Friday, April 29, 2011

Beavers Build A Lodge

BBC Animals shows how beavers build a lodge.



Robin Sparkles

>


Canadian 90s pop singer Robin Sparkles has her own LastFM channel.

 

Time-Lapse of San Francisco-Paris Flight

A photographer captures time-lapse on a flight from San Francisco to Paris.

Link via BoingBoing

 

Is Sugar Toxic?





Link via Neatorama

 

J. Crew Ad Controversy

Some Americans are in an uproar over a J. Crew ad in the new catalogue. Apparently, a photo showing the CEO and her son enjoying an afternoon painting their toe nails is promoting transgender children. Really what is wrong with a boy liking pink and nail polish? Can only girls like pink and nail polish?



I know growing up, I liked to wear pants and sneakers, ride my bmx bike, build tree forts and play with Legos. It is such a double-standard in North America for acceptance of females to be tomboyish, but males can never be feminine to any degree.

Link via Neatorama

 

1 in 4 Meat Contaminated in US

A recent study funded by the Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming has revealed that meat and poultry tested throughout the United States is infected with drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. I do not understand why the average person tolerates and accepts these low standards for quality and assurance of their food supply. Yet, people wonder where cancer, disease and congenital defects arise from.

Link via Neatorama

 

Congresswoman Poetry-Slam

Congresswoman Donna Edwards (Democrat of Maryland) delivers her message via poetry slam.



Link via Neatorama

 

Word Clouds Show Gender Bias In Toys

Ever since I was a young child, I have always been fascinated and frustrated how toys are marketed to be gender-specific. Anyone can easily divide and separate toys marketed to girls and boys.

The colours, the dolls vs. cars, the delicate vs. action, the nurture vs. creativity, the feminine vs. masculine. I loathe how advertising and toys directed at young girls portrays a stereotypical messages of being submissive, reining in personalities, being delicate and demure. Whereas, advertising and toys directed at young boys promotes stereotypes of strength, adventure, success and sports.

It is no wonder that girls and boys grow up to be such polar opposites of each other and do not know how to communicate or compliment each gender, not too mention that women are so submissive and insecure.

These word clouds by Crystal highlight these stark gender biases.

Link via Neatorama

 

The Doctor Is In

Cartoonist Adam Koford made this wonderful cartoon featuring Doctor Who and Peanuts.



Link via Neatorama

 

Poptart Cat

Awesome 8-bit animation of a poptart cat pooping rainbows. Perfect for Friday!



Link via Neatorama

 

Listening to: Danko Jones - First Date

 

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Cat Confused by Fish Under Ice



Sleepy Penguin



Cat Detects Cancer

Cancer survivor Barrie Gardham, of Hornsea, believes he is alive because his cat detected his prostate cancer. Whiskey the cat had always been a rough animal, but one day he was cuddly and tender. Gardham decided to go see a doctor and, after testing, found out he had cancer. Since recovery, Whiskey has gone back to being his disdainful self.

Link via Arbroath

 

Dog Rescued After 15-Days In Mountains

A British Columbian search and rescue team rescued a Bernese Mountain Dog after it was lost for fifteen days in the North Shore mountains. A family had placed Hurley in a kennel service while away on vacation. The dog got lost on a daily hike in the woods. The kennel company was supposed to use a GPS collar, but neglected one that particular day. The rescue team air-lifted the dog out to safety to be reunited with his family.

Link via Arbroath

 

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Futurama as an 8-Bit Video Game

I am a huge fan of Futurama and I am so happy that the tv show has been brought back from the dead. This is an animated hommage to the Season 2 episode The Lesser of Two Evils.



Link via Neatorama

 

Midnight's Prosthetic Leg

A miniature horse, in Texas, was born with only three legs. After being neglected by his original owner, the horse was close to being euthanized before being adopted by Ranch Hand Rescue. The organization fitted the horse with a prosthetic leg and the horse can now stand and run naturally.



Link via Neatorama

 

Aurora

Terje Sorgjerd of Norway captured Aurora Borealis near the Russian border. He has created a time-lapse video of the beautiful natural occurrence.

The Aurora from Terje Sorgjerd



Link via Neatorama

 

Staypuff Marshmallow Legoman

Who ya gonna call?



Link via Technabob

 

Hobbes In A Box



 

How To Ask A Girl To Prom

Jason asks Lianna to the prom during third period with a little help from his friends.



Link via Neatorama

 

Baboon Criminal To Be Killed

A Cape Town baboon that has been terrorizing people by opening car doors and robbing tourists is to be killed. He is motivated to enact a crime when he sees food. The baboon prefers human food to a natural diet. In 2010, he physically attacked three individuals. The city has tried several attempts to deter his behaviour, but feel euthanisation is the only course of action.

Link via Neatorama

 

Sponge Atlas Conveys Water Use

Artists Matthew Laws and Hal Watts created an art installation to convey countries water use by 2030 using kitchen sponges. But can the planet support the Western world's increasing water usage, while other areas of the globe go dry?



Link via Neatorama

 

Warmth and Competence:

Do You Perceive Warm Person as Less Competent?


Social psychologist Amy Cuddy, of Harvard Business School, and her colleagues in a study about warmth and competence discovered that people prefer warmth when assessing others, but choose competence when assessing ourselves.

