Dagwood Splits The Atom.

On The Ephmerist, here is a series of scans of the comic book "Dagwood Splits The Atom" that came packaged with the Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab (seen below).

WTF Is Going On Here? - Part 5

This is a first. This is the first "WTF" video not from Japan, and it's...

Totally awesome. I am completely bewildered.

eBay's Guide To Finding And Trading Asbestos Items.

By the way guys, just got an article accepted by Cracked. Been throwing pitches left and right, and finally got one to stick.

Just wanted to share something odd I came across in my research for one of my other pitches. Here is eBay's guide to finding and trading antique household items that were made from asbestos; including irons, hot pads, poker chips, books(!), modeling clay(!!), and even cigarrette filters(!!!). Cause if there's anything you want to protect your from lungs and sensitive tissues from cigarette smoke, it's a bundle of asbestos fibers.

Fun fact: The snow that fell during the poppy scene during The Wizard of Oz was pure asbestos fiber. In hindsight, Buddy Ebsen was probably lucky the worst he faced on the set was inhaling tin powder.

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!

Man, do I love Nedroid.

Local Polish Man Demands More Value in Anti-Christ

Seriously.. i've had quite enough hearsay and conspiracies about Mr. O-Bomb being the anti-christ. Personally, i'd be a bit disappointed knowing he was our supposed end-all... C'est la vie though, right?

This evening i had the pleasure of deleting well over 400 e-mail from my gmail account. While it was a grueling task i did happen to stumble on some old pictures, old intraweb gems and ran-dumb links. Since i've been currently looking for more inspiration it ended up being a pretty cathartic night.
______________________

Feeling a bit dark? Although the engine is currently undergoing some upgrades (or some such nonsense) hone your black arts or grab some fishnets with Googoth. "The search engine with real bat chunks in it."
______________________

If you're looking for something to help you in those debates on the drag with those wonder-twit scientologists.. well.. Here's a good start courtesy of Hubbard's son himself...
______________________

The folks at Dewanatron Electronics surely make some fine instruments... Seriously dig around and watch the vid's...
______________________

And after all said and done... because i'mma slacker and don't feel like writing out my feelings considering i've been procrastinating on design work (always an excellent excuse!)... i leave you with the BEST music video ever...



THANK YOU CLEVELAND!.. wait...

Out.

-riTch N

The Fail Whale.

Unlike fellow blogger Ritch N, I have yet to delve into the Twittersphere myself; so I have little room to talk on the subject. So I just gathered up some articles and a video of others weighing in.

Here is a blurb about the troubles people have been experiencing following twitter feeds regarding this year's SXSW.

Here is an article from Cracked about celebrity twitters actually worth following.

And here is a fansite for the "Fail Whale", which recently hosted a label contest for a "Fail Whale Pale Ale" to be served at their party. Of course, I had no idea what the hell a Fail Whale was until I saw the following video:

The Handheld Game Museum

A while back, I saw an item like the one above advertised as a RARE 1980 JAPANESE CASTLEVANIA HANDHELD ARCADE LED GAME, and almost flipped out. I totally love the old early 80s LED handheld games that were shaped like miniature arcade games, and I'm a huge fan of the Castlevania series (particularly obsessed with the early games), so this seemed like a dream item for my collection. Of course, my spider sense should have blinked on at the fact that this item was made six years before the release of the first Castlevania game, but I guess I wasn't thinking straight.

Thanks, however, to a little research at The Handheld Game Museum, I found that the game was 1) Not associated with Castlevania in any way shape or form (it was released by Bandai) and 2) The game engine itself was a clone of Donkey Kong. Man, would that have been a hideous dissappointment when it arrived.

And now I know to keep an eye out for this guy:


And I also found out about this game, which I didn't even know existed (I have the Wizards and Warriors handheld):

Peelander Z - "Let's Bowl!"

Peelander Z performing their "Let's Bowl!" routine during the SXSV event at Spiro's (which obviously turned out to be a great location) at 03/21/2009. If you pay close attention, you can see Chad onstage playing guitar in a yellow wig when the camera is panned to the far right, and Destroyed For Comfort's equipment (w/band member Foetus Envy perched nearby) when the camera pans to the left.

Apple ][ Forever.

I don't know what it is about Apple, man. I don't even use a predominant number of their products (my sampler's audio format is more Mac than PC compatible, though). Working twice for Apple, I found myself enjoying and being excited by their keynote presentations.

