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Thursday, September 30, 2004Spoon Art
The idea of the contest "A spoon further" appeared in 1998 in the brainy head of a contemporary Yekaterinburg artist Oleg Yelovoy. The essence of it is very simple: to give ordinary aluminum spoons, which can be found in great amounts in obshchepit (network of state public cafes, usually associated with the Soviet times and characterized by low quality food and nondescript table-ware, made of aluminum), to professional jewelers and convince them to make something resembling pieces of art out of these spoons, i.e. to see what will happen to the spoons further.
(via Bifurcated Rivets)Spoon Art
The idea of the contest "A spoon further" appeared in 1998 in the brainy head of a contemporary Yekaterinburg artist Oleg Yelovoy. The essence of it is very simple: to give ordinary aluminum spoons, which can be found in great amounts in obshchepit (network of state public cafes, usually associated with the Soviet times and characterized by low quality food and nondescript table-ware, made of aluminum), to professional jewelers and convince them to make something resembling pieces of art out of these spoons, i.e. to see what will happen to the spoons further.
(via Bifurcated Rivets)Old Time Radio Moments of the CenturyA great list but I don't undertsand how you could have great moments in radio and leave out "baba booey"(via Tom Mcmahon) Old Time Radio Moments of the CenturyA great list but I don't undertsand how you could have great moments in radio and leave out "baba booey"(via Tom Mcmahon) Hostess Wedding Cake Ok, maybe this isn't the best cake to use for your wedding but it still looks pretty damn good. (via Six Different Ways) Hostess Wedding CakeOk, maybe this isn't the best cake to use for your wedding but it still looks pretty damn good. (via Six Different Ways) Cereality
Cereality® is more than a place to get cereal. It's a new way of thinking about cereal. A new choice in fast food. And an idea whose time has come. In fact Cereality is so unique, we have a patent pending.
At Cereality, customers choose from their favorite brands and toppings. Pajama-clad Cereologists™ fill the orders. And customers choose and add their own milk, just the way they like it. Cereality
Cereality® is more than a place to get cereal. It's a new way of thinking about cereal. A new choice in fast food. And an idea whose time has come. In fact Cereality is so unique, we have a patent pending.
At Cereality, customers choose from their favorite brands and toppings. Pajama-clad Cereologists™ fill the orders. And customers choose and add their own milk, just the way they like it. The Webtender
Select the ingredients you have in your bar from this rather large list of ingredients. This list is created from all ingredients used in more than one or two drinks.
When you finish your selection, go to the bottom of the page and click the "Generate List of Drinks" button. The Webtender will then generate a list of all drinks possible to make from your selection of ingredients. If you click "Pick Random", one of the drinks you can make will be selected for you.
You can also set how accurate the match should be. The accuracy is measured in number of ingredients you miss to make a drink.
The Webtender
Select the ingredients you have in your bar from this rather large list of ingredients. This list is created from all ingredients used in more than one or two drinks.
When you finish your selection, go to the bottom of the page and click the "Generate List of Drinks" button. The Webtender will then generate a list of all drinks possible to make from your selection of ingredients. If you click "Pick Random", one of the drinks you can make will be selected for you.
You can also set how accurate the match should be. The accuracy is measured in number of ingredients you miss to make a drink.
Alphabetical List of Edison Motion Pictures These are great. You can browse through and view hundreds of movies (in RealMedia, MPEG, and Quick Time) made by Edison's company using his kinetograph. There are summaries and notes for each title. Alphabetical List of Edison Motion PicturesThese are great. You can browse through and view hundreds of movies (in RealMedia, MPEG, and Quick Time) made by Edison's company using his kinetograph. There are summaries and notes for each title. Hood Ornaments They just don't make hood ornaments like they used to. Now that I think of it, do they make them at all anymore? (via Life in the Present) Hood OrnamentsThey just don't make hood ornaments like they used to. Now that I think of it, do they make them at all anymore? (via Life in the Present) Modern Mummification How elaborate. I don't really care too much what happens to my body after I die. You could kick me around in the street like Mussolini for all i care however I would prefer cremation.
Once again, Mummification is available. A very thorough, detailed, yet gentle process that allows one to be memorialized for eternity, Mummification is the only form of Permanent Preservation. The rites of Mummification allow you to leave this life in as beautiful a manner as possible.
(via Memepool)Summum's in depth research, experience, and knowledge in realms of both science and esoterica has resulted in Modern Mummification: a synthesis of medical technology, modern chemistry, and magnificent art. Still, the Summum process of Mummification includes traditional wrappings in fine cloth (embroidered, representing your personal philosophy or religion). Modern MummificationHow elaborate. I don't really care too much what happens to my body after I die. You could kick me around in the street like Mussolini for all i care however I would prefer cremation.
Once again, Mummification is available. A very thorough, detailed, yet gentle process that allows one to be memorialized for eternity, Mummification is the only form of Permanent Preservation. The rites of Mummification allow you to leave this life in as beautiful a manner as possible.
(via Memepool)Summum's in depth research, experience, and knowledge in realms of both science and esoterica has resulted in Modern Mummification: a synthesis of medical technology, modern chemistry, and magnificent art. Still, the Summum process of Mummification includes traditional wrappings in fine cloth (embroidered, representing your personal philosophy or religion). Wednesday, September 29, 2004Turkish Star Wars Oh man, I have heard of Turkish Star Wars but I haven't seen it until now. IFILM has a few clips of it and I have to say it doesn't disappoint. The movie isn't really a remake of Star Wars but uses a lot of footage from it. It also has music from Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars and for some reason Raiders of the Lost Ark. (Hey at that point why not throw in the music from Jaws too.) How bad is the movie? Think of a less-talented Ed Wood directing it.Turkish Star WarsOh man, I have heard of Turkish Star Wars but I haven't seen it until now. IFILM has a few clips of it and I have to say it doesn't disappoint. The movie isn't really a remake of Star Wars but uses a lot of footage from it. It also has music from Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars and for some reason Raiders of the Lost Ark. (Hey at that point why not throw in the music from Jaws too.) How bad is the movie? Think of a less-talented Ed Wood directing it.Should You Tip At Starbucks?A good debate going on at the Starbucks Gossip blog about whether or not you should tip while ordering your drink. For the record, I would place Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts in the same category as fast food. Last time I checked, nobody was tipping the person behind the counter of Burger King so why is Starbucks different?Should You Tip At Starbucks?A good debate going on at the Starbucks Gossip blog about whether or not you should tip while ordering your drink. For the record, I would place Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts in the same category as fast food. Last time I checked, nobody was tipping the person behind the counter of Burger King so why is Starbucks different?Star Wars Trilogy DVD ReviewThis was on Slashdot this morning and is quite good. It is a massive review of the new Star Wars dvds that just came out. Well worth a read if you are a Star Wars fan. I especially liked the section labeled Why Darth Vader Is The Hands-Down Most Fearsome Movie Villain of All Time:
He will walk straight into the sites of ferocious battles, just minutes after they've been settled. Be it Hoth or Princess Leia's ship, the guy is not afraid to get his hands dirty and bat clean-up.
He can wear a cape and still inspire fear and dread. He can alter a deal multiple times on Billy Dee Williams. He'll slice off his son's right arm, throw appliances at him, then watch him plummet down a giant hole, all while undiplomatically breaking some big family news. The guy will leap into a TIE fighter himself and enter the heat of interstellar battle, flanked by only a couple of pilots, who, as the records show, have an excellent chance of flying into each other. Star Wars Trilogy DVD ReviewThis was on Slashdot this morning and is quite good. It is a massive review of the new Star Wars dvds that just came out. Well worth a read if you are a Star Wars fan. I especially liked the section labeled Why Darth Vader Is The Hands-Down Most Fearsome Movie Villain of All Time:
He will walk straight into the sites of ferocious battles, just minutes after they've been settled. Be it Hoth or Princess Leia's ship, the guy is not afraid to get his hands dirty and bat clean-up.
He can wear a cape and still inspire fear and dread. He can alter a deal multiple times on Billy Dee Williams. He'll slice off his son's right arm, throw appliances at him, then watch him plummet down a giant hole, all while undiplomatically breaking some big family news. The guy will leap into a TIE fighter himself and enter the heat of interstellar battle, flanked by only a couple of pilots, who, as the records show, have an excellent chance of flying into each other. Televised Debate History From 1960 to 2000, this site has video, pictures, headlines and other resources for each televised debate. Televised Debate HistoryFrom 1960 to 2000, this site has video, pictures, headlines and other resources for each televised debate. Anne Rice Strikes BackIf you go to any review on Amazon.com, you almost always find a good mix of people from those who hated a particular novel to those who love it. Do authors take any of these negative reviews from readers to heart? If you are Anne Rice you do. She had a few things (more like an essay) to say about the negative reviews that customers were giving her novel Blood Canticle.(The Vampire Chronicles) Her statement is at the bottom of this page (but I don't know how long the link will last) labeled Anne Obrien Rice. If you can't find it there try here.Is it common for an author, especially one as prolific as Anne Rice, to answer bad reviews on Amazon?
First off, let me say that this is addressed only to some of you, who have posted outrageously negative comments here, and not to all. You are interrogating this text from the wrong perspective. Indeed, you aren't even reading it. You are projecting your own limitations on it. And you are giving a whole new meaning to the words "wide readership." And you have strained my Dickensean principles to the max. I'm justifiably proud of being read by intellectual giants and waitresses in trailer parks,in fact, I love it, but who in the world are you?
One thing I have to say is this is the most riveting thing I have read from her since Interview With A Vampire. Oh, and she gave her book 5 stars. HA!Anne Rice Strikes BackIf you go to any review on Amazon.com, you almost always find a good mix of people from those who hated a particular novel to those who love it. Do authors take any of these negative reviews from readers to heart? If you are Anne Rice you do. She had a few things (more like an essay) to say about the negative reviews that customers were giving her novel Blood Canticle.(The Vampire Chronicles) Her statement is at the bottom of this page (but I don't know how long the link will last) labeled Anne Obrien Rice. If you can't find it there try here.Is it common for an author, especially one as prolific as Anne Rice, to answer bad reviews on Amazon?
First off, let me say that this is addressed only to some of you, who have posted outrageously negative comments here, and not to all. You are interrogating this text from the wrong perspective. Indeed, you aren't even reading it. You are projecting your own limitations on it. And you are giving a whole new meaning to the words "wide readership." And you have strained my Dickensean principles to the max. I'm justifiably proud of being read by intellectual giants and waitresses in trailer parks,in fact, I love it, but who in the world are you?
One thing I have to say is this is the most riveting thing I have read from her since Interview With A Vampire. Oh, and she gave her book 5 stars. HA!Today In Alternate HistoryThis is one of the most original ideas for a blog I have come across. The tagline is Important Events in History That Never Occurred Today. He takes a something historical and adds a small twist.Here are some of the entries for September 26, 2004:
in 1965, famed musician Pete Best was decorated by the Queen with the Order of the British Empire. Her son, Prince Charles, was a huge fan of Best’s music, and Best recalled later that Charles had behaved as if Best were the royalty.
in 1960, Comrade President Joel Rosenberg and Socialist candidate Lyndon Johnson of Texas engage in the first televised presidential debate. Johnson appeared distinctly uncomfortable with the cameras, where the Comrade President, who had been in front of cameras for years, appeared very relaxed. On substance, they were evenly matched, but on appearance, Comrade Rosenberg scored an easy win, just as when he carried the polls in November. in 1774, Jonathan Chapman, known by the popular name Johnny Appleseed, was born in Leominster, Massachusetts. Even as a young man, Chapman had a love for growing things, and this served him in good stead when he was made the longest-serving Minister of Agriculture for the North American Confederation. He served from 1811-1836. Today In Alternate HistoryThis is one of the most original ideas for a blog I have come across. The tagline is Important Events in History That Never Occurred Today. He takes a something historical and adds a small twist.Here are some of the entries for September 26, 2004:
in 1965, famed musician Pete Best was decorated by the Queen with the Order of the British Empire. Her son, Prince Charles, was a huge fan of Best’s music, and Best recalled later that Charles had behaved as if Best were the royalty.
in 1960, Comrade President Joel Rosenberg and Socialist candidate Lyndon Johnson of Texas engage in the first televised presidential debate. Johnson appeared distinctly uncomfortable with the cameras, where the Comrade President, who had been in front of cameras for years, appeared very relaxed. On substance, they were evenly matched, but on appearance, Comrade Rosenberg scored an easy win, just as when he carried the polls in November. in 1774, Jonathan Chapman, known by the popular name Johnny Appleseed, was born in Leominster, Massachusetts. Even as a young man, Chapman had a love for growing things, and this served him in good stead when he was made the longest-serving Minister of Agriculture for the North American Confederation. He served from 1811-1836. Wingless 727 Limo This is impressive. Stupid, but impressive.