Link via Neatorama

 

Subway Stair Art

An artist painted a optical illusion in a Toronto subway of floating stairs.



Link via Neatorama

 

Word Map of Dating Profiles

Do you ever wonder what words are used most in dating profiles across the United States? I wonder more so what words are most popular and marketable in Canada, but this map by R. Luke DuBois is very interesting.

Link via Neatorama

 

Stingray X-Ray



Link via Neatorama

 

Ice Fishing Kitty



 

Listening to: Nik Kershaw - Wouldn't It Be Good

 

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Red Pandas Frolic In Snow

Two red pandas play in the snow. So darn cute.

Link via Arbroath

 

Cat vs. Internet

The Oatmeal has created another cat comic titled Cat vs. Internet. Guess who wins?

 

BBC's Human Planet - Showdown In Elktown

Every summer, male elk invade Estes, Colorado. Not my first choice for summer vacation, but if I was invited to a stag party, I may reconsider.

 

Go Outside

Go outside? What? But I would rather procrastinate on (insert lame web site here)...

Link via Neatorama

BBC's Amazing Snow Fox Dive

A Yellowstone Park fox stalks and listens to prey six feet beneath the snow before making move.

 

Australians Stealing Penguins For Pets

Poachers are scaling fences near Granite Island off of Adelaide to stealing penguins for pets. These penguins are endangered because only 146 exist compared to 1,500 only 10 years ago.



Granite Island Penguin Centre co-ordinator Dorothy Longden, who has worked for the centre for seven years, started a petition to close the causeway leading to the facility. However, she has only collected 1,000 signatures but hopes to have the required 2,000 to protect the birds.

Link via Arbroath

 

Orange You Cute

The Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, celebrated the birth of an orange baby monkey to the Francois langur monkey family last month. Keo-co (pronounced Key-co) was born to mother Saigon and father Hanoi, is very curious, but stays very close to his mother. When he was born, his mother was afraid of him, but his fur will change to black in six months time.

Link via Arbroath

 

Plastic Content of a Sea Turtle

You may have heard about the plastic island floating in the Pacific Ocean, but what about all the plastic debris marine animals ingest? I know when I see litter in parks, beaches or waterfront areas it makes me cringe. I always think: is an animal going to eat it thinking it is food?



Here is a sample of plastic items found in the stomach and intestinal (gastrointestinal) tract of a juvenile sea turtle. The turtle had an obstruction and could not pass waste. In a period of one month, the turtle passed 74 foreign objects. Would we let a child eat a piece of plastic? I think not.

Link via Neatorama

 

The Art of Stir-Fry

Ever wondered about the science of a wok? This cooking method has been practiced for many years and this cutaway photo is fantastic.

Link via BoingBoing

 

Listening to: Def Leppard - Photograph

 

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Chinese Girl With Fingers on One Hand Plays Piano

A Chinese girl who only saw a piano three years ago plays a beautiful piano concerto for an audience.



Link via Arbroath

 

Gorilla Accounts His Mother's Death

Michael, a silverback gorilla, learned sign language over ten years ago at age 27. In sign language, Michael recounts the horrifying witness of his mother killed by humans for bush meat.



Link via Arbroath

 

Companion Pigs for the Elderly

Most people have heard of cats or dogs as companions as therapy for elderly people. But what about pigs?



Link via Arbroath

 

Woman Found With 71 Balls of Heroin in Her Vagina

A woman was arrested in Poland by boarder guards with almost half a kilo of heroin in balls hidden in her vagina.

Link via Arbroath

 

Disabled Janitor Wins Against Abusive Collection Agency

A collection agency was ordered to pay $311,000 by a court for consistently harassing a disabled janitor for a $3,800 debt. Sometimes the good guy wins.

Link via The Consumerist

 

Dog Rides Bicycle

A dog rides on the back of a bicycle in China (of course!).



Link via Neatorama

 

Police Raid Home More Than Forty Times

Matt Jillard, a poor chap, in England has had his home raided forty times in 18 months because the West Midlands Police confuse Repton Road, Birmingham with nearby Repton Grove.

Link via Arbroath

 

Slash Hospital Budgets, Not CEO's Salary

Even after the financial crises in America, CEO salaries and bonuses are still untouchable. A CEO can slash budgets for a hospital in crisis-management, but do not every consider touching the CEO's salary or bonuses.

Link via BoingBoing

 

Dog Busted Sneaking Treats



Link via Neatorama

 

Tattoo To-Do List

A fellow had a notepad to-do list tattooed on his arm.

Link via Neatorama

 

Children's Playground Replaced With Brick Wall

Two years ago, a children's playground in England was dismantled by a municipality to make way for a brand-new playground. Then, the city installed a brick wall.



Link via Arbroath

 

Woman Found With 54 Bags of Heroin in Her Vagina

There seems to be a trend with using your vagina as a purse. Scranton police have arrested a 27-year-old woman for hiding 54 bags of heroin, 31 empty bags, pills and money in her vagina.

Link via Arbroath

 

Stolen Statue Returned with Travel Journal

A statue of Stan Laurel stolen from a Scottish hotel has been returned seven years later with a travel journal. The six-foot-tall statue was stolen in 2004. The owners put out a reward for its return, but were never successful in recovering the statue. Several years later, the statue showed up by the back door one day. The owners have no idea where the statue went or how the statue was returned.



Link via Arbroath