unique and interesting: November 2010

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Keyboard Quiet Cover

I'm sure you must have seen lots of strange gadgets but this must be the strangest of them all. Look at this $35 keyboard silencer accessory. This Keyboard Quiet Cover was created by Japan's most famous gadget maker Thanko and it'll also protect your keyboard from dust and water.

(thanks Cora)

While there are apocalyptic zombie films that are produced rather often by Hollywood, almost to the point of being cliche, there aren't any celebrities who are actually zombies. But what would the world look like if celebrities were zombies?

Warning: those aren't pretty pictures.

(via NeatoHub)

Cats Vs Rat

Cats hunt rats, don't they? Not in Russia, they don't!

The Difference Between Similar Terms And Objects

Do you know the difference between a militant and a terrorist? Blue collar and white collar? Alcoholics and problem drinkers? An almanac and an encyclopedia?

Differencebetween.net not only facilitates your understanding of a topic, but it also enables you to differentiate two similar subjects. The site provides you with instant information on various topics.

(via J-Walk Blog)

To relieve the stress, hassle and anguish of deciding what present to get someone, here's the Gift Ideas Generator. The site is from the United Kingdom so prices are in pounds but you probably know how to convert currency (1 British pound = 1.56 US dollars or 1.18 Euros).

Type the amount of money you want to pay out, the age of the one who receives the gift, and their character and gender.

Natural selection acts by winnowing the individuals of each generation, sometimes clumsily, as old parts and genes are co-opted for new roles. As a result, all species inhabit bodies imperfect for the lives they live. Our own bodies are worse off than most simply because of the many differences between the wilderness in which we evolved and the modern world in which we live.

We feel the consequences every day. From hiccups to wisdom teeth, the evolution of homo sapiens has left behind some glaring, yet innately human, imperfections.

A clock with small little nude men running around, always showing you the time and when you click on the left of the screen, the clock changes and all little men hurry to get the right shape.

(thanks Cora)

image credit

Calcio Fiorentino. Does that ring any bells in terms of sports? It's almost certainly not one you played at school but it has weathered the centuries well and is still played in its home town of Florence, Italy.

It has been played since the sixteenth century. The game - Calcio for short - must be the original extreme sport. And boy, oh boy, is it extreme.

(thanks Robert-John)

Homes Made From Plastic Bottles.

(via Everlasting Blort)

The Surreal Treehoppers

German artist Alfred Keller (1902-1955), who worked for Berlin's natural history museum, is well known for his insect sculptures. The picture above shows one of his creations, a model of the Brazilian treehopper Bocydium globulare.

The first thing you probably do on seeing a model like this is think, 'This can't be real!' and 'What are all these things on the torax?' What if I told you this is a real insect. One of the weirdest insects I have ever seen.

A Spanish woman from the town of Salvaterra do Mino in Galicia has decided that she owns the warming star, and has the registration papers to prove it. Angeles Duran says that the Sun officially belongs to her now, having had the celestial body registered in her name at a local notary office.

She says: There is an international agreement which states that no country may claim ownership of a planet or star, but it says nothing about individuals.

Ms Duran said she now wants to slap a fee on everyone who uses the sun and give half of the proceeds to the Spanish government - and 20% to the nation's pension fund. She would dedicate another 10 per cent to research, another 10 per cent to ending world hunger - and would keep the remaining 10 per cent herself.

Well, she's not the only one who owns a star. I do too. I named it after the Presurfer and it's a type B8 star, designated as 87035, located at the coordinates R.A. 19h 17m 40s.

(via J-Walk Blog)

image credit

Ever since the phenomenally successful Old Spice Guy campaign was initiated, men all over the world have been using it as an excuse to take their clothes and bare pretty much everything to the world.

This of course has been with varied degrees of success. One thing they all have in common, however - they all cling to the bottle of Old Spice for dear life. No doubt this is because otherwise they would probably be arrested.

Here, with just a towel to hide their, ahem, shame, we present some of those men willing to bare almost all.

(thanks Robert-John)

Tangled: Count Up To 50th Animated Motion Picture

Tangled is Disney's 50th animated feature, and to celebrate, Disney Animation Studios have put out a short look back. The video is just over two minutes, and features excerpts from all fifty of the films.

(thanks Cora)

The internet, since its inception, has been a blessing for the world. There are many famous personalities that have contributed significantly to the transformation of internet. We often hear about the cream of the lot, people like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg.

