Year: 2009

Categories
Awesomeness Featured Science & Technology

We Choose The Moon: Remembering Apollo 11

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11, the first manned mission that took astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin Jr to the moon.

The trip lasted 8 days, and on July 21st 1969, Armstrong stepped off the lunar module and into history as the first human to set foot on another world – “That’s one small step for a man…one giant leap for mankind.” Two and a half hours were spent walking on the moon and on July 24th returned home, making a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

Boston.com’s The Big Picture is celebrating the anniversary with 40 images of that historic journey. Here are a few of those images.

Many more photos can be found at The Big Picture.

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum honours the moon landing with the launch of a new interactive website, We Choose The Moon. It recreates Apollo 11’s mission, gives minute by minute progress using archival audio, video, photos, and “real time” transmissions. It’s in a pre-launch phase right now – according to the Apollo 11 timeline actual liftoff occurred at 13:32:00 GMT on this day four decades ago.

Follow the mission progress at www.wechoosethemoon.org.

Categories
Arty Cautionary Tales Video Clips

Hemlock

We’re on a bit of an arty vibe today and in his short film, Hemlock, self-taught animator Tyson Ibele from New Zealand tells the story of an ancient myth using a Steampunk aesthetic. This what Ibele has to say about how the story and title came about.

The story came from an idea I had a few years ago about a twist on the “King Midas” myth, where instead of a king touching something and turning it into gold, he touches it and it turns into clockwork. Then, I adapted that idea into the “Fountain of Youth” story, because I felt I could work a better over-arching narrative into it.

The film is named after a plant called hemlock that was used in poisons throughout history. It’s a fairly innocuous-looking member of the parsley family, in plant terms, but it is quite deadly. So, it’s a reference to the way the water from the well in the film seems desirable….but drinking it has terrible consequences.

Terrible consequences indeed. It’s a creepy tale and animated well. See it below or watch it in HD at Vimeo.

[via Haha.nu]

Categories
Arty Awesomeness Photoworthy

Elemental Light Art

Lightmark is made up of the twosome Cenci Goepel and Jens Warnecke who like to travel around the world and create beautiful light art photos as they go along. They use different light-sources ranging from LED lights to various kinds of fire. See some of their shots in the gallery below.

More of their long exposure shots can be found at Lightmark.de.

See more light graffiti and photography at WebUrbanist.

Categories
Competitions Site Announcements

Win a Call of Juarez: Bound In Blood Hamper

I was having a chat the other day with fellow gamer Delon from Curious Onion. He is fine in case you wanted to know. He also happens to be giving away a rocking Call of Juarez: Bound In Blood hamper that includes a branded t-shirt and bandana, a promotional copy of the game for the Xbox 360, and a set of 6 tequila shot glasses. There is no tequila in sight though – Delon could have drunk it, he is sneaky that way ;-)

In any case if you’d like to win the hamper, head on over to Curious Onion competition post and answer the simple question. The giveaway will end on July 25th.

BONUS: It turns out Delon was on the locally-produced show The Verge to demonstrate Call of Juarez: Bound In Blood. He makes a slight hash of it. See the video after the jump.

Continue reading “Win a Call of Juarez: Bound In Blood Hamper”
Categories
Weirdness

Reid Peppard’s Disturbing Taxidermy Jewellery

Just this morning a co-worker mentioned how dapperly I was. Normally I consider that as hate speech upon my person – I am trying hard for the subversive gangster vibe and dapper totally throws that out of whack. However, if I were to be a neatly dressed young man as suggested, I would need something to accentuate the look, and what better than the off-colour fashion accessories from designer Reid Peppard.

Peppard is a British taxidermist (and vegetarian) who has launched a line of taxidermy jewellery. From guinea pig hair combs to mouse neck chains, to rat head cufflinks, Peppard’s creations may be a tad off-colour and morbid, but could be surprisingly versatile when paired with boho or beach-inspired look. I have no idea what I just said but here are some images of Peppard’s jewellery.

Would you be comfortable wearing something like this? Let us know.

[via izismile]

Categories
Awesomeness Movies Video Clips

2012: It’s a Disaster!

Some time back we posted about Roland Emmerich’s upcoming disaster flick 2012. If you found the trailer a touch too serious, then here’s re-cut that may just make you feel a little happier.

The folks over at i09 used creative styling and music from the 70s to emphasize the film’s strong points – plane disaster, train disaster, whole city disaster! The most spectacular disaster porn EVER! Did I mention how disasterific it is?!?

All movie trailers should be made like this.

[via Next Round]

Categories
Cautionary Tales Video Clips

“Inappropriate Workplace” Takes Offensive Behaviour to New Extremes

The workplace can be a treacherous minefield. You need to watch your step lest you step into the wrong meeting or walk in on co-workers fucking their brains outs. I cannot speak from experience – the companies I’ve worked for are so boring they make graveyards look interesting.

In the “Inappropriate Workplace” video series from Atom.com some absurd office scenarios are taken to the extreme. We follow hapless worker Duane as he is thrust into very uncomfortable spots. In the very first episode Dwayne’s female manager asks him for assistance with a “plug and play” problem. I would not wish this on my worst enemy.

Find five more episodes after the jump.

Continue reading ““Inappropriate Workplace” Takes Offensive Behaviour to New Extremes”
Categories
Cautionary Tales Mindlessness Video Clips

Ross Kemp on Gangs – Welsh Style!

Ross Kemp on Gangs is an award-winning documentary series that takes English actor and investigative journalist Ross Kemp to different parts of the world to interview gang members.

Now, in this spoof by The Milk, Kemp visits with a dangerous gang in Wales. As Ross gets told, the gang leader always wears the backpack so he can take all the boys sandwiches for the day. It’s one of the funniest dubs I’ve seen in ages – check it out below [slightly NSFW – coarse language].

[via A Welsh View]

Categories
Competitions Site Announcements

Win T-Shirts from Mingo Lamberti!

Note: This competition has ended.

It’s been a week since our last giveaway and I’ve already got the DTs. Lucky for me and you, Mingo Lamberti has offered some of their super-cool merch for us to give away.

Named after his grandfather, a good man who believed in doing a good job at whatever he did, Brad Hodgskiss created t-shirt collective Mingo Lamberti to bring those same principles into the t-shirts and their designs. There have been six ranges thus far – each design gets printed 200 times and made available at independent clothing stores around Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban.

We’ve got not one, not two, but THREE Mingo Lamberti tees to give away this week, and if you’re picked as a winner you’ll be able to choose your tee from two specific ranges.

The gentleman can select any design from the Electric range.

And the ladies can take a pick from these three designs in the Nature range.

Full competition details are after the jump. Go to it!

Continue reading “Win T-Shirts from Mingo Lamberti!”
Categories
Science & Technology Useful/Useless Info

How Much is a Petabyte?

The other day I was sitting on the toilet and as one does, I asked myself “Dude, like how much is a Petabyte?” Unsurprisingly I hadn’t the remotest clue what the answer was so I quickly changed the conversation to big hairy balls. This is my modus operandi when cornered by difficult questions or people.

It wasn’t until today that I remembered the toilet question and a convenient tweet from shawnroos revealed the answer:

There you have it. Now both you and I can impress the laydeez with our knowledge of frankly useless facts.  :yes: