Damn, you beat me to it. This is entirely a geofront. all the need are buildings that slide up and down.

exactly. but with violence and harm instead of name-calling and dickotry.

Where is the line between hero and vigilante? I want to believe that people like this are a good idea, but having seen human nature, I simply cannot.

Human nature + anonymity + enough time = unpardonable act of vigilante "justice"
Watch and wait.

This is interesting. It's not surprising that the triathlon boards are on fire about this today, mostly with triathletes (on average, very type-A and way too competitive) concerned about the robot breaking a variety of rules:

1. it doesn't wear a helmet out of T1 and continuing into T2. Result: DQ
2. it doesn't have a chinstrap to keep buckled. Result: DQ on the bike, time penalty in T1 or T2
3. it will be receiving outside assistance from people other than sanctioned volunteers or medics. Result: time penalty
4. if it has any open tubing it is potentially violating the no open bar-end rule. Result: time penalty
5. if it drafts off anyone on the bike leg, it will be penalized and called out on internet forums as a cheater and a sissy
6. headphones and personal audio devices are banned, if this thing can play an MP3, it's not allowed on the course
7. depending on water temperature, it may not be allowed to wear a wetsuit
8. if it drops batteries or parts on the course it is guilty of equipment abandonment. Result: time penalty
9. if it doesn't finish in 17 hours, it absolutely doesn't count.
10. finally, it must have a valid USAT license or risk being banned from the sport.

Disclaimer: this is a bizarre inside joke for triathletes, don't take it seriously.

centuries, actually:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_watch#Perrelet:_1770

Glofish http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glofish have been for sale for a number of years. I have a tank full and they glow nicely under a blacklight or a very actinic (12000K) light.

Because you can inadvertently blind yourself (temporarily or otherwise) if the beam reflects? Even with very bright weapon mounted lights (think a little flashlight that puts out 100+ lumens) this is a risk, you can easily reduce your night vision or disorient yourself (moreso with the ones that flash, e.g. some SureFire models) if the light sweeps a window or a mirror.

Absolutely true. Perhaps I should have said, a straight razor gives a better shave WHEN it has been maintained meticulously and your technique is perfect and you are willing to spend 30-45 minutes doing the prep work and shaving.

I fully agree that using a straight is WAY more hassle than dragging a disposable across your face, but if done correctly, I have found it to give a better shave.

was a checkerboard pattern in black and white. When reached for comment, the leading scientist on the project had this to say,
"Pick it up, pick it up, GO!"

You should be STROPPING the razor every time you use it. If you have to hone it every time, you are doing something wrong. A properly honed razor will not need to be honed again until it has given months of shaves. If the blade does not maintain it's edge with only stropping to freshen it, across multiple shaves, the blade is inferior steel. You should not need to strop during use either, having to do so indicates an improper blade/skin angle or a blade with inferior steel.

I have 8 razors I cycle through and although whichever blade I shave with must be stropped each morning, collectively I only have to hone them (with japanese water stones, barber hones, and finally paddle strops pasted with chromium oxide) about twice a year. When I was first starting out I only used one razor and it had to be re-honed after three dozen shaves or so, a little over a month. Even then, the honing is more of a minor blade refresh (start out on a 15000 grit stone and move up) than a proper honing. Once the razor is sharp it is inclined to stay that way unless misused.

Stropping, strictly speaking, isn't honing at all (unless a pasted strop is used, and that's still more akin to deburring than actual honing) it's more a straightening of the edge; the steel along the edge can become wavy after use, this is amplified by poor shaving technique. Myself and several of the others on Straight Razor Place have undertaken many studies of razor's edges via microscopy and there is a general consensus as to what makes a razor sharp and what makes it dull. I'd invite you to head on over to the website and learn and ask questions. From the sound of your experience it sounds as if you've been given one of the metallurgically deficient blades from China, perhaps a Double Arrow or similar, and have erroneously concluded that razors have to be honed every time they are used, which is very much not the case with a correctly tempered and hardened blade (over 60 rockwell) that will hold it's edge.

If you have any further questions or misconceptions please ask, I'm happy to evangelize on the subject :)

That's another indication that the person has no idea what they are doing. Most new production razors are very much inferior to razors you find in antique stores that are 50-100 years old. A serious straight razor enthusiast will have bought most of their razors on the cheap and restored them.

There are at least two demographics at work here: the hipsters you describe, and another group sometimes referred to as "young fogeys." The latter group tends to be interested in things of yore because they were better, and not just because they are old, e.g. writing calligraphy with a good fountain pen on nice paper, mowing the lawn with a reel mower because it leaves nicer edges, and yes, shaving with a straight razor because it gives a better shave.

In addition to the superior performance (at the admitted cost of vastly increased hassle) there is a sense of pride in learning to do something inherently difficult and potentially dangerous. For more information check out my tutorial videos on youtube, username = jockeys41

I'll also add that it's easy to spot a strait razor poser as he/she will only have one razor, whereas someone who actually shaves with them every day (as I do) will have at least half a dozen in rotation to reduce the honing burden.

much, MUCH smoother. caveat: you have to do it right, and that's really not easy. takes years of practice. Straight Razor Place is the /. of the shaving world, check them out. For some tutorial videos on honing, stropping and shaving, check out my youtube channel username = jockeys41

And also an episode of The Venture Brothers (Goliath Serum)

no, the nun is actually a unit of length, but can be used in conjunction with currency to describe the traveling efficiency of a vehicle.
for instance, I find that my truck generally gets about 9.83 kiloNuns/pound sterling, what with the high prices for gas recently.