unique and interesting: February 2009

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Le Café

About the evils of caffeine by Emilie Tarascou and Stéphanie Marguerite.

(via b3ta)

Unix is an operating system for computers, developed by Ken Thompson of Bell Laboratories in 1969. But Unix is not just that. There are various products bearing the Unix name that are completely unrelated to computer software, and their manufacturers seem to have invented the same name independently.

Here are some examples of products with the name Unix.

The ELLE News Blog explores the evolution of the supermodel salary and gives us insight as to how people have ended up getting paid big bucks for being, essentially, walking clothes hangers.

(thanks Annie)

A well-preserved 10-million-year fossil cranium of a large, toothed seabird was found in Peru's southern Ica region, a spokesman for Peru's Museum of Natural History said yesterday.

The skull of the giant bird with teeth, measuring 16 inches was found a few months ago by paleontologist Mario Urbina in a rock strata. The fossil is of the prehistoric seabird Pelagornithidae, which had wing spans of up to 20 feet and a large bill with tooth-like projections.

All things heinous, trashy, and hilarious in weddings.

(via Neatorama)

In Love With A. Lincoln, a tribute by Mairi Kalman.

Chicken Robots

Japanese toy maker Sega is selling cyborg chicks that look and feel like the real thing. The palm-sized robots, named Yume Hiyoko, or 'dream chicks,' join a line of mechanical pets that includes dogs, cats and ponies.

The chick has touch sensors that trigger it to chirp or flap its wings when its back is stroked. The robot chicks were modeled after newly hatched birds and cost about $19.

When first accredited by a Guinness World Record official in 2000, former nurse from Brazil Elaine Davidson had 462 piercings, with 192 in her face alone. Now, nine years later, she has 6,005 including more than 1,500 that are 'internal.'

Through magnetic self-assembly atoms and molecules order themselves in nature. Watch these slow-motion videos in which small magnets are laid out in a matrix. Then another magnet is dropped on top, which create attractive interactions.

(via Neatorama)

A Completely Unscientific (Yet Accurate) Look At Social Sites

Interested in joining a community based site but not sure which one is right for you? There are many different options out there that will cater to your specific interests and demographic.

There is a little something for everyone here in cyberspace, and these demographic breakdowns of each social site will help you to choose the right community for you.

What's the most efficient way to get around? Planes might burn a lot of fuel, but they also are filled with people, making each gallon go a lot farther. How does that stack up against trains, buses, cars, or the gasoline equivalent of eating a burger and hopping on your bike?

The answer may surprise you. A look at how many gallons of fuel per passenger it takes to cover a distance of 350 miles.

Very Strange Ad For M-A-C Hello Kitty Cosmetics

Strange ad for M-A-C Hello Kitty Cosmetics made by Canadian-naturalized photographer and director Floria Sigismondi.

(via Boing Boing)

Some of the oldest words in English have been identified, scientists say. Reading University researchers claim 'I,' 'we,' 'two' and 'three' are among the most ancient, dating back tens of thousands of years.

Their computer model analyses the rate of change of words in English and the languages that share a common heritage. The team says it can predict which words are likely to become extinct - citing 'squeeze,' 'guts,' 'stick' and 'bad' as probable first casualties.

The international housing market has practically stalled over the past year and in some countries prices have fallen through the floor. With a considerable drop in prices, now is the ideal time to buy that new home or holiday house.

Lets imagine you are upwardly mobile and have around US$500,000 to invest. It may not stretch as far as it used to, but you can still get some stunning properties in exotic locations.

Take a look at these gorgeous properties in across the globe and see just what you can get for your money.

(thanks Andy)

The Teenager Audio Test

There's this sound that can generally only be heard by people under the age of 25. It has been used as a deterrent device to keep teenagers from loitering in malls and shops, and sounds similar to a buzzing mosquito.

Try the Teenager Audio Test.
Since I'm older than 25, I failed the test.

You can use E.ggTimer like an egg timer or a count down timer. The time variable is plugged into the URL. You can use combinations of years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds.

11 Ways to Get More Bacon Into Your Diet.

(thanks Andi)

Australian Dust Storm

A dust storm between Wilcania and Broken Hill in Australia on 21 December 2007.

10 Geeky Tricks For Getting Out Of Bed In The Morning

When your alarm wakes you up, is it hard for you to get up right away? Do you find yourself hitting the snooze button and going right back to sleep?