But there are some unsung heroes that you might never have heard of, people who changed the internet and also deserve the accolade for their significant contributions. Here are 10 people who played an enormous role in revolutionizing the way we work on the internet, but you might have not heard of them before.

You know what's great about bacon? Everything! Bacon is delicious. It's true that healthwise bacon leaves a lot to be desired, but just smelling bacon is possibly one of the most amazing things in the world.

And how we enjoy that wonderful meaty sweet and smokey aroma without the temptation and subsequent belt-busting and heart-clogging richness of actual cured-pork ingestion?
Bacon scented candles, of course!

For hygiene reasons we are taught not to play with our food when we eat - but that's not to say that we can't prepare meals in more creative ways. As colorful and hand-made communication exploded in the early 2000s we have seen food as an art resource used more and more.

Play With Your Food.

(via Everlasting Blort)

16 Most Expensive Vehicles Sold On eBay

Since eBay Motors launched in 2000, it has become apparent that people are very comfortable buying and selling big ticket items through the online auction site.

Researchers from the University of New Mexico have demonstrated that the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago paved the way for mammals to get bigger - about a thousand times bigger than they had been. The study is the first to quantitatively explore the patterns of body size of mammals after the demise of the dinosaurs.

The goal of the research was to revisit key questions about size, specifically in mammals. Size impacts all aspects of biology, from reproduction to extinction. Understanding the constraints operating on size is crucial to understanding how ecosystems work.

Danger! Warning! Intruder Approaching! For recalling the fears and aspirations of the space-race 1950s, Japanese toy robots can't be beat. But how much do we really know about these tin creations, in hindsight one of Japan's greatest postwar exports?

Robot collector Justin Pinchot gives the backstory on Japanese tin toy robots and how they reflected the postwar psyche and values of both Japan and the U.S.

image credit

The name is old - from the native Quechua tribe and it means the place where you put the moon. Ischigualasto is an extraordinary, almost off world, experience. Geologists have been visiting the valley in Argentina for more than one hundred years. It doesn't take long to see what attracts them.

(thanks Robert-John)

Levi Van Veluw Landscapes

Dutch multidisciplinary artist Levi van Veluw created this landscape.

Levi van Veluw will showcase his latest series 'Landscapes'. This 4-piece series reinterprets the traditional landscape painting, removing plots of grass, clusters of trees, babbling brooks from their intimate 2 dimensional formats and transposing them onto the 3 dimensional contours of his own face.

(via Everlasting Blort)

Color theory is a vast and complicated sphere of knowledge. It consists of different scientific elements, such as: optics, spectroscopy, human anatomy and physiology, psychology, art history and theory, philosophy, ethics, architecture theory, design and many other applied sciences.

This article shows the schemes of harmonic color combinations and the examples of their usage by a bunch of talented vector artists.

image credit

Jellyfish have always drawn gasps at their beauty - and at times their venom, which range from mild to enough to kill a man. Found in every ocean and in some freshwater lakes and rivers, the jellyfish is one of the wonders of marine life.

The Flying Steamroller

The Flying Steamroller by artist Chris Burden is a twelve ton steamroller that is attached to a pivoting arm with a counterbalance weight. The steamroller is driven in a circle until its maximum speed is reached. At the same time, a hydraulic piston is activated and pushes up the beam from which the steamroller is suspended, causing the steamroller to lift off the ground.

(thanks Cora)

Need some Olde Fashioned Brain Jam, a Neck-Bolt Tightener, some Pickled Eyeballs, or some Distressed Damsel's Hair? Go to Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, the Purveyor of Quality Goods for Monsters of Every Kind.

(via b3ta)

Mexican distiller Hacienda La Capilla has produced a bottle of tequila that it is expected to fetch $3.5 million at auction, making it the most expensive drink of its kind in the world.

The bottle is coated in a layer of 4,100 brilliant-cut diamonds and 2.380 kg of pure platinum. The Tequila bottle will now be going on tour in Europe and the Middle East in the hope of attracting potential buyers.

Batelco - Infinity

Toronto as you have never seen it before. A fantastic advertisement directed by Alex and Steffen of Spy Films for Batelco, a telecommunications company from Bahrain.

(thanks Craig)

Do-it-yourself is a popular topic online: there are hundreds of tutorials and how-tos. But most of them are too hard to replicate and require too much time, effort and skill. This collection shares 10 cool things you can do at home with no more than 5 minutes spent.

