Each year, U.K. site The Shiznit takes the current Oscar nominated movie poster art for a spin down the road of "brutal honesty." The result includes some amusing imaginary publicity posters that just may give readers the skinny on any films they would be interested in catching before the Oscars.
Be forewarned that the images include a liberal dose of humor that pushes the envelope (one of which "has a go" at the U.S.), and profanity. Visit the series in entirety here.
Today marks the opening of the latest dinosaur model exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History: the titanosaur. A report of the discovery of a titanosaur in Argentina, Dreadnoughtus, was featured previously at Neatorama. Now the exciting find has been fully excavated and its dimensions scanned to make the amazing model seen in this video. The model is so huge that it wasn't able to be fitted into a single room at the museum — at least 10 feet of it extends out the doorway!
Though 3D-printed with fiberglass, the weight of the model remained an issue due to its sheer size. Steel reinforcements had to be employed throughout the cast in order to keep the dinosaur’s long neck and tail stable and erect. Via Gizmodo
In this interesting photo series, artist Gesichtermix uses his significant image editing skills to flawlessly blend the faces of two celebrities into one image. The artist, who began the project in 2002, is continuing with the idea, and remarks how much easier it is to produce with today's technology.
In the resulting photographs, the two celebrity faces used to make the composites are not always obvious or easily recognizable. Also interesting is that two highly attractive faces, when combined, have the potential to be practically ugly.
Learn the names of the stars in the facial mashups shown here, as well as see many more photographs from the series at Gesichtermix's Instagram. You can also follow the artist on Facebook.
The Price is Right, with former host Bob Barker | Image: CBS Television
The Price is Right is more than just a long-running game show. At this point, it's a piece of somewhat kitschy Americana. From 1956 to present day, from Bill Cullen to Drew Carey, every generation of Americans has seen one of the show's incarnations since its inception.
Mental_floss has a list of trivia about the show that's a pleasant, "blast-from-the-past" sort of diversion. A few items follow; see the list in entirety here.
1. THE SHOW’S RATINGS IMPROVED WHEN BOB BARKER WENT GRAY.
In 1987, Barker had to get approval from the head of daytime programming to stop dyeing his hair, becoming one of the few TV hosts with gray hair. “I was prematurely gray,” Barkers told the Los Angeles Times. “I began to gray at my temples, and I guess it could be that technology at that time was not what it is today, but I didn’t look good. It looked like I had no hair at my temples, so they suggested I tint it.” Barker went on vacation and stopped tinting, and people complimented his gray locks so he decided to keep the look. “We taped ahead. So let’s say on the Wednesday show I had dark hair, but when we taped the next show I had gray hair, and that show aired on Thursday. I got a letter from a fellow who said, ‘Bob, you must have had one hell of a night.’
What else might have improved the ratings? Perhaps the following:
5. ONE TIME A CONTESTANT GOT SO EXCITED, HER TOP FELL OFF.
Before the term “wardrobe malfunction” was coined, a female contestant in 1977 had just that in the middle of an episode. When Yolanda was told to “come on down,” she got so excited that her tube top slipped and, for a brief second, revealed way more than is appropriate for a daytime game show. “She began jumping up and down and out they came,” Barker told Larry King about “the most talked about single incident in the history of the show.” When Yolanda finally got to her podium, Barker quipped, “I’ve never had a welcome like this.”
United States of Japan, Peter Tieryas, available March 1st (photo above)
Billed as a spiritual successor to Philip K. Dick’s Man in the High Castle, this novel depicts a future in which the United States has lost World War II. By the late 1980s, the Japanese Empire rules over the Western US with a fleet of giant mecha. When a video game emerges that depicts an alternate history, a government agent discovers some hard truths about his world.
Javelin Rain, Myke Cole, available March 29th
What happens when you bring a Navy SEAL back from the dead? Myke Cole’s novel Gemini Cell asked that question when Jim Schweitzer was resurrected using magic, to do the jobs that no living man could do. He’s escaped from the hands of the government, and he and his family are on the run from his former unit. Cole’s writing is engaging and exciting, and we can’t wait to devour the next installment of this series.
