How speakers make sound - Animagraffs

Ever wondered how speakers work, wonder no longer... more here.

Turntables

This guy has managed to collect all the Turntables (we used to call them "Record-players") that he and his family ever owned.  Seems we had something in common.

More here: http://vinylstatistics.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/the-places-my-louie-louie-has-been.html

Cougar on a tree [1920x1080]

Sleek Geeks - Triangular Numbers

house of cards [1920x1200]

How To Get Netlicks (Bonus: Easy VPN Setup)

http://imgur.com/xgF8lNK

Five Vinyl Accessories for Under $100

The High Fidelity Report has what it considers to be five essential products for keeping your LP records clean.  Dunno about the first 3 but dust covers and LP sleeves are what I would regard as essential.  See more here.

Ian Dury - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick

The late great Ian Dury with (arguably) his greatest hit, turn it up and enjoy!

Blue Tie Shame

MoMA in NYC is opening a fantastic turntable exhibit

MoMA in NYC is hosting a exhibit of classic turntables, such as the Artmut Esslinger. Wega Stereo System Concept 51 from 1978. See more here.

The Rolls Royce Of Chicken Coops

Want to feel even more incompetent as a home handy-person?  Check out this extraordinary chicken coop that someone built.  It has solar power, automatic feeding, LED lighting, automatic door and a green roof with drought tolerant succulents... 

More here: The Rolls Royce Of Chicken Coops

Confused About the Senate? This Should Help...

Raise the GST? No thanks. Here's five better ways.

The Guardian has come up with 5 ways to reduce the deficit without resorting to increasing the GST:

• Reduce tax concessions on superannuation
• Abolish negative gearing
  Cut down on corporate tax avoidance
• Introduction of land taxes
• Tax socially costly activities

More here.

So, which bits are the barnacles?

Religious Wars

I Like Seagulls

Watch "No cuts to ABC, SBS Abbott" on YouTube

Well, I'm glad he cleared that up...

How To Gird Up Your Loins

Click on image to expand

How to pack for one night [Fixed]

...and, of course, there's the inevitable parody:

How To Fold A Shirt (In Under 2 Seconds)

Why Your Cat Thinks You're a Huge, Unpredictable Ape

Ever wondered why your pussy seems to avoid you?  Wonder no more, this Wired article will enlighten you about the finer points of pussy behavior and feline feng shui.

New Type Of Computer Capable Of 640TBs Of Data In One Billionth Of A Second, Could Revolutionize Computing

The Machine,HP’s latest invention, uses clusters of specialized cores as opposed to a small number of generalized cores. The whole thing is connected together using silicon photonics instead of traditional copper wires, boosting the speed of the system whilst reducing energy requirements. Furthermore, the technology features memristors which are resistors that are able to store information even after power loss.

More here: http://www.iflscience.com/technology/new-type-computer-capable-calculating-640tbs-data-one-billionth-second-could

Direct Action for Everything

Digitally rendered imaged of Australia. East coast to the red centre.

Are You Awake Yet?

What If They Designed Bad Packaging For Cigarettes?

The article states: "While this concept would be tough to implement..".   Not tough at all, there just has to be the political will to ensure it happens, such as when the Gillard Government implemented plain packaging for cigarettes.  Plain packaging legislation has succeeded to reduce smoking, despite industry reports saying plain packaging has failed (which have proved to be false).

Its well worth checking out the Cancer Council Victoria's plain packaging page.

Top Secret Shootout, Val Kilmer was great.

Great Historical Comebacks

More historical comebacks and zingers here.

Are You Confused By What Is Going On In The Middle East? Let Me Explain...

Misadventure Time

The 9 Biggest Myths About ISIS

If you want to understand the Islamic State, better known as ISIS, the first thing you have to know about them is that they are not crazy. Murderous adherents to a violent medieval ideology, sure. But not insane.

More here: http://www.vox.com/cards/isis-myths-iraq/crazy-irrational#E6716552

Visit Gallifrey Parody Shirt Design

"They're made out of meat?"

"They're made out of meat."

"Meat?"

"Meat. They're made out of meat."

"Meat?"

"There's no doubt about it. We picked up several from different parts of the planet, took them aboard our recon vessels, and probed them all the way through. They're completely meat."

"That's impossible. What about the radio signals? The messages to the stars?"

