Friday, April 30, 2021

Building New York's $200M Apartment


Tweet Of The Day


Via everlasting blort 

The Ra Expeditions (1972)

The Ra II sailed the 6100 kilometers from Morocco to Barbados in 57 days, proving that contact between the Mediterranean region and South or Central America prior to Columbus’ discovery, was possible.

   

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Pic Of The Day

 

Swedish Gymnastics for Women by Heinrich Hamman – c. 1902 – 1909


New Zealand Romcom With Monkey and Profanity


Greenland Tsunami Caught On Video

Terrifying footage captures the force of the 2017 tsunami. The initial wave was over 90 meters high. These fishermen survived but 4 others were swept out to sea.

Blue Rodeo

I don't know what the weather is like where you are but it's mighty gloomy here. Maybe an intimate concert with Blue Rodeo will lift our spirits.

Scan The World

 Scan The World wants to bring cultural heritage to everyone by sharing free-to-download 3D printable sculpture and cultural artefacts. The open-source museum currently hosts an archive of 18,000 digital scans.


Via TMN

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Welcome to the Russian Kowloon Walled City!

Image:andreyvasiliskov

This humongous apartment complex on Oblastnaya Street in Saint-Petersburg, Russia has 35 entrances and 3708 apartments spread over 25 floors.  That's a lot of people living in very close proximity to one another.

Image:andreyvasiliskov


See more: Design You Trust

Baboon Infestation

This video demonstrates how to rid a house of baboons. I hope you never have to use this information.

Pic Of The Day

 

Rare 1940s Footage of London After the Blitz:

This motion-stabilized, speed-corrected, enhanced and colourized film shows scenes of bomb damage, the release of barrage balloons, anti-aircraft gun positions, traffic at Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, military parades in front of Buckingham Palace, beautiful scenes of the Thames during daytime and at dusk, Waterloo Station, and much more.


Read more: Open Culture 

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Monday, April 26, 2021

Inside an underground 'magic tree den'


Via The Kid Should See This

Jack Black Gets the Vaccine

Did you feel like this after getting vaccinated? My reaction was slightly more subdued. 

 


Via The Awesomer

Paw Warz

A long time ago in a litter box far, far away....

The Garden of Earthly Delights Explained

Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch is known for his fantastic imagery. His triptych The Garden of Earthly Delights is his most famous work.

 

Read more:  Open Culture

What a difference some green makes


Via perfect for roquefort cheese

Britain's most beautiful face?

This is an oldie I found on Facebook. In 2012 teenager Florence Colgate won a British beauty contest sponsored by a cosmetic company. Apparently Colgate has mathematically perfect looks. Not only is her face perfectly symmetrical, but she has the “optimum ratio” between her mouth, eyes, chin, and forehead. A few years later Photoshop Surgeon  edited her photo to fit the Perfection Mask. Which do you find more appealing?

 

Cone Removal Day



Via Everlasting Blort

Sunday, April 25, 2021

From Scraps

Philadelphia based artist and animator Lydia Ricci transforms  transforms found scraps into beautiful little objects.


See more of Ricci's work at The Jealous Curator

Sunday Links



Designer Dram allows you to develop your own bespoke tipple.


Tune in to forests around the world at tree.fm 

“Of all my books, the one I love most is The People of the Abyss. No other work of mine contains as much of my heart.” Jack London's Photos of London's East End in 1902 

EarthPorn - The Prettiest Places on Earth

John Mulaney is hilarious: Pride and Prejudice in 20 minutes 

Humans ruin everything: Frenchies, labradoodles and the dilemma of the designer dog  (Thanks Bruce!)


This Hip Hop Eames Chair makes my plain black one look pretty meh.

Dante's Vacation An oldie but goodie from my friend, the multi-talented Mike The Writer Guy.




Lomax Digital Archive available online.


There are weed psychics in Maine who will find your weed and get it back to you asap. (Thanks Bruce!)


