Today on Modern Mechanix we have this wonderful little blurb about using highly trained pigeons with little cameras strapped to their breast to take aerial photos of targets. Here is another article we posted a few years ago that has a few examples of the pictures they took.  Do you have a dozen aquariums and a pile of tree bark just sitting around doing nothing? Make this, um, attractive aquarium wall for your home.  I have my doubts about whether this giant turbo-plane would ever fly, but it sure would be neat to see. While it may not be a 1/10th scale self powered hummer with a built-in MP3 player, this little motorized car that drives 60 foot concrete track looks like a lot of fun for a little kid. We also have a watch that forgoes the minute hand and this lengthy but flawed article about man's evolution from the apes. Damn that Piltdown Man!

I sometimes feel a tremendous nostalgia for that era of technology, even though in other regards it was not the finest hour for my family or myself. I notice a similar nostalgia in other now-older computer geeks. Perhaps the nostalgia emerges because the earlier machines—the ones at home, in bedrooms or dens—were so utterly disconnected from the larger reality, pre-Internet, pre-compact-disc, pre-hard-drive. I remember that I identified powerfully with the Amiga 1000 we bought when I was twelve; I came to know its bizarre moods and to listen to its grunting disks for clues to its health—the anthropomorphic/pathetic fallacy at work.

The Vet [FTrain.com]

Today on Modern Mechanix we look at a hand-cranked, propeller powered life preserver from 1933, a five story tin can for people who like their veggies to stay separate and a "flight simulator" machine that looks a like a lot of fun. Even though they were a complete monopoly Ma Bell used to publish a lot of advertisements extolling the virtues of the US telephone system. In this 1935 Modern Mechanix article, Charles Kettering explains the hows and whys of GM's research division. Also be sure to check out this awesome looking rail car that was powered by electricity, compressed air, imagination and a distinct lack of physics knowledge.

Designed by James Osborne Spong, the Spong Coffee Mill is a hand-cranked contraption that Apartment Therapy claims makes a fine cup of coffee. While it still uses a blade instead of a burr, it's unlikely that the speed of the grinder would build up enough to scorch the beans, one of the primary disadvantages of blade grinders. (How even the grind, however, is not mentioned.)

They're no longer on sale, being upwards of one-hundred-years-old, but can be found on eBay here and there. There's one listed now for $10, but it's missing the nifty catch tin that doubles as a dust cap.

The Best Coffee Grinder You Don't Know About [ApartmentTherapy.com]

Food writer Michael Ruhlman swears up and down that his ancient GE percolator makes better coffee than any drip machine—and from generic Folgers grounds, too.

I cherish the General Electric percolator (apparently no longer in production), but when I tell people that it makes the best coffee, by far superior to the ubiquitous automatic drip machines, they look at me like I've just confessed my belief in creationism.

It astonishes me that I have to defend this sleek, 9-cup wonder.  I serve generic decaf to guests and they’re begging to know what kind of coffee I buy.

...

Auto-drip coffee though almost never hot, especially if you put anything in it.  If it sits for a half hour, it’s tepid, and soon burnt.  It’s usually not much faster, nor appreciably easier to make.

He's bought three of his preferred model on eBay for $13. If he sways you, you better start sniping those bids now before there is a burgeoning desire for retro percolators.

Percolator Love [Ruhlman.com]

Canon made this 5200mm lens several years ago, capable of taking photographs of objects "18 to 32 miles away." That little knob on the right? That's the camera. It even came with its own sighting scope!

Brochure [CanonFD.com via Kottke]

Yesterday on Modern Mechanix we learn how to make this photographic enlarger out of kitchen utensils. We also have a beautiful, color Popular Mechanics article from 1936 introducing us to a new era in railroading.  Also in 1936, Modern Mechanix explored the LAPD's plans to win an arms race with local gangsters. Did you know that Eleanor Roosevelt ran a furniture factory? Here is an electric violin from 1933. Finally, girls, it's important to remember that no matter how pretty or fun you are, boys won't like you if you have bad breath.

The Tempest Prognosticator was also known as the "Leech Barometer," because it was used by 19th century pundits to take measurements of annelid political persuasion. Also, it was filled with leeches.

The twelve leeches are kept in small bottles inside the device; when they become agitated by an approaching storm they attempt to climb out of the bottles and trigger a small hammer which strikes a bell. The likelihood of a storm is indicated by the number of times the bell is struck.

