[ By Steve in Geography & Travel, History & Trivia, Science & Research. ]
On March 19, 2011 when the Moon loomed to its closest approach to Earth in almost 20 years, the usual gang of doomsayers spewed forth apocalyptic predictions while seeking to link the Extreme Supermoon event with recent natural disasters in New Zealand and Japan. While science has shown the Chicken Little’s laid a colossal egg, at least we were given a plethora of marvelous moon photos to swoon over.
Moon River, Wider than a Mile
(image via: Global Times)
With apologies to Johnny Mercer and Andy Williams, the March 19, 2011 extreme supermoon looked more than a mile wider than the average moon and actually WAS miles closer. Though the moon’s distance from the Earth (measured center to center) varies between 357,000 kilometers (222,000 mi) at perigee and 406,000 km (252,000 mi) at apogee due to the elliptic nature of the lunar orbit, the March 19 event saw our solitary satellite snuggle up to within a mere 356,577 km (221,572 mi). Since the average lunar perigee is 364,397 km (226,432 mi), on March 19 the moon was about 7,820 km (4,860 mi) closer to the earth. Above is the March 19 supermoon rising behind Berlin’s Funkturm radio and television tower.
(images via: Say To All and Ajorbahman’s Collection)
It gets even better. Supermoons are most notable when they occur at what astronomers call “perigee-syzygy”: a full or new moon that coincides with lunar perigee. While this in itself isn’t all that special (run of the mill supermoons occur 4 to 6 times a year), so-called “extreme supermoons” like this year’s one looming over Sofia, Bulgaria (above, top) are a different story.
(images via: Say To All, Global Times and Jano)
There have been 14 extreme supermoons since 1900 with the most recent occurring in 2005, 1993, 1992, 1990, 1975, 1974, 1972 and 1954. We can look forward to enjoying (weather permitting) future extreme supermoons in 2016, 2018, 2023, 2034 and 2036… so save the date, we’re brewin’ up some moonshine!
Here’s a short video primer on supermoons and supermoon-mania by some folks who know a thing or two about the moon… NASA:
ScienceCasts: Super Moon, via ScienceAtNASA
(image via: Wikipedia)
Numbers are all well and good but are these differences in distance actually noticeable from our Earthly vantage point? Indeed they are. The average full moon at perigee appears around 12 percent larger than an average non-perigee full moon. Supermoons, even more so. The difference is even greater for extreme supermoons such as the March 19, 2011 event as shown in the comparison split-screen image above. It’s estimated that the moon appeared 14 percent larger and was 30 percent brighter!
The Tides That Bind
(images via: Daily News Global, Frugal Cafe and Ajorbahman’s Collection))
For those of us on Earth (basically ALL of us, ISS-crew excepted), the moon’s gravitational force is most evident in the way it influences the tides. One might expect an extreme supermoon to induce some extreme tides, and indeed that’s the case though “extreme” is a relative term; up to 15 cm (6 in) depending on local conditions.
(images via: Celestia Screenshots Gallery, BBC and Will Barnes Online)
Tidal forces also affect land masses though not enough to be noticeable. That’s not the case on some of the solar system’s other heavenly bodies, specifically the moons which orbit large gas giant planets. These moons heat up from the constant stress and stretching; Jupiter’s moon Io is a leading example. Other moons affected by tidal forces are Enceladus (Saturn) and Triton (Neptune).
(images via: Gaia Souls, Free PSP Movies Portal and National Geographic)
Where we run into problems of speculation and extrapolation is when we try to apply marine tidal dynamics to land masses. The forces involved with plate tectonics and earthquakes are not affected by lunar tides, not to mention that old favorite of astrologers: the alignment of the planets.
(image via: Fast Company and Ajorbahman’s Collection))
Some attempts have been made to show causal relationships between the January 10, 2005 extreme supermoon and the December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia as well as the March 19, 2011 extreme supermoon and the March 11, 2011 Great Tohoku Kanto Earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Not so fast: it’s been proven unequivocally that “the 2011 Tohoku earthquake is the only destructive earthquake of 8.0 magnitude or greater to have occurred within 2 weeks of the 14 extreme supermoons from 1900 to the present date.”
“I’m Ready For My Closeup”
(images via: Ajorbahman’s Collection)
When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore! Or to be more precise, that’s an extreme supermoon! Hmm, maybe it’d sound better if Dino sang it. In any case, you may have noticed the vast majority of the photos that accompany articles on the supermoon feature the moon’s face hovering just above the horizon. There’s a good reason for that: supermoon or not, the moon just looks bigger when it’s rising or setting.
