NEWSLETTER: ISSUE 78: "DIE PIGEON SCUM"
This Week:
* VIDEO - Chasing pigeons with toy cars
* SITE - Trick photography
* ANIM - Weebl meets Elvis
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___/ _ |/_ </ __/ __ | "We're saving the
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B3ta email 78 - 28 Feb 2003
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http://b3ta.com/newsletter/issue78/
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: FASTER, PIGEON-CAM! KILL! KILL!
Chasing birds with remote control cars
JKF writes -
"Working in an electrical store in sunny Croydon,
I get the opportunity to play with lots of
expensive gadgets without actually having to
pay for them.
"To help break the monotony one quiet day, I
fixed a £400 digital camera onto a £10 remote
control car using electrical tape and set off
to harrass pigeons."
Watch the video. It's class.
http://www.b3ta.com/board/836177
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: SMALL OR FAR AWAY?
False perspective optical illusions
Steve Carter writes -
"I had a burst of inspiration while at a
juggling convention and thinking about
those photos you featured making toy cars
look real."
The results are great. Have a look and if you
fancy joining in then Steve is looking for
more contributers.
http://www.sweavo.34sp.com/photos/photomash/
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: WHAT B3TA PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MAKING THIS WEEK
Scanners, Elvis, Doppelganger, Celebs & Hammers
>> Squashing food on a scanner <<
Owning a scanner is a buzz. After you've scanned
your face and the cat what can you do next?
Why not scan food and squash it with the
lid? Thanks Kamikazee Killmouse - next, why
not try extended time-lapse scanning?
e.g. slam your fingers in a car door and
animate your recovery?
http://www.kamikazee.freeserve.co.uk/2003/squish/s...
>> Weebl meets Elvis <<
Remember Elvis? He was that fat dude on the
telly in the 70s. Now he's back as a donkey.
Watch him and Weebl in two-fisted action,
except neither of them have fists.
http://www.weebl.jolt.co.uk/elvis.htm
>> How popular is your name? <<
How many people share your name in the UK?
Glenn Chalmers' website will tell you, by
searching the electoral roll. We found
someone called Cuntos. Yay for Cuntos.
http://www.yournotme.com/
>> Celebrity defacer <<
Are you the kind of person who likes doodling
moustaches and willies onto pictures in
newspapers? We are. But what if the newsagents
are shut? Help is at hand with Scott Huot's
online tool.
http://www.scottsmind.com/celebrity_defacer/index....
>> Hammer the whore <<
"I was reading the news about the hammer-based
killings in the UK", writes b3ta editor Rob,
"And I wondered who would be the first to make
a crass, exploitative game? Then I thought fuck
it - I'll do it."
http://www.b3ta.com/hammer-the-whore/
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: SITES IN BRIEF
Stuff we like that wasn't made by our mates.
>> USB tea warmer <<
The Japanese have the best computer
peripherals. This one attaches to your PC
and keeps your cup of tea piping hot.
Fantastic. Now all we need is a USB toaster.
http://www.dct-net.co.jp/special/usb_hot.html
>> Make your own snowflake <<
Despite a slightly tricky interface, this
Flash toy lets you create your own lovely
snowflake designs out of a piece of
internet cyber paper.
http://snowflakes.lookandfeel.com/
>> Peckham art project <<
London's Peckham area is best-known for being
shit, so a group of local artists decided
to redress the balance with a series of
oddball projects. We particularly liked when
they turned local graffiti tags on a park
bench into permanent engravings, embellished
with gold leaf. Warning: clunky interface.
http://www.ilovepeckham.com/ilovepeckham.html
>> Art goth Flash video <<
Mew are a Danish pop group who met at film
school. But don't let that put you off. This
extremely atmospheric song and video is
both beautiful and affecting.
http://www.evil-office.net/likepapercuts/
>> Frog game <<
Male frogs have specially adapted sex-thumbs so
that they can hang on to the female's back even
if she gets bored and tries to hop away. Anyway,
this puzzle-based game kept us cooing with
delight, going "Mmm. Good frog. Tasty dragonfly."
http://www.gamerival.com/games/frogmania.swf
>> Something to read <<
Have you had some junkmail with a fake
cheque in it? Patrick Combs got one for
$95,000 and in a moment of whimsy cashed it.
Read his long and fascinating story.
http://www.goodthink.com/$$tablecontents.html
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: B3TA IMAGE CHALLENGE
Results from "Crap Superhero" 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 Crap Superheroes
http://b3ta.com/challenge/crapsuperheroes/
We asked B3ta boarder AndyK to judge the
entries - here are his 3 faves.
AndyK writes -
#1 "Great! This has to win because of the
confused logic that just seems so obvious.
It all makes sense. (mozza)
http://www.b3ta.com/board/830305
#2 "For inventing a superhero that everyone wants
to see. (100% Kitten)
http://www.b3ta.com/board/840779
#3 "We always knew there was a mystery lurking
behind the smile. Finally we can uncover it.
Python-esque and marvellous. (Razor)
http://www.b3ta.com/board/843837
"And I couldn't get away without mentioning
aHandInTheBush. It's a terrible geek joke that
no-one will get but it made me laugh."
http://www.b3ta.com/board/830292
>> This Week's Challenge <<
This week, B3ta contributor Monkeon gave us
the suggestion, "Robots!"
http://www.b3ta.com/challenge/robots/
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: WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
Follow-ups on previous stories.
* EVERYTHING IS GAY KID - reader Elissa writes,
"He's no kid. He's 26 and lives in Queens,
NYC. A friend of mine took an improv acting
class with him last summer. Apparently he
is very hard to work with because he swore
constantly and brought up homosexuality
regardless of the scene they were working
on. Also he is kind of dirty."
* FREE STUFF UPDATE - we've been sent some
toy Daleks by a lovely chap called Jon Stroud
who works for a online gift site.
http://www.past-times.com/
BTW: If anyone else wants to send us free
stuff then get in touch at http://www.b3ta.com/mailus/
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: STAR IN NEXT WEEK'S ISSUE
Make something cool and tell us about it. If
you are in it then people will see your stuff.
Things we'd really like to see include
* MECCANO MONKEYS - why does every project
have to be Lego? And hey, Stikklebrix
would make a fullsome beard.
* BLOGS THAT HAVE A HOOK - give up work,
go to Africa, blog some lions. Or maybe visit
a different prostitute every night and tell
us about it.
* "WHAT IF?" PROJECTS - what if you had no
thumbs? Live life for a fortnight with your
thumbs taped up. See what happens. Might be
shit. Might be good. You won't know unless
you try.
Send contributions to http://www.b3ta.com/mailus/
BTW: If you've sent something in that hasn't
been featured then don't be put off - we look
at everything you send us.
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THANKS:
This issue was edited by Rob Manuel
with David Stevenson.
Links sent in by Fraser Lewry, Jason Russell,
tattmaylor, GR££DY & rob_dean007.
Image challenge handled by Mike Trinder.
Proofing by the hell-damned b4ta sinners.
(61112)
