(via Bits & Pieces)
Long-Neck Women Of Kayan
The Padaung are a group of the Karenni people, a Tibeto-Burman ethnic minority of Burma and Thailand. Women start wearing the brass neck coils at the age of five. Each coil is replaced with longer coils as the weight of the brass pushes the collar bone down and compresses the rib cage.
Contrary to popular belief, the neck is not actually lengthened; the illusion of a stretched neck is created by the deformation of the clavicle. Many ideas regarding why the coils are worn have been suggested.
One of them is the coils might be meant to protect from tiger bites. Kayan women, when asked, acknowledge these ideas, but often say that their purpose for wearing the rings is cultural identity.
50 Cars Or 1 Coach?
A clever stunt from Swedish advertising agency Acne. Every day thousands of cars are driven to and from Swedish airports. Every car holds only 1,2 persons on average which is to be compared with the Airport Coach that takes over 50.
To highlight this, an enormous bus was built out of 50 cars on the side of the highway to the airport.
(thanks Cora)
99 Widescreen Wallpapers To Spice Up Your Desktop
An amazing collection of widescreen wallpapers related to nature, photography, patterns, illustrations, HDR as well as some abstract and fantasy-related wallpapers.
The Evolution Of Space Cruiser Design
Spaceship design has come a long way since the 1960s. Here's a gallery of five different eras in starships, battlecruisers and planet-destroyers, with 150+ images.
(via Dark Roasted Blend)
Funny And Fabulous Food Art
Cooking for some is a hobby, and for others a way to express themselves on an empty plate. Chefs go to great lengths to provide their guests with a memorable feast for the eyes.
Here are some examples of funny and fabulous food art for you to savor, and possibly try yourself.
(thanks Lauren)
Finding My Goddess
This is Mark. He's gallant, intensely romantic, a perfect gentleman, flamboyant, extremely brilliant, extremely creative, well educated, and wise.
At least, these are his own words.
He's looking for a true Goddess for life-long intimate relationship and awesome marriage. She must be highly intelligent, very sexy, and deeply spiritual.In this message I state what I want, and I do it firmly, assertively, and quite seriously. But I am negotiable. If you are interested but have objections, please feel free to state your objections to me. Also, because my tone is so serious here, this web site does not reveal my sense of humor. But if you get to know me, I will make you laugh and laugh and laugh! Seriously!
Gimme A Hug
Gimme a Hug is a short documentary from the Protect the Sharks Foundation. The documentary shows one of the most mysterious phenomena in the animal world; sharks, showing a totally different behaviour than most people would expect.
(thanks Pierre)
I'm Better Than You
The Portland Advertising Federation think they are the best in the country. The federation from Portland, Oregon, USA, wants you to know that its excellent advertising is far superior to your stupid advertising.
It must be awful. You, sweating, or freezing, or merely eking out your existence in some godforsaken outback like Dallas or Atlanta, while we crank out brilliant ideas one after another, as gracefully and steadily as the world-famous craft brews that flow from out state.
On their website they even created a spinning insult wheel. You can spin the wheel to get insults directed at New York, Seattle, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Boulder, and San Francisco, among others.
(via AdFreak)
The Surreal Appeal Of The Falkirk Wheel
Connecting two separate water ways may seem, on paper, and easy objective to achieve. What happens, though, when the two systems are twenty four meters apart? Plus, the word apart here means in terms of height.
The solution? An incredible rotating boat lift that looks like something from a steampunk movie.
(via Robert-John)
The Bran Flakes - Fifty Four Fifty
The Bran Flakes are a sound collage pop group with members in the United States and Canada who specialize in creating music from pre-existing sources. The group's members include Otis Fodder, Mildred Pitt, Susan DeLint and The GRDNR.
The Bran Flakes make extensive use of sampling, recontextualizing the samples into new works. The group scours thrift shops for obscure and quirky LPs; some of their songs also make use of recognizably famous basslines, television shows, and soundtracks from video games.
(via Everlasting Blort)
Chocolate Banana Pops
School is out in most places and warmer weather has arrived. The sounds of the street are filled with children's laughter and the catchy jingle of the ice cream man.
Stop there parents. You won't need to shell out for overpriced and unhealthy treats anymore. Instead, try this cheaper make-at-home cold summer treat, a great way to get healthy fruit into our kids with a little something special.
Home Schooled
Home Schooled is a comics series by American artist Ash Jackson.
Co-writing by Silas Jackson.
The Presurfer will feature a Home Schooled cartoon every Monday. This is an absolute exclusive cooperation between The Presurfer and Ash Jackson.
Home Schooled is more or less a reflection of the wacky and occasionally interesting adventures of the artist, Ash Jackson, himself, with the aid of his friends, family, and other cohorts.
Title: Didn't Think We'd Let You Off That Easy, Did You?
click on the picture for real size
New Technology Allows Parents To Hold A Life-Size Model Of Their Unborn Child
It's a defining moment in a parent's life: Seeing their unborn child's image on an ultrasound for the first time. Now pregnant women could have the chance to hold a life-size model of their unborn baby.
Brazilian student Jorge Lopes has pioneered the conversion of data from ultrasound and MRI scans into life-size plaster models of living embryos using a method called rapid prototyping.
(thanks Cora)
The Pig Who Looks Like A Sheep
She oinks, snuffles in a trough and has a fetching set of trotters. But it's not just her tail that's curly.
Elizabeth the pig - a rare Austrian Mangalitza Gilt - wears a golden fleece that could pull the wool over enough eyes to make her the pride of the flock.
(via Urlesque)
The Door To Hell
Darvaza is a Turkmenistan village of about 350 inhabitants, located in the middle of the Kara-Kum desert, north from Ashgabat. The Darvaza area is rich in natural gas. While drilling in 1971 geologists accidentally found an underground cavern filled with natural gas.
The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, leaving a large hole with a diameter of about 50-100 meters. To avoid poisonous gas discharge, it was decided to burn the gas. It has been burning ever since.
Web Nerd Terminology
Do you know what the web technology term nesting means? Do you know what borked is? Semantics? White Space? SERP? Above the Fold?
Web Nerd Terminology Explained.
17 Unusual Places To Spend The Night
Wouldn't it be fun to stay the night in a cave, a castle, a lighthouse or a wigwam? How about a concrete pipe? Or a bullfighting ring? Or a dog?
Underground, above ground, and underwater, here are some of the quirkiest hotels in the world.
(thanks Andi)
14 Modern Teapots And Kettle Designs
A collection of modern teapots and unusual kettle designs that will look great in any kitchen.
One Million Giraffes
My friend, Jørgen, doesn't believe I can collect one million giraffes by 2011. I'm gonna prove him wrong, but I need your help. You can create your giraffe(s) in any way you like, but not on a computer. So far I've got 4849 giraffes, so I need 995.151 more! And I have 553 days left to get them.
One Million Giraffes.
