Gizmodo Australia » july 4th

Giz Service Announcement: Aim Fireworks Into The Air, Not At Your Mom

Jason Chen — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Here’s another clip from the Consumer Product Safety Commission that proves, once and for all, that it is not okay to point fireworks at family members. Happy July 4th everybody! [CPSC]

This 21-Gun Salute To America Blows Fireworks Away

Sean Fallon — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:00:00 +0000

You want fireworks for the Fourth? Oh, I’ve got some fireworks for you—21 crazy boomsticks, in fact. All in honour of our nation’s 233 birthday.

Get fired up

A note about your second amendment rights
[Busted Tees]

Superweapons

Metal Storm takes you down in a hail of gunfire [Link]

The Navy’s Railgun fires a projectile at 5,640 mph—one-third of its potential power. [Link]

The Cornershot does exactly what you think it does.

Boeing recently conducted a successful test with an advanced tactical laser mounted on a modified C-130. [Link]

Hacks

The Rubber Band Gatling Gun takes out co-workers with 40 band per second firepower. [Link]

Set your phasers to 1080p. [Link]

Vietnam shotgun bong is one shot, one kill for glaucoma.

The Doing Da Vinci team builds Leonardo’s 11-barreled cannon for the first time.

The MythBusters paintball gun creates instant artwork with 1100 barrels. [Link]

The Toilet paper cannon is the ultimate weapon in the prankster’s arsenal.

This water balloon bazooka can fire 12 fluid-filled rounds at once. [Balloon Bazooka]

People Who Shouldn’t Be Around Weapons

Watch and laugh as Poncherello gets tasered.

Grandma is armed to the teeth, and she’s got her eye on your toodles.

Skinny girls and big guns don’t mix.

Toy Guns

This hacked Nerf Vulcan Chaingun shoots 500 rounds per minute. [Link]

This fully automatic gun fires Lego ammunition.

This realistic Halo 3 Plasma Rifle features lights, sounds and recoil. It even vents when overheated. [Link]

Infrared Duck Hunter brings the classic NES game to life. [Latest Buy]

Weird Guns

The G.R.A.D 22-cal knife gun is two kills in one. [Link]

The world’s smallest pistol fires 2mm blank pinfire cartridges.

Grand Finale

Hot girls with guns.

[Image via Flickr; special thanks to Don the Intern for research assistance]

Giz Service Announcement: Fireworks Can Blow Up Your Face

Jason Chen — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:30:00 +0000

Hey everyone, just checking in to make sure your holiday is kicking off with a bang. Bu that you haven’t blown your face off with some giant aerial fireworks. Happy July 4th everybody! [CPSC]

Giz Service Announcement: Fireworks And Watermelon Don’t Mix

Jason Chen — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Hey, we here at Gizmodo, together with Nancy Nord of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, want to remind you to have a safe 4th of July. Don’t use illegal fireworks for anything dangerous. Like blowing up an M-1000 inside of a watermelon. In slow motion. Happy 4th weekend everybody. [CPSC]

Sega’s Virtual Fireworks Machine Takes The Fun Out Of Explosions

Dan Nosowitz — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Sega Toys is coming out with the Uchiage Hanabi, essentially a limited-function projector that shows fake fireworks on your ceilings or walls, complete with sound.

You’ll be able to create your own “shows” with 55 different explosions which you can then take anywhere, as the device is designed to be portable—it takes AAA batteries for power and looks fairly diminutive. It’ll retail for around $US160 when it’s released, but that release isn’t until August 1st. Releasing a fireworks machine, virtual or no, four weeks after both July 4th and Canada Day is like investing in pumpkins in mid-winter. [Sega via OhGizmo]

Explained: Fireworks Vs Firecrackers Vs Sparklers

Mark Wilson — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:50:00 +0000

While prepping for our nation’s independence, we came across this excellent explanation as to how most basic fireworks function. The clip takes about a minute of your time and will imbue you with impressive knowledge for this July 4th. [HowStuffWorks]