Keeping with things that fly, Vaca Meter Limousines has converted an old Boeing 727-100 and converted it into a 50-seat luxury limousine. For about $300 an hour, Limousines de Guadalajar Vaca Meters will fly, uh transport you and your closest 49 friends around Mexico. It’s powered by a six-cylinder, turbocharged diesel engine in the back and has air brakes and suspension. The bird is about 54’ long and 12’ wide. Truck-style wheels and suspension replace the landing gear and on the inside, passengers are treated to neon strobes, a dance floor, a bar and a romantic space in the back to _________. (fill in the blank).
Wingless 727 LimoThis is impressive. Stupid, but impressive.
Keeping with things that fly, Vaca Meter Limousines has converted an old Boeing 727-100 and converted it into a 50-seat luxury limousine. For about $300 an hour, Limousines de Guadalajar Vaca Meters will fly, uh transport you and your closest 49 friends around Mexico. It’s powered by a six-cylinder, turbocharged diesel engine in the back and has air brakes and suspension. The bird is about 54’ long and 12’ wide. Truck-style wheels and suspension replace the landing gear and on the inside, passengers are treated to neon strobes, a dance floor, a bar and a romantic space in the back to _________. (fill in the blank).
Old Jigsaw Puzzles
Impressive collection of old jigsaw puzzles some of which are from the 19th century. (via Grow a Brain) Old Jigsaw Puzzles
Impressive collection of old jigsaw puzzles some of which are from the 19th century. (via Grow a Brain) Tuesday, September 28, 2004ThanksI just realized that I started this blog one year ago today. When I started the blog, I had no idea that it would end up being such a rewarding hobby. I simply thought it would be a good idea to place all the interesting links I found on a blog instead of sending them in emails to my friends. I never really expected such a positive response from people who have surfed here from other blogs or from a search engine. I want to say Thank You to those who stop by for a few minutes throughout the week or drop an email or a comment and to the other bloggers who have been so kind as to put me on their blogroll. I probably would have stopped blogging a long time ago if it weren't for all of you so thank you.Ok, back to the links! ThanksI just realized that I started this blog one year ago today. When I started the blog, I had no idea that it would end up being such a rewarding hobby. I simply thought it would be a good idea to place all the interesting links I found on a blog instead of sending them in emails to my friends. I never really expected such a positive response from people who have surfed here from other blogs or from a search engine. I want to say Thank You to those who stop by for a few minutes throughout the week or drop an email or a comment and to the other bloggers who have been so kind as to put me on their blogroll. I probably would have stopped blogging a long time ago if it weren't for all of you so thank you.Ok, back to the links! Is This You?
we've been collecting these pictures for some years now. they come from photobooths and pavements all over the UK.
the isthisyou project was born out of a simple question: is it possible to reunite these images with their owners?
you can help by e-mailing this url to people you know.
then, perhaps, one day, someone will recognise themselves on isthisyou
Apparently they have been able to track down a few of the people already.(via All Things Christie) Is This You?
we've been collecting these pictures for some years now. they come from photobooths and pavements all over the UK.
the isthisyou project was born out of a simple question: is it possible to reunite these images with their owners?
you can help by e-mailing this url to people you know.
then, perhaps, one day, someone will recognise themselves on isthisyou
Apparently they have been able to track down a few of the people already.(via All Things Christie) Home Built CD Changer Contraption Cool hack but a bit too elaborate for changing a cd.
My first thought was to come up with something extremely simple, with no electronics. Ideally, the motion of the cd tray would trip some sort of mechanism that would eject the CD from the tray and insert the next one. After months of thinking, I still hadn't thought of a mechanism that had a hope of actually working.
The next idea was to pick up the CD, but how to pick it up? Vacuum came to mind, but that would get complicated, vacuum pump, solenoid valves, and all. Finally I decided to just pick up the CD by the hole, with an expanding finger, shown at right. The finger's end consists of a cone that inserts in the CD hold up to the shoulder. The whole finger is cut in half, and pivoted. The pivot is just to the right of the blue rubber band. Its a nail, which rests in a grove in either half. The rubber band is the only thing holding it together. The solenoid on the right pulls the pieces together on the back, which spreads the front of the finger, and holds the CD by friction fit. The shape of the cone is a bit tricky. It has to be made in such a way that it will hold one CD securely, but never a second. Home Built CD Changer ContraptionCool hack but a bit too elaborate for changing a cd.
My first thought was to come up with something extremely simple, with no electronics. Ideally, the motion of the cd tray would trip some sort of mechanism that would eject the CD from the tray and insert the next one. After months of thinking, I still hadn't thought of a mechanism that had a hope of actually working.
The next idea was to pick up the CD, but how to pick it up? Vacuum came to mind, but that would get complicated, vacuum pump, solenoid valves, and all. Finally I decided to just pick up the CD by the hole, with an expanding finger, shown at right. The finger's end consists of a cone that inserts in the CD hold up to the shoulder. The whole finger is cut in half, and pivoted. The pivot is just to the right of the blue rubber band. Its a nail, which rests in a grove in either half. The rubber band is the only thing holding it together. The solenoid on the right pulls the pieces together on the back, which spreads the front of the finger, and holds the CD by friction fit. The shape of the cone is a bit tricky. It has to be made in such a way that it will hold one CD securely, but never a second. Yours is a Very Bad Hotel I guess this is an oldie but it's the first time I have seen it. It is a hilarious Powerpoint presentation created by two men who were a bit peeved at how Doubletree treated them. Snopes has it as being true. (via Ishbadiddle) Yours is a Very Bad HotelI guess this is an oldie but it's the first time I have seen it. It is a hilarious Powerpoint presentation created by two men who were a bit peeved at how Doubletree treated them. Snopes has it as being true. (via Ishbadiddle) The Worst Jobs in HistoryA list and explanation of some of the more less desirable jobs throughout history. For example, would you want to be a Saltpetre Man?
Seeking Rough Ralphs and Welsh Wills. The Saltpetre Company – whose slogan you will no doubt be aware of: 'We're taking the piss' – are recruiting door-to-door collectors in your area.
The position requires you to force your way into premises to collect as much urine as possible. The homes of friends, family, neighbours and even the clergy can be broken into if needs be and the precious urine extracted for the manufacture of saltpetre, which in turn will be used to make gunpowder. The Worst Jobs in HistoryA list and explanation of some of the more less desirable jobs throughout history. For example, would you want to be a Saltpetre Man?
Seeking Rough Ralphs and Welsh Wills. The Saltpetre Company – whose slogan you will no doubt be aware of: 'We're taking the piss' – are recruiting door-to-door collectors in your area.
The position requires you to force your way into premises to collect as much urine as possible. The homes of friends, family, neighbours and even the clergy can be broken into if needs be and the precious urine extracted for the manufacture of saltpetre, which in turn will be used to make gunpowder. Stereoscopic Images of Lighter than Air Flight
This is a great gallery of stereo cards from the early 20th Century with pictures of zepplins, hot air balloons and even wrecks of the airships. (via Monkeyfilter) Stereoscopic Images of Lighter than Air Flight
This is a great gallery of stereo cards from the early 20th Century with pictures of zepplins, hot air balloons and even wrecks of the airships. (via Monkeyfilter) Historic Cities
The high resolution pictures of these maps are great.
This site contains maps, literature, documents, books and other relevant material concerning the past, present and future of historic cities and facilitates the location of similar content on the web.
(via MonkeyFilter)Historic Cities
The high resolution pictures of these maps are great.
This site contains maps, literature, documents, books and other relevant material concerning the past, present and future of historic cities and facilitates the location of similar content on the web.
(via MonkeyFilter)Smiley Tree Face Set Make your tree look like an ent for only $19.95.
Does a tree have a spirit? If so, this clever set brings it to life! Hang the pieces on a tree. Resin, crafted to look like weathered bark. Way larger-than-life but, like any face, may vary: 5.5"w mouth, 6.5"l nose, 4.5" dia. eyes. Gift wrap is available.
(via J-Walk)Smiley Tree Face SetMake your tree look like an ent for only $19.95.
Does a tree have a spirit? If so, this clever set brings it to life! Hang the pieces on a tree. Resin, crafted to look like weathered bark. Way larger-than-life but, like any face, may vary: 5.5"w mouth, 6.5"l nose, 4.5" dia. eyes. Gift wrap is available.
(via J-Walk)Korean War Veteran's MemoirsIf you are interested in first hand accounts of the Korean War, you might want to check out the Korean War Educator site. Lots of memoirs written by soldiers who served on the front lines.
North Koreans, they were vicious. They would sneak into your lines, take an hour to crawl an inch, and once they got into your trench they’d go through it killing everyone until somebody killed them. This would always set everybody’s nerves on edge. In fact, one poor guy in one of the other companies, an assistant squad leader, saw something coming down the trench, he started yelling the password, and the person coming ignored him. He panicked, shot and killed the guy. It was his squad leader. He went berserk and they had to send him home. I saw others who couldn’t handle the war very well. I was getting shower, change of clothes and I was going back up on the hill. This young kid was with me carrying an M-1. I had a 45. He kept pointing his M-1 in my face telling me “They’re just 13 yards away.” And I kept shoving the barrel away from my face, saying “Yes, I know, I’m right here too.”
(Thanks Anonymous)Korean War Veteran's MemoirsIf you are interested in first hand accounts of the Korean War, you might want to check out the Korean War Educator site. Lots of memoirs written by soldiers who served on the front lines.
North Koreans, they were vicious. They would sneak into your lines, take an hour to crawl an inch, and once they got into your trench they’d go through it killing everyone until somebody killed them. This would always set everybody’s nerves on edge. In fact, one poor guy in one of the other companies, an assistant squad leader, saw something coming down the trench, he started yelling the password, and the person coming ignored him. He panicked, shot and killed the guy. It was his squad leader. He went berserk and they had to send him home. I saw others who couldn’t handle the war very well. I was getting shower, change of clothes and I was going back up on the hill. This young kid was with me carrying an M-1. I had a 45. He kept pointing his M-1 in my face telling me “They’re just 13 yards away.” And I kept shoving the barrel away from my face, saying “Yes, I know, I’m right here too.”
(Thanks Anonymous)Monday, September 27, 2004History of Car Logos
Want to know what is the story behind car logos? This site can tell you. Here is the history of the BMW logo:
The BMW roundel is a stylised, rotating airscrew - the blue representing the sky. That's right - Bayerische Motoren Werke built military aero engines for the planes that bombed the factories that they now own. It's a funny old world.
(via Exclamation Mark)History of Car Logos
Want to know what is the story behind car logos? This site can tell you. Here is the history of the BMW logo:
The BMW roundel is a stylised, rotating airscrew - the blue representing the sky. That's right - Bayerische Motoren Werke built military aero engines for the planes that bombed the factories that they now own. It's a funny old world.
