Here's What's Awesome: Hybrid Boats, Crazy Signs

Is it true that the first something of the year can set the tone for what's to come? If so, 2009's awesome links will be second to none, for Here's What's Awesome is kicking off the year in fine style.

If the Five Man Electrical Band could only see this
Let's ease into 2009 with an enjoyable collection of weird and wonderful signs, from a bus that states "wrong coach" to an admonition to drive slowly because "several stupid dogs" live in the neighborhood. Be warned: not every sign actually exists; some are Photoshop creations, but real or not, they're enjoyable. [DarkRoastedBlend]

If not for the hybrid engine, the Minnow would be lost
There are hybrid cars every which place, so why not hybrid boats? The Hornblower Hybrid ferry escorts tourists to and from Alcatraz using several energy sources, including electric motors, solar panels and wind turbines. This means the 64 foot catamaran uses about a fifth of the diesel fuel a typical boat of its size would use. The National Park Service, which hired the Hornblower, plans to eventually start offering hybrid boat ferries to more cheerful destinations, like the Statue of Liberty, in the years to come. [Wired]

Could I borrow a cup of RAM?
Chances are you've been kicking yourself for not being part of the SETI@home project in the 90's, where home computerists loaned out some of their spare computer power to read through radio telescope data in the search for extraterrestrial life. Well, kick yourself no longer, because there's a new "distributed computing" project coming, and this one uses that same spare computer power to help predict climate change. You download a program called BOINC (!) and it runs weather and climate simulations in the background while you're reading awesome websites like Word of Mouth. I've been unable to find what happens if you ran BOINC and SETI@home at the same time - I suppose you'd be on the lookout for an alien lifeform with a high carbon footprint.
[Scientific American]

Now it's your turn. Share an awesome link in the comments field and together we'll make 2009 a Year of Awesome Links.

(Photo by applesticker)