Let me share my pre-Super Punch collections with you

This month marks three years of Super Punch. Last year at this time, I shared my tips for starting a blog. For this anniversary, I decided to share a bit from my pre-Super Punch collections. You see, I've basically been writing this blog my entire life.

The first version of Super Punch was pages torn out of National Geographic and Sports Illustrated and taped to my bedroom wall. Soon, I graduated to collecting baseball cards. Like everyone else my age, I was excited to acquire Chris Sabo and Gregg Jeffries rookie cards. But what I really liked was cards with funny or striking imagery - - the oddities. Below are a few I still have.













Eventually, I started creating my own art books, filling journals with magazine and newspaper clippings. I read everything from Road & Track to EGM to Oprah to Maxim - - anything people were willing to part with. My favorite days of the year were when ID's and Print's year-end design reviews came out.

Below are a few pages from my journals, chosen simply because those were the pages the books would stay open to while I snapped photos:









Pretty much just my blog in book form, right?

I started writing Super Punch shortly after my second son was born, partly for fun, partly in the hopes of making money, and mostly because it was one of the few things I could do in my spare time. Back then, my free time was when my boys were napping, or falling asleep. I couldn't watch television, because the noise would have woken them in the next room (and I don't really like television, anyway). And I couldn't play video games or read, because those activities require periods of unbroken concentration, and it's tough to concentrate when every ten minutes someone is crying or wants to use the bathroom or both.

So, I websurfed and blogged - - something I could do in extremely short bits of time. Check out how short my posts used to be. As my boys have gotten older, I increasingly enjoy larger chunks of free time (although most of my posts are still drafted at breakneck speed). And I've tried to use that time to experiment more with my site, by hosting art contests, writing the Super Punch interview, and organizing a very special project that I'll announce in my next post.

So, thanks for sharing my hobby. And an extra thanks to anyone who has ever clicked on an ad or bought something through an affiliate link.

I think you're going to enjoy the project I'm about to announce.

Happy little cloud (link roundup)

Jess Neil is doing her best to turn this happy little cloud into a meme.

And a few more links:

1. Comment and win some art.

2. Spock says, "Go away, I'm blogging."

3. Tattoos by Dave Sinor.

*Previously: The Happy Little Handsaw.

*Buy tattoo collections at Amazon.

Three-eyed fortune teller (link roundup)

One of a series of circus freak sculptures by Thomas Kuebler. Via.

And a few more links:

1. Red light indicates how long until it turns green. Via.

2. Comment and win a white fawn.

3. Possibly a good way to comply with the FTC's disclosure rules - - add an "endorsement" tag to every post. After all, thanks to the ads I put at the bottom, possibly every post I draft runs afoul of the FTC's new rules.

*Previously: Steampunk fortune teller.

*Buy fortune tellers at eBay.

Steel blindfold (link roundup)

Steel blindfold via these sites.

And a few more links:

1. Fark headline: Woman attempts to cross the Mexico-US border hidden in suitcase. Agents still trying to get a handle on the situation.

2. The Los Angeles Times looks at the huge amount of free stuff mommy bloggers receive from marketers. (Which really isn't a big deal - - if a blogger posts in a sleazy manner, or recommends lousy products, then the blogger will lose readership.)

3. For fellow Sherman Oaks readers, a positive review of congressman Matt Sherman.

*Buy US President bobbleheads at eBay.

1954 Life magazine article about 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (link roundup)

Circa 1954, photos of the making of the Disney version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Via these sites.

And a few more links:

1. Martin Scorsese, William Shatner and more share memories of working for Roger Corman.

2. Online Media Legal Network can help connect bloggers/website operators with free legal service.

3. Great graphics in this vintage Czech tourist map.

4. Female Sith Lord (nudity).

*Previously: Specimen collection based on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

*Buy 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea posters at eBay.

American Apparel Halloween Costumes (link roundup)

Go here to see the entries in American Apparel's Halloween Costume Contest - - costumes made using at least a little bit of American Apparel clothing. Above are iPod Silhouette, Hipster Han and Slave Leia, and Wolverine and Poison Ivy. Via.

And a few more links:

1. Fark headline: I just won a radio contest to have backup dancers follow me around for a couple hours this Saturday. Sadly there is no cash equivalent. How can I best utilize this weird, semi-retarded prize?

2. How to design your site to avoid takedown notices. Via.

3. An argument for why we should blanket the world with low-flying satellites to provide internet service, and explanation for why we haven't done it before. (Soviet nukes play a starring role.)

*Previously: Amira Sa'id is a professional Slave Leia belly dancer.

*Buy Slave Leia costumes and toys at Amazon.

Cookiebacca and the Dyson Spoon (link roundup)

Cookie Monster meets Chewbacca, and design for the Dyson Spunnel, which hurls food into your mouth. Both by Lunchbreath. See also: Rejected Chicago Olympics mascot, Jon Stewart with Mike Tyson's face tattoo, and Joe Biden as Darth Maul. Via these fine sites.