Then you're just like me. Although there people who wake up bright-eyed, ready to start their day, most people need a little bit of help taking those first few steps.

Here are 10 tips how to get up early every day.

When the economy makes big news, many photographs of people at work come across the wires, usually to help illustrate a particular story or event.

People assembling, generating, and building items small and large, mundane and expensive, trivial and important. A look into some people's work lives around the world.

After successfully designing furniture with a straightforward approach for years, Canadian designer Judson Beaumont set out to create something unique for friends who were expecting their first child.

He wanted his creation to capture the baby's imagination for years to come. Today, like his first kid-inspired piece, Judson designs some of the most offbeat, whimsical furnishings in the world.

(thanks Cora)

Choco Tacos can be hard to track down. The preeminent dessert taco makes cameos at select ice cream trucks and gas stations, but other times, you think, 'did I dream that?'

Since nobody should have to suppress a Choco Taco craving, or embark on a roadtrip to the magical Taco Bells that still stock them, follow these steps to make them at home.

(thanks Erin)

Fish With Transparent Head

Check out this fish called Macropinna microstoma.
It has tubular eyes and a see-through head.

10 Bizarre Disappearances

Jean Spangler was a bit-part actress in Hollywood. She left her young daughter in the care of her sister-in-law on October 7, 1949. She said she was going to meet her ex-husband to talk about an overdue child support payment and later, to work at a movie set.

Two days later, her purse was found near the entrance of Griffith Park. It contained an unfinished note addressed to a 'Kirk,' which read, 'Can't wait any longer, going to see Dr. Scott. It will work best this way while mother is away.' No one knew who 'Kirk' or 'Dr. Scott' was, and no body was ever found.

10 Bizarre Disappearances, a list of mysterious or bizarre disappearances.

(via Interesting Pile)

Bad mortgage, student loan, credit card debt, Vegas trip... you know someone who needs a personal bailout for it. The Bank of Obama believes everyone should get their share of the stimulus package.

Here's a novel way to bail out your friends. Just fill out the check. Send it free via email or through the mail for a small fee. It's that easy!

Not just this peanut, but also flames, gourds, spilt milk, melting snow, stains, clouds, potatoes. Everything that looks like a duck.

Why is money sometimes called 'dough' or 'bread?'
What does 'cool as a cucumber' mean or 'Cut the mustard?'

12 Food Phrases Explained.

Astonishing breakthrough. Household object. Funny anachronism. Such is the journey that nearly every great gadget travels. And then it happens all over again with whatever hot new gizmo rendered the old one obsolete.

A comparison of significant devices of the past with their modern-day counterparts.

The Before Took Us Right Up To The After

Animated poem read by Sally Van Doren. Part of Poetry Everywhere, produced by the Poetry Foundation in association with docUWM at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Animation by Matteo Garcia.

(via Nag on the Lake)

It seems there is no shortage of crazy burger pics and impressive (if not a little gross) works of 'hamburger art' on the net.

This homage to the all-American love of beef patties is enough to bring a tear to your eye (and cholesterol to your arteries).

My Google Adsense Income

Hey, look what I earned through Google Adsense. Yesterday was great with over $128,000 but today was a new all-time record with more than $153,000.

Well, not really! The Presurfer is for my (and hopefully your) fun only. But I'm sure you have noticed a lot of sites where the owner claims to be earning several thousands dollar each day through Google AdSense. His proof? A simple screenshot.

Now you can create your own proof by entering your amount in dollars into the Google Adsense Generator and show your friends that you are a true AdSense-millionaire.

1932 Helicron

This one-of-a-kind French automobile, the 1932 Helicron, was discovered in 2000 in a barn where it had been placed by the original owners in the late 1930s. It is driven by a propeller bolted directly to a 4 cylinder air-cooled engine.

With his piercing blue eyes and pale skin this rare alligator stands out like a sore thumb. Weighing over 500 pounds, Bouya Blan is one of only 12 white alligators in the world.

The 22-year-old, whose name means white fog, lives along with three other giant leucistic alligators at the world famous Gatorland theme park in Florida.
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1146300/The-white-bite-Meet-blue-eyed

Appropriately Named

Have you ever seen or come across a funny and/or interesting aptronym? An aptronym is a name aptly suited to its owner. Like a barber called Dan Druff, or Willie Thrower, former NFL quarterback.