Maybe it's just a matter of how much I will always love the Apple ][ computer. It was my first serious computer relationship. I mean, I started with a TI-994A (which will always have a place in my heart as well), but the Apple ][ had HI-RES 280x192 pixel graphics (read: half as big as the average pic I post on this blog).

Anyway, feel free to call me a sap.

Playing Second Life On An Apple ][.

This cat somehow streams a Windows desktop to an Apple ][ to play Half Life. I have no idea how this works, to be honest.

Browsing The Internet Using An Apple ][

Using Contiki, this guy manages to load the front page of apple2.org using an actual Apple ][. Pretty amazing stuff.

Sky From Hipnautica Flying A Kite Indoors.

Sky, frontman of Austin Industrial/World Music act Hipnautica, flying a kite indoors @ Plutopia. The way he can just tug it into the air, with no wind or anything, is really cool.

Whew, Doggie.

It's been a little while since I posted here. Got pretty wrapped up joining forces w/some friends to thwart the relentless efforts of the city council of a certain unnamed South Austin township (that may or may not be intrinsically evil) to shut down a cancer research charity event. I'm not one to bandy about calling people evil, but there's something wrong with a group of adults that will arrange an emergency meeting to openly declare themselves Pro-Cancer.


A rare group photo of said city council, when the gruesome sightless creatures emerge in daylight.

The slime and mucous-slathered crustaceans will obviously be dismayed to hear that a new venue was procured, and a reasonably large amount of money was raised for Livestrong Foundation (take that, you cancer-loving bastards!).

All of us involved even came out of it with a few more professional contacts under our belt - after turning a "kinda cool" event that would have brought SXSW tourists and revenue to some stuck-up (and mean, and possibly pro-cancer) township into a genuine "awesome" prime-location downtown spectacle.

You know who was also pro-cancer? Hitler. So in a roundabout way, we defeated Hitler. Again. That, my friends, is science; and how it can work for us.


Pictured: Science. Maybe.

In any case, hope you've enjoyed the writings of my new cohorts, and I intend to get this thing back on the road soon.

Luv, Ralf23

Leeni: UNDERWORLD and Other 8-bit Goodness

Greetings! I am Reverend Protocol, and here at (M)TDTYSAD, I will be adding to the dorkiness of these ridiculous(ly awesome) posts by allowing yon readers access to the portions of my brain dedicated to the technical, the musical, the nostalgic, the... the, uh... dorky.

That being said, few things activate the pleasure center of my brain better than chiptunes, unless it's chiptunes combined with some rather genius 8-bit animation.

UNDERWORLD, by Leeni, is a chiptune that carries a bit of eerie ambience with it. It's a very beautiful song, and Pixel Artists Niina Koivusalo and Ville Konttinen created a very interesting animation to go with the song that has a nice little story of its own.

Mole-tastic!



While I'm discussing chiptunes directly, I'd like to call to attention a subject I've thought about a bit myself, but have seen discussed very little.

Authenticity.

Among the chiptunes artists I've come across on sites like 8bitcollective.com, or 8bitpeoples.com, there seem to be several opinions of whether or not a person can be considered a "real" chiptunes artist if they incorporate anything other than the hardware commonly utilized for that oh-so-chippy sound into their music. Some refer to these people as elitist. I suppose I would have to agree, because my very own music, most of which is chip in nature, lately, uses various different instruments that are in no way related to Gameboys, or Commodore 64's, or Z80 processors.

That seems to be what people have the most problems with, though, are the people who write their music using DAW's and VSTi's, and dare to call their music chiptunes. I, and many others, may not be as diehard abotu using the authentic hardware, but I think there are really two sides to this argument, if you can call it that: Chiptunes as an idea, and chiptunes as a sound.

As an idea, using the hardware is neccessary. It's where that unique sound which is the basis for the music came from, so making that recognizable sound with the original hardware just goes hand-in-hand. Performing otherwise would be like a painter who loves the style of oil paintings the most using anything but oil-based paints to create their art, and instead using something that can easily simulate that same style. Then again, I haven't really heard anyone bad-mouth an artist who uses Photoshop to create art that appears to be done using oil-based paints. Mad skillz, yo!

As a style of sound, which is where I stand on the sunbject, chiptunes is a fantastic genre and can be done in a number of ways, any of which is completely up to the artist. I use hardware, as well as many different VSTi's and a couple of different DAW's to create my music, and I like the plethora of options I have when working with my music with the confines of the software on my desktop computer. It's just fun this way.

That's all I can really think to say about that. So, chiptunes... Sound, or Idea?

