unique and interesting: September 2010

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Yabba Dabba Doo! The Flintstones Are 50 Years Old

Everyone's favorite modern Stone Age family and friends are celebrating their golden anniversary. The Flintstones, America's first prime-time animated sitcom, first aired on ABC-TV on September 30, 1960.

The show was set in the fictional town of Bedrock, where the Flintstones and their neighbors the Rubbles shared screen time with various dinosaurs, saber-toothed tigers, woolly mammoths and many other creatures - several of which served as appliances.

Mr. Trolololo Is Back

Eduard Khil, the Russian singer who became an Internet sensation a couple of months ago, finally made a public performance. Here he is singing (lip synching) his trademark song. It gets weird pretty quickly.

(via Neatorama)

Mark Racop from Indiana, USA, has been a huge fan of Batman since he was two years old, when he saw his first episode of Batman in 1967. He fell in love with the action, the music, the color, but most of all, with the car. Even at that tender age, he was thinking that someday he would own one.

He now has a shop where he makes accurate, driveable 1966 Batmobile replicas. They sell for $150,000, and you can choose between a rebuilt Ford 460 motor, or a new GM 350 crate engine.

(via Boing Boing)

Have you seen the marvelous breadfish swimming in the ocean waters? Have you seen that the marvelous breadfish is like an inverse sandwich for fishermen and sharks?

(thanks Cora)

The World's Fastest Lawnmower

American Bobby Cleveland, a former technician and designer of lawn-mowers, takes his grass cutter up to 96 mph to set a new world record.

The Turd Twister is a complete kit for shaping your turd into amazing designs, and it comes with a hilarious instruction manual. It's just a joke of course, and it's good for hours of laughter. It's the Ultimate Gift for the person who has everything, including a 'twisted' sense of humor!

Hongtao Zhou is a Wisconsin-based sculptor who has created a set of burning chairs out of wax. He calls his project 'Burniture.'

According to the artist, over time the chair will burn, melt, and collapse. The chairs have an icy appearance, but generate heat and begin to weaken as the wicks burn.

(via Everlasting Blort)

Some animal hybrids are born in the wild due to environmental factors, while others are bred by humans for profit or scientific curiosity. Whatever the reason for their creation, new and interesting species are out there due to mixed breeding.

From the groler bear to the dzo, here are 10 hybrid species that are relatively new to the animal kingdom.

(thanks Jessie)

image credit

The Maori people are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. The word means 'natural' or 'ordinary' in their language, to distinguish between themselves and deities, but there is absolutely nothing ordinary about their incredible carvings and art.

Most Maori carvings are secular in origin, not carvings of gods. They will honor a tribal chief of an area or a warrior and incorporate things about him into the design.

New Look

Yes, it's still The Presurfer. But with a new look. And I decided to adjust the width of the whole blog to be able to post bigger pictures and bigger movies. Hope you like it.

Do you have a dog that won't listen? He just doesn't do what you tell him to do? If you are having problems with a defiant dog then what you need is some dog obedience training. Here's a website where you can practice giving orders to a dog.

(via Everlasting Blort)

Australia's Next Top Model - Mistake!

Presenter Sarah Murdoch announced the winner of Australia's Next Top Model. Unfortunately, she read out the wrong name. One of the most dramatic stuff-ups in the history of Australian live television.

German designer Sascha Nordmeyer created these weird communication prosthesis.

Do you have a problem with self-expression? Inspire people for your enterprises is a pain for you? Do you feel like being smart in every circumstance? Then put on your communication prosthesis. The ultimate communication tool!

(via J-Walk Blog)

Infographic about death and burials.

British wildlife photographers Will and Matt Burrard-Lucas captured this image of the brightly coloured hippo in the Masai Mara, Kenya. Visiting the African country on the hunt to photograph the legendary wildebeest migration the brothers were in for a treat when rumours of a pink hippo surfaced.

The hippo is pink because it is 'leucistic' [a condition characterised by reduced pigmentation in animals and humans], and not an albino since it does have some pigmented spots and dark eyes. Usually leucistic and albino animals do not survive in the wild as they are very visible to predators and they get serious sunburn.

Bananas are one of the most important food crops of the world. Hundreds of varieties are cultivated. Perhaps the most important species is the common banana, Musaceae sapientum.

The ripe fruit is high in carbohydrates, potassium, and vitamins C and A, and it is low in protein and fat. The U.S. imports more bananas than does any other country.

15 Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Bananas.

When Michael Douglas' character Gordon Gekko hit the big screen in the 1987 film Wall Street, it caused a sensation. Gekko's slick bravado and 'greed is good' mantra were appallingly entrancing. But something else captivated audiences: the convincing way the movie captured the underbelly of '80s cash-fueled gluttony.

