tantramar

Run, Children, Run!

I uncovered this set of terrorist attack trading cards recently at a flea market. People seem to like them so I posted the set on Flickr. Enjoy the madness.

A Rock Rendezvous

I stumbled across these rocks the other day. They are 'apparently' moving across Racetrack Playa in Death Valley on their own! I know, I know, rocks can't do that but they are moving nonetheless. They look they are all meeting up in a little rock rendezvous!

The playa turns to mud at certain times and the rocks could potentially move across the mud with some wind assistance quite readily. This is the favoured theory by geologists. Still to me that seems like some serious wind power to move rocks, some of which are estimated to be several hundred pounds each. I like the idea that they're having a little rock meet up better.

Want to know more?

Knowledge Is Power

This cake was in fact baked by Delia Smith. How very.

Popping, Just Like My Brain Cells

OK, so my physics knowledge is pretty bad. I'm waiting for Nick to tell me this is rubbish.

I understand that there is such a phenomenon known as interference, when two EMF or sonic frequencies intersect......Depending of phase of signal you get either destructive (reduction) or constructive (increase) interference....I believe this kind of situation creates a "standing wave" effect.

O.K., so, with three, or more, cellphone antennae aimed precisely at the kernels the transmission signals from the sound input to the cellphones all hit the kernels at the same time with the same signal phase, thus it would seem that an additive effect (constructive) interference of the transmitted beams concentrate in just one tiny area...an intense standing wave of microwave energy results,.and pop goes the corn!.....one cellphone won't do it....gotta have concentration and standing wave....

Fact / Fiction?

Italic text taken from: World News

Update:
yup... fake according to the Telegraph

Snake Sacking

In Texas they do quite a few crazy things. This one is a new one to me; Snake Sacking. A two man team has to get 10 rattlesnakes into a sack in the quickest time! Yes, this is clearly quite nuts. The current record of 2 seconds per snake is held by Texas snake man Jackie Biddy. He's a bit loopy.

Sleeve (on your) Face

SleeveFace has turned into a bit of phenomenon which I'm pleased about as it's run by some friends of mine in Cardiff. They recently put together this great little film explaining the rules and process.
Keep it up guys...

And... Freeze

Improv Everywhere are great. They've been doing crazy little things in the States for sometime now. You probably heard about the Best Buy controversy or the No Pants Subway Ride they do each year. This is a new scheme where everyone just freezes. They just do this for fun. Inspiring.

By the way they now have a Ning, so if you want to get involved you can join in.

Hula Baby

I don't think I need to write anything here. I think we're all thinking the same thing. Thanks Molly!

The Blind Boy That Can See

I like comic books, lots of poeple do. I like the fantastical. So when I watched the film below about Ben Underwood I was blown away. He's like a real life version of the Marvel character Daredevil.

Ben was diagnosed with cancer in his eyes when he was two, so sadly they were removed to save his life. He's technically blind but he has developed the ability to see, using echo location! Ben uses sounds to tell him where things are. This is how bats see. There are a few people that have managed to do this but only a handful, Ben is pretty unique.

I read on his website that he has two new tumors near his brain. This makes me so sad that someone so exceptional is going through this again.

This video was just part one. The other parts are on Youtube, if you want more.

via Design Verb

The Cookies Are At It Again

Those Cookies are at it again! This Swedish company have made some naughty cutters. Great present for that stuffy Aunt.
The translation is pretty special too:
We honor out gingerbread pigs and goats, but now they are finally here, the gingerbread cutters that make the Christmas tree rise and the candles glow.

OK then. 

More Than Just A Chef

I'm doing some work with dub at the moment and during a meeting the other day the subject of Steven Seagal came up (obviously). Tom (from Dub) then asked if any of us had read about the mystical dog Incident on his Wikipedia page. Unsurprisingly everyone said no and so we clicked some buttons and found us some fun.

Mystical Dog Incident:
While being interviewed by PETA, Seagal was asked to provide an example of a special interaction with an animal. To lend context and meaning to his animal rights work, Seagal offered the story about a dog which approached him during his early aikido years in Japan. Seagal described feeling as if he had known this white dog forever. After keeping the dog for a few days, the dog (by barking) warned Seagal that his dojo was on fire. Seagal quickly summoned help to put out the fire. He never saw the dog again. 

I think everyone loves Stephen Seagal, he's so wonderful. He's into solar power, animal rights and Native American rights. He's even done some humanitarian work in the Ukraine. I really don't know how he finds the time.

If all that is too much to take in, just check out some of his tunes.

It's pretty interesting the people we choose to love, even in an ironic way, how easily these figures can fall out of favour, how we love that they take themselves so seriously. It is curious.

Perfect

Some ideas are just golden aren't they. Kate sent me this and I thought it was so good I just had to put it up here. Enjoy. How much would this cheer you up if you walked past it? Quite a bit I think.
From the Flickr account of Saima

The One, The Only, Corey Haim

For some inexplicable reason I stared thinking about Cory Haim the other day, you know, License To Drive, The Lost Boys. So I looked him up to see what he's been up to. Oh boy, he's not doing so well. Check this YouTube clip.

The guy is obviously not doing so good. Then I found his website. It's amasing, honestly - nuts. He's a painter too it seems and he'll do you a painting to order.

You have to let him know your favourite colours and some hobbies or keywords to set the mood, no I'm not kidding! Oh and of course you select one of the two sizes that he paints to!

This would obviously make a pretty cool gift for someone if it wasn't $1000!

Damn Corey, you ain't cheap bro but oh so talented. Keep it up. I'm hoping they'll be a sculpture section opening up on the site soon.

We're Fireman, See What We Can Do

You certainly don't see this everyday.

Marry Off Your Daughter, You Know, For Cash

Yes, this is as terrifying as it looks. Folks in the Bible belt marrying off their daughters for cash!
Marry Our Daughter seeks to find eligible bachelors for the daughters - some as young as 14! I have no real words for this. I'm dumbstruck. If you see Kyra below you'll know what I mean. Then if you read the testimonials it becomes even worse. This feels like a joke but I don't think it is. Half these girls seem happy to do it to 'help' their parents.

Testimonials:

"At first we were worried that Janine was too young to get married, but then her new husband bought her a house and a car and jewelry and the money we got let us buy a house for ourselves.  Getting out of the trailer park at our age was the best thing that ever happened to us, and it’s all thanks to Marry Our Daughter!"

—Mr. Jack M.

“I was SO scared getting married so young, but my husband is an okay guy and I am SO proud that because of me my parents were able to get their first brand-new car and take the trip they always wanted to.  I couldn’t have done it without your site!"

—Katrina K., married at 14

Via Adam Crowe

Update:
OK it seems that this is indeed a fake site. It did seem too incredible to be true and yes I alwasy fall for these stunts getting too carried away with the idea. Damn.