Mapparium - Boston

Built in 1935, based upon the Rand McNally political maps published the previous year, the Mapparium is a three-story tall glass globe that you can walk through.
The dome, composed of 608 stained glass panels produced by the Rambusch Company of New York, was designed so that visitors could examine a model of the Earth without the distortion of perspective that accompanies looking at a globe's exterior.
It opened to the public on June 1, 1935.

Rings Made From Crayons

Crayon Rings [2009]
Timothy Liles
Crayons
1 1/8" x 1" x 1/2"

$50 (for 10)
The Future Perfect

Is public shame the answer... ?

Bus stop ad for Fitness First in Rotterdam, The Netherlands... Publicly displaying the weight of the person who sits on the bench to wait for the bus.

"It's an attention grabbing ad..." say many online news articles concerning this ad, "...but one that might just cross the line into ruining the bus stop rather than just advertising via it."

What do you think?

Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab

Even though only on the market a short time (because of it's high price, not because if it's contents) in the early 1950s, this is the most elaborate Atomic Energy educational set ever produced.









The set came with four types of uranium ore, a beta-alpha source (Pb-210), a pure beta source (Ru-106), a gamma source (Zn-65), a spinthariscope, a cloud chamber with its own short-lived alpha source (Po-210), an electroscope, a geiger counter, a manual, a comic book and a government manual "Prospecting for Uranium."

Looking at it now, this toy, although healthy for the imagination, can be potentially hazardous to the health!

Do the children that used to play with this toy now have health problems, even if minute?

Were there many requests made for additional radioactive source replacements?

I have so many questions, but I think the biggest one of all is asking ourselves, which is better... Letting your children play with this toy as they did two generations ago, or not allow them to touch anything and lead them around on a leash.

How much is that cinnamon stick in the window... ?

All these cinnamon sticks...

... For only 2€50!!!

Buono appetito!

I don't think Europeans eat this way... But if they did, that would explain the diet pill craze!















Meatloaf with potatoes and ketchup for icing (above)
24 scoop ice cream sundae (right)

And to finish off... Don't forget to floss!

Doubly Disturbed

I recently discovered that an (older) self-esteem campaign by the Body Shop, featuring "Ruby" was removed for such reasons as:
"... her nude and nippless figure being exposed to the public would offend people (in the US and Chine)..."















Later in the week... I discovered these new products being sold at Yves Rocher France:

Starter Detox Minceur, Booster Minceur J-30, Réducteur Cellulite, Zones Rebelles, Ventre Plat


Both very disturbing discoveries... In any sense of a message being sent... Especially to those with fragile/influential minds.

Recycled Elephant Dung Notebook

40 multi-coloured page notebook 150 x 210.

Full of colour and fun and made from 75% elephant dung and 25% recycled paper. The aim of this paper is to educate local communities on the plight of the Sri Lankan elephant and for them to eventually live together in harmony. Winner of the BBC World Challenge 2006.

The handmade paper is made using a fibrous material, and is boiled and beaten to make the fibre pulp. With elephant dung paper, the elephant has done the pulping so it needs to be collected and then cleaned by boiling and steaming so all bacteria are killed. The pulp is then put in to a shallow mould. The coarseness of the paper is entirely dependent on the elephant's diet, again making no two sheets identical.

There is a more important side to Elephant dung products though. The raw paper is bought directly from theMaximus Conservation Trust. All profits from the making of the paper go directly back into the foundation which, at present, looks after 5 elderly elephants, and goes into developing relations between humans and elephants. Basically, as tourism and population grow, this is having adverse effects on elephant habitats with humans taking over traditional elephant paths. Humans then grow food which elephants eat, resulting in conflict. Maximus is paying villagers to collect elephant dung thus trying to get both parties to live together.

The Maximus Conservation Trust is in the grounds of the Millennium Elephant Foundation, a charity that cares for sick and disabled elephants as well as promoting the plight of the Sri Lankan elephant. The ultimate in recycled paper.

(source)

I bake, I might shake but I for sure share...

I just made some yummy chocolate chip walnut muffins... Want one?
I can send you one!
I'll just put it right in this tray... Wait!
I'm connected to the internet, are you?
Good good, it shouldn't be too long...
Ah no NO! What am I doing?! This will never work... It's a cup holder!

3 popular reasons for "splurging" on comfort foods

1. It has a fabulous "mouth feel” - The combination of sugar/fat or salty/fatty taste found in many of our indulgences stimulates our taste buds in a major way.

2. A connection to a past experience - Sometimes we're attached to the place we ate certain foods and that association makes us feel great.

3. Deprivation on a eating plan - Our best intentions to limit "problem" foods sometimes creates an even bigger problem, longing for those "indulgences."

Food stimulates at least three of the five senses: it looks good, it often tastes great and it smells wonderful.

There are no bad foods, just bad portions, and the most important part of choosing to indulge is how to budget these foods in your "caloric bank account".

Don't deprive yourself of what you like.

Vélib' casualties on the rise...

"...Fourches tordues, paniers cassés, carters tagués, des vélos noyés dans la Seine…Vélib’ compte aujourd’hui 11 600 vélos vandalisés et 7 800 vélos disparus de la circulation..."