And a few more links:

1. Kotaku received a fairly disgusting care package to promote the game Ju-on, which didn't change the fact that their review included the line, "I'm disappointed that I couldn't find even one thing to love about this game."

2. Advice from Blogger on keeping your blog secure.

3. Go here to download papercraft Jack Skellington and his coffin sleigh. Via.

*Previously: Mickey Mouse as Jack Skellington toy.

*Buy A Nightmare Before Christmas toys at eBay.

First Blood t-shirt (link roundup)

The newest t-shirt from Last Exit to Nowhere features the town of Hope, British Columbia, from First Blood (Rambo 1).

And a few more links:

1. Filippa Hamilton, the model in that absurdly photoshopped ad mocked by Boing Boing says Ralph Lauren fired her for being too fat.

2. Relatedly, Christian Louboutin is redesigning the Barbie doll and believes the classic toy's ankles are too fat.

3. Am I missing something, or has Technorati become completely useless? Now it no longer shows who has linked to your blog, and doesn't provide your blog's rank either (unless you're in the top 100)? Why would anyone look at Technorati again?

*Previously: Papercraft Rambo.

*Buy vintage Barbies at eBay.

Fence-A-Thon 10 poster (link roundup)

Poster for Fence-A-Thon 10 in Baltimore by John "Jay" Glenn.

And a few more links:

1. Great example of less can be more - - Fake Steve Jobs is a lot less fun to read now that there's a second blogger and lots more content. In fact, I find myself skimming right past posts now because I simply assume they will be lame.

2. Dead Space fan art.

3. Caught the first half of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian on the flight home and thought it was pretty darn good, especially every scene with Amy Adams. (Missed the second half when my youngest got a little restless.)

*Previously: Deer devastates itself jumping over a fence.

*Buy Hunter Rose toys at eBay.

Build Robots Today t-shirt (link roundup)

Build Robots Today To Fight Aliens Tomorrow. Possibly on sale here. Via these sites.

And a few more links:

1. Extremely positive review of Dead Space Extraction.

2. Looks like there's new strict rules for bloggers who review items they receive from companies. (Presumably coming soon: disclosures that are longer than my reviews.)

3. Creepy (or maybe welcome) news for anyone who lives in LA: the FBI is investigating the Burbank Police Department for alleged civil rights violations.

*Previously: Watch the first 15 minutes of Dead Space Extraction.

*Buy Dead Space toys at Amazon.

1901 Space Odyssey (link roundup)

This 1901 Space Odyssey image is far and away the highlight of a b3ta steampunk forum thread. Also good is this animated gif featuring Eadweard Muybridge's movie of an AT-AT. Via these sites.

And a few more links:

1. If not a joke, the next Rambo features Rambo squaring off against genetically advanced soldiers and just maybe a super wolf. Via.

2. The Bioshock 2 booth at PAX looks just like the office at Something in the Sea.

3. My heart goes out to anyone whose Wordpress blog has been compromised by today's attack.

*Previously: 2001 poster.

*Buy Bioshock toys at eBay.

Keyboard Cat automata (link roundup)

Download the Keyboard Cat papercraft automata here. And don't miss the papercraft "high school boss girl." Via.

And a few more links:

1. Good news for Blogger users - - there's now an option to create a label cloud (as displayed in my sidebar). You can choose the tags you want displayed. This is particularly good news for me since my tag cloud was totally overgrown. Now I can once again tag with impunity.

2. If you're looking for a fancier site, Nancy Dorsner is now designing sites.

3. James Bond sketch card by Andi Watson.

*Previously: "Don't Tase Me Bro" automata.

*Buy vintage James Bond novels at eBay.

Japanese bathtub monster (link roundup)

Japanese bathtub monster by Martin Wittig. See also: Spider barber. Via.

And a few more links:

1. Google explains how to use Twitterfeed, which automatically updates Twitter with each new blog post. I'm pretty convinced Twitter's not for me, although I did dabble in microblogging when Blogger was down yesterday.

2. Longtime MLB catcher Rick Dempsey sold a script about his days playing little league - - his coach was a serial bank robber. Via.

3. At Toycutter: Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer Munnys.

*Previously: If the Morton's Salt girl was one of The Endless.

*Buy Sandman toys at eBay.

Clothing designed for autistic kids (link roundup)

SQUEASE is a jacket designed for people with autism:

the jacket allows the wearer to apply deep pressure to their body, so that they can calm themselves and get over the sudden rush of anxiety. The integrated headphones reduce the sound level of high frequency noises like alarm bells or the sound of chairs scraping on a floor; soothing those with hypersensitive hearing. A comfortable cocoon for those with ASD, the SQUEASE is a smart looking jacket and not just therapy aid.

Designed by Sheraz Arif, Andy Brand, Menno Kroezen and Katrien Ploegmakers. Lots of photos here. Via.

And a few more links:

1. Lots of information about the Harry Potter them park being built within Universal Orlando. "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" is expected to open summer 2010. Via.

