Yes, It's February 29th!

...which always feels a bit weird. Here's why we have leap years (fun, even if you already know the answer).

Geodesy? What is It? (And Do You Want to Know)?

I know that not everyone is as enamored of these informative videos as I am, but to me they're  like Sesame Street for adults: cute, quick, well-made and they get the job done while holding one's attention. At the end of the video, I always know something new.



via 22 Words

A Pod of 2,000 Dolphins

I've only seen dolphins in zoos, so I'm sure that seeing even one in the wild would be exciting. This group of whale watchers off the coast of Dana Point, California saw 2,000! (filmed by Dana Wharf)



via Viral Viral Videos

Create Your Own Nebula

A nebula is a cloud of interstellar gas and dust (such as the Orion Nebula, the Lagoon Nebula or the Crab Nebula). Now you can make your own nebula, just for fun.

via The Presurfer

Here are images of some of the real ones:

Orion Nebula

source

Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae

source

Crescent Nebula

source

Crab Nebula

source

Tilt-shift of the Carnaval Party in Rio de Janeiro

I can't really explain what tilt-shift photography is (maybe because I'm not a photographer) but it creates an image that makes full-size items look as if they are miniature. This video by Jarbas Agnelli is a perfect example.


The City of Samba from Jarbas Agnelli on Vimeo.

Keep Waiting - Cloaking Devices May Be on the Way

Hank for Scihow discusses cloaking devices and how some enterprising scientists are working toward making things invisible using nanotechnology and mirages.

Are You Having Trouble Affording Your Caviar This Year? (The Cost of Living Extremely Well is Up)

Forbes reports that the cost of living extremely well is up this year. And then there are those of us who notice when the price of milk goes up...

via Nag on the Lake

Inside Every Good Dog is a Great Dog

Yes, it's a commercial, and it's making the rounds, so you may have already seen it, but it has great music and wonderful dogs. I couldn't resist.

Back to the Future...Again - An Actual Hoverboard

Of a sort, anyway. If you're a fan of Michael J. Fox (love that guy) and/or his Back to the Future movies. you'll remember that in Back to the Future II, Marty McFly traveled to the future (the year 2015). One of the technologies there was the Hoverboard. Here's a video with an actual Hoverboard.



via Viral Viral Videos

Here are the details about how this Hoverboard was made.

It was based on a work by French artist Nils Guadagnin.


HOVERBOARD - NILS GUADAGNIN from nils guadagnin on Vimeo.

More on Guadagnin's Hoverboard at Gizmodo.

I always find it fun when "the future" as shown in books and movies actually approaches or passes. We get to compare what people dreamed and what actually came to pass. What fun!

Matisse- A Special Dog

The other day I ran a video called What Would You Do In This Situation? which featured a dog left in a (supposedly) hot car. The dog actor in the video is named Matisse, and this is his story (the video is in English).



via Miss Cellania

How It's Done - Bottling Bacardi

In case you ever wondered how they bottle Bacardi (the video says that the bottles travel up to 50 miles per hour).

Ice Castles - Silverthorne, Colorado

I haven't seen these in person, and I'm not much for cold weather. Still, they look pretty cool.

Here's a video that showcases the ice castles.



And here you can learn more about the ice castles (including a bit about the history of the creator, Brent Christiensen, as well as a video that talks a bit about making the ice castles).

Soren Berger, Woodturner Makes a Wooden Lampshade

I've never seen a wooden lampshade (I don't think) and certainly don't have the skills to make one, but this video fascinated me.

Note: on the YouTube page, the point is made that for those concerned about the waste, this was fast growing pine already cut for firewood, the center of the log is poor quality sapwood and the wood shavings and chips are reused for heating or in the garden.

What's a Duck That Can't Fly Going to Do?

This animated video by Patrick Neary answers the question.

Landscape with Duck from Patrick Neary on Vimeo.

A Very Cool Video About Life, Friendship, College and Writing...

...and also about being an adult (a bit). This video Life is Weird, Also Beautiful is very engaging and left me, as a writer (and just as a person) feeling warm and fuzzy. The two writers in question both once worked at Mental Floss and this video was posted on Miss Cellania, who also writes for Mental Floss. Enjoy.