Andrey Vinogradov

Maslenskaya



Russian traditional round dance tune. Andrey Vinogradov - hurdy-gurdy, arrangement.

Minilogue - Animals from Ljudbilden on Vimeo.

Minilogue - Animals from ljudbilden on Vimeo.

Ricky Gervais Explains Creation

Ricky reads from the Bible and gives it his own twist.

Braford Reed playing the Pencilina

Bradford Reed composer from Brooklyn, New York

MGMT - "Kids" Cover Performed On A Bunch Of iPhones.

The Mentalists performing a cover of MGMT's "Kids" using iPhone applications. Applications used are: Ocarina, Retro Synth, MiniSynth and DigiDrummer Lite.

The Power Puff Girls Used To Whoop Ass.

Whoopass Stew?

How have I never seen this before now? Weird.

Sleepeh Dog.

God Hates...

www.godhates7generations.com
www.godhatesamerica.com
www.godhatesastronauts.com
www.godhatesatheists.com
www.godhatesaustralia.com
www.godhatesbacon.com
www.godhatesbags.com
www.godhatesbarackobama.com
www.godhatesbeer.com
www.godhatesbigots.com
www.godhatesbrains.com
www.godhatesbussresor.nu
www.godhatescanada.com
www.godhateschristians.info
www.godhatescrabhat.com
www.godhatesdivorce.org
www.godhateselves.com
www.godhatesfags.com
www.godhatesfags.org.uk
www.godhatesfixies.com/blog/
www.godhatesfredphelps.com
www.godhatesfruitvendors.com
www.godhatesfurries.com
www.godhatesgermany.com
www.godhatesgod.com
www.godhateshate.net
www.godhateshaters.com
www.godhateshomophobes.com
www.godhatesignorance.com
www.godhatesireland.com
www.godhatesmacs.com
www.godhatesme.com
www.godhatesmexico.com
www.godhatesmyspace.com
www.godhatesnoone.net
www.godhatespcs.com
www.godhatesrags.com
www.godhatesrails.com
www.godhatesrapevictims.net
www.godhatesreligion.org.au
www.godhatesreno.com
www.godhatesrepublicans.com
www.godhatesrobots.org
www.godhatesshirleyphelps.com
www.godhatesshrimp.com
www.godhatessweden.com
www.godhatestheworld.com
www.godhateswbc.com
www.godhateswestborochurch.com
www.godhates.com
www.godhates.net

Ricky Gervais And Elmo.

"Get off Elmo!"

Hitler Finds Out About New Watchmen Ending.

EDIT (05/01/2010): This video was one of the videos purged when Constantin Film did a mass-DMCA takedown on Youtube for "Downfall" parody videos. I'd try to chase it down again, but meh. It's not all that funny in hindsight.

To Squid Or Not To Squid.

Here is a article on Cinemablend debating the ending of the Watchmen graphic novel vs. that of the movie (SPOILER! Duh). To squid or not to squid.

Did anyone notice the name of the device utilized in the movie was called a Sub QUantum Intrinsic Device?

BONUS: Here is a cute site that sums up the plot of the Watchmen graphic novel in a fake Facebook thread.

Babe Musician Creates A Looping Song From Violins And Drums Then Puts Her Voice Into The Mix

Moderator's Note: If you're interested in hearing more of her stuff, her name is Emily Wells, and this song is called "Symphony 1 From The Barrel Of A Gun". Great find Shannon, lookin forward to checking out more of her stuff. -R23

Mammal Feathers

Gallery of the ethereal drawings and sculptures of Eden Carnes.

Non-Newtonian Fluid on a Speaker Cone

Linkin Park On Mario Paint.

Home Made Noise Maker

I'm A Marvel, And I'm A DC - Rorsach Vs. Wolverine.

BFX Replicates The Effect Of Rorsach's Mask From "Watchmen".

Backyard FX shows ya how to replicate Rorsach's mask effect from the "Watchmen" movie.

Devobikeauction.com!

Here's the website for all the info regarding SXSV and the related Devo-themed bike auction.

Alan Moore Discusses Watchmen In "The Mindscape Of Alan Moore".

The title pretty much explains it.

How The Studios Would Have Ended 'Watchmen' (A Storyboard)

Here's a great article from Cracked about how the movie studio would have preferred to end "The Watchmen".

Saturday Morning Watchmen.

Just got through watching the "Watchmen" movie, and it was holy crap awesome. It was an overwhelming experience, and I'm still processing it. Man have they been doing a good job making movies on Alan Moore's stuff (well, as long as we pretend that League Of Extraordinary Gentleman did not exist, which I'm totally prepared to do.)

