It's the most imitated image in pop history. Forty years on, the Beatles' Abbey Road has inspired an astonishing array of 'cover' versions. Dozens of bands - ranging from Booker T & The MGs to the puppet characters from TVs Sesame Street - have recreated their own versions of John, Paul, George and Ringo striding across the zebra crossing outside the Abbey Road studios on August 8, 1969.
Here are 40 copies of the Fab Four.
The Abbey Habit
Birds Can Dance
Cats, dogs, and lab monkeys spend lots of time around human music. But no animal had ever been confirmed as moving to a beat - leading to the common belief that animals ain't got rhythm.
For one of two new studies on animal dancing, Aniruddh Patel at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego and colleagues worked with Snowball the parrot, which seems to love 'dancing' to the likes of Queen and Backstreet Boys.
What's Dovecote To Do With It
For years, buildings have been erected for lords and nobles for the display of wealth and power, and with that power comes the ability to possess an architectural marvel that has stood through centuries of war and dispute.
A dovecote is a small detached round or square building containing nesting boxes for the breeding and accommodation of doves or pigeons. Of greatly varying ground plan, dovecotes were important economic resources during medieval and later times as they provided sustainable supplies of meat, eggs, feathers, and manure. Also known as a columbarium.
(via Lauren)
We Have A Winner!
The AllModern.com giveaway in cooperation with The Presurfer has ended. The winner is Heather. Congratulations. I'm sorry if you didn't win, but thanks for participating.
Spring 2009 Coffee Shop Jam Videos
Remember the video of Wesley, the 5-year old who sang Folsom Prison Blues? That was recorded at the 2009 Spring Coffee Shop Jam, at The Columbia City Theater in Seattle, WA. The Jam's a chance for Heartwood Guitar Instruction students to showcase their talents.
I got an email from Rob Hampton, Wesley's guitar teacher. He pointed me to a website where you can see some other students who performed at that show.
(thanks Rob)
Documentary Heaven: Food For Your Brain
Documentary Heaven was set up earlier this month to provide the public with a vast collection of documentaries spanning across every genre out there.
7 Essential Items For Any Executive Desktop
A list of top of the range products that will not only help you do your job better, but make you look good while you're doing it.
All made from the finest materials, with absolutely no expense spared. Quality like this does not come cheap, but it's worth investing in the best if you want to promote an impeccable corporate image to colleagues and competitors alike.
(thanks Andy)
Gundam! Mecha Monument Towers Over Tokyo
image credit
Tokyo - vast sprawling metropolis of the East. In this day and age of global terror, a protector is needed. The Japanese, ever inventive, came up with this: Konnichiwa, Gundam.
(via Robert-John)
Flitter Fairies
Flitter Fairies are toys who seem to fly on their own using 'invisible Pixie Silk.' They are produced by the William Mark Corporation, makers of Exceptional Flying Products.Flitter Fairies magically flit and fly all around you with enchanted flapping wings. It's easy to guide your fairy with your magic wand. Luckily for us believers, Flitter Fairies have chosen to slip from their Realm Slightly Above Time into the human realm of Timefulness.
Their deepest wish is to inspire humans to take better care of the natural world. Each Flitter Fairy seeks to bond with a human friend who shares her most important trait such as compassion, protection or inspiration.
(thanks Cora)
Crows Recognize People, Can You Recognize Crows?
Wild crows can recognize individual people. They can pick a person out of a crowd, follow them, and remember them - apparently for years. But people, even people who love crows, usually can't tell them apart. Try it yourself.
You will see a picture of a crow. Give it a good look. Look at its beak, its feathers, even its beady little eyes. After that you will see a lin up of six crows. Pick the right crow. It's not as easy as it seams.
Windmills Of Holland
Windmills and tulips are so typical of the Netherlands.
Great photo gallery by Dutch photographer Jaap Hart.
Michael Schumacher Returns To Formula One
Old green eyes is back. And boy is Formula One pleased to see him.
A season that has already produced more than its fair share of thrills and spills just got even more exciting after it was confirmed yesterday that Michael Schumacher is to make a sensational comeback for Ferrari as temporary cover for the injured Felipe Massa.
The 40-year-old seven-time world champion will line up against reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton for the very first time at the European Grand Prix in Valencia on August 23.
Cyriak Compilation
Cyriak Harris is a British freelance animator from Brighton. Cyriak displays a surreal and often disturbing animation style with a distinct British theme. Here's a compilation of various commercial work he has been doing recently, including some very annoying music.
(via Everlasting Blort)
Personal Urns
Personal urns are a new and exciting way to memorialize your loved one. Now we can create a custom urn in the image of your loved one or favorite celebrity.
New advances in facial reconstruction and 3D printing have made it possible to have an urn made in the image of anyone from just a photograph. Never forget a face. Personal Urns combine art and technology to create a family heirloom that will be cherished for generations.
(thanks Darren)
The Incredible Century-Old Color Photography Of Prokudin-Gorsky: Part 2
image credit
Mikhaylovich Prokudin-Gorsky set about the project of a lifetime - to capture, in full color, the sites of his country, Russia. Here, in part 2 of this article, find out more about this amazing collection.
(via Robert-John)
5-Year-Old Boy Plays 'Folsom Prison Blues' By Johnny Cash
Folsom Prison Blues performed by Wesley, 5 years old, at the 2009 Spring Coffee Shop Jam, at The Columbia City Theater in Seattle, USA.
(thanks Cora)
A Pictorial History Of Dentistry
image credit
Dentistry got its start in the Indus Valley of India and Pakistan. These industrious would-be dentists were master beadmakers who used bow drills to cure tooth problems.
This is also the first appearance of dental assistants, whose duties consisted of restraining the flailing arms and legs of patients during the undoubtedly excruciating procedures. Still, this obviously beat a life without teeth.
(thanks John)
Women Are Getting More Beautiful, Men Remain Ugly
Scientists from the University of Helsinki, Finland, have found that evolution is driving women to become ever more beautiful, while men remain as aesthetically unappealing as their caveman ancestors.
The researchers have found beautiful women have more children than their plainer counterparts and that a higher proportion of those children are female. Those daughters, once adult, also tend to be attractive and so repeat the pattern. Over generations, the scientists argue, this has led to women becoming steadily more aesthetically pleasing, a 'beauty race' that is still on.
8 Very Cool Vending Machines
These days, with a pocket of change (or a credit card), an interested buyer can score a lot more than a can of soda from a vending machine.
As much as people might not like to admit their tendencies toward immediate gratification - sans the salesperson hassle -it can no longer be denied. The proof is in these ingenious dispensers.
Bacterial Computers Can Crack Mathematical Problems
Computers are evolving. A team of US scientists have engineered bacteria that could solve complex mathematical problems faster than anything made from silicon. The scientists have proved that it is possible to solve puzzles with living cells.
A research team made up of faculty members and undergraduate students from the biology and mathematics departments at Missouri Western State University and Davidson College in North Carolina, engineered the DNA of E coli bacteria. The biological world also has other advantages. As time goes by, a bacterial computer will actually increase in power as the bacteria reproduce.