Twenty-three years later, a sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, is on its way , and Gekko still fascinates - as do the real-life insider-trading crimes committed by Wall Street titans. Here are 8 of the most famous Wall Street cases to make headlines.

(thanks Jessie)

Ask A Stupid Question Day

Today is 'Ask a Stupid Question Day.' It's your opportunity to speak up, and to ask all those questions you were afraid to ask. Today is the day to unload them.

The roots of this special day goes back to the 1980's. At the time, there was a movement by teachers to try to get kids to ask more questions in the classroom. Kids sometimes hold back, fearing their question is stupid, and asking it will result in ridicule.Teachers created this day on September 28.

Here's a stupid question:
Are part-time band leaders semi-conductors?

Bathroom lights can be painfully bright in the middle of the night and can disturb you or your partner's sleep. They also waste electricity.

The LavNav is a better solution. It turns on when you approach in the dark, and turns off after you leave. Better yet, the LavNav uses RED or GREEN light to cleverly show the position of the seat. It's smart, energy efficient lighting that makes the bathroom safe and easy to use at night.

If you drink your coffee black, move on. Everyone else, what do you use to stir your coffee? A spoon? Swizzles? Popsicle sticks? Bah. All of those so-called stirring solutions are fraught with failure.

Who needs spoons anymore, when your mug can do all the stirring for you? With the press of a button, a little whirring disc at the bottom spins and froths your drink, blending any sweetener or creamer into your coffee.

(thanks Cora)

Knitted Elvis Wig.

(via Everlasting Blort)

True Stories Behind Tech's Top Names

Did you know that the name Twitter was picked out of a hat. A small group of employees from the startup where Twitter initially began, had a brainstorming session. They were trying to come up with names that fit with the theme of a mobile phone buzzing in your pocket with an update.

After narrowing down the options, they wrote them down, put them in a hat, and let fate decide. Fate decided on Twitter. Other companies have different strategies for naming or branding themselves or their products. Here are 11 true stories behind tech's top names.

James Corbett from Queensland, Australia, creates art from old car parts.

A glimpse into what may be the future of head-mounted displays. Recently shown off in Japan, Brother's AirScouter projects the equivalent of a 16-inch display directly onto your retina.

The display creates a mysterious effect, making it look as if there's a 16-inch screen floating one meter in front of the eyes, and the scenery behind the screen seems transparent as well.

Delta Technology presents the iArm, the forearm mount that gives you, well, an extra arm. Just 4.5 lbs and fully adjustable, the iArm lets you take your favorite gadget with you.

And with the optional 'multi-mount,' you can secure up to three items at once. Attaches to tablet PCs, eReaders, remotes and more!

(thanks Cora)

Dog Prayer

(via Miss Cellania)

Surely one of the finest examples of inflatable comfort food on the market today. This realistic Inflatable Meatloaf looks just like one of those glistening meat masterpieces that were found on countless American dinner tables in the 50's.

Perfect for when you just can't go home to visit... send an inflatable meatloaf.

If an alien ever lands in your back yard and says, 'Take me to your leader,' the United Nations is giving you someone to call. Mazlan Othman, an obscure Malaysian scientist and head of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, will be named as the Earth's official alien-spacecraft greeter.

The recent discovery of hundreds of planets around other stars has made the detection of extraterrestrial life more likely than ever before - and that means the United Nations must be ready to coordinate humanity's response to any first contact.

With the Cookthink recipe search tool, you can search for recipes based on what you're craving. You can search for recipes using any combination of ingredients, dish types, courses or techniques, cuisines types or culinary traditions.

I type bacon, walnut, and spinach. Cookthink suggested I make 'Spinach Sauteed With Bacon And Walnuts.'

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Add the walnuts and toss until lightly browned, about 30 seconds. Add the spinach and toss until the spinach has wilted, about 45 seconds. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.

A series of pictures by French photographer Alain Delorme made in Shanghai of people carrying loads of goods on various means of transportation.

(via Everlasting Blort)

P-3C Orion Demonstration

The P-3C Orion is a long range anti-submarine warfare patrol aircraft. It has advanced submarine detection sensors such as directional frequency and ranging sonobuoys and magnetic anomaly detection equipment.

Here's a video showing how the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces use their P-3C Orions at a demonstration show for children at Shimousa Air Base.

(thanks Cora)

How To Write An Article About A Scientific Paper

How do newspapers write an article about a new scientific discovery?