Here's more on the story of YA writers, Ransom Riggs and John Green (who are long-time friends and also occupy the #1 and #2 slots on the New York Times list. How awesome is that)?

What Would You Do in This Situation?

This video was uploaded by a Danish insurance company, so I don't know what it says or what any of the comments say. I saw it on Wimp.com where the question was asked, "How Many of You Would Do This Without Hesitation?"

I tend to think I might first try to see if the owner was nearby. Then I'd probably call the police or fire department. Still, it offers a good lesson that needs to be repeated over and over (apparently) about how unsafe it is to leave an animal in a car in hot weather.

The Periodic Table Table

It's the periodic table in literal form. Pretty amazing and definitely one of a kind.



via Viralviralvideos

Painting Time Lapse (I Paint by Thijme Termaat)

I am enamored of art videos and time-lapse videos. Put them together with some awesome music and you have a fun way to spend 3 minutes.

Parrotlet Plays Peekaboo

His name is Koolaid and he's very good at peekaboo.

Latest Trailer for Brave

I posted an earlier trailer for the movie, but this one just came out yesterday.

Run, Penguins, Run! (Glacier Collapse)

This video is from 2008. As one of the comments beneath the YouTube video mentions, the penguins make the video (but the kayaks held my attention, too).

Snow Art (Snow Circles by Sonja Hinrichsen)

Sonja Hinrichsen was visiting Steamboat Springs (Colorado) and helped create "Snow Drawings." The designs were created by 10 volunteers on snowshoes.

Snow Circles from Beauregard, Steamboat Aerials on Vimeo.

Worf, No! (Worf Gets Denied Again and Again on Star Trek, TNG)

I always liked Worf, but here on this supercut of Worf clips, he is told no over and over again. Poor Worf! (This is a long clip, but if you're a true Star Trek fan...well, can you ever really get enough Star Trek)?



via Miss Cellania

Make Your Own Kind of Music

Choose your instruments to create a fanfare (and have fun trying different combinations).

via Presurfer

Beautiful Canada

I was having a conversation with a relative the other day who had never been to Canada. I've been there many times, but trying to describe how spacious and unspoiled so much of Canada is difficult. And since pictures speak louder than words, here's a slideshow that does a much better job than I was doing.

A Trip Back in Time - The Skoda Fabia Cake Car Ad

This is from 2007, and it's been around quite a bit, but that doesn't make it any less fun. I would have loved to have seen a longer "how they designed it" video. If I ever find one, I'll post it.

It's Fat Tuesday, but in Chicago It's Paczki (pronounced Pooch-kee) Day! (Yes, again)!

I'm not Polish but I love this annual treat (found not just in Chicago but other areas with Polish communities). And I've heard that Delightful Pastries in the city has some of the best (I saw them on Windy City Live today and they said that they made 4,000 last Thursday--or Fat Thursday, the equivalent day in Poland--and would be making 18,000 paczki today). Here you can see them in action.



Although traditional flavors are prune, plum, lemon or other berry flavors, Delightful Pastries offers the following flavors:

Apricot Jelly Paczki
Boozy Custard Paczki
Custard Paczki topped with Chocolate Fudge
Fresh Strawberry Paczki
Fresh Strawberry and Whipped Cream Paczki
Fresh Strawberry and Custard Paczki
Plum Butter Paczki
Raspberry Jelly Paczki
Rose Petal Jelly Paczki

NEW Paczki gourmet flavors:
Raspberry Chocolate Jam, made from scratch with Michigan raspberries and Belgian chocolate
Passion fruit jam, made from scratch with a great tart flavor

It actually becomes a bit of a mania in some communities. With only one day a year (or two) when these treats are available, business is brisk.

The paczki is supposed to date back to the Middle Ages, and marks the last days of excess before the Lenten season (and what a yummy excess)!