(images via: Spirit Voyage and Ajorbahman’s Collection)
It isn’t really bigger, of course. Our brain’s visual centers aren’t equipped to accurately judge the distance of objects, especially those as distant as the moon. Instead, we compare the relative sizes of objects sharing the same field of vision. A full moon riding high in the sky looks smaller than one rising up from behind a city skyline because there aren’t any visual cues for comparison – clouds and stars don’t count. The same theory can be applied to rising and setting suns.
(images via: EarthSky, Pat Dollard and Cosmos TV)
Everything said up to this point applies to supermoons seen by human beings – including our primitive ancestors. Go much farther back in time and a lot of what those aforementioned doomsayers have been saying takes on more than a glimmer of truth. That’s because the moon didn’t always orbit the Earth at its current, slightly variable distance. It used to be closer… a LOT closer.
(images via: German Aerospace Center, Ecogirl & Cosmoboy, Science Photo Library and Bob Willits)
Astronomers believe the moon was formed by a spectacular collision between the Earth and a Mars-sized rogue planetoid approximately 4.5 billion years ago, very early in the history of the solar system. The impactor slammed into the mostly molten proto-Earth, splashing a goodly glop of magma into space where it first became a Saturn-like ring before coalescing into the moon.
(image via: Science Photo Library)
The newborn moon orbited exceptionally close to the earth – approximately 25,500 km (15,845 mi) away. Imagine the tides a moon that close would raise on an Earth awash with oceans of magma! The moon continues to slowly spiral away from the Earth at a rate of about 3.8 cm (1.52 in) per year, thus making each future supermoon slightly less super than the one before.
Look Skywatchers!
(image via: ScriptingNews)
So you missed the 2011 extreme supermoon due to cloudy skies in your area; not to worry. There’ll be another one soon enough… well, 2016 isn’t that far away. Maybe you, like the future President of the United States, will be able to see it from your house. Hey, that’s no moon!
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(Images via: Field of Science)
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Living Off Land: 12 Amazing Houseboats & Floating Homes
[ By Steph in Art & Design, Home & Garden. ]
They come in all shapes and sizes, from traditional-looking homes that just happen to be floating on water to ultramodern houseboat concepts that look like they might be able to fly, too. Some are high-end, while others are cobbled together from reclaimed planes, trains and automobiles, proving that you don’t have to have a large budget to take your home to the high seas – or the lake, bay, river or canal.
Streamlined Wooden House Boat
(images via: contemporist)
Technically a house barge, since it can’t propel itself from one location to another, this home on the Eilbekkanal in Hamburg, Germany is warm, homey and modern with its curved wood exterior. Inside, the space is divided by a single spiraling wall that wraps around each successive space with public living areas on the exterior and private areas like the bedroom and bathroom on the interior.
‘Train Wreck’ Houseboat Made from Train Car
(image via: sfgate)
A repurposed train car forms the center of ‘Train Wreck’, an otherwise very house-like floating home at South Forty Dock in Sausalito, California. In a former life, it was a 50-foot-long, 120-year-old Pullman sleeper car. Owners Renee and Henry Baer cut it in half, split it into a ‘V’ shape and attached it to a 20-by-40-foot concrete hull.
Pink Shantyboat Made with a Bus
(image via: glassoffashion)
This is technically a ‘shantyboat’, but it looks more like a parade float that veered off into a marina. And hey, there’s a lot of trash in the world – why not put it to good use? Spotted on the River Adur in England, this houseboat clearly has an owner with a creative eye for recyclable materials. A bus and a washing machine are just two obvious elements included in the design.
Dubai Houseboat by X-Architects
(image via: archdaily)
Made from two catamaran beams, stainless steel and glass, this collaboration between X-ARchitects and designer Leen Vandaele is a crisp and modern home base in the Dubai marina. A terrace with a glass roof, reached by a spiral staircase, also acts as a sun deck.
Geometric Houseboat in Copenhagen
(image via: arnþór snær )
Spotted in Copenhagen in 2008, this highly unusual houseboat sports a geometric metal facade and what appears to be a secondary glassed-in structure for sunbathing.
Cosmic Muffin Boeing Houseboat
(image via: re-nest)
It started as a 1930s Boeing Stratoliner, owned by Howard Hughes. The tail and wings were cut off to transform it into the houseboat it is today, dubbed Cosmic Muffin and based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Floating House Inspired by Nature
(image via: environmental graffiti)
The curve of ocean waves just as they’re about to break inspired this elegant houseboat on the Willamette River in Oregon. Architect Robert Harvey Oshatz employed wood and plenty of glass for an organic feel. “I believe that every house has a sense of poetry to it, so what I wanted to do was design a house which would reflect the poetry of the movement of the river,” he said.
Solar-Powered Houseboat Concept
(image via: ecofriend)
If the Waterworld version of apocalyptic predictions ever comes to pass, this solar houseboat concept could be a relatively comfortable way to survive the chaos. Inspired by a fishing bobber, the house has a flotation belt and is half-submerged for stability even in the face of large waves. An upper-level garden grabs all those harsh rays of sunlight, which are also harvested for power.