(via Exclamation Mark)Make Your Own Instrument This site is a great resource if you are interested in building your own guitar, flute, or even a bagpipe.
We link to over 400 pages on acoustic guitar building, electric guitar making, violin making, dulcimer making, mandolin building, and all other types of lutherie; pickup making, winding, and rewinding; flute, recorder, and bagpipe making; brass instrument building and repair; drum making; experimental musical instruments construction and design; as well as pages on woodworking, metalworking, and guitar finishing and refinishing. We list these webpages as a service to folks visiting The Musical Instrument Makers Forum, whom we assume are here because of an interest in building musical instruments. Therefore these links are heavily weighted towards pages that provide information for instrument builders and musicians, with a few non-musical sites we have found useful thrown in for good measure.
(via Metafilter)Make Your Own InstrumentThis site is a great resource if you are interested in building your own guitar, flute, or even a bagpipe.
We link to over 400 pages on acoustic guitar building, electric guitar making, violin making, dulcimer making, mandolin building, and all other types of lutherie; pickup making, winding, and rewinding; flute, recorder, and bagpipe making; brass instrument building and repair; drum making; experimental musical instruments construction and design; as well as pages on woodworking, metalworking, and guitar finishing and refinishing. We list these webpages as a service to folks visiting The Musical Instrument Makers Forum, whom we assume are here because of an interest in building musical instruments. Therefore these links are heavily weighted towards pages that provide information for instrument builders and musicians, with a few non-musical sites we have found useful thrown in for good measure.
(via Metafilter)Sky Ear
Sky Ear seems like a pretty good project and they have a nice time-elapse video of them putting the project together although I kind of wish they had some sound files of what it sounds like when you dial in to it.
Sky Ear is a one-night event in which a glowing "cloud" of mobile phones and helium balloons is released into the air so that people can dial into the cloud and listen to the sounds of the sky.
(via del.icio.us)The cloud consists of 1000 extra-large helium balloons that each contain 6 ultra-bright LEDs (which mix to make millions of colours). The balloons can communicate with each other via infra-red; this allows them to send signals to create larger patterns across the entire Sky Ear cloud as they respond to the electromagnetic environment (created by distant storms, mobile phones, police and ambulance radios, television broadcasts, etc.). Sky Ear
Sky Ear seems like a pretty good project and they have a nice time-elapse video of them putting the project together although I kind of wish they had some sound files of what it sounds like when you dial in to it.
Sky Ear is a one-night event in which a glowing "cloud" of mobile phones and helium balloons is released into the air so that people can dial into the cloud and listen to the sounds of the sky.
(via del.icio.us)The cloud consists of 1000 extra-large helium balloons that each contain 6 ultra-bright LEDs (which mix to make millions of colours). The balloons can communicate with each other via infra-red; this allows them to send signals to create larger patterns across the entire Sky Ear cloud as they respond to the electromagnetic environment (created by distant storms, mobile phones, police and ambulance radios, television broadcasts, etc.). The Wave PillowInteresting idea. Really crappy website. Seriously, I started watching the video, moused over a graphic by accident and the video ended and went to a different page. Grrr.
The Wave Pillow is made for Surfers who ride waves in the ocean.
It is important for Surfers to know how good the waves are, very early in the morning. Which is usually between 5-7 am because that's when the waves are best. ... The Wave Pillow does this by vibrating depending on how good the waves are. If the waves are big it vibrates strong, if they are small it vibrates little and if the wind direction is bad for surfing it doesn't vibrate at all. The Wave PillowInteresting idea. Really crappy website. Seriously, I started watching the video, moused over a graphic by accident and the video ended and went to a different page. Grrr.
The Wave Pillow is made for Surfers who ride waves in the ocean.
It is important for Surfers to know how good the waves are, very early in the morning. Which is usually between 5-7 am because that's when the waves are best. ... The Wave Pillow does this by vibrating depending on how good the waves are. If the waves are big it vibrates strong, if they are small it vibrates little and if the wind direction is bad for surfing it doesn't vibrate at all. Tugboat does Submarine Impression
Check out this series of pictures of a tugboat that ends up capsizing because it is too tall to go under a bridge and coming up running on the other side. Tugboat does Submarine Impression
Check out this series of pictures of a tugboat that ends up capsizing because it is too tall to go under a bridge and coming up running on the other side. The Schilovsky Gyrocar
Looks like an oversized motorcycle.
In 1912 the Russian Count Peter P Schilovski, a lawyer and member of the Russian royal family, visited the Wolseley Tool and Motorcar Company, and laid before their engineers plans for a two-wheeled gyroscopically-stabilised car. At that time Wolseley were a sizable manufacturer producing ordinary cars, double-decker buses, taxicabs, lorries and even powerboat engines.
(via linkfilter)The Wolseley men were clearly impressed, as the job was accepted, and work began immediately, under the supervision of A W Dring, the Chief Experimental Engineer. The chassis took a year to build, which seems impressively fast given the amount of experimentation that must have been needed. The Schilovsky Gyrocar
Looks like an oversized motorcycle.
In 1912 the Russian Count Peter P Schilovski, a lawyer and member of the Russian royal family, visited the Wolseley Tool and Motorcar Company, and laid before their engineers plans for a two-wheeled gyroscopically-stabilised car. At that time Wolseley were a sizable manufacturer producing ordinary cars, double-decker buses, taxicabs, lorries and even powerboat engines.
(via linkfilter)The Wolseley men were clearly impressed, as the job was accepted, and work began immediately, under the supervision of A W Dring, the Chief Experimental Engineer. The chassis took a year to build, which seems impressively fast given the amount of experimentation that must have been needed. Escher For Real
The work of M.C. Escher needs no introduction. We have all learned to appreciate the impossibilities that this master of illusion's artwork presents to the layman's eye. Nevertheless, it may come as a surprise for some, but many of the so-called 'impossible' drawings of M. C. Escher can be realized as actual physical objects. These objects will resemble the Escher's drawing, of the same name, from a certain viewing direction. This work below presents some of these three-dimensional models that were designed and built using geometric modeling and computer graphics tools.
(via Burp)Escher For Real
The work of M.C. Escher needs no introduction. We have all learned to appreciate the impossibilities that this master of illusion's artwork presents to the layman's eye. Nevertheless, it may come as a surprise for some, but many of the so-called 'impossible' drawings of M. C. Escher can be realized as actual physical objects. These objects will resemble the Escher's drawing, of the same name, from a certain viewing direction. This work below presents some of these three-dimensional models that were designed and built using geometric modeling and computer graphics tools.
(via Burp)LSD Blotter Art Gallery
Black market LSD blotter generally bears art or a design printed on the paper. The paper is perforated into individual "tabs" or "hits" approximately 1/4 in. x 1/4 in. The sheets are then dipped in a solution containing a known quantity of LSD or have LSD applied with a dropper creating a relatively consistent dosage per tab.
(via The Eyes Have It )The creation of blotter has become an underground art form leading to an array of creative and stunning designs. It is likely that a few of the blotter designs shown have never been dipped and were created purely as art. LSD Blotter Art Gallery
Black market LSD blotter generally bears art or a design printed on the paper. The paper is perforated into individual "tabs" or "hits" approximately 1/4 in. x 1/4 in. The sheets are then dipped in a solution containing a known quantity of LSD or have LSD applied with a dropper creating a relatively consistent dosage per tab.
(via The Eyes Have It )The creation of blotter has become an underground art form leading to an array of creative and stunning designs. It is likely that a few of the blotter designs shown have never been dipped and were created purely as art. Pulp Politicians
Cute flash with politicians playing the roles in Pulp Fiction. (via World Famous in the Philippines) Pulp Politicians
Cute flash with politicians playing the roles in Pulp Fiction. (via World Famous in the Philippines) Friday, September 24, 2004The Electras Complete with sample mp3s!
The Electras, who first formed a band in 1961 as high school students, have recently been thrust back in the spotlight thanks to their bass player being none other than Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry. This CD is response to the demand for a re-issue of the group's only recording, featuring such hits as Yellow Jacket, Torquay, and Shangaied. There are rumors of a reunion performance between now and November 2004.
(Thanks Jason)The ElectrasComplete with sample mp3s!
The Electras, who first formed a band in 1961 as high school students, have recently been thrust back in the spotlight thanks to their bass player being none other than Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry. This CD is response to the demand for a re-issue of the group's only recording, featuring such hits as Yellow Jacket, Torquay, and Shangaied. There are rumors of a reunion performance between now and November 2004.
(Thanks Jason)Wooden iMac Server
This is my iMac server. I built it into a wooden box. It is run as a pure server, completely headless. This servers hosts this page, so if you are reading this then you are connected to my 'box'. This box is colocated in the Digital Forest within a few feet of MacSlash and Applefritter.
The basic story is that I took an iMac I got for $25 and put it in a box I bought at Fred Meyer's for $18. Then I added a mini ATX power supply, an LED fan, and a dual cold cathode light kit. The total cost to complete the project was less than $200. Wooden iMac Server
This is my iMac server. I built it into a wooden box. It is run as a pure server, completely headless. This servers hosts this page, so if you are reading this then you are connected to my 'box'. This box is colocated in the Digital Forest within a few feet of MacSlash and Applefritter.
The basic story is that I took an iMac I got for $25 and put it in a box I bought at Fred Meyer's for $18. Then I added a mini ATX power supply, an LED fan, and a dual cold cathode light kit. The total cost to complete the project was less than $200. The American Presidency ProjectA great resource site if you are looking for Presidential Public Papers, Inaugural Addresses or State of the Union Addresses. Here are the first few lines of President Lincoln's 1861 Inaugural Address:
In the midst of unprecedented political troubles we have cause of great gratitude to God for unusual good health and most abundant harvests.
You will not be surprised to learn that in the peculiar exigencies of the times our intercourse with foreign nations has been attended with profound solicitude, chiefly turning upon our own domestic affairs. A disloyal portion of the American people have during the whole year been engaged in an attempt to divide and destroy the Union. A nation which endures factious domestic division is exposed to disrespect abroad, and one party, if not both, is sure sooner or later to invoke foreign intervention. The American Presidency ProjectA great resource site if you are looking for Presidential Public Papers, Inaugural Addresses or State of the Union Addresses. Here are the first few lines of President Lincoln's 1861 Inaugural Address:
In the midst of unprecedented political troubles we have cause of great gratitude to God for unusual good health and most abundant harvests.
You will not be surprised to learn that in the peculiar exigencies of the times our intercourse with foreign nations has been attended with profound solicitude, chiefly turning upon our own domestic affairs. A disloyal portion of the American people have during the whole year been engaged in an attempt to divide and destroy the Union. A nation which endures factious domestic division is exposed to disrespect abroad, and one party, if not both, is sure sooner or later to invoke foreign intervention. Notes from the RoadThis website is great. I have only read one of the stories on it, The Kuna Indians and Island Settlement in Carribean Panama which was excellent.
Welcome to a world of rough roads, rum, world history, ecology, geography and human nature. Welcome to Notes from the Road.
Notes from the Road is a project in experimental travel writing - it is about subjective travel; the kind of real world of random things and real people. Notes from the RoadThis website is great. I have only read one of the stories on it, The Kuna Indians and Island Settlement in Carribean Panama which was excellent.
Welcome to a world of rough roads, rum, world history, ecology, geography and human nature. Welcome to Notes from the Road.
