DISGRASIAN™

AMAZIAN OF THE WEEK! Neal Saiki

Name: Neal Saiki

Age: 42

Occupation: Founder and Chief Technical Officer, Zero Motorcycles

Known for: Manufacturing the world’s least offensive–read: quiet and eco-friendly–two-wheeled machines. After setting a World Aviation Record (for creating the world’s first human-powered helicopter) and serving as a NASA project manager, Saiki founded Zero Motorcycles–home of the fully-electric dirtbike.

After a year of blowing motocross minds (like mine, because doing pony hops all day without smelling like 2-stroke fuel all night, or pinning it up a hillside without releasing any ugly emissions into the atmosphere, are such joyous prospects that I could just hug someone) Zero Motorcycles has now released a street bike that offers similar benefits (silent operation, lightweight body, instant torque, and no need for fossil fuels) to its predecessor. Lordy, lordy… what will Saiki dream up next?

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Filed under: 2-Stroke, Eco-Friends, Electric Dirtbike, Electric Motorcycle, Emissions, Green Solutions, Innovation, Motocross, NASA, Neal Saiki, Pony Hops, Street Bikes, Two-Wheeled Fun, Zero Motorcycles

BABEWATCH: Kacey Wong

Name: Kacey Wong

Hails from: Hong Kong

Occupation: Visual Artist

Why He’s A Babe: Besides rocking cool-geek chic as naturally as black hair, Wong applies poetic impressions of Hong Kong to very quirky, easy-on-the-eyes “experiments.”

Recently, Wong created a wheeled homeless shelter–including a bed and a desk–that unfolds from the shape of a robot (see photo, above). He says: “My question is: what if the homeless shelter is beautiful, to the point where it becomes a public artwork on the street?”

A four-eyed do-gooder with great intentions and an even better aesthetic? If that ain’t hot, we don’t know what is.

Source

Filed under: Artists, China, Four-Eyes, Geeks, Homeless Shelters, Hong Kong, Hot and Goofy, Innovation, Inspirasians, Kacey Wong, Robots, Spectacles

The Smokeless Smoke

A Chinese company, Ruyan Ltd. Group, has developed an electronic cigarette that allows you to check your Tweets, log onto Facebook, send an IM, and enjoy a smokeless smoke. Sound too good to be true? Well, it is, except for the smokeless smoke part. Ruyan–which means “like smoking”–produced its first e-cigarette in 2004, using a patented technology that dissolves nicotine in a cartridge and then pumps it out in a vapor that resembles smoke. An LED light simulates a real cigarette’s ember tip so you don’t look like a complete tool sucking on it. While the battery-operated Ruyan V8 ain’t cheap ($240 for the cigarette, batteries, and 20 cartridges of nicotine solution), some see it as a safer-alternative to smoking.

Pick yr poison

David Sweanor, an adjunct law professor at Ottawa University and former legal counsel of the Non Smokers Rights Association in Canada, said:

“It’s the delivery system that’s killing people. Anytime you suck smoke into your lungs you’re going to do yourself a great deal of damage. Nicotine has some slight risks but they are minor compared to the risk of smoke in cigarettes.“

Still, the e-cigarette has yet to be approved by the FDA or your Hardass Asian Mother.

Source

Filed under: China, E-Cigarette, Electronic Cigarette, FDA, Hardass Asian Parents' Nightmares, Health, Innovation, Nicotine, Ruyan Ltd Group, Ruyan V8, Smokeless Smoke, Thank You For Smoking

Ivy League Huh?

Justin Kan, a 23 year-old Yale graduate, has come up with the brilliant idea to strap a camera to his head 24/7, thus documenting his every move.

Explore San Francisco? You don’t say!

Watch Justin get take-out! Watch Justin play poker! Watch Justin meet a real black person on the street! Watch Justin sleep!

It’s so New Media! It’s so verite! It’s so ZZZzzzzZzZzZzZZzZZZzzzzzzzzZZZzzzzZZZZzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzZzZzZZzZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZzZzZZzZzzzzZZZ

Filed under: Huh?, Innovation, Justin.tv, Stupid Yalies