One Million Photos Submitted To Weather Underground
San Francisco-based weather site Weather Underground began asking visitors in 2002 to submit nature photos.
This week, they received their one millionth photo, pictured above.
(thanks Kara)
Totally Extreme And Historic Roller Coasters Of Today And Yesteryear
image credit
Every couple of years, a new extreme roller coaster is introduced into the world for thrill seekers and amusement park lovers. But don't forget the roller coasters of yesteryear.
Some may be dinosaurs, but they still give us a thrill. Even with the revolution of giga-coasters and hyper-coasters, these old timers still stand their ground.
(via Lauren)
Who Is America's Most Trusted Newscaster?
Who is America's most trusted newscaster now that Walter Cronkite passed away. The question was asked by Time and the results were in favor of Jon Stewart.
(via Neatorama)
Leif Olson's Hole-In-One Shot At Canadian Open
Leif Olson gets a hole-in-one on the 15th hole during the Canadian Open. One of the weirdest shots I've ever seen.
Tron Legacy Trailer
Tron Legacy is a forthcoming 2010 science fiction film. It is a sequel to the 1982 film Tron. Joseph Kosinski is directing the film, while the previous film director, Steven Lisberger, returns as a producer.
Jeff Bridges will reprise his role as Kevin Flynn, while Garrett Hedlund will portray Flynn's now-adult son, Sam. The other cast members include Bruce Boxleitner, Olivia Wilde, Beau Garrett and John Hurt.
Stunning Space Photography
Space has many beautiful mysteries hidden inside. Many people have tried and are still trying to uncover those mysteries. Smashing Magazine presents beautiful photographs from space explorations: nebulas, comets, stars, planets, etc.
Mystery Of The Toucan's Beak Solved
Charles Darwin thought the toucan's oversized beak was a sexual lure for attracting potential mates, while some modern-day biologists suggested it was either for peeling fruit or to warn off territorial rivals. A new study has found, though, that the outrageously big structure helps to keep the bird cool in the heat of the tropical day.
The beak of the toucan accounts for about one-third of the bird's body length, which is larger than the beak of any other bird for its size. A toucan's beak has a rich supply of blood vessels running along its surface so the bird's bill is suited to act as a means of radiating heat to keep the core temperature of the body stable.
Top 20 Most Anticipated Movies Of 2010
2010 Doesn't sound like a real year does it? It sounds like something that appears on a title card at the beginning of a movie. It sounds like the future. It sounds like you need a crazy, wild-eyed old man and a flux capacitor to get there, but you don't, all you need is patience.
Unfortunately, the people at Movie Moron are impatient as all get out. They're already looking ahead to 2010 and its silver screen offerings, and they’d like you to join them. Here's a list of the 20 most anticipated movies of 2010.
(thanks Sheridan)
Get A Product From All Modern For Free
The Presurfer has teamed up with AllModern.com in a giveaway where you can win a free product worth up to $150. Please note that this giveaway is only for residents of the United States and Canada.
All Modern has a fantastic selection of modern furniture and home accessories from many leading designers. Part of CSN Stores, All Modern is just one of over 260 retail sites that offer a diverse array of products from Herman Miller's popular Aeron Chair to cookware by Rachael Ray.
You can pick your prize from All Modern's Browse by Space page. Categories to choose from are living room, bedroom, dining room, outdoor, office, bathroom, kitchen, kids and baby, and bar. You can choose a single item priced at or below $150. All Modern will ship the item to you for free.
How to enter:
1. Anyone can enter who resides in the United States or Canada.
2. Visit All Modern's Browse by Space page and pick a single item. Your budget is $150.
3. One entry only.
4. Send an email to me at webmaster@presurfer.com and tell me which single item you would want to win. Do not enter your home address. The winner will receive an email from me in which I will ask where to send the item you picked.
5. The Giveaway ends on Thursday evening, July 30, at midnight GMT.
Who can win:
Everyone who enters has a chance to win. Incoming emails will be numbered and the winner will be drawn by a True Random Number Service and announced on Friday morning, July 31.
Foot Undeez
Underwear for your foot?
Yes, underwear for your foot!
Why?
I have no idea!
(via Streamings)
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin Says There's A Monolith On Mars Moon
Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin has revealed that there is a 'monolith' on the moon of Mars, Phobos. On July 22, during an interview on CSPAN's Washington Journal, Aldrin mentioned the monolith when he was promoting further exploration and development of the moon as well as going to Mars.
Aldrin's statement reinforces comments made by other astronauts that extraterrestrial vehicles were present during at least the first moon landing. It also raises questions such as 'who really put the monolith there and how does Aldrin know about it?'
Actually, a lot of people know about it. This revelation by Aldrin is referencing to a picture taken in 1998 by the Mars Global Surveyor. According to the dictionary, a monolith is a geological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock. Here's a picture of the monolith.
19 Amazing Acts Of Death Defiance
The human tendency to act in a way that is detrimental to health has always been a part of society. Whether wearing a cape jumping off the roof to test your flight abilities when you're six, or dancing on a wire dozens of stories off the ground when you're thirty, we manage to put ourselves in harms way for the sake of fame, fortune, self-discovery, or exploration.
Regardless of motivation, people have and will continue to act in this way. Here are 19 of the most daring and extreme human feats ever completed.
Staples City
Artist Peter Root created Staples City. He says:Low-Rise is a precarious assemblage of thousands of free-standing stacks of staples densely tessellated to create a city-like mosaic. Like a city, the staples are subject to the elements, on a micro scale. The slightest breath or vibration and the domino effect kicks in.
(via Gizmodo)
One Trillion Dollars Visualized
Did you know that with one trillion dollars you can buy a $3 latte every day for the next 900 million years? It has been done before but this is a new look at what one trillion dollars look like. One trillion dollars is a number that few people can comprehend, let alone your standard nine digit calculator.
10 Unique City Parks From Around The Globe
If you're looking for inexpensive things to do this summer, city parks are the perfect option. Many esplanades around the globe offer free admission and charge just a small fee for some attractions - if any at all.
Highlighted here are 10 of the world's grandest parks that are loaded with things to do. From Hyde Park in London to the shores of Stanley Park in Vancouver, check out these one-of-a-kind destinations that may make you green with envy, but won't cost you a thing to enjoy.
(thanks Rahel)
Stunning Space Photography
Space has many beautiful mysteries hidden inside. Many people have tried and are still trying to uncover those mysteries. Smashing Magazine presents beautiful photographs from space explorations: nebulas, comets, stars, planets, etc.
The Art Of The Combover
A combover is a hairstyle worn by bald or balding men in which the hair on one side of the head is grown long and then combed over the bald area to minimize the display of baldness.
(thanks Nick)
International Country Codes, Made Simple
When making an international call, the exit code is the number you are required to dial first to 'exit' your country. It is often times replaced by a '+' when dialing from a cell phone or over Skype. The country code is the number you are required to dial after the exit code to specify the country you are calling. Every country has a unique country code.
International Country Codes can help you when you don't know the country code. Type the country you are in, then type the country you are calling.
