Tetris in real life…

This microscopic Tetris was created using 42 glass microspheres (1 μm or 0.001 mm diameter) in a 25 μm x 20 μm sized area under a microscope. They’re then pulled around through the miracles of modern computer technology. I for one am glad research dollars are being spent on this sort of thing.

March 26, 2009

A bunch of links – March 25, 2009

March 25, 2009

Piece offering

How would you advertise Lego? It pretty much sells itself. Here are 39 clever Lego ads. A mix of inspirational and controversial. And a periodic table for good measure.

March 25, 2009

The results are in…

According to this long test I am only 24.76% geek. So there.

According to this nerd test I am 40% nerdy. I’m not sure you can compare the two…


I am nerdier than 49% of all people. Are you a nerd? Click here to take the Nerd Test, get geeky images and jokes, and write on the nerd forum!

March 25, 2009

Convenience store convergence

This week I’m all about convergence devices – toasters printing weather forecasts and the like. One day there’ll be a gadget that does just about everything. Oh wait. That’s an iPhone. Apparently I’m getting my work one soon – fingers crossed…

Anyway. I give you. The Trolley Bike. And instructions on how to make one yourself. Thanks to instructables…

March 25, 2009

Keep on truckin’

What does it say about me that this made me laugh? A lot. On the third, fourth, fifth and subsequent viewings…

March 25, 2009

Is google like God

I’m trying to decided whether using google as an analogy for God is appropriate or not. There are certain similarities that would help make God more accessible to geeks.

First I considered the possibility of using an open source analogy… it all started when I was trying to explain that it’s not inconsistent for an omnipotent God to change his system of doing things…

“The logic is perfectly consistent. The OT is a precursor to the NT – and certain things from the Old system are replaced in the new. It’s like a software upgrade that makes that piece of technology so much more awesome. In fact – the OT is like a proprietary software system that only works for the original company that won the contract,and in the NT it’s open source. Available for all. For free. Actually, it’s more like shareware because you don’t get to hack the code to bits and make it do whatever you want…”

Here are five ways God is like Google…

  1. He knows everything
  2. His slogan is “don’t be evil”
  3. His products are free and good and available to anyone who wants to use them
  4. It’s best if you just take them as they naturally appear and don’t go around trying to outdo the core program with your own stupidity
  5. While everything comes free and easy, he’s actually keeping a record of everything you’ve ever done in order to target you better.

Yeah, so it’s not perfect. But help me refine it in the comments.

March 25, 2009

UrbanTrend: cardboard cut out


Gambit was always my favourite X-man as a child. And I was never sure how to recreate his flying cards of death. Cardboard just didn’t cut it.

These would cut it. Just about anything in fact.

March 25, 2009

Our daily Fred: Nice udders… I mean jugs

It’s six of one, half a dozen of the other really. But either way – this is an udderly cool idea from Fred and Friends – and they’ll moove like crazy.

March 25, 2009

YouTube Twosday: Classics in one minute

So the dog video was not the best video ever posted on YouTube – these may be close. Classics movies presented in one minute… Kill Bill 1 and 2, and Forrest Gump…shot in one take. Brilliant.

March 24, 2009

‘Snow joke

Fancy billboards with real time content are all the rage – the Fitness First board with built in scales made waves on the web – there’s a great billboard near the airport in Brisbane with a population counter updated in real time.

As toasters that print the day’s weather forecast are the future of breakfast – so billboards that present the snow report on your favourite ski field are the future of billboard advertising.

See it in action:


Tryvann – The Snowing Billboard from Martin on Vimeo.

March 24, 2009

Pen(t) up aggression

Sick of people stealing your pen? Me too. I hate it. My pens go missing from my desk at an alarming rate. The worst bit is when you see the aforementioned writing device in someone else’s mouth. get the pen back complete with fresh teeth marks. Your troubles will be a distant memory if you invest the $US1.69 to purchase this pen.

Found here. I can’t believe someone made this – and worse, I can’t believe I posted it… or maybe I can.

March 24, 2009

Geriatric ninjas

These old people are being taught cane-fu. The ultimate in “aged care”. Found here.

“In the two-hour session, participants are taught a sampling of moves to use in different situations. The cane can simply be swung in circles, used to grab a foot or neck, and fashioned into a bat or poker. Advanced techniques even show a senior how to use a cane to ward off someone with a gun or knife.”
“You just don’t realize how much pain you could put on somebody really quick,” said 61-year-old Ed Smoak of Pinellas Park. “Nobody thinks of a cane as being any kind of an impressive weapon but even a person like me — I’m disabled, like I said I don’t move real well — and even me, I could do this.”

March 24, 2009

Things I’ve learned from advertising: Easter

Apparently the God’s of Olympus celebrated Easter by chowing down on Ferrero Rocher.

Depending on which camp you come from Easter is either the ultimate Christian holiday or a pagan festival for the Goddess of fertility.

Probably both. Historically at least. In terms of the position in the calendar.

It is regardless of your position, enshrined in the western world’s calendar as a chance to reflect on the death of Christ and celebrate his resurrection.

It is not a celebration of the Greek gods who accidentally dropped some chocolates from the sky.

March 24, 2009

A bunch of links – March 24, 2009

March 24, 2009