HEX, Thomas Olde Heuvelt, available April 26th
The town of Black Spring is haunted by a 17th Century ghost who enters people’s homes for nights on end. The town quarantines itself with high-tech surveillance to contain the curse, but when the town’s teenagers rebel, they risk spreading it far beyond the town limits. Thomas Olde Heuvelt recently won the Hugo Award, and we’re excited to finally read this novel in English.
Certain Dark Things, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, available October 25th (no cover photo yet available)
From what we’ve heard about this book, it involves Vampires and Mexico City. After reading Moreno-Garcia’s debut, Signal to Noise, that’s all we need to know.
Imagine, if you will, working with George Lucas on a new character for a film in the Star Wars franchise. During the project, you borrow key parts of your life and personality — including a character and voice that you use to read stories to the children in your family — as a basis for the character's template.
Then envision, once the film hits theatres, being subjected to a backlash over your character that is worse than any other in the franchise history. That is the story of actor Ahmed Best, who was heavily involved in the shaping of the Jar Jar Binks character.
In this interesting interview, Best talks about everything from the generally poor audience reaction to Jar Jar Binks, which he admits to taking personally, to meeting Michael Jackson and getting the cold shoulder from him over Issues de Jar Jar, and even the lollipop Jar Jar that went down in horrific movie merchandise history. Said Best,
"The worst one was a lollipop dispenser, that was ridiculous, I saw that thing and ran. That was bad, the head of marketing actually called me to apologize for that one."
This video, posted to the YouTube Channel of the Karhandla Gate Umred Wildlife Sanctuary located in the Nagpur district of the Maharashtra state of India, is presented without explanation. It isn't clear where the driver of the vehicle is (or is that him laying low in what appears to be the passenger seat?) and why the vehicle is stopped in the first place.
What is apparent is that the passengers inside this easily penetrated roofless Jeep are aware of the risk to their persons, as they heave sighs, whispers and uneasy giggles of relief when the tiger, initially interested in the side mirror, seems to back off and lose interest in further persuing the matter. Via Arbroath
Meanwhile over on Reddit, there's a recent thread that's full of tips (plus the odd Redditor "secret") from self-professed airline employees that has the potential to help passengers in the seemingly downward spiral known as modern air travel.
For example, one bit of information is an airline baggage handler's breakdown of the reasons bags get lost in "95% of cases"; two scenarios could conceivably be controlled (at least somewhat) by passengers.
Unsurprisingly, dogs aren't into flying. "If you checked your Dog there's about a 30% chance it's terrified before it even gets on the plane, who knows how scared it gets during the actual flight. Bag room agents will usually try to comfort a scared animal, but all we can really do is talk to it, so if you write your pet's name on their carrier it usually helps a lot." However, cats are chill-as-hell: "I've never seen a cat who was scared in the bag room, cats don't give a f**k."
Airlines operate differently in the air.
"An air traffic controller spills some secrets about how different airlines work once they get above the clouds: "One thing most people are surprised to hear is that it's absolutely true that certain airlines fly their planes differently. Southwest for example tends to climb like bats out of hell, and then request direct routing/shortcuts from us, since they're above most conflicting traffic. it's one of their signature tricks, and it usually works. This can cut significant time off the flight. American Airlines on the other hand tends to be gentle for efficiency and passenger comfort, and they always report chop and turbulence when other guys say it's smooth. Things like this are actually so profound, it can affect how we control traffic. You can usually count on guys like Southwest to climb and descend fast for you, for example."
In this adorable video filmed at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, a newborn sea otter drifts in and out of sleep in the comforting arms of her mother. Enjoy being babied while it lasts, little one!
Though the referring website mentions a drone, YouTuber Michael Delaney says he shot this footage of a writhing rattlesnake pit in Montana by attaching a GoPro camera to the end of a hockey stick. When the camera fell off the stick and deeper into the pit, Delaney used the other end to scoop it out.