So...a Few Mistakes Were Made (Hiring the Right Person for the Job)

This is an ad for Poolia, a job recruiter in the UK.



via 22 Words

LÜT #22 (Loot You Can Buy)

I'm rather fond of these videos by VSauce. This one shows you a lot of unusual (in some cases, weird) stuff you can buy online. Like a fake mustache for your dog. Things you never knew you needed or wanted (and may not need or want). But it's all in good fun.

Getting Married at Age 100

Love never gets old.

Dog and Bird Buddies

All this dog wanted was some noodles, but he couldn't reach them. Good thing his bird buddy is okay with feeding him.

Are Daddy Longlegs Spiders (C.G.P. Grey's Follow Up to 8 Animal Misconceptions)

In case you want clarification on the spider/daddy long legs debate (and as he says in the video, don't watch if you don't want to see a spider...a very up close spider...as in he's looking at you).

Who Knew That All of Buenos Aires Was a Theme Park?

This film, Buenos Aires - Inception Park, by Black Sheep Films may be the result of some very creative film making, but it's very well done. And what an interesting concept!

Buenos Aires - Inception Park from Black Sheep Films on Vimeo.

Orange, Lemons and Limes, Oh My! (France's Fete du Citron)

Every year February marks this citrus-themed festival in Menton, France with some very awesome and interesting sculptures.

via

For more citrus sculpture images via Buzzfeed

The following video appears to be trying to sell a DVD (not in an overly annoying way), but I chose this one over the others because it covered a variety of activities at the festival, including some shots of people making the sculptures.

Because Everyone Knows How Dangerous Broccoli Is... (Puppy Versus Broccoli)

Some of us have always suspected that broccoli is evil (or at least part of some evil plot nutritionists are hatching against us). Now we have proof. If this cute little puppy is suspicious of it, you know it has to be bad for you.

Guess the Movie - Part 2 (The ABCs of Cinema)

And now a video by Evan Seitz representing movies in alphabetical order. If you can't figure them all out, don't worry. Other people have been at work, and the answers are all here. (Warning; there might be a bit of language).


ABCinema from Evan Seitz on Vimeo.

Guess the Movie - Part 1

See if you can guess the films on this poster by Stephen Wildish.

Look for the answers here.

Snowboarding at Night (Glowing Man)

This short film by Jacob Sutton shows a snowboarder in an LED suit snowboarding at night. I don't snowboard, but I have to admit that it looks pretty awesome (and kind of eerie). Nice music, too.


GLOWING MAN from Jacob Sutton on Vimeo.

Yes, It Actually Is Rocket Science (Rocket Science Explained in Just Over 5 Minutes)

After watching this "Minute Physics" video, you'll be able to entertain and inform (hopefully not bore) people at cocktail parties and family gatherings. And the next time someone says, "It's not rocket science," you'll know what rocket science actually entails.

For Fans of The Simpsons: Every Bart Simpson Chalkboard Quote (Up Until Today)

Just in case, you missed a few, here's the complete list of Bart Simpson Chalkboard Quotes (Mrs. Krabappel was quite inventive).

via

No, Not the Dark Room! (Interactive Video)

This interactive video will lead you through a series of other interactive videos (and some abuse as well). See if you can find your way out of the maze (I'm not sure there is one).



via Miss Cellania

This Must Be Why Fashions Keep Changing (Fab 1950s Spectacles)

All I have to do is watch this video and I feel positively thrilled that fashions die out over the years. As someone who has worn...um..."spectacles" for years, I had to laugh at some of the ones showcased in this old video. The audience looks a bit ill in parts, and the last pair of glasses modeled? Priceless.

Cute Puppy Time!

I've been writing about puppies lately, so it's time for some cute puppy photos (isn't any time the right time for cute puppies)?

via

A bit blurred, but still...

via

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I love puppy photos! And puppies! And kittens...and...

In the "You've Got to Be Kidding" Category (A Helium-Filled Edible Dessert Balloon)

I'm from Chicago, and this restaurant is supposed to be in Chicago, but I hadn't heard of it before.



via Laughing Squid

Cuteness Overload - Man in Bathrobe Chased by Pack of Puppies!

As someone in the comments on YouTube mentioned, it's hard to decide what's best, the adorable puppies or the screaming man in the bathrobe.

