Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Nerf Wars


I mentioned the Nerf Vulcan in a previous post. I want to let those of you that did not get me one for Christmas that it is still on my list. I know it was an oversight on your part and I'm still in the process of forgiving you. My sister has recommended potato therapy, which consists of a bag of potatoes, an open grassy area, and a baseball bat. I can't talk any more about it as I start to tear up at the thought.

Included here for your viewing pleasure is a splendid piece of viral media depicting a Nerf Office War. Note the use of the Vulcan towards the end that tears the enemy team to pieces and the brilliant saving shot by the sniper to take out the machine gun nest.

I wish my work was that phun!

Link

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Steve Irwin After Burn


Crikey. It's a dead guy in full color! Mighty Illusions, whom I've mentioned before, has an interesting illusion today that shows a performance problem with our retinas that is ascribed to a phenomenon known as persistence of vision. Basically the real world, at the nanosecond level, is a bit faster than our millisecond chemical detection systems. Another great example of "good enough" evolution.

In this illusion the Crocodile Hunter himself, Steve Irwin, is shown in black and white, after a few seconds, the picture is shown in negative color, and it is then switched back to black and white. Due to that slowness in our wetware, Steve now looks like he's in full color! You need to stare at the white dot on the crocodile's belly to make this work.

http://www.moillusions.com/2008/06/crocodile-hunter-steve-irwin-afterimage.html

There's another great link that shows this persistence problem in a simpler setting. The rotating pink dot turns green and finally all the pink dots disappear. It's very disconcerting.

http://www.patmedia.net/marklevinson/cool/cool_illusion.html

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Jawdropping Concept from BMW


You've got to take a look at this video from BMW that talks about designing the car around a frame and then covering the superstructure with, get this, fabric. Just seeing the headlights get exposed gave me goosebumps. Autoblog has a full write up including over 80 high rez images. Yow!

The BMW GINA Light Visionary Model that was seen via video being installed in the BMW Museum in Munich last week has finally been revealed, and the futuristic design study shows how BMW designers are thinking outside of the box when it comes to the materials that make up a car and also how the car relates to the driver...

Link

Monday, June 9, 2008

J K Rowling Addresses Harvard Grads


J K Rowling, the author of the fabulous Harry Potter series was asked to perform the commencement address at Harvard University recently. It's an amazing speech and not only good for those graduating students but for most people that live in privileged first world nations. I'm a great fan of her work as it is the quality and depth of the world that she has envisioned and then subsequently written about with consistency and clarity that impresses.

On this wonderful day when we are gathered together to celebrate your academic success, I have decided to talk to you about the benefits of failure. And as you stand on the threshold of what is sometimes called ‘real life’, I want to extol the crucial importance of imagination...

Link