That's a lot more than I would have done. Upon hearing the words "rattlesnake pit," I'd likely be sitting in the car jamming some good, rattle-and-hiss-free music, drinking a nice beverage, and halfheartedly toying with my camera, which is equipped with a telephoto lens for a reason. But that's why I don't have a YouTube channel, and if I did, no one would watch it. Via The Awesomer
Capture from the Changes One Bowie Cover Shoot, 1976 | Image: RCA
The world has lost one of its most esteemed musical and cultural influences in David Bowie, who died Sunday surrounded by family after an eighteen-month battle with cancer. He passed two days after turning 69 years of age. Bowie lived to see the release of his last album Blackstar, which dropped on his birthday, Friday, January 8, 2016.
David Bowie was far from being just a talented and revered musician and lyricist. He was widely regarded as a fearless visionary whose continually progressive thoughts on theater, image, literature, self-reinvention, sexuality, fashion, celebrity, culture and more were closely followed by the public as well as creatives and decision makers in all branches of the arts. From a New York Times article on David Bowie's passing:
Mr. Bowie wrote songs, above all, about being an outsider: an alien, a misfit, a sexual adventurer, a faraway astronaut. His music was always a mutable blend: rock, cabaret, jazz, and what he called "plastic soul," but it was suffused with genuine soul. He also captured the drama and longing of everyday life...
Mr. Bowie earned emulation and admiration across the musical spectrum: from rockers, balladeers, punks, hip-hop acts, creators of pop spectacles and even classical composers like Philip Glass, who based two symphonies on Mr. Bowie's albums "Low" and "Heroes."
Throughout Mr. Bowie's metamorphoses, he was always recognizable. His voice was widely imitated but always his own; his message was that there was always empathy beyond difference."
Rest in peace, David Bowie. You will be greatly missed.
Footage of the recently deceased great white prior to its death YouTube Link
Those who frequent public aquariums have likely encountered a number of shark species in captivity, with a major exception: Carcharodon carcharias, the great white. Because great white sharks must swim continually to keep their oxygen level and body temperature stable, keeping the species healthy in captivity hasn't historically been a viable option. The longest an aquarium kept a great white captive was a 200-day experimental stint at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, prior to a planned release back into the wild. That shark died before it could be released.
Another such unfortunate incident took place at an aquarium in southwestern Japan on Friday. A great white that was supposedly accidentally caught was secured by the aquarium, which tried to keep it at the facility. After only three days, the shark died. Its condition quickly deteriorated as soon as it was placed in an enclosure. The poor creature refused to eat and sank to the bottom of the tank before dying.
"It's purely 'climb the mountain' stuff: in the world of aquaria, where you bring in your clientele, the visitors, based on your attractions, it's an attraction you would have that nobody else would have."
These photos from Russian photographer Kristina Makeeva were shot in Moscow over the winter holidays, with the most recent captures being made just a few days ago. Makeeva focused on major monuments and spaces such as Red Square, the Kremlin and their surrounds, which are decorated with gorgeous light displays.
Makeeva takes the scenery to another level with her use and choice of exposure, soft focus, bokeh and posed elements. The results are views of Moscow as a veritable winter wonderland.
There were so many stunning shots from this series I found it difficult to select only a few. Photography, travel and Christmas decor enthusiasts shouldn't miss Makeeva's other captures from this project; check them out on Instagram. Fans can also follow Makeeva's work on Facebook and LiveJournal. Via My Modern Met
It's advice that has long been issued to young and old alike: "take time out to stop and smell the roses." Humans considered to be all too consumed by the often joyless circumstances of their busy lives are those who typically find the saying directed at them the most.
The beautiful animals pictured above and below don't need to be given such instructions. It's their instinct to pause and enjoy the things that please their five senses. People could do well to take after these animals and more frequently savor the simple pleasures.
This Australian shepherd named MeMe lived up to the extremely high intelligence level of her breed when she quickly rendered useless the "dog proof" design of the food container shown in this video, shot by her owner (who now apparently needs a new idea regarding dog food storage). Via Tastefully Offensive
