I’ve been concentrating lately with the retro-futuristic side of my brain, but look what popped out this weekend: two new Celtic art designs for my Saga Shirts site.

“Do Not Meddle in the Affairs of Wizards” is of course Gandalf’s famous advice about, you know, not meddling. The consequences are grave – witness the frog (“You Are Here”) and the rest of the quote: “For they are subtle, and quick to anger.” As are we all, I expect. Like all the Saga shirts these are available in loads of colors and styles.

“Visit Scenic Annwn” is what you might expect from the Otherworld Tourist Advisory Board: first, an invitation to spend your vacation time in Arawn’s kingdom – which lies just on the other side of those fields we know – and then, a few tourist advisory notices. Don’t eat or drink anything; don’t make any bargains; don’t take or offer gifts; and, above all, watch out for the hounds.

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Once again, it’s Retro Rocket Thursday – that holiday of long standing that we get every week, so long as I remember what day it is.

Today’s retro rocket is the Space Tub Rocket by Jeff Brewer. This handsome, bulging cartoon rocket is cast in resin on a weighted base that will keep it flying in almost any situation. Almost, I say, because mine turned out to be a very poor perch for a bird, when it found its way into my house. Don’t try this at home.

But aside from air raids, it’s a great, bulgy, more or less streamlined cartoon rocket that stands proudly on top of its plume of exhaust. Nice one!

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Slow week? Consider your options for the Top Ten Ways to Destroy the Earth at Live Science.

For sheer outrageous foolhardiness, my hat’s off to #4 (“Meticulously and systematically deconstructed“). I’m pretty sure that about the time you’d dug up, say, Australia, and fired the chunks off into the Sun, someone would show up and give you an unreasonably hard time. Though this would obviously not be the Australians.

Anyway if your work week is leading you to waver between plans for world domination and schemes for utter and complete annihilation, this would be the article that might tip the scales.

I mean, each scenario even has its “You Will Need” bullet point. It’s practically a recipe.

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Here’s the latest short animation from Michael Sormann’s ongoing “Theme Planet” project. “Bunny Situation” is available in three flavors: YouTube version Windows Video (85 megs) Quicktime (120 megs)

“Theme Planet” is a 3D animated planet that is completely covered by a theme park. One attraction after another is piled high and wide, to cover the whole world’s surface. The story centers on a couple of maintenance workers who live there (the Pig and Elephant characters who appear in this short).

It’s exactly the sort of huge ambitious personal project I most admire even though my own H.A.P.P. is likely to consume me. Or maybe because my own is likely to consume me. Very highly recommended.

Technorati Tags: theme planet, bunny situation, 3d animation, computer graphics, short film

The worthy gadgetophiles of Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories have taken a 1950’s “Fraction of an Inch Adding Machine” and turned it into a do it yourself project.

This reminds me of the proportional scale that I still sometimes use. What this one does is to make it simple for you to add fractional measurements (like 1/16″ + 5/64″). Still a useful, old school device in the workshop.

Note: Always remember to Measure Twice, Cut Once.

Technorati Tags: evil mad scientist, diy, do it yourself, measurement, calculator, fractions, gadget, adding machine