Notes from the Road is a project in experimental travel writing - it is about subjective travel; the kind of real world of random things and real people. How To Make a Violin Piece of cake. The creation of a violin is illustrated in 45 pictures.(via Memepool) How To Make a ViolinPiece of cake. The creation of a violin is illustrated in 45 pictures.(via Memepool) The Smallest Pong GameThe World's Smallest Website has The World's Smallest Pong Game. It's nice. Small though.The Smallest Pong GameThe World's Smallest Website has The World's Smallest Pong Game. It's nice. Small though.Breakup by Powerpoint
An alleged breakup by using Powerpoint. Probably not real but kind of funny anyway. Update: Someone in the comments alerted me that the site has been goatse'd so I am taking down the link. Breakup by Powerpoint
An alleged breakup by using Powerpoint. Probably not real but kind of funny anyway. Update: Someone in the comments alerted me that the site has been goatse'd so I am taking down the link. Thursday, September 23, 2004Ear Cone
What is the Ear Cone? The OTOSAN cone is a natural method for practically looking after ear hygiene by yourself and without risk. This preventive hygienic practice gives a feeling of well-being and relief from the problem from the very first application.Yes, sticking a flaming piece of paper in my ear seems entirely without risk to me. (via Random Abstract) Ear Cone
What is the Ear Cone? The OTOSAN cone is a natural method for practically looking after ear hygiene by yourself and without risk. This preventive hygienic practice gives a feeling of well-being and relief from the problem from the very first application.Yes, sticking a flaming piece of paper in my ear seems entirely without risk to me. (via Random Abstract) Firefox Shortcut KeysI use Firefox about 90% of the time. I didn't know about most of these shortcut keys however. Very helpful.Firefox Shortcut KeysI use Firefox about 90% of the time. I didn't know about most of these shortcut keys however. Very helpful.Large Scaled Locomotive World Record Attempt This seems like a weird world record to want to try to break. Using two Diesel outline locomotives, one a gas powered hydraulic GP38, the other a battery powered electric GP60, an attempt was made to break the distance traveled in 24 hours by a ride-able scale locomotive. The current record, authenticated by the "Guinness Book of Records" is 168 miles, set in England in 1994.(via Boing Boing) Large Scaled Locomotive World Record AttemptThis seems like a weird world record to want to try to break. Using two Diesel outline locomotives, one a gas powered hydraulic GP38, the other a battery powered electric GP60, an attempt was made to break the distance traveled in 24 hours by a ride-able scale locomotive. The current record, authenticated by the "Guinness Book of Records" is 168 miles, set in England in 1994.(via Boing Boing) 10 Worst Rock Stars EverThis list was pretty funny. Here is an example.#5 Steven Tyler – If you’re reading this column, it probably means you hate Aerosmith. How do I come to that conclusion? Because if you’re reading this column, it means that you’re the kind of person who is prone to reading things. Steven Tyler, of course, is the bass-faced lead singer of that abominable musical puppy-farm. To put things into perspective, Aerosmith released their first album only shortly after The Who and Led Zeppelin peaked. Now, one hundred and forty five years later, they’re one of the only “Classic Rock” acts that are still regularly putting out records that people buy. Why? Because people don’t know their asses from their elbows.(via Bifurcated Rivets) 10 Worst Rock Stars EverThis list was pretty funny. Here is an example.#5 Steven Tyler – If you’re reading this column, it probably means you hate Aerosmith. How do I come to that conclusion? Because if you’re reading this column, it means that you’re the kind of person who is prone to reading things. Steven Tyler, of course, is the bass-faced lead singer of that abominable musical puppy-farm. To put things into perspective, Aerosmith released their first album only shortly after The Who and Led Zeppelin peaked. Now, one hundred and forty five years later, they’re one of the only “Classic Rock” acts that are still regularly putting out records that people buy. Why? Because people don’t know their asses from their elbows.(via Bifurcated Rivets) Wednesday, September 22, 2004Who is Stealing My Signs?
These videos are great. In the Month of August, 2004, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,Oh he has a blog about it too. Who is Stealing My Signs?
These videos are great. In the Month of August, 2004, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,Oh he has a blog about it too. 1957 Atomic Revolution Comic Even if you don't like comics this is interesting. I found this wonderful thing (scroll down beyond introduction) completely by accident on a very lucky day at an estate sale earlier this year. As far as I can tell this comic book is, forgive me for using this term but it deserves it - unbelievably - unknown. I even showed it to some friends who collect peculiar comics like this and none of them had ever heard of it (and a couple offered, no, demanded I sell it to them on the spot, heh. sorry.) nor could I find any mention of it in books or on the web. So enjoying the idea that this is a discovery, I have posted it here. It's certainly a very strange time capsule at the very least.(via del.icio.us) 1957 Atomic Revolution ComicEven if you don't like comics this is interesting. I found this wonderful thing (scroll down beyond introduction) completely by accident on a very lucky day at an estate sale earlier this year. As far as I can tell this comic book is, forgive me for using this term but it deserves it - unbelievably - unknown. I even showed it to some friends who collect peculiar comics like this and none of them had ever heard of it (and a couple offered, no, demanded I sell it to them on the spot, heh. sorry.) nor could I find any mention of it in books or on the web. So enjoying the idea that this is a discovery, I have posted it here. It's certainly a very strange time capsule at the very least.(via del.icio.us) 66 Polaroids that Never Existed Most of these are bizarre but there are a few good ones. (via lonita's links log) 66 Polaroids that Never ExistedMost of these are bizarre but there are a few good ones. (via lonita's links log) More Disgraceful Toys A few weeks ago somebody found some toys of a plane hitting the World Trade Center. This week the same company apparently is putting out toy cellphones with Osama bin Laden's picture on it. From WFTV.com: KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Channel 9 has discovered another controversial toy. A local mother took a closer look at the toy and realized something wasn't right. It's a toy cell phone with a picture of Osama bin Laden on it with one word above it, "King." More Disgraceful ToysA few weeks ago somebody found some toys of a plane hitting the World Trade Center. This week the same company apparently is putting out toy cellphones with Osama bin Laden's picture on it. From WFTV.com: KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Channel 9 has discovered another controversial toy. A local mother took a closer look at the toy and realized something wasn't right. It's a toy cell phone with a picture of Osama bin Laden on it with one word above it, "King." The Inflatable Museum Welcome! The Inflatable Museum is a gathering place for objects, performances and environments that are resigned to instability. Artists explore the structural parameters of a virtual exhibition space by contrasting flat "cyber" space with images of inflatability(via Reality Carnival) The Inflatable MuseumWelcome! The Inflatable Museum is a gathering place for objects, performances and environments that are resigned to instability. Artists explore the structural parameters of a virtual exhibition space by contrasting flat "cyber" space with images of inflatability(via Reality Carnival) Hurricane Ivan Before and After Photos
 The USGS has some amazing but tragic before and after photos of Hurricane Ivan. Mother Nature can be a real bitch when she wants to. (via Metafilter) Hurricane Ivan Before and After Photos
The USGS has some amazing but tragic before and after photos of Hurricane Ivan. Mother Nature can be a real bitch when she wants to. (via Metafilter) Mechanical Version of Pong This is pretty cool although one version of it is in German and it took me a few minutes to get AltaVista to translate the page. Then I noticed the little link up to that says "English Version". Doh. Pongmechanik is an absolutely physical game. The game is realized electromechanically, and essentially consists of four elements: A relay computer, the mechanical movement with collision detection, the display and the acoustic components. Mechanical Version of PongThis is pretty cool although one version of it is in German and it took me a few minutes to get AltaVista to translate the page. Then I noticed the little link up to that says "English Version". Doh. Pongmechanik is an absolutely physical game. The game is realized electromechanically, and essentially consists of four elements: A relay computer, the mechanical movement with collision detection, the display and the acoustic components. God vs. BushI thought it was an interesting coincidence that a state with questionable presidential election results would be pummeled by hurricanes just before the next election. Then I thought it was an interesting coincidence that the storms spared Miami, who voted for Gore in 2000. Just out of curiosity, I overlaid two maps: one of the tracks of the hurricanes of 2004, and one of the election results of 2000.This is poppycock. Everyone knows that God is for Lyndon LaRouche! God vs. BushI thought it was an interesting coincidence that a state with questionable presidential election results would be pummeled by hurricanes just before the next election. Then I thought it was an interesting coincidence that the storms spared Miami, who voted for Gore in 2000. Just out of curiosity, I overlaid two maps: one of the tracks of the hurricanes of 2004, and one of the election results of 2000.This is poppycock. Everyone knows that God is for Lyndon LaRouche! More Interracial Dating BooksYesterday I posted a link to a book called "How to Date a White Woman, A Practical Guide for Asian Men" Now I find out that there is another book on Amazon called "The Interracial Dating Book For Black Women Who Want To Date White Men" by Adam White (I am sure his last name is a coincidence). The best part about this book is Amazon let's you read the first few pages. My comments are in bold.Why Black Women Date White MenOk enough of this silliness. All of these books are missing the main point by a mile. Date the person, not the skin color or ethnicity. It is that simple. More Interracial Dating BooksYesterday I posted a link to a book called "How to Date a White Woman, A Practical Guide for Asian Men" Now I find out that there is another book on Amazon called "The Interracial Dating Book For Black Women Who Want To Date White Men" by Adam White (I am sure his last name is a coincidence). The best part about this book is Amazon let's you read the first few pages. My comments are in bold.Why Black Women Date White MenOk enough of this silliness. All of these books are missing the main point by a mile. Date the person, not the skin color or ethnicity. It is that simple. Five Days of HellA first hand account of being taken hostage in Iraq by Scott Taylor. Things sound really scary over there. Not that anyone who watches Cnn or Fox News would know.I had presumed that these men were some sort of special police force – our own Canadian counter – terrorists teams often wear ski-masks – so I had no immediate cause for concern. However, as soon as we entered Tal Afar, I saw that the streets were full of similarly masked resistance fighters armed with Kalashnikov rifles and RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades). I suddenly realized we were in the hands of the resistance. Still believing that they were taking me to my friend’s house, instead we were ushered into a small courtyard outside a walled two – story building. There were about a half dozen armed men inside – none of them smiling. As soon as the metal door clanged shut behind us, the English – speaking leader said, “You are spies… and now you are prisoners”.(via Metafilter) Five Days of HellA first hand account of being taken hostage in Iraq by Scott Taylor. Things sound really scary over there. Not that anyone who watches Cnn or Fox News would know.I had presumed that these men were some sort of special police force – our own Canadian counter – terrorists teams often wear ski-masks – so I had no immediate cause for concern. However, as soon as we entered Tal Afar, I saw that the streets were full of similarly masked resistance fighters armed with Kalashnikov rifles and RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades). I suddenly realized we were in the hands of the resistance. Still believing that they were taking me to my friend’s house, instead we were ushered into a small courtyard outside a walled two – story building. There were about a half dozen armed men inside – none of them smiling. As soon as the metal door clanged shut behind us, the English – speaking leader said, “You are spies… and now you are prisoners”.(via Metafilter) Things You'd Love to Say at Work but Can'tIt's funny because it's true.Here are some examples:
Things You'd Love to Say at Work but Can'tIt's funny because it's true.Here are some examples:
