October 21, 2007
Start me up
Windows Startup Sounds - 1.0 to 98 to ME to Vista watch. A piano composition incorporating the sound effects heard in Windows. A different Windows remix (All YT). To get embarrassed at a public library, press here. To disable, press here. Previously-posted I’m sure: Windows noises & Icon Wars.
solar chic
The Solar Decathlon is a just-completed competition in which 20 teams of college and university students competed to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered house. View a photo gallery or take video tours of the homes. Inhabitat has been blogging the event - here's their view of Germany's winning entry. [more inside]
Pachinko! (Bring the Noise).
Tokyo-Ga: this excerpt from a Wim Wenders film offers an interesting little glimpse into the world of pachinko, a gambling obsession for so many in Japan. But while most are gazing hypnotically into the noisy little machines in order to win prizes or money, others are circuit bending them to make them even noisier. [more inside]
WE WILL FIND HIM
Find He-man! SEPTEMBER 14 - SARAH saw He-Man slicking his hair back, using the fountain water at Madison Square Park. The once dull, dirty, water is now a sparkling lush blue, and is filled with rare tropical fish.
Hey Hey We're the Monkeys
Serious monkey trouble for the deputy mayor. How to end the scourge? "One approach has been to train bands of larger, more ferocious langur monkeys..."School children are nervous, but at least one monkey is charged with protecting commuters. Of course, serious monkey problems are nothing new. Baby monkeys aren't even safe. Better learn how to prevent or survive an attack.
LED Hat Making 101
These Sharks Don't Look Fake.
Spectacular video of cage diving with Great White Sharks in Guadalupe, Mexico. More movies and pictures of the Great White Shark.
Put your hands in the air.
Who spends 4 days peeling eggs?
Waitless.org: a Sprint marketing site, with a lot of useful time saving tips.
Jell-O Shot Recipes
What is the best tasting Jell-O shot?
The Beginner's Guide to Aeronautics
A Beginner's Guide to Aeronautics, a web-based textbook brought to you by the folks at NASA. [more inside]
Stereotypography
Why is Lithos is so pervasive on the covers of books by African American authors? What does Hot Tamale, or Bagel, or Faux Chinese imply? Rob Giampietro and Jessica Helfand share ruminations on stereotypography.[3quarksdaily] [Design Observer] [Giampietro+Smith]
Why did Sumerians use base 60 mathematics?
An hour has 60 minutes and a minute has 60 seconds because the Sumerians used a base 60 counting system. Why 60? A plausible explanation is that they could count to 12 with one hand, and to 60 with both hands. Alternate explanations from the MacTutor History of Mathematics archive.
Your $7,250 speakers cables are crap! Mine cost $43,000.
Journalist Accepts $1 Million Challenge: Do $7250 Cables Sound Better or Not? (Or they could use these $43,000 cables instead). At least, it sounded like acceptance, even to James Randi. But then... maybe not.
So while you're waiting to find out if you should spend that much for cables, maybe you can buy something from this collection of fine audiophile products. $400 for a pair tweeters may not be too bad. You can use them with your $350,000 amplifier, and your awesome-looking $100,000 turntable. Make sure you set aside $13,416 for a decent power cable, though, or you're just wasting your money.
The Art and Flair of Mary Blair.
Goth butterflies
The world’s weirdest moths l Moths that drink the tears of sleeping birds
l Awesome moth camouflage l Buff Tip moth l moths magnified l Jim des Rivières' moth portraits [more inside]
A Little Halloween Treat
Dude, pop that zit.
Watch out for those fingers!
NFL great Max McGee dead at 75
Max McGee was not expected to play in Superbowl I. He ended up catching 7 catches for 138 yard and two touchdowns including the first ever in Superbowl history.
After retiring he became one of the most popular broadcasters the team ever had.
He also was one of the founders of Chi-chi's restaurant.
He died from a fall on Saturday. He was 75.
Alan Moore tribute to Robert Anton Wilson
And How Are You Tonight, Mr Wilson? Alan Moore pays tribute to Robert Anton Wilson. [Via Technoccult.]
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