Monday Morning “Impediment to Productivity” – 20070709

Hi,

Last Monday night bought the return of Top Gear to our screens. Yes I can see your eyes glazing over as I speak but trust me the show is a hoot. Silliness (always a good start), a cynical curmudgeon, pretty bits of machinery and of course more silliness. I thought the show was a serious car show and then watched one by accident (I thought Mythbusters was on) but to show you what the show is like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF6hxHyfbgk (note the similarities to MythBusters. we blow up stuff) or here we have Jeremy (the afore mentioned curmudgeon) in a Land Rover versus a tank http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p_j-wPyl2c feel free to barrack for the tank, I did. Ahh will the fun ever stop.

Now we have all seen the grubby car with the (un)witty message like “Wash Me”, “Foo was here” or something a little stronger that would get this email stopped by any half decent security filter. Well Scott Wade takes the “scribbling on the dirty car” to dizzying new heights. Head over to his site and be amazed.
http://www.dirtycarart.com/gallery/index.htm

If you thought radio controlled cars were small and came from a toy store, you’d be wrong. Watch what Top Gear do with real cars.

Now back in the Seventies every one had a van, but none I saw were ever like this, is it any wonder Japan invented Transformers

Extreme Japanese custom vans


or then there’s these cars decorated with decals and paint jobs depicting anime, game and manga characters

Itasha: Pimped rides, otaku style


or these??? I have no idea. But I do like the push bike with the LED message board in the frame.
http://otasuke.new-akiba.com/photo/1112/10160

And here is Jeremy (remember him, he’s the curmudgeon) on computers.

And then there is ‘String Quartet No. 556(b)for Strings In A Minor (Motoring Accident)’. Some of the instructions are wonderful. Don’t forget to “leap over cellist”, and make “glissando using tip of nose”. It comes with helpful advice: “if arm falls off, re-attach and play much slower”,”shock therapy may be necessary to finish”… Also, notice in the fine print: “Really big notes do not exist”, and the 23/4 measure (officially unplayable) http://www.well.com/user/bryan/quartet.html found here, I also like the first one on this page with instructions like “RELEASE THE PENGUINS” (what a great name for a band) and was “based on a Cro-Magnon skinning chant”. http://thrillingwonder.blogspot.com/2007/02/we-dare-you-to-play-these-scores.html

Jools saw this on Top Gear and wanted one,

she also sent in this and it’s so perfect for this specially themed edition (I love serendipity).

“From your impedimentia correspondent please find the enclosed. url
Love, Jools
http://www.miniclip.com/games/age-of-speed/en/ “

So there you are thinking to yourself “I have some time on my hands. I’m rather taken with this whole car thing. I think I will build a 1/3 scale model of a Ferrari” Here’s a hint… It took Pierre 15 years and more than 20,000 hours to build this car. He learned to make glass so he could make the exact pattern lens for the operating headlights. He learned to make rubber so he could mould his own tires. His computer mainframe design background with the French telecommunications system allowed him to duplicate the Ferrari electronics system in exact miniature. It also provided him with the understanding needed to make a 1/3 scale operating fuel injection system identical to that in the full-size Ferrari. OK so he’s a nuutter but he is a true craftsman (and oh so obsessed).
http://mps-sportproto.com/en/index.php
and an interview with Jeremy here

Over at http://www.notdeadyet.com.au/ we had an interesting week. Jools found the wonderful Abra Moore and equally impressive Brett Dennen. I was taken with Loreena McKennitt’s new albums and Tinariwen, you really should check last week out, It was one of our best for a while (and no cars in sight).

thatch

{Currently listening to Loreena McKennitt & Ornette Coleman}
{Currently reading: Ricahrd Branson’s Bio and giving up on The Troy Game for a while.}
{Quick Status Check: What’s your guess? Still going to Hell. }
{Crop Circle Status: July: we have three and one of them is quite pretty. They obviously weren’t flooded out http://www.cropcircleconnector.com/2007/2007.html }

Published
Categorized as Mondays

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