Tuesday, September 21, 2004The Wacko Jacko Mask I would think that this is the scariest costume you could get if you are trying to scare prepubescent boys. The Wacko Jacko MaskI would think that this is the scariest costume you could get if you are trying to scare prepubescent boys. When Morons Fly...These types of things happen. From Cnn:Arabic-style writing prompts flight cancellationPlease tell me this isn't real. Please tell me that they didn't cancel a fucking flight because somebody found a sentence written in Arabic. When Morons Fly...These types of things happen. From Cnn:Arabic-style writing prompts flight cancellationPlease tell me this isn't real. Please tell me that they didn't cancel a fucking flight because somebody found a sentence written in Arabic. Comments FixedThere was a problem coming up when someone tried to post a comment and would receive an error message. (The message said "error occurred". Gee, thanks for the helpful message Movable Type)I think something happened with Blacklist because I fiddled around with it and the comments are working again. Sorry if you left one and got that problem. Thanks Radmila for pointing it out to me. Comments FixedThere was a problem coming up when someone tried to post a comment and would receive an error message. (The message said "error occurred". Gee, thanks for the helpful message Movable Type)I think something happened with Blacklist because I fiddled around with it and the comments are working again. Sorry if you left one and got that problem. Thanks Radmila for pointing it out to me. How To Date A White Woman Just try to tell me that this book won't win a Pulitzer. I linked to the Amazon site so be sure to check out the reviews. If you check out the related links there is one on how to attracte asian women also. What a silly concept. If you have to buy a book to date a woman (nevermind a woman of a specific race) then you are trying way too hard. (At least that is what it says in my copy of How to Give Dating Advice for Dummies) (via Monkeyfilter) How To Date A White WomanJust try to tell me that this book won't win a Pulitzer. I linked to the Amazon site so be sure to check out the reviews. If you check out the related links there is one on how to attracte asian women also. What a silly concept. If you have to buy a book to date a woman (nevermind a woman of a specific race) then you are trying way too hard. (At least that is what it says in my copy of How to Give Dating Advice for Dummies) (via Monkeyfilter) Duck's Foot Pistol
This must have been a pain to load. A peculiar name for a weapon, but it is derived from the splayed shape of the webbed foot of a duck, in some cases the term is very accurately descriptive.(via The Presurfer) Duck's Foot Pistol
This must have been a pain to load. A peculiar name for a weapon, but it is derived from the splayed shape of the webbed foot of a duck, in some cases the term is very accurately descriptive.(via The Presurfer) Geographical Directory of World Paper Money-donatedos_f.jpg) This gallery is huge. Above is a 50 Karbovantsiv, (1918) note. (From the Ukraine) (via Bifurcated Rivets) Geographical Directory of World Paper MoneyThis gallery is huge. Above is a 50 Karbovantsiv, (1918) note. (From the Ukraine) (via Bifurcated Rivets) DNA Graffiti From BBC News: Police and academics in Cambridge are trying to find a graffiti artist who could be Britain's brightest vandal. The artist spray-painted part of a chemical component of DNA on the road outside a lab where the double helix was unveiled 50 years ago. Atop the design - described by one academic as "really nice" work - the artist wrote the word "phospholipase". Some suspect it to be the work of a chemistry student on the way home after a night of post-exam celebration. DNA GraffitiFrom BBC News: Police and academics in Cambridge are trying to find a graffiti artist who could be Britain's brightest vandal. The artist spray-painted part of a chemical component of DNA on the road outside a lab where the double helix was unveiled 50 years ago. Atop the design - described by one academic as "really nice" work - the artist wrote the word "phospholipase". Some suspect it to be the work of a chemistry student on the way home after a night of post-exam celebration. Partisan Poster Project Some very good anti Bush posters at the Partisan Project. With one of the most important presidential elections in our country's history fast approaching, we have created Partisan Project, a group of designers and artists using their time and talent to help bring about change. Partisan Poster ProjectSome very good anti Bush posters at the Partisan Project. With one of the most important presidential elections in our country's history fast approaching, we have created Partisan Project, a group of designers and artists using their time and talent to help bring about change. The Single Bitter Announcement WeblogI really hope this blogger comes back. I have read every single one of his posts and they are always good albeit bitter.The Single Bitter Announcement WeblogI really hope this blogger comes back. I have read every single one of his posts and they are always good albeit bitter.100 Most Important Art Works of the 20th Century I really have no opinion on this list since I am not even going to pretend that I know anything about art. 100 Most Important Art Works of the 20th CenturyI really have no opinion on this list since I am not even going to pretend that I know anything about art. The Ketchup ConundrumA rather long essay that asks:Mustard now comes in dozens of varieties. Why has ketchup stayed the same?It is a pretty good read although I didn't have dinner and the article was making me hungry. Many years ago, one mustard dominated the supermarket shelves: French's. It came in a plastic bottle. People used it on hot dogs and bologna. It was a yellow mustard, made from ground white mustard seed with turmeric and vinegar, which gave it a mild, slightly metallic taste. If you looked hard in the grocery store, you might find something in the specialty-foods section called Grey Poupon, which was Dijon mustard, made from the more pungent brown mustard seed. In the early seventies, Grey Poupon was no more than a hundred-thousand-dollar-a-year business. Few people knew what it was or how it tasted, or had any particular desire for an alternative to French's or the runner-up, Gulden's. Then one day the Heublein Company, which owned Grey Poupon, discovered something remarkable: if you gave people a mustard taste test, a significant number had only to try Grey Poupon once to switch from yellow mustard. In the food world that almost never happens; even among the most successful food brands, only about one in a hundred have that kind of conversion rate. Grey Poupon was magic. The Ketchup ConundrumA rather long essay that asks:Mustard now comes in dozens of varieties. Why has ketchup stayed the same?It is a pretty good read although I didn't have dinner and the article was making me hungry. Many years ago, one mustard dominated the supermarket shelves: French's. It came in a plastic bottle. People used it on hot dogs and bologna. It was a yellow mustard, made from ground white mustard seed with turmeric and vinegar, which gave it a mild, slightly metallic taste. If you looked hard in the grocery store, you might find something in the specialty-foods section called Grey Poupon, which was Dijon mustard, made from the more pungent brown mustard seed. In the early seventies, Grey Poupon was no more than a hundred-thousand-dollar-a-year business. Few people knew what it was or how it tasted, or had any particular desire for an alternative to French's or the runner-up, Gulden's. Then one day the Heublein Company, which owned Grey Poupon, discovered something remarkable: if you gave people a mustard taste test, a significant number had only to try Grey Poupon once to switch from yellow mustard. In the food world that almost never happens; even among the most successful food brands, only about one in a hundred have that kind of conversion rate. Grey Poupon was magic. Monday, September 20, 2004Bad Architecture in Beijing The picture above is supposedly of a hotel. Welcome to Beijing: a world of random chaos, a fitting and fascinating laboratory for contemporary architecture. In this ancient capital today, home to a glorious built heritage, the most interesting things are being built. Here, in this space, we expose it. We mourn the loss of a great tradition of elegance and craftsmanship. We sometimes come across designs that are thoughtful and exciting. We explore, not deplore, but in our explorations thus far, we often come to conclusions that are uncomfortable and humorous. While our exercise is playful, it ultimately aims to observe this particular place, which produces a contemporary architecture that impulsively pulsates with so much bombast, flamboyance and bravado. Bad Architecture in BeijingThe picture above is supposedly of a hotel. Welcome to Beijing: a world of random chaos, a fitting and fascinating laboratory for contemporary architecture. In this ancient capital today, home to a glorious built heritage, the most interesting things are being built. Here, in this space, we expose it. We mourn the loss of a great tradition of elegance and craftsmanship. We sometimes come across designs that are thoughtful and exciting. We explore, not deplore, but in our explorations thus far, we often come to conclusions that are uncomfortable and humorous. While our exercise is playful, it ultimately aims to observe this particular place, which produces a contemporary architecture that impulsively pulsates with so much bombast, flamboyance and bravado. 1000 Great Jazz Album Covers I just killed about 15 minutes on this site.(I am a fast web surfer so 15 minutes on a web page to me is the equivalent of watching a one hour tv show). Just loads of great album covers. (via Eyebeam reBlog) 1000 Great Jazz Album CoversI just killed about 15 minutes on this site.(I am a fast web surfer so 15 minutes on a web page to me is the equivalent of watching a one hour tv show). Just loads of great album covers. (via Eyebeam reBlog) Inflatable-Suit Bike Ride
This is odd. What is Aeolian Ride? Inflatable-Suit Bike Ride
This is odd. What is Aeolian Ride? An Interview with Hanoi HannahAn interesting interview.We called her Hanoi Hannah. She called herself Thu Houng, the fragrance of autumn. But her job was to chill and frighten, not to charm and seduce.Here are some mp3s of her broadcasts. An Interview with Hanoi HannahAn interesting interview.We called her Hanoi Hannah. She called herself Thu Houng, the fragrance of autumn. But her job was to chill and frighten, not to charm and seduce.Here are some mp3s of her broadcasts. Historical Maps of the Atlantic Cable & Submarine Telegraphy These maps make me want to read Arthur C. Clarke's "How the World Was One". (via Incoming Signals) Historical Maps of the Atlantic Cable & Submarine TelegraphyThese maps make me want to read Arthur C. Clarke's "How the World Was One". (via Incoming Signals) You Know You're From ... When ..These lists are pretty funny. I will give you some from the You Know You're From Massachussets When version but they have a version for every state and most countries.You almost feel disappointed when someone doesn't flip you the bird when you cut them off or steal their parking space. You Know You're From ... When ..These lists are pretty funny. I will give you some from the You Know You're From Massachussets When version but they have a version for every state and most countries.You almost feel disappointed when someone doesn't flip you the bird when you cut them off or steal their parking space. Shark CamHere is one of the better webcams I have seen on the net. It is the webcam of the shark tank at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.Shark CamHere is one of the better webcams I have seen on the net. It is the webcam of the shark tank at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.Database of W's AccomplishmentsThis database of George Bush's accomplishments is really quite voluminous.Database of W's AccomplishmentsThis database of George Bush's accomplishments is really quite voluminous.The 8500 Calorie Sandwich
So I decided to build an enormous f*****g sandwich. Inside this affront to God would be an enchilada, some garlic mushrooms, burgers, sausages, assloads of cheese and some good old HP sauce. I put in a bit of salad as well to even out the bad stuff.(via The Presurfer) The 8500 Calorie Sandwich
So I decided to build an enormous f*****g sandwich. Inside this affront to God would be an enchilada, some garlic mushrooms, burgers, sausages, assloads of cheese and some good old HP sauce. I put in a bit of salad as well to even out the bad stuff.(via The Presurfer) I Found Some of Your LifeThe pictures are ordinary but the captions are pretty funny.In my possession is one (1) memory card from a digital camera. This memory card was found in a taxi in New York City. I have no idea who the owner of the camera is.(via Robot Filter) I Found Some of Your LifeThe pictures are ordinary but the captions are pretty funny.In my possession is one (1) memory card from a digital camera. This memory card was found in a taxi in New York City. I have no idea who the owner of the camera is.(via Robot Filter) Parisienne PeopleHere are some cigarette commercials directed by David Lynch, the Coen brothers, Robert Altman and a few others. Bizarre if you ask me.i don't encourage smoking at all, but british american tobacco hired some american directors to do some commercials for their parisienne brand of smokes. apparently the directors were told "film whatever you'd like. it doesn't even need to contain smoking or cigarettes". the great [and sometimes bizarre] output of each director can be found below:(via The Ultimate Insult) Parisienne PeopleHere are some cigarette commercials directed by David Lynch, the Coen brothers, Robert Altman and a few others. Bizarre if you ask me.i don't encourage smoking at all, but british american tobacco hired some american directors to do some commercials for their parisienne brand of smokes. apparently the directors were told "film whatever you'd like. it doesn't even need to contain smoking or cigarettes". the great [and sometimes bizarre] output of each director can be found below:(via The Ultimate Insult) Friday, September 17, 2004The Kryptonite Lock PostI am seeing an increase in traffic to this blog. I guess everyone is googling the Kryptonite Lock and how to open it with a Bic Pen. If you are here for that here is the post that has links to the forum and the video of it.If this is your first time here, welcome and have a look around. I have lots of links that are humorous, interesting, or just plain bizarre served fresh daily. The Kryptonite Lock PostI am seeing an increase in traffic to this blog. I guess everyone is googling the Kryptonite Lock and how to open it with a Bic Pen. If you are here for that here is the post that has links to the forum and the video of it.If this is your first time here, welcome and have a look around. I have lots of links that are humorous, interesting, or just plain bizarre served fresh daily. I Am With You Always Here is a website with a bunch of drawings of different types of people apparently being stalked by Jesus. I mean I realize you are the son of god and everything but please, a little alone time is nice Jesus. (Thanks Jabberwocky) I Am With You AlwaysHere is a website with a bunch of drawings of different types of people apparently being stalked by Jesus. I mean I realize you are the son of god and everything but please, a little alone time is nice Jesus. (Thanks Jabberwocky) Famous Actors in Bad Sci-Fi TV Roles
