Guitar store facade looks like giant amp (link roundup)

"The Guitar Store" in the UK has a facade that looks like a giant Fender Super Champ.

And a few more links:

1. M.S. Corley posted redesigned book covers for The Spiderwick Chronicles (which I've never read).

2. The NY Times has an obituary for Ben Blank, "innovator" of graphics used in news broadcasts. For example:

When the launch of the first Sputnik satellite took Americans by surprise, in 1957, Mr. Blank created what is believed to be the first electronic animation by repeating camera shots of a rotating golf ball, which represented Sputnik, on the end of some coat-hanger wire; the wire was attached to a small rotating globe. For added effect he glued glittering stars to the black background.

Read more about him here.

3. The latest Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue includes a photo of race car driver Danica Patrick, but airbrushed out the tattoo on her lower back. Extensive photo evidence here.

4. "[A] leading genome researcher at Harvard says that a Neanderthal could be brought to life with present technology for about $30 million."

*Previously: Sun tattoo.

*Buy Sputnik collectibles at eBay.

Redesigned Harry Potter book covers

M. S. Corley has redesigned the covers for each of the Harry Potter novels. Absolutely fantastic, although, just about anything would have been better than the official covers.

*Previously: Corley's covers for A Series of Unfortunate Events.

*Buy Prisoner of Azkaban "wanted" posters at eBay.

Redesigned book covers for A Series of Unfortunate Events

M.S. Corley has posted redesigned covers for all 13 of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.

*Previously: Edward Gorey-inspired ball gown.

*Buy "Front Cover: Great Book Jackets and Cover Design" at Amazon.

Demon Polar Bear

I've mentioned M.S. Corley's monster illustrations before. He's posted several more, including the Tuunbaq, which I'm familiar with thanks to Dan Simmons excellent novel, The Terror.

Here's a few more random links:

1. With every edition, The latest Oxford Junior Dictionary says goodbye to more and more words related to religion and nature, and hello to words that describe technology. Via.

2. Boy gets stuck in claw vending machine. Photo link.

3. List of best-named college lacrosse players. Zeppy O’Green gets my vote.

4. Comment and win some Transformer dvds.

*Previously: Most Pretentious Baby Name Consultant Contest 2007.

*Preorder Simmons' upcoming novel about Charles Dickens at Amazon.