"Watchmen" held a particular place in my heart as one of the early influences on my late 90s comic book "Why I'm Not An Artist". The 9-panel layout of the pages, repeated symbols, and constant backstory reflection were all tropes I adopted into my visual/narrative pallette.

Man, the movie was awesome.

One String Willie

Watch One-String Willie and more funny videos on CollegeHumor

"Neo-Vintage"

i was originally going to utilize this space solely to complain about the latest hunk of pig diddle that korg recently released. They took a wonderful little guy that sounded solid (ESPECIALLY when mixed with pedals), was affordable, looked cute... Up'd the price and turned it into shite.

Worst off... this "neo-vintage" term is nonsense.

Not that i really can say much considering we live in the "post-modern" world.

_________

i've recently groped twitter pretty hard. Law suit hard. i was lured in by a few friends/new associates and still find myself using the excuse "...i didn't want anyone to have the band name...". Within a few days i found possibly the BEST explanation of what twitter IS from SAUL WILLIAMS himself:

"ah man. I'm actually enjoying the virtual equivalent of sticking my head out the window at times and talking to strangers."

It's absurdly amusing sometimes.

_________

Thank you to the wonderful, talented and obnoxiously cute Rev. Ralf for the invite. i honestly have no idea what i'm here to do... but you'll be reading and possibly seeing some vids that may somehow turn into a ball of wretched sense.

i always seem to deem my blogs or section thereof - conceptual brain hemorrhaging.

Myut.

-r

p.s. (fuck you.. i'll ps as much as i want)
imma save the ATX "found photos" for a later date. (example: A hole donut).

Yay! New Friends!

Just got through with adding another wave of guest-bloggers to the site... Now included is Ritch N, singer of Subnatural and co-founder of ATX Underground, 8-Bit Musiscian Reverend Protocol, and Discordian novelist S T Gulik.

Welcome aboard!

Wish You Were Here

Wish You Were Here.

Rani23 Vs An Entire Squid Made Of Jerky.

In a lot of ways, I've got a gambler's personality. I'm willing to try just about anything once, and I naturally tend towards the new and exciting; any escape from the remotest possiblity of routine. It makes life fresh and enjoyable, even when these spontaneous decisions turn out to be poor ones.

This, my friends, is a story of one such poor decision.

Despite the fact that eating cephalopods makes me feel a little guilty (it's becoming more and more clear how intelligent and clever they are; especially octopuses), I do have a weakness for squid. On a more common note, I also have a weakness for jerky. I've taken the opportunity to try jerky made of beef, venison, alligator, goat, emu, and rabbit.

Now, previous to this story, I have tried squid jerky before. But it was the shredded kind, like you see below.



This is in fact delicious, and I highly recommend it, despite it being pricey (even for jerky) for a regular snacking regimen. But one day, at my local Oriental specialty store where I was buying a jar of kimchi (another preferred snack of mine), I spotted this monstrosity:



Like I previously established, I have a bit of a gambler in me. I know when to hold em, when to fold em, and I knew right then that my life would not be complete until I had tried this squid made of jerky.

So I brought the Cthuloid-jerky home, opened the vacu-seal plastic, and unleashed an eldritch stench that I'm surprised was not accompanied by a luminous green cloud. I was always under the impression that the jerky process was designed to preserve the meat. To put it another way, jerky should not smell dead, at least in my world. One whiff of this thing, however, and I was fully aware that in my hands I held a dead animal. A dead sea creature, long removed from it's habitat, and stinking the hell out of my kitchen.

Still, it was here, and I was here. No way to get around it. I had to take a bite.

It was still moist. Not good moist, like handmade jerky bought at a festival that melts in your mouth. Moist and rubbery, like something picked out of the dirt you'd be dared to eat by someone that obviously hated you.

It was unfair, I thought to myself. Noone should be allowed to package such a truly horrible, slimy, stinky thing into plastic and send it overseas for purchased consumption. I took another bite, tears welling up in my eyes, and thought to myself these people should be in jail.

Three bites in, and I was on the verge of existential collapse. The fact that this thing existed, and people paid good money for it, was too much to bear. This thing doesn't belong anywhere but Fear Factor.

I took one more bite before my will completely gave out. I bundled the whole thing in duct tape and threw it in the dumpster. I couldn't even stand having the thing in my trash. I even considered setting fire to the dumpster, but changed my mind at the last minute.

Defeat.