Caricaturing is the art of illustrating the human face and figure in a way that exaggerates their prominent features. Most caricatures are satirical in nature, making fun of the people being characterized. They are often used in newspaper editorial cartoons and other similar media, although they are made just as often simply for their entertainment value.

The following caricature design examples characterize a variety of personalities, from past icons to present superstars, from famous fictional characters to everyday real ones.

Flush Tracker

How far does your flush go? To the end of the road, out of town or to sail the seven seas? Hidden underground, it's easy to take the sewer systems for granted, but now you can find where yours goes.

Flush Tracker is not available in every country yet. Flush Tracker was made to help raise awareness for the 2.5 billion people without proper sanitation.
Here's a flush from the ~~Pope~~ Vatican being tracked.

(thanks Cora)

As you probably know it's Movember, a portmanteau of moustache and November. The way the story goes, in 1999, a group of men in Adelaide, Australia, came up with the idea to raise money for charity by having people sponsor their growing moustaches.

Now, to celebrate Movember, you can give your website a moustache, like I did.
As you can see here.
Give your website a moustache.

(thanks Cora)

image credit

There are now almost 7 billion people living on Earth. By 2050, UN estimates that the worldwide population will grow to 9 billion people. This means that more structures need to be built for shelter, to entertain and provide culture.

Will this be a test against time - to build as much as possible in the shortest period of time or will it be a creative competition to construct inspiring buildings that will stand the test of time? Here are 15 of the oldest buildings that were built by our predecessors, appreciated by us and to be cherished by our successors.

Extinct Creature Caught On Video?

The thylacine, also called the Tasmanian tiger, was a carnivorous marsupial once native to Australia. Unfortunately, the animal was wiped out by people in its last remaining stronghold, the island of Tasmania. It is now officially considered to be extinct, with the last known living individual dying in the Hobart Zoo on September 7, 1936.

But there are some that believe these strange predators still survive in the remote Australian wilderness. There are occasional sighting reports as well as potential tracks, although none can be definitely said to be those of a living thylacine. Here's a video that was released this month and the man that shot the footage (Murray McAllister) in 2009 claims that it shows a living thylacine.

Chris Burden's Metropolis II

California artist Chris Burden created Metropolis II, a representation of road traffic in Los Angeles. It shows 1,200 toy cars moving along 18 lanes. As well as 13 toy trains and tracks, and, dotting the landscape, buildings made of wood block, tiles, Legos and Lincoln Logs.

(via Neatorama)

image credit

If you think your family's annual Thanksgiving spread is big, think again! Here are 10 traditional turkey-day essentials that have got yours beat. Feast your eyes on these record-breakers, from a 10-foot apple pie to an 86-pound turkey, while you celebrate what you're thankful for this season.

(thanks Jessie)

Cars Sliding Down A Snowy Hill

Cars sliding down John St on Capitol Hill in Seatlle, USA, during last Monday's winter storm. No one was hurt.

(via Boing Boing)

Thanks to biotechnology and widespread genetic modification, the meal you are enjoying today certainly isn't your grandma's feast. But at the genetic level, it is very different, and it's a far cry from the fabled feast shared by the pilgrims and American Indians in the 17th century.

In celebration of Thanksgiving, the most food-focused day of the year, here's a look at how biotechnology is changing the way we eat.

From modern bra designs to the contemporary, gravity-defying bustiers of today, women's undergarments have come a long way. Learn about historical technology involved in your grandma's bra design, and how your modern bra has evolved into something more scientific than a chemistry set.

Compare your favorite cup shape to the one's worn by celebrities and women of the 19th century. This infographic will show you how far the modern bustier has come, and maybe give you insights into the next step of brassiere technology.

The Turkey Rap

Brothers Phil and Lee Edmonds do the turkey rap. No turkey caller or musical instruments used in this video, just their voices.

(via Everlasting Blort)

From the most high kicks by a single chorus line to the most dogs in costumed attire and from the longest dog ears to the biggest bagel ever, here are 40 of the craziest Guinness World Records.

Behind closed doors could lie the answer to safe renewable energy of the future. At the National Ignition Facility in Livermore, USA, scientists are aiming to build the world's first sustainable fusion reactor by 'creating a miniature star on Earth'.

The $3.5 billion project has inched a little closer to its goal of igniting a workable fusion reaction by 2012. On November 2 they fired up the 192 lasers beams at the centre of the reactor and aimed them at a glass target containing tritium and deuterium gas.

