The Prism coffee table, designed by Maurie Novak of MN Design in Melbourne, Australia, is an absolute stunner. The stainless steel frame surrounds strands of brightly colored, loosely woven elastic, perfectly visible through the clear glass top. Like a true prism, one's vantage point determines each unique, beautiful view. Visit the MN Design website to learn more. -Via Lost at E Minor.
Images: MN Design
Lisa Marcus's Blog Posts
Aish at Disney's New Groove posted this chart of Disney movies in chronological order according to their historical settings. She posted it with the following note:
"(Excludes most of the package films. Some films, eg The Lion King, are impossible to pin down exactly and some, like Aladdin and Treasure Planet, are anachronistic, so these are estimations. A few have been split into 2 if there is more than one time period in the movie, and sequels have been put together.)"
What do you think? -Via Geeks are Sexy.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is largely considered to be a movie classic; a cautionary tale about ill-mannered children, among other things. While the story occasionally dips into darker territory, such as the harsh punishments for the childrens' infractions, mostly the sweetness of Charlie's relationship with his grandfather and the happy ending keep the overall picture light.
Yet amazingly, the principals in one of the darkest chapters in history— Hitler and the Nazi party — affected not only the casting of the film, but supplied one minor cast member.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was shot in Munich, Germany in 1970, almost 25 years after the fall of the Nazis. The producers and director wanted to cast dwarves as the Oompa Loompas, but they soon learned that their plan would be problematic. There were few dwarves left in Germany due to Hitler's wartime policy of murdering people born with birth defects which, according to his demented mind, meant all manner of people, including dwarves. There were so few dwarves to be found locally that when it came time to cast the film, the casting director was forced to search all across Europe. Many of the little people eventually hired were not professional actors and therefore could not dance or sing. In fact, even in the final cut of the film, some of the Oompa Loompas appear not to be singing or not to know the words of the songs. This was because a number of them couldn't speak English.
More bizarre is the announcement in the film, via a television news report, that the last golden ticket has been located by a South American businessman (later to be revealed as a forgery). The photo that the news anchor holds up, supposedly of the businessman with the golden ticket, is of Hitler's real life personal secretary, Martin Boorman. Boorman was a top Nazi official, said to accompany Hitler everywhere he went.
Read more unsettling facts behind popular films here.
Images: IMDB, Paramount Pictures
Dog looks like Richard Branson
Bored Panda asked their readers to submit photos of dogs who look like someone (or something) else. Here are some of the submissions they received. There's the old adage that dogs begin to resemble their owners... but who could anticipate them looking like their owners' favorite venture capitalist, cartoon character or most oft-used bath towel? Are these people just seeing things? See the remaining photos to be the best judge.
Greyhound looks like Sid from Ice Age
Dog looks like Vladimir Putin
Dog looks like Dumbo the elephant
Pug looks like Jabba the Hutt
Shar Pei looks like a fluffy towel
In 1947, Life magazine challenged some of the top comic strip artists of the day to draw their iconic characters while blindfolded. It seemed reasonable that the artists, having drawn their characters so many times, might have established total muscle memory for the task.
While the results were said to be far under the expectations of those who suggested the blindfolded art challenge, to me they seem pretty much what I would expect. What do you think? -Via Dangerous Minds
This Belgian Malinois named Eteo is trained as a personal protection dog. But in his off hours, Eteo obviously likes to protect the rights of toddlers to go cruising (with occasional pit stops for bulldog greetings). -Via Tastefully Offensive.
These red panda cub twins were born on July 1st at Lincoln Zoo. The as yet unnamed cubs are a brother and sister, raised by zoo staff, as their mother was unable to care for them properly. According to the zoo's website, the female cub has a stuffed animal frog that she's quite fond of, and on which she naps regularly. The male likes to engage his sister in wrestling matches. What sweet faces on these little ones! They certainly made me smile. -Via Tastefully Offensive
In this video shot like a horror movie, unwitting Internet users are stalked by advertisements that, to their horror, just won't go away. If you've ever been mildly curious about a product in the margins that you clicked upon, only for it to return to haunt your peripheral vision, be forewarned that you may get goosebumps. -Via Tastefully Offensive.