Appropriately Named is about these aptronyms, mominative determinism, and namephreaks.

(via Neatorama)

Soaps shaped as Sony Playstation or Nintendo controllers.

(via dasistdasen)

You may have a dirty mind but great minds think alike.
Yes, these buildings really do look like what you think they look like. Take a look, you know you want to.

(via Robert-John)

Until we all are living in outer space with flying automobiles and robot servants, we can pass the time with these 45 vintage illustrations of a space age tomorrow. Hopefully these beautiful and creative works of art won't bring back too many childhood disappointments.

(via Everlasting Blort)

Art Glas Doorknobs.

(via Grow-A-Brain)

Biography Of A Machine

The Biography of a Machine is about the 'Comptometer', an early development of the business calculator. Learn about the various models, their features and how to identify them.

About their inventor, Dorr Eugene Felt, and the company he created to make them. About the Comptometer schools he set up to train the operators and place them in jobs. About the competitors and their machines, the business battles and the deals. News, feature articles and interviews with collectors, curators, restorers and archivists.

I haven't seen the Acadamy Awards ceremony last night but I'm absolutely sure some actor or actress made a spectacle of themselves. You know, a lot of crying, overacting, and a thousand 'thank you's'.

Here are the most cringeworthy Oscar speeches from the past.

(thanks Sheridan)

The Crisis Of Credit Visualized

What is this 'credit crisis' everyone is talking about? Do you really understand what's going on? How bad is it? Does it affect me?

As part of his thesis work in the Media Design Program at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Jonathan Jarvis created a series of animated shorts that present a visualization of the Crisis of Credit to help explain our current economic situation.

And here's part 2.

(via Laughing Squid)

The An-225 is a strategic airlift transport aircraft which was built by the Antonov Design Bureau, and is the largest airplane ever built. The design was built to transport the Buran space orbiter.

The Antonov An-225 is commercially available for carrying ultra-heavy and oversize freight, up to 550,000 lb internally or 440,000 lb on the upper fuselage. Only two An-225s have been produced.

Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction. The term denotes works set in an era where steam power is still widely used but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date.

Where a lover of gadgets becomes really fascinated by Steampunk is in the fantastic mods created by people with far too much time on their hands.

Classic Science Fiction is as much about plot as it is setting and vehicle concepts. From Batman to Blade Runner, production geniuses have created some of the most memorable modes of transportation for characters to drive (or hover, or fly) around in, literally moving the story along.

Besides, who says future cars will have to stay grounded?
Have a look at these sci-fi vehicles.

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: Into the (deep) Blue Sea of the Water World.

click on the picture for real size

YouTube Dubber

Add the soundtrack from any YouTube video to the video of any other.
Like this one where I mixed the video of 'When Cats Attack' with the soundtrack of the main theme from Jaws.

YouTube Dubber.

(via b3ta)

Arrrr me harteys. Thar be a meat ship ahead in the oven.... Floating high on the 17,000 calorie seas, made with Bacon, sausages, pastry, mince, it's all meat, and it's coming to rape and pillage your arteries! Har har!

Computers Inspired By Computers Inspired By Kittens Inspired By Kittens

Remember the video 'Kittens Inspired By Kittens' where a slightly overexcited girl talks about a book with pictures of kittens? Here's a parody on that subject.

100+ Language Learning Websites

An alphabetical list of websites where you can learn a language. Some sites provide content, others community, and a number have both. Some sites focus on learning one specific language, others cover a number of languages.

Air Traffic Control Tower lovers of the world unite. Here is a selection of ten of the best and more unusual in the world.

Whether your own favorite is listed here, these structures have functionality and are designed to fit their own particular environment but also have a strange beauty all their own.

(via Robert-John)

Find out what was popular when your parents were kids, or take a nostalgic trip down memory lane from your own childhood.

Is This Atlantis?

You could have been waiting for this. Google Earth recently added Google Ocean, an extension that uses a combination of satellite images and marine surveys. Now, someone has discovered this 'grid' on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, 620 miles off the west coast of Africa near the Canary Islands.

Dr Charles Orser, curator of historical archaeology at New York State University - and one of the world's leading authorities on Atlantis - called it 'fascinating.'

