NEWSLETTER: ISSUE 58: "VIKINGS ARE COOL"
This Week:
- Viking Kittens
- Best Screensaver Ever
- B3ta person wins Guardian Blog Award
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___/ _ |/_ </ __/ __ | "We're saving the
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B3ta email 58 - 27 Sept 2002
Read this issue online:
http://b3ta.com/newsletter/issue58/
Subscribe: [email protected]
Unsub: [email protected]
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: VIKING KITTENS
On their way to kitty Valhalla
Joel has made a pacy new animation featuring
(surprise) kittens. This time they are rocking
out to Led Zeppelin and brandishing swords.
BTW: Did you see Joel's Punk Kittens? We
launched it a couple of weeks ago and it got
so much traffic that Joel got kicked off his
webserver. Ha ha!
http://www.rathergood.com/vikings/
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: GREATEST SCREENSAVER IN THE WORLD
The B3ta images delivered to your desktop
You may remember a few months back Chicago Dave
made a screensaver that picked the best images
from the b3ta messageboard and put them into a
screensaver. We redesigned the site and it broke.
So he's done a brand spanking new, improved
version. With a lovely gilt frame.
Your screensaver will display different images
every day.
Install it now. It rocks. (PC Only. Sorry.)
http://www.limpfish.plus.com/b3tacollective.exe
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: DRAW ELVIS
And make him live again
Bovine2000 is challenging YOU to make a drawing
of Elvis and submit it to his extensive Elvis
gallery.
He says, "With his greasy hair, sneering lip and
swivelling hips, the whole world loves Elvis!"
So take the afternoon off and celebrate the life
of the King.
http://www.crapjuggler.co.uk/elvis/
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: WHAT B3TA PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MAKING THIS WEEK
Blogs, Drums and Beer
>> Best British Weblog 2002 <<
Well done to Al 'Scaryduck' Coleman, who won
this year's Guardian award for his online
journal. The judges were particularly impressed
with his writing, which Al describes as "like
b3ta photoshopping, only with words."
http://scaryduck.blogspot.com
>> Flash Drum Machine <<
This is isn't the most sophisticated drum
machine ever made - but we found it surprisingly
fun to sequence simple rhythms. Thank Bobulatorm
- can we have some silly noises too?
http://www.bobulatorm.net/flash/drummachine2.html
>> How drunk are you? <<
Fat Boab has made this informative reflex
testing game to tell you how drunk you are. We
suspect the police will soon be adopting this
for roadside checks.
http://comedy.allinfoabout.com/features/drink.html
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: SITES IN BRIEF
Stuff we like that wasn't made by our mates.
>> More Cat-Based Rock <<
This is exactly how a cat heavy-metal band would
really be, if cats had bands. A work of genius.
(If a bit scary - and it sent the B3ta cat potty.)
http://www.eyeenvision.com/litterbox/litterbox.htm...
>> Optical Illusion <<
Blimey. This checker-board shadow is so confusing
we had to open it in Photoshop to see if our eyes
were deceiving us.
http://snurl.com/54t
>> Create Online = Wanking Babies <<
Create Online embodies the worst in web
design. Flashy design masturbation over
usability and interesting content. That's
why we love this:
http://www.create-online.co.uk/
>> Bad Taste Hotel <<
Lovers of kitsch - or those who like laughing
at Americans will love this hotel. Each room
is decorated in a different and increasingly
repellent style. If you're planning an
alternative wedding - what better place for
a reception?
http://www.madonnainn.com/tour/index.asp
>> The Cliff Guy <<
Comic book art collector Walt Parrish has an
unusual hobby. He gets famous comic book artists
to draw pictures of their characters on cliffs.
It's amazing how many of them have responded to
his idea.
http://www.thecliffguy.com/cliffs.htm
>> Hallucinogenic Flash Animations <<
Want to take acid at work but don't have the
time? This website pretty much simulates the
effects. But probably won't make you think
you can fly.
http://www.larrycarlson.com/
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: B3TA IMAGE CHALLENGE
Results from the 'Safety First' Challenge
Each week we run a competition to test your
creative skills. We set a challenge and you
open Photoshop and mess with our heads.
Last week we wanted new safety equipment:
http://b3ta.com/challenge/safetyfirst/
We asked B3ta boarder 'munkt0n' to judge the
entries - here are his 3 faves.
Munkt0n writes -
#1 "Hi-vis elephant - all too often elephants
fail to see the importance of road safety.
This one is making a fine example. (rogan)
http://www.b3ta.com/board/3/6/1/6/4/3
#2 "Secure tea - I love my tea, and if someone
stole it, I don't think I'd be able to cope.
This gives me peace of mind. (Barkin)
http://www.b3ta.com/board/3/6/2/0/7/6
#3 "Remember, Safety wurst! - Talking sausages
and a terrible pun. What more can I say?"
(Fuzzbucket)
http://www.b3ta.com/board/3/5/1/1/6/1
>> This Weeks Challenge <<
This week, B3ta contributor Sue Denham gave us
the suggestion, "Before and After: tell us a
story in two frames"
http://b3ta.com/challenge/beforeafter/
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: WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
Follow-ups on previous stories.
* THEY'VE NAMED THE KITTENS! A couple of weeks
ago Tom and Phil asked you to name their
new kittens. And you did. Overwhelming them
with suggestions. The winner? Spunkybackpack
with "Cat Stevens and Cat Deeley." BTW: There's
some nice kitten pics on the site.
http://tomandphil.myby.co.uk/kitten/
* WHERE B3TA WAS BANNED NEXT - According to
Ashley Power, B3ta has been banned at
Rushcliffe Comprehensive School, Nottingham.
He is currently designing a website to
celebrate IT technician Darren Chunt.
(We've also been blocked by PFIZER - the
company responsible for Viagra.)
* NICEY BISCUIT UPDATE - Nicey runs a website
celebrating biscuits. He's had BBC TV round
to interview him. His wife Jenny writes,
"They videoed about 1hr of us sitting on the
sofa talking about tea and biscuits. We're
going to look like real biscuit obsessive
plonkers, but what the hell.."
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: STAR IN NEXT WEEK'S ISSUE
Make something cool and tell us about it. If
you are in? Then people will see.
Stuff we'd really like to see includes
* Something that's so cool that we cry
* Real world projects (do try this at home)
* Freebies
Send contributions to http://www.b3ta.com/mailus/
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Subscribe: [email protected]
Unsubscribe: [email protected]
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THANKS: Links supplied by Dr Nick Riviera,
Indole Ring, Rob Naylor, Alexandra Prior,
James Wilkinson, Bobodor. David Stevenson for
co-editing this newsletter. Mike Trinder for
handling the Photoshop challenge. B4ta for
proofing. (46555)
SPECIAL THANKS TO FRASER - he helps out with
the b3ta blog - and he's also won a prize in
the Guardian Competition. The best bit? He's
giving us half his prize money. YAY.
http://www.blogjam.com/