The resulting release of energy was of a magnitude of 1.3 million mega joules, which was a world record and the peak radiation temperature measure at the core was approximately six million degrees Fahrenheit.

Gesundheit!

Or, how to use a handkerchief. A government information film from 1945 on how to avoid snotting all over your fellow citizens.

(via Everlasting Blort)

Grating jingles, DayGlo wardrobes, shrill child actors, cheesy dance montages. If you wanted annoying, you could find it in the TV-commercial breaks of the 1980s. But today, 21 years removed from that decade of regrettable advertising, a few spots from the era do manage to spark a glimmer of misty-eyed nostalgia.

These are just ads that, for better or worse, made us smile in looking back at them - a glimpse of a simpler time when, occasionally, it wasn't so bad when Knight Rider went to commercial.

We see various symbols and signs every day, and maybe think 'I know what that means, but I wonder where it came from?' Here's a look at some of mankind's more familiar symbols' origin and meaning, plus some interesting art and photography associated with them.

Tell anyone that you're taking a trip to Beantown or The Big Apple and they'll likely know exactly where you're headed. But where did these funny monikers come from? Learn the origins of everything from 'The Windy City' to 'The City of Brotherly Love.'

(thanks Jessie)

Penguin Gets Part Prosthetic Beak

Tungo the Magellan penguin gets some help in catching fish. An injured penguin has received a prosthetic beak. It is recovering in a Rio de Janeiro zoo after he was found stranded on a nearby beach with a shattered bill which was damaged by a boat propeller.

(thanks Cora)

A hunter has uncovered what is believed to be a fossil of a carnivorous marine dinosaur that lived 75 million years ago. David Bradt, who was hunting elk, stumbled on the largely intact fossilised remains of a plesiosaur in Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, in Montana, U.S.

The 12ft-long animal, which scientists have compared to the mythical Loch Ness monster, lived during the Cretaceous Period and had was adapted to swimming and feeding in the ancient seas using paddle-like limbs.

Since 1950, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is mandated with the coordination of aid and assistance for refugees worldwide. Founded in 1951 as a means to assist the more than one million people who were still uprooted after World War II, the agency's mandate covered about 10 million refugees in 2009.

This visualization attempts to give a comprehensive overview of the phenomenon of flight and expulsion, an ongoing issue of global scale and extreme complexity.

12 Craziest Headstones.

(via Look At This...)

True American Dog

True American Dog is a site with weird headlines and funny and amazing photo retouching.

Babies On Board

One song which has been covered by many a capella groups is the song from the Simpsons, 'Baby on Board.' Multi-track artist Julien Neel covered it as did a woman whose online handle is 'gwenatav.' This version synchronizes them together.

(via Geeks are Sexy)

While plenty of products have turned out to be mediocre or inferior, some have malfunctioned so severely that catastrophe and disaster ensued. Consumer deaths, CEO resignations and mind-blowing financial losses are just some of the consequences of these 12 poorly manufactured and ultimately recalled products.

A picture, the old adage goes, is worth 1,000 words. But in science a diagram can describe things that transcend the written word. A single image can convey the simple underlying pattern hidden by words or equations.

Draw the right picture and you can literally transform the way we see the world. But a diagram is more than just a physical representation of what we see with our eyes.

Funny Shopping

(thanks Jessica)

An Internet meme is an image, video, story or joke that is voluntarily passed from one Internet user to another via e-mail, blogs and social networking sites. Considered a form of art, Internet memes are created to promote individuals, groups, movies, art, music and products, as well as to perpetrate a hoax or just be funny. They can disappear in days or last for years.

I guess everbody heard about 'Lolcats' and 'All Your Base Are Belong To Us' but have you ever heard of 'Oolong the Pancake Rabbit' or the 'Loituma Girl'? Anyway, to refresh your mind, here are the Top 10 Internet Memes.

On September 22, 2010, with the departure of the Expedition 23 crew, Colonel Douglas Wheelock assumed command of the International Space Station and the Expedition 25 crew.

He is also known as @Astro_Wheels on Twitter, where he has been tweeting pictures to his followers since he arrived at the space station. The images bring breathtaking views from our only off planet Vista point.

image credit

Some examples of fascinating buildings in early civilizations.

Bread People

Bread People is a service that provides pictures of bread celebrities for you to look at.

(via J-Walk Blog)

Pages - Menu

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Monday, November 29, 2010

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Friday, November 26, 2010

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Monday, November 22, 2010