FlashLadyBug.com

Here is a nifty tool that you normally wouldn’t just think of.
You know of those programs that convert powerpoints into flash files so their portable anywhere? Well, heres a program that converts audio and video to an executable that will work on any pc, sadly, mac is not supported.
There is a PRO version, that lets you set bitrates, etc, the free version uses a default bitrate which is likely lower quality. However, for normal applications, a quick conversion, this is a nice little addition to the already quite large toolbox

Check it out: a2e

The dsigner who made this mouse made the shell entirely from stainless steel, using the innards and electronics from a Microsoft optical mouse. It took 8 months to complete, weighs quite a bit, but is supposedly ergonomic and fully functional.

View more pix (and individual component pix and details) here
http://thecontaminated.com/stainless-steel-mouse/

“The striking young man – never without his
red-and-white-striped top, bobble hat, walking stick and glasses – had
a habit of turning up in the most unlikely and crowded of places, from
ancient Aztec kingdoms to medieval battlefields.

Melanie Coles, the artist, has released this photo of the figure taken from a helicopter

But
now a Canadian artist has brought the game into the 21st Century, by
painting an enormous Wally that can be seen by Google Earth satellites.

The
55ft figure was installed on an undisclosed rooftop in Vancouver last
month, sparking a flurry of interest among internet users keen to be
the first to spot this Web 2.0 Wally.”

. . .

“Coles, an art student who publicised the project on her blog www.whereonearthiswaldo.com, is encouraging others to follow her lead and create a network of Google Earth Wallys across the world.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/10/wwaldo110.xml

“Acton’s
plans call for his biggest and most detailed model yet as he constructs
a model of the tremendously ancient city that
Tolkien says “appears hewn from the rock of Mount
Mindolluin” in the White Mountains. 
Acton’s matchstick version of the seven-level city was started in February
of 2007. The Minas Tirith model will contain hundreds
of city buildings and will be topped with the Tree of Gondor
and the White Tower of Etchelion. “

From his website, “Iowa artist
Patrick Acton turns ordinary wooden matchsticks into incredible works
of art. The Matchstick Marvels display is wood art at its best,
showing creativity and detail work unmatched by other skilled woodworkers.
Millions of matchsticks have been painstakingly glued together to
represent scaled models of life-like sculptures, intricate machines,
and world renown architecture.”

View more pix here
http://www.matchstickmarvels.com/Comingin2009.htm

Just a humorous Happy Holidays from FLB!

Ben Heck has made another one-handed Xbox conroller.   All the buttons are in easy-to-reach places, and the controller still manages to incorporate two joysticks.
Read more about it here :
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/19/ben-hecks-one-handed-xbox-360-controller-refined/

Watch this short video to find out.
It’s quite amazing how with only 20 cars driving around a circle, all supposed to be doing 30kph, a wave of backup slowly flows around the ring of cars.  Quite quickly the spacing between cars starts to change.  As some cars speed up, they create gaps.  Is the cars behind them speed up, other drivers speed up too.  Soon, a bunch of faster-moving cars catch up to slower moving cars.  Only when all the cars before the driver ahead of the slow pack move up does the driver leading the slow pack speed up.  Still confused?  Just watch the video.  Its only 30 seconds long, and shows what happens really clearly.
Still not an excuse for being late to work though. . . . .

http://www.maniacworld.com/shockwave-traffic-jam-test.html