I wholeheartedly endorse a return to a leech-based economy. Makers, on your marks.

Tempest Prognosticator [Wikipedia via Hr. Kottke]

Today on Modern Mechanix we look at some outlaw radio pirate's plan to operate from giant offshore broadcasting platforms. Why would they go through all the trouble? Freedom of speech? Nah, they just wanted to play ads for gambling, quack medical cures and liquor (this was during prohibition). It's a pity they didn't have an v1agra to pitch. This machine solved one of 1936's biggest mechanical problems; the automatic bending of pretzels.  We also looked at a home movie camera that is also a projector, an odd method of launching airplanes by flinging them from a giant merry-go-round and the popular new sport of sand skiing.

This weekend we learned about all of the tricks employed by FBI agents in an article written (or at least written with) J. Edgar Hoover. We also looked at a machine that is supposed to help the deaf by blasting their ears with loud noises and project ICARUS, a plan for delivering troops to the battlefield via giant rocket troopships. Every once in a while these old magazines have a bit of ASCII art (of course it wasn't called ASCII art then), here is another example; an ad for International Correspondence Schools.  In 1935 Science and Mechanics asked the question "Can Cities be Annihilated from the Air?" alas, they can.

We learned what every good smoker of the 1930's already knew: More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette brand. If you're worried about buying contaminated food at the market this checkout device is supposed to render your food germ-free using "condensed sunlight" (UV).  This kid made some pretty amazing models of a ferris wheel and the Eiffel tower entirely out of toothpicks.  Also check out this crazy, homemade bubble-topped car, a whole radio set built into pair of headphones a cool looking electric bicycle and an army device that lays communications cables by shooting them into the air at 30 MPH.

Dan Budiac indulged in a little nostalgia, purchasing an unopened Apple //c computer on eBay for $2,553. Rather than letting it sit on a shelf accruing value, he unboxed it in a lovely series of photographs.

Unlike so many nerds my age, I actually loathed this era of Apple computers, convinced they were all some sort of terrible attempt to undermine right and proper computing done by healthy young men on TRS-80s and Compaq lugables. It was only in the OS X era that I finally was wooed by Apple.

Apple //c set [Flickr via Coding Horror]

Yesterday on Modern Mechanix we look at this Japanese radio controlled tank from 1930, an article about the perils of making movies under the sea, a carousel gas station and a fire extinguisher that works by catapulting glass "bombs" full of flame retardant into the flames. Voice recognition 70 years ago? Supposedly this giant TV/Radio combo from 1934 allows the user to change the station just by speaking to it.  Lastly we have the debut of the new "De Luxe Sleeper Planes" which actually do look quite comfortable. I suppose they'd have to be considering a flight from New York to LA would take a day or two.

Core77 has discovered this captivating Flickr pool, "I Love My Electric Appliance!" a collection of vintage advertisements showing women enraptured by their cutting-edge household gadgets.

I Love My Electric Appliance [Flickr.com via Core77]

Previously • Our Flickr Pools Still Bubbling; Welcome Intern Mk. II [BBG]

Today on Modern Mechanix we have this very odd rotating toothbrush that takes two hands to use. I think I'll stick to my regular one.  Ever wonder how transatlantic telephone cables are repaired when they break? In 1930 a Popular Science reporter got to ride along and found out that it's really quite a pain in the ass. This 1934 Modern Mechanix roundup of gadgets for the home includes a combination toaster/skillet/heater along with a really dangerous idea for using it in the bathroom. Here is a very early attempt at an automobile heater for your feet. I'd much prefer to just live in this nifty RV that serves as home and office. Lastly we looked at cool restaurants that are in the shape of dogs, flowerpots, zeppelins and more.

Today on Modern Mechanix we look at this wacky idea for a police plane that launches off of an automobile to pursue fleeing criminals.  Did you know that Francis Bacon started "The New Atlantis", the first science magazine, in 1620? Supposedly he predicted the coming of the submarine, ships without sails, sky scrapers, telephones and smellovision among other things. Want to provide entertainment for the kids, but still do your laundry? Build this combination clothes dryer and "Whirl Swing" in your back yard. This 1930 Popular Science collection of new gadgets is full of cool stuff, but by far the best are the fake ears for deaf people. We also take a look at a man who makes sculptures out of bottle caps and crymotherapy, a technique for fighting cancer that involves making the patient really, really cold.

