If you're one of those people who goes around correcting the grammar, spelling and word usage of others, take heed: you may want to double-check those "hard and fast" rules. Author Lauren Davis wrote an article for i09 in which she discusses ten often corrected "mistakes" that are subjective at worst. Let's take ending a sentence with a preposition, for example. Davis has this to say about that grammatical situation,

"There's a cheeky sentence on the matter that is frequently (and apocryphally) attributed to Winston Churchill: "This is the sort of bloody nonsense up with which I will not put." Soanes offers four examples of when it is perfectly alright (and perhaps even preferable) to end one's sentence with a preposition:

-passive structures (she enjoys being fussed over)
-relative clauses (they must be convinced of the commitment that they are taking on)
-infinitive structures (Tom had no-one to play with)
-questions beginning with who, where, what, etc. (what music are you interested in?)

Fogarty adds that the one case in which you want to avoid ending a sentence with a preposition, at least in formal writing, is when the meaning of the sentence doesn't change when you drop the preposition, e.g. "Where are you going?" instead of "Where are you going to?" But in informal spoken English, you will see such phrases, especially in certain dialects."

Here you have it: an apocryphal graphic quotation at top and some schooling underneath.  Read the rest of Davis' article here.


-Via i09 | Image: Lifehack Quotes

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What could be the reason behind some of these playground equipment designs and paint jobs? I can't imagine that the people responsible for these inappropriate playthings are unaware of their questionable nature. Is it a similar situation as Brad Pitt's behavior while working as a projectionist in Fight Club? I suppose we'll never know. -Via Viral Nova

 Image: Imgur

Image: Imgur

Image: George Veltchev

So many animal species have familial bonds that, in their own ways, are equal the strength of ours. In a sense they are more intense than ours, in that humans rarely are forced to defend the lives of their family members in the face of predators looking to kill them. Whether protective and loving behaviors among animals are the result of instinct, emotional attachment or both, evidence of it abounds, and it makes for sweet photographs and in-person observations.

See more photographs from this collection here.  

Image: Daniel Cadieux

Image: Lina D.

Image: Marina Cano

It's common for people whose loved ones request cremation to spread their ashes in a place they loved after they pass. Sometimes the deceased will request a place for their ashes to be spread prior to their death. In other circumstances, people have urns placed in mausoleums. Or they may keep the urn in their home. 

The Swiss company Algordanza has another proposal: they will take the cremains of your loved ones and make them into diamonds. The company filters carbon out of cremains and creates a diamond with the extracted material. According to their website, the starting cost is approximately $4,461 USD, 

"The starting price of an Algordanza Memorial Diamond is in line with a traditional burial and the mandatory maintenance of the grave site.

A single diamond with no additional service is available from (Swiss Franc) CHF 4'259.  The final cost varies according to the desired carat weight and cut.

We would be pleased to send you our information brochure and a current price list."

Readers, what do you think? Creepy? Lovely tribute? Other? Weigh in your opinion in comments. 

Images: Algordanza | -Via Bored Panda 

 
 

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Animals don't get much more relaxed or content than these two. This cat and chihuahua are cuddled up together and the cat seems just as blissed out grooming the chihuahua as the chihuahua looks to receive the treatment. This pair obviously didn't receive the "cats and dogs don't get along" memo. -Via Tastefully Offensive

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CineFix selects their picks for the best slow-motion movie shots of all time. As they count down, they offer explanations and background stories of how iconic clips were made, such as Tarantino's oft-imitated shot of the characters walking toward the camera in Reservoir Dogs. Which is your favorite? Do you think they left anything out that deserved to be there? -Via Tastefully Offensive

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This eerie film short called "Tuck Me In" by Ignacio F. Rodó is this year's winner of the international one-minute film festival, Filminute. The competition and festival features the winners, each having been selected by jury. Much like writing contests in which all entries must be 100 (or similarly few) words, entrants are challenged to make every film second (or word) meaningful in terms of creating atmosphere or furthering the story.

Watch the Filminute runners up and viewer's choice award winners here. -Via Twisted Sifter

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This precious baby bulldog makes his best attempt at a howl, but certain factors stand in his way. The first is a puppies' perpetual sleepiness. He almost falls asleep during one attempt. The second obstacle is that he's too little and his vocal chords aren't quite prepared for a full-fledged howl just yet. Give it time, puppy! -Via Tastefully Offensive

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Have you ever had anyone warn you not to stand near the microwave as it is cooking? Watch as Mental Floss takes on the often heard warning, particularly in media presentations. Is it a wives' tale or not? -Via Laughing Squid

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In this footage, a toddler at poolside throws a ball back and forth with a dolphin, who seems to enjoy fetching the ball and throwing it back to him. -Via Arbroath

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In 2008, Stephen King partnered with Marvel Comics to publicize a short story collection in the form of graphic video episodes, which were adapted from his novella “N.” The video link above includes all 25 episodes. Time magazine describes N as being “about a psychologist whose obsessive-compulsive patient is entranced by a mysterious plot of land.” Stephen King says it is “kind of a video comic book.”

The link below is a Stephen King audio book called "One for the Road," which is a short story from his collection Night Shift. The well-written vampire story is read by actor John Glover.

See more links to Stephen King works here. 

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Web comic artist Liz Climo's delightful take on life (previously at Neatorama) features her adorable animal characters cleverly expressing themselves. Climo, an animator for The Simpsons, has a popular Tumblr site. Climo described in an interview how she draws inspiration from her work on The Simpsons:

I actually get a lot of ideas for my comics from my job at The Simpsons, but not in the way some might think. I work with a lot of funny, interesting people, and my interactions with them on a daily basis give me a lot of ideas. Also, I grew up watching the show, so the humor, especially in the early seasons, really helped shape my sense of what I find funny."

In the panels shown here, Climo celebrates Halloween via her characters, which, though animals, are remarkably relatable. 

Mental Floss put together a list of five bodies that were found remarkably preserved long after their deaths. The photo above is of Lady Xin Zhui, also known as Marquise of Dai. She was the pampered wife of a Chinese nobleman, the Marquis of Dai, who lived during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE).

Lady Xin Zhui enjoyed the perks of her station in life, including a band of musicians that played at her whim, access to foods such as a variety of meats that were reserved for royalty and the powerful, silk clothing, cosmetics and other extravagances. Her life of excess — in addition to a spinal problem that kept her sedentary — led to her becoming obese and dying by heart attack in 163 BCE. She was approximately fifty years of age.

When Lady Xin Zhui's tomb was discovered in 1971, people were shocked at the condition of her corpse. Her skin was soft and dewy; her joints easily flexed. After more than 2000 years of being buried, Lady Xin Zhui was incredibly well preserved, and experts remain unsure as to why.

Read about four other cases of bodies that somehow survived the normal rate of decomposition here.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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This ring-tailed coati named Elvis isn't satisfied with just a little bit of petting by his human, and he's not afraid to express it. Over and over. I get it, Elvis. Sometimes we all need extra love. -Via Tastefully Offensive

Adding herbs and spices to your culinary efforts can do wonders in the way of bringing out the flavors of their ingredients. While the words "herbs" and "spices" are often used interchangably, the herb refers to leafy portions of the plant, and spices are the product of any other part. Many are easy to grow at home; starting from seeds or a small plant can save money and add to your homemade dishes and salads. For those who are interested in honing their cooking skills or getting a better grasp of the flavors of herbs and spices, this guide created by Cooksmarts.com is a good foundation. -Via Design Taxi