Bankruptcy, robbery, murder and bad ethics - sound familiar? Bankers and investors are probably among the most hated people around right now. So why not make yourself feel a bit better and watch those financial suits go bankrupt, get robbed or reveal their homicidal tendencies hollywood style.

In many of these films the people who are for the banks end up becoming figures of fun, so sit back, open your popcorn, and have a good laugh at some unlucky bankers losing loads of money.

(thanks Clare)

Cassowaries are very large flightless birds native to the tropical forests of New Guinea and northeastern Australia. Normally cassowaries are very shy but when disturbed can lash out dangerously with their powerful legs. They are capable of inflicting fatal injuries to an adult human.

Estimates vary but it is thought that only around 1500 of this mysterious and ancient creature still survive in the wild.

(via Robert-John)

French Squirrel Goes Nuts

'French Squirrel Goes Nuts' is the tale of a snobby French squirrel that savors the taste of deluxe nuts.

(thanks Scarlett)

Is there a Periodic Table of Cupcakes?
Yes, there is now!

(thanks Annie)

9 Amazing And Unusual Printers

Almost everyone that owns a computer system has a printer. Mention the words laserjet, inkjet or even dot matrix and people will understand the reference. The most common usage of these devices is rather dull: to print documents and photographs.

But did you know that there are many other unusual applications of printing technology in the production of solar panels, concrete walls and even something as mundane as toasting bread? Here are 9 printers that make your office printer look lame, even if they do use the same technology.

(thanks Andy)

1 Cool Screen, 8 Different Uses

The Samsung UltraTouch Screen has 8 different uses.

(thanks Jaime and Vincenzo)

One of Hollywood's best kept secrets is that all the major stars use Atom's Oscar Speech Generator if they've been nominated for an Academy Award. Try it yourself and see what kind of acceptance speech you come up with.

The Pac-Man Dossier is dedicated to providing Pac-Man players of all skill levels with the most complete and detailed study of the game possible. New discoveries found during research have allowed for the clearest view yet of the actual ghost behavior and pathfinding logic used by the game.

Therefore, the purpose of the Pac-Man Dossier is to give the player a better understanding of Pac-Man without the use of patterns by taking a closer look at gameplay, maze logic, ghost personalities, and the mysterious 'split screen' level.

His Excellency Sir Sidney Poitier, Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, was born 81 years ago today.

Sidney Poitier was Hollywood's first African-American to win the Best Actor Oscar. Poitier won his award in 1963 for his role in Lilies of the Field. He picked up another Academy Award in 2002, this time for lifetime achievement.

In 1974 he was made a Knight of the British Empire. Stepping into the world of diplomacy, Poitier is the Bahamas' ambassador to Japan and to UNESCO.

How Canon makes prototypes of their cameras.

Guard Dog

Bill Plympton's Oscar-nominated short leads us into the twisted mind of an overprotective bulldog. Though released in 2004, this cartoon has never been online in full before, so this is a rare treat for online audiences and fans of great short films.

Guard Dog

(thanks Kate)

Actor Tom Hanks will turn on the Large Hadron Collider, designed to recreate the 'Big Bang', when it is finally repaired. The giant underground machine, the world's most powerful particle accelerator, suffered a catastrophic malfunction soon after being switched on amid a fanfare of publicity last September.

Tom Hanks was approached about the move while filming his latest film Angels and Demons in which he plays a Harvard University academic investigating a plot to annihilate the Vatican with 0.25 grams of antimatter stolen from Cern.

(via Neatorama)

Rubik's TouchCube

Shape Collage

Shape Collage is great FREE automatic photo collage maker. You can create picture collages in less than a minute with just a few mouse clicks. Photos are automatically and intelligently placed using a machine learning algorithm.

Make collages in any imaginable shape or form, rectangle, heart, circle, letters, or even draw your own shape. Adjust the collage size, size of the photos, number of photos, and spacing between photos. Change the background, the colour of the border, and more. Save as JPEG, PNG, or Photoshop PSD.

Here's a collage I made.

JetLev Flyer

German entrepreneur Hermann Ramke has invented a James Bond-like jetpack powered by high-pressure water, called the JetLev-Flyer.
It is sold (lessons included) for about $128,000.

If Friends were Fronds.

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Saturday, February 28, 2009

Friday, February 27, 2009

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Monday, February 23, 2009

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Friday, February 20, 2009

Wednesday, February 18, 2009