Brilliant Blocks
Use the mouse to drop blocks. Clear blocks by matching lines of 3 or more numbers or colors either vertically, horizontally or diagonally.
Clear the blocks until they are under the white line to receive more blocks, more time and higher scores.
Remote-Control Airplane Freestyle Routine
This isn't just a remote-control airplane freestyle routine.
This is art!
(via Miss Cellania)
Science And Marine Kelp Forest Photography
Kelp forests occur in cold, nutrient-rich water and are among the most beautiful and biologically productive habitats in the marine environment. The coast of California is home to one of the most spectacular kelp forests.
Within the confines of this massive forest there lies an abundance of fishes, invertebrates, algae, marine birds, and marine mammals.
(via Lauren)
Variations On Normal
Variations On Normal is a blog by Dominic Wilcox. A place for the thoughts, ideas, and inventions that pop into his head as he goes about normal life. Like this doorbell with inbuilt visitor statistics display.
The Evolution Of Photoshop: 1988 - 2009
Adobe Photoshop has always been one of the greatest software when it comes to manipulating and editing images. It all started off in 1987 with a Mac application call Display, created by Thomas Knoll.
With two decades worth of changes and improvements, you almost can't imagine how the first version of Photoshop would look like by looking at the Photoshop you have on your desktop.
The Evolution Of Photoshop: 1988 - 2009.
Michael Jackson Dead
Entertainer Michael Jackson died after being taken to a hospital on Thursday having suffered cardiac arrest. Paramedics took Jackson, 50, from his west Los Angeles home to UCLA Medical Center, where a team of physicians attempted to resuscitate him for more than an hour.
Michael Jackson, the music icon from Gary, Indiana, was known as the 'King of Pop.' Jackson had many No. 1 hits and his 'Thriller' is the best-selling album of all time. Jackson was the seventh of nine children from a well-known musical family. He is survived by three children, Prince Michael I, Paris and Prince Michael II.
Remembering Michael Jackson.
10 Faces In The Sand
Though sand sculptures are inherently fleeting works of art, an astonishing amount of labor is poured into each project -often requiring teams of architectures or sculptors and nearly 3000 tons of sand per competition.
Amongst the most spectacular castles, animals or otherwise themed creations, there exist true masterpieces that appear to come to life on the shore. From agony to exhilaration, here are 10 sand-crafted expressions that masterfully exemplify real human emotions.
(thanks Annie)
Stoned Wallabies Make Crop Circles
Australian wallabies are eating opium poppies and creating crop circles as they hop around 'as high as a kite,' a government official has said. Wallabies are related to kangaroos but they are generally smaller and often have a colorful coat.
Lara Giddings, the attorney general for the island state of Tasmania, said the marsupials were getting into poppy fields grown for medicine, hopping around and creating crop circles.
Around The World In 80 Pubs
Thirsty Swagman Pty Ltd was launched on April 2, 2007, providing a real and exciting alternative to sightseeing travel for those who enjoy a good night out. The company's tours are purely party-based, and include its signature round-the-world pub crawl, as well as shorter intercontinental pub crawl tours – a concept that has never been available to travellers before.
Add some zing to your drinking by going on The World's Biggest Pub Crawl. For $11,900, you can spend 25 days collecting hangovers at 80 pubs in nine countries across four continents, from London and Munich to Phuket and Cancun.
10 Travel Accessories Essential For Any Overseas Trip
You have your passport, you have your toothbrush. What other things are essential for any overseas trip?
The accessories explored here in detail are all essential in that they will save you time, money and effort and will generally make your overseas trip a far more pleasurable experience.
(thanks Andy)
Romanian Truck Driver Dancing While Driving
I work for a transportation company and if one of our drivers would be caught doing what this Romanian truck driver does, he would be fired immediately. Having fun while you're working is OK, but this is outright irresponsible behaviour.
(via Neatorama)
The Worlds Weirdest Hangover Cures
A hangover is the price you pay in pain and suffering for the fun you had the night before. You feel like something the cat puked up on the carpet after dining on alley scraps all night.
Next time you experience that terrible 'morning after' feeling, with the queasy stomach, pounding head and a mouth full of horrifying flavours, you can always try one of these remedies.
The Incredible Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge Under Construction
Announced in 2004, the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge has been five years under construction.
Due to be completed in 2010, the bridge has slowly been taking shape. Here, with some amazing photographs is a record of this incredible bridge as it nears completion.
(via Robert-John)
18 Incredible Umbrella Art Installations From Around The World
A list of 18 examples of wonderful umbrella art. After taking a look at these, you might think twice about shoving your umbrella in the nearest trash the next time it buckles in the wind, and pass it on to your friendly neighbourhood artist instead.
Who knows, your umbrella could be re-purposed into a new and wonderful art piece to rival the ones shown here.
Japanese Kid Doesn't Take Rejection Very Well
A little Japanese boy presents flowers to girls after their piano performances. He succeeds the first time, but gets rejected on the second. His reaction is priceless.
(thanks Cora)
20 Visualizations To Understand Crime
There's a lot of crime data. For almost every reported crime, there's a paper or digital record of it somewhere, which means hundreds of thousands of data points - number of thefts, break-ins, assaults, and homicides as well as where and when the incidents occurred.
While a lot of this crime data is kept confidential to respect people's privacy, there's still plenty of publicly available records. Here are twenty visualization examples that explore this data.
12 Things You Thought Were Bad For You
Turns out your guilty pleasures (red wine, video games) may not be so guilty after all. And those pesky side effects of being an adult - stress, anyone? - can actually benefit you too. Read on to learn the positives of your seemingly negative habits.
(thanks Annie)
Historical Tweets
Most people think Twitter was 'created' in 2006. These are the same people who think Richard Gere created Buddhism in the 1990s. Just before Madonna created yoga. Folks, like the sun, moon, and stars, Twitter has always been.
Books have been ruining history. So many unnecessary words.
Now, with Historical Tweets, history's most amazing men and women can be fully understood, a mere 140 characters at a time.
Men Who Knit
Men Who Knit: promoting and inspiring the art of knitting amongst men.
A free, friendly community site for men who knit comprised of blogs, discussion forums, and other useful knitting resources.
(via Everlasting Blort)
365 Budapest
Zsolt Molnár from Budapest, Hungary, started his typo-photographic project in Summer 2008, focusing on the typographical diversity of Budapest's street numbers.
He rides his bike across Budapest and takes pictures of street numbers.
Then he posts a number each day, 365 different types of numbers.
6 Extraordinarily Stubborn 'Nail Houses'
A 'nail house' is a Chinese neologism for homes belonging to people who refuse to make room for development, often in an attempt to negotiate a high price in exchange for selling out. The term, a pun coined by developers, refers to nails that are stuck in wood, and cannot be pounded down with a hammer.
Here are 6 extraordinarily stubborn 'nail houses' from around the world.
