This is one show that I had somehow missed. The "Aaagh! It’s the Mr. Hell Show"(wiki) was shown on BBC2 back in 2001. I took a look for it on Amazon but turned up nothing, I did however see that you can buy it on Anime-On-Line. In this exciting episode Mr. Hell talks all about the virtues of science and how it’s made burning the neighboring village down all that much easier. Go science!
(Thanks to brother Steve for sharing this with all of us)
Category: Artistic
Plant life of Mars a la Disney Style
I remember this film when it was shown on ‘The Wonderful World of Disney’ and a fantastic speculative book on space exploration that had stills from this on it. Man, I loved that book! I remember the plant that used a clear membrane to focus the sun light into a killing beam of death that it used to zap passing critters. I tell you, it that don’t set a child’s mind spinning with ideas I don’t know what will.
The entire clip can be bought on the DVD set "Walt Disney Treasures – Tomorrowland: Disney in Space and Beyond"
[via Boing Boing]
Plan Life On Mars (1957 Disney Animation)
An AVR-based Analog Plotbot with an E-Paper Display
This is just perfect! Using a Magna Doodle as an output device for a computer is just brilliant.
What do you get when you mix a 1970’s style analog chart recorder, an 8-bit microcontroller, and a Fisher-Price Doodle Pro? A truly 21st century toy: An analog PlotBot with e-paper display technology!
Our machine is based around a vintage analog X-Y data recorder. Its original purpose in life was to perform basic laboratory data collection, plotting two voltages against each other, and was one of the primary tools for that purpose right up until computers took over that job in the 1980’s. Because they were once so common and are now generally obsolete, it’s quite easy to get one of your own. There are usually several under $50 on eBay at any given time, and that’s where we got ours. …
The other major modification that we’ve made is that we’ve replaced the pen and paper with what seems like out of reach technology: an inexpensive and readily available e-paper display: the panel from a Doodle Pro. …
The Doodle Pro is a descendent of the Magna Doodle, a classic children’s toy dating to 1974. (I’m not sure what makes this a “Pro” anything, however.) It uses a simple magnetophoretic display, where ferromagnetic particles are suspended with near-neutral buoyancy in an opaque, viscous white liquid. Using a magnetic stylus, you can attract the black particles to the top surface, or with a magnetic “eraser” on the bottom side, pull the particles away, leaving only the white liquid visible.
Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories – An AVR-based Analog Plotbot with an E-Paper Display
Warning Sign/Label Generator
How many times have you said "Wow, I could use a warning sign right about now!"? If you’re like me it’s an almost daily event. Well despair no more blog readers, the ‘Net has the answer to your problems once again.
Simply click on a link below and choose your sign background, logo, and witty safety minded phrase and just as Bob’s your uncle you have a nice little graphic that you can print out and get into all sorts of trouble with. Go have a blast but don’t blame me if some people can’t take a joke and over react.
Electronic Music Box Kit
I can see something like this being hacked to become a MIDI input device.
OTOKIBAKO, an electronic music kit operated by turning the handle at the side, plays melodies by reading the black and white melody data sheet with light sensors. In addition, the special software "Melody Factory for OTOKIBAKO" enables you to create a melody data sheet of your own melody (with 3 octave range (C to B) including halftones)! 8 tones and 15 melodies are already installed. The wooden outer box projects a warm atmosphere and inspires you to paint on or carve pictures on to create your own OTOKIBAKO.
‘Moon Over Morocco’ Podcast, Theater of the Mind is Back!
Give your ears a treat an fill them up on some classic ZBS(wiki) goodness. If you have no idea what the hell ZBS or ‘Moon Over Morocco’ is you missing out. For years the ZBS Foundation has been producing amazingly well crafted radio dramas involving the bazaar, strange, and often times metaphysical. I’m a fan of the Ruby the Galactic Gumshoe and Travels with Jack Flanders series. If your looking for something different to do on a Saturday night I urge you to visit your personal theater of the mind and enjoy some of the offerings of ZBS. Remember, your imagination has the best special effects you will ever see plus an unlimited production budget. 🙂
[via Boing Boing]
Link to ZBS podcasts, Link to Moon Over Morocco
The ZBS Foundation