9 Raging Water Rides
Is the summer heat getting to you? Hit a waterpark and cool off with a thrilling ride. From plunging through pure darkness on Rapids Water Park's Black Thunder to dropping over 130 feet on Holiday World's Pilgrims Plunge, these nine water rides are sure to get your pulse racing and your adrenaline pumping.
(thanks Rahel)
The 10 Oldest Still-Inhabited Cities
Urban society may seem a modern phenomenon but cities have been around for a lot longer than one might think. Indeed, once nomadic tribes began to settle in one location, they saw that it was good, became fruitful, and multiplied.
Decades, centuries and millennia passed while war, climate change and human migration all took their toll. Relatively few cities have managed to survive the test of time. Here are 10 ancient cities that have not only survived, but continue to thrive.
The Longest Solar Eclipse Of The Century
Last Wednesday, the moon passed directly in front of the sun, causing a total solar eclipse that crossed nearly half the Earth - through Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and China. It was the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century, lasting as much as 6 minutes and 39 seconds in a few areas.
Despite cloudy skies in many of the populated areas in the path, millions of people gathered outside to gaze up and view this rare event. Collected here are a few images of the eclipse, and those people who came out to watch.
The Most Advanced Soda Fountain Ever: The Coca-Cola Freestyle
If you never thought that soda machines would adapt to the high-tech world, think again. Coca-Cola's Freestyle fountain comes equipped with a touch screen that is able to mix flavors on the spot, using precise machinery originally developed for dialysis and cancer treatments.
There are over 100 flavors available, across an array of drink brands, including Coke, Fanta, energy drinks, flavored waters, and more. When you select a drink, you're able to select from a variety of flavors, some of which are unfamiliar such as Raspberry Coke and Peach Fanta.
Baboons Steal Underwear From Rooftop Luggage
Bosses at the Merseyside Knowsley Safari Park in the UK are warning motorists to beware of the baboons, after the animals learned how to open rooftop luggage and began stealing items such as underwear after helping themselves to the contents.
(thanks Cora)
A Plethora Of Pickled Products From Across The Planet
Ah, the wonderful world of pickled products. There is something about the combo of salty and sour that is so delicious. Pickles are edible products which are preserved in an acid solution.
A Plethora Of Pickled Products From Across The Planet.
(thanks Nick)
10 Picture-Perfect Bike Races
The sport of cycling claims the most awe-inspiring backdrops. Athletes who compete in professional competitions such as the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de Suisse pedal hundreds of miles through some of the most beautiful landscapes with snow-capped mountains, architecturally preserved coastal cities, brightly lit fields of sunflowers and more.
Though cyclists only focus their eyes on the road ahead, tuned-in audiences can witness every sweeping view. Check out the most gorgeous plotted courses of all.
(thanks Rahel)
Your Movie Moment
Look it's the Terminator. Well, actually it's me. Looking like a scary terminator.
See the video here.
Be the star in a movie. Choose between The Terminator, Back to School, Dodgeball, City Slickers, Office Space, or Robocop.
The Ocelot - Really Back From The Brink?
Do you hear a lot about the Ocelot? Hunted for its pelt for hundreds of years, the Ocelot was classified as a vulnerable endangered species until 1996. One look at this still rare animal and the attraction is undeniable but why is it no longer considered endangered?
(via Robert-John)
The Avenging Unicorn Play Set
Everyone wants an imaginary unicorn friend that they can call forth to smite their enemies. The Avenging Unicorn Play Set has everything you need to use the power of the unicorn to rid your life of irritations.
Put the posable, hard vinyl unicorn on a flat surface and then impale one of three soft vinyl figures including a businessman/boss, a new age lady and of course, a mime.
(thanks Nick)
Photomicrographs And Macro Photos Of The Most Astounding Igneous Rocks
Throughout history, the earth has been given the names of the gods. Volcanic rocks were named after the god of fire and intrusive rocks were named after the god of the underworld.
These volcanic rocks are found all over the world, in rare form of course, stemming from a place that ignites change from within.
(via Lauren)
30 Enchanting Pictures Of Mushrooms, Toadstools And Fungi
For thousands of years, human beings have been fascinated and intrigued about mushrooms, toadstools and other members of the fungi kingdom.
While modern science has unraveled some of the mysteries of these wonderful organisms, they still remain creatures of wonder to us. Their delicate structures, and often bizarre, yet beautiful shapes, make them attractive subjects to be captured in the lens of the discerning photographer. Here is a small, but beautiful photo collection of mushrooms, toadstools and other species of fungi.
(thanks Danny)
The Mickey Mouse Shaped Forest
Mickey's Forest is a collection of 50,000 pine trees and the start of a big plan to re-forest about 2,000 acres of Lake and Orange counties but completing Mickey's Forest was as far as Disney got.
Since then Mickey's Forest has pretty much been forgotten about, many of the locals don't even know it exists.
Skate Ride On Rollercoaster
German stuntman Dirk Auer raced down a huge 2,800-foot roller coaster at Trips Drill Theme Park in Stuttgart, Germany. He reached speeds up to 60mph. He even designed and made his own pair of skates.
(via Neatorama)
Mount Everest Captured From A Mile Above In Balloon
This photograph captures the majesty of Mount Everest as you've never seen it before - from more than a mile above. The spectacular panorama shows the breathtaking landscape of the Himalayas. It was shot by British filmmaker and adventure cameraman Leo Dickinson wearing breathing apparatus in -56C temperatures 36,000 feet up.
It is believed to be the highest panoramic picture taken by hand from a balloon, and was described by mountaineer Reinhold Messner as the 'best snap on earth'.
Twitter Job Description By Date Joined
This chart claims that the date you joined Twitter says a lot about your job.
For example: if you joined Twitter in July 2006, you're probably a professional geek. If you joined in December 2007, you're a blogger. If you joined in April 2009, you're Oprah Winfrey. And someone who joined in May 2009 is probably your Mum.
Deluxe Miracle Jesus Action Figure
This is quite possibly the first action figure to have 'turns water into wine' as a selling point on the box.
This 'deluxe' Jesus character stands 5 1/4-inches tall, comes in an illustrated window box with 8 accessories: a jug, 2 fish, and 5 loaves of bread. Oh, and glow-in-the-dark hands! Just like the real Jesus, right?
(thanks Nick)
Moon Publicity
Shadow Shaping technology is used to create images on the surface of the Moon that can be seen from Earth. Robots are used to create several small ridges in the lunar dust over large areas that capture shadows and shape them to form logos, domains names or memorials.
Patent pending Shadow Shaping technology can be yours. Exclusive transferable licensing is being made available for 44 regions of the visible side of the Moon. Bidding begins on July 20, 2009, the 40th anniversary of man’s first step on the Moon. Bidding will run for three months, closing on October 20, 2009. The winning bids will be announced in early November, 2009. Minimum bids start as low as $46,000.
Moon Publicity.
(via Neatorama)
Top 15 Web Hoaxes Of All Time
Sometimes it's hard to tell what to believe when you read it on the web. The recent 'Unknown Lifeform' in North Carolina? Turns out, not a hoax, but also not a monster. But all those rumors about Jeff Goldblum falling to his death in New Zealand? Well, those were a hoax, and a rather tasteless one at that.
