Oddity Central

Oddity Central

Get Your Very Own 13-Foot Functional Robot for Just $1.35 Million

Posted: 26 Oct 2012 04:29 AM PDT


Just when you though it was safe to go out of the house, Japanese company Suidobashi Heavy Industry has officially announced their awesome boardable mecha, the KURATS, is now available for purchase. And it costs only $1.35 million.

I know it sounds like a lot of money, but we’re talking about the world's first consumer mecha, which means you can buy it and use it to take your shot at world domination or just scare the hell out of your neighbors by riding in it on the street. If you’re a fan of Gundam or Armored Core, this thing is exactly what you’ve been dreaming of for years. It’s a 4,500-kilogram-robot that you can control and interact with using Microsoft Kinect motion sensors. You can either step into the built-in one person cockpit, or remotely control its actions with your smartphone, via 3G internet. RocketNews24 first reported on the KURATAS in May, but back then it was just a cool prototype. Now, its makers have announced their personal mecha is going into production and can be bought for ¥100 million ($1,35 million).

Just to be clear, the KURATAS isn’t just another cool-looking robot sculpture, it’s an actual mecha, like the ones you fell in love with in your favorite video games and sci-fi movies. This thing can move its arms and torso to perform various tasks and moves at a top speed of 10 km/h, powered by a diesel engine. It can be ridden in both a high and low positions, depending on your needs. A video presentation of Suidobashi Heavy Industry‘s robot revealed two weapon system options: the Lohas Launcher shoots out plastic bottles that “hit the target from time to time”, and a pair of impressive gatling guns capable of shooting up to 6,000 BB bullets per minute. One of this thing’s coolest features is The Smile Shot, which allows the pilot to activate the weapons with a smile.

Despite the steep price of their KURATAS mecha, Suidobashi Heavy Industry has already received 3,000 from all over the world.

 

 

via Rocket News 24

Get Your Very Own 13-Foot Functional Robot for Just $1.35 Million was originally posted at OddityCentral.com

Muslim Walks 6,000 Kilometers from Bosnia to Mecca

Posted: 26 Oct 2012 03:32 AM PDT


Senad Hadzic, a 47-year-old Muslim from northern Bosnia, has recently completed an epic 5,700 km journey, from his hometown to the to the Saudi city of Mecca, by foot.

Making the pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest city in the religion of Islam, at least once in their lifetime is obligatory for all able Muslims. Each year, millions travel to the birthplace of Muhammad, but not many of them walk thousands of miles to get there. That’s what makes Senad Hadzic’s experience so impressive. The Bosnian departed from his town of Banovici, in December 2011 and has walked for 314 days through Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria and Jordan to reach the Muslim holy city in south-western Saudi Arabia. Despite experiencing severe weather conditions, like temperatures ranging from minus 35 Celsius in Bulgaria to plus 44 Celsius in Jordan, Senad managed to walk at a rate of between 20 to 30 kilometers per day, to reach Mecca after an unbelievable 5,700 km journey.

"To be honest, before I started on this trip, everybody was frightened for me, asking how will I, as a Muslim, be able to travel though Christian countries like Serbia and Bulgaria," Hadzic said. But Christians proved very friendly and supportive of his religious effort. "In one case, a professor in Serbia invited me to stay in his house. This Serbian professor, who was a Christian, told me that I was the first Muslim who had stepped in his house in his life. It was a great honor for me." In Istanbul, he spent 20 dyas trying to get permission to walk across the Bosphorus bridge connecting Europe to Asia, because it was open only to vehicles, but he somehow managed to cross over. "I'll tell you, this trip has had millions of problems,"Hadzic told The World back in March. “I'll explain it to you like this: God willing, I'm going to enter Asia today, and then Syria. And I'm not afraid of a tank or a bullet, only God. And then when I get to Mecca I will say a prayer for all of us." And he did go through war-torn Syria, on foot. ”I passed through Syria in April. I walked some 500 kilometers in 11 days. I went through Aleppo and Damascus and passed dozens of check-points held by pro-government and rebel forces alike, but I was never detained,” Hadzic said in an AFP interview.

On his journey, Senad Hadzic met people, who, impressed by his dedication, offered to give him the money so he could comfortably reach Mecca on board an airplane. But he respectfully refused. "By this act, I am proving that everything I do is for the love of God," Hadzic said during his long walk. "For all the riches in the world, I would never stop what I am doing." He decided to walk to the holy city after God appeared in his dreams and told him to do it. ”I walked in the name of Allah, for Islam, for Bosnia-Hercegovina, for my parents and my sister,” he added.

Senad ventured on his incredible trip with just a 20-kilogram backpack on his back, and very little money, depending mostly on the kindness of others for the most basic things. ”During my walk through the desert and with temperatures from 46°C a police patrol gave me two litres of water. Of course, every drop of water is welcome,” he said. ”Thanks to Allah there is good people. I really have to mention the hospitality of the people of Jordan. People here are really hospitable, when I arrived in the city of Aqaba they welcomed me with open arms and settled me into a hotel.”

 

Senad Hadzic documented his progress on the 314-day walk on his Facebook page.

Muslim Walks 6,000 Kilometers from Bosnia to Mecca was originally posted at OddityCentral.com

World’s Strongest Beer Called Armageddon Is Stronger Than Whiskey

Posted: 26 Oct 2012 01:20 AM PDT


Appropriately named Armageddon, the new beer from Scotland's Brewmeister Brewery will probably end your days if you drink too much of it. The potent concoction has an alcohol content of 65% by volume. That’s stronger than vodka or whiskey.

Although the Guinness Book of Records has yet to certify Armageddon as the world’s strongest beer, that hasn’t stopped Brewmeister from slapping the unofficial title on the label. And who can blame them, after all, that’s what makes their drink so special. Company co-founder, Lewis Shand says Armageddon “is closer to a liquor than a beer, but it is classified as a beer and we are pleased with it.” He added that “it delivers a supersonic-charged explosion and delivers the drinker to Drunksville”. That’s probably why Brewmeister's brewers have cautioned that the beer should be sipped and served in small doses.

Brewer Jon McKenzie said: "The beer has a viscous quality to it, due to the special freeze fermentation method we use to produce such a high alcoholic beer." How does this special method work, you ask? Well, CBS reports that the beer, made with crystal malt, wheat, flaked oats, and 100% Scottish spring water is frozen during the brewing process to get a higher alcohol content. Because water freezes but alcohol doesn’t, brewers can remove the excess water and create a beer that’s 65% alcohol. Pretty ingenious, but I do wonder if this thing still tastes like beer. I guess we can all find out next month, when Armageddon is launched at the Inverness Beer Festival, in Scotland.

In comparison, here is the alcohol content for other popular drinks: a Budweiser 5%, a glass of wine 12%, a glass of whiskey 40%. The 65% alcohol beer is not sold in the USA, but you can order it from the Brewmesiter website, for $50 a bottle. The now second world’s strongest beer was made by BrewDog, also from Scotland, the company who also made the world’s first Viagra-laced beer.

World’s Strongest Beer Called Armageddon Is Stronger Than Whiskey was originally posted at OddityCentral.com

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