It started out as a simple picture post, then the comment thread went in a different direction and became something special. Redditor gxace has fingers that don't bend, so he does not have the wrinkles on the inside of his knuckles that the rest of us have. That was mildly interesting, but then someone asked, "How did you take that picture?"
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Veronica's bookcase elegantly displays the beauty of the written word and the reading life. She writes:
My apartment is quite small and I am lawyer so I have to read a lot. I really enjoy it,and didn't want to have the typical 50 inch tv on my living room wall...
I needed a library but it had to be different, so I made one inspired by a mandala. I think the carpenter did a great job, exactly what I designed!
Oh, no, it's not just one platoon marching on one occasion while chanting out the theme song of SpongeBob SquarePants. As you can see from this compilation video, it's a really popular marching song in the Russian military. Bikini Bottom is now well defended.
-via Yababoon
Artist Phil Postma saw the many Pixar/Marvel mashups done after the announcement that Disney was buying Marvel comics. And then he went to work to do more of them, and better. The results are quite faithful to the Pixar style while well illustrating Marvel super heroes and villains. Notice how Catwoman bears a strong resemblance to Colette Tatou of Ratatouille. Peter Parker reminds me of Alfredo Linguini-Gusteau. The redhead looks familiar, too. Link -via Unreality
Bill Gekas, an internationally award-winning photographer, feels inspired by the visual ambiances of the Old Masters of Western European painting, particular Vemeer and Rembrandt. He duplicated them magificently in a photo series that includes his daughter and himself:
Using various models, including his five-year-old daughter, Gekas has brilliantly re-imagined the masters, replicating the lighting style for which they are famous. The so-called Rembrandt lighting is characterised by strong window light falling on one side of the subject's face and body, producing shadows amid a rich glow. Gekas uses artificial light to simulate the admired window-lighting effect.
Gallery, Photographer's Website and News Story -via American Digest
Chess, the great game of simulated warfare, has existed for 1500 years and, according to science fiction, will command humanity's intellectual attraction for at least hundreds more. Standard chess is plenty of fun, but why not mix it up? Here are twelve variations of the game that you might not know about.
1. 3RD Millennium Chess is played on a single board, but one that's been wrapped into a cylinder. To make it even more complex, knights can move in tandem. Players can move both knights together at the same time on the same square or split them apart for independent movement.
2. Chess Cubic, invented by Robert Bell, wraps a 96-square board around a cube. Kings, queens and bishops are sheltered by pawns, rooks and knights. Pawns are given two different colors to distinguish their directions of movement.
3. Rollerball Chess got its name from the dystopian science fiction movie of the same name. This variant, invented by Jean-Louis Cazaux in 1998, gives each side 2 pawns, 1 king, 2 rooks and 1 bishop. They move on a board resembling a rollerskating rink.
Supersleuth and Bathroom Reader Institute stalwart Jay Newman has a batch of simple yet compelling puzzles. See if you can figure them out before you peek at the answers!
(Image credit: Flickr user Giedre Zitkauskaite)
1. BRIGHT THINKING
Uncle John gave Amy this challenge: "In the hallway there are three light switches," he said. "And in the library there are three lamps. You may enter the library only once -the lamps must be turned off when you do. At no time until you enter can you can you open the door to see into the library. Your job is to figure out which switch corresponds to which lamp."
"Easy," said Amy.
How did she do it?
2. MYSTERY JOB
Brian works at a place with thousands of products, some of them very expensive. People take his products without paying for them -as many as they can carry- and then just walk out. All that Brian requests of his customers is that they keep their mouths shut.
Where does Brian woirk?
3. SIDE TO SIDE
Uncle John stood on one side of a river; his dog, Porter, stood on the opposite side. "Come here, Porter!" said Uncle John. Although there were no boats or bridges, Porter crossed the river without getting wet. How?
4. SPECIAL NUMBER
Math usually stumps Thom, but when Uncle John showed him this number, he knew right away what makes it unique. Do you?
8,549,176,320
5. TIME PIECES
"Everyone knows that the sundial is the timepiece with the fewest moving parts," Jay told Julia. "Do you know what timepiece has the most moving parts?" She did. Do you?
