A little creativity can go a loooooong way!

I tend to consider myself pretty much the creative type, but sometimes I forget how far a little creativity can go!

Fortunately for the world at large, some people keep it in mind. Here’s one example of taking a very, very cheap commodity and turning it into actual art.

I present to you - Toilet Paper Rolls

 
Though these are (obviously) different pieces, they show how stark a difference the backlighting can make!


After the jump, each of the sets shows a close-up with normal front lighting, followed by a series of six rotation pics, and finally a backlit (awesome) version. Obviously, I’m not showing them quite that way here!


I’m not sure quite why, but, even though this is one of the simpler examples, it’s one of my favorites.

- Original Images (and many more!) -


Awesome Scratch Built Assault Rifle from Mass Effect (with BETTER Build Photos!)

Recently we did a post on the "Awesome Scratch Built Plasma Rifle from Fallout 3 (with Build Photos!). While Fallout 3 is among my favorite games, here’s a replica weapon from Mass Effect - I’m not as familiar with the game, but the look of the weapon absolutely, stone cold rocks!

Note: This one also has build photos, only they’re much more detailed!

 
I think part of the reason I like this weapon so much is that I can imagine this being real in the not too distant future.


Here’s the very beginning of the project - a sketch of the rough pieces on uncut wood.


The article provides A LOT of step-by-step build pictures -  enough that, if you have the tools and the skill, you could duplicate the project!

- Original Article on VolpinProps -


Looking for something? Notifind it!

notiFINDER.com is a new service (still in beta) that helps you conquer the chaos that is CraigsList. You specify yoru search, the city to watch (you can have any number of searches running), and then an email address to notify.

When something(s) are found matching your search, you get an email! How cool is that?!?

 
I search for "apple" in Cleveland. Notice that there’s a new listing matching that search about every hour…


Maybe that’s too generic, so I change it to "apple laptop". The results now are only every 19 hours! That’s ruling out TOO much, so I think I’ll leave it as "apple". I enter my email addres and click [Add]…


Here’s the email I get from them the next day. There’re a few extra things, but close enough! I’ll keep getting these every day until I cancel that search. Cool, huh?

- notiFinder.com -


Well, when you see them in a different light…

Here’s a three-part series of articles from a series on "Pop Icons Seen in a Different Light" (all three links below).

‘Nuff said!

 
Does he really Count as an icon?


YAY! TGI… Oh. Uh… Nevermind.


Mr. Spork showing the standard vulcan hand sign.

- Series Part 1 -

- Series Part 2 -

- Series Part 3 -


The most useless gadget (that’s still awesome)!

This Instructable shows how to build a gadget that does one thing - turns itself off whenever someone turns it on (hey, at least it’s a GREEN useless gadget)!

The gadget consists of a wooden enclosure with a switch on it. When the switch is flicked, the device activates, an armature comes out block and turns the switch back off.

I might have to build one of these… Just to save batteries!

 
Here we see the device in its docile, unactivated state.


Here’s a view of the armature just after it has pushed the switch into the "off" position and is returning to it’s hole.


The article has a video that’s pretty worth seeing - it’s quite short, but you do get to see the guy and the device argue over what position the switch should be in!

- Original Article on Instructables.com -


Um… That’s actually just her name…

POTRTP: Picture Of The Random Time Period

Enjoy!


Is it possible that she just misunderstood?

Very Cool App, Inexplicable Name…

As you may know, YouTube is an easy place to pick up just about any song you could possibly want. The problem, of course, is how to get the SONG out of the VIDEO?

That’s where Dirpy Studio comes in (See? Inexplicable name!). It’s a web site that lets you to search for, then download, the video or music of any YouTube video!

(You don’t even need to register)

 
The search box has a very fast suggestion engine - I actually found it easier to use than the native YouTube search!


When you search, Dirpy, of course, gives you a selection of options that match your search.


When you choose one of the results, you’re presented with the screen shown here to tweak any options you want, or just click [Download] to use the defaults. Note that at the bottom, you also have options for downloading the video itself rather than just the music.

- Dirpy Studio -


Find Favorite Freebies… Uh… Quickly!

FreeApps is a definite boon for installing a clean PC, but it can also come in handy any time you need several of the more popular, free apps quickly (like to have a friend them).

FreeApps lists many free apps in numerous categories. Choose the ones you want, click the DOWNLOAD button, and download a single installer for all of your selections!

That’s all there is too it!

 
This is kind of an overview of the way it works.


There are lots of apps to choose from, and the list is growing…


Thare also lots of categories - 15 of them as of this writing!

- FreeApps on FreeNew.net -


2600 : Halo Devolved

Remember the Atari 2600?

(Yes, I’m aware that some of you know it very well)!

Here’s how Halo might have looked (and played) had it been released a somewhat earlier.

Two things to note:

1) I had to hit the [refresh] button in my browser for the game to start the first time

2) there is a very, VERY DIFFICULT spot in the second (red) area.

Good Luck!

 
The intro screen - very A2600 looking!


About to grab my first weapon (you can’t shoot until you get it) - this is on beginning "level".


Those seem to be shield things of some sort - they make it difficult (or impossible) to run past some of the enemies without fighting.
Note: I wasn’t able to get screenshots of the enemies without the enemies killing me!

- Halo 2600 on CodeMystics -


Not Very Cubic, but Very, Very Cool!

Lots of very "cool" ice cubes.

Except, of course, none of them are cubes.

They are all ice, though (one of them is even "ice" in the figurative sense)!

Check ‘em out!

 
"Ice" in the figurative sense.


I’ve always disliked the phrase "Cool Beans" - any with me on changing it to "Cool Bones"?


I wonder if these will make your drinks inexplicably addictive?

- Original Article on Toxel.com -