"They use the radio waves to talk, but the signals don't come from them. The signals come from machines."

"So who made the machines? That's who we want to contact."

"They made the machines. That's what I'm trying to tell you. Meat made the machines."

"That's ridiculous. How can meat make a machine? You're asking me to believe in sentient meat."

"I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. These creatures are the only sentient race in that sector and they're made out of meat."

"Maybe they're like the orfolei. You know, a carbon-based intelligence that goes through a meat stage."

"Nope. They're born meat and they die meat. We studied them for several of their life spans, which didn't take long. Do you have any idea what's the life span of meat?"

"Spare me. Okay, maybe they're only part meat. You know, like the weddilei. A meat head with an electron plasma brain inside."

"Nope. We thought of that, since they do have meat heads, like the weddilei. But I told you, we probed them. They're meat all the way through."

"No brain?"

"Oh, there's a brain all right. It's just that the brain is made out of meat! That's what I've been trying to tell you."

"So ... what does the thinking?"

"You're not understanding, are you? You're refusing to deal with what I'm telling you. The brain does the thinking. The meat."

"Thinking meat! You're asking me to believe in thinking meat!"

"Yes, thinking meat! Conscious meat! Loving meat. Dreaming meat. The meat is the whole deal! Are you beginning to get the picture or do I have to start all over?"

"Omigod. You're serious then. They're made out of meat."

"Thank you. Finally. Yes. They are indeed made out of meat. And they've been trying to get in touch with us for almost a hundred of their years."

"Omigod. So what does this meat have in mind?"

"First it wants to talk to us. Then I imagine it wants to explore the Universe, contact other sentiences, swap ideas and information. The usual."

"We're supposed to talk to meat."

"That's the idea. That's the message they're sending out by radio. 'Hello. Anyone out there. Anybody home.' That sort of thing."

"They actually do talk, then. They use words, ideas, concepts?"
"Oh, yes. Except they do it with meat."

"I thought you just told me they used radio."

"They do, but what do you think is on the radio? Meat sounds. You know how when you slap or flap meat, it makes a noise? They talk by flapping their meat at each other. They can even sing by squirting air through their meat."

"Omigod. Singing meat. This is altogether too much. So what do you advise?"

"Officially or unofficially?"

"Both."

"Officially, we are required to contact, welcome and log in any and all sentient races or multibeings in this quadrant of the Universe, without prejudice, fear or favor. Unofficially, I advise that we erase the records and forget the whole thing."

"I was hoping you would say that."

"It seems harsh, but there is a limit. Do we really want to make contact with meat?"

"I agree one hundred percent. What's there to say? 'Hello, meat. How's it going?' But will this work? How many planets are we dealing with here?"

"Just one. They can travel to other planets in special meat containers, but they can't live on them. And being meat, they can only travel through C space. Which limits them to the speed of light and makes the possibility of their ever making contact pretty slim. Infinitesimal, in fact."

"So we just pretend there's no one home in the Universe."

"That's it."

"Cruel. But you said it yourself, who wants to meet meat? And the ones who have been aboard our vessels, the ones you probed? You're sure they won't remember?"

"They'll be considered crackpots if they do. We went into their heads and smoothed out their meat so that we're just a dream to them."

"A dream to meat! How strangely appropriate, that we should be meat's dream."

"And we marked the entire sector unoccupied."

"Good. Agreed, officially and unofficially. Case closed. Any others? Anyone interesting on that side of the galaxy?"

"Yes, a rather shy but sweet hydrogen core cluster intelligence in a class nine star in G445 zone. Was in contact two galactic rotations ago, wants to be friendly again."

"They always come around."

"And why not? Imagine how unbearably, how unutterably cold the Universe would be if one were all alone ..."


By TERRY BISSON, published in Omni, 1990.

Queen's "Bicycle Race"

The advertising poster was.. glorious!

And finally here's the cover for the single:

Do not be afraid

"Dead Eyes Opened" Severed Heads

I remember buying this amazing song on vinyl back in the 80's and just loving the kick arse back beat and the bizarre sample that runs though it.  So, I was checking out the wonderful Rare Collections page on Radio National and found a link to the Severed Heads web page.  They were a truly bizarre and experimental band, check out their attempts to sample the sound of a watermelon smashing on the 80's show "Edge of the Wedge".