2. NY Times editor Bill Keller regrets his appearance on The Daily Show. Via.

3. Ad revenue is up 35% over last year at Gawker, which is once again awarding page view bonuses to bloggers. Gawker also pays page view bonuses to tipsters. Via.

4. Relatedly, the "cost of running [Neatorama] runs into the five figures every year."

*Previously: Redesigned Harry Potter book covers.

*Buy Harry Potter posters at eBay.

All of the No Doubt 2009 tour concert posters (link roundup)

Now I feel really dumb about wasting time earlier this month rounding up photos. Here's a handy poster featuring all of the No Doubt 2009 tour concert posters. Spotted at Us and Them. I didn't see a listing, but the Us and Them webstore is full of great concert posters.

And a few more links:

1. Kim Severson has an article in the NY Times about butchers:

Now there is a new kind of star on the food scene: young butchers. With their swinging scabbards, muscled forearms and constant proximity to flesh, butchers have the raw, emotional appeal of an indie band. They turn death into life, in the form of a really good skirt steak.

And it doesn’t hurt that some people find them exceptionally hot.

Read on and judge their sexiness for yourself.

2. As part of a much longer post giving advice to aspiring musicians, Trent Reznor gives tremendous advice about website design:

Have your MySpace page, but get a site outside MySpace - it's dying and reads as cheap / generic. Remove all Flash from your website. Remove all stupid intros and load-times. MAKE IT SIMPLE TO NAVIGATE AND EASY TO FIND AND HEAR MUSIC (but don't autoplay). Constantly update your site with content - pictures, blogs, whatever. Give people a reason to return to your site all the time. Put up a bulletin board and start a community. Engage your fans (with caution!) Make cheap videos. Film yourself talking. Play shows. Make interesting things. Get a Twitter account. Be interesting. Be real. Submit your music to blogs that may be interested. NEVER CHASE TRENDS.

Words to live by. And I find it very interesting that the horrendous websites for advertising agencies break almost every single one of these rules. Via.

3. Washington DC politics are better than pro wrestling. Mario Barry was accused of stalking Donna Watts-Brighthaupt. His team called an 11pm press conference to accuse her of being mentally unstable. She showed up in the middle of the conference and started yelling that they were lying. Video link. Via.

4. Garbage collectors are apparently on strike in Toronto and garbage is piling up everywhere.

*Previously: On "Plastic Chef," competitors compete to make the most-convincing fake food.

*Buy concert posters at eBay.

Lego Castle Crashers (link roundup)

Lego Castle Crashers by Danny Rice. Via these sites.

And a few more links:

1. Motorcycle with a bicycle rack.

2. The NY Times article featuring abandoned real estate projects that got so much link love last week has been exposed as digitally manipulated. The NY Times has actually withdrawn it. Via.

3. I don't think I usually embed the type of video that would get me in trouble, but I'll be thinking long and hard before embedding another YouTube video - - ASCAP is demanding royalties from bloggers.

4. How in the world did the city of LA end up on the hook for $1 million spent on overtime for officers and civilian personnel handling the Michael Jackson memorial?

*Previously: Castle Crashers cosplay.

*Buy Lego minifigs at eBay.

Fun interactive donations poster (link roundup)

Clever, a donations poster by Kolle Rebbe for Misereor's efforts to provide vaccinations - - insert coins in a slot and they "fill up" the syringe. (Clever until scum insert something that's not a coin into the slot.)

And a few more links:

1. Until reading this comic, I didn't appreciate that the Harvey Awards nominee for Best Single Issue or Story, include Nascar Heroes #5.

2. How Alison van Diggelen has used "preparation, determination and an irresistible charm" to convince famous people to participate in her podcast interviews. (Although, it's not particularly difficult getting people to participate in interviews. It is difficult to create an interview worth reading.) Via.

3. "Authorities in southern China are investigating reports that local officials in Guizhou province took babies from families who violated family planning laws and handed them over to orphanages for overseas adoption." Relevant links here.

4. I finally noticed that the Indiana Jones Staff of Kings game received horrendous reviews. The IGN review describes the developers as suffering from a "breathtaking level of ignorance." Too bad, I've been telling my oldest the story of Raiders of the Lost Ark in serial form at bedtime. His eyes get really wide at the exact right moments.

*Previously: Wieden and Kennedy and the server of doom.

*Buy Indiana Jones posters at eBay.

Portal Posters (link roundup)

I don't understand the message but these portal-like posters for the International Theatre School Festival are certainly eye-catching. Ads by Arc/Leo Burnett Amsterdam.

And a few more links:

1. Well-written summary of the stupidity of Zicam and other homeopathic cures. Via.

2. North Carolina threatened to tax affiliate sales, so Amazon decided to preemptively terminate affiliate accounts for North Carolina residents. Hawaii and California may be next. (First time I've been glad that I don't make any money from Amazon sales.) Via.

3. Shockingly racist vintage ad for the New Yorker (featuring blackface).

4. Sir Francis Drake Lego minifig by Michael Jasper. Via.

*Previously: The strange history of racist spokescharacters.

*Buy Lego minifigs at eBay.