Indoor fishing at a restaurant in Phuket, Thailand. Symen, a Dutchmen who calls himself an i-nomad, saw this at a beach on Phuket's west coast. Read more about Symen's travels.

(thanks Symen)

Many literary forecasts of our technological future have already come to pass: the atomic bomb, the submarine, and even the iPad. Discovering passages of science fiction that turned out to be eerily accurate predictions is certainly quite entertaining.

(via Interesting Pile)

Bicycle Monorail

Shweeb Monorail Technology, a compant from New Zealand, has an idea for a bicycle monorail. Riding above the traffic jams on multi-level rails people could move around the city quickly and safely.

By integrating the unique properties of monorail and recumbent cycle technologies, Shweeb delivers a personal, efficient, and cost-effective transport solution with applications for urban commuting, recreational and fitness markets.

image credit

Mural Locator is a simple to use web tool for helping people locate murals around the world. Mural Locator finds locations of amazing public art wall murals to share them with you and to help archive the history and importance of murals.

Shown above is a mural from Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

(thanks Cora)

The Great Kitty and Parakeet Relationship.

What Are Today's Best And Worst Brands?

An effective brand isn't just one you can recognize. It should stand for something greater. A brand is the symbol of a company that requires no explanation. Today's brands evoke emotion and symbolize not just a product, but a lifestyle.

From Apple and Red Bull (the good) to Taco Bell and Facebook (the bad) to BP and Goldman Sachs (the ugly), here are today's best and worst brands.

(via Look At This...)

image credit

Atchafalaya - the name itself is something of a mystery. When exactly the swamp got its name is unknown, though it means long river in one of the local languages.

What is known about this place of splendor and inscrutability is that it is the largest swamp in the United States and is the spiritual home of Cajun culture.

(thanks Robert-John)

The game of chess takes cunning and intelligence and can sometimes be incredibly intense. But your standard chess set just doesn't reflect the same intensity.

If you prefer to play on a board that's as mighty as your chess maneuvers then check out these 12 bad ass chess sets.

(via NeatoHub)

A Beard Film

A stop-motion movie about abnormal ablutions by Ian Robertson starring Duncan Robertson.

(thanks Cora)

The Large Hadron Collider is the biggest and highest-energy particle accelerator anywhere on the planet. It's purpose is to collide two counter rotating beams of protons or heavy ions to recreate the conditions just after the theorized Big Bang.

By doing so, physicists hope to gain a better understanding of all sorts of geeky topics, like quantum mechanics, general relativity, the structure of space and time, and other things that would make your head spin. So naturally, the one question that comes to everyone's mind is.. what would happen if you stuck your hand in front of the beam?

In 2010, cell phone subscriptions are expected to reach 5 billion worldwide. With roughly 6.8 billion people, more than 70% will have a cell phone.

The Line On Cell Phones.

OK Go - White Knuckles

Music video for OK Go's 'White Knuckles'. Directed by Trish Sie and produced by Shirley Moyers. Special thanks to: Lauren Henry and Roland Sonnenburg and their team of trainers from Talented Animals.

Ahhh, urban living. Everything nearby, convenient public services, lots of great places to eat... and legions of people, throwing out tons of garbage, every day.

Most cities can stay on top of their garbage piles... but some, not so much. Here are ten of the filthiest cities germophobes and neat freaks should avoid.

(thanks Will)

An amazing interactive animation where you can zoom from the edge of the universe to the quantum foam of spacetime and learn the scale of things along the way.

(thanks Kenny)

Google is at the center of the web, but did you know they make more per employee than Microsoft does? Or that they have over 1 billion video views per day? We know that Google is supersized, but do you really know how big it is?

(thanks Cora)

The Presurfer 2000 - 2010

The Presurfer International Headquarters is closed for today. I'm having a party right now! It's not a big party because there's just me. But I'm wearing a funny little hat and there are meatballs. Because today marks the 10th anniversary of The Presurfer.

The Presurfer began 10 years ago and has evolved from a personal link page to what it is today. Is that really something to celebrate? Yes, I think it is. According to The Internet Archive the lifespan of the average web site is 44 to 75 days. The Presurfer has been here for ~~3,650~~ 3,652 days (thanks Bogdan).

On September 24, 2000, I started at webhosting company Homestead. When visitor numbers grew and Homestead didn't satisfy my needs, I moved to meepzorp.com on June 2, 2002. Meepzorp is best known for Everlasting Blort, a blog by Kevin and Julie.

Kevin graciously offered me space on his servers when I didn't know where to go. He didn't ask anything in return. There are wonderful people on this planet and Kevin is one of them.

As a coincidence, Everlasting Blort started on the same day as I did and they're also celebrating their 10 year anniversary. Please find the time to visit Everlasting Blort and congratulate them.