The first female wolf in Lassen County, California in nearly a century.  Read more

A walking tour of Regent's Canal I've done this walk but not all at once because there are many distractions that draw me off the 9 mile path. Little Venice to Granary Square is my favourite part of the walk. It includes the London Zoo, Regent's Park, Camden Market and more restaurants than you can shake a stick at.

Gone are the days when you'd buy a nickel bag of weed from your friend's big brother down at the corner. Today's cannabis dispensaries have taken it up a lot of notches.


Is there anything the Airo car can't do?

Some nice vintage photos of the viaduct in Morlaix which opened in 1865 as a vital link in the main line from Paris to Brest operated by Chemins de Fer de l’Ouest. (Make sure you click the images for a larger view)

 Cooking with Herman Melville (No, it's not whale)

Music For Sunday Morning

 

Saturday, April 24, 2021

Sin Illusion Toy

 

 

 Thanks Bruce!

Tweet Of The Day

 

Happy Caturday

Take a look at the Loveseat, an armchair/cat running wheel for you and your cats.


Friday, April 23, 2021

The Third Man Theme

The distinctive musical score for this film was composed and played on the zither by Anton Karas. I'm certain I must have seen this at least once before but can't remember a thing about it. Time to watch it again.


Via perfect for roquefort cheese

Pic Of The Day

Cotton Glove
Wari Culture
Peru 650-800 C.E.
Image: Brooklyn Museum



Earliest known recording of Joni Mitchell



More:  CBC News

Rain Forest In A Box

This living diorama by maker asu_green11 replicates the look of a bamboo forest.




Via The Awesomer

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Tweet Of The Day

 

The Singing Ringing Tree

This sound sculpture was created by artists Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu.  It is one of a series of "Panopticons"  in the Lancashire Pennine Hills. 




Via bookofjoe

The History of the Gin and Tonic


See some nice G&T photos at Moss and Fog

Leonard Cohen in Montreal

Thirty year old Canadian writer Leonard Cohen pays a visit to his hometown  in 1965. Ladies and Gentlemen… Mr Leonard Cohen:


Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Pic Of The Day

An April 21 surprise!



 

How Metal Chains Are Made

It takes many steps and incredible pressure to make metal chains.

Mourning Country

Mourning Country visits Noel Butler, a Budawang elder from the Yuin Nation, who lost his home and the aboriginal cultural center he founded with his wife Trish in one of the most destructive bushfire seasons in Australia’s history.

 

More:  NOWNESS

Hysterical Girl

Director Kate Novak's 2020 film Hysterical Girl revisits, in just 13 minutes, the story of Freud's patient “Dora” by casting actress Tommy Vines as a modern version of the patient. 

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Daring Duckling Rescue


Via Kraftfuttermischwerk

The Monkees' Screen Tests

Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Davy Jones audition for the 60s hit NBC television program The Monkees.


Read More:  Boing Boing

Weeping Seat

Designer Gerardo Osio's Weeping Seat is a furniture installation woven from the living branches of a weeping willow tree along the Dommel river in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.




More: Dezeen

The Artifact Artist

A new documentary produced by Kaleidoscope Pictures chronicles urban archeologist Scott Jordan’s lifelong practice that involves digging and uncovering items that he then transforms into new artworks.

See the whole film on Vimeo.

More: Colossal 

Riding A Sleeper Train Through The Snow In Japan



Via Digg

How does a split-flap display work?



Via The Kid Should See This

Pic Of The Day


Balancing Rock near Digby, NS
Image credit: Tourism Nova Scotia

New York City Skyline

1930s New York from a ship in the harbour, colourized.

Monday, April 19, 2021

IBM Selectric Typewriter In Slow-Motion

This slow motion video shows how the IBM Selectric golf ball spins around to select the correct letter to hit the page.


Via The Awesomer 

Earthquake Shacks


Earthquake shacks, 1906, San Francisco Image is in the public domain


After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the Army built 5,610 redwood and fir "relief houses" to accommodate 20,000 displaced people. Today fewer than 50 remain. The residents who live in them swear the sturdy redwood frames built in a day could last another 115 years.


