var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www."); document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E")); try { var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-8570240-1"); pageTracker._trackPageview(); } catch(err) {}Like what you see? Put the  RSS feed into your reader! This blog: Random things I find, and amazing sights I see.My interests span medical and scientific fascinations, computer coding (with some bias for Macs), education, and the strange and weird things people do. There could be any of that and more in here. Me: I am Mark Whybird. I am notoriously poor at keeping in touch with even my closest friends and family, so please don’t feel singled out. Email me on . No really, do. Unless you’re a spammer. If you are a spammer, instead I suggest you think for a moment about how your career choice condemns you to deal almost exclusively with morons. Alternately, use the Ask Me Anything form! var sc_project=2572355; var sc_invisible=0; var sc_partition=25; var sc_security="fff89999"; Tumblr (3.0; @whybird)http://blog.whybird.net/<object width="400" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qybUFnY7Y8w&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qybUFnY7Y8w&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="336" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent"></embed></object><br/><br/><p>I love a good Rube Goldberg machine - and this is one of the best I’ve seen!</p> <p>via <a href="http://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/2010/03/rube-goldberg-on-steroids.html" target="_blank">TYWKIWDBI: Rube Goldberg on steroids</a></p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/434504521http://blog.whybird.net/post/434504521Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:30:42 +1000<object width="400" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/muCPjK4nGY4&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/muCPjK4nGY4&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="336" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent"></embed></object><br/><br/><p>Some people can really make a musical instrument speak.</p> <p>No, I mean literally. (Narration is in German, but watch it anyway, and read the subtitles. Or Don’t, and just listen to the English bits!)</p> <p>via <a href="http://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/2010/03/bridging-gap-between-music-and-speech.html" target="_blank">TYWKIWDBI: Bridging the gap between music and speech</a></p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/434490306http://blog.whybird.net/post/434490306Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:17:37 +1000<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/magazine/07Teachers-t.html">Building a Better Teacher - NYTimes.com</a>: <p>Although there are inevitably a lot of US-centric aspects to this article, I nonetheless found it interesting.</p> <p>(Caveat: I haven’t actually read all of it yet!)</p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/433889715http://blog.whybird.net/post/433889715Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:06:11 +1000<object width="400" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vOhf3OvRXKg&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vOhf3OvRXKg&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="336" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent"></embed></object><br/><br/><p>Amazing live sand art.</p> <p>I saw this video a few years ago, but it is well worth a re-watch.</p> <p>via <a href="http://www.uiandus.com/blog/2010/3/6/multitouch-art-sand-to-silicon.html" target="_blank">UI and Us — UI and Ux design - UI and us Blog - Multitouch Art, Sand to Silicon</a></p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/431572142http://blog.whybird.net/post/431572142Sun, 07 Mar 2010 14:04:39 +1000<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7372452/New-Zealand-man-tries-to-sell-two-ghosts-on-internet.html">New Zealand man tries to sell two ghosts on internet</a>http://blog.whybird.net/post/429417685http://blog.whybird.net/post/429417685Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:13:58 +1000<img src="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kyuaocusbD1qz4h1co1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Happy spider</p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/429380366http://blog.whybird.net/post/429380366Sat, 06 Mar 2010 12:53:00 +1000<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="300" data="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=8609521&server=vimeo.com&fullscreen=1&show_title=1&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF"><param name="quality" value="best" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="scale" value="showAll" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=8609521&server=vimeo.com&fullscreen=1&show_title=1&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF" /><embed src="http://www.vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=8609521&server=www.vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><br/><br/><p><a href="http://www.etre.com/blog/2010/02/glance/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reaction+%28Reaction%21%29&utm_content=Google+Reader" target="_blank">Glance - Blog - Etre</a></p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/429312273http://blog.whybird.net/post/429312273Sat, 06 Mar 2010 12:13:39 +1000<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kyt4nmbPzb1qz4h1co1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Ah. One of THOSE days.</p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/428139175http://blog.whybird.net/post/428139175Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:45:22 +1000<object width="400" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mUCRZzhbHH0&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mUCRZzhbHH0&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="336" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent"></embed></object><br/><br/><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUCRZzhbHH0" target="_blank">Pedigree Dogs ad shot 1000 FPS using the Phantom camera</a></p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/426035667http://blog.whybird.net/post/426035667Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:44:26 +1000<img src="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kyqnkbl0BQ1qz4h1co1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://www.metro.co.uk/news/802617-starlings-give-twitchers-the-bird" target="_blank">Starlings give twitchers the bird | Metro.co.uk</a></p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/425468431http://blog.whybird.net/post/425468431Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:40:59 +1000“If Apple becomes a company that uses its might to quash competition instead of using its brains, it’s going to find the brainiest people will slowly stop working there. You know this, you watched it happen at Microsoft. Enforcing patents isn’t a good long-term play: it’s the beginning of the end of the creative Apple we both love.”