Temporal Distortion - See the Night Sky as You Never Have Before

This film by Randy Halverson and featuring the original music of Bear McCreary (of Battlestar Galactica fame, for one), is the result of thousands of 20-30 second exposures. What you are seeing is the Milky Way, Aurora and other phenomena, but as you could never see them with the naked eye.


Temporal Distortion from Randy Halverson on Vimeo.

8 Animal Misconceptions

Another from one of my favorites, C.G.P. Grey

But First...Things in Reverse

What can I say? When I was a kid, I was fascinated when film was run in reverse. I guess some of that fascination still holds true, because I enjoyed this cute film. It doesn't hurt that they've used the song Brazil as background music.

Lawn Mower Versus Sheep?

This commercial from the past (it looks like the 1960s) attempts to demonstrate why a Jacobsen lawn mower is better than a sheep.



via Miss Cellania

Read the Original Letters of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning

Wellesley College has partnered with Baylor University to digitize the original letters of the Brownings and make them available online in their original form beginning today, Valentine's Day. These love letters were written almost daily from January 1845 to September 1846 (when Elizabeth defied her father and eloped with Robert to Italy, she couldn't bear to leave the letters behind and took them with her. Her father disowned her and never spoke to her again).

Wellesley College even has the door from the Barrett house at 50 Wimpole Street, London, where Robert's letters to Elizabeth were slipped through the slot. More than forty years ago, a librarian at the college screwed the slot shut because students were slipping their own letters through in homage to the Brownings. There is some possibility that the slot will be reopened.

To  access the letters and read more, visit the Browning collection at Wellesley.

Choose Your Valentine Song - They're All Here

Medley maker Fredde Gredde put together a medley of popular love songs. If you can get past the fact that there are burning candles on the sofa, it's a nice collection.

Misery Bear Does Valentine's Day

Will Misery Bear find true love on this special day? Hmm, what do you think?

Ice, Ice, Baby (Ice Skating on the Amersterdam Canals)

For the first time in 15 years, the Amsterdam canals have frozen. It's time to get outside and have some fun! (The music is by Cinematic Orchestra)

Happy Valentine's Day!

This little video from two years ago pretty much says it all.

Make It Yourself - A Valentine's Day Project (and a Bonus Valentine Breakfast)

If you've forgotten the day and need something that looks pretty, here's a 3D valentine you can make.

via

Instructions at Popupology

And I couldn't resist adding this one in:

via

I hope everyone has a happy Valentine's Day!

A Billiard Table for the High Seas

This pool table is on a cruise ship (the "Radiance of the Seas:). As the ship moves, this gyroscopic table (operated by computers) self-adjusts so that the table is always level and the billiard balls don't roll around, even in bad weather.



via Viral Viral Videos

Make a Duct Tape Rose

It sounds a bit weird, but actually looks kind of cool.



via 22 Words

DIY Valentine's Day Cakes

You know how much I like the films of Tiger in a Jar. Here's one from a year ago.


diy valentine's cakes from tiger in a jar on Vimeo.

An Interactive Animation of Van Gogh's Starry Night

This digital version of Starry Night by artist Petros Vrellis was intriguing, even soothing. Note: it became much more interesting (to me) at the 1:40 mark when the interactive part kicked in.


Starry Night (interactive animation) from Petros Vrellis on Vimeo.

via The Daily What

Hot Guys Saying "I Love You"

The speed at which this happens may make you dizzy, but Valentine's Day is coming. Here is a short clip of men in films, each opening his heart to make someone's dream come true. (via Miss Cellania and PopSugar)

A Trip Back to 1957, Disneyland Style

Some clips of Disneyland that have never been seen (via the Disney History Institute).



Frankly, I have no desire to go back to 1957 (think of the inequality so many groups faced), but I do like history, so I found this to be a fun and interesting look at the way things were.

Why Pringle Sweaters Are Awesome!

Actually, I've never seen a Pringle sweater. They're made in Scotland, and when I was in Scotland (a long time ago), I didn't do much shopping. But this video from two years ago (via Miss Cellania) is charming and fun and funny. So now, I want one of those sweaters. Just because.

