Proposition 8 - The Musical

This 3 minute musical hits all the salient points about gay marriage including some truths about the Bible. It's fun.

Judy Collins Sings "Both Sides Now"

This was a warm up performance for the 1991 Music on the Mountain festival. Collins' voice, though aged, is still thrilling as she sings one of Joni Mitchell's great songs. It's too bad you can't see the audience, who are completely enraptured.

Harbin Ice and Snow World

R Todd King is an amateur photographer and has posted his images of the Harbin Ice and Snow World in China. The annual event features buildings and landscapes constructed entirely of ice with neon lights giving the whole thing a magical glow.

Vintage Futurist Illustrations

Well Medicated has 45 vintage "space age" illustrations. Mostly they are covers from old Popular Mechanics magazines and the like. Some of them are pretty funny. Maybe that's just our "computer age" view.

Welcoming Home a Complete Stranger

Improv Everywhere strikes again, this time welcoming home a complete stranger. They got the name from a car drivers sign, then quickly made up posters etc. Poor Lori was so confused. This reminds me of times my family and our friends would create a scene welcoming someone at the airport.

Smart Car by Hermes

This is the one we want sweetie! Smart Car has teamed up with Hermes to create the Toile H. If your going to drive the smallest production car made, why not do it in luxury? I really like the details. Only 50 K.

The Art of Jason Hackenwerth

Jason Hackenwerth is a ballon artist. He doesn't make little doggies though. He makes large scale installations that are reminiscent of deep sea creatures. Very interesting work.

The Art of Eva Funderburgh

Eva Funderburgh is a ceramicist who creates wonderful little "monsters". Her creatures are equally adorable as they are sinister. I really like the expressive nature she creates with such simple gestures.

Paris Exposition of 1900

Here's a great Flickr set of photographs of the 1900 Paris Exposition. They are the images of William Henry Goodyear who was the Brooklyn Museum's first curator of fine arts.

Roomba Driver

While most cats are afraid of vacuums, this one loves his Roomba.

Allcapital Offices in Amsterdam

Eckhardt and Leeuwenstein, interior architects, have created a really interesting office environment for Allcapital in Amsterdam. A very unique and consistent intervention in a lovely old building. Click the link on their website to view all the photos.

Scenes From Antarctica

Boston.com has a collection of 32 photographs of Antarctica. These are stunning, jaw dropping, amazing, incredible images. Did I say they were stunning?

The Art of Chris Jordan

The Global Intelligencer has some new photographs of image creator Chris Jordan. You may have seen him before giving a TED lecture. His work tries to demonstrate the scale of American consumption, like the image of two million plastic water bottles; the number used in the US every five minutes.

The Art of Philip Dujardin

Bldg Blog has some images of professional architectural photographer Philip Dujardin who, as an artistic venture, creates images of fictional structures by photoshopping parts of buildings into new forms. Really interesting. 

Portraits of Female Bodybuilders

This Russian Blogger has posted a photo list of portraits of professional female bodybuilders. The freak factor is off the charts with this one, but somehow mesmerizing. What do you suppose their lives are like?

Charlie Chaplin's Thanksgiving Meal

Classic 1925 movie scene in which Chaplin cooks and serves up a shoe.

Small Kid Fires Up a Big Crowd

Each time this little boy would raise his arms, the crowd (waiting for a parade) would cheer. Though coached by unseen adults, it's still a  wonderful short video.

The Art of Florence Thomas for Viewmaster

Bryan Munn has a post on his blog about Florence Thomas who was a sculptor living in Oregon, that created dioramas to be photographed for the Viewmaster 3D viewer. Short, but interesting, with links to related stories. For you Viewmaster fans.

50 Examples of Tilt Shift Photography

Smashing Magazine has a great image list of tilt shift photography. Tilt shift is a technique that makes photos of full scale places or events, appear to be the scale of train models. Some examples are really amazing.

50 Unique Buildings

Village of Joy has an image list of 50 wonderfully unique and strange buildings from around the world. A few I've never seen before. It's a good list.

Absolutely Stunning Chair in Carbon Fiber

Below the Clouds has a few images of some new chair designs by Swedish Designer Torgny Fjeldskaar for the company Laisr. Made of carbon fiber with metal connection points, the chair is a sublime design and looks really comfortable too!.

Fireworks Show Opens Atlantis Hotel

One million fireworks were used to celebrate the opening of The Atlantis Hotel in Dubai. The resort sits on a man made island in the shape of a palm tree. The trunk of the "tree" is five kilometers long, to get a sense of scale. The organizers claim the fireworks display was visible from space!

The Art of Virginia Fleck

Virginia Fleck creates gorgeous mandalas out of old plastic shopping bags and tape. The one shown above is 78 inches in diameter. Many of them are lovely. Worth the look.