Zombie Preparedness Initiative
The Zombie Preparedness Initiative is a knowledge base provided by a community of citizens concerned about the impending zombie invasion and the imminent disaster that is sure to follow. They gather knowledge and share the acquired information with the public.
By doing this, they hope to help people prepare for the very real threat that we shall face when zombies show up and governments have not taken the time to prepare.
Spezify
Spezify is a search tool presenting results from a large number of websites in different visual ways. Spezify mixes all media types and makes no difference between blogs, videos, microblogs and images.
(via Nag on the Lake)
The Religious Affiliation Of Comic Book Characters
The emphasis is on fictional characters who originated as comic book characters. Of course real-life people such as Pope John Paul II, St. Francis of Assisi, and Mother Teresa have been depicted in comic books, but such people are not listed here. This page focuses on fictional comic book characters who are adherents of real-world religions.
We want this page to be as accurate as possible, backed up by objective, published information and not based on conjecture. We do not want this listing to be slanted toward any particular denominational or religious viewpoint. It is intended to accurately report the composition of comic book character religiosity
10 Fantastic Futuristic Materials That Actually Exist
Sometimes technology leaps so far ahead it seems like the future has arrived a few years early. When the improvement comes in the area of materials the leap can seem even greater, as the new material can boost the performance of whatever they're used in.
Teflon is a perfect example but it's not the only one.
Here are 10 futuristic materials that are adding some tomorrow to our lives today.
What Does The Internet Think?
Ever wondered what the internet thinks about... let's say... Barack Obama? The Financial Crisis? Global Warming? Paris Hilton? Dirty Laundry?
Well now you can find out and get the long-sought answers to your questions from this global inquiry tool. What Does the Internet Think? searches the internet for the global opinion on your search term: Positive, Negative or Ambivalent.
Here's what the Internet thinks about The Presurfer.
7 Simple, Unexpected Ways To Save Water
Even though three quarters of our planet is considered water, there is still a demand for it in almost every community, and a scarcity in many. That's because we can actually only use one to two percent of it.
With so many items that are now more available, like low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, rain barrels, and efficient washing machines and dishwashers, there really isn't an excuse to not be more conscious. Here are some unexpected ways you can conserve water and, better yet, they are all basically free which means money in your pocket.
Apollo 11, The True Story Of The Lunar Landing
The Apollo 11 mission was the first manned mission to land on the Moon. Launched on July 16, 1969, it carried Mission Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin, Jr.
On July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin became the first humans to land on the Moon, while Collins orbited above.
(thanks Pierre)
Hunch
Hunch is a new way to help people make all kinds of decisions, such as: Where should I go on vacation? What kind of smartphone is right for me? What blog should I read? Should I change my name? Which color should I pick for my wedding dress?
Results are based on the collective knowledge of Hunch's users.
Hunch already has more than 2,500 possible topics, and Hunch users add new topics every day. You start by answering 20 questions, then a choice of decisions is offered, or you can explore other decisions.
Spectacular Dams Around The World
The sight of a dam - some of the largest and most complex constructions that humanity has ever created - can be quite breath-taking. Take a look at some of the most spectacular dams around the world.
(via Robert-John)
You Have An Air Conditioned What?
Discover what strange air conditioned items are available to buy at the moment. It seems that if you're hot enough and have enough disposable income, pretty much anything can be electronically cooled.
(thanks Dave)
Home Schooled
Home Schooled is a comics series by American artist Ash Jackson.
Co-writing by Silas Jackson.
The Presurfer will feature a Home Schooled cartoon every Monday. This is an absolute exclusive cooperation between The Presurfer and Ash Jackson.
Home Schooled is more or less a reflection of the wacky and occasionally interesting adventures of the artist, Ash Jackson, himself, with the aid of his friends, family, and other cohorts.
Title: Sometimes it's Sunny in Philadelphia.
click on the picture for real size
Visit the Home Schooled Webcomic.
Come To Brooksville: We've Covered Our Wounds
Thinking about a vacation? Be sure to consider Brooksville, Florida, USA. In addition to everything else Brooksville has to offer - three city parks, a nine-hole golf course, and 'an excellent library' - Brooksville can now assure visitors that
each and every one of its city employees will be wearing underwear while on duty and all of their cuts or wounds will now be covered.
(via Boing Boing)
TypeRight: A Keyboard With Tactile Error Prevention
When typing a text on a keyboard several typing errors can occur, such as accidentally pressing the Caps Lock key, swapping letters, or pressing two keys at the same time. TypeRight is a new tactile input device for text entry that prevents users from typing errors, instead of reporting them only after they have been made.
TypeRight extends a standard computer keyboard so that it consists of keys with dynamically adjustable pressure sensitivity. Blocking algorithms make those keys significantly harder to press that would lead to a typing error or misspelling. In that way each key provides immediate tactile feedback and prevents users from making mistakes.
Media Computing Group website.
A Global Map Of Accessibility
In travel, accessibility is the travel time to a location of interest using land or water based travel.
This accessibility is computed using a cost-distance algorithm which computes the 'cost' of travelling between two locations on a regular raster grid.
10 Most Diabolical Fish On Earth
On the one hand, fish are inoffensive creatures, the majority not much to worry about unless they're getting overcooked on the barbecue. Yet there are a few species that are more loathsome to our tastes.
These are creatures straight out of nightmares - some more fangs than fish; others that look like they've barely swum out of the primeval sludge. But though we'd like to think we're no relation to these demons of the deep, in the evolutionary scheme of things all us land vertebrates are derived from our fishy cousins.
Hi
What if the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park didn't roar but said 'Hi' instead?
Wouldn't that have been a much better movie?
What's On My Food?
Pesticides... on our food, even after washing; in our bodies, for years; and in our environment, traveling many miles on wind, water and dust.
What's On My Food? is a searchable database designed to make the public problem of pesticide exposure visible and more understandable.
Before They Were Famous
Photos of celebrities before they were famous.
Like in the above picture Richard Gere and Avril Lavigne.
7 Amazing Types Of Invisible Ink And How You Can Use Them
Invisible ink is the stuff of romantic legend. Spies and clandestine lovers alike have used it for centuries to convey hidden messages to their partners. Although invisible ink is still used today for these purposes, it has taken on many more practical and fascinating roles in recent years.
Hundreds of liquids, from fruit juices to specially formulated chemicals, can be used as invisible ink. Here are seven of the most interesting and accessible types.
(thanks Andy)
8 Innovative Green Buildings
It's true that structures that incorporate 'green' design elements are inherently inventive, since they often utilize state-of-the-art technologies in order to have minimum impact on the environment.
However, there are some buildings that go above and beyond even green conventions in order to meet Gold- or even Platinum-level LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) building certification standards. From a water facility with a 30,000-square-foot green roof to a nonprofit center with a 42-gallon water tank that stores rainwater for reuse, these eight award-winning architectural superstars are truly green trailblazers.
(thanks Annie)
Barrel Monster Bust
Joseph Carnevale from North Carolina, USA, is facing criminal charges for creating an amusing piece of public art from construction barrels. The artwork was constructed May 31 on a roadway adjacent to North Carolina State University.