<br/><br/> - <em><a href="http://wilshipley.com/blog/2010/03/open-letter-to-steve-jobs-concerning.html" target="_blank">Wil Shipley’s Open Letter to Steve Jobs Concerning the HTC Lawsuits.</a></em>http://blog.whybird.net/post/425122734http://blog.whybird.net/post/425122734Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:52:25 +1000<img src="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kypdltfPCc1qz4h1co1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://www.gaaglebot.com/" target="_blank">Roomba Vacuum Robot modified to see stuff as it works, to help you find things</a></p> <p>Wael Chatila, One on my many legions of fans* sent me an email about a Roomba hack he made that mounts a computer and camera inside - so you can index any text the Roomba encounters as it goes about its vacuuming. Hopefully, that way you can find lost things in the real world! Neat!</p> <p>As a bonus, you can also control the Roomba across the internet connection, and see the images from the camera - a spybot for you to check on your own home while you are out.</p> <p>I think one of the coolest things about this Roomba hack is that it leaves the vacuuming function fully functional, and all the added parts are inside the case. Nice work!</p> <p>A suggestion, Wael (or anyone else who wants to build it): I wonder if it is possible to index the images themselves and do a <a href="http://www.tineye.com/" target="_blank">reverse image search</a>? That way you could feed in an image of a lost object in, and find it in context. There are formidable challenges, for sure, but it would be very cool.</p> <p>:)</p> <p>Now, where did I leave my keys?</p> <hr> <p>_{* for very, very small values of ‘legion’.}</p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/423986895http://blog.whybird.net/post/423986895Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:08:00 +1000<a href="http://timesbusiness.typepad.com/money_weblog/2008/03/the-ten-crazies.html">The Ten Craziest Parking Tickets of All Time</a>http://blog.whybird.net/post/423538992http://blog.whybird.net/post/423538992Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:58:43 +1000<object width="400" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/30Ow92F78fY&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/30Ow92F78fY&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="336" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent"></embed></object><br/><br/><p>There is no high-speed in this little <a href="http://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/2010/03/trail-bike-ride.html" target="_blank">motorbike ride</a>, but it is genuinely the most terrifying youtube clip I have ever seen!</p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/421880320http://blog.whybird.net/post/421880320Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:37:16 +1000<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kyng3hg0O51qz4h1co1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>I like this <a href="http://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/2010/02/bumper-sticker.html" target="_blank">bumper sticker</a></p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/421789117http://blog.whybird.net/post/421789117Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:06:52 +1000<img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kynfzxlrYh1qz4h1co1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/2010/02/spider-beetle.html" target="_blank">Beetle</a></p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/421787061http://blog.whybird.net/post/421787061Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:04:44 +1000<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kynf7vK1Qi1qz4h1co1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>For my kids: <a href="http://oddlyspecific.com/2010/03/funny-signs-alphabet-game/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+OddlySpecific+%28Oddly+Specific%29&utm_content=Google+Reader" target="_blank">Oddly Specific » Alphabet Game</a></p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/421771554http://blog.whybird.net/post/421771554Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:47:54 +1000<img src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kyllk55gsp1qz4h1co1_250.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://weirdnews.about.com/b/2010/02/24/greatest-of-the-danes-meet-the-new-worlds-tallest-dog.htm" target="_blank">Meet the New World’s Tallest Dog</a></p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/419629687http://blog.whybird.net/post/419629687Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:09:41 +1000<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="gtembed" width="400" height="326"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?mid=185731" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><embed src="http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?mid=185731" swliveconnect="true" name="gtembed" align="middle" allowscriptaccess="sameDomain" allowfullscreen="true" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="326"></embed></object><br/><br/><p>Who has seen the Zombie flick <i>I Am Legend</i> with Will Smith? Remember all those growing hints that the zombies are actually organised and intelligent, which are then completely ignored at the end of the movie?</p> <p>Well, this is the proper ending… suddenly the movie actually makes sense!</p> <p>from <a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/user-movie/i-am-legend-alternative/185731" target="_blank">I Am Legend **Alternative Ending HQ</a></p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/416582873http://blog.whybird.net/post/416582873Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:28:00 +1000<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kyj4joRWbP1qz4h1co1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://www.collegehumor.com/picture:1931279" target="_blank">And the award for best headline of the year goes to… - CollegeHumor picture</a></p>http://blog.whybird.net/post/416543986http://blog.whybird.net/post/416543986Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:06:59 +1000