War Horse Puppets

Amazingly life-like puppets.  The first time I saw a clip of the production I couldn't quite work out whether I was looking at a real horse or not.

Do they "wow" you?

McDonalds Advert

Taking a headache tablet before going to bed is a strategy that could reduce the hangover that generally follows a night of drinking. This advert suggests that eating a McDonalds' burger could have a similar effect.  Because a Big Mac is "more than just a burger".  I think it's a beautiful image (and therefore very clever). 

Does it "wow" you?

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Vibro-wind

Turbines are expensive to build, noisy, big, and they kill birds. Perhaps these pad panels would be better suited to generating electricity from the wind.

The wind panels are the brainchild of Francis Moon, a professor of mechanical engineering at Cornell University. He created a panel of 25 pads that oscillate in the wind, much the way leaves vibrate when a gust of air sifts through a tree. The pads attach to piezoelectric materials that produce electricity from each vibration.




Artist Jack Featherstone

These paintings by Jack Featherstone were painted on pieces of bark.  The photos look like puddled paintings on the wall, but I suspect seeing the paintings themselves is very different.  Either way, the painted worlds look like they live within the shapes of the bark.  Why do most artists paint within straight lines?

Do the paintings wow you?


Photos

Sloan Digital Sky Survey (Data Release 8)

Even if you're not particularly interested in astronomy, make some time to have a look at the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's latest release. This 17second video gives a taste of the detail of the picture they've compiled of the universe around us. And it's available to the public (point and click jpg: SkyServer Navigate).

The great purple blob is a map made up of all the objects on the picture (stars, planets, you name it), the ribbons are a steams of pictures taken by the observatory.

Bodegas Ysios (Álava, Spain)

Bodegas Ysios was designed by the award-winning architect Santiago Calatrava in 2001.  The building covers 8,000 square metres and was created to accomodate the precise and rigorous program of spaces needed to make, store and sell wine.  It also serves as icon for the Bodegas and Bebidas group's prestigeous new wine "la Rioja Alavesa".

Source Picture

Some peoples' feet smell of cheese...

At the same time I discovered the "glove shoes", I also bumped into these.  What would you think if you noticed someone wearing them?  Do they "wow" you?


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FiveFingered Shoes?

A company called Vibram makes shoes with individual spaces for each of your toes.  They're called "FiveFingers" or "glove shoes".  They strike me as being rather cheerful.  What do you think?


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Desert Chair

I'm not sure that artist Nadia Utto's Desert For One from her Eco-Chairs collection is one that you'd want to lean back and relax in, but, each taking a month to sculpt, they're made to be (otherwise) practical and to last.  The cacti and plants are real, with a drain to prevent build-up of water.  And the right arm features a cocktail holder!

Did she capture your view of a desert oasis?

Mushroom LED Lamps

Created by a Japanese artist known as "The Great Mushrooming", these LED lights "sprouting" from found driftwood/salvaged lumber are a great idea.  Unfortunately unless you live in or visit Japan, you won't be able to buy one as the artist thinks they are far too brittle for shipping.

"Wow"?