Carnevale was charged with misdemeanor larceny for allegedly building his orange monster from materials pilfered from a construction site. According to an arrest warrant, Carnevale 'destroyed three road blocking barrels by cutting and screwing them together to form a statue.'
Top 10 Cyber Attacks Of All Time
The role of hackers in history has always been questioned and disputed. While many strongly believe that they are pure evil, others admit that they have guided and inspired security companies to develop smarter, more efficient and reliable systems protecting confidential and highly important data from being stolen or modified.
As any community around us, the world of hacking is very diverse, with good intentions often turning into crimes of the global scale and lucrative impulses often taking over common sense. History has many examples of successful cyber attacks that became industry milestones and the driving force behind collective efforts to improve information security on all levels.
Here's an impartial look at some of the most impressive hacks of all times - the crimes that made companies and users across the world become more wary of the potential dangers of digital globalization.
Germaine Verderosa - Bionic
Germaine Verderosa is a beautiful Dutch singer and dancer. I used to work with Germaine at the company where I am still working today.
She left a couple of years ago to concentrate on her singing career. Recently her debut single - Bionic - came out.
Your Face: A Barcode Of Information
Our faces contain 'barcodes' of information which help us recognise people and may have implications for improving face recognition software, according to a study co-authored by Dr Steven Dakin of the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK.
Faces are unique in their ability to convey a vast range of information about people, including their gender, age, and mood. For social animals, such as humans, the ability to locate a face is important as this is where we pick up many of our cues for social interactions.
Ekranoplan Showcase
I can't get enough of ekranoplans. An ekranoplan is a vehicle resembling an aircraft but which operates solely on the principle of ground effect.
Ground effect vehicles fly above any flat surface, with the height above ground dependent upon the size of the vehicle. Ekranoplan design was conceived by revolutionary Soviet engineer Rostislav Alexeev.
Pictures of ekranoplans.
The Town Devoured By Rock
The inhabitants of Setenil de las Bodegas, a city in Spain's Andalucia region, seem to be stuck between a rock and a hard place.
When they enter their houses, they see rock face; when they stroll through their city, they walk on rocks. Has the city been hit by a meteor and if not what caused its unusual construction?
(via 2leep)
7 Huge Declarations Of Love, As Seen On Google Maps
Thanks to the growing popularity of Google Maps, a number of romantic messages etched and painted on the surface of the Earth have been captured from way up high and viewed by millions of people over the past 5 years or so.
You've got to hand it to those responsible for these efforts: successful or not, it's a grand gesture and a tough one to plan. Some were written purely to be seen on websites such as Google Maps itself, others probably from aircraft as part of a less geeky plan.
(thanks Dave)
David Scott And The Art Of The Literal Music Video
Two weeks ago I posted the Literal Video Version of Total Eclipse Of The Heart. You can see that here.
The video was made by David Scott and has received over 2 million views. Simon Owens of Bloggasm got a chance to interview David Scott where they talk about what goes into making literal videos and how he chooses 80s bands he plans to satirize.
10 Off-The-Wall Hot Dogs
Bored with the simple meat-and-bun duo and its traditional mustard, ketchup and relish toppings - the hot dog is ever ripe for a wacky culinary reinvention.
From a deep fried French fry-encased frankfurter on a stick to a hot dog pierced with spaghetti noodles, here are 10 inventive variations on the famous ballpark snack that will have you saying 'hot diggity dog' in disbelief.
(thanks Annie)
The World's Biggest Yacht
It is the biggest private yacht in existence and comes with a missile-detection system, two helipads, a luxury spa, swimming pool and a miniature submarine.
But when you're Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, only the most ostentatious displays of wealth will do. His latest baby is the Eclipse, a 557-footer reported to have cost a staggering $495 million.
(thanks Cora)
Mustache Ring
What is more fun than a mustache? Nothing!
The Mustache Ring clips onto the top of your favorite bottled beverage to add fun to your drinking experience. Use them to not only set your drink apart from the rest, but it also makes for easy identification.
Azaleas And Live Oaks
Found this beautiful picture on the Fabulous Nature website. The snippeted photograph above doesn't do justice to the original which you can see here.
The Incredible Century Old Color Photography Of Prokudin-Gorsky
In 1909 a remarkable project was initiated by Russian photographer Sergey Mikhaylovich Prokudin-Gorsky.
His mission was to record - in full and vibrant color - the vast and diverse Russian Empire. Here, with his story, is a selection of his amazing century old full color pictures.
(via Robert-John)
The World's Largest Residence
Istana Nurul Iman, taken from the Arabic name, means Palace of the Faith Light; is the largest residential palace in the world and the world's largest residence of any type. This is the home of the Sultan of Brunei.
It contains 1,788 rooms, 257 bathrooms, and a floor area of 2,152,782 square feet. Amenities include 5 swimming pools, and an air conditioned stable for the Sultan's 200 polo ponies, a 110-car garage, a banquet hall that can be expanded to accommodate up to 4,000 guests, and a mosque accommodating 1,500 people.
(thanks Nick)
Gorilla Caught Holding Knife At Calgary Zoo
Onlookers at the Calgary Zoo in Canada were shocked Tuesday when a western lowland gorilla picked up a knife and pointed it at a troop mate, then placed it on a chair for the keepers to remove.
None of the gorillas was hurt in the incident, but it startled the 20 or so visitors - including children - who watched the scene unfold.
(via Popped Culture)
The Smallest Four-Passenger Car In The World
The Toyota iQ. The smallest four-passenger car in the world.
Boxing: A Manly History Of the Sweet Science Of Bruising
All sports have the potential of becoming about much more than athletics, transforming into symbols of a culture's and country's mood, insecurities, conflicts, and hopes. But perhaps no sport lends itself to this kind of ansposition more than boxing.
For the purity of boxing gives it the nature of a blank canvas; there is no playing field or special equipment; the rules are few and easy to understand. Boxing easily becomes a metaphor for debates over our values: good vs. evil, immigrant vs. nativist, bravado vs. humility, intellect vs brute strength.
(via Neatorama)
Atlas Obscura
Atlas Obscura is a compendium of this age's wonders, curiosities, and esoterica. The Atlas Obscura is a collaborative project with the goal of cataloging all of the singular, eccentric, bizarre, fantastical, and strange out-of-the-way places that get left out of traditional travel guidebooks and are ignored by the average tourist.
If you're looking for miniature cities, glass flowers, books bound in human skin, gigantic flaming holes in the ground, phallological museums, bone churches, balancing pagodas, or homes built entirely out of paper, the Atlas Obscura is where you'll find them.
Make A Celebrity Odd
At the new Make a Celebrity Odd you can, well, make a celebrity odd. Just type in the name of a celebrity and see what this little app comes up with.
You can even try your own name or the name of your site. I typed my name and got this picture. I don't know who this is, but it's not me.