I didn't know that Peter Graves was in Buck Rogers. Of course I was only 5 when the show was on so if it wasn't for this site I would never have known. (via EXCLAMATION mark) Famous Actors in Bad Sci-Fi TV Roles
I didn't know that Peter Graves was in Buck Rogers. Of course I was only 5 when the show was on so if it wasn't for this site I would never have known. (via EXCLAMATION mark) Google Labs Aptitude Test Check out the test that you would have to take if you are applying for a job at the Google Labs. Take a look at the test. It's got some great questions on it. (via Waxy) Google Labs Aptitude TestCheck out the test that you would have to take if you are applying for a job at the Google Labs. Take a look at the test. It's got some great questions on it. (via Waxy) Thursday, September 16, 2004More Lockpicking FunYesterday was the Kryptonite locks. Today are the Kensington laptop locks which can be opened with a pen and a piece of cardboard from a toilet paper roll. (directly links to a .wmv file) The solution to this problem is fairly obvious. Outlaw pens!More Lockpicking FunYesterday was the Kryptonite locks. Today are the Kensington laptop locks which can be opened with a pen and a piece of cardboard from a toilet paper roll. (directly links to a .wmv file) The solution to this problem is fairly obvious. Outlaw pens!Pier 57Here is a long but fascinating first hand account of what it was like to be arrested in a RNC sweep and whisked off to Pier 57, of the Gulag on the Hudson.Pier 57Here is a long but fascinating first hand account of what it was like to be arrested in a RNC sweep and whisked off to Pier 57, of the Gulag on the Hudson.Famous People's Height ListHere are the heights of famous people who are below 5'7-1/2", all the way down to 1'6".Famous People's Height ListHere are the heights of famous people who are below 5'7-1/2", all the way down to 1'6".JP Brown's Serious LEGO
There are some incredible LEGO creations here. All of them are using the RCX Programmable Brick. JP Brown's Serious LEGO
There are some incredible LEGO creations here. All of them are using the RCX Programmable Brick. The Osama SweepstakesFor the record if there really was going to be some October surprise, Bush wouldn't be saying things such as:"I don't know where he is.You know, I just don't spend that much time on him... I truly am not that concerned about him."[President Bush, Press Conference, 3/13/02] But if you think Dumya has him hidden away somewhere, you can play The Osama Sweepstakes. The Osama SweepstakesFor the record if there really was going to be some October surprise, Bush wouldn't be saying things such as:"I don't know where he is.You know, I just don't spend that much time on him... I truly am not that concerned about him."[President Bush, Press Conference, 3/13/02] But if you think Dumya has him hidden away somewhere, you can play The Osama Sweepstakes. A Map of Dante's InfernoGo past Limbo, bang a right at Lust and Gluttons is only a little further down.A Map of Dante's InfernoGo past Limbo, bang a right at Lust and Gluttons is only a little further down.365ProjectHere is (I should say was) a good project.In the 365 days of 2002, I took 365 photographs: at least one a day. Some days I took only one, some days I shot roll after roll, but for each day I chose only one photograph. There was no set theme, other than to capture the most interesting image possible for that day. Some of the shots are commonplace while some of the shots are great, but together they comprise my 2002: ups and downs, good and bad. 365ProjectHere is (I should say was) a good project.In the 365 days of 2002, I took 365 photographs: at least one a day. Some days I took only one, some days I shot roll after roll, but for each day I chose only one photograph. There was no set theme, other than to capture the most interesting image possible for that day. Some of the shots are commonplace while some of the shots are great, but together they comprise my 2002: ups and downs, good and bad. Wednesday, September 15, 2004The Virtual Window Project
This is a great idea. What if only your imagination limited what you could see outside your windows? Flat panel technology is quickly becoming bigger, better, and more affordable, which will allow for all sorts of fun ways to transport your domicile to wherever tickles your fancy. This is my modest attempt to view something more interesting than my neighbors. The Virtual Window Project
This is a great idea. What if only your imagination limited what you could see outside your windows? Flat panel technology is quickly becoming bigger, better, and more affordable, which will allow for all sorts of fun ways to transport your domicile to wherever tickles your fancy. This is my modest attempt to view something more interesting than my neighbors. The Conference Bike What the hell is it you ask? The Conferencebike is a tricycle pedaled by 7 riders sitting in a circle. One person steers, while everyone is free to pedal or not as the bike moves effortlessly along. The Conference BikeWhat the hell is it you ask? The Conferencebike is a tricycle pedaled by 7 riders sitting in a circle. One person steers, while everyone is free to pedal or not as the bike moves effortlessly along. Submarine Photos Index If you are looking for information pertaining to a certain submarine in the US Navy, here is the place to go. Pictured above is the USS Flasher (SSN-613) where blogger extrodinaire Tom Mcmahon (who really needs a search feature on his blog. It took me 15 minutes to find the post where he mentioned what sub he was on) served. Submarine Photos IndexIf you are looking for information pertaining to a certain submarine in the US Navy, here is the place to go. Pictured above is the USS Flasher (SSN-613) where blogger extrodinaire Tom Mcmahon (who really needs a search feature on his blog. It took me 15 minutes to find the post where he mentioned what sub he was on) served. Weird Car Wrecks Some great pictures of weird car wrecks are located here. Well, great if you aren't the one who parked underneath a giant ball. Weird Car WrecksSome great pictures of weird car wrecks are located here. Well, great if you aren't the one who parked underneath a giant ball. The Godfather Horsehead Pillow
The Godfather Horsehead Pillow
This is our little contribution to the Godfather legacy. A custom severed horse head pillow that is actually quite comfortable to sleep on, albeit a bit on the morbid side. A great conversation piece for the film buff who has everything and whose wife won't let them own a revolver. Fans of the Godfather can now unite and sleep comfortably, if not uneasily. Oprah's Car GiveawayThe other day Oprah gave away 276 cars to her audience. Was it really to celebrate her 19th season? Nope. Just a sleek marketing idea by General Motors.Oprah's Car GiveawayThe other day Oprah gave away 276 cars to her audience. Was it really to celebrate her 19th season? Nope. Just a sleek marketing idea by General Motors.Hand Shadows From Project Gutenberg comes this book called Hand Shadows To Be Thrown Upon the Wall. I loved doing hand shadows as a kid but never make anything other than a bunny by forming my fingers in the peace sign. (via Exclamation Mark) Hand ShadowsFrom Project Gutenberg comes this book called Hand Shadows To Be Thrown Upon the Wall. I loved doing hand shadows as a kid but never make anything other than a bunny by forming my fingers in the peace sign. (via Exclamation Mark) The Pitch Drop Experiment I once made a pot of coffee that was similar to this. The first Professor of Physics at the University of Queensland, Professor Thomas Parnell, began an experiment in 1927 to illustrate that everyday materials can exhibit quite surprising properties. The experiment demonstrates the fluidity and high viscosity of pitch, a derivative of tar once used for waterproofing boats. At room temperature pitch feels solid - even brittle - and can easily be shattered with a blow from a hammer (see the RealVideo® clip below). It's quite amazing then, to see that pitch at room temperature is actually fluid!(via Incoming Signals) The Pitch Drop ExperimentI once made a pot of coffee that was similar to this. The first Professor of Physics at the University of Queensland, Professor Thomas Parnell, began an experiment in 1927 to illustrate that everyday materials can exhibit quite surprising properties. The experiment demonstrates the fluidity and high viscosity of pitch, a derivative of tar once used for waterproofing boats. At room temperature pitch feels solid - even brittle - and can easily be shattered with a blow from a hammer (see the RealVideo® clip below). It's quite amazing then, to see that pitch at room temperature is actually fluid!(via Incoming Signals) Hazard Cards Because regular card games are too genial. Hazard Cards is a card game about technological accidents. You can play the game against a computer or you can buy a deck of cards online. You can also create your own Hazard Cards and participate in our efforts to make a new series of Hazard Cards about "Accidents Waiting To Happen". Hazard CardsBecause regular card games are too genial. Hazard Cards is a card game about technological accidents. You can play the game against a computer or you can buy a deck of cards online. You can also create your own Hazard Cards and participate in our efforts to make a new series of Hazard Cards about "Accidents Waiting To Happen". How did Shakespeare become Shakespeare?Excellent article from the New York Times Magazine(Fake registration required. Or go to bugmenot.com). It is long but well worth the read.young man from a small provincial town -- a man without independent wealth, without powerful family connections and without a university education -- moved to London in the late 1580's and, in a remarkably short time, became the greatest playwright not of his age alone but of all time. His works appeal to the learned and the unlettered, to urban sophisticates and provincial first-time theatergoers. He makes his audiences laugh and cry; he turns politics into poetry; he recklessly mingles vulgar clowning and philosophical subtlety. He grasps with equal penetration the intimate lives of kings and of beggars; he seems at one moment to have studied law, at another theology, at another ancient history, while at the same time he effortlessly mimics the accents of country bumpkins and takes delight in old wives' tales. Virtually all his rivals in the highly competitive theater business found themselves on the straight road to starvation; this one playwright by contrast made enough money to buy one of the best houses in the hometown to which he retired when he was around 50, the self-made protagonist of an amazing success story that has resisted explanation for 400 years.(via Backwards City) How did Shakespeare become Shakespeare?Excellent article from the New York Times Magazine(Fake registration required. Or go to bugmenot.com). It is long but well worth the read.young man from a small provincial town -- a man without independent wealth, without powerful family connections and without a university education -- moved to London in the late 1580's and, in a remarkably short time, became the greatest playwright not of his age alone but of all time. His works appeal to the learned and the unlettered, to urban sophisticates and provincial first-time theatergoers. He makes his audiences laugh and cry; he turns politics into poetry; he recklessly mingles vulgar clowning and philosophical subtlety. He grasps with equal penetration the intimate lives of kings and of beggars; he seems at one moment to have studied law, at another theology, at another ancient history, while at the same time he effortlessly mimics the accents of country bumpkins and takes delight in old wives' tales. Virtually all his rivals in the highly competitive theater business found themselves on the straight road to starvation; this one playwright by contrast made enough money to buy one of the best houses in the hometown to which he retired when he was around 50, the self-made protagonist of an amazing success story that has resisted explanation for 400 years.(via Backwards City) Tuesday, September 14, 2004Kryptonite Locks Picked by using a Bic Pen This is funny. Especially since I don't own a Kryptonite Lock. Somebody posted a thread on a bike forum along with a video of how to open a Kryptonite Lock using only a Bic pen. Here is the link to the video. I guess it works with a few different types of locks also. Just for kicks I went over to the Kryptonite website to see what they had to say about their products. Kryptonite has a security product for you. Some types offer you greater security, while others offer you greater convenience. For the best protection, make sure that you choose the right type of lock for your security need.Um, I will take the lock that can't be opened using a ball point pen please. Kryptonite Locks Picked by using a Bic PenThis is funny. Especially since I don't own a Kryptonite Lock. Somebody posted a thread on a bike forum along with a video of how to open a Kryptonite Lock using only a Bic pen. Here is the link to the video. I guess it works with a few different types of locks also. Just for kicks I went over to the Kryptonite website to see what they had to say about their products. Kryptonite has a security product for you. Some types offer you greater security, while others offer you greater convenience. For the best protection, make sure that you choose the right type of lock for your security need.Um, I will take the lock that can't be opened using a ball point pen please. Happy Belated Birthday Presurfer I am always late wishing people a Happy Birthday in real life so why should I be different on the blogosphere. But a very Happy Birthday to Gerard from one of the best link blogs out there. Happy Belated Birthday PresurferI am always late wishing people a Happy Birthday in real life so why should I be different on the blogosphere. But a very Happy Birthday to Gerard from one of the best link blogs out there. The Advertising Slogan GeneratorNeed a slogan? Try this.The slogan for this blog is For That Deep Down Body Cynical-C! The Advertising Slogan GeneratorNeed a slogan? Try this.The slogan for this blog is For That Deep Down Body Cynical-C! Robotic Blanket This is pretty cool. The blanket (or more accurately the robotic sculpture) moves around looking for somebody to cover. The blanket is equipped with a wireless transceiver, a PIC microprocessor, and a camera to detect bodies in that space and beam the data to the blanket which will then scuttle across to detected objects. Each part of the blanket's skeleton is fitted with a pressure sensor enabling it to respond to physical movement from the people it envelops.