos.
Audiences who saw it at SXSW say it dramatizes Elliot’s struggle to figure out how to make a difference in the world using his technical skills. He’s got a couple of friends, including his therapist and a childhood pal named Angela — and his connection to them keeps him centered. But things get more complicated when he meets a shady guy (Christian Slater, in full Christian Slater mode) who is part of fsociety, a kind of amalgam of Anonymous, Wikileaks and 4chan. Basically they hate humanity and want to bring it all down.
What makes Mr. Robot sound intriguing is that its main character is so compelling, which is key for a psychological thriller. Hard to say whether the hacking in this show is going to be CSI: Cyber awful or on the level of the pretty-damn-good Person of Interest.
We’ll let you know this summer — the show will debut on June 24 on the USA network.
Contact the author at annalee@gizmodo.com.
Public PGP key
PGP fingerprint: CA58 326B 1ACB 133B 0D15 5BCE 3FC6 9123 B2AA 1E1A
via Gizmodo
This New Series About Hacking Could Actually Be Amazing
LWT: Patents
(PG-13: Language) Last Week Tonight talks about patent trolls. These ghost companies buy patents – usually vague patents about software – but don’t actually make any products. Instead, they make money by suing businesses.
via The Awesomer
LWT: Patents
Best Home-Based Business Ideas For 2015
We’ve compiled a list of the best home-based franchises that might be the perfect opportunity for you.
via Business Opportunities
Best Home-Based Business Ideas For 2015
This Is the First 3D-Printed Part That’s Approved for a Jet Engine
3D printing has just reached another major milestone as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has officially approved GE’s T25 as the first 3D printed part cleared for use on a commercial jet engine.
GE is now working with Boeing to retrofit over 400 of its GE90-94B engines—used on the modern 777—with the new part.
But before you get second thoughts about ever flying again, it’s important to note that this part wasn’t created using the consumer-grade 3D printers that churn out toys, smartphone cases, and other plastic trinkets. The fist-sized silver metal housing designed to protect a compressor inlet temperature sensor from icing was created using a 3D printer using additive manufacturing techniques. But instead of extruding plastic from a heated nozzle, a highly-accurate laser is directed at layer after layer of cobalt-chrome powder to slowly build up the part over time.
What you’re left with is a part made from lightweight cobalt-chrome alloy metal that’s just as strong and durable as parts made with more traditional manufacturing techniques like metal stamping or milling. Except that using a 3D printer means these parts are actually faster to produce and refine, they can be far more complex in their design, and they result in little to no wasted material during production.
via Gizmodo
This Is the First 3D-Printed Part That’s Approved for a Jet Engine
How to Control Your Temper Before You Lose It
We all get angry sometimes, but if you’re prone to rage bursts that rival The Hulk, it can really damage your relationships and even ruin your career. Here are some tips for keeping your cool when your temper feels like a short fuse burning.
Stop Yourself Before You React
Before you do anything else, try to hit the brakes as fast as you can. While it may seem obvious, taking a moment to yourself before you react is one of the most effective ways to keep that temper under control. What can differ, however, is what you do after you hit the brakes. There’s no silver bullet that works for everyone, but you can start with some of the classics:
- Count to ten: In your head or out loud, so you can cool down and see where you’re at afterward.
- Think about the situation: Ask yourself a question to help you assess the situation. Is it something you can control? Did you misunderstand the thing that’s fueling your fire? Know where you’re going before you move forward.
- Take a time out: Excuse yourself and step away from the situation. You’re a pot of boiling water, so remove yourself from the heat source before you boil over.
- Take a couple of deep breaths: Slow your heart rate and send oxygen to your brain. Psychologist Carlos Coto at Pick the Brain suggests the 4×4 breathing technique where you breath in for four seconds, hold the breath for four seconds, and exhale the breath slowly for four seconds. Repeat until you feel calm enough to react.
If it feels like your patience is always on its last thread, a simple trick you can do is to keep something in your pocket to mess with. It can be a pebble, a coin, a pen, whatever you like as long as it’s a physical object. Think of it as your talisman and reach for it when your impatience starts to peak. Mary Jane Ryan, author of Power of Patience, explains how this can kill your temper’s momentum:
…when you start to feel irritated, move it from one pocket to the other. This will interrupt the impatience cycle and give you a chance to regroup.
You can fiddle with it when your anger starts to build just as if you were nervous. Then when things get to be too much, do the pocket switcharoo. Your mind will be forced to switch gears and focus on the action of handling the object, making you more self-aware, and giving you just long enough time to let your better thinking kick in and pull you back from the ledge. It might sound a little silly at first—like it’s a totem from the movie Inception—but it can be very effective if you give it an honest chance. The key to stopping your temper is derailing your mind, as if you’re cutting a burning fuse before it gets to the bomb.
Picture Yourself Getting Angry and See How It Would Look
Looking at situations in the third person can be useful for problem solving, but it can also help you shift your perspective on situations when you’ve lost sight of things. When your temper rises, tunnel vision narrows your thoughts, making it seem like getting angry is the only course of action.