The Rhino is Escaping! The Rhino is Escaping!

Supposedly this is how the zookeepers and police at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo rehearse dealing with an escaped rhino in the event of an earthquake. Somehow this reminded me of the old Monty Python routine where they were learning how to defend themselves against a man with a giant banana.



via The Daily What

The Blog is One Year Old Today!

It's been such fun! Thank you to all the people on the Internet who provide such great material, and thank you to all of you who visit for coming back to see what's on the blog each day.



The candle in the video took 24 hours to burn, but time-lapse photography allows us to see it happen in 30 seconds.

A Bit of a Drab Day Around Here, So Let's Have Some Color!

No topic, just nice images

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A Remote Control Airplane's View of Scenic Germany

I wasn't sure I liked this at first, but I quickly got caught up in it. I especially liked being able to see all the guys on the ground controlling the plane.

Koyaanisqatsi (An Experiment in Speeding Up the Film)

If you've never seen the movie, Koyaanisqatsi,: Life Out of Balance, it was a 1982 film directed by Godfrey Reggio with haunting and hypnotic music by Phillip Glass. It's a beautiful film that demonstrates, without narration or dialogue, the relationship between man, nature and technology. Lovely as it is, we always thought of it as the solution to insomnia because I found it impossible to sit through all 82 minutes without my eyelids drooping. Here's the trailer.



Now Wyatt Hodgson has taken the film and sped it up so that it plays out in just over 5 minutes. He's added new music, too. The concept is interesting as an experiment, but despite the fact that I can't stay awake long enough to watch all of the original in one sitting, the pacing of the film and the music were such a part of the film that it loses something at the faster speed, I think. See what you think.


Balance Out of Life from Wyatt Hodgson on Vimeo.


Vimeo video via Miss Cellania

The Sea is Out to Get You and Make You Its Lunch - (Ice on the Sea)

Okay, that's not really true. This is the frozen sea, in Odessa, Ukraine. And it's a bit unworldly. I've walked across a frozen lake before (okay, I had to be coaxed to walk across Lake Geneva in Wisconsin, even when the ice was a foot thick, but it is a very deep lake, so I'm excusing myself for whimpering). And while I've heard the unnerving squeaking, creaking and crackling of the ice, I've never heard anything like this. But then, this is the sea, not just a lake.



via daily picks and flicks

The New Bourne Trailer (The Bourne Legacy)

Just because I like Jeremy Renner. He's great in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, by the way. Just saw it a couple of weeks ago.

The Man Who Lived on His Bike

This film by Guillaume Blanchet is a bit silly in places, but it's cute and clever too. And I totally love the music by Paul Maco and that the filmmaker dedicated it to his dad, Yves Blanchet. It was filmed in Montreal.


THE MAN WHO LIVED ON HIS BIKE from Guillaume Blanchet on Vimeo.

Not Your Typical "Gift from the Grandparents"

These grandparents do a blues number for their 18-year-old grandson's birthday. I'd love to have had a video of their grandson's reaction.

And Now for a Bit of Blog Magic (Or...Blog Mistakes)

Well, I just spent an inordinate amount of time the past two days composing a post on the Thorne miniatures meant for tomorrow and...ta da...I messed up and posted them today instead of tomorrow. Even worse, they showed up below a post that has been up all day. So, on the off chance that any of you may miss that post, I now direct you to a new post beneath the post on therapy dogs. It's the only easy way to solve the problem of fixing my mistake.

Therapy Dogs Help Wounded Soldiers

This is filmed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

The Thorne Miniatures

In Chicago, we're lucky to have the Art Institute, and at the Art Institute, along with all the Monets, Picassos, Van Goghs, Remingtons and Pollocks, is an exhibit called the Thorne Miniature Rooms. These were always my favorite when I was growing up and still hold a place in my heart.