For hundreds of years, humans have been playing elaborate tricks on each other, but the advent of social tools - from Usenet and email right on up to YouTube and Twitter - means that hoaxes are much more easily spread, and it can be difficult to separate the misinformation from the truth. Here's a collection of the top 15 most unforgettable web hoaxes.
When Driving Becomes Writing
Two Belgian typographers, Pierre Smeets and Damien Aresta, and a pro race pilot, former FIA GT3 European Championship racer Stef van Campenhoudt collaborated to design a font with a car. The car movements were tracked using a custom software, designed by interactive artist Zachary Lieberman.
(thanks Tom)
From War Machines To Eco Warriors: The Thames Sea Forts
What do you do with a number of rusty old seventy year old sea forts that still tower above the waves once they have done their job? The possibilities are huge if not quite endless.
(via Robert-John)
Zoomdoggle's Puppy Namer
People love naming puppies. The people behind Zoomdoggle said: why not turn that love into a bit of a charitable game?
Here's Zoomdoggle's Puppy Namer. Every Monday, a new pup is put up for naming. Suggest a name for the community to vote on. On Friday, if your name winds up on top, you've won yourself $10.
For every name suggested, a weekly sponsor donates 50 cents to a pet related charity. Every vote earns an additional 25 cents.
(thanks Tracy)
Superfast Samsung Publicity Stunt
Footage of the incredible live 'flash' event which happened on June 22 in the heart of London with a flying spaceship and bungee jumping elephants as a publicity stunt for the Samsung Jet phone.
10 Truly Bizarre Scientific Studies
Can sheep recognize themselves? Do married couples start to look alike? Are women more attractive when dressed in red? Do herring communicate by passing gas?
Where would the world be without scientific studies? I think most would agree that some can be very informative, some not so informative and others are just plain silly and a waste of money. The studies on this list are all rather unusual in nature, but hopefully entertaining.
More Than 100,000 Icons In One Place
Need an icon for your website?
Here are more than 100,000 icons in one place.
See also Iconfinder.
Venus Flytrap Origins Uncovered
In 1770, botanist John Ellis published the first description of 'a new sensitive plant,' called Dionaea muscipula, or Venus flytrap.Its leaf snaps shut in about half a second when an insect is lured to its bright red surface. Spikes protruding from the edges of the leaf form a narrow cage for the insect. The leaf swells to close the gap and secretes a fluid that digests the insect in about ten days. Then the leaf grows a little and opens up, ready for the next visitor.
Now, the origin of the voracious Venus flytrap has been uncovered. The flytrap, and one other carnivorous snap-trap plant which grows underwater, evolved from a more conventional relative that had sticky leaves.
Over time, the plants added elaborate structures and weapons such as trigger hairs and teeth to trap and immobilise their meaty prey, botanists say. Ultimately, the need to hunt and eat ever larger animals drove the plants' evolution, say the scientists.
The First Goldfish Hotel In The World
If you go on vacation you can check in your goldfish at the Goldfish Hotel at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
(thanks Cora)
20 Fascinating Ancient Maps
Works of art in and of themselves, these ancient maps reveal a great deal more than the geographical knowledge of our ancestors. They tell stories of war and triumph, reveal myths and biases, and document modes of thought that have long been obsolete.
(thanks John)
Pimp Your Digg Experience With Data Visualization
Data Visualization is an abstraction of information in to a schematic and graphical form. Function and aesthetics go hand in hand to communicate information. Popular websites have been subject to online Data Visualization for a while.
Here are some examples for Digg.
(via Robert-John)
Calendar Made Of Matches
Graphic designer Yurko Gutsulyak from Kiev, Ukraine, created a unique calendar. Each page is a month and it looks like a comb made of matches that correspond to the days. The matches are real and the construction of the calendar is absolutely safe.
(via Neatorama)
Indian/Pakistani Border Closing Ceremony
The Wagah Border between India and Pakistan closes every evening at 5pm. It's a real spectacle with thousands of people filling up the grandstands on either side to watch the ceremony.
Despite some pretty aggressive facing-off between the two countries, the Pakistani and Indian soldiers always shake hands before the gates are shut.
Implantable Telescope For The Eye
A miniature telescope implanted into the eye could soon help people with vision loss from end-stage macular degeneration. Clinical trials of the device, which is about the size of a pencil eraser, suggest it can improve vision by about three and a half lines on an eye chart.
The implant, developed by VisionCare, consists of two lenses within a small glass tube. Once inside the eye, it works like a fixed telephoto lens, acting in conjunction with the cornea to project a magnified image of whatever the wearer is looking at over a large part of the retina.
3 Day Timelapse Of An Amanita Muscaria
The Amanita muscaria is a mushroom best known for their distinctive appearance with bright reds and yellows with white spots.
(thanks Cora)
The Color Of Water
What color is water? It's a question that many children ask, not to mention adults, and the answer is invariably that it has no color. It is transparent, clear, see through. So, which answer is the correct one?
(via Robert-John)
Humans Glow In The Dark
Ultra-sensitive cameras reveal that our bodies emit tiny amounts of light that are too weak for the human eye to detect.
Amazing pictures of 'glittering' human bodies have been released by Japanese scientists who have captured the first ever images of human bioluminescence.
9 Reasons Why There Wasn't Stress In The Good Old Days
Nowadays, people seem to be more and more stressed, even average people that at least apparently don't take big gambles. Researchers have put a lot of time and money into the study of this problem, and came up with a whole lot of theories, but really, don't let those fool you.
Here's the real deal, here's why it was so easy in those days.
Urban McHugly
The Urban McHugly is a real old crony - as soon as your iPhone rings, his Swarovski crystal eyes shine thanks to LED lights.
Like a real friend the Urban McHugly always gives you a hand in holding your iPhone, cleaning the display and being prepared for any call.
Weird facial expression not included.
The Cloud Project
Using ice-cream as a catalyst for interesting dialogue, The Cloud Project’s focus is to welcome people into a mobile space that sits outside institutions, letting new audiences experience and imagine emerging scientific developments and their consequences.
The Cloud Project (created by Zoe Papadopoulou and Cat Kramer) takes the shape of a retro van selling ice-cream flavored clouds.
An industrial-strength water spray mounted on top of the ice cream van would shoot a mix of liquid nitrogen and ice-cream into the atmosphere as a fine spray, leading to flavored condensation nuclei that will seed ice-cream clouds and give them the flavour of your choice.
(via we make money not art)
Apollo 11 Moon Landing: A YouTube Timeline
Forty years ago, on July 20th, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first human beings to set foot on the moon. The Apollo Program, though, was a decade-long project involving millions of dollars, thousands of scientists, and constant competition with the Soviet Union.
To pay tribute to the 40th anniversary of when man first stepped on the moon, Mashable takes you step-by-step through that mission utilizing YouTube as a medium. This is the Apollo 11 mission, from Kennedy's famous speeches to Apollo 11's recovery, in the form of YouTube videos.