Low-Budget Floating House
(images via: oldstersview, nau.edu)
You don’t have to have a lot of money to own your very own floating house. As these two images prove, low-budget houseboats are certainly possible, especially if you don’t care too much about aesthetics.
Three-Story Sausalito Houseboat
(image via: sfgate)
Houseboat living isn’t necessarily tiny living. This three-story, 4,000-square foot monster of a floating house in Sausalito definitely proves that even people who like to live large (literally) can have a home right on the water.
Modern Floating Home on Lake Union
(image via: archdaily)
With a limited allowable footprint and a request from the homeowners that the design be fitting both for living and entertaining, Vandeventer + Carlander Architects designed this floating home in Seattle to be versatile and elegant. At 2,824 square feet, it’s larger than many homes on land, and even has an 887-square-foot deck. Aluminum cladding, strategically placed windows and decks allowed the designers to achieve a look that is “visually interesting and coherent.”
Covey Island Boatworks Arctic Home
(images via: inhabitat)
Faced with harsh winter conditions, the Inuit have long taken shelter in upside-down boats. Inspired by this practice, Covey Island Boatworks has designed an extreme arctic home that puts a different spin on the word ‘houseboat’. Using the same construction methods and materials that make a boat lightweight, flexible and strong, the boat builders created this prefabricated off-grid structure specifically for use on dry land.
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Small Trees Grow in Haiti
Some 600 people in remote villages are harvesting seeds, planting trees and tending their own wood lots with CODEP. Communities — sometimes just a row of houses, sometimes families — volunteer together to improve their land in exchange for a small stipend and the chance at a house.
But even after five years, members of the growing cooperative must still contribute approximately $350 toward the house and earn points based on service.
It’s a startling incentive in the new post-earthquake Haiti, where aid groups have passed out nearly 40,000 transitional shelters over the past year. Shelters come with tin roofs, and the allure of getting one has drawn thousands of impoverished Haitians into Port-au-Prince, about two hours east of Leogane.
The U.N. Development Program, among others, has also injected hundreds of millions of dollars into “Cash-for-Work” programs, where day labor earns employees $5.
Since employees of CODEP don’t work every day, they don’t make as much. What they do earn, eventually, is ownership of the trees they grow. It’s not a job — it’s a living.
Beth
Mapping the Underworld: Digital 3D Cave Exploration
[ By Steph in Geography & Travel, History & Trivia, Technology & Gadgets. ]
Just under the surface of Nottingham, England, there’s hidden world ripe for exploration, from a 14th century dungeon that once reputedly held a king prisoner to a 19th century butchery. Not just anyone can get to most of these 450+ sandstone caves, many of which are located under Nottingham Castle, and they’ve never even been accurately mapped – until cutting-edge laser technology made these incredible 3D scans possible. The Nottingham Caves Survey has already recorded the shape and surface details of 35 caves, layering them with above-ground photos to give us an unprecedented and surprisingly artistic view.
As part of the Caves of Nottingham Regeneration Project, the Nottingham Caves Survey is taking 3D laser scanners into the depths beneath the city to photograph the caves, survey them with the scanner and note their condition. Many of these caves have major historical significance for Nottingham and for England – the earliest written record of caves beneath what was then a Saxon settlement dates to the year 868. The project aims to protect the caves, in the hopes that they won’t simply be forgotten and allowed to deteriorate.
King David’s Dungeon
The soft, carvable sandstone under Nottingham provided an ideal medium for creating these artificial labyrinths. Holes were dug with hand tools to create underground homes as well as space for activities like tanning, pottery production and even beer malting. Some were used as storage areas, hidden passageways and supply tunnels. The medieval caves under Nottingham Castle, which was rebuilt in the 1670s after the original structure was destroyed in the English Civil War, include a dungeon in which King David II of Scotland was reportedly held prisoner in 1346.
Mortimer’s Hole at Nottingham Castle
Another tunnel under the castle has an even more fascinating story. Mortimer’s Hole is named after Roger Mortimer, rebel and lover of the power-hungry Queen Isabella. The duo overthrew Isabella’s husband, King Edward II, and were living at Nottingham Castle when Isabella’s teenage son, King Edward III, invaded to take his rightful place. The King’s troops used the cave to sneak into the castle and capture Mortimer, who was subsequently hanged.
It’s an intriguing legend, and the ‘official’ Mortimer’s Hole has become a tourist attraction at the castle, complete with guided tours. But the survey team have discovered another tunnel that they believe is far more likely to be the actual tunnel used in the invasion. ‘The Real Mortimer’s Hole‘ matches historical records of the capture.