(via bTang reBlog) Robotic BlanketThis is pretty cool. The blanket (or more accurately the robotic sculpture) moves around looking for somebody to cover. The blanket is equipped with a wireless transceiver, a PIC microprocessor, and a camera to detect bodies in that space and beam the data to the blanket which will then scuttle across to detected objects. Each part of the blanket's skeleton is fitted with a pressure sensor enabling it to respond to physical movement from the people it envelops.(via bTang reBlog) Gold Medal BroadcastingThe top nine comments made by NBC sports commentators during the 2004 Summer Olympics (that they would like to take back):Such as: Dressage commentator: "This is really a lovely horse and I speak from personal experience since I once mounted her mother."Update: Looks like none of the quotes on that page were actually used in the 2004 Olympics. Snopes has the scoop (as usual) (Thanks Whit) Gold Medal BroadcastingThe top nine comments made by NBC sports commentators during the 2004 Summer Olympics (that they would like to take back):Such as: Dressage commentator: "This is really a lovely horse and I speak from personal experience since I once mounted her mother."Update: Looks like none of the quotes on that page were actually used in the 2004 Olympics. Snopes has the scoop (as usual) (Thanks Whit) Mathematics in the Year 3K I always enjoyed the last 10 minutes of Futurama that they would show after the football game they aired always ended late. Futurama is a rare exception in broadcast television - a satirical science fiction cartoon that aims its jokes squarely at the top of the brow. Futurama is especially fun to watch because math, science, or programming references seem to appear in almost every episode. For example, Ken Keeler, who has a Ph.D. in applied mathematics from Harvard University, discussed his transition from mathematics to comedy writing during a tight job market in an interview with gotfuturama.com. When he was asked whether his education paid off, he responded: "Well, sure. For example, Bender's serial number is 1729, a historically significant integer to mathematicians everywhere; that "joke" alone is worth six years of grad school, I'd say." Mathematics in the Year 3KI always enjoyed the last 10 minutes of Futurama that they would show after the football game they aired always ended late. Futurama is a rare exception in broadcast television - a satirical science fiction cartoon that aims its jokes squarely at the top of the brow. Futurama is especially fun to watch because math, science, or programming references seem to appear in almost every episode. For example, Ken Keeler, who has a Ph.D. in applied mathematics from Harvard University, discussed his transition from mathematics to comedy writing during a tight job market in an interview with gotfuturama.com. When he was asked whether his education paid off, he responded: "Well, sure. For example, Bender's serial number is 1729, a historically significant integer to mathematicians everywhere; that "joke" alone is worth six years of grad school, I'd say." Are you better off now than 4 years ago? NO! Politicians lie, but numbers don't. How does the economic record of Bush, Jr. (and Sr.) stand up against Clinton's on Unemployment, Job Creation, the Stock Market, and the Budget Surplus/Deficit. No one statistic paints a true picture, but taken together, life under a Bush is dark and not very prosperous.(via J-Walk) Are you better off now than 4 years ago?NO! Politicians lie, but numbers don't. How does the economic record of Bush, Jr. (and Sr.) stand up against Clinton's on Unemployment, Job Creation, the Stock Market, and the Budget Surplus/Deficit. No one statistic paints a true picture, but taken together, life under a Bush is dark and not very prosperous.(via J-Walk) TV TerroristsThis is worth a quick look if only for the hackers who managed to override a broadcast of Dr. Who.(via MonkeyFilter) TV TerroristsThis is worth a quick look if only for the hackers who managed to override a broadcast of Dr. Who.(via MonkeyFilter) Kill Your Television Lots of good stuff at Turn Off Your TV. I have to find some time to read some more of these anti-tv essays at this site (There are many there). I have to agree with him though. There are only a handful of shows I can stomach and they are all on either the history channel or food network. (What the hell happened to the Discovery Channel? Did they run out of Nova reruns?) Kill Your TelevisionLots of good stuff at Turn Off Your TV. I have to find some time to read some more of these anti-tv essays at this site (There are many there). I have to agree with him though. There are only a handful of shows I can stomach and they are all on either the history channel or food network. (What the hell happened to the Discovery Channel? Did they run out of Nova reruns?) Save Betamax Day Why? The Betamax ruling is the only thing that protects your right to own a VCR, tape recorder, CD-burner, DVD-burner, iPod, or TiVo. It's that important. But new legislation that's being pushed through the Senate by lobbyists for the music and movie industries would override the Betamax decision and create a huge liability for any business that makes products which can copy sound or video. This legislation (formerly known as the INDUCE Act) would essentially give Hollywood veto power over a huge range of new technologies. And if they get this power, they'll definitely use it: just as they tried to stomp out the VCR in the 70's and 80's, the music and movie industries want to force all content to go through their own restricted channels. Save Betamax DayWhy? The Betamax ruling is the only thing that protects your right to own a VCR, tape recorder, CD-burner, DVD-burner, iPod, or TiVo. It's that important. But new legislation that's being pushed through the Senate by lobbyists for the music and movie industries would override the Betamax decision and create a huge liability for any business that makes products which can copy sound or video. This legislation (formerly known as the INDUCE Act) would essentially give Hollywood veto power over a huge range of new technologies. And if they get this power, they'll definitely use it: just as they tried to stomp out the VCR in the 70's and 80's, the music and movie industries want to force all content to go through their own restricted channels. Monday, September 13, 2004Bye Bye Terror AlertEnough of this Ashcroftian Newspeak. I got rid of the terror alert level and replaced it with the Moon Phases Calendar. An improvement I think.Bye Bye Terror AlertEnough of this Ashcroftian Newspeak. I got rid of the terror alert level and replaced it with the Moon Phases Calendar. An improvement I think.100 Photographs that Changed the World
You have seen most of these before but they are still worth another look. (I hadn't seen a couple) 100 Photographs that Changed the World
You have seen most of these before but they are still worth another look. (I hadn't seen a couple) Human Boggle Game
This is pretty cool. The National Puzzler's League had a convention on Boston earlier this summer which included a boggle game played from the 10th through 14th floors with humans as the boggle pieces. Full Circling the Globe has some great pictures of it. (via Bernie DeKoven's Funlog) Human Boggle Game
This is pretty cool. The National Puzzler's League had a convention on Boston earlier this summer which included a boggle game played from the 10th through 14th floors with humans as the boggle pieces. Full Circling the Globe has some great pictures of it. (via Bernie DeKoven's Funlog) The Flo Control Project This is Flo. Her job is testing our image recognition algorithms, although she might not be aware of this. She goes in and out of the house through a cat door.(via Burp) The Flo Control ProjectThis is Flo. Her job is testing our image recognition algorithms, although she might not be aware of this. She goes in and out of the house through a cat door.(via Burp) Typewriter Art
Some remarkable art by Paul Smith who uses a typewriter to create his work. (via Metafilter) Typewriter Art
Some remarkable art by Paul Smith who uses a typewriter to create his work. (via Metafilter) Antique Office Illustrations and Photography
From the looks of my hit counter, I am guessing the majority of people visiting my blog are doing it from the office. So you might want to take a look at what offices looked like from the 1830s to the 1880s. Antique Office Illustrations and Photography
From the looks of my hit counter, I am guessing the majority of people visiting my blog are doing it from the office. So you might want to take a look at what offices looked like from the 1830s to the 1880s. TIME Magazine Commits a Goatse
Yikes. Update: Boing Boing has a post about this with the Wikipedia entry for those who don't know what goatse is. I only wish I had read the explanation before finding the site for myself. TIME Magazine Commits a Goatse
Yikes. Update: Boing Boing has a post about this with the Wikipedia entry for those who don't know what goatse is. I only wish I had read the explanation before finding the site for myself. Can't Find on Google Here is a good idea for a site. Most of the time, you punch what you want to know into Google, and you instantly get what you're looking for. But have you ever had that experience, where you try query after query and no matter how hard you try, you just can't find what you're looking for? That's what this site is for -- because the things Google can't find is more interesting than the stuff Google can find.(via The Presurfer) Can't Find on GoogleHere is a good idea for a site. Most of the time, you punch what you want to know into Google, and you instantly get what you're looking for. But have you ever had that experience, where you try query after query and no matter how hard you try, you just can't find what you're looking for? That's what this site is for -- because the things Google can't find is more interesting than the stuff Google can find.(via The Presurfer) Friday, September 10, 2004LEGO Logic Gates
Its just a matter of time before somebody puts together an entire computer using LEGOs. A few people have designed boolean logic devices using LEGO pneumatics and gone on to develop fundamental computer devices such as full-adders and flip-flops. These have been discussed greatly on LUGNET. I had suspected that there would be a large number of logic devices using mechanic principals, but a search for mechanical logic devices didn't get many hits.(via Monkeyfilter) LEGO Logic Gates
Its just a matter of time before somebody puts together an entire computer using LEGOs. A few people have designed boolean logic devices using LEGO pneumatics and gone on to develop fundamental computer devices such as full-adders and flip-flops. These have been discussed greatly on LUGNET. I had suspected that there would be a large number of logic devices using mechanic principals, but a search for mechanical logic devices didn't get many hits.(via Monkeyfilter) Shortwave EspionageAn interesting story about "secret numbers."If you've ever ventured outside the shortwave broadcast and ham radio bands and tuned around the areas allotted to so-called "fixed" stations you may have heard voices reading out long lists of numbers in either four or five digit groups. These transmissions are generally called "numbers stations" and appear in a variety of languages. Transmissions in Spanish are heard most often in the United States but, in Europe, German, English and French, as well as a variety of Slavic languages are the most commonly heard.Update: You can download and listen to some of these in mp3 format here. (Thanks Mikhail) Shortwave EspionageAn interesting story about "secret numbers."If you've ever ventured outside the shortwave broadcast and ham radio bands and tuned around the areas allotted to so-called "fixed" stations you may have heard voices reading out long lists of numbers in either four or five digit groups. These transmissions are generally called "numbers stations" and appear in a variety of languages. Transmissions in Spanish are heard most often in the United States but, in Europe, German, English and French, as well as a variety of Slavic languages are the most commonly heard.Update: You can download and listen to some of these in mp3 format here. (Thanks Mikhail) Victory Siren
What you see pictured above is a Chrysler Air Raid Siren, the most powerful siren in the world. It's the size of a car, measuring near 12-feet in length and standing more than 6-feet tall. It also weighs twice as much as today's typical car. This gigantic siren is powered by an 180-HP Chrysler Industrial V-8 HEMI® gasoline engine. The super-duty engine directly drives a three-stage compressor that blows 2,610 cubic feet of air a minute, at nearly 7 PSI, into a giant siren rotor. The compressed air screams through the chopper and out through six giant horns with an exit velocity of 400 miles per hour. The result is an incredibly loud 138 dB sound (measured 100 feet from the siren). The loudness of this siren is unmatched by any other warning device ever sold, ever. It's also considerably louder than the largest steam whistle or horn. As if that were not dramatic enough, the whole unit, engine and all, slowly rotates one and one-half times a minute on its iron turntable base. Victory Siren
