Angry Birds 2 FLYING MACHINE

Angry Birds is one of those apps that is hover airily above the hugely successful apps in the mobile world, with a serenity and self-assurance that only monstrous success can bring. Angry Birds is more of a Condition nowadays than it is a game.

With more than three billion downloads across all platforms since its release in December 2009, it has become one of the most successful apps on the market and a pop culture phenomenon. It makes one wonder, do the Birds really have to get angry. However, the spectacular birds are in an even fouler mood in Angry Birds 2, and the results are wickedly entertaining. Angry Birds 2 has built on the game’s core and introduced a raft of important changes that will doubtless enhance the playing experience.

One of the most important changes is that players will now have the option of choosing which bird to fling. This means players have complete control over how they will approach any given stage, which is bound to help in strategising. There are new multi-stage levels, with all the ingenious obstacles and exquisitely detailed animations that scored with the users in the first version.

There are also a variety of marvellous new spells available on Angry Birds 2, as well as formidable new boss pigs whose vehement squeals and snorts you’ll have to ruthlessly silence if you want to reach the latter stages of the game.

MICROSOFT TO REPORTEDLY LAUNCH 12-INCH AND ’13- TO 14-INCH’ SURFACE DEVICES

If the Rumors are True, Some Very Big Screens are Heading Our Way

Get ready for big screens. Maybe. DigiTimes of Taiwan reports (citing unnamed sources) that Microsoft is about to make some huge additions to their Surface Pro line. And when we say huge, we mean “common computer monitor size”. Microsoft is allegedly making a 12-inch Surface Pro 4, a long with-- if the rumours are to be trusted-- a large 14-inch touchscreen. It’s reported that the reason for the change is that Microsoft wants customers to have a variety of choices when it comes to their hardware, and this makes a lot of sense, but not enough to make such a massive change. Of course, this is also why reviewers aren’t taking the rumours seriously.

If the rumours are true, what makes more sense, however, is that Microsoft is finally taking reports that desktop computers are dying as a market far more seriously than we had assumed. While tablets are used more for businesses (and the Surface Pro is targeted at the business user), these giant screens could serve another purpose-- to begin migration of offices with large-scale desktop use to Windows 10 and giant 14-inch Surface Pros. If this is Microsoft’s game plan, it is quite the surpris e at first glance (after all, who’s going to walk around with a tablet the size of a small child?) but makes more sense for setting up Surface  Pros that might not move that much from their location. Like, say, in place of a desktop. And if that’s the case, Microsoft has out-thought all the pundits considering its early demise: in fact, Microsoft may be positioning itself in a better position than Apple, and that could have a backwards ripple effect on Microsoft’s suffering phone share.

VERDICT: The rumour simply has to be true. It sounds strange until you think of why Microsoft would make such a move-- and then you realise that perhaps it was Microsoft who had it planned out all along in anticipation of traditional desktop obsolescence.

APPLE EXPLORING OPTIONS OF MAKING ITS OWN MOVIES AND TV SHOWS

With the Apple TV Upgrade, is this a New Direction--Or Too Little, Too Late?
Following reports of Apple TV’s September relaunch with its new, upgraded system, Apple is now reportedly planning to begin independent production of its own independent movies and shows, as Netflix and Amazon have been doing over the past year or two. Since Apple has had original movies on iTunes before, is this the time to move into Netflix’s space?
Apple has been known to make big moves, and they certainly have the capital to follow through. The real question is how the market will bear out towards yet another online streaming service, and this one largely tethered into the iOS ecosystem. Apple is betting that there are a lot of fans ready to make that commitment if they choose to pursue a subscription model-- and the success of iTunes may well prove them right. Still, this isn’t iTunes but a very crowded online entertainment space. Without even some specifics of what they’re planning, we have precious few indicators of how it would succeed.

VERDICT: Apple movies and TV shows? Sure. The real question is: shouldn’t the service be popular first? We just have no idea what the plan is in this case.