Castle Gate Medieval Malt Kiln & Breweries
Some of the sandstone caves were used for malting and other aspects of beer production, which is a major aspect of Nottingham history. Each complex of caves included a germination room where grain was prepared, the kiln where it was roasted, and a deep well to reach water. The benefit of brewing in caves is the constant year-round temperature.
Drinking Den Under Nobleman’s House
The beer-related activity that went on deep beneath the surface of Nottingham wasn’t limited only to production. This carved underground space beneath Willoughby House, an 18th-century aristocratic manor, was likely a drinking den. It includes built-in banquettes and a wine cellar.
Nottingham Castle Brewhouse Yard
Beer was once stored in the caves at ‘Brewhouse Yard’, a system of caves found adjacent to a group of five 17th century cottages. The cottages are all that remain of a once-thriving community, and now house The Museum of Nottingham Life.
Air Raid Shelters at the Guildhall Caves
The brick-lined passes and cells beneath Nottingham Guildhall, a 19th century building housing the magistrate’s court, central police station and fire station, are some of the most modified underground passages found in Nottingham. They were extensively re-worked during World War II for use as emergency headquarters and air raid shelters.
Peel Street Cave System
The Peel Street mass of subterranean tunnels definitely seems to qualify as a maze. It may seem strangely chaotic for a man-made set of passageways, but that’s because its purpose was different from all of the others in Nottingham: it was actually a sand mine. It’s thought that the mine was in use between 1780 and 1810, but the caves were forgotten until 1892, when they became a tourist attraction called “Robin Hood’s Mammoth Cave”.
Scanners at Work
To capture these strange digital imprints of vast underground spaces, the Nottingham Caves Survey crew hauls equipment below the surface on bike trailers. The scanners send beams of laser light deep into the caves and measure the amount of time it takes for the light to return. The scanners can capture an incredible 500,000 survey points per second, creating a ‘point cloud’ that results in a 3D image.
“The experience of visiting these domestic caves is far removed from the clean regularity of modern urban living and offers a tangible link to medieval Nottingham,” explains the project team. “This is particularly significant in a city with such a strong past personality but so few medieval structures still standing above ground.”
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Turning Trash to Treasure: 16 Styrofoam Sculptures
[ By Steph in Art & Design, Tricks & Hacks. ]
Like a plague, it’s always there: present in virtually every package we receive, not to mention every landfill known to man, where it will remain for hundreds if not thousands of years. But though styrofoam is designed to be disposable, some artists are flouting that convention and using it as an unexpectedly versatile medium in projects ranging from towering robots to entire retail stores. These 16 styrofoam art projects by 9 artists recycle the ubiquitous white foam into objects that transcend the transience of the material.
Michael Salter’s Styrofoam Car & Robots
(images via: michaelsalter.com)
A formula 1 car, a series of towering white robots surrounded by their miniatures – what can’t Michael Salter, a professor of digital arts at the University of Oregon, make out of styrofoam? Salter recycles used styrofoam packaging to craft his creations, and often uses the native form to create shapes rather than carving.
Couch & Lamps by Kwangho Lee
(image via: geekologie)
The first thing you may be tempted to ask upon viewing this all-styrofoam couch by Kwangho Lee is, ‘Why?” But, really, why not? It may not be the softest or best-looking material around, but heck, at least you’d float if your house ever flooded. Of course, this piece isn’t actually meant for use in the home – it’s art, and was part of a series called ‘Lifelike Design’. Lee also created sculptural lamp shades that resemble giant gobs of white paint.
Tara Donovan’s Cup Ceiling
(image via: mocoloco)
Installation artist Tara Donovan finds inspiration in the most mundane of materials, from toothpicks and drinking straws to paper plates and styrofoam cups. With the latter, Donovan created an undulating aerial landscape reminiscent of a cloud.
Life-Size Hummer by Andrew Junge
(images via: sfgate)
It’s perhaps the world’s least eco-friendly personal vehicle – rendered, fittingly perhaps, in a decidedly un-green material. Andrew Junge carved this life-sized replica of a Hummer while an artist-in-residence at San Francisco’s garbage dump, where he was able to salvage and repurpose all the styrofoam needed for the sculpture.
“I wish to examine and re-contextualize found objects and materials, to invest them with new life, and to sanctify – or at least acknowledge their presence in the world,” Junge explains in his artist’s statement. “Or perhaps, more accurately, to acknowledge my presence as these materials’ temporary curator, archivist and re-purposer.”
Illuminated Styrofoam Sculpture by Jason Rogenes
(images via: inhabitat)
They’ve cradled stereos, iPads, flat-screen televisions and toasters, and now these styrofoam pieces – which come in practically every shape imaginable – grace the walls of galleries, illuminated in futuristic-looking displays. Artist Jason Rogenes gives these scraps of trash new life with installations that hang from the ceiling like miniature space ships.