This weekend on Modern Mechanix we looked at a giant fire breathing tank envisioned by Hugo Gernsback, the man the Science Fiction Hugo awards are named after. Hugo was cool, but he could hardly compare to this studly fellow modeling a salt-water powered radio. Long before the taser, a Cuban inventor created the stun glove. We looked at a teardrop shaped car, an early paper shredder and a very odd airplane modification used to keep citrus groves from icing. We learned about Hollywood special effects from the 30's, a ballot counting machine, a mysterious death ray that was "suppressed" by the government as well as the oddities of time zones.  Also we learned how to visualize the impact of car accidents by comparing them falls of various heights.

Today we feature an odd piece about the Remarkable Roach,  a plan to blast spherical habitats in the lunar surface and a rather freaky looking face mask meant for arctic warriors. In 1924 buildings that were illuminated by flood lights at night were enough of a novelty that Popular Mechanics did a whole feature about them.  Lastly, be sure to check out this page of "New Ingenuities" from a 1936 issue of Science and Mechanics.

Geek Entertainment TV travelled to the 20 GOTO 10 gallery in San Francisco to look at the latest show, "ANSI," which highlights some of the great art that was created for the BBS scene of the '80s and '90s. (And probably some up into the '00s.) While some of the art is shown off in light boxes, they also built custom 25 line scrollers to display the art just as it had been seen by modem users back in the heady days of Zmodem.

It also made me aware of SixteenColors.net, a site that is attempting to curate every last bit of ANSI art from the era. There's some wonderful work there. It makes me want to display it on my own walls. Maybe I'll pull that LCD picture frame out that I rarely turn on and put it to good use.

The Entex Adventure Vision System was a table-top game system from 1982 that was ahead of its time, with a 150 by 40 pixel LED display, 733 kHz Intel 8048 processor, and swappable game cartridges. According to Wikipedia, the AVS used "a single vertical line of 40 red LEDs combined with a spinning mirror inside the casing" to produce its display. As you might suspect, the moving parts took a toll on the battery life, although it could also be hooked up to an A/C adapter.

A new-in-box Adventure System has found its way to eBay with all four games for the somewhat ridiculous price of $5,500. If you can't swing a few thousand for an ancient game system, the MESS emulator supports the Adventure Vision on for OSX and Windows.

Entex Adventure Vision System. Complete. Near Perfect. [eBay via Joystiq via Oh Gizmo]

Today on Modern Mechanix we have an psychic automaton from 1924 that reads your thoughts through the "radioplasm". The same page also has a prediction for personal radios that sound a lot like cell phones. Looking for a BBQ or trash burner that doesn't ruin the rustic look of your backyard? Check out this concrete tree stump cooker. In 1950 someone decided to cross a balloon with a kite, and came up with a Kytoon. We also have an article titled "Scientific Hoaxes that Have Fooled the World" as well as a machine that makes ice cream instantly. Lastly we have very odd, unbalanced looking concept car that looks like it was made by welding together the fronts of two other cars.

Image: Kerry Redshaw

Neatorama has a fun overview of the early history of computing, discussing famous computing devices like the Antikythera Mechanism and Babbage's Difference Engine, as well as ones I'd heard of but never actually seen, like Leibniz' Stepped Reckoner.

Leibniz’s design used a special type of gear called the Stepped Drum or Leibniz wheel, a cylinder with nine bar-shaped teeth along its length. He named his machine the Staffelwalze or the Stepped Reckoner.

The machine was a marked improvement from Pascal’s design and could add, subtract, multiply, divide, and even evaluate square roots by a series of additions.

The Wonderful World of Early Computing [Neatorama]

What 1960 event employed 160,000 workers, 1,080,000 pencils, 260,000 pocket pencil sharpeners, 2,850,000 scratch pads and several giant UNIVAC computers? Find out today on Modern Mechanix. If you have any airplane drop tanks lying around, they make a really nifty backyard space ship. Worried about your job since you lost your arm in that milling machine incident? Try a Carnes Artificial Arm and just hope that you don't get replaced by a glass robot. Also today, learn what you get when you combine fine dining with a viewmaster and learn about the giant solar space condom.

