I’ve just unpacked a wonderful acrylic sculpture by Gary Haas – it is not the one you see pictured here, but it’s very similar – and it’s an amazing and beautiful piece of work. More pictures of this one are at his Deviant Art page, and the sculpture pictured here is currently for sale at Etsy.

Gary carves these from solid blocks of acrylic using tools that I’m trying to picture in my mind. I know that they’re rotary tools (which describes a heck of a lot of powered tools, when you think about it) but in order to do the undercuts it seems as though a cutting bit would have to deploy whirling flanges of death after it was already inserted. Which, you know, is really cool. In fact I’ll continue to believe in retractable whirling flanges of death even after I find out I’m totally wrong.

Because some things just ought to exist. And to get back on topic, this sculpture is one of ‘em.

Gary seems to think I’m inspirational, and I sure won’t argue with him ("Whirling flanges of Death!") Either way I’m awfully glad to have this in my office. My advice: you should have one too.

Update: he’s just posted a photo of mine at Deviant art. It’s here.

Technorati Tags: sculpture, gary haas, sci fi, science fiction, retro future, retro futuristic, acrylic, carving, carved, cube, whirling flanges of death

Tee Junction has posted its list of the 50 Best Steampunk-Inspired T-Shirts, of which there are actually 56, and of which 3.5% are from my Retropolis Transit Authority shop. Even though, as I’ve mentioned before, this ain’t Steampunk.

But heck, it’s an honor just to be nominated. Now how did he miss those "Airship Ballast" shirts?

Technorati Tags: t-shirts, mad scientist, steampunk, 50 best steampunk tees, retro future

Elvish by `Saimain on deviantART

Artist Adele Lorienne S. (Saimain at Deviant Art) has posted this wonderful drawing in which she used my book of knotwork borders in exactly the way that I’d hoped people would.

She chose one of the art nouveau flavored designs, for obvious reasons: if Mucha had been an Irishman, we might have seen more like this!

I’m just so pleased to see this. It’s exactly what I hoped for when I was working on the book.

Technorati Tags: celtic knotwork, art nouveau, deviant art, Adele Lorienne S., art, drawing, border

In a surprising instance of somewhat academic thoroughness, Discover magazine has cited my “Speed Limit” tee shirts in what is (otherwise?) a pretty impressive article about near lightspeed travel using pulse drives – whether the altogether possible nuclear version, or the “hey, maybe in a hundred years” antimatter version.

I’m pleased to be a part of it. Even though I quail a little at the thought of using nuclear bombs for propulsion I have to admit that there’s something sort of appealing about chucking those puppies out the back of a spaceship and hanging on. “Fire in the hole!”

Technorati Tags: speed of light, t shirt, relativity, 186000 miles per second, retropolis, pulse drive, interstellar travel, spaceship, space ship, who needs a catalytic converter anyway

Hey! Every so often my friends over at Printfection turn a sale on over at the servers where my Retropolis Transit Authority lives – and for about a week, you get some sort of deal on my “Nifty T-Shirts from Yesterday’s Tomorrows”. But this time they’ve done something unusual.

They let me name the discount coupons myself!

I know, I know, you’re thinking “self involved”. But it’s kind of a kick. Well, okay, for me, anyway. But why not enjoy my elation, if only vicariously? I’m normally so glum.

Here’s how it works. Go look at the streamlined & modern T-Shirts at Retropolis Transit, add one or more to your cart till your order (before shipping or tax, if applicable) meets the minimum order requirements, and enter the discount coupon during your checkout.

Hint: since the dark colored shirts clock in at just over $25, you’re almost sure to qualify for a $5 discount. And on a $100 order you almost, but not quite, get one free.

Printfection’s impregnable fortress sits on top of the Rocky Mountains – so the sale ends at midnight, Mountain Time, on May 16.

Technorati Tags: t shirts, retropolis transit authority, sale, discount, coupon, tee shirts, printfection