Iain Builds a Time Machine

Last week, Iain and I saw Big Hero 6. It's fantastic. While we watched I thought, "This is as good as Wall-E," and, "Wow."

If you've seen the movie, you know that it revolves in part around an invention that allows you to transport materials through a portal. Iain apparently found that part interesting. Above, he built something similar but he wants it to transport through time, rather than space.

[Here are some pictures of the portal in case you want to see what I'm talking about. It's basically a circle.]

Note that he attached it to the electrical system originally meant for a Lego train set. So it moves. And stuff.

Legos. Still Killing It.

Last week I read a comment (somewhere - who knows?) claiming that the new sets Lego sells preclude creativity. They're good for building that one thing, this person said, but nothing else.

Nope. Iain receives Lego sets. He builds the item (Y-wing fighter, train, police car, helicopter, doesn't matter). Then he rebuilds it as something else. He makes secret compartments (see below, the red box full of Lego "gems"). He makes moving, multi-function arms. He makes legs, uses wheels, and builds new "pewers."

In short, worry not about the young. No set produced by Lego can repress the impulse to customize in little kids.

Best Thing Evar

Love this series so much.

NASA's too, too Sexy

We stayed up for the Curiosity landing. It was spectacular. If any federal agency is sexy (and they know it), it must be NASA.

Good Clean Geek Fun

About 1.5 minutes of "WTF?" Then. The rest is magical genius. I love L.A.

I showed one of my students this.

He replied with this:

Sledding!

Today Iain saw the snow, asked to go outside to play in it, put on his boots, asked to sled, went sledding in the yard, and then went with us to sled in park. And he had fun. What a difference a year makes.

It's a Mystery

Whoooo could have been in the trash? Whooo could it have been?

Give it a minute.

Beautiful. Check 3:55, when he does the routine backward.

Loving This

Meanwhile in France

ROYAL DE LUXE / EL XOLO from FKY on Vimeo.

Past, Meet Present

Beautiful and historic, if you're looking for it.

Fun

Don't hold back, just push things forward from Ithaca Audio on Vimeo.

Wait for the "Apache" bridge. That one's for you, Professor Bowes.

20 Seconds of Zen

Today, a first hike of the season for Charles. At the top, as promised, a beautiful little oasis.

Fight of the Century Part Two

We showed you round one some time ago. Now they are back with round two. Thanks to econstories.tv.

This Is How I Roll, Thanks!

Shaky cam strikes again. Seriously: motion sickness warning here.

Fontevrault - Been There

Welcome to Fontevraud from Francis Cutter & Vincent Nguyen on Vimeo.

Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan

Duuuuuude

1. Snowboarders are nuts.

2. What if snow movies had better photography?

Check it out.

Video of a Fractal in Three Dimensions

Surface detail from subBlue on Vimeo.

Russian Dance Off

More information: here or here

This style of dancing would be a great way to train for fencing.