Giant Steam Clock

A steam powered clock with whistle and moving figures, built 1984, in the Chelsea Farmer's Market in London. Most of the detail about this clock is on the image of the poster.

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Bert's Quarter Shrinking Gallery

Small tube electromagnets with very large power discharges make for a way to magnetically crush coins placed inside the tube. Bert's gallery has a selection of photos and description of the shrinker and a larger collection of photos of the effects.

dead link: http://205.243.100.155/frames/shrinkergallery.html

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Japanese Toy to Make Records

This started out as a post about a new toy available in Japan to make audio records (as in "gramophone") on CDs and other flat discs, and branched off to include some other related ideas. I want one of those toys.

dead link: http://www.boingboing.net/2004/06/03/japanese_toy_turns_c.html

2020 update: the company that made those toys, Gakken, went on to produce several other kits, including record recorder / players that use plastic cups and candles as the media. Here's a "how to" on assmebling the plastic cup version: Building the Gakken Cup Phonograph Kit.

I did eventually find the CD recorder and the plastic cup recorder available for sale in San Francisco's Japantown. I purchased, assembled, played with, and gave them away (probably to SCRAP, the Scaveger's Center for Recycled Art Products (or some such name)).

Fund Race

A website that provides detailed searches of political donations. Search by zip code to see who donated to whom in your area.

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