Food Of The Apollo 11 Lunar Landing
The Apollo 11 flight is remembered as a giant leap for mankind, a moment when the world came together to watch Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin hop, skip, and jump across the lunar surface.
The food aboard Apollo 11 represented the height of late 1960s technology, as much as the Lunar Landing Module or the spacesuits worn on moonwalks. Tubes of apple sauce and stew were ditched for meals that could be heated by the astronauts and eaten with real silverware.
How To Make Perfect Brownies
Cooking used to be all about making food that tasted good. But somewhere along the way, we seem to have decided the diet-of-the-week was more important. How to Cook Like Your Grandmother is a return to recipes and techniques that are based on what tastes good, not on junk science and fad diets.
How To Make Perfect Brownies.
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: Concerning Oders and Religion.
click on the picture for real size
Visit the Home Schooled Webcomic.
How To Pack A Bag When Traveling
When going on a trip, many men, to their shame, have the women in their lives - their mom, girlfriend, or wife - pack their suitcase for them. They either can't be bothered or are afraid they don't know how.
But your mom won't always be around, and if you plan on being a well-traveled man, it's essential that you learn how to effectively pack a bag. You don't want to bring too much stuff, too little stuff, or have your stuff arrive in a crumpled mess.
Spectacular Radio Telescopes Around The World
Radio telescopes can be found the world over. They are used in radio astronomy, the science of studying, at radio frequencies, celestial objects such as galaxies and stars as well as more difficult to understand phenomena such as Masers and Pulsars.
On almost all of the continents these giants command the landscape as they survey the skies. Here are some of the more significant and - in terms of design - beautiful radio telescopes in the world.
(via Robert-John)
10 Extreme Marathons
Athletes compete in marathons for a number of reasons; along with the desire to achieve a new goal or to challenge their mental and physical state, there's often the wish to travel and experience a new culture.
With that in mind, here are some of the most inspiring, grueling and rewarding marathon races - many located on difficult terrains, while others are held in breathtaking destinations.
25 Amazing Retro Web Sites
Many web designers use a collage of old stuff to advertise current products or to popularize new informations. Here's a collection of 25 amazing websites that use an old style to describe modern activities.
iBum Chair Automatically Photocopies Your Butt
Since the invention of the photocopier, office clowns around the world have been united in a single desire. Thousands of pranksters annually drop their strides or hike their skirts and enjoy the age-old ritual of photocopying their bums for their innocent co-workers to find in the out tray.
Japanese 'interactive designer' Tomomi Sayuda invented the iBum Chair which automatically photocopies your behind. She explains how she came up with the idea:This project came from 'impact' brief. My initial concern was the news about a naked British streaker who jumped into the Japanese Emperor's palace moat...
For me, impact means positive and humorous reaction. I decided how to represent this principle. This idea development took the longest time of my four projects. I was brainstorming in many ways with some practical developments since October 2008. Finally I came up with the idea of scanning people's bum.
(via Neatorama)
Choco Mouse
That's right, you've read correctly. It's a Chocolate Mouse, not Mousse! This bar of choccy plugs into your computer, and should not be taken orally.
Ok, it may look like someone has taken a nibble, but it does make a good working mouse too.
Fiat 500 Tank
Japanese ironsmith Kogoro Kurata has put the body of an old Fiat on top of some caterpillar tracks. He calls it the Fiat Cinque.
(thanks Cora)
Former CBS Anchorman Walter Cronkite Dead
Walter Cronkite, the CBS anchorman known as 'the most trusted man in America' for his rectitude and gravitas, died Friday night in his New York home.
Cronkite was an American broadcast journalist for CBS Evening News for 19 years.
Walter Cronkite was born in Saint Joseph, Missouri, the son of Helen Lena and Dr. Walter Leland Cronkite, a dentist. He had remote Dutch ancestry on his father's side, the family surname originally being Krankheyt.
What If Cartoons Were Real?
Some artistic interpretations of what animated characters would look like if they were real people.
Nick Vujicic
Think you've got it bad and need to be encouraged? Fallen down and can't get up? Nick Vujicic was born in Melbourne, Australia with the rare Tetra-amelia disorder: limbless, missing both arms at shoulder level, and having one small foot with two toes protruding from his left thigh.
Take a look at this amazing man, Nick Vujicic.
Life Without Limbs, Nick's website.
17 Bizarre And Wacky Kitchen Gadgets To Spice Up Your Kitchen
When it comes to kitchen gadgets, there are many different kinds, sizes, and limitations, but that doesn't mean they cannot be bizarre and practical at the same time.
Here are 17 different bizarre kitchen gadgets that are sure to entertain the chefs out there, who may be looking for a different design and change in their kitchen tools and want to go a little against the grain.
Ping Pong Door
When your house is too small to place a ping pong table anywhere, consider the Ping Pong Door, designed by Tobias Fränzel from Germany.
The Tiddler Who Caught A Monster
There should only have been one winner. On the riverbank was Jessica Wanstall, 4ft 10in tall weighing less than 84lb and something of a tiddler among anglers. In the river was a monster, a near 9ft catfish that hit the scales at a record 193lb.
But despite its size and whiskery age, the fish was no match for the skills of 11-year-old Jessica who waged a 20-minute battle to land her prize.
Kuroshio Sea - 2nd Largest Aquarium Tank In The World
This was shot at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan. The main tank called the 'Kuroshio Sea' holds 1,981,290 gallons of water and features the world's second largest acrylic glass panel, measuring 8.2 meters by 22.5 meters with a thickness of 60 centimeters.
By the way, The Georgia Aquarium, located in Atlanta, Georgia at Pemberton Place, is billed as the world's largest aquarium.
(via Neatorama)
Amusing Ourselves To Death
Aldous Huxley (author of 'Brave New World') vs. George Orwell (author of '1948').
Amusing Ourselves To Death by Stuart McMillen - May 2009.
582 Drummers Play Their Way To A New World Record
They are the hellraisers of the music world. But the 582 drummers who drummed together shunned the example of the likes of The Who's Keith Moon and Led Zeppelin's John Bonham to work together in perfect harmony. They beat out the same rhythm for five minutes to set a new world record.
The efforts at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, sanctioned by Guinness World Records, beat the previous record of 533 set by a group of U.S. drummers in 2006. The record attempt was organised to increase awareness of multiple sclerosis and succeeded in raising £20,000 (almost $33,000) for charity.
(thanks Cora)
Fun With Low Temperatures
There's not many absolutes in science, so absolute zero - the coldest temperature theoretically possible where entropy is reduced to zero - truly stands out. Indeed, things get really, really weird quantum mechanically as we approach absolute zero.
Let's take a look at what fun we can have going down the thermometer all the way to 0 Kelvin.
Unreleased Footage Of Michael Jackson Catching On Fire While Shooting 1984 Pepsi Commercial
Usmagazine.com has posted never-before-seen footage of Michael Jackson catching on fire while shooting the Pepsi commercial at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on January 27th, 1984.
