These were undoubtedly done with emulators, but it’s still awesome to see what I couldn’t do in 15 years accomplished so quickly.

SMB1

SMB2

SMB3

Bonus: Super Mario World

Here’s some video of the Jesus Lizard playing a show in 1991 in Dallas!

This one is one of my favorite Jesus Lizard songs:

Via NASA

Thanks, Alexis! 

Yikes! Somebody found a dead five-to-six hundred pound manta ray, with a wingspan of 11 feet, on a beach in Salem, MA. Apparently it took six guys to haul the thing onto a dock so scientists could poke at it. The picture in the Local 6 News article is sort of disappointing, so here is a better one (link):

Damn, that thing is big! There are some more pictures here. 

Via Local 6 News

From NASA, regarding the space-mission to non-planet Pluto:

This five-frame sequence of New Horizons images captures the giant
plume from Io’s Tvashtar volcano. Snapped by the probe’s Long Range
Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) as the spacecraft flew past Jupiter
earlier this year, this first-ever “movie” of an Io plume clearly shows
motion in the cloud of volcanic debris, which extends 330 kilometers
(200 miles) above the moon’s surface. Only the upper part of the plume
is visible from this vantage point – the plume’s source is 130
kilometers (80 miles) below the edge of Io’s disk, on the far side of
the moon.

The appearance and motion of
the plume is remarkably similar to an ornamental fountain on Earth,
replicated on a gigantic scale. The knots and filaments that allow us
to track the plume’s motion are still mysterious, but this movie is
likely to help scientists understand their origin, as well as provide
unique information on the plume dynamics.

VIA NEW HORIZONS
 

From the amazing Yazoo Records:

THE BEST OF LOS JARDINEROS
Classic Recordings by Puerto Rico’s Legendary String Band Ensemble (1929-1932)
Yazoo 7018; Ordering Information

Los Jardineros is the greatest traditional Puerto Rican band that ever
recorded. Legendary for their brilliant musicianship, the recordings
made by this ensemble from 1929 to 1932 capture the rural jibaro style
and spirit in its heyday when it was most strong and vibrant. Their
original 78s pressed over 75 years ago are extremely rare collectors
items. Fans of early traditional music will be hearing them for the
first time and will find this release a revelation packed with unique,
top-notch performances. Drawn from an extensive body of work that
reveals the diversity of the early Puerto Rican music scene on the
island and in New York, The Best of Los Jardineros features plenas,
boleros, danzas, decimas, aguinaldos, fox trots and more - a
fascinating array of vocal and instrumental performances in the
traditional styles of the day. Contains 23 newly restored 78s which
feature, among an all-star line-up of singers and musicians, the top
Puerto Rican guitar, mandolin and cuatro players of the period - plus a
large format booklet insert with extensive notes, lyrics and graphics
printed in both English and Spanish.

I was listening to this earlier today and I LOVE it. Like the description says, there’s a variety of styles here, and the production is great. I haven’t had a chance to read the book yet (it’s not my CD, alas) but this is good music by some very very skilled folks. If you like old jazz and ragtime, or if you have even a passing interest in Cuban/Mexican/South American music, this is for you. Yazoo, incidentally, puts out incredible comps of old jazz, rural, pop, etc. music.

Go forth and purchase! I know I will.

VIA Yazoo Records