This week’s whimsy is brought to you by Babbage’s Difference Engine in both Meccano and Lego versions.
Meccano (as seen briefly on last night’s QI on Auntie)
Lego
This provokes me to share the The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage webcomic with those of you who have not yet seen it. They fight Crime, Clients and Street Music. You can thank me profusely now.
Please share any bits and pieces you have come across recently that have surprised, delighted, intrigued or otherwise positively engaged you.
NB: the weekly whimsy thread is a stoush-free zone
Ah yes, based on the true story of the invention of the first computer-I remember it from one of those absorbing ABC Sunday docos, the pair of them were geniuses.
Of course, difference engines these days are made out of nanoparticles so that they can fit inside computer chips.
Lego Antikythera Mechanism:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLPVCJjTNgk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism
Marvellous whimsies this week Tigtog and SCPritch!
The Meccano version is just beautiful to watch. Truly entrancing.
Many moons ago I was shown the flickr feed of the Lego Zombiepocalypse.
You must have watched QI last night
Australian rats poised to swarm US Spy HQ:
“We will fight them on our perimeter, we will fight them in their desert nests but not a single Orsee rodent will scurry into Pine Gap without a compehensive Security Clearance”
~CIA Pine Gap Commander, Sel “Call Me, Tappy” Fosterer.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/06/3183521.htm
@ EC
This is my favourite comment from your link:
Do Babbage’s engines count as steampunk? Profuse thanks for the links, to tigtog’s ego.
Chookie @ 10: yes. In fact they are a large part of the inspiration for it. (See The Difference Engine, by Sterling and Gibson, one of the very early steampunk books.)
Those videos were awesome, btw, tigtog. I’d seen the Meccano one before, but not the Lego one.
If anyone wants to start their own Space Race…
Catch it while you can @ Aunty.
GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS
Unemployment at a two-year low
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/07/3184811.htm?section=justin
Just got sent this in an e-mail.
WRONG E-MAIL ADDRESS
This one is priceless. A lesson to be learned from
typing the wrong email address!!
A Minneapolis couple decided to go to Florida to thaw out during a particularly icy winter. They planned to stay at the same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years earlier.
Because of hectic schedules, it was difficult to coordinate their travel schedules. So, the husband left Minnesota and flew to Florida on Thursday, with his wife flying down the following day.
The husband checked into the hotel. There was a computer in his room, so he decided to send an email to his wife. However, he accidentally left out one letter in her email address, and without realizing his error, sent the e-mail.
MEANWHILE – somewhere in Houston , a widow had just returned home from her husband’s funeral. He was a minister who was called home to glory following a heart attack.
The widow decided to check her e-mail expecting messages from relatives and friends.
After reading the first message, she screamed and fainted.
The widow’s son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read:
To: My Loving Wife
Subject: I’ve Arrived
Date: July 19, 2010
I know you’re surprised to hear from me. They have computers here now and you are allowed to send emails to your loved ones. I’ve just arrived and have been checked in.
I’ve seen that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then! Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.
P. S. Sure is freaking hot down here!!!!
http://www.cracked.com/article_19065_18-old-timey-photos-you-wont-believe-arent-photoshopped.html