Isabelle Mazzoni's Website

My good friend Isabelle has started her own website and blog. Check out her "One Bite at a Time" blog where she photographs and critiques food from around the world. She's also posted her photographic works that are available for sale. Good job Isabelle!

Jacqueline and Iris du Pré

Nice videotaped performance of Saint-Saens' Appassionato in B minor, allegro movement. Turn up the volume.

The Art of Mike Chan

Mike Chan is a photographer and his website features some high resolution long exposure shots of Hong Kong. These images capture the electricity and density of this amazing city. Click your mouse on the right side of his site to advance to the next image.

Virtual Jewelry Design

Play Me Design has extracted some images from the confusing website of Russian goldsmith Alexander Molyakov, who designs using the computer and creates these outstanding photorealistic models. Nice work.

Uhuru

Uhuru is a small design-build furniture company with a focus on sustainability. They create some wonderful pieces including the Bilge Lounge shown above which is made from reclaimed bourbon barrel staves and old truck springs.

The Art of Stuart Haygarth

Stuart Haygarth is a UK artist whose work centers around the collections of objects. Haygarth transforms these objects into chandeliers that are both clever and beautiful as well as indicting. I especially love the "tide" lamp made from plastic objects he has found washed up on the shore.

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Sun

Boston.com has some absolutely stunning images of our nearest star, like the closeup of magnetic structures on the sun's surface shown above. New image techniques are providing new information about the sun's history and future.

The Fin-Fish Blimp

This entry in the annual Airship Regatta in Germany was, surprisingly, not built by Festo (see previous posts on the Air Ray and the Air Jelly) though it equals their work. The Fin-Fish RC Blimp navigates the air beautifully.

Caves: The World Beneath the World

Dark Roasted Blend has a photo blog about caves. All kinds of caves and formations, ice caves, even man made caves. Gorgeous imagery and interesting facts. Worth the visit.

Temple Built From Recycled Bottles

Inhabitat has a photo spread on the Wat Pa Maha Chedio Kaew temple in Thailand which is made from over 1.5 million recycled bottles. There are several buildings on the temple grounds all built from bottles. A wonderful recycling effort.

Stair Porn

Stair Porn is a photo blog of images of interesting and incredible staircases from around the world. There are many pages so look through them all. From the sublimely beautiful to the startlingly experimental, there's a set of stairs for everyone.

The Art of Matthias Pliessnig

Matthia Pliessnig is debuting his new furniture pieces at the Wexler Gallery in Philadelphia. Made from steam bent oak slats, each intricately woven and organically shaped piece becomes a bench or lounge. Some look really comfortable. 

The Art of Julian Volkenstein

Julian Volkenstein is a photographer and image manipulator. These few portraits of horses with long flowing hair are really funny and wonderful. I also like his images of people as pets.

The Art of Brendan Jamison

Brendan Jamison has taken the use of sugar cubes as a sculptural medium to new heights. These initial works are truly special in both an architectural and organic way. I especially like the areas that seem to split open. It will be interesting to see where the artist goes with this technique.

Baby Laugh-a-Lot Commercial

This television ad for Remco's Baby laugh-a-Lot is just soooo creepy. First of all, what a wierd and boring toy. Second, what's with the voice over? Also, who are all the snaggletoothed devil children? Watch it.

Flash Depth of Field Experiement

Mr Doob has posted an experimental Flash animation that is wonderfully mesmerizing. The suspended droplets zoom and rotated depending on where you position your cursor. I expect this will lead to the development of some interesting 3D web interfaces.

Advanced Style

Advanced Style is a photo blog that aims to demonstrate that personal style advances with age. There are some wonderful images and descriptions of aging and aged citizens exemplifying this idea.

The Art of Alan Macdonald

Alan Macdonald is a painter who's imagery and style are akin to Dutch portraits. He adds the twist of modern product placement which belies the puritanical composure of his subjects. Lovingly painted. Great work.

World's Largest Ferris Wheels

Inventor Spot has a nice article on the resurgent fad of the Ferris Wheel, and the 21st century preoccupation with making them enormous. Capital cities around the world are competing for the "largest" title.

Robot Dog Lamps

Yanko Design has images of some anthropomorphic lamp designs by Charles Kalpakian. For some reason these aren't on his website. These are wonderful and should be brought to market.

iWay

TrendsNow has the details on the completion of an ambitious project in Lyon France. Created by the Cyril Druart agency, iWay is a driving simulation center that also houses a gym, spa, bars, shops and more. The architecture is stunning and the amenities seem fun. Next time I'm in France, I'm going.