The People Without a Mind's Eye

In 2015, a scientific study shed new light on the relatively unheard-of phenomenon known as aphantasia, a mental blindness where the brain is unable to call images to the mind eye. 

The Evolution of the Oval Office Décor

The décor of the Oval Office offers an opportunity for the president’s interior designer to make a statement and do something historic. This article shows 3D renderings of each of the Oval Office’s new looks from William Howard Taft to Joe Biden.

When he took office in 1909 Taft made the decision to move the executive office from the Roosevelt Room to the room of the president’s secretary (now known as the Chief of Staff) during his expansion of the West Wing. The office had previously been rounded at just one end, but Taft had it remodeled to a more democratic oval shape.


President Biden opted to keep the Clinton drapes in the windows and has brought back Clinton’s navy rug, too. New additions include a 3.9-billion-year-old moon rock.



See all the changes over the years

Me If I Worked In Retail

I don't think I'm cut out for working in retail. One snotty customer would drive me over the edge and it wouldn't be pretty. 

SloMo In Movies

A montage of slow motion scenes in feature films.

Sunday, April 18, 2021

'Somebody To Love' On Gayageum

 

 Via Digg

A Sheep's Life


Via Kraftfuttermischwerk

Joyful Bird Beats

@sowylie

PART 2: BARRED OWL. I just want the birders to have a good day y’all. What bird call should I do next? #birding #wildlife #producer #remix

♬ So Wylie Barred Owl Bird Beat - So Wylie
See More: Audubon

Pandemic Dreaming

After more than a year of lockdown are your dreams getting weird? In Invisible Monsters and Tomato Soup, an animated short by Marcie LaCerte, Stevie Borrello and Meghan McDonough,  20 people share their Covid-19 dreams. I'd share a few of mine but you'd probably think I was some kind of weirdo

 

 Read more about it here 

Sunday Links


Part of McLean’s Optical Illusions or Magic Panorama.More at the link below.

The Wonderful World Of Phenakistiscope Animation  If you're feeling crafty you can learn to make one for yourself!

A flight of culinary fancy: The American Airlines Recipe Book (1994)

Steel Town: In 1977, Stephen Shore traveled across New York state, Pennsylvania, and eastern Ohio – an area in the midst of industrial decline that would eventually be known as the Rust Belt. Via This Isn't Happiness

All of Mr. Rogers' Cardigan Sweaters in Chronological Order. Speaking of Mr. Rogers, how would you like to live in his neighbourhood?

Have you ever wondered about how medicine is given to to zoo animals? Here's how animal keepers use activities, food, training and toys to care for the animals at the Smithsonian National Zoo. Via Miss Cellania

Arrivals and Departures

“It’s a massive glorified clock radio but it sounds better than I thought” Grateful Dead Fan Creates a Mini Replica of the Band's "Wall of Sound" During Lockdown 

Talk like the great apes of the Tarzan novels.

Collar-cam shows a wolf going about its day 

After the devastating fire that set the iconic Notre Dame cathedral ablaze, the restoration of the landmark carries on. Read More

The National Gallery of Denmark has released the Kunstens Danmarkskort, an interactive map which geolocates over 4,000 artworks. Via Maps Mania

This 5 second makeup routine is a real time saver. Via Everlasting Blort

Grammarical Failings 

“I got this cool new mask — it covers my nose and mouth all day, it’s glass, and you can pour wine in it!” Decorative Wine Mom Signs to Promote the Vaccine

 Big excitement in the world of professional bowling: Anthony Neuer became the fourth player in PBA Tour history to convert the 7-10 split in the semifinal match of the 2021 U.S. Open. 

Hip Hop Tarot Cards  from Blue Monday Press

"To the best of my knowledge Arizona is famous for being where Satan vacations to get some heat." A British Person Lists 50 American States And What They're Famous For  Via Miss Cellania

Traditional Beekeeping: The Beautiful Bee Hotels of Switzerland and Germany

I would love to have this octagonal summerhouse in my garden.