Snarkitechture Styrofoam Pop-Up Store
(images via: design boom)
The entire interior of a pop-up Richard Chai store in New York City was crafted from massive blocks of styrofoam by Brooklyn-based design firm Snarkitecture. After spending hours carving texture and niches from the blocks with a heated wire, the team achieved a result that calls to mind an ice hotel. While the styrofoam used wasn’t post-consumer, it was recycled afterwards, returned to the manufacturer and made into rigid-foam insulation panels.
Mario Brothers Pieta by Kordian Lewandowski
(images via: kordianl)
Princess Peach sorrowfully cradles Mario’s dead body in this parody of Michelangelo’s super-serious Pieta, carved from polystyrene by artist Kordian Lewandowski. The modern material is a fitting contrast to marble for this video-game-based scene.
Recycled Glass and Styrofoam Sculpture by Sungsoo Kim
(images via: sungsookimglass)
Can styrofoam have beauty in its own right, even when it’s not molded or carved to look like something else? Korean sculptor Sungsoo Kim translates the shapes of discarded styrofoam packing materials into colorful glass, giving them an aesthetic value that is only noticeable because of the change in material from something cheap and unwanted to a more ‘valid’ artist’s medium.
“In my work with Styrofoam, I try to find something concealed in it. The explicit purpose of this material is to protect products while they are in transit. As such, this material has a vital role in the economic machine, but ultimately it becomes trash. Its only value is conferred to it by the market value of the product it protects. That value is lost as soon as the product it protects is removed. The depreciation is astronomical from a consumer-commodity standpoint, but I think there is still something valuable in it, that the packaging has value as an object itself. My work of recycling packing Styrofoam is then to seek the ‘value’ which is unseen in its material reality.”
Faux Styrofoam by Fabio Viale
(images via: fabio viale)
Some artists working in styrofoam try to make their creations look as if they’re carved of marble, but sculptor Fabio Viale has the opposite intent. His ‘styrofoam’ sculptures actually are made of marble, given a pearly texture that makes it appear much softer than it really is.
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Indian State Seeks Limits on Microfinance After Reports of Abuses
I’m Alex Villarreal with the VOA Special English Economics Report, from voaspecialenglish.com | http Microfinance is a fast-growing part of the financial industry in many developing countries. Micro lenders give small loans to poor people to start or expand businesses. Microcredit offers a chance to improve lives and reduce poverty. But officials in Andhra Pradesh, in southern India, are investigating whether debt collections are linked to a series of suicides among borrowers. Reddi Subrahmanyam is a rural development official in that state. He says many of these deaths happened immediately after the recovery agents of the microfinance institutions either visited the house or did something insulting.Reports of corruption and abuses have led to emergency measures in Andhra Pradesh to ban some collection methods. These rules also aim to limit costly fees and high interest rates on loans. The Asian Development Bank says microfinance institutions in the Asia-Pacific area charge interest of thirty to seventy percent a year. Charges can be even higher when other costs are added. But micro lenders also face higher operating costs compared to traditional lenders. Groups like the Asian Development Bank oppose limits on interest rates because of these high business costs.Economist Muhammad Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize in two thousand six for his work with microfinance. In the nineteen seventies he started what became the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. Grameen says it charges twenty …
Vladimir Putin: Russia’s Top Dog Is A Party Animal
[ By Steve in Animals & Habitats, Geography & Travel, News & Politics. ]
Vladimir Putin, former president and current Prime Minister of Russia, has a softer side: he loves animals. Though some say Putin stages photo ops with animals both wild and domestic as a way of boosting his personal popularity, others note his genuine affection for furred, finned and feathered creatures.
That Vladimir Putin loves animals is no secret, even among spies whose business is secrecy. For example, in a leaked diplomatic cable recently published by WikiLeaks, U.S. diplomats referred to Putin as “Alpha Dog”. The code name is relevant on a number of levels; besides owning several dogs as his family’s personal pets, the former Russian president and current Prime Minister is widely presumed to be at the apex of political power in the world’s largest country.
(images via: Let Me In The Sound, Gizmodo, Follow The Piper and KNDU)
Putin owns a black Labrador Retriever named Koni, who often enters conference rooms during high-level meetings and puts attendees to the sniff test.
(image via: Known Knowns and unKnowns)
Former U.S. president George W. Bush met Koni when Bush visited Russia; Putin had met Bush’s Scottish terrier, Barney, on a previous trip to the USA. As Koni charged across the lawn to greet Dubya, Putin reportedly leaned in and with a twinkle in his eye, said “Bigger, stronger, faster than Barney.”
(images via: Huffington Post and Daylife)
In the fall of 2008, Koni demonstrated the GLONASS satellite navigation system – Russia’s version of GPS – by wearing a collar that broadcasts her whereabouts to a remote location. Laika would approve!
