John appears in a Samsung commercial

John appears in a Samsung commercial which features a laptop that is small enough for a St.Bernard to wear it around his neck on an airplane.

Go to view videos and click on "Economy Class".

http://samcanhelp.samsungusa.com/samcanhelp/index.jsp

17 Pairs of Contradictory Proverbs

1. Look before you leap
He who hesitates is lost

2. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again
Don't beat your head against a brick wall

3. Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Out of sight, out of mind

4. Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today
Don't cross the bridge until you come to it

5. Two heads are better than one
Paddle your own canoe

6. More haste less speed
Time waits for no man

7. You're never too old to learn
You can't teach an old dog new tricks

8. A word to the wise is sufficient
Talk is cheap

9. It's better to be safe than sorry
Nothing ventured, nothing gained

10. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts

11. Do unto others as you would have others do unto you
Nice guys finish last

12. Hitch your wagon to a star
Don't bite off more than you can chew

13. Many hands make light work
Too many cooks spoil the broth

14. Don't judge a book by its cover
Clothes make the man

15. The squeaking wheel gets the grease
Silence is golden

16. Birds of a feather flock together
Opposites attract

17. The pen is mightier than the sword
Actions speak louder than words

Will Wright on the Colbert Report

Minilogue/hitchikiers choice - Stop motion animating sketchbook

There seem to be alot of innovative homemade stop motion videos out there! This one is a music video that uses a sketchbook to create frames for the movie. I like the addition of the hand drawing the pictures.

Tony vs. Paul - two friends fight in stop motion

This is one of the best homemade stop motion endeavors I've seen in a long time! Well, with the exception of seeing the stop motion drums and piano, which I posted about earlier. In this video, Tony and Paul, best friends, have a fantastical fight.

Great Shopping in Seattle

I intend to continue adding to this list, but for now, here's a great place to shop in Seattle (if you're into Curiosities that is).
Ye Olde Curiosity Shop
1001 Alaskan Way
Seattle, Wa. 98104
(206) 682-5844

Wanna make 3d things?

If you want to make slides for Viewmasters, or Lenticular images that move back and forth, it would be worth looking at this company, which specializes in both.

Image 3d

This is your brain on music

While I haven't yet read this particular book, the interviews I've heard with the author, might make it a facinating read about my favorite things: music + the brain.

Interestingly, I found this book on the shelf at a bookstore about a month ago, before I'd read or heard anything about it. Now it appears that there is quite a bit of hype surrounding it.

The author, David Levitin, is a neurobiologist who came from the music industry. He attempts to explain the way that the brain percieves music, why music sticks in your head, why you like the music you do, and how it truly is a universal language.

Some interesting reading on the subject:

The official site

David Levitin's official personal site

KQED
SanFrancisco's, Forum, explores the perception of music in the human brain with psychologist Daniel J. Levitin, author of "This is Your Brain on Music."
Host: Michael Krasny
http://www.kqed.org/programs/program-landing.jsp?progID=RD19

To The Best of Our Knowledge program "Mind, Music & Math" (aired October 2006)
In this interview, he tells us how composers and performers play with our expectations to keep the brain interested in music.
http://www.wpr.org/book/061022a.html

Wired article from August 23, 2006
Read the article

You can buy the book on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0525949690/bookstorenow600-20

Business to Busines and Manufacturing resources

http://www.bikudo.com/

http://trial.selectory.com/landingpage_mf.aspx?registrationcode=goog0523

http://www.worldbuyers.com/

Rockin' Online Shopping!

Tis the season for shopping for pals! Check out these sites to find that perfect gift for me!!

Fun gift shopping
http://www.shopexit9.com/

I heart guts
Fabulous tees, stickers, etc, with the cutest guts!

TangoLand
Those super cute cat icons have an artist, and he has a website... and a store!
http://www.tangoland.com/


Fun Random Gifty gifts
http://www.fly-bird.net/

Drop In Science
Purchase those old filmstrips you remember from your youth, botanical and zoological educational posters, art, etc
http://www.droppinscience.net/index.html

Very cute artist
http://www.dalekart.com/main.htm

Vintage Fabrics
Repro Depot Fabrics

Keep the Faye
Fun products for home, auto, clothing, etc
My favorite product is their demerit badges
http://keepthefaye.com/

Mew Gallery
As of this posting, their shop has not yet opened... but, if their wares are as adorable as their site design, it promises to be good!
http://www.mewgallery.org/
(Their super cute webdesign was created by Nested Group)

Wallwords
For the decorator who would like to have words all over their wall. Alot of thsi looks super cheese, but with the right word combos... it could be fun!
http://wallwords.com/index.htm

"Space Wiggle" makes images 3d on the web

This method of presenting stereo images uses animated .gifs to rapidly switch between left and right images. For most of us the brain will impose a crude sense of dimensionality on a wildly wiggling scene.

Examples here

Looking for a word? Know the definition?

Here's a great site for all those times when you've known how to describe the word, but you can't seem to find it! It's a reverse dictionary. Type in the word(s), or slight definition and wha-la!

http://onelook.com/reverse-dictionary.shtml

Jesus Spotted on a Dogs Ass

Jesus spotted on a dogs ass... Remarkably, it really does look like Jesus! More so than those pitas and stuff that people think look like Mary or something.

Stop Motion Drums and Piano Music

The wonders of video / audio editing can prove to make a musician out of anyone!

http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=20529

VanityFair Article: Now they tell us - NeoCons blame incompetent Bush Administration

As Iraq slips further into chaos, the war's neoconservative boosters have turned sharply on the Bush administration, charging that their grand designs have been undermined by White House incompetence. In a series of exclusive interviews, Richard Perle, Kenneth Adelman, David Frum, and others play the blame game with shocking frankness. Target No. 1: the president himself.

Read the Printable version of this Article at Vanity Fair

Jesus Christ... the musical

Will he survive?

Whales whales whales ... and Wholphins!

Dolphin reveals extra set of fins (legs)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15581204/

Study links whales and hippos
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6863348/

Narwhale (unicorn whale) Tusk acts as giant sensor
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10456798/

Wholphins really do exist! Wholphin mother has a baby - and it's gi-normous!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7508288/

Draw furniture out of thin air!

Basically, two of the Swedish firm, Front Design, principals use motion-capture technology to record exceedingly rough sketches, in 3-D space, of a chair, table, and lamp. The sketches are then converted into actual objects using rapid prototyping technology, in which lasers fuse layers of liquid plastic together. Voilà: nearly instant furniture.

www.frontdesign.se

Are you a bubblewrap junky like me?

Then this is a must-have for you!
Try 'manic mode'.
http://fun.from.hell.pl/2003-11-24/bubblewrap.swf
"Must have more"

BA Carnivorous Plant Society

An active group of plant enthusiasts.

http://bacps.org/