How It's Made - Crop-dusters

How It's Made - Crop-dusters
Crop dusters are airplanes Specially outfitted for aerial spraying. Farmers use them to seed fields And apply pesticides and fertilizer. The aquaculture industry uses them to feed fish, And emergency crews fly them to spread retardant on forest fires And dispersants on oil spills. Depending on its size, A crop duster can carry up to 2,700 liters Of liquid or dry material. The plane is designed to be able to swoop down low To accurately cover
the target spray area. At the factory, they manually weld Lightweight aircraft-grade steel tubes To construct the frame of the fuselage.
Next they use spring-loaded fasteners To affix aluminum panels to the sides. An anti-rust coating turns the aluminum golden color. All the plane's aluminum parts require this coating, Because many of the chemicals crop dusters carry Are corrosive. The tank that holds those chemicals is called a hopper. The factory molds it out of many layers of fiberglass, Which is deliberately transparent. This enables the pilot to see at a glance Roughly how much chemical remains. Inside each of the plane's wings Is a row of vertical supports called webs. To make each web, they lay a soft aluminum sheet on a mold, Place a rubber mat on top, then load the assembly into a press. A built-in water bag distributes the pressure evenly.

This helps form the aluminum sheet perfectly. Next they soak the web for a half-hour In molten sodium chloride At more than 900 degrees fahrenheit. Then they immediately submerge the web in lukewarm water. This triggers a molecular reaction That hardens the aluminum. Each wing contains 32 webs. Technicians line them up in an assembly fixture In between the wing's horizontal beams called spars. Once they've riveted the webs to the spars,
They cover the structure with aluminum panels Using spring clamps for now. The panels have holes in them To allow regular inspections of the structure inside.

After riveting the panels, Technicians screw covers onto the inspection holes. They also seal the seams between panels with liquid rubber So chemicals can't penetrate. Next they install the engine and the propeller, Which ranges from 750 to 1,400 horsepower. The prop has from three to five aluminum blades. Now the equipment that releases the chemicals from the air. For spraying liquids, they hook up horizontal pipes Lined with spray nozzles
called booms. To apply dry chemicals or disperse seed, The flight crew detaches the booms And installs a large stainless-steel funnel Called a spreader under the plane's belly.

At release time, The pilot opens a door at the bottom of the hopper, Enabling the wind to draw out the contents Through the spreader. To spray liquids, a wind-driven pump Moves the hopper contents to the booms. Technicians now assemble and install The instrumentation panel. To fill the hopper with liquid chemicals, They connect a pump to a valve on the side of the crop duster. For dry chemicals, they just lift the hopper's lid And fill her up.

How It's Made: Seasons 1 & 2 (2010)

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How It's Made - Corn Whiskey

How It's Made - Corn Whiskey
More than three centuries ago, American bootleggers made corn whiskey by moonlight To avoid being detected  by the tax authorities, And so this whiskey became known as moonshine. Today, that whiskey has  emerged from the shadows of history And is produced legally, but people still call it moonshine. It was the nectar of outlaws -- Clear, fresh corn whiskey that's 50% alcohol, And centuries later, it still has a potent appeal. In Virginia, They still make this whiskey the traditional way, Allowing corn to germinate in a process called malting.
They mix a small amount of the malted kernels With regular corn in a big tank, Then funnel the mix into a mill. Inside this mill, automated hammers grind the mix To a cornmeal consistency. This frees some of the starch And exposes it to enzymes from the malted kernels. Those enzymes convert the starch to sugar. They'll use some of this ground corn To make a big batch of yeast. They add it to water in a tank And boil it until it becomes a thick soup. Once it reaches the desired consistency, They allow it to cool to room temperature. They add yeast and blow air into the mix to help the yeast grow, Making this one big batch of liquid yeast.

In another tank, a ton of corn Is being blended with water and boiled. This breaks down more of the starch, converting it to sugar. Once cooled, they pump the mix and the liquefied yeast Into the fermentation tank. Over a period of four days, The yeast turns the sugar to alcohol. The process also generates carbon dioxide, Which is vented into the atmosphere. Every so often, the brewmaster scoops up some liquid And scrutinizes it. If it looks too thick,
The conversion of sugar to alcohol is not yet complete. But when the viscosity is just right, They pump the batch into a big copper still. It's just like the type used To make moonshine in the backwoods centuries ago.

