This past week in Scotland, Ireland and northern England, a rare natural phenomena colored the clouds with spectacular pastel rainbows, pleasing photographers and nature lovers alike. SOme lucky U.K. observers were treated to a positively beautiful bonus in the face of any negatives ushered in by Storm Henry. When the storm brought in a cold front, that air allowed for the formation of nacreous clouds.
Once the sun set, parts of U.K. could see the prismatic show visible only at that time, when ice crystals are carried upon jets of stratospheric air.
Santa Clara five-bedroom, ad devoid of interior shots: Yours for a mere $6,000 per night
Accusations of real estate sale and rental price gouging in cities with high or rapidly rising costs of living are frequently made in recent times. Not surprisingly, the Airbnb offerings in such cities are no strangers to those allegations. Throw in a temporary circumstance like the Super Bowl, and these shady practices can turn downright ludicrous on a dime.
Grab a few smiles at the expense of the Airbnb listings in the article linked below, which highlights some of the craziest prices for San Francisco accomodations during and around the time of Super Bowl 50. Some such crazy prices are also attached to curious details regarding the dwellings and deals in question.
For example, the article writer's examination of the listing pictured below concerns its Airbnb ad, which reads:
"No other apartment in San Francisco will you be provided with your own personal concierge on call 24 hrs during your stay I will take you wherever you need to go answer all your questions and needs, Pick up to and from airport and to and from game!"
The writer's response:
"Let’s see. A taxi from SFO to Alamo Square is about $55 each way. An Uber from Alamo Square to Levi’s Stadium is about $85 each way, but let’s assume there will be surge pricing and triple that. Total transportation costs for your weekend will be about $620.
But no other apartment in San Francisco offers all this:"
Lionsgate has announced their plans to make a film from the popular TV series MacGyver, which ran from 1985-1992 and starred Richard Dean Anderson and Dana Elcar. Sources said that the announcement wasn't heavy on detail, which was similar to their October 2015 announcement of a MacGyver TV series. The television show is intended to be a prequel of the 1980s series, in that it focuses on MacGyver as a mechanically crafty twentysomething.
If you're the type who is more interested in the commercials than the big game, this article with links to 20 Super Bowl commercials that have leaked in the past couple of days might save you a bit of time this evening. Who knows how you could take advantage of that extra time? Developing a personal relationship with party snacks is just one delicious suggestion.
Animal lovers, particularly those who treasure polar bears, may want to grab on to a sturdy surface prior to hitting play, due to possibility of serious swoon. This is Nora, the three-month-old polar bear cub at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (whom I've once featured previously at Neatorama before she was old and mobile enough to do much but look and sound adorable while sleeping).
Now a curious, roly poly bear-in-training, this clip shows Nora roaming around the off-display areas of her zoo home, having fun and attending to important tasks such as giving the sign that announces her moniker a little taste test. The cub's name was decided by a public vote, and is a combination of letters in the names of her parents, mother Aurora and father Nanuq. Nora will not be available to be seen by zoo visitors until her keepers are satistfied that she is emotionally and physically ready.
Learn more about and see additional video clips of Nora at the Facebook page of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. It's updated frequently, is well done and is worth the time for any animal enthusiast.
This footage illustrates how Thomas Anamun trained his dog Bentley to operate on a cleanliness level above most canines. When Bentley gets to the welcome mat at the entrance of his home, he stops to wipe his paws thoroughly before walking through the doorway. Once the pup decides his job is done, his presence inside the house is celebrated by an unnamed doggie companion of his at the top of the stairs. Good boy, Bentley, and welcome home! Via Tastefully Offensive
In an explanation that is hardly news to people who successfully work at keeping their bodies healthy and height/weight proportionate, this AsapSCIENCE clip provides information on the importance of diet vs. exercise in that vein. It's not which is more beneficial, it's a matter of practicality and the simple equation of necessary fuel vs. excess. Via Laughing Squid
When it comes to dentists, many people would likely prefer to forget that they exist as much as possible. That is, in between cleanings, pretend the industry is just a bad dream you have once or twice a year.
But for those that want to "bite the bullet," there are a few dentistry industry secrets of which it might benefit us to be cognizant. For instance, is anything in the office particularly germy? As a matter of fact,
13. THOSE BIB CLIPS MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIRTY.
Hygienists take great care to prepare examination rooms both before and after each patient arrives. A recent study by Tufts University, however, indicates that the bib clips used to keep those paper spit-catchers around your neck might not be fully sterile. Of 20 clips the researchers tested after use, 40 percent retained aerobic bacteria and 70 percent retained anaerobic bacteria even after disinfection. The study recommends that the industry consider disposable clips.
11. The word “artisan” just thrown in at random throughout the menu
Let's say you find yourself on vacation, walking hungrily through the streets of a trendy district. You're in the mood for... a small plate of something. Maybe some childhood comfort food updated with edible flowers and shaved Brussels sprouts, artfully woven into place by an intense man with an equally intense beard.