(images via: Known Knowns and unKnowns and ETC)
Three toy poodles named Tosya, Romeo and Rodeo also share the Putin home and demand (and receive) their fair share of affection from VP. Officially they belong to Putin’s wife, Lyudmila Putina, as such cuddly pets may not appear to be “manly” enough to rate ownership by Russia’s Alpha Dog.
(images via: Mentalfloss, RussianDogs and Yahoo News)
Putin’s latest pet, a caramel-and-white-patched Karakachan shepherd dog named Buffy, was a gift from Bulgarian PM Boyko Borissov to “seal the deal”, as it were, on Bulgaria’s signing on to the South Stream energy pipeline. When asked how Buffy was adjusting to his new family, Putin replied “He draws me huge puddles around the entire house, and leaves piles. But he’s a very pretty boy, of course, and I love him.” Awww…
Here’s a short video showing Putin receiving his fluffy, four-legged gift from the Bulgarian PM:
A Dog’s Heart: Pet lover Putin needs name for fluffy puppy
(image via: Stuff.nz)
You might think “Buffy” is an odd name for a Bulgarian dog, and one owned by a Russian nonetheless. The fact is, the name was chosen by Dima Sokolov, a 5-year-old boy whose suggested name won a nationwide competition. “I really liked your suggestion,” Putin told Sokolov at an introductory ceremony (above) introducing Buffy to friends, family and the Russian media. Buffy will grow up to be a serious vampire slayer in future as the breed can grow to weigh as much as 55 kg (121 pounds).
(image via: Known Knowns and unKnowns)
So, you think you get Putin’s goat? Nyet! In post-Soviet Russia, Putin’s goat get YOU! Well, something like that. Putin received Skazka (“Fairy-tale”), the snow-white goat above, from longstanding Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov. Luzhkov was removed from office following the summer of 2010′s deadly wildfires, and you’d better believe he didn’t get his goat… back.
(images via: Donklephant, Amy’s Robot, MSNBC and WTFhub)
As Vladimir Putin’s reputation as some sort of Dr. Doolittle (or as one blogger out it, “Dictator Doolittle”) grows, so does the impression that he can easily establish some deep connection with various kinds of animals. Check out the photos above… looks like he’s channeling Spock doing the Vulcan mind meld, inter-species style. Most illogical!
(images via: Reuters and Gawker)
Some of the most talked-about photos of Putin are those that show him shirtless, performing some feat of strength or simply posed grandly macho… Macho Grande, as it were. Photos like those above, taken on a camping trip to Russia’s far east, may seem over-the-top to us in the West but back home in Mother Russia they serve to crystallize Putin’s image as the heir to a long line of Russian strong men.
(images via: Animalfwd and The Moscow Times)
“On his virility-proving camping trip, Putin also rode a mini-submarine to the bottom of Lake Baikal and attached a tracking device to a whale,” according to the Times of London. Click HERE to see Putin shooting at the whale – with a freakin’ crossbow, no less – and doing a few other uber-manly things. Sums up the Times: “The photos will inevitably trigger mass swooning by women all over Russia – as well as unfavorable comparisons of their husbands to Mr Putin’s manly physique.” That sound you just heard was your Man Card, crumbling into dust.
(images via: WTFhub, BBC and VW Vortex)
Vladimir Putin really doesn’t need to seek animals out, as he gets so many as gifts from foreign leaders and domestic governors. Take this tiny, 57cm (22.8”) tall miniature horse, for instance. You can’t – but Putin did, during a trip to Kazan in the constituent republic of Tatarstan.
(image via: Cheezburger)
Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth – at least, not for long – Putin was out in the wild once again in 2009, this time to Russia’s far-northern Franz Josef Land archipelago just 1,000 km (620 miles) from the North Pole. The plan was for Putin to help attach a satellite-tracking tag to the neck of a full-grown male bear. Watch the video HERE.
(images via: RIA-Novosti and ITN)
Russian security agents convinced Putin not to attempt a mind meld with the polar bear, instead tranquilizing it before the PM could get close. Even so, Putin couldn’t resist introducing himself to the bear with a vigorous handshake. “The paw shake was strong,” he said, smiling. “It is clear he is the real Lord of the Arctic.” C’mon Vlad, who are you kidding?
(images via: Guardian and Daily Mail UK)
Putin’s image may be of the prototypical he-man hunter and master of all beasts, but a closer look reveals a more subtle motive: branding the Russian leader as a leading environmentalist. One such instance occurred in November of 2010, when he hosted heads of governments of nations who claimed wild tiger populations at a major ecological summit intended to save the big cats from extinction.
(image via: WTFhub)
Previously, in 2008, Putin was given a tiger cub by an unnamed benefactor as a 56th birthday present. The cub was presented to the public at a media photo op and soon after was handed over to a zoo.