(via Laughing Squid)
Remembering Apollo 11
Forty years ago, three human beings - with the help of many thousands of others - left our planet on a successful journey to our Moon, setting foot on another world for the first time. Today marks the 40th anniversary of the July 16, 1969 launch of Apollo 11, with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin Aldrin Jr. aboard.
The entire trip lasted only 8 days, the time spent on the surface was less than one day, the entire time spent walking on the moon, a mere 2 1/2 hours - but they were surely historic hours. Scientific experiments were deployed, samples were collected, and photographs were taken to document the entire journey. Here are 40 images from that journey to the Moon four decades ago.
101 Muppets Of Sesame Street
Some Muppet faces are more familiar than others, so here's a handy guide to some of our favourites in celebration of Sesame Street's 40th year on the air.
Hit Me Baby Van Mo Time
Russian grandmothers from St. Petersburg singing Britney Spears' 'Hit me baby one more time.'
(thanks Leo)
The Past Is Alive In Time Capsules
Most of us want to be remembered, appreciated, and looked up to. We want a part of our past to be left behind for others to find and to ponder. The existence of time capsules has allowed us to do this.
A lock of hair, a medal of honor, a poem, a key to a city, a pair of shoes, a photograph. These are the many things that happen to find their way into a capsule or cache containing the remnants of histories past. In most cases, these time capsules are buried during a celebratory event for a city or state and are meant to be opened several years down the road.
(via Lauren)
Bad Manors Squirrel Diner
There is a daily webcast on Ustream called 'Bad Manors Squirrel Diner.' Every day, the broadcaster puts up a new set on her porch and live squirrels come and interact with the set pieces. Check out some of the highlights caught on camera!
(thanks Amanda)
Artinloo
Artinloo is a collaborative and artistic photoblog project where people from all horizons express what they are thinking about... while sitting alone in the loo.
Why in the loo ? Because it is one of the few places in the world where people are almost unproductive and really alone with themselves.
Set Of Wooden Matches In A Single Wood Block
Wooden matches are already cut from blocks of wood - so why not just leave them attached to the block instead of cutting them away into individual pieces?
(via 2leep)
Music Is A Visible Thing
I'm usually not very impressed with TV commercials unless they give me a good laugh. Here's a commercial that doesn't make you laugh at all, it'll probably give you goosebumbs.
It's from Thai Television for Pantene hair care products. The story of a deaf and mute girl who learns to play the violin against all odds. Very touching.
(thanks Cora)
Alan Shepard: 1st American In Space
A picture slideshow of Alan Shepard, the second human - and first American - to fly in space. Shepard later commanded the Apollo 14 mission and is one of only 12 people who have walked on the Moon. Shepard died on July 21, 1998. He was 74.
Hotels Don't Come Much Stranger
One of the strangest hotels in the world is the Tianzi Hotel (Son of the Heaven) in the Beijing municipality in China. The Tianzi Hotel was built around 2000 and is 10 stories high. The hotel is built in the form of three traditional Chinese gods, Happiness, Fortune and Longevity.
(thanks Dave)
Intern Hero
In these tough economic times, more and more companies are relying on interns to get the job done. The hours are long, the rewards are few, the pay is meager. The interns of America deserve more. They deserve to be heroes.
This summer, Little Debbie (a brand of cookie- and cake-based dessert snacks from McKee Foods Corporation headquartered in Collegedale, Tennessee, USA.) is giving out 200 large sampler boxes of Little Debbie Muffins to currently employed interns in the continental United States.
All you have to do is send them a photo of you holding a sign asking for muffins. Check out the details here. If you win, they'll post the photo on their blog and send the muffins to your office. Sorry, USA citizens only.
(thanks David)
Art In Ice: Living Life with A Cube
Ice sculpture is simply the art of sculpting a large block of ice into a type of abstract or realistic form which can act as a centerpiece or in a functional form. In fact, many people choose to use these in extravagant events to keep the wine chilled in a fountain like fashion. Many times they are also used at weddings to frame doorways and to promote a sense of blissfulness or romance.
Temperature is key! A sculpture can last from minutes to possibly months depending on the storage circumstances. Ice Sculpture may reside in a chilly environment for travelers to walk through or possibly at ice festivals where artists pull out all the stops to wow the crowd.
(thanks Lauren)
Strawberries: Sweet And Tasty Treat With Anti-Aging Power
Strawberries are one of nature's healthiest 'packages' of power nutrients. There is strong evidence that strawberries are a heart-protective fruit, an anti-cancer fruit, and an anti-inflammatory fruit all rolled into one ripe treat.
Let's have a look at strawberries health benefits.
(thanks Olga)
Computer Learns Sign Language
It's not only humans that can learn from watching television. Software developed in the UK has worked out the basics of sign language by absorbing TV shows that are both subtitled and signed.
Patrick Buehler and Andrew Zisserman at the University of Oxford, along with Mark Everingham at the University of Leeds set out to see if software that can already interpret the typed word could learn sign language from video footage.
(via Boing Boing)
Find An Odd Place And Lie Face Down
Is this the most pointless internet craze yet? They lie rigidly face-down on rooftops, postboxes, luggage racks and even in the engine of a jumbo jet. It's the latest and perhaps the most bizarre internet phenomenon yet to sweep the globe.
The Lying Down Game is a Facebook group for all those who enjoy the sport of lying down in random public places to confuse people. There are two aims: the more public the better, and the more people invlolved the better.
The rules: Please be aware that the palms of your hands must be flat against your side and the tips of your toes pointing at the ground. Just as if you were standing, but vertically challenged.
Exploring Perspective
Perspective is the technique of visually suggesting a feeling of depth in a flat presentation, by using points or lines that vanish in relationship to pictured objects as the objects recede.
Giovanni Antonio Canal, better known as Canaletto, was a Venetian artist famous for his landscapes of Venice. He was an expert in turning a flat canvas into a 3-d world.
(via Nag on the Lake)
FiveFingers Running Shoes
Vibram FiveFingers will make you look like you have plastic gorilla feet. They'll draw curious, often appalled stares from strangers and mockery from your family.
But by making you run as if barefoot, Vibram FiveFingers might just make you a stronger, faster and less-injured runner.
I Am Cat! Hear Me Purr!
Cat owners who think their cats control them now have some scientific confirmation. Animal vocalization experts have just identified a special manipulative purr that felines have evolved to get what they want from people. The newly identified vocalization is called 'solicitation purring.'
Researchers at the University of Sussex have discovered that cats use this 'soliciting purr' to overpower their owners and garner attention and food. Unlike regular purring, this sound incorporates a 'cry,' with a similar frequency to a human baby.
The Birth Of A Giraffe
A baby Masai giraffe was born at Safari West Wildlife Preserve in California. Zoo staff had no idea mom was pregnant.
(thanks Cora)
Brilliant Prototype And Concept Airplanes
These incredible concept aircraft push the envelope of what was - and is - possible, though often the envelopes have pushed back enough to ensure they never went into full production.
The only thing these visionary designs will lift is our imaginations but in that respect they succeed... brilliantly.
Timedrain
Nice clock. Watch your hours, minutes, and seconds slowly drain away. Depressing and fun, at the same time.
