- Andrew Hessel’s “pink army” presentation (SALSS 2009) was shared as a 21-minute QuickTime movie, outlining an open-source, individualized cancer-virus therapy approach.  
- A debate erupted over recent “magnetic monopole” claims: wonklab argued the experiment successfully splits a dipole into separated monopoles, while fenn dismissed it as semantic hype and sensationalist journalism.  
- kanzure circulated two assembly-planning papers: an automated generator for interactive 3-D exploded-view diagrams and “Folding a fish, making a mushroom,” a study on how diagrams guide manual assembly.  
- Low-cost photolithography was explored: a coworker claimed a complete setup could be built for “a few hundred dollars,” prompting discussion of condenser-lens optics, water-drop lenses, and DIY condenser construction from plastic or old lantern parts.  
- SKDB (the open-source hardware package manager) saw active commits: kanzure and fenn updated the todo list and assembly-proposal docs, while users debated whether the first SKDB package should be a LEGO structure, flint knife, or screw.  
- xp_prg promoted MRP (Manufacturing Resource Planning) algorithms and the Adempiere ERP system as the “standard” way to specify parts, BOMs, and routes; kanzure rejected this in favor of SKDB’s YAML-based format.  
- Practical DIY links circulated: backyardmetalcasting forums for forge building, a homemade delta-robot video, the Eyewriter low-cost eye-tracking rig, and a LEGO knife Flickr set as potential SKDB test cases.