Suffice it to say if the above is what you're hankerin' for, you'll need to know the sure signs of a hipster establishment. One in which an egg isn't good enough. It's where you'll only find fresh farm eggs from free range chicksters.
The Faux Cheval Burger | Image and recipe: O&O Eats
As game day approaches, some of us are hosting friends and family and whipping up an appetizing spread for buffet tables. Others have been asked to bring a dish to contribute to gatherings hosted by friends. Such buffet offerings are a highlight of parties like these, both for people who love sports and, especially, for their spouses or children who have limited interest in them.
One dish that's a winner with many is a juicy burger. While some people have developed their own unique methods for burger making, those who haven't cannot go wrong with a well-executed knock off of a beloved chain burger. Something realiably scrumptious, such as Shake Shack. The linked article contains recipe imitations of burgers from Shake Shack, Red Robin, Au Cheval, Smashburger and more. Give it a look and see if there's a juicy temptation for you within.
The "Fake Shack" Shake Shack Burger | Image and recipe: Smitten Kitchen
If you're a modern art lover and haven't visited the Salvador Dalí museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, I recommend the experience. Not only is the building an impressive, unique example of modern architecture, but it houses the artist's most famous works, superior to the display at the Dalí museum in Figueres, Spain.
For the St. Petersburg museum's latest draw, they've teamed with Disney to present “Disney & Dalí: Architects of the Imagination.“ Visitors will be presented with "Dreams of Dalí," an immersive virtual reality tour inside his famous painting Archeological Reminiscence of Millet’s Angelus, by way of an Oculus Rift headset. As a bonus to people like me who love the music of the Pixies, the clip above is set to an appealing classical imagining of "Where is My Mind," performed by Maxence Cyrin from the albumNovö Piano.
Meanwhile in Australia, where people with charming accents are about to be killed by All of The Things, a storm is blowing in. In this NSFW-clip-due-to-profanities-shouted-by-two-nearly-lighting-struck dudes, Nick and Daniel are at Sydney's Oyster Bay. They've just spent the majority of ten minutes deciding not to take their boat out because they could "feel the static" of the impending electrical storm. Just then, they get confirmation of their decision by one Mother Nature. Learn more and see additional video at Yahoo7News Australia.
You're THE Girl I'd Like to Run Down With My Pre-Safety Features Death Trap of an Auto!
It's not uncommon to hear conversations among young parents about how the children of today have to be much better supervised and kept from walking around independently, due to the sheer numbers of wackos walking the streets. That is, compared to when the parents were young... when there was only the one stray wacko in town, and everyone knew who he/she was, and they were kinda lovably wacko.
Nothing Says Lovin' Like an Easily Hidden, Sharp Stabbing Implement, Sweetheart!
If that's true, what is up with all of the creepers on these vintage valentine cards? They seem to be in posession of every deadly weapon imaginable, not to mention having rosy cheeks, puckered red lips and the air of being ready to strike at any moment, Chickadee.
While my description is tongue-in-cheek, even stripped down to the bare images, the creeptastic remains. So happy Valentine's Day, kids. Don't forget your fireproof activewear and protective chain-mail undergarments!
Marcus Montgomery is a police officer with the Fort Walton Beach, Florida police department. When a situation regarding a prior employee arose at the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Montgomery went to the facility to make sure everything was in order. Montgomery told BuzzFeed,
“We spoke for about 20 minutes and I was wrapping up my investigation. One of the supervisors left, and while I was still speaking to the director of PAWS, the supervisor came back in with this little puppy in her hands. You could tell he’d been sleeping because his eyes were heavy and he was yawning constantly.”
Montgomery said he “immediately” asked to hold the puppy. He soon found out that the pup had just been plucked from a box on the other side of the building, and due to being all alone in the box, he had been crying.
When Montgomery heard that information it was, as they say, "all she wrote." The cop decided right then and there to take the pup home that night where he lives with his girlfriend and a pitbull rescue named Vader, who was long desirous of canine companionship.
Now? We have Vader and Kylo, as seen below. Living, loving and napping. Navigating the dark side together, as a pair of close pals are wont to do.
A three-day-old calf named Chewbacca got an early lesson in the dangers of winter when he slipped in between the planks of a wooden fence and escaped from his enclosure, later stranding himself on a pond covered with thin ice. But Chewbacca, a resident of Hope, Indiana, was saved by the quick action of his owner Kevin Mahoney, who enlisted the help of his local police department when the rope with which he first tried to rescue the calf was too short.
After the police arrived with a rope long enough to pull the calf to safety, Chewbacca's anxious mama made the adorable move of jumping over a barrier to get her to her baby. She had waited long enough to warm and comfort the little calf, and took the tail end of the rescue into her own hooves. Via Arbroath