(via Grow-A-Brain)
Gibraltar Airport
Gibraltar is a self-governing British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula and Europe at the entrance of the Mediterranean overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory shares a land border with Spain to the north.
Gibraltar Airport is a very unusual airport. It is the only one where the runway actually intersects with a major highway. When a plane has to take off or land, traffic is shut down.
Kentucky's Mystery Castle
There is a castle located in Kentucky. It is on Versailles Road between Lexington and Frankfort. It's a castle built on love. Rex Martin, a wealthy developer, build it for his wife, Caroline. They were in Europe and she saw some castles, and she was taken with them.
So in 1968, Martin broke ground along U.S. 60 in Woodford County. But by the mid-70s, the marriage was over. That's when construction of the 10,000 square foot home with seven bedrooms and baths, three dining rooms and a swimming pool stopped. And the rumors began.
The story of Kentucky's mystery castle.
Bra For Men
A bra made especially for men is taking Japan by storm. Mail order company Wishroom started selling the unusual underwear last year. Unsure of its reception, at first they only produced 160 bras as the start. These sold out immediately, prompting the company to order 5,000 more.
According to Wishroom president Masayuki Tsuchiya, office workers in their 30s and 40s are Wishroom's main clients. 'Japanese salary men have a lot of stress, and the bras seem to relieve that,' he said.
Unlocked: The Secrets Of Schizophrenia
Scientists have discovered a remarkable similarity between the genetic faults behind both schizophrenia and manic depression in a breakthrough that is expected to open the way to new treatments for two of the most common mental illnesses, affecting millions of people.
Previously doctors had assumed that the two conditions were quite separate. But new research shows for the first time that both have a common genetic basis that leads people to develop one or other of the two illnesses.
How To Get Rid Of Stuff
Everybody needs to get rid of something: sunburn, dandelions, the flu, telemarketers. How to Get Rid of Stuff will help you get rid of anything you need.
Plus, not only will you find a solution, but you can take comfort in the fact that you're not alone - you can share your tips and experience with other people going through the same experiences.
Art Forms Of Nature - The Ernst Haeckel Collection
Science and art - a gap, some might say a yawning chasm, has always existed between the two. Then occasionally, just every now and then, someone comes along who attempts and succeeds in closing the gap between the two.
So it was with German scientist Ernst Heinrich Philipp August Haeckel. In 1899 he began to publish Art Forms of Nature. A contemporary of Darwin, Haeckel would, through his lithographic prints, change the way that many considered the relationship between art and science.
(via Robert-John)
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: Twitting like a Twat.
click on the picture for real size
Visit the Home Schooled Webcomic.
Top 10 Tips And Tricks For Better Coffee
Coffee doesn't always make work better, but you can definitely work to get better coffee.
From French presses to my own coffee machine (pictured above), from home-roasted beans to decorative foam - here are some tips for enjoying a better cup.
Hello Kitty Taser Gun
Because nothing shows the true cuteness and sweet side of Hello Kitty - and the love and happiness she brings to all - as 50,000 volts of electricity streaming through your body. Hello Kitty Taser Gun.
(via Everlasting Blort)
30 Colourful And Peaceful Rainbow Photos
A rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines onto droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere. They take the form of a multicoloured arc, with red on the outer part of the arch and violet on the inner section of the arch.
Rainbow is everywhere, you can see it in many different places. Here are 30 colourful and peaceful rainbow photos.
Freehands
Tapping away on your iPhone or Blackberry isn't easy when you're outside and it's freezing. But now you can stay warm and keep in touch with Freehands gloves.
The Freehands gloves come with flip back caps to expose your thumb and index fingers. Text, email, game and take photos without removing your gloves while magnets keep caps out of the way.
(via geekman)
100 Incredibly Inspiring Blog Posts For Educators
Blogs offer an excellent way for communities to come together over a common interest despite physical location. Educators can take advantage of this shared pool of knowledge to find inspiration, enhance their teaching, and help students learn more.
100 Incredibly Inspiring Blog Posts for Educators.
How The International Space Station Came Together
Take a few minutes to watch how a space station comes together.
(thanks Cora)
Doomwatch
Short of time? Life too hectic? Remove the daily chore of reading the news; simply use Doomwatch.
Doomwatch removes the hassle of having to actually read the news to find out what you need to be afraid of. Using state-of-the-art Science it analyses various news sources to determine exactly what will cause the downfall of society today.
By default Doomwatch uses the Daily Mail News service, but you can also enter your own site's address. For example, the Daily Mail thinks you should be worried about murder, swine flu, drugs, Iran, and North Korea. Enter the Presurfer's URL and you'll see there's nothing to fear.
The Bizarre And Twisted Evolution Of H.H. Holmes Castle Of Horrors
By the turn of the century, the last frontier was over and America was moving from a rural to an urban society. America was replaced by uncaring cities and industry, where transients walked the streets looking for any kind of work. This society, a place where residents knew nothing about one another, killers were going undetected.
This was the case of H.H. Holmes. Holmes appeared to be anything but the devil with his dashing goods looks and gentleman's attire. He was also a shrewd business man, a con artist, and the most organized of all serial killers known throughout history.
(via Lauren)
Hot Dog Hideaway Build-It-Yourself Meat House Kit
What child doesn't imagine a house made of meat during the holidays? Our bestselling Hot Dog Hideaway kit comes with enough cured deli slices and kosher dogs to make a veritable McMansion of meat.
Just follow the included blueprints and use the pate spackle to join it together and smooth over the rough edges. Not only will you get the complete Hot Dog Hideaway, but also a set of meat landscaping materials to make pimento loaf trees and meatball bushes. Note: This kit will only remain edible for three weeks without refrigeration.
Where Does The Money Go?
The Department of Labor's latest survey provides a detailed look into how the average U.S. consumer unit spends their annual paycheck.
Glastonbury 2009
Last month, approximately 190,000 people made their way to Worthy Farm in western England to attend the 2009 Glastonbury Festival. Attendees came to see performances at what is billed as 'Europe's largest open-air music festival' on many stages over four days - headliners included Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and a reunited Blur.
Rainy weather did little to dampen the mood, as attendees enjoyed themselves in tent cities, concert performances, dance tents, and the surrounding countryside of Somerset, England.
A Squirrel's Guide To Fashion
Tommy Tucker was a squirrel adopted by a woman in Washington, DC, in the early 1940s after she found the critter orphaned in a tree.
He soon became part of the family, as it were - accompanying the lady of the house on shopping trips, for instance. She also, it turned out, enjoyed dressing him up in specially made outfits.
Wal-Mart's Twitter Account
If, for some reason, you would like to follow Wal-Mart on Twitter, you first have to agree to the 3,379-word Terms of Use agreement that comes with it.
They also have a Twitter External Discussion Policy.
(via Boing Boing)
The PEN Story
The Olympus Pen is a camera that first appeared in 1959. This is the PEN Story in stop motion. It was produced and arranged by Michael Kadelbach who shot 60.000 pictures, developed 9.600 prints and shot over 1.800 pictures again. Song and lyrics are by Johannes Stankowski.