What you see pictured above is a Chrysler Air Raid Siren, the most powerful siren in the world. It's the size of a car, measuring near 12-feet in length and standing more than 6-feet tall. It also weighs twice as much as today's typical car. This gigantic siren is powered by an 180-HP Chrysler Industrial V-8 HEMI® gasoline engine. The super-duty engine directly drives a three-stage compressor that blows 2,610 cubic feet of air a minute, at nearly 7 PSI, into a giant siren rotor. The compressed air screams through the chopper and out through six giant horns with an exit velocity of 400 miles per hour. The result is an incredibly loud 138 dB sound (measured 100 feet from the siren). The loudness of this siren is unmatched by any other warning device ever sold, ever. It's also considerably louder than the largest steam whistle or horn. As if that were not dramatic enough, the whole unit, engine and all, slowly rotates one and one-half times a minute on its iron turntable base. Everything you wanted to know about blogging but were afraid to askThis is pretty funny, and accurate.Everything you wanted to know about blogging but were afraid to askThis is pretty funny, and accurate.The Active Belt The Active Belt uses GPS and a series of vibrating motors in the belt to guide you to a location. I am not really sure why you couldn't just use a handheld GPS unit instead. (via Eyebeam reBlog) The Active BeltThe Active Belt uses GPS and a series of vibrating motors in the belt to guide you to a location. I am not really sure why you couldn't just use a handheld GPS unit instead. (via Eyebeam reBlog) No RNC Poster Project
A gallery of anti-bush posters. I guess they were supposed to be put up during the RNC. Some very cool posters. No RNC Poster Project
A gallery of anti-bush posters. I guess they were supposed to be put up during the RNC. Some very cool posters. Fruit and Vegetable Carving Last week I posted a link to watermelon carvings. I guess that people will carve just about anything because this site has pictures of different carvings of fruits and vegetables such as the carrots pictured above. (via Metafilter) Fruit and Vegetable CarvingLast week I posted a link to watermelon carvings. I guess that people will carve just about anything because this site has pictures of different carvings of fruits and vegetables such as the carrots pictured above. (via Metafilter) Heavens-Above
One of my favorite websites. Heavens-Above really is great if you are stargazing and happen to see a satellite pass overhead. You can go to this site and find out exactly what you were looking at. If you're interested in satellites or astronomy, you've come to the right place! Our aim is to provide you with all the information you need to observe satellites such as the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle, spectacular events such as the dazzlingly bright flares from Iridium satellites as well as a wealth of other spaceflight and astronomical information. Heavens-Above
One of my favorite websites. Heavens-Above really is great if you are stargazing and happen to see a satellite pass overhead. You can go to this site and find out exactly what you were looking at. If you're interested in satellites or astronomy, you've come to the right place! Our aim is to provide you with all the information you need to observe satellites such as the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle, spectacular events such as the dazzlingly bright flares from Iridium satellites as well as a wealth of other spaceflight and astronomical information. Mysterious PeopleHere is a great site if you have some time to kill and you are interested in psychic phenomena.Mysterious People is devoted to the lives of mysterious, strange and unusual people. It consists of a series of biographical articles, with sources and further reading listed at the end of each piece. Web sites containing material on the characters and related subjects can be found listed in the Links section. There is also a full Bibliography - frequently updated, which lists specific books / articles about the characters on the site, and also more general books related the subject of strange and unusual people. This has my own brief comments on each book and links to get hold of many of the books listed.(via J-Walk) Mysterious PeopleHere is a great site if you have some time to kill and you are interested in psychic phenomena.Mysterious People is devoted to the lives of mysterious, strange and unusual people. It consists of a series of biographical articles, with sources and further reading listed at the end of each piece. Web sites containing material on the characters and related subjects can be found listed in the Links section. There is also a full Bibliography - frequently updated, which lists specific books / articles about the characters on the site, and also more general books related the subject of strange and unusual people. This has my own brief comments on each book and links to get hold of many of the books listed.(via J-Walk) Anti-Lettuce Page
This would be the end of salads wouldn't it? Every year, millions of innocent children are subjected to the evils of iceberg lettuce: on their sandwiches, in their salads, and sometimes, in the cruelest cases, with no buffer between the detestable vegetable and the nimble taste buds of our youth. In a world with countless leafy comforts from spinach to cabbage, how can we continue to subject ourselves and our children to such meaningless digestive fodder? Anti-Lettuce Page
This would be the end of salads wouldn't it? Every year, millions of innocent children are subjected to the evils of iceberg lettuce: on their sandwiches, in their salads, and sometimes, in the cruelest cases, with no buffer between the detestable vegetable and the nimble taste buds of our youth. In a world with countless leafy comforts from spinach to cabbage, how can we continue to subject ourselves and our children to such meaningless digestive fodder? Atomic Rockets
This document gives some hints and equations that will allow back-of-the-envelope calculations on such matters. Though horribly simplistic, they are far better than just making up your figures. This site was mainly intended for science fiction authors who wanted a little scientific accuracy. But anybody who is interested can play with the toys contained within, designing their own Planet Rangers Rocketships. It is assumed that the reader has enough knowledge to know the difference between a star and a planet, and enough skill to use a pocket calculator. Computer spreadsheet and computer programming skills are a plus, spreadsheets in particular will make your life much easier. Atomic Rockets
This document gives some hints and equations that will allow back-of-the-envelope calculations on such matters. Though horribly simplistic, they are far better than just making up your figures. This site was mainly intended for science fiction authors who wanted a little scientific accuracy. But anybody who is interested can play with the toys contained within, designing their own Planet Rangers Rocketships. It is assumed that the reader has enough knowledge to know the difference between a star and a planet, and enough skill to use a pocket calculator. Computer spreadsheet and computer programming skills are a plus, spreadsheets in particular will make your life much easier. Thursday, September 9, 2004The Data Fountain Here is an interesting application of a fountain. This fountain is connected to money currency rates on the internet. It is realtime! Refreshed every five seconds. This mobile fountain measures 5x4x3 meters. The relation between money and water is evident. On our datafountain we display the Yen, Euro and Dollar (¥€$). Currency rates are closely interconnected; their interdependence is visible in water. The design of the casing was kept as minimal as possible. The water is the thing to look at and listen to. The Data FountainHere is an interesting application of a fountain. This fountain is connected to money currency rates on the internet. It is realtime! Refreshed every five seconds. This mobile fountain measures 5x4x3 meters. The relation between money and water is evident. On our datafountain we display the Yen, Euro and Dollar (¥€$). Currency rates are closely interconnected; their interdependence is visible in water. The design of the casing was kept as minimal as possible. The water is the thing to look at and listen to. The B-52 model is no more Remember that huge B-52 model that was circulating around the net a few months ago? It seems to have had a bit of an accident. (Video on their website of the crash.) The B-52 model is no moreRemember that huge B-52 model that was circulating around the net a few months ago? It seems to have had a bit of an accident. (Video on their website of the crash.) Unix on the Game Boy Advance Hehe, they are using a PDP-11 sim to run this version of unix. In this document, we discuss "gbaunix", a rather contrived experiment in which we run an ancient version of the UNIX operating system on a popular hand-held video game system using a simulator. I can imagine this to be loosely of interest to a few types of people: Unix on the Game Boy AdvanceHehe, they are using a PDP-11 sim to run this version of unix. In this document, we discuss "gbaunix", a rather contrived experiment in which we run an ancient version of the UNIX operating system on a popular hand-held video game system using a simulator. I can imagine this to be loosely of interest to a few types of people: The Fixed EarthI guess the geocentric universe theory is making a comeback. I mean this site does have "over 70 links below."The non-moving Earth & anti-evolution web page...(via Bifurcated Rivets) The Fixed EarthI guess the geocentric universe theory is making a comeback. I mean this site does have "over 70 links below."The non-moving Earth & anti-evolution web page...(via Bifurcated Rivets) Just One QuestionSomeone has posted a bounty that will be rewarded to the first person who asks President Bush the question "How many times have you been arrested, Mr. President?". The bounty is up to $688.29 when I last checked. My guess is that there will be another bounty to ask Kerry a question and so on.(via Begging to Differ) Just One QuestionSomeone has posted a bounty that will be rewarded to the first person who asks President Bush the question "How many times have you been arrested, Mr. President?". The bounty is up to $688.29 when I last checked. My guess is that there will be another bounty to ask Kerry a question and so on.(via Begging to Differ) The Five Stages of DrunkenessCute but I think they missed a few stages. Here is the first stage.Stage #1 -- Smart(via The Presurfer) The Five Stages of DrunkenessCute but I think they missed a few stages. Here is the first stage.Stage #1 -- Smart(via The Presurfer) We don't know why but it obviously happenedCan anyone explain to me what exactly this is?(via The Presurfer) We don't know why but it obviously happenedCan anyone explain to me what exactly this is?(via The Presurfer) Wednesday, September 8, 2004Vacation is Over and GmailThanks to everyone for their emails wishing me well and for the comments. I am back from my trip and since I didn't hit any jackpots it looks like I am headed back to work. I will probably post some links tonight or tomorrow. For those of you who are still looking for gmail invites I still have a few left. Send me an email to get an invite.Vacation is Over and GmailThanks to everyone for their emails wishing me well and for the comments. I am back from my trip and since I didn't hit any jackpots it looks like I am headed back to work. I will probably post some links tonight or tomorrow. For those of you who are still looking for gmail invites I still have a few left. Send me an email to get an invite.Friday, September 3, 2004Vacation Have a great Labor Day weekend everyone. I am headed to Atlantic City and will be back sometime late next week. VacationHave a great Labor Day weekend everyone. I am headed to Atlantic City and will be back sometime late next week. Thursday, September 2, 2004The Bushiad and The Idyossey
I am starting to get burnt out with all these political satire websites that have been springing up all over the web but this one is worth a peek. I promise there is nothing about Swift Boats in it. The Bushiad and The Idyossey
I am starting to get burnt out with all these political satire websites that have been springing up all over the web but this one is worth a peek. I promise there is nothing about Swift Boats in it. Jobless Claims JumpSome people have already called the election for Bush but I think they are forgetting that most people could care less about Swift Boats or an ongoing war that doesn't affect their daily routines. When November 2nd rolls around these people will end up asking themselves if they are better off now than they were four years ago. Few will be able to answer yes. I am still looking for that economic recovery and all the new jobs that Republicans are constantly talking about. From the looks of it, I am not the only one.From Cnn.com: The Labor Department reported that 362,000 people filed for initial unemployment benefits in the week ended Aug. 28, up from the reading of 343,000 the previous week. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com forecast that 340,000 filed for benefits. Jobless Claims JumpSome people have already called the election for Bush but I think they are forgetting that most people could care less about Swift Boats or an ongoing war that doesn't affect their daily routines. When November 2nd rolls around these people will end up asking themselves if they are better off now than they were four years ago. Few will be able to answer yes. I am still looking for that economic recovery and all the new jobs that Republicans are constantly talking about. From the looks of it, I am not the only one.From Cnn.com: The Labor Department reported that 362,000 people filed for initial unemployment benefits in the week ended Aug. 28, up from the reading of 343,000 the previous week. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com forecast that 340,000 filed for benefits. Kobe's
When did Kobe hire Lionel Hutz to be his attorney?
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