a lot of stuff and nonsense from eclectech

... featuring Mushroom the Marmot here, but as it's running a little late I thought I'd spend 10 minutes clearing the rest of my bookmarks out. It's a little bit of a "I'm back online" frenzy from my point of view.

First up, I do rather like the atheist adverts being run on London buses, "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." A worthy message and a nice change. I also found this photo great. Well, that's not quite right, I can't bear the hatred shown in the demos, but the protest placard is wonderful. Hooray for that.

I've had a big moan in the past about the quality of comments on YouTube. This Firefox plugin was obviously made for me. Fantastic.

This is definitely the best BBC headline in a long time... Military penguin becomes a 'Sir'. Frankly all a bit nuts, but still a great headline. A slightly sadder headline involves my first penguin love. Berke Breathed has said goodbye to Opus. Again. This time for good it seems. It's a bit of an odd one for me. I've not kept up with the recent Opus cartoons, to me he belongs to the eighties when, along with Calvin and Hobbes, he was my cartoon favourite but I've always intended to catch up. There's something sad about knowing he's gone for good. On the plus side Mr Breathed is about to delve further into kids books, and as a new parent this makes me quite happy. I can't express how much I'm looking forward to reading "A wish for wings that work" to the techling this Christmas.

More books... I strongly recommend Ben Goldacre's Bad Science. I've always enjoyed the blog, but I 've just finished the book and it's tops. Well written, entertaining and informative. A great defense against the horror of "well I read in the newspaper that..." He also mentions me. I was quite chuffed about that. Unfortunately it was because that awful poo woman threatened to sue me, but he called me funny too. Rah!

Finally, Scaryduck has rewritten Romeo and Juliet in txt speak.

Jlt: Rmo Rmo WTF art thou Rmo?
Rmo: Here 4 am I art LOL
Jlt: Oh, you is so lush

Read it!

Back tomorrow with Mushroom the musical marmot in action.

Labels: blether, neat links, news links, penguin joy, poo woman

Now, I don't really "do" Valentines Day but I like an excuse to make something silly and a new tune from DogHorse seemed perfect for a topical animation. I give you...

One Heartbeat (1.5MB Flash)

It stars Jack Java (the monkey of lurve), a couple of penguins and some pants. The song is just a little bit rude. Well, very rude in places.

We've also got a new animation for Greenpeace online, if you like your moving pictures to have a bit of a point. Stop the Horror (500KB) is part of a campaign to stop illegal timber and help save the lovely orang utans and other affected creatures.

I must mention a topic that I'm afraid amuses me far too much for terribly low reasons. As Jess points out in the comments of my previous post Gillian McKeith is in trouble again and is now banned from calling herself a doctor in her adverts. What a shame eh?

A Menace to Science, Guardian article by Ben Goldacre
Previous bit from me about Ms McKeith.

Other things that have entertained me recently include this fine campaign from Sir Montgomery Cecil of Spurt via Beau Bo D'Or and this fantastic photography project; Running From Camera. I'm not quite sure why but this appeals to me very much.

Oh, and if you do want to send someone a special message today* you can always say it with pants!

Enjoy!

*Or, in fact, any day... which is much nicer really.

Labels: flash animation, flash toy, neat links, poo woman

Please excuse my schadenfreude but I couldn't resist a post about Gillian McKeith's illegal products. Sexy illegal products at that. No, not a coprophilic bedroom kit, but her horny goat weed complex and wild pink yam complex.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the government agency responsible for ensuring that medicines work and are acceptably safe, has ordered the removal of the two products that promised wonders for all in the bedroom.

MHRA Press Release.

Some animated and musical context for this post.

Labels: flash animation, poo woman

Mr DogHorse has recorded a George Formby-esque ode to the World's Greatest Nutritionist. I can't express how much this made me laugh.

Go listen.

You can read the lyrics here

In other news here's a great piece on Fafblog about the US response to the suicides in Guantanamo and a congressman looking particularly stupid on The Colbert Report.

And I appear to be having a dinosaur moment.

Hmm.

Labels: neat links, poo woman

Something was here but now it's gone.

Sorry about that.

Options are being considered, advice is being sought.

Whilst I contemplate these things, and consider my cork and the difficulties it encounters, I can still point you to Mr DogHorse, who has been extraordinarily prolific recently. He's recorded Captain Birdseye and Cameron Creep.

Both are superb, go and have a listen.

Labels: neat links, poo woman