There are 68 of these miniature, dollhouse like rooms on display here (the scale is one inch to one foot). They were conceived by Mrs. James Ward Thorne (Narcissa Niblack, who at 19 married James Ward Thorne, an heir to the Montgomery Ward department store fortune). Constructed between 1932 and 1940 according to her specifications, these rooms are predominantly reproductions of European interiors from the 13th century to the 1930s and American interiors from the 17th century to the 1930s.

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Mrs. Thorne began collecting miniatures as a child, but after the first and second world wars when so many European families were in disarray, she began a more serious search for antique miniatures. Eventually, she commissioned artists and craftspeople. The rooms look, as someone said, a lot like theater sets (Orson Welles studied here and was said to have loved the Thorne rooms, possibly to have been influenced by them in the intricate sets of "Citizen Kane"). There are only 3 sides to each room, so adjustments had to be made for that, and even lighting is taken into account in the sets.

via

In 1933-34, the first of her rooms were displayed at the Chicago Century of progress, then at the 1939 and 1940 World's Fairs in San Francisco and New York and then on to tour several major cities. Thorne showed her creations to the Art Institute in 1940, and in 1954, they became a permanent display. They now have their own wing built just for them (renovations were done to the rooms in 1988). If you have the time, the Houston Chronicle pubished an excellent article on the Thorne rooms in 1996 that discusses the details of the rooms and what it takes to maintain and clean them. 

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The rooms I've shown here are from (as mentioned), the Art Institute in Chicago, but in addition to these 68, there are another 20 in the Phoenix Art Museum and 9 at the Knoxville Museum of Art. There are 3 others, but I can find no evidence that they are still on display. One was at the Indianapolis Children's Museum, one at the Kaye Miniature Museum in Los Angeles, which when it closed, donated its displays to the Naples Museum of Art in Florida, and one in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It depicts a library at Windsor Castle and was created as a gift for King Edward VIII. When he abdicated, it went into the museum. 

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I wish I could give you a better perspective of the size and how they're displayed, but the best I can do in this setting is to direct you to the images above that are framed with labeling beneath. These are picture frame sized and show a bit of how large the rooms are. Also, in the image below (I apologize for the blurring. I don't have a photo of my own...yet), you can see how the rooms are displayed at the Art Institute with the windows looking in to these miniature worlds. (At Christmas in 2010, they decided to begin a new tradition and decorate 6 rooms for the holidays, remaining true to the festivities of the particular place and time. I didn't know that. I'll have to check them out next Christmas). 

via

This video says that it shows the whole set of 68, but these are just the ones at the Art Institute in Chicago. For a quick viewing, these are fine, but to see the labeled works, here is the link to images of all 68 Thorne rooms at the Art Institute and an image of Narcissa Niblack Thorne. It's worth taking a look. The images are very crisp and clear and the rooms vary from the many American ones to a number of English period rooms to the French court of Louis XIV as well as rooms in Japan and China in the 1930s. 

And these are the ones at the Knoxville Museum of Art.



Here are links to the Thorne displays at the museums in Phoenix and Tennessee.

What Do You Do for Excitement When Your Town is Boring?

I always love fun town names. Someone mentioned this one.

via

I think my favorite part might have been when I Googled it to make sure it was real. This is what came up (sorry for the fuzzy screenshot). The Boring Volunteer Fire Company? 

Note: I'm sure it's a wonderful town. I'd love to know where the name come from. Is there mining in the area? Is it the last name of a founder? At any rate, there are loads of fun town names out there, all with their own unique histories. This one is pretty awesome, though. 

There's Nothing Like a Captive Audience

Tio Ner gives a concert for his 5-month-old quadruplet grand-nieces and nephews. (I love those little bucket seats)!

Happy 200th Birthday, Charles Dickens!

By now, I'm sure that if you've been on Google (and seen the latest Google Doodle) that you know that today is Charles Dicken's birthday. Here then, are ten facts about Dickens (my apologies for the Abe books banner across the bottom. Obviously, they made the video, so they get to advertise, but I found it a bit distracting).

In Case You Live in a Place Where You Seldom Get to See the Stars

This video, "A Year Under the Stars," by Nick Woolley, should satisfy your hunger. I especially liked watching the shooting stars zip across the sky and the star trails that begin mid-video.


