Think of something like a short-legged AT-AT walker having fallen for a cybernetic crab, make it purely wind powered, and you have something like the Animaris Rhinoceros Transport. The short video clip (1.6MB MPEG-1), also available locally (304K MPEG-4), must be seen to be believed; bear in mind it's 4.7m (15' 5") tall, and weighs two tons. I expect
stego_s_aurus to meet the challenge.Handy phrase to slip into conversation: "In addition to being listed in the Guinness Book of Records for (32 feet was his record effort)propelling crickets out of his mouth ..."
Delve back into home computing's history, with Computer Chronicles, courtesy of the ever wondrous Internet Archive.
The BBC's released the Infocom Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy game as a Flash page. Meanwhile, BBC Films and HBO have been preparing what looks like an exceptional documentary on The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (5.4MB QuickTime), played by Geoffrey Rush; coming to British screens on October 1st, and already released in Australia.
Want to see what newspaper editors consider important? Try this: "321 front pages from 40 countries presented alphabetically". (Regrettably, it's one of those sites tested only locally, so even if you're on DSL or cable, it's fairly sluggish)
Here's slightly odd music video from FKO (20MB QuickTime), courtesy of Warp Records, reminiscent of a pairing of animation styles from the 30s and the 60s; I can't help but think of that cat from Azumanga Daioh.
New Japanese invention: the breast enlarging ringtone; you can listen to it here (284K MP3). (Ah, the possibilities for a Ring-style movie..) Or maybe this adorable Hello Kitty bluetooth headset?
Pic for the day, from
terminotaur. *giggle* And rather a novel piece from Johnathan Rich, featuring a rendered red panda (not at all safe for work).At last - soon, I'll be able to get some good red panda footage posted, thanks to
roohbear and his DV bridge. By way of a simple technology preview, a few seconds of somewhere can be found here (1.2MB MPEG-4). Anyone fancy guessing where this is? Go on, give it a try. ^_^Some slightly more interesting eBay feedback than usual.
A highly detailed article from Harper's, on the execution of the "Year Zero" economic strategy in Iraq. Recommended reading.
Baghdad Burning, a weblog written by a resident of said city, makes for distressing, personal reading. Although, if you want something gruelling, try the progress of Echo Company, from the Wichita Eagle. Be duly warned. And another weblog - somewhat less substantive - from an Iraqi, Raed in the Middle.
An amusing political song, "The Flop", showing changing one's mind is, thankfully, an attribute shared by other candidates. (Is it not insulting to suggest that forming current strategy and policies, based on all current information, is somehow to their and our detriment?)
A couple neat archive photos: Kerry and Lennon at a peace march, and Kerry watching Nixon announce the cease-fire in Vietnam. And this one really calls out for a caption.. ^_^
Quite a pleasant track to try, if you've enjoyed Daft Punk and Air: I, Monster: "Hey Mrs.", by way of another music weblog, Telephone Thing.
If you're looking for that ideal TV projector, but have been put off by the weedy resolutions available, how about JVC's new 4K2K? It's reasonably bright, at 8000 lumens (2000W), and offers a passable 4096x2160 image. Review units accepted. To go with that, how about these speakers from Kubotek? (I wouldn't link to them unless they were worth it, trust me :)
I crush your head! See, I am crushing your head!
Quote for the day, from
mythos_amante: "And my eyeballs are officially dried up little raisins again! Crispy! But it was worth it!"Aha! This story on Taiwanese military spending claims that pearl ("bubble") tea was invented there. Great stuff.
From a pandagon.net comment: "Mercury, for example, is traded in carboys, which are the carriers in which it's transported. Each holds 76 lbs. of product, which was arrived at by watching how much the average miner could carry."
A little piece from Editor & Publisher on some papers' decision to censor The Boondocks, themed around a reality TV show, "Can A N***a Get a Job?". (Papers were offered the strips "as is" with the three stars, all five letters starred, or a rerun of an old strip)
A fairly amusing little political ad from Oregon (RealVideo stream).
Say hello to the CheTrooper. ^_^
Aha! Finally, Mamoru Oshii's Polish SF film, Avalon, will be seeing a R2 DVD release in the UK on Oct 18 as a two-disc set, including a feature length "making of" and a documentary on the special effects.
World Wind from NASA brings together several layers of satellite information and other data, permitting you to go from looking down on the planet, to zooming in on your home street, and flying past mountains in 3D. Only available for XP and W2K.
But is your life really complete without a USB noodle strainer?
"Hi, prophase." "Hi, anaphase!"