The John Patterson Kidnapping in Mexico is one heck of a story. In 1974, John Patterson was abducted by the People’s Liberation Army of Mexico—a group no one had heard of before. The kidnappers wanted $500,000, and insisted that Patterson’s wife deliver the ransom.

The Social History Of The Kimono

The Evolution of Dance from 1950 to 2019 by Ricardo Walker and his Crew.

Looking to get away from it all post-pandemic?  “Basic lodging on leafy grounds, offering a cozy restaurant/pub, plus free parking and breakfast.”

The Joy Ai Weiwei Gets From His Cats


Music For Sunday Morning

 

 

 Via FB friend Mike

Friday, April 16, 2021

Feel Good Tweet Of The Day

 

Thanks Bruce!

Pic Of The Day

Bedouin Tents


Via TYWKIWDBI

World Press Photo of the Year



"The independent jury of the 2021 Photo Contest selected Mads Nissen’s photograph The First Embrace (above) as the World Press Photo of the Year. In the image, Rosa Luzia Lunardi (85) is embraced by nurse Adriana Silva da Costa Souza, at Viva Bem care home, São Paulo, Brazil, on 5 August 2020."

Nissen talks about his winning image:

 


Moldova In Miniature

Europe's least visited country captured in a 3-minute timelapse, tilt-shift-style aerial video by Joerg Daiber of the YouTube Channel Little Big World.

Via PetaPixel

Walking tour of Bukchon Hanok Village

Bukchon Hanok Village is a Korean traditional village located in Seoul. The hanok buildings were residences of the nobility during the Joseon Dynasty that now serve as residences, museums, and workshops. This video takes us on a relaxing half hour walk through the village.


(If you're interested in what lies behind the walls of these hanoks take a look at this AD article)

Demolition Derby On A Treadmill

Hot Wheels on a treadmill with riveting commentary.


Via Digg

Time , Tarkovsky And The Pandemic

 

 Via Cynical-C

Thursday, April 15, 2021

Model Train Diorama / Coffee Table

I've been looking for a new coffee table. This one looks more interesting than most I've seen. 

 

Via Neatorama

Steve Is Undocumented

This bouncer of an LA club is in the US on an expired visa but despises undocumented immigrants.

Via Aeon Videos 

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Climate Crisis Font


Free Download 

  Via

The Physics Of A Cantilever Bridge



More: TYWKIWDBI 

Hell W10 - A Gangster Movie Made By The Clash

In 1983 the Clash decided to make a black-and-white improvisational gangster film inspired by Italian neorealism. 
"It was totally Joe [Strummer]'s idea. He directed it, he shot it, he did it. And then it was gone. It didn't even come out."

Via Boing Boing

Carrie Fisher's Star Wars Audition (2006)

 

 

Eliseevsky Grocery Store Closes After 120 Years

Image: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters


On April 11 Eliseevsky, Moscow's most famous and luxurious Soviet store, closed its doors one final time.
"Opened in 1901 in a former 18th-century palace, it served originally as a luxury food shop for pre-Revolutionary, upper-crust denizens of central Moscow. But it saw its heyday in the later Soviet period when, as “Gastronome No. 1,” it acted as a display window for visitors to the Soviet capital to showcase the city’s purportedly excellent provisioning."

Read More: CSMonitor.com

Anywhere Can Happen



Directed by Fernando Livschitz

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Tweet Of The Day

 

Via Everlasting Blort 

How an Escalator Works

This simple functional cardboard model demonstrates how an escalator works.

Kusama: Cosmic Nature



The New York Botanical Garden's celebration of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama is a  stroll through the artist’s career, anchored in imagination and punctuated by majesty.
Kusama reveals her lifelong fascination with the natural world.




Images: Kusama: Cosmic Nature

Twin Reunion

Two adult women discover they are twins who were separated at birth. Two Identical Strangers is a short film about their reunion.


Via Kottke

A Day In Babylon Berlin

Berlin of the 1920's AI enhanced with deep learning techniques.