Make a Celebrity Odd was created by Philipp Lenssen of Google Blogoscoped.
The Bizarre And Ghostly Grounds Of San Marco's, St. Augustine
St. Augustine in Florida, USA, is home to some of the most notorious ghost stories and ghost walks in the nation. So, it's only fitting to dive into the controversy and visit one of the most famous ghostly locations in the United States.
(via Lauren)
Sulfur Mining In Kawah Ijen
In East Java in Indonesia lies the Kawah Ijen volcano, topped with a large caldera and a deep lake of sulfuric acid. The quietly active volcano emits gases through fumaroles inside the crater, and local miners have tapped those gases to earn a living.
Stone and ceramic pipes cap the fumaroles, and inside, the sulfur condenses into a molten red liquid, dripping back down and solidifying into pure sulfur. Miners hack chunks off with steel bars, braving extremely dangerous gases and liquids with minimal protection. The sulfur is then used for vulcanizing rubber, bleaching sugar and other industrial processes.
iEverything: 20 Marvelous Items Inspired By The iPod And iPhone
Admit it. It would be next to impossible to live without your iPod or iPhone. Luckily, you'll never be very far from one, since so many other awesome things in life have been inspired by Apple's ubiquitous gadget.
(thanks Andi)
The Wonderful World Of Lard
Lard is pig fat in both its rendered and unrendered forms. Lard was commonly used in many cuisines as a cooking fat or shortening, or as a spread similar to butter. Its use in contemporary cuisine has diminished because of health concerns posed by its saturated-fat content and its often negative image.
However, many contemporary cooks and bakers favor it over other fats for select uses. The culinary qualities of lard vary somewhat depending on the part of the pig from which the fat was taken and how the lard was processed. Lard is still commonly used to manufacture soap.
(thanks Nick)
Mind Control: Coming Soon To A Toy Store Near You
A look at an upcoming 'Star Wars'-themed toy that uses new technology to allow the user to levitate an object... with their mind. The Force Trainer (expected to be priced at $90 to $100) comes with a headset that uses brain waves to allow players to manipulate a sphere within a clear 10-inch-tall training tower.
(thanks Cora)
Free Sunlight Forever
Jam jars store jam, the Sun jar collects and stores sunshine so that you can use it at night. Made with a traditional Mason jar and high tech energy lighting! Captured inside the jar are a highly efficient solar cell, rechargeable battery and low energy LED lamps.
When the Sun jar is placed in sunlight the solar cell creates an electrical current that charges the battery over a few hours. This energy is then used at night to power the three LED lamps inside the jar.
The Coalition Of Really United Muffin Bottoms
The Coalition of Really United Muffin Bottoms has been protecting the rights of Bloomberry muffin bottoms since this year. We, members of C.R.U.M.B., believe in, support, abide by, and condone the Equal Pastry Employment Policies Act, which we passed earlier today.
The Coalition Of Really United Muffin Bottoms.
The Art Of Professional Worm Grunting
Worm grunting, also called worm charming, is a method of attracting earthworms from the ground. The activity is usually performed to collect bait for fishing.
How To Build A Bat House
Bats have been maligned for centuries, miscast as the familiars of witches, associated with Hallowe'en, and feared for the false belief that they will get caught in hair. Bats have been unfairly burdened with these myths, often reviled and victimized because of it. In reality, bats are incredibly important to the health of the environment and our gardens.
Bats are the primary predator of night-flying insects such as moths, beetles, and mosquitoes. A healthy colony of bats can protect gardens and crops from major damage by pest species such as cucumber beetles, moths, cutworm, corn earworm, leafhoppers, and June beetles. Putting up bat houses is a great way to help bat populations.
Who Are The Gorilla Men?
The popularity of film apes led to the natural creation of the Gorilla Man. There was a demand for someone who could bring not only their very own costume, but the ability to utilize it effectively onscreen.
Who Are The Gorilla Men? has links to expanded articles, biographies, and reviews of famous Gorilla Men. Venture further into the Dark territory where the Gorilla Men still roam.
(via Everlasting Blort)
Ice Cream Acrobat
A funny Turkish ice cream seller. I'm not sure but I believe the ice is so sticky because they add a special ingredient called sahlep, which are the dried powdered roots of a mountain orchid.
(thanks Cora)
Child Snake Charmers
It's the one classroom where everyone's paying attention at the back. Being a few feet away from a poisonous snake has a wonderful way of concentrating the mind. All children in the 600-strong nomadic Vadi tribe in western India – are first introduced to cobras at the age of two.
All Vadi children complete a ten-year initiation ritual that culminates in the boys becoming fully-fledged performing snake charmers. Divided between the sexes, the act of snake charming with traditional flute is the role of the men, while the Vadi women care for the snakes and handle them when their husbands or brothers are not around.
(via Neatorama)
The 7 Most Impressive Libraries From Throughout History
The library has played a key role in the dissemination of information and knowledge throughout history. Access to collections such as those housed in Alexander's Great Library and the lesser Chetham's Library was a catalyst for change and the technological advance of mankind long before the digital age when knowledge was truly democratised for the masses.
(thanks Andy)
Photos Of Fighter Jets Breaking The Sound Barrier
Many fighter aircraft can travel with the speed of sound which creates a sonic boom. The term sonic boom is commonly used to refer to the shocks caused by the supersonic flight of an aircraft. When it breaks the sound barrier, an incredible 'vapor cone' surrounds the aircraft.
Here is a collection of photos of 16 fighter jets breaking the sound barrier and creating vapor cones around them.
I Was A Ye Ye Girl
Ye Ye was a style of pop music that emerged out of France in the early 1960s. The Ye Ye movement had its origins in the radio programme 'Salut les copains', created by Lucien Morisse and hosted by Daniel Philippacci, which was first aired in December 1959. Ye Ye music was unique because it was the only musical movement so far to be spearheaded by females.
(via Nag on the Lake)
Table Football For Girls
Barbie Foot by French designer Chloe Ruchon combines the iconic doll with table football. On one side it uses Barbie's pink, frilly world and on the other it uses the predominantly male world of table soccer.
(via Coudal Partners)
Urinal Pots
Don't you sometimes get the strangest emails? Yesterday I got this email:
Hello good day, This is Clint (last name withheld), with regards to your company I am sending this email to order some urinal pots. I will like to know the type you have in stock and get me the sales price of one so that I will tell you the quantity I will be ordering, and also if you accept credit card as a form of payment.
Well Clint, maybe you should try here.
Terrifying Pieces Of Furniture That Will Give Your Children Nightmares
Fancy a desk that looks like it's puking its guts out? You're in luck! Plenty of the world's most buzzed-about designers will happily sell you furniture that will make your children cry. Here are some of the most terrifying designs in recent memory.
Waving Goat
A goat has become a star on the Internet after learning to wave to people. Darren the goat stands on his hind legs and gives his special greeting from his pen. The billy goat spent months mastering his trick after a group of youngsters who visited his enclosure first waved at him as they left.
(thanks Cora)
40 Examples Of Incredible Photo Manipulation
Photo manipulation is an ever evolving collaboration between photography and graphic design. Combining certain elements to create a unique image, that can convince even the most experienced set of eyes, requires a very creative set of skills.
Photo manipulations are a great source for inspiration, generally because designers are able to express their creativity through various aspects of design. Here are 40 of the most incredible examples of photo manipulation.
Home Schooled
Home Schooled is a comics series by American artist Ash Jackson.
Co-writing by Silas Jackson.
The Presurfer will feature a Home Schooled cartoon every Monday. This is an absolute exclusive cooperation between The Presurfer and Ash Jackson.
Home Schooled is more or less a reflection of the wacky and occasionally interesting adventures of the artist, Ash Jackson, himself, with the aid of his friends, family, and other cohorts.
Title: The Triforce.
click on the picture for real size
Wearable Towel
The Wearable Towel has three arm openings placed along the side and does not employ the use of any fastener. The Wearable Towel is unisex and can be worn in either a tunic style or a toga style.
(via Everlasting Blort)
Asian Poses
Simply smiling in a photo is so boring, why not strike a pose? Asians are notorious for their quirky and cute poses and this site focuses on documenting these poses.
To help you recognize various poses, visual aids will be provided courtesy of popular Korean, Japanese, and Chinese models. The site's style was inspired by the website Stuff White People Like, which often includes witty remarks, sarcasm, and stuff that is offensive if you can't take a joke.
The Comfort Wipe
This looks like a Saturday Night Live spoof, but it's real.
(via The Denver Egotist)
6 Intriguingly Shaped Communities As Seen On Google Maps
The introduction of mapping applications such as Google Maps and their subsequent widespread use around the world has resulted in an enormous amount of people taking up an interest in an interactive view of the world which previously was very difficult to obtain. There are millions of incredibly interesting sights to experience which, when living at ground level as we do, are rarely seen in the flesh.
As an example, here are some intriguingly shaped communities which take on a new appearance when viewed from the air, along with those same areas pinpointed in embedded maps. Take a look around.
(thanks Dave)
9 Themed Regional Amusement Parks
As much as we love the many well-known amusement parks throughout the United States, sometimes it's fun to get away from the packed mega-attractions and opt for something a little more low-key.
If you're ready for an atypical summer vacation destination, then check out one of these nine regional theme parks on your next road trip. From LEGO-inspired lands to gigantic Hershey's kisses, there's truly a theme park for every kind of interest.
(thanks Annie)
Sofa Converts To Pool Table
You have never seen the like - a truly unique sofa that converts into a 6ft pool table. It was produced by Pierce upholsterers of Accrington and Riley, the famous pool and snooker table manufacturers. Does not come with balls, cues, etc.
(via Arbroath)
Pee Without Noise Stool
You could sit, but not only is that unbecoming a man, you also risk splashing the rim. Enter the Pee Without Noise Stool. Kneeling on its soft cushions positions you at the exact right height to land your stream in the bowl at a much-reduced velocity and volume level.
This simple, elegant tool could save your dignity, your relationship, or even your life (if there's a robber in the house but you just have to go).
(via Random Good Stuff)
Check My Colours
Check My Colours is a tool for checking foreground and background color combinations of all DOM (Document Object Model) elements and determining if they provide sufficient contrast when viewed by someone having color deficits.
20 Biggest Car Fails Of All Time
Automotive makers have been on the brink of bankruptcy several times in their history, and quite often their struggles result from the release of absolutely homely or catastrophically malfunctioning cars.
Be it the rolling powder keg that was the Ford Pinto or the smoldering waste of money that soon became the Triumph Stag, automotive makers have often made decisions to sell vehicles that make us all wonder what in the world they were thinking. Here's a list of the 20 most disastrous cars, and what about them made them terrible investments.
Top 10 Innovative Ice Cream Flavors
Occasionally, we all scream for ice cream - whether while running after the neighborhood's Pop Goes the Weasel-blaring truck or on one of the sweltering days of summer. But when's the last time an ice cream flavor made you want to scream?
Here are some extraordinary ice cream flavors, including a Blue Cheese and Caramelized Shallot creation and a Curry Carrot concoction. They are so unusual in their ingredients and flavor pairings that they're sure to provoke some sort of reaction from you - whether of pleasure, confusion or just plain brain freeze.
(thanks Annie)
The Book Seer
The Book Seer is a project by Apt, a design, technology and marketing consultancy. Tell Book Seer what you've just read and it'll suggest some stuff to read next. It's just pulling suggestions from Amazon and LibraryThing.
I just finished reading 'Tanglewood Tales' by Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Book Seer suggested I should take a look at 'Parables from Nature' by Margaret Gatty, 'Paddle to Sea' by Holling C. Holling, or 'Water Babies' by Charles Kingsley.
Drink Milk Compilation
Drink Milk - It's always been survival of the fittest. A compilation of hilarious 'Drink Milk' commercials by the BC Dairy Foundation of Canada.
(thanks Cora)
The Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company
The Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company, the online purveyors of high quality crimefighting merchandise. Need a secret identity? Buy one. A mind reader interrogation tool? They got it. Don't leave your planet's atmosphere without an off-world inhaler.
The Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company even sells an invisible airplane. For only $4000000 this plane ships with a peel-off translucent blue plastic coating, so you'll know when it's arrived. Here's a picture of the airplane.
(via Everlasting Blort)
The 10 Essential Rules For Slowing Down And Enjoying Life More
It's an irony of our modern lives that while technology is continually invented that saves us time, we use that time to do more and more things, and so our lives are more fast-paced and hectic than ever.
Life moves at such a fast pace that it seems to pass us by before we can really enjoy it. However, it doesn't have to be this way. Let's rebel against a hectic lifestyle and slow down to enjoy life. Here's how to do it.
Win A Set Bucky Balls
Wow, those Bucky Balls are popular items. I received 2,787 emails. Not all of you had the right answer though. The question was: what type of magnets are Bucky Balls made of?
Some of you said carbon. But carbon is not a magnet, it's a chemical element. Some said fullerene, or buckminsterfullerene, or C60. But they are not magnets either, but a family of carbon allotropes, molecules composed entirely of carbon, in the form of a hollow sphere, ellipsoid, tube, or plane.
The right answer is: neodymium.
I numbered each email I received and then used a random number generator to decide who won. The winners are Jeffrey, Jennifer, and Mark. Winners have already received an email and a set of Bucky Balls will be send to them by Zoomdoggle.
Sorry if you didn't win and thanks for participating.
10 Crazy Collections
Many of us turn to hobbies to help relax us in our down time, whether it be reading, knitting or fishing. But, for some, a hobby sometimes morphs into a full-time obsession.
These 10 collectors probably never imagined that they would amass the number of objects they have - but thank goodness for such dedication! From 300 cookie cutters to over 2,000 rubber duckies, these crazy collections will have you rethinking what you keep and what you throw away.