(thanks Cora)
Nikola Tesla
Today is Nikola Tesla's birthday. Nikola Tesla (10 July 1856 – 7 January 1943) was an inventor and a mechanical and electrical engineer.
Tesla was an ethnic Serb born in the village of Smiljan, Vojna Krajina, in the territory of today's Croatia.
He was a subject of the Austrian Empire by birth and later became an American citizen. Tesla is often described as an important scientist and inventor of the modern age, a man who 'shed light over the face of Earth.'
Nikola Tesla is best known for many revolutionary contributions in the field of electricity and magnetism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
San Francisco's Multicoloured Salt Ponds
Should you ever fly over San Francisco Bay, be sure to peer out of the window in order to catch a glimpse of one of the world's most incredibly coloured landscapes. It's hard to believe that the cause of such a vibrant display is plain old salt.
(thanks Dave)
Against All Odds
My name is Megan. Starting Monday, July 6th, I will listen to Phil Collins' 'Against All Odds' once an hour every hour I'm awake for a week. I've done dumber things.
11 Photos Where Black People Were Awkwardly Photoshopped In Or Out
Some magazines, newspapers or brochures want to demonstrate diversity, and they often use Photoshop. Here are some pictures (some funny and some absurd) where a black person was either blatantly Photoshopped in or out.
World's Most Famous, Largest, And Magnificent Ferris Wheels
Ferris wheels have the innate ability to remind us of revolutionary times. Society was changing and culture was evolving-all while industry was making its way into large cities.
These changes brought the evolution of the Ferris wheel, a structural upright wheel with gondola like seats. The first Ferris wheel ever seen by the public was at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The Ferris wheel was designed by George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. who graduated from the prestigious Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
(via Lauren)
Train Vs. Tornado
A tornado moved across the Chicago and Northwestern railroad where it blew 12 railroad freight cars off the track. The train was moving at the time and as the main engine stopped, the remaining cars on the track continued along it and slammed into the front part of the train.
(thanks Cora)
i.Saw
i.Saw is the world's first USB-powered chainsaw. Never before has a chainsaw been made available in such a compact and mobile form. Measuring no larger than the size of a regular computer keyboard, every effort has been made to ensure that proper grip – and safety – is not compromised.
How Much Is A Petabyte?
A petabyte is a unit of computer memory or data storage capacity equal to one quadrillion bytes. Here's a series of stats to help you understand just how much data that really is.
Welcome To The Future
Man has always dreamed of living on the moon, and now a team of NASA scientists is proving that dream could be achieved in our lifetime. Take a closer look at the plans under way, from upgraded space suits to housing modules and moon vehicles, and examine the challenges ahead, such as finding water, making oxygen, growing food and protecting residents from deadly radiation.
This 3D animation visualizes how the remarkable outpost will take shape.
(via Dark Roasted Blend)
50 Authentic American Experiences
The problem in the USA is that so many of the famous destinations listed in guidebooks don't have anything to do with the local culture or the people who actually live there. So, maybe it's time to leave the well-worn tourist traps behind and seek out a little more genuineness on your next trip. Authentic America is out there.
Time Magazine has listed 50 picks - one for each state - of unique places, activities and events that you might not have considered the last time you traveled. Have a read, and next time, leave the chain restaurants and theme parks for the clueless fanny pack crowd.
Oops Award For Bad Design
The Oops Design Award is an not honourable award founded in 2009 by known product designer and architect Andrej Statskij and his partners: design journalist Magda Braun-Sommer and product design historian Adam Hoops.
It is the first not honourable award that highlights the ugliest, silliest and most useless products completed and manufactured.
(via Neatorama)
Book Mosaic
Pictures of a 9 x 6 meters mosaic done during the last FLIP (an international literature event that happened in Paraty, Brazil).
The face shown in the mosaic is from famous brazilian poet Manuel Bandeira and was done using 1200 books.
(thanks MrManson)
Synesthesia
Synesthesia is a condition in which one sense is simultaneously perceived as if by one or more additional senses. The word synesthesia comes from two Greek words, syn (together) and aisthesis (perception). Therefore, synesthesia literally means 'joined perception.'
Synesthesia is also a short movie by Terri Timely.
George Washington's Rules Of Civility And Decent Behavior
When in company, put not your hands to any part of the body, not usually discovered.
Spit not in the fire, nor stoop low before it neither put your hands into the flames to warm them, nor set your feet upon the fire especially if there be meat before it.
Put not your meat to your mouth with your knife in your hand neither spit forth the stones of any fruit pie upon a dish nor cast anything under the table.
By age sixteen, George Washington had copied out by hand, 110 Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation. They are based on a set of rules composed by French Jesuits in 1595. Today many, if not all of these rules, sound a little fussy if not downright silly. It would be easy to dismiss them as outdated and appropriate to a time of powdered wigs and quills, but they reflect a focus that is increasingly difficult to find.
They all have in common a focus on other people rather than the narrow focus of our own self-interests that we find so prevalent today. Fussy or not, they represent more than just manners. They are the small sacrifices that we should all be willing to make for the good of all and the sake of living together.
George Washington's Rules Of Civility And Decent Behavior.
Nukeometer
Enter your city, and find out how many nuclear warheads are within range. I entered my hometown and found out there are 6645 nuclear warheads that could reach my home.
(thanks Cora)
ArtisanCam
ArtisanCam is an amazing art website where you can watch artist at work and then have a go yourself. Try your hand at lots of different interactive activities without any of the mess.
You can learn how to draw a landscape or a comic. Try carving a two ton stone block in 3D. Learn how to draw a human figure with the help of a virtual life model tool.There's lot to explore and learn at ArtisanCam.
America's Birth Certificate
Engineers designed a case to protect the map that first used the word 'America' to describe the land masses now called North and South America. The air-tight container is made of two large sheets of aluminum and a double piece of non-reflective laminated glass. It also includes a system dedicated to maintaining the proper temperature and replacing all potentially destructive oxygen with inert argon gas.
Created in 1507, the Waldseemüller map is the first map to show a Pacific Ocean, the Western Hemisphere and a continent called America.
(via Neatorama)
Veijo Rönkkönen's Sculpture Garden
Veijo Rönkkönen has lived all of his life on an isolated, small farm in eastern Finland, near the Russian border, where he has quietly built a garden inhabited by nearly five hundred human figures made of concrete.
(via Everlasting Blort)
20 Scary Old School Surgical Tools
You might think your HMO plan is scary, but at least it doesn't use these vintage surgical instruments... hopefully.
Spinning Google Images Search
Google Sphere is an experimental third-party version of Google Images which spins around the navigation and the image results.
(via Google Blogoscoped)
Get Ript
Ript Fusion is the revolutionary torso-enhancing undershirt. It's a classic men's undershirt injected with steroids. Immediately, you will look and feel better in all of your clothes with a heightened sense of confidence.The torso is the one part of a guy's body that's hard to keep tight and lean. That's why there's Ript Fusion: a body-sculpting undershirt designed to support a man's core, shave inches off his belly and enhance his posture.