A Year Under The Stars from Nick Woolley on Vimeo.

The Historic Turf Houses of Iceland

Turf houses (or sod houses, as we called them in the U.S.) were once built (at least here) when people lived in areas where there were few or no trees. They had their disadvantages. They were dark, there were bugs and sometimes other creatures nesting in the walls, the roof leaked when it rained and a little dirt might fall in your soup now and then. Some people improved them by putting newspaper on the walls, whitewashing the insides or even plastering the walls. Most often, these were temporary shelters, and once a family had access to lumber,  they built a new house and moved out of the soddie.

This one is in Nebraska. Often people would use oiled paper for the windows if they didn't have glass.

via

But sod houses are also very good at regulating the temperature, and today "green roofs" are being used more and more. And while sod houses have all but disappeared in the U.S., there are still some fine examples of turf houses in Iceland. They're no longer inhabited, but with the need for environmentally friendly building materials returning, they offer us good examples of a place to start.

Some of Iceland's Turf Houses. Read more about Iceland's Historic Turf Houses and see more images.

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Story link (above) via Miss Cellania

A Day Made of Glass 2 (Technology Around the Corner)

Earlier this year, I posted a short video titled A Day Made of Glass that showcased possible future technologies using glass. A few days ago, we saw another video about a man who decided to live without technology for a brief period of time. Now Corning has created a follow up video to A Day Made of Glass that explains the technology, including what's realistic now and what might be possible down the road. This time there's a narrator to explain everything we're seeing.

And Here's How You Wash an Airplane

It's a five-hour job done every six months. Quite a task.



via 22 Words

La Maison en Petits Cubes (An Award Winning Animated Short Film)

La Maison en Petits Cubes (The House of Small Cubes) by Kunio Katou took home the Oscar in the Best Animated Short Film Category at the 81st Academy Awards in 2009. Such a sweetly sad and touching film!


La Maison en Petits Cubes from istever on Vimeo.

Library Hotel in New York (A Hotel with a Book Theme)

I've never visited this hotel, but I want to. The entire hotel is set up around books and the Dewey Decimal System, so there are books everywhere and each guest room is differerent.

The Astronomy room

The Native American Religion Room

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Sign outside the fairy Tale room

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Sign Outside the Performing Arts Room

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The Reading Room

 

 The Writer's Den/Bookmark Lounge

Lobby

(All images not credited are from The Library Hotel website)

A short video about the hotel

Folding and Packing a Suit

I know that this is a bit of an odd video for this blog, but I've never actually seen anyone fold a suit and pack it in a plastic bag. I want this man to come and pack all my clothes when I travel. He's good!

Furniture from Wooden Pallets

Young people or people who are on a budget might not want or be able to spend a lot of money on furniture. Some innovative types have come up with ways to use wooden pallets for furniture.

Image by pierrevedal

Image by prizepony

Image by Jonas Design & Photography

Image by Dunk the Funk

Image by pierrevedel

Story via The Presurfer. See more pallet furniture here. 

That's a Lot of Water-Skiers Being Pulled by One Boat

145 of them, and that's a new world record

This Must Be the Place (Prime Burger Restaurant in Midtown Manhattan)

This short film, produced and directed by Ben Wu and David Usui of Lost & Found Films is part of the This Must Be the Place series. Prime Burger opened in 1938 and is still in operation.


PRIME from thismustbetheplace on Vimeo.

From the Vimeo Site:
"Prime Burger Restaurant, in Midtown Manhattan
For many of the guys that work here, the restaurant is like a second home - some of them have been slinging burgers, making shakes, and waiting on customers at this location for decades. Opened in 1938, the place hasn't been altered since the early '60s, and it looks all the better for it.

Here the waiters and workers of Prime Burger discuss their views on their chosen profession, and the unique nature of the place itself.

THIS MUST BE THE PLACE

There's no place like home. It's where we live, work and dream. It's our sanctuary and our refuge. We can love them or hate them. It can be just for the night or for the rest of our lives. But whoever we may be, we all have a place we call home.