Dancing Trees, Singing Birds

Dancing Trees, Singing Birds is a six unit apartment complex in central Tokyo. Designed by Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP Architects, the building juts out to occupy space between an existing grove of trees. The interiors are typically sparse. A quite respite from the bustle of the city.

Cathedral of Christ the Light

Inhabitat has some photos of the new Cathedral of Christ the Light by Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill. Situated by Lake Merritt in Oakland California, the new design takes the place of the old St. Francis Cathedral that was irreparably damaged by the Loma Prieta earthquake. The use of materials and natural light are incredible, and a far cry from the usual staid architecture of SOM.

Table Cube

Ricardo Garza Marcos has designed this interesting coffee table. I really like the smooth white interior. I think this would also make a great design for a public bench.

The Art of Cutting up Books

Dark Roasted Blend has a rather large spread featuring artists who make sculptures and/or statements harnessing used books as their medium. The varying techniques play on the symbolic, material, and yes, even "literal" meanings of the books. 

Community Bridge

The Community Bridge, in Frederick Maryland, was an eyesore of a concrete bridge until it was transformed by muralist William Cochran. The trompe l'oiel "bridge painted on a bridge" was done entirely by hand. Truly stunning work.

I Want I Want I Want!

Dutchbydesign.com is where you can order the Le Clochard duvet set for me. The cotton duvet and shams feature a photographic print of cardboard boxes. Portions of the sales go to the foundation for homeless youngsters in the Netherlands. I need the Queen size.

Super Kingdom

London Fieldworks, an organization formed by artists Bruce Gilchrist and Jo Joelson, has completed it's latest exhibition. "Super Kingdom" is a series of site-specific homes placed the forest. They are based on research of animal hibernation patterns in England's King's Wood Forest.

Batman Debates the Penguin

Here's a timely clip from the original Batman and Robin television show in which Batman participates in a televised debate with the Penguin. Art imitates life? Life imitates art? It just demonstrates how unoriginal the Republicans still are.

The Art of Jim Denevan

Jim Denevan is an artist that makes giant freehand drawings in the sand. He has spent up to 7 hours and walked 30 miles making on of his drawings. The results are truly amazing considering he uses no measuring device.

Dresses Made From Toilet Paper

Cashmere, Canada's #1 selling bathroom tissue, has had its' 5th annual fashion show featuring the works of 8 Canadian designers. All the creations are made exclusively from Cashmere's white and pink toilet tissue. Beautifully designed and executed.

More Light Painting

Fubiz has a feature on another pair of "light painters". Jan Woller and Jord Miedza use time lapse photography and glo-sticks etc. to create some amazing images.

Sprinkler Rainbow Conspiracy

I can't tell if the woman who made this video, is the most astounding idiot of all time, or a great conceptual artist having us on. Either way it's delightful.

The Art of Michel de Broin

Michel de Broin is an artist in Montreal who, with playfulness and wit, creates works that challenge the imagination. He's most famous for his "Shared Propulsion Car", an '86 Buick turned into a pedal car. I also really like "Dead Star" shown above, made from a collection of dead batteries.

The Art of Jean Shin

Jean Shin's website documents a vast body of work. Her site specific installations consist of enormous collections of cast-off objects reinterpreted as conceptual objects. Shown above is "Umbrellas Stripped Bare".

o-14 Tower in Dubai

Designboom has some virtual images and construction photos of a new hi-rise going up in Dubai. Designed by Reiser+Umemoto, the pierced concrete facade and organically shaped footprint offer a welcome alternative to the typical glass enclosed boxes.

Great Sarah Palin Satire: Watch Them All

Comparisons of Heavenly Bodies

This video demonstrates the relative sizes of the planets in our solar system with each other and with our sun. Then goes on to compare the size of our sun with other known stars. Prepare to feel small.

The Corpus Clock

Designer John Taylor has created what has been dubbed "The Strangest Clock in the World". The clock, just unveiled at Corpus Christi College, features a time-devouring grasshopper intended to depict the "terrifying" nature of time passing. It's really strange, but interesting.

The Whole Earth Effect

Plenty Magazine has a wonderful oral history of the Whole Earth Catalog, a publication that lasted only four years, but inspired the people that have changed our world. As a kid, I loved this catalog, though I never started something like Google, Craigslist,  or environmental movements as others have.

The Amazing Mirrors of Daniel Rozin

Daniel Rozin is an artist and educator who creates wonderful "mirrors" that are mechanical or technological in nature, such as his "Wood Mirror" shown above.  I'm sure his work would be mesmerizing to see in person.

Art Made From Coins

Artist Stacey Lee Webber is an incredible metalworker. Much of her work involves the manipulation of money, sometimes by cleverly dissecting coinage, other times by assembling coins into other everyday objects, such as hand tools. Overall, tremendous craftsmanship, and a unique expression.