(images via: Oil and Glory and ABC News)
Putin mixed business and pleasure on World Environment Day (June 5, 2010) by planting a tree and feeding a moose calf. It’s unknown whether Sarah Palin could see the event from her house. “Russia’s nature is a gift from God,” said Putin, “without any exaggeration a wonder which we enjoy every day and deserves our protection.” Watch video from the event HERE.
(image via: Liberalguy)
All creatures great and small… and the Jeopardy question is, “Who are Vladimir Putin’s best friends?” Not much else we can ascribe to the above pic, other than to be reminded that chicks – ANY chicks – just can’t resist that old Putin charm!
(images via: Wonkette, Newsgroper and BBC)
You can’t accuse Putin of being a cold fish, but you can certainly accuse him of catching one. Why the rugged outdoorsman felt the need to kiss the sturgeon he reeled in is beyond us, though it’s not surprising to those who have read and viewed the earlier portions of this post.
(images via: Damn Cool Pics)
Putin’s frequent habit of bare-chested fishing has inspired a similarly bare-chested action figure. Not much info’s out there on this figurine, though as a political promotional item it succeeds… hook, line and sinker.
(image via: WTFhub)
Last but definitely not least, are Vladimir Putin’s encounters with dolphins. The photo above isn’t very odd, and one might expect it’s the closest your average world leader would come to a dolphin. Then again, Vladimir Putin is not your average world leader…
(images via: Pravda and Uncyclopedia)
Yep, you knew this was coming but it’s still remarkable: Putin swims with dolphins and likes it – as do the dolphins, from all appearances!
(images via: Sydney Morning Herald, TIME and Telegraph UK)
Now you tell me… does this guy look like a frightening threat to world peace? Is he a crafty manipulator whose political and psychological smarts have been honed by decades of service in the KGB? Or is he merely a folksy, plain-talking man of the people who loves animals (and not just party animals) unconditionally, and isn’t afraid to show it? I guess it just depends on your point of view.
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25 Vibrant HDR Photos: Pets, Tame and Wild Animals
(Images via: upton, chefrandan and gatoazul)
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Animal Architecture: 14 (More!) Modern Homes for Pets
[ By Steph in Animals & Habitats, Art & Design, Home & Garden. ]
Forget dowdy carpet-covered cat houses, plain jane dog crates and ugly plastic hamster cages – homes for household pets can be stylish, too. From unbelievably pricey luxury pooch palaces to simple IKEA hacks that make modern pet furniture accessible to all, these 14 abodes for cats, dogs, birds, hamsters, rabbits, chickens and even fish are anything but ordinary.
Stackable Cube-Shaped Fish Hotel
(image via: design milk)
Give each fish a luxurious private room of its very own with the modern cube-shaped ‘fish hotel’ by Teddy Luong. The design is stackable so you can even create a fish skyscraper.
Geometric ‘Lulu’s Hideaway’
(image via: gnr8.biz)
For those whose homes are so carefully outfitted that an ordinary dog bed would stick out like a sore thumb, there are creations like the $550 ‘Lulu’s Hideaway’ by Pet Project. Resembling a piece of modern art or perhaps a stool more than pet furniture, this geometric acrylic shelter pleases fans of Danish design.
Prefab Platform Dog House
(image via: prefabs.blogspot.com)
Dog on a hot tin roof? This prefab modular dog house, made from IPE hardwood and painted cement board and topped with corrugated aluminum, would look right at home beside many modern home designs.
Duplex Aquarium/Bird Cage
(image via: gizmodiva)
If you’ve got household pets of both the feathered and finned variety but limited space to keep them in, this unusual ‘duplex aquarium cage’ could be an option. A dome beneath the fish bowl actually allows visual interaction between the two pets.
Sleek Cat House by Leo Kempf
(image via: leo kempf)
A cozy bed, some cardboard for scratching and a great view: what more could a pampered kitty wish for? Designer Leo Kempf made this modern cat house for his own cat, Olive, saying “She enters through a door in the bottom side and then ascends a ramp, which boosts her to the upper level. The front wall is plexi-glass, the floor is 2.5 inch thick old sheepskin rug, and my wife made some small paintings that hang on the walls.”
$382,000 Pooch Palace
(image via: the daily mail)
How much is too much to spend on a dog house? Some might balk at anything over a couple hundred bucks, but one unidentified surgeon in England spent more than most of us do on our own houses. For $382,000, the doctor’s two Great Danes get temperature-controlled beds, a spa, automatic food and water dispensers and a 52-inch plasma TV with state-of-the-art stereo playing dog-friendly programs.
Egg-Shaped Nogg Chicken Coop
(image via: contemporist)
Backyard chicken farmers, take heart – you don’t have to build an ugly wire-and-wood contraption to hold your birds. “The Nogg” is a modern egg-shaped chicken coop for 2-4 chickens, made from cedar wood, stainless steel and glass. It even has a little round window at the top so you can peer in and check the progress of your uber-fresh eggs.
IKEA Hack Hamster Home
(image via: ikea hacker)
Hamster fcages are nearly always an eyesore, seemingly available only in brightly colored plastic. So Martina of Australia took matters into her own hands and transformed an IKEA ‘Expedit’ bookshelf into a surprisingly beautiful hamster home that gives her dwarf hamster plenty of room to roam.
‘Solo’ Blown Glass Cat House
(image via: modern cat)
Blown glass is so beautiful, but it doesn’t have to be limited to art objects in the home – why not make it more functional? Like a huge glass vase turned on its side, the Solo cat house by designers Compressed Pattern and glass blowing studio esque gives cats a cozy place to sleep while also allowing them to see their surroundings.
Chic Bunny Hutch
(image via: design sponge)
An even simpler and more beautiful IKEA hack has the ‘Besta’ shelf unit serving as a modern, super-simple rabbit hutch. Nicole used non-toxic materials to make this home for her Holland Lop bunny and shared the instructions over at Design Sponge.
BowHaus Modern Dog Crate
(image via: denhaus)
“Meant for a home where cocktails and canines mix it up”, the BowHaus home for small dogs by DenHaus makes style top priority with a powder-coated steel design that also functions as a side table. The starburst design provides ventilation while maintaining a cozy feel for its four-legged inhabitant.
Cat Capsule by Christian Ghion
(image via: contemporist)
Mod and comfy, the cat capsule by Christian Ghion bravely boasts an all-white sheepskin-lined design that will look lovely as long as your beloved feline isn’t a puker. So stylish, you’ll want a matching human-sized one for yourself.
Hamster Cabin with Tiny Stairs
(image via: zooplus)
Don’t want to give over an entire section of a room to your pocket-sized pet? Sometimes a smaller home will still do, especially when that home is thoughtfully created from high-quality materials. This “small pet cage phoenix” is like a cabin for your hamster, complete with a ridiculously adorable little set of stairs leading to a loft-like sleeping compartment.
Cubix Modern Dog House
(image via: dog milk)
No dog-loving fan of Bauhaus architecture could pass the Cubix Modern Dog House without a second look. Made of varnished wood with break-proof glass windows that can withstand all weather conditions, this dog house is worthy of a highly visible location in your yard.
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State House finance officer could face axe
On the story of the eight vehicles rejected by the house on the hill, suspended State House Chief Finance Officer, JK Mutua is likely to lose his job over the controversial transaction which was canceled by President Mwai Kibaki himself. However, a financial watchdog is making claims that could yet startle State House.
Artificial Waterfalls: Cascading Swimming Pools and Beyond
[ By Marc in Art & Design, Home & Garden. ]
Waterfalls are a beautiful natural element that’s enthusiastically sought out by nature lovers and hikers. Incorporating a waterfall into one’s home is becoming increasingly easy, with the help of awesome landscape architects and accessories that allow you to bring one of nature’s most appealing wonders to your front door. Here are some of the coolest artificial waterfalls around:
(Images via projects.ajc, whitehaveninteriors)
The famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright created Fallingwater in 1935, a house that uniquely incorporates a Pennsylvanian waterfall into its design. With an open stairway leading down to the water itself, and its unique position on top of the waterfall, the tranquil view is incredible. You’d be hard pressed to find a better example of a waterfall and a house being integrated so seamlessly.
(Images via designcorner, trendir, boyerpentek, beautifulhabitat)
Artificial waterfalls can be uniquely designed for any structure, utilizing available space in interesting ways to produce the bubbling brook you’ve always wanted.
(images via sheelahclarkson, crosbyconstruction, fountainhillsazhomes)
Landscaping typically involves flowers and trees, but if you’re willing to shell out some major money, there’s no reason you can’t add a beautiful fountain to your front walk. Fill the pond with some gorgeous koi fish, and you have the foundation for a beautiful garden.
(Images via activerain, trendir, arhzine)
If you don’t have a famous architect, or land that happens to have a natural waterfall, don’t fret, as there are still plenty of options. You can literally bring a waterfall into your living room, with a pane of glass and a water pump that will trickle water day and night, providing a blanket of natural sounding background noise and a natural aesthetic.
(Images via austinrealestateguy, decodir, concretenetwork, devule, seanwolfington, webecoist, luxuryhousingtrends)
Waterfalls are a perfect match for swimming pools, as the water adds a fun and beautiful touch. Whether you decide to make the waterfall as natural looking as possible, and create a grotto for your guests, or decide to go with a more modern look, everyone will be impressed by the mini rainbows filling the air.
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