The Nonsense Department

Welcome to the nonsense department. In here, I have collected interesting facts without any purpose, except that it be technologically high ranking and fun.

Probably the largest punch card in the world

Being a technician, I understand the value of collecting time documents out of techno-history. During a trip through Lithuania, I stumbled over three unique punch cards used in Soviet computers and bookkeeping machines. They were used by a geologist to catalogue mineral findings in the Soviet Union, but today they are deported to the cellar/garbage dump/museum. The size is impressive.

Russian Transistors

I continue to be fascinated by old Soviet electronic gear. Most of it looks like prototypes or something that was never really finished. Mostly it looks like second rate, clumsy, really old-fashioned, or just badly made, in general. When I ask my friends if it is for real, they say:
- Sure. Everything looked like this.
- But it's so bad and looks crappy!
- Everything in the Soviet Union was crap. Everything was broken right from the factory, tape recorders, watches and electric motors (and nuclear bombs, perhaps...).
- Could the Red Army really have used this material?
- Of course. If you over-dimension something enough, it won't break.

Modes of Resonance in Jelly

I once got a birthday present consisting of a block of jelly, weighing some 15 kg. It wobbled in an interesting way, so I decided to investigate it scientifically.

A Succesfully Failed Firework

A firework that went off much faster than we had anticipated, and definitely gained something. A terrifying, all-colour report from the rocket-smith's workshop in Södertälje, Sweden.

The Case of the Exploding CD-ROM

2x, 4x, 8x, 16x, 32x and 64x CD-ROM drives have appeared on the market at regular intervals. How far can you go? How high speeds can a CD-ROM take before it explodes? Can you do something about it? I decided to investigate.

UFO Landing, or What?

Inspired by the UFO believers, I decided to make some long-time measurements of the Earth's magnetic field. Already the first night something happened. But what?

	Probably the largest punch card in the world Being a technician, I understand the value of collecting time documents out of techno-history. During a trip through Lithuania, I stumbled over three unique punch cards used in Soviet computers and bookkeeping machines. They were used by a geologist to catalogue mineral findings in the Soviet Union, but today they are deported to the cellar/garbage dump/museum. The size is impressive.
	Russian Transistors I continue to be fascinated by old Soviet electronic gear. Most of it looks like prototypes or something that was never really finished. Mostly it looks like second rate, clumsy, really old-fashioned, or just badly made, in general. When I ask my friends if it is for real, they say: - Sure. Everything looked like this. - But it's so bad and looks crappy! - Everything in the Soviet Union was crap. Everything was broken right from the factory, tape recorders, watches and electric motors (and nuclear bombs, perhaps...). - Could the Red Army really have used this material? - Of course. If you over-dimension something enough, it won't break.
	Modes of Resonance in Jelly I once got a birthday present consisting of a block of jelly, weighing some 15 kg. It wobbled in an interesting way, so I decided to investigate it scientifically.
	A Succesfully Failed Firework A firework that went off much faster than we had anticipated, and definitely gained something. A terrifying, all-colour report from the rocket-smith's workshop in Södertälje, Sweden.
	The Case of the Exploding CD-ROM 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x, 32x and 64x CD-ROM drives have appeared on the market at regular intervals. How far can you go? How high speeds can a CD-ROM take before it explodes? Can you do something about it? I decided to investigate.
	UFO Landing, or What? Inspired by the UFO believers, I decided to make some long-time measurements of the Earth's magnetic field. Already the first night something happened. But what?