THIS MUST BE THE PLACE is a series of short films that explore the idea of home, or places that function as home - workplaces, hang out spots, etc. We want to figure out what makes them, how they represent us, why we need them."

via Nag on the Lake

Custom Boots - Have it Your Way

Yesterday I posted a video (making Louis Vuitton shoes) that had been making the rounds, but I find this even more interesting. Limmer & Sons Custom Shoemakers in New Hampshire in the US is into its 5th generation of custom bootmaking. Fascinating stuff (to me at least).

Limmer Custom Shoes Intervale New Hampshire

This is What It Looks Like When 42 St. Bernards Go for a Walk

This is from a kennel, Lasquite's Reg St. Bernards, on Lasqueti Island, BC Canada. They took all the dogs on a walk on the bluffs to run and play off leash. The child is the owner's 2-year-old son.

A Montage of the Films Nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture

I've only seen two of these so far, so I have no idea what might win.


Montage of the 2011 Oscar Best Picture Nominees from Dustin Martin on Vimeo.

Top 10 Bizarre Facts About the Superbowl

Just in case you were curious.

Bizarre Facts About the Super Bowl

Really Patient Dogs

Not new but kind of cute

A Waterfall and a Restaurant All in One

Villa Escudero, a restaurant in the Phillipines, is located next to a waterfall with water running over the diners' feet.

Image by yoodz

Check out more information about the waterfall restaurant along with more images (and a video).

via The Presurfer

How It's Done: Making a Louis Vitton Shoe

I don't own any designer shoes, but I love watching artisans at work and seeing the process.



via wimp.com

Happy Birthday, Elmo!

February 3rd is Elmo's birthday. He's been on Sesame Street since the 1970's, but he's perpetually 3-1/2 years old.

Yes, It's a Commercial, But...

It's a very clever one. My apologies for so many ads of late. I'm sure they'll tail off after the Superbowl, but for now, I'm just having a little fun. I'll try to do some more heavily researched posts after I get this book out the door.

Happy Groundhog Day!

Okay, I had to give in and do it. I did always like this movie, so here's the trailer.

I'm Taking This Man with Me the Next Time I Visit the Drive-thru

It would add a little fun to the experience.

90 Days Without A Phone or Social Networking

I wasn't overly fond of the title of this video, and yes, I do get the irony of a video about going without technology appearing on a blog pretty much dedicated to (and dependent on) technology, but I always find it interesting and intriguing when people simplify their lives and swim against the tide.

Momentos - An Award-Winning Short Film

This short film by Nuno Rocha was a bit of a slow starter for me and I almost stopped watching, but...at about the 2:13 mark things start happening that are worth waiting for. (The concept of this film, according to the filmmaker and director is "Life's Good.")


MOMENTOS from Nuno Rocha on Vimeo.

AWARDS:

Cinematic Achievement Award - Thess International Short Film Festival - Greece

Audience Award - Honfleur Film Festival - France

Best Short and Audience Award - Arouca Film Festival - Portugal

Audience Award - Naoussa International Film Festival - Greece

Audience Award - Opuzen Film Festival - Croatia

Audience Award - Enfoque Film Festival - Puerto Rico

A Montage of Movie Proposals

Just a little sentiment to make the day a bit brighter.



Sorry that I don't have a list of the movies shown here. I do recognize some of them (but then you probably do, too).

2012 Cute Doggie Superbowl Commercial

...and Darth Vader, too. How can you miss?

"When I was Your Age.."

This image appears to come from Shirtwoot, which operates on a very interesting concept (as far as I can tell, people vote for ideas and the most popular ones get sold as shirts...while they're popular. When they're no longer popular, other shirts take their place. Someone correct me if I'm wrong about the process).

via Miss Cellania

One Man A Cappella Cover of the Simpsons Theme

Nick McKaig does all the parts (and does it well).

History of the Academy Awards

Lots of Oscar talk since the nominations were announced last week. Here's a bit of history about the awards.

Time Lapse Balloon Launch

Lovely, and I always like it when they play that music. It carries me away to another world.

A Treehouse Vacation in Cost Rica

I'm not sure this is my kind of vacation, but I can see the appeal.