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This is awesome: a robot band covering The Beautiful People. By “robot” I mean actual robots playing real instruments, not a bunch of laptops and samplers and other electronics. Solenoids, stepper motors, and even a scanner make up the band (I heard the scanner’s a bit of a primadonna).
On a related note, this is what I imagined when I first heard of a drum machine: not an electronic panel that plays drum sounds, but a machine with drumsticks mounted on it that plays a real drum set.
I had dismissed animated GIFs years ago as lame and outdated web graphics, along with “Under Construction” images and the <blink> tag. But the animated GIFs at If we don’t, remember me are awesome. I never knew 256 colors could look so good. The animations are simple and subtle at times but they make a big impact.
Moscow’s Wild Dogs Ride Subways To City Center In Search Of Food
Experts studying the dogs, who usually choose the quietest carriages at the front and back of the train, say they even work together to make sure they get off at the right stop – after learning to judge the length of time they need to spend on the train.Scientists believe this phenomenon began after the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1990s, and Russia’s new capitalists moved industrial complexes from the city centre to the suburbs.
The dogs have also learned to stare straight ahead and not make eye contact.
The trailer for the American version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was “leaked” recently. I haven’t read the books but I saw the original Swedish movies; The first movie was pretty good (the other two were kind of ‘meh’), but David Fincher’s version looks really badass. Plus there’s a killer cover of Immigrant Song by Trent Reznor and Karen O. The trailer was taken down but you can probably find it online somewhere.
[Edit 6.2.11] The official trailer is up now.
The updated, 3D Star Tours ride opened at Disneyworld last Friday (June 3 at Disneyland) and the reviews sound cool. Disney updated the ride and added stuff from the prequels, as well as revamping the queue area. The ride has several random, branching events for a total of 54 different combinations. For example, you can visit either the podrace on Tatooine, the battle on Hoth or a speederbike chase on Kashyyyk Pretty cool, though I’m wondering what took them so long. Couldn’t George Lucas have just shot new footage and stuck it in the Star Tours VCR 15 years ago?
For those of you who’ve been to San Francisco, you ever see those fake cable cars? They look like the real thing but they’re just regular vans with wheels and they drive on the road?
What the hell? I see one of these “cable cars” coming down the street and I’m like, “Alright! I’m gonna ride the cable car!” Then I find out it’s a tour bus and it costs $40. That’s like the public transportation version of being fooled by a transvestite. Up yours, fake cable car.
Hacker Typer fills your screen with impressive-looking computer hacker code as you press keys, just like in the movies. You have a choice of languages and you can change the screen and font colors for that retro 80s hacker look.
Artist Alan Wolfson made an awesome miniature cross-section model of a 1970′s era New York street. The attention to detail is very impressive, from the menu in the Pizzeria to the candy in the newsstand. He’s also done a lot more miniatures shown here.
[From BLDGBLOG ]
The NIN Hotline has a detailed review of the Pretty Hate Machine remaster, written by a sound engineer. I can’t believe that album’s 22 years old now.
I was exploring SF’s Chinatown last weekend when I came upon a funeral procession. I could hear the marching band from several blocks away, and as the procession got closer some guys on motorcycles (who may or may not have been police, I’m not entirely sure) blocked off the streets so the casket, a couple limos, and several dozen cars could pass through.
That’s how I want to be honored when I die. I want to be paraded around town for several hours with a marching band, baton twirlers, trained elephants and clowns riding tiny bicycles. And I want to be propped up in the limo’s sunroof so people can look at me. Also, the limo should be constantly shooting fireworks and playing Kool & the Gang’s Celebration (just to be ironic).
Mike Doyle created an amazing three story Victorian house entirely out of legos. The detail on this is amazing. He used different colored bricks to simulate paint fading, and I love the “splintering” on the porch where the tree fell into the house. Great use of Lego parts to make the tree and grass look organic too.
[ From Boing Boing ]
Having a hard time thinking of a title for your abstract painting? Use the Abstract Art Title Generator. This is brilliant.
More urban exploration, this time it’s tunnels underneath New York.
Amazing pictures of the Paris Metro at Sleepycity. These guys snuck into Metro stations after they closed for the night and explored the 100+ year old tunnels. I love this type of stuff.