6. WORDPLAY
"Weird Nate sent me this list of words," said Uncle John. "He says there's something unusual about them. But what?" Jay figured it out. Can you?
revive, banana, grammar, voodoo, assess, potato, dresser, uneven
Continue reading if you are ready to check the answers.
Ah, that classic video game! Which is better, adulthood or childhood? Well, let me just share with you this bit of bad news: there are no cheat codes for adulthood.
Video Link -via Yababoon
Do you remember the British ad campaign that discourages immigration from Romania and Bulgaria? That peeved some Romanians. They responded with their own ads that encourage Britons to immigrate to Romania. That nation, the authors of the website Gandul claim, is a land filled with beautiful women, lovely roads and palatable food.
Link -via Marginal Revolution | Images: Gandul
The festival known as Up Helly Aa happens in Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland, on the last Tuesday in January, which was the 29th this year. The celebration is led by the elected Guizer Jarl, or head Viking, and his Jarl Squad, clad in different historic uniforms each year. The squad performs various ceremonial duties during the day, and at night the town's lights are turned off while they lead a procession of up to a thousand men carrying torches while thousands more watch. The public is not allowed to watch the end of the procession, in which the torches are used to ceremoniously burn a Viking galley. After the boat is burned, the guizers return to the village for parties and merrymaking. The festival began in the 1800s as rowdy street parties around Christmas evolved into more civilized rituals. A group of young men introduced the Viking theme into the celebrations around 1870. The oldest and biggest Up Helly Aa is at Lerwick, but other towns in Shetland carry on the rituals as well. There is yet no video of the 2013 fire procession on YouTube, but this report from the BBC from Tuesday gives you a good idea of what happened. Link -via the Presurfer
Is there intelligent life in TV's outer space? You decide.
"Is there anyone on this ship, who, even remotely, looks like Satan?" -Kirk
Tuvok: "The phaser beam would ricochet along an unpredictable path, possibly impacting our ship in the process."
Janeway: "All right, we won't try that."
"Mr. Spock, the women in your planet are logical. That's the only planet in the galaxy that can make that claim." -Kirk
"I'm a doctor, not an escalator." -McCoy
"I must say, there's nothing like the vacuum of space for preserving a handsome corpse." -Doctor
"I'm attempting to construct a mnemonic memory circuit, using stone knives and bearskins." -Spock
"The best diplomat I know is a fully-loaded phaser bank." -Scotty
"Mr. Neelix, do you think you could possibly behave a little less like yourself?" -Tuvok
"What am I, a doctor or a moon shuttle conductor?" -McCoy
"Time travel, from my first day on the job I promised myself I'd never let myself get caught up in one of those God-forsaken paradoxes. The future is the past; the past is the future. It all gives me a headache." -Janeway
"It's difficult to work in a group when you're omnipotent." -Q
Data: "Tell me, are you using a polymer-based neuro-relay to transmit organic nerve impulses to the central processor of my positronic net?"
Borg Queen: "Do you always talk this much?"
"The weak innocents …they always seem to be located on the natural invasion routes." -Kirk
"I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer." -McCoy
These quotes reminded me of a video. Continue reading to see it.
They say you have to kiss a lot of frogs till you find your prince. Or, you could skip the whole kissing and just get the Magic Frog to Prince from the NeatoShop. Just open the cap, fill with cold water, and watch the frog turn into a prince. If only everything in life were this simple.
Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more great Classic Toys and fantastic Valentine's Day gift ideas.
Be My Valentine Bib Bombshell Apron
Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Are you looking for the perfect apron to show off your flirty side? Don the Be My Valentine Bib Bombshell Apron from the NeatoShop. This fetching apron features a pocket and has adjustable ties at the waist and neck. It is practical and fun.
Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more great Aprons.
Are you looking to create the ultimate weapon against a warm beverage? Arm yourself with the Death Star Ice Cube Tray from the NeatoShop. This formidable tray makes an ice sphere in the shape of the Death Star. It makes a wonderful addition to your empire.
See more Star Wars Ice Trays. Buy one or collect all 7!
Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more fantastic Star Wars items.
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