They heat it to 82 degrees celsius. At that temperature, alcohol will boil, but water will not. As the alcohol boils off the mix, It's recovered through a condenser. The recovered liquid is 80% alcohol. Talk about a stiff drink. So they add water to cut it down to about 50%, And then it's ready to bottle. To make a darker whiskey, they steep it With what looks like a big tea bag. It's actually wood chips wrapped in cheesecloth. The whiskey absorbs flavor and color from the wood Over a period of about two months. When the whiskey takes on a golden hue, They transfer it into oak barrels. They allow the whiskey to age for two years in a hot room.

The heat causes the whiskey to expand, Causing it to absorb the flavor of the wood, But the pressure can also cause cracks in the barrels, So the brewmaster routinely checks for leaks. After the whiskey has aged, They adjust the alcohol content by adding a little water. The water is always softened and filtered to remove minerals That could affect the whiskey's taste. At the bottling station, Machinery pumps the whiskey into the containers. There's no spillage, and not a drop goes to waste. Machinery then twists on the caps For an airtight seal that preserves the aroma and flavor Of this old-fashioned corn whiskey.

At the next station, robotic arms grab labels, Apply glue to them, then press them onto the bottles. It has taken a combination Of down-home methodology and modern technology To prepare this old-fashioned American whiskey for market. And whether it's aged or fresh, This historic whiskey is sure to set the taste buds ablaze.

Dollhouse CORN WHISKEY/CAP'N JACK

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How It's Made: Seasons 1 & 2 (2010)

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How It's Made - Kelp Caviar

Caviar is made By processing the unfertilized eggs of certain species of fish. For those who love the taste but not the price, There's simulated caviar made of kelp, a type of seaweed. A fraction of the cost, It looks, smells, and tastes similar to the real thing. Unlike fish caviar, the source of kelp caviar is a plant, So it's fat-free, cholesterol-free, And has zero calories. This company makes its kelp caviar plain, Which is vegetarian, As well as in several flavors. Kelp is chock-full of vitamins and minerals And is especially rich in iodine. Being a marine plant, it's quite different from land plants In that its consistency is gelatinous, Which makes it ideal for producing little rubbery balls That resemble fish eggs.

At the kelp caviar factory, They begin production with kelp that's been dried naturally, Then ground into a fine powder. The other ingredients are salt, citric acid, And, if they're making a flavored variety, Natural flavoring in liquid form. They add the ingredients one at a time to water. The mixer blends them thoroughly for about an hour, Producing a thick, gelatinous liquid. They transfer the mixture into a pot Connected to an extrusion machine. The machine pumps the mixture Through what looks like a showerhead, Only instead of outputting a steady stream, It squeezes out droplets, Producing tiny kelp balls called pearls, Which look exactly like fish eggs.

The pearls drop into a coagulation solution. Besides providing a soft landing, This solution helps hold the pearls' shape. The pearls roll down a chute into waiting containers. The water drains out the bottom. Workers empty the containers into large colanders. Then they rinse and strain the pearls To ensure they're all a certain minimum size. Pearls that are too small Simply fall through the colander's holes. They weigh out a specific quantity And mix in
an all-natural stabilizer Required to maintain the pearls' texture and round shape. The factory's quality-control lab Tests a sample from the batch To make sure the ph level is just right. Careful ph control, coupled with pasteurization, Is why this product doesn't require any preservatives. At the packaging station, workers fill glass jars, Then twist a tin lid onto each one.

Then the jars go into a pasteurization machine. It heats the caviar to a high temperature For a specific period of time, Which kills off any bacteria. This ensures a two-year shelf life without refrigeration. Once opened, the product stays fresh in the fridge For three months. After printing each lid with a lot number For tracking purposes, All that's left to do is dress the jar in a cardboard label. Kelp caviar contains no artificial colors or flavors. Unlike certain types of caviar, It doesn't bleed color to the surrounding food, Even when baked. And while real caviar Is typically either black sturgeon roe or red salmon roe, Kelp caviar comes in additional flavors, Such as truffle, cognac, and wasabi.

Kelp Vegetarian Caviar - Sturgeon - 3.5oz

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