(thanks Annie)
Cahokia
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site is the site of an ancient Native American city (650–1400 CE) near Collinsville, Illinois in the American Bottom floodplain, across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri. The 2,200-acre site included 120 man-made earthen mounds over an area of six square miles. Cahokia was larger than London was in AD 1250.
Cahokia Mounds is the largest archaeological site related to the Mississippian culture, which developed advanced societies in eastern North America centuries before the arrival of Europeans.
The Top 10 Most Absurd Time Covers Of The Past 40 Years
From William Randolph Hearst's ginned up hysterical stories about marijuana to the '10-cent plague' comic book scare of the 1950s to The New York Times warning of 'cocaine-crazed Negroes' raping white women across the Southern countryside, the media has always whipped up anxiety and increased readership via thinly sourced exposes of the next great threat to the American way of life.
As a service to future historians of the long, slow death of the newsweekly, Reason Online offers this Top 10 list of the most horrifying, silly, irresponsible, or downright ridiculous Time cover panics from the past 40 years.
Meet The Black Squirrel
You have probably seen the grey. You may even have encountered or at least heard of the red. However, have you ever seen a black squirrel?
Take a look at this small but dark beasty of the forest. Oh, and they are really, really cute.
(via Robert-John)
Professor Norman Gary
Meet Professor Norman Gary.
He plays the clarinet.
Covered in bees.
(via Everlasting Blort)
Twitpocalypse
The Twitpocalypse is similar to the Y2K bug. Very soon the unique identifier associated to each tweet will exceed 2,147,483,6471, which is a the limit of a signed integer. For some of your favorite third-party Twitter services not designed to handle such a case, the sequence will suddenly turn into negative numbers. At this point, they are very likely to malfunction or crash.
When will the Twitpocalypse happen? That will probably be next Monday, June 15, 2009. This date is a rough approximation, please do not schedule any vacation around that date.
The Pre-Historic Era's Most Vicious And Bizarre Cannibalistic Creatures
Archaeology has allowed everyday humans to discover the lives of those that had once walked the Earth. However, there were some that were a bit more active than others, causing havoc and destruction to all those unlike and like themselves.
During the Pre-Historic Era, certain species were limited in their access to food supplies, and so they were forced to feed on their own kind, giving them the ability to sustain their lives a bit longer.
(via Lauren)
The Millionth Word In The English Language
Last Monday I posted about the countdown to the 1,000,000th word in the English language by the Global Language Monitor. Yesterday, that milestone was reached.
The Global Language Monitor announced that Web 2.0 is the 1,000,000th English word or phrase added to the codex of the fourteen hundred-year-old language. Web 2.0 is a technical term meaning the next generation of World Wide Web products and services.
Object Of Desire
A stunning vehicle and 30 beautiful women. As part of its market launch, the new E-Class Coupé from Mercedes-Benz is to feature as the 'Object of Desire' in a unique webspecial.
The theme of the webspecial is a photo shoot. The photographers: 30 fashion models. The scene is captured through the lenses of the models from a variety of different angles. The user can also even take control of the virtual camera and shoot the action from each of the model's perspectives: zoom in and pan around – just as with a real digital camera.
Largest Bankruptcies In History
Last week, General Motors began the fourth largest bankruptcy proceedings in history, joining the many other large and venerable companies that have sunk to the bottom during this economic crisis.
Here's a look at the biggest sinking ships in business history.
The World's Oldest Trees
Of the many scenic wonders found within the Inyo National Forest, one of the most amazing is the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, located between 10,000 and 11,000 ft. in the White Mountains, east of the Sierra Nevada.
These trees are the oldest known living trees on Earth. The ancient trees have survived more than 40 centuries. For trees that old, one would expect giants, but Bristlecone pines look more like weathered dwarfs than like old giants.
(via 2leep)
Here's a list of the oldest trees in the world.
Godfather Marionette
MINDstyle International has reached a licensing agreement with Paramount Licensing for the launch of their new art toy line with The Godfather.
Fans of the masterpiece will have an entirely new medium and interpretation because of the art toy product category.
The Lucky Monkey
You've all heard of the theory which states that a monkey hitting keys at random on a typewriter keyboard for an infinite amount of time will almost surely type a given text, such as the complete works of William Shakespeare.
This experiment is a little different. Replace the typewriter for a computer. Replace typing for tweeting. Introducing Jimmy, the first monkey on Twitter. Here's something that Jimmy typed on Twitter.
(thanks Pedro)
Heinz Creates World's Smallest Microwave
It is the world's smallest, portable microwave and can be powered via a link to the USB port on a laptop computer. The turquoise device - called the Beanzawave - has been created in partnership with Heinz to allow workers tied to their desks to create a warm snack, or hot drink, to see them through the day.
To date, the small microwave is only a prototype. However, experts at the Microwave Association insist the sophisticated miniaturised technology does exist to turn the eye-catching gadget into a reality.
(thanks Cora)
World's Weirdest Animal Babies
Have you ever wondered what the babies of bats, aye-ayes, hedgehogs, echidnas or pygmy marmosets look like?
Unusual as some of these animals are, the babies will surely trigger some awww-inspiring moments.
The Wikimedia Commons Picture Of The Year 2008 Competition Results
Wikimedia Commons is one of the repositories of copyright free pictures on the internet that belies the common belief that these images are necessarily second rate.
Each year the competition to find the best image of Wikimedia Commons contributors shows the online world that copyright-free pictures can be enthralling, engaging and memorable. Here, in reverse order, are the top 10 for 2008.
(via Robert-John)
12 Spectacular Summer Food Festivals
It seems that for every type of food, there's a festival. With the summer season approaching, it's the perfect time to hit the road and celebrate your favorite foods at one of the hundreds of festivals taking place around the country.
To help you plan your trip, here are a dozen of the most eagerly-awaited celebrations in the coming months.
Whether its sweet Maine lobster or taste bud-blazing Buffalo chicken wings you crave, there's sure to be at least one festival here to whet your appetite.
(thanks Annie)
Win A Set Of Bucky Balls
Bucky Balls are 216, spherical magnets. Form chains, loops, and complex sculptures. Pull them apart. Wear them as jewelry. Use them to hold even the heaviest items securely to the fridge. Kneed them in your hand for stress relief. Throw them at any metal surface for a game of high tech bulls-eye.
Wouldn't they be a wonderful gift for Father's Day?
Yes, they would! GetBuckyBalls.com, in cooperation with The Presurfer, is giving away 3 sets of Bucky Balls, worth $24.95. Just answer this question:
What type of rare-earth magnets are Bucky Balls made of?
Mail your answer to webmaster@presurfer.com. Contest closes on Thursday evening, June 11, at midnight GMT. Everyone who answers the question right will have a chance to win a set of Bucky Balls. The 3 winners will be drawn by a True Random Number Service and announced on Friday morning, June 12.