On February 1, 2007, I moved to Blogspot where I am still today.

Like I said, I'm having a party and I wish you could be here today. Because you made the past 10 years a delight. What's there to celebrate when you have a web site with no visitors. Fortunately, The Presurfer has lots of visitors. Thank you for your loyalty. Here's to the next 10 years.

Avenue Valois. A quiet street in Montreal, Canada. There's a Pepsi truck in the distance. But there's magic around. Go to this scene in Google Street View.

Then click the forward arrow and hey presto... now it's a Coca Cola truck.

(via J-Walk Blog)

The world's most successful interweb search engines are using the famous PageRank Algorithm. It works by pushing up the search engines pages which are already popular. In other words, 'the rich get richer.' To address this issue, Really Magazine has commissioned and implemented an experimental alpha version of the UnderDogs Algorithm.

Using a well known search engine as the core, Inframutt is trained to automatically fetch and display the least popular results for any given search. Inframutt simply takes the most unnoticed and obscure of the search engine results and forces it to the top of the list (instead of the bottom).

(thanks Martin)

Canadian Student Becomes First Human To Fly Under Own Power

Canadian engineering student Todd Reichert achieved sustained flight in a human-powered ornithopter for the first time in August, and has just filed a claim for a world record, according to the University of Toronto.

The Snowbird is the first contraption of its kind to allow humans to fly like birds, by flapping massive wings to create lift.

More info on the Snowbird.

Pirates crave adventure, freedom, travel, and the lure of the open sea. Long before any sophomores quit college to hitchhike across Europe or stuffed their packs for studying abroad, pirates were on the cutting edge of around-the-world travel.

Ninjas are sneaky, cagey, and make us feel nervous and uncomfortable; in essence the antithesis of pirates. We just can't understand how they could have amassed such a meme cult following, and so here is a list to prove once and for all, that pirates are better than ninjas.

Some of these concepts have timeless, exciting forms, some are more of the 'pulp-ish' and 'sci-fi' variety, but they all invariably turned heads and excited onlookers in their time, and some still inspire designers today.

Some of these buses were produced in limited numbers, some remained an artist's dream, or a promotional brochure oddity.

The 50 strangest and most extraordinary churches in the world.

Superbus Vehicle First Ride

The Superbus is an innovative new public transport and a project of the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. The Superbus is capable of carrying 23 passengers and can reach 155 mph.

The Dutch Government is investing 10 million euros (13 million US dollars) into the project and it is anticipated that the Superbus will first enter service in the Netherlands.

These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new pizzas, to seek out new toppings and new cheeses, to boldy cut pizza where no man has cut before!

Yes, this officially licensed Star Trek Pizza Cutter is everything you hoped it would be. Laser etched stainless steel blade and solid metal construction make it perfect for battling Romulans in the neutral zone or precision pizza slicing.

(via Laughing Squid)

While the majority of phobias are relatively commonplace - a fear of heights, spiders, public speaking - there are those rare folks with more unusual, specific frights.

From the fear of opinions to the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of one's mouth, learn about some of the most unconventional phobias on the books.

(thanks Jessie)

related posts:
Anatidaephobia
The Pop-Up Book Of Phobias

This Is Why I Don't Clap Along.

Il Etait Une Fois

Il Etait Une Fois (Once Upon A Time)is a promotional video for the forthcoming pop-up book of illustrator Benjamin Lacombe that features eight classic fairy tales, Alice, Pinocchio, The Sleeping Beauty, Bluebeard, Peter Pan, Little Red Riding Hood, Madame Butterfly, and Thumbelina.

The book has been published in French, Spanish and Italian, but not English - at least not yet. But frankly, who cares what language it's in? It's beautiful to look at.

(thanks Cora)

Bloxorz is a little game that's harder than you may think. The aim of the game is to get the block to fall into the square hole at the end of each stage. To move the block around, use the left, right, up and down arrow keys.

(via Miss Cellania)

While menus aren't usually considered works of comedy, a particular dish's name - like 'bubble and squeak' or 'burgoo' - occasionally will elicit belly laughs.

Thanks to their unusual origins or mangled etymology, here are some food names that are a humorous change from the standard fare.

(thanks Jessie)

While it looks like this aluminium foil ship is floating on nothing but thin air, it is in fact kept above ground by sulphur hexafluoride, an inorganic, colorless, odorless, non-toxic and non-flammable gas that is significantly denser than air.

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Thursday, September 30, 2010

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Monday, September 27, 2010

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Friday, September 24, 2010

Thursday, September 23, 2010