Caroline Smith at Mind Tools suggests you imagine what you look when you’re angry to snap yourself out of it before it happens:
If you imagine how you look and behave while you’re angry, it gives you some perspective on the situation. For instance, if you’re about to shout at your co-worker, imagine how you would look. Is your face red? Are you waving your arms around? Would you want to work with someone like that? Probably not.
You may care about what’s frustrating you, but you probably care about what you look like too. Especially if you happen to be in a professional environment. It may seem counter-intuitive to think about being angry, but it will make you feel a little foolish and stop you from doing something you’ll regret.
Meditate or Exercise In Short Bursts
When you get breaks or time to yourself, a little meditation or exercise can snap you out of a funk. These actions can briefly pull you from reality and let your brain recharge, leaving you more refreshed throughout the day. If you don’t know where to start for your mini-meditation sessions, Marshall Goldsmith at Harvard Business Review recommends you begin by simply identifying what you’re feeling:
The next time you are overcome with a negative emotion, ask yourself this question: “What am I feeling at this moment?” Get in touch with the feeling or emotion first. Once you’ve done that, make a silent declaration to yourself that you don’t want it anymore! For instance, when someone dangerously cuts you off on the freeway, your thought might be: “I do not want this anger” (or “rage,” if it’s that bad).
Acknowledge what you’re feeling and disown it. Throw it away. Replace it with thoughts that are constructive. Declare that you want to be productive and calm instead. Think about the things you can accomplish in the next hour or what you can do today to make tomorrow easier. Your thoughts will drift from anger to things that make your job more manageable.
If meditation isn’t your thing, a little exercise can be just as good. Go for a run on your lunch break, do pushups and situps during your breaks, or blow off steam at the gym every day after work. You’ll feel healthier, sleep better, and be happier.
Issue a Calm Warning to Those That Get to You
If you’re constantly dealing with someone who drives you nuts, you can address it without going overboard. Yelling, insulting, and even ignoring them will probably only make the problem worse. Instead, offer them a warning, explaining to them that whatever it is they are doing is pushing your buttons.
Don’t do it when you’re upset, though. Talk to them when you’re feeling relatively calm so you can be as kind as your temper will allow, and warn them before the flare-up happens. Let them know that you don’t mean to offend them—even if you would like to—but what they are doing is bothering you. They may not have known they were doing anything to upset you, and if they did, now they know you’re not afraid to stand up for yourself. A warning is a simple way to express how you feel and get it out of your system.
Turn Your Rage Into Unstoppable Productivity
When you know you’re about to blow like Vesuvius, you can switch gears and turn that rage into motivation. Still seething after someone cut you off on the way to work? Use your anger as fuel to get a mountain of work done. Kids driving you nuts? Get them out of your hair for a bit and clean the whole house.
This trick can be especially effective when you have physical stuff that needs to be done, but you might be able to carry it over into other types of environments as well. Maybe the copier needs to be moved or someone needs to get some boxes of old files out of storage. Volunteer for the “grunt work” and burn off some of that pent up rage. Whatever the task, you’ll feel better and get tons of work done. Sometimes work is the best distraction of all.
Do Some Damage Control with Humor
No matter how well you keep a lid on it, the monster may still make occasional appearances. The best thing you can do is stop yourself as soon as you realize what you’re doing and apologize to everyone involved. Mark Jeffries, author of The Art of Business Seduction, explains that your apology can go even further if there’s some humor along with it:
Blame yourself openly. But also give them something that recalls the nice you, a shot of humor like ‘I’ve been watching way too much Hell’s Kitchen.
You want to try and remind them that you don’t normally get that upset (hopefully), and humor can ease any leftover tension hanging in the air. A joke is like a signal flair showing that your tantrum is over and that you’re ready to talk about what’s going on calmly.
Feel free to explain other things that might have contributed to your outburst as well. Maybe you’ve been more tired than usual, or maybe you’ve just been more stressed than usual. Let people know and they might be able to empathize with you more. Everyone slips every once in a while, but if you don’t try to apologize and recover, a bad outburst can follow you for a long time.
Separate Yourself from What Triggers Your Rage Most, If You Can
If you can pinpoint the part of your life that’s causing you the most grief, you might be able to get away from it. In a moment when you’re not upset, think about what seems to grind your gears the most. Is it a person? Is it a specific task that’s part of your job? Is it your environment?
When you know what it is, talk to someone that can help. If it’s a co-worker or your environment, see if you can be relocated to a different part of the workplace. If it’s a certain task, you might be able to finagle someone else into doing it. It never hurts to complain a little as long as you do it the right way. Don’t overdo it, of course, but you’ll never know until you try.
If it’s not possible to separate yourself from your triggers, you can at least prepare for them better. Gail Brenner at the Change Blog suggests you prepare for how you deal with those situations before they happen again. If you know you’ll keep riding into battles, stop going in unarmed. Think about what you could do to give yourself some armor. Deal with people that bug you as quickly as you can. Get a frustrating task done early in the day when you have high energy and haven’t been dreading it all morning. Some days will be harder than others, but there’s bound to be a way to soften the blows when you know what’s coming.
Photos and illustrations by Brian Hagen, Dennis Skley, thematthewknot, epSos .de, Caleb Roenigk, Heather, Ali, Marc Kjerland.