Important: I am very concerned about your privacy. Email addresses will only be used for this contest.
Portraits Of Iconic People Of All Time
A great collection of portraits of the most iconic people throughout history. Portraits explore the relationship between the subject and the photographer or artist and usually continue to impress the viewer years after they have been created.
The common thread running through all of these portraits is superlative design. Each is a masterpiece in its own right, from the medieval painted portraits right up to the most current photographs.
Smell Of Books
Does your Kindle leave you feeling like there's something missing from your reading experience? Have you been avoiding e-books because they just don’t smell right?
Then Smell of Books is for you, a revolutionary new aerosol e-book enhancer.
With Smell of Books you can have the best of both worlds, the convenience of an e-book and the smell of your favorite paper book. Smell of Books is available in 5 fine aromas: New Book Smell, Classic Musty Smell, Eau You Have Cats, Scent of Sensibility, and yes, Crunchy Bacon Scent.
(via Neatorama)
Along The River During The Ching-Ming Festival
Along the River During the Ching-ming Festival is the title of several panoramic paintings; the original version is generally attributed to the artist Zhang Zeduan (1085-1145). It captures the daily life of people from the Song period at the capital, Bianjing, today's Kaifeng.
In the 5.28-meter long picture there are 814 humans, 28 boats, 60 animals, 30 buildings, 20 vehicles, nine sedan chairs, and 170 trees drawn. The painting is considered as one of China's great treasures. The National Palace Museum of Taiwan created a nice page to get a good vizualisation of the painting. Don't miss the 3D animations launchable from the white boxes in the painting, they are a lovely way to give life to a painting.
(thanks Cora)
Wordnik
Wordnik is an ongoing project devoted to discovering all the words and everything about them. Wordnik is based on the principle that people learn words best by seeing them in context and has collected more than 4 billion words of text.
At Wordnik, you get real example sentences to show words in context, meaningful information about your word's frequency and use patterns, related words - not just synonyms and antonyms, but words that behave in similar ways, images tagged by users at Flickr, statistics, and an audio pronunciation.
Machu Picchu Post Interview
Remember the Machu Picchu Post short movie? An interesting film which takes place on a map from the 1920s/30s, and is populated by legendary names such as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the Compagnie Générale Aéropostale, as well as the history of the birth of some of the first national airlines and airmail routes in South America.
An interesting film usually has an interesting story behind it. MaxUnderground, a non-commercial website being designed by, run by, and dedicated to Max users, had an interview with the students who created the movie.
Gay Animals On Parade
Homosexual behavior in nature, surely not? As our own cultural attitudes towards gay people relax, scientists are increasingly more comfortable with revealing their findings that Mother Nature is pretty cool with it too. Here are ten animals that do the 'wild thing' with members of the same sex.
(via Robert-John)
Popular And Unique Soft Drinks From Around The World
A couple of days ago I posted about some popular and unique softdrinks from around the world.
Here is part two of that article.
(thanks Nicholas)
The Many Faces Of Petoskey: An Illustrious State Stone And City
Glaciation and weathering over time create the most phenomenal geological finds. The Petoskey Stone is just one example of how sea life through history, captured in fossilized form, can provide insight into earth's past.
(via Lauren)
The Global Language Monitor
The Global Language Monitor is a countdown until the 1,000,000th word in the English language. At the current pace a new English language word is created about every 98 minutes.
English will cross the Million Word Mark on June 10th, 2009 at 10:22 am, Stratford-on Avon time.
Hospital Food From 11 Different Countries
Here is some hospital food from 11 different countries. Hospital food doesn't have a very good reputation, but some of these look really tasty. And some doesn't.
(thanks Nicholas)
A Giant Awakes In Nantes
The latest performance by the French mechanical marionette street theater company Royale De Luxe - with some remarkable pictures of their latest creation.
(via Robert-John)
Pirate Party In European Parliament
The Swedish Pirate Party that wants to legalise Internet filesharing and beef up web privacy scored a big victory Sunday by winning a European parliament seat. The Pirate Party won 7.1% of the votes, taking one of Sweden's 18 seats in the European parliament.
The party was founded in January 2006 and quickly attracted members angered by controversial laws adopted in Sweden that criminalised filesharing and authorised monitoring of emails. Its membership shot up after a Stockholm court on April 17 sentenced four Swedes to a year in jail for running one of the world's biggest filesharing sites, The Pirate Bay.
Home Schooled
Home Schooled is a comics series by American artist Ash Jackson.
Co-writing by Silas Jackson.
The Presurfer will feature a Home Schooled cartoon every Monday. This is an absolute exclusive cooperation between The Presurfer and Ash Jackson.
Home Schooled is more or less a reflection of the wacky and occasionally interesting adventures of the artist, Ash Jackson, himself, with the aid of his friends, family, and other cohorts.
Title: Lord of the Dance.
click on the picture for real size
Six Of The World's Most Deadly, Dangerous, And Disastrous Oceans And Seas
According to Greek Mythology, Poseidon was God of the Sea and the 'Earth-Shaker' of earthquakes. It is he that controls the plan of the oceans to destruct and destroy.
(via Lauren)
Alt.Mugs
Alt.mugs are traditional mugs with a twist. Each of these mugs has been subtly altered to give them added and unusual functionality, not limiting what you can put in a mug to tea or coffee.
What about milk? Or money? Or golf balls? An ashtray? Alt.mugs cleverly and subtley change the function of the humble mug to give it a new twist, a new lease of life.
Charles Schulz Philosophy
The philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip.
You will see some questions. You don't have to actually answer them, just read straight through, and you'll get the point.
The Moon From 13 Miles Above
Video of the Moon from 13 miles above the surface taken by Japan's Kaguya probe. The probe's orbit has been decaying since it began circling the Moon and will crash on the surface on June 10.
Vintage Canned Meat Advertisements
Canning is a method of preserving food from spoilage by storing it in containers that are hermetically sealed and then sterilized by heat. The process was invented in 1809 by Nicolas Appert of France, who used glass bottles.
In the 19th century tin-coated iron cans with soldered tops, bottoms, and seams were used, but in the early 20th century these were replaced by tin-plated steel containers with interlocking seams and polymer seals.
Vintage Canned Meat Advertisements.
(thanks Nicholas)
Total Eclipse Of The Heart: Literal Video Version
Ever wish songs just sang what was happening in the music video? Well now they do, in this Bonny Tyler's 'Total Eclipse of The Heart' video. Brilliant!
The Astonishing Eggs Of Alien Nations
They look like they come straight out of a science fiction film, but these eggs are real. It's life, but most certainly not as we know it.
Take a look at the astonishing eggs of the alien nations all around us.
(via Robert-John)
Prague Skyline Gigapixel
A 2 gigapixel panoramic photo of Prague by Jeffrey Martin. Made from a few hundred shots handheld from the windows of the Petrin Tower in Prague.
You can zoom all the