Pic Of The Day

 

First shipment of polio vaccine April 13,1955
Photographer: Snow
LA Examiner Photographs Collection

Monday, April 12, 2021

Steampunk Rocket Lamp

Artist Steve Gallagher makes handcrafted steampunk and industrial pipe lamps. When my sons were little they would have loved this one that looks like a steampunk rocket ship. The four flickering flame 'rocket booster' bulbs act as a night light.




The Last Papyrus Makers In Egypt

Only one village in Egypt still makes papyrus paper and they are struggling to keep their 5,000-year-old craft alive.

Incredible Ad for Pocari Sweat

This sixty-second ad for one of Japan’s most-popular sports beverage was created almost entirely in a single-take and relying largely on hand-made sets and props. 


See the "behind the scenes" video at Spoon & Tamago

Wind Speed Indicator



Via bookofjoe

This Is How You Fix A Washing Machine


 

Sunday, April 11, 2021

Modernism In Japan, 1912 to 1926

The Japanese Taishō period from 1912-1926 is often considered the first era of modern Japan, when many western influences were introduced. Mechanical reprography was one of many innovations of the period. Higher quality mass printing saw the creation of posters with artistic themes that were uncommon to Japanese tradition. 

Puraton mannenhitshu: Puraton inki [Woman with an ink bottle]
Subject (company): Nakayama Taiyōdō;

Cranes flying over Shantung - Santo Tetsudo.
Shantung Railway Administration in the Chintao Garrison Army.

See more: Flashbak

Sunday Links

(Image credit: Greg Gjerdingen)

Colouring products pink in an attempt to appeal to women does not always work but sometimes it does. I must have this 1955 Dodge La Femme! More here

“These storyboards are not the only means of communication for what I imagine, but they are the point where I begin.” Martin Scorsese was just 11-years-old when he drew storyboards for The Eternal City (1953). 


Get out of your geographic music bubble  A cool music project by The Pudding.

I discovered this YouTube channel via Memo of the Air. Why would anyone watch anything else?

Know Her 20 groundbreaking artists at the turn of the 20th century. Thanks Bruce!


Finding the sweet spot at the crossroads of work and play: My Month of Doing 100 Wheelies a Day


This week's house envy is York's Tenement, a timber-framed Suffolk farmhouse.

Yoni Nachmany's Earthrise is an interactive map of the Moon via Maps Mania

Marilyke Fashion Dresses like the Virgin Mary would have worn.


CoroNaspresso: Your Nespresso pods can double as a COVID-19 test.


The Richest People in the World 2021 (I'm not on this list) Thanks Bruce!


In 1999 the Seattle Police Department's Identification Unit had to take a training session on chair safety


Your goal is to successfully traverse the five awesome worlds of IKEA before your patience runs out. On your first few tries this may seem like an impossible task, but with practice you will soon be able to muster the sense of numb resignation necessary for victory IKEA - The Morning News 



Muppets, Ranked Ruthlessly Over 18,000 votes were cast; over 150 different Muppets received votes. I don't agree with the results. Thanks Bruce!

Gorgeous photos of Lofoten

I love this fern wallpaper

These Mutant Rabbits : The origins of the handstanding Alfort jumpers.

‘Throw your arms across your eyes and scream, Ann. Scream for your life!’
— Carl Denham, King Kong, 1933 The Art Of King Kong



Music For Sunday Morning

 

Friday, April 09, 2021

Cocktail Bar Steamer Trunk



This vintage-style steamer trunk on wheels from Design Toscano doubles as a cocktail bar. I think it's adorable.

Monkey plays 'MindPong' with his Neuralink.

Elon Musk's Neuralink startup has released this video of a nine year old macaque playing "MindPong" with his Neuralink. He is rewarded with a delicious banana smoothie.


More:  Geekologie 

A Feeling of Pleasure ​

In A Feeling of Pleasure, Toby Coulson documents a man called Fred, someone he’s been photographing for years. Fred likes to dance.


More: It's Nice That

Humpty Dumpty (epilogue)



Wrong Hands

Tweet Of The Day