In certain parts of the country, with the change of seasons comes leaves turning brilliant jewel tones and eventually falling to the ground. For homeowners, that means yard work. Thus begins the task of raking, leaf-blowing, and, in some neighborhoods, bagging for pickup.
Dogs also see additional demands on their time during the fall. According to the canine handbook, any dog who lives within reach of a leaf pile must romp through said leaf pile, or risk surrendering their dog card. This compilation shows a number of adorable puppies getting initiated in this vital ritual. Via Tastefully Offensive.
Israel
Falafel, pita chips, yogurt and cucumber sauce, greens.
These photos of school lunches from around the world provide a look at the typical foods served in those countries. School lunches in the United States are now regulated by the Healthy, Hunger Free Act of 2010, of which First Lady Michelle Obama was a proponent and President Obama signed into law. The new standards increase the amount of fruits and vegetables served, emphasize whole grains, require lowfat or nonfat milk, limit calories and reduce saturated fat and sodium. The standards were a response to the high level of obese individuals in the United States.
Conversely, France has the lowest rate of obesity in Europe. But their fried, carb-rich lunch, shown below, hints at the fact that their obesity rate doubled between the years 1995 and 2012, with the age group most affected being juveniles.
Yet a picture of one day's offerings is not representative of the nutrient content of the meals for the long term, nor can any valid finding be made from its evaluation. The photos are interesting to see, however.
Look at school lunches from a number of other countries here.
France
Fries, chicken nuggets, broccoli, bread, pasta salad, and a slice of cake.
United States
Turkey taco salad, mashed potatoes, peach cobbler, and iced tea.
Singapore
Meat, rice, vegetables and melon.
Czech Republic
Semolina and vegetable soup, beef with garlic, spinach and potato dumplings, orange.
Horsehead Nebula (IC 434)
Bill Snyder, USA
Each year, the Royal Observatory Greenwich accepts submissions from photographers worldwide for the Astronomy Photographer of the Year awards. A panel of judges selects the winners of four categories: Earth and Space, Our Solar System, Deep Space and Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year. Three special prizes are also awarded in the categories People and Space, Best Newcomer and Robotic Scope.
Some of the stunning photos chosen as winners are shown here. See all of the winning photographs here. -Via My Modern Met.
Ripples in a Pond
Alexandra Hart, UK
Coastal Stairways
Chris Murphy, New Zealand
Aurora over a Glacier Lagoon
James Woodend, UK
The Horsehead Nebula (IC 434)
Shishir and Shashank Dholakia, USA
England's Mary Anning, born in 1799, was a pioneer in the field of paleontology. Her family's property was near Lyme Regis, an area known for its wealth of Jurassic-era fossils.
Anning risked her life to recover fossils, as the area was suceptible to landslides, particularly in the winter months. The landslides would expose new fossils, but they posed a great danger to those who traversed the land. She lost her dog Trey in such a disaster.
Anning is credited with some important finds, including the first skeleton of a plesiosaur, among other firsts. Check out this SciShow video to understand how Mary Anning shaped the scientific study of fossils. -Via Laughing Squid.
Image: Yura Kaprosh
These fun captures of kitties in action are a great representation of the spirit of the species. Cats are nimble, graceful and capable of reaching impressive heights when they jump. Part of the fun of having a cat is their unpredictability; one never quite knows their next move. Kudos to the photographers who were quick enough to snap the shutter in time to catch these kitties in midair. See more photos here.
Image: Petros Mitropoulos
Image: Kemal Selimovic
Image: David Anton Asenslo
Image: reddit
Artist Robert DeJesus accepts photographs from the public and transforms them into these whimsical drawings in the style of anime, Disney and other animated characters. His drawings are done in pencil. Judging from the list of submission guidelines DeJesus has made, he must be getting a lot of requests. Visit DeJesus' Deviant Art site to request a commission or see additional drawings. Via Laughing Squid.
Older female elephant Faa Mai and baby Dok Mai share a joyful moment playing in the mud together at Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Sometimes it's the little things, for both animals and humans. Via Laughing Squid.
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