You can even hear the original Edgar Lustgarten reading from "Death on the Crumbles".

Castle In The Air

The Headboys

Had totally forgotten about The Headboys, a Scottish Power Pop band from the 80's.  One hit wonders but I thought their album was a cracker.  Check out their video "The Shape of Things to Come" (its pretty 80's naff - lots a lafs!).

Flys (Would Make A Great Wallpaper)

Think your tax supports dole bludgers? Think again!

Unless you’re earning at least $1,174 per week, you’re taking more from the tax system than you’re contributing. Or, to use Joe’s terms, at least 60% of Australians are ‘leaners’!

Read the rest of the article here: http://www.glennmurray.com.au/think-your-tax-supports-dole-bludgers-think-again/

If Dr. Who was written by Dr. Seuss

Surf guitar Dr Who theme: The Doctor Dances

Surf guitar meets the Dr Who theme music, who could ask for more?

Spotted Bowerbird Avenue-Bower

Just discovered a avenue-bower of, what I believe is, a Spotted Bowerbird (Chlamydera maculata).  Its just beside the path way to a BBQ area near my Unit.  At first I thought it was just a pile of rubbish but a closer inspection reveals a really nice bower that has obviously been well tended.  Popped out this morning to have another look and I believe I saw a couple of Spotted Bowerbirds in a tree near-bye.  Hope I didn't disturb them!

Well camouflaged, individual Spotted Bowerbirds are sometimes quite difficult to see among the vegetation. They are generally active, and though often shy, they can be quite tame near human habitation. Their presence may be indicated by their distinctive avenue-bower, which is typically built under a shrub and is often decorated with whitish, green, red or shiny objects, including bones, snail shells and berries, often including metallic and glass objects. Unlike some other species, there appears to be no preference for a particular colour when it comes to choosing these decorative objects.

More here:  http://www.graemechapman.com.au/

The Art of Frank Frazetta

This Field in Alberta, Canada Ended Up Looking Just Like The (In)Famous Windows XP Wallpaper

Hey Dad, They Still Make Super Eight Film -A Super 8 Camera For The Digital Age

The Logmar S-8 is a new camera combining classic analog and cutting edge digital technology.  Using Super 8 film, which is still available from Kodak, you can record old-fashioned video.   Digital real time sound recording is done via a SD card.

http://www.rsvlts.com/2014/07/31/logmar-super-8/

One of those waves on one of those days

The Beatles In Washington [1920 x 1080]

Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and American Militarism

Back in August 1945, the majority of Americans believed that dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki had forced Japan to surrender, thus shortening the war, removing the necessity of an American invasion of Japan, saving hundreds of thousands of American lives, and guaranteeing the security of the United States for the foreseeable future.  Most Americans today probably still believe all but the last.

Few historians would accept any of these propositions without considerable qualification.  The gulf between public belief and the prodigious research and analysis by historians remains wide.  This probably explains why Paul Ham’s Hiroshima Nagasaki: The Real Story of the Atomic Bombings and Their Aftermath is finally getting published in America, three years after its publication in Australia and two years after its British publication.

If this is “revisionism,” then many of the nation’s leading military authorities during and immediately after World War II were also revisionists.  Asked in 1945 for his opinion on dropping the atomic bomb, General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower replied:

“I was against it on two counts. First the Japanese were ready to surrender and it wasn’t necessary to hit them with that awful thing. Second, I hated to see our country be the first to use such a weapon.”

Fleet Admiral William Leahy, chief of staff to both Roosevelt and Truman, flatly declared that:

“The use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender.”

Even the official US Strategic Bombing Survey concluded unequivocally that:

“Japan would have surrendered if the atomic bombs had not been dropped, even if Russia had not entered the war, and even if no invasion had been planned or contemplated.”  

H. Bruce Franklin on Hiroshima Nagasaki : The Real Story of the Atomic Bombings and Their Aftermath

The Avalanches - 'Since I Left You'

A little more Avalanches magic...

The Avalanches - 'Frontier Psychiatrist'

Ah, a little bit of 90's goodness...

Gramophone Kit

Got given this Gramophone Kit as a present for my Birthday (big shout out to Rosie and Wayne - thanks guys!).  Finally got around to assembling it and giving it a test run. 

Amazing Photo's Of Nature

Many, many more here.

Take A Doctor With You

Crab