Today on Modern Mechanix we look at man-made lightning used for scientific research as well as a cool ferry that drives along the bottom while keeping the passengers above high and dry. In 1962 self-service gas pumps were novel enough to write about in a magazine. Solving a problem we all have, here is a handy clasp to convert your pants into knickers. Scientists had to enter this germ-free laboratory by diving through a pool of germicidal solution.  We also learned how to make a refrigerator that uses a gas flame to keep food cold.

Today on Modern Mechanix we have an article called "Science Takes the Measure of Man" which shows all of the nifty futuristic looking methods scientists in 1961 used to measure people along with their range of motion. Don't have a gas line to your house? That's ok, you can make your own table top gas plant. This 1936 round up of "Mechanical Novelties" from Science and Mechanics is full of great stuff, including the origin of those annoying hot air hand dryers. Also be sure to check out this demonstration of multiplexing using an electric organ, and this car that has everything, but strangely makes me want a hot dog.

The Library of Congress is putting up images from its collection of millions on Flickr. Each one of the over three thousand online right now have no copyright restrictions. You could decorate a lovely blog with images like these, like this shot of women workers installing "fixtures and assemblies" into the fuselage of the B-17F bomber. If you squint your eyes it looks like giantesses building on a space station.

Photo Page [Flickr]

Today on Modern Mechanix we looked at a super dog that follows orders given over a radio set to do things like turn off a faucet or fire a gun. Have a problem with kids hitching a ride on your car? Electrocute them. Don't have electricity but want neat clothes? Try this gas powered iron. I'm not sure why roller blades with tank treads never caught on. We also look at a weird ad for an electron microscope and a lengthy article that details the process for creating a conductor's wand.

The weekend's round-up after the jump.

This Japanese commercial works for me on many levels. First, as I was born in '78, I'm about to turn 30, and the handsome white-haired gentleman in the video (clearly Golgo 13's boss) gives me hope that I may remain dapper after I turn into an old man next month. Second, I love the Celica Supra and its far-forward mirrors. (Later, when Toyota split the line, they ended up producing one of my favorite Japanese supercars in the twin-turbo Supra.)

Lastly, I love that shooting the commercial in the unfinished tile bathroom deep in a basement makes it look like they're in the futuristic guest spa of the Ethereal Plane Mariott.

Here's what I can't figure out, though: What gets thrown in the seat at the end? Is it the woman's hose or the spy's tie?

[via TV in Japan]

Today on Modern Mechanix we looked at a 1935 article about computers, although they refer to them as electronic brains. Do you have something really big that needs welding? Well, this woman has the perfect torch for you. Check out this crazy looking "rocket" car. Notice the quotes? It's a little too late to write a letter to the editor but a propeller in a tube is not a rocket. We also have an article full of home experiments you can make with iron, a camera that makes eight movies on one piece of film and Amelia Earhart's Motor Scooter. Yes, that's right, Amelia Earhart's Motor Scooter.

Today on Modern Mechanix we looked at plans to build a Poor Man's Telescope, the first I've ever seen without an enclosure. If snake bites are hampering your fishing expedition, consider stovepipe leggings. Milk bottles may seem antiquated to us now, but it was a big improvement over the old method of using a bucket and ladle. We also looked at a man who whittles amazing chains of wood, a very odd plane that supposedly has flapping wings, and took a tour of the National Archives.

Today on Modern Mechanix we looked at a gas mask hood for babies, a new out door BBQ, and a giant metal shield for Detroit riot cops. In 1930, as today, the U.S patent office was a disgrace. Have an old wooden beer keg? Make it into a radio for your game room. Also, check out this German learning egg.

This weekend on Modern Mechanix we looked at a one man movie theater, a back seat radio tuner and a belt driven flash bulb magazine. We learned what effect TV had on the 1952 election and that Alka-Seltzer used to be marketed as a cure for colds. For all of you pipe organ fans, here is a home model that's no bigger than a grand piano. Do you know the definition of fascist? You would if you had a 1938 Websters dictionary. Judging a beauty contest but want to get your measurements right? Check out this shadowgraph. Helmet tester looks like a a pretty crappy job. We also look at the eternal battle between men and rats. Lastly, pig sculptures made out of lard. There is something very wrong about that.