Archive for the ‘Pics’ Category

The Blood Pen – For the Vampire inside

November 20th, 2009 Spooky

The Blood Pen, invented by Bob Partington, is a must-have accessory for any respectable vampire writer.

I know some of you have seen the Blood Pen ever since early 2008, but I just found it today and had to post some photos of it here. This creepy gadget features a syringe and a pen nib, connected by a plastic mechanism. After you fill the syringe with your own blood (seems reasonable enough), you stick it in place and start writing your bloody memoirs.

As you can see in the video at the bottom, it’s not the best writing tool, as it often drips more blood than you’d like, but the idea in itself is enough to impress you. I don’t much like the flashy silver feather attached, but I guess that’s just a matter of taste.

via Gizmodo

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The Wonderful Cardboard Sculptures of Chris Gilmour

November 20th, 2009 Spooky

Chris Gilmour is a world famous artist who creates representations of every-day objects from cardboard.

You may have seen cardboard art before, but the level of detail and complexity of Mr. Gilmour’s works is simply breathtaking. Although he also works with “dirty cardboard” (salvaged from packaging cardboard boxes with labels and common writings), his “clean cardboard” pieces are he most astonishing. People often have the impression his cardboard sculptures are actually real objects wrapped in paper.

Take a look at some of his most famous masterpieces and be sure to pick your jaw off the floor.

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Mike Stilkey’s Incredible Book Paintngs

November 20th, 2009 Spooky

Mike Stilkey is an artist from Alta Dena, California, who creates amazing works of art by stacking spine-painted books.

Mike had been drawing on book pages for a very long time, even publishing a book with 100 portraits painted on old book pages, called “100 Portraits”, when he realized it would be a good idea to paint on the book covers themselves.

His plan was to paint the books and then place them all against the wall, but he eventually got it in his mind that painting the book spines would be even better.He wasn’t very impressed with his first work, but when he presented it during the second Artist’s Annual group show, it got quite a lot of attention. Now his book paintings made Mike Stilkey one of the most respected artists of his generation

Photos by Dave Kinsey

via Fecal Face

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This Is What They Call Coffins in Ghana

November 19th, 2009 Spooky

These are the famous “fantasy coffins” used by the Ga Tribe, on the coast of Ghana to both mourn and celebrate the death of a beloved family member or friend.

The tradition of burying people in strangely-shaped coffins began roughly 50 years ago when a fisherman was set to rest in a funeral casket shaped like a fish. Ever since then photographers have been buried in camera-shaped coffins, people who like to drink in caskets shaped like beer bottles and avid smokers, you guessed it, in cigarette-like wooden coffins.

Families of the deceased spend enormous amounts of cash on these intricate caskets, sometimes even as much as $600. Sure, that may not seem like a lot to you, but in a country where the average income is somewhere around $50/month that’s a lot of money. The wealthier relatives usually put up  the most part of the sum with the rest of the families providing the rest.

The coffins of the Ga tribe symbolize the essence of the deceased, his profession, a vice or his place in the community.

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Makeshift Mario Museum in New York

November 19th, 2009 Spooky

To celebrate the release of the “New Super Mario Bros” video game for the Nintendo Wii gaming system, a makeshift Super Mario Museum popped up at the Nintendo World Store in Rockefeller Center, in New York.

Remember all that Mario every day stuff that came out throughout the years. we’re talking about Mario shampoo, Mario lunchboxes, cooking pans, paintings and even Super Mario adverts. All were showcased at the temporary Super Mario Museum, outside the Nintendo World Store, in New York City.

Thousands of fans gathered outside the establishment waiting to admire all the priceless memorabilia, compete in Super Mario video-game challenges and get their hands on a copy of the new video-game starring the popular Mario and Luigi duo.

If you haven’t had the chance to check out the Mario Museum on site, Wired offers you a set of photos revealing most of the Mario items on display:

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Mexico’s Island of the Dolls Is Beyond Creepy

November 19th, 2009 Spooky

Known as “La Isla de la Munecas”, by the Spanish, The Island of the Dolls is perhaps the creepiest tourist attraction in Mexico. Located within an extensive network of canals, south of Mexico City, the island is a place of mystery and superstition.

Almost every tree growing on the island is decorated with old, mutilated dolls that give anyone the feeling that they’re constantly being watched. The story behind the Island of the Dolls began when a hermit by the name of Don Julian Santana moved here. Although he was married he chose to live the last 50 years of his life alone.

Don Julian used to say he was haunted by the ghost of the little girl who had drowned in one of the canals around the island. Some say he used to fish the dolls from the water because he though they were real children, but the truth is he was collecting and placing them around his home as a shrine for the spirit that tormented him. At one point he even traded home grown fruit and vegetables for old dolls.

Ironically, in 2001 Don Julian Santana was found dead by his nephew, in the same canal that he said the little girl drowned in. Now his Island of the Dolls is one of the world’s weirdest tourist attractions. Some tourists who visited this place claim the dolls whisper and you must offer them a gift upon setting foot on the island, to appease their spirits.

via Bizarre

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Forget Wii Sports, How About A Game of We Pray?

November 18th, 2009 Spooky

Mass: We Pray, you could say it gets you closer to religion in a virtual way. Made my point and did it rhyming, thank you very much.

First of all, this is no joke folks, Mass: We Pray is a real gaming system aimed to help you and your family experience the joy of Sunday Mass anytime you want, in the comfort of your own home. “”After all, a family shouldn’t have to wait until Sunday to worship the Lord” as it’s said in the game’s press release.

Mass: We Pray was obviously inspired by the revolutionary Nintendo Wii, but instead of Wiimotes and Nunchucks it features two cross-shaped motion-detecting remotes and kneelers for a genuine religious experience. You and your kids can participate in over 24 different ceremonies and compete in “fun” challenges like Ring the Church Bell,  Spray Holly Water or Shake the…Smoke Thingy Used in Church. The more you play the more grace points you collect and with them you can unlock the “uber-cool” holy mysteries. There’s even a downloadable expansion pack with even more “fun-packed” religious activities.

“Sadly”, Mass: We Pray will be available on Easter 2010, at the soonest, but you can pre-order starting November 20, 2009. So who needs boring games like Wii Sports, when you can have the heavenly Mass: We Pray.

Check the trailer at the bottom to see how happy it makes people. :D

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Delicious-Looking Edible Chocolate Couch

November 18th, 2009 Spooky

Entitled “You Can’t Have Your Cake and Eat It Too”, the chocolate couch was created by Argentinian artist Leandro Erlich for an art-exhibit appropriately named “Let Them Eat Art”.

The chocolaty art-piece was covered in a thick layer of chocolate that not only made it look like a brown leather couch, but also feel like one. All the couch details, including buttons and stitching were made from chocolate.

That chocolate couch looks so real I bet there was someone at the gallery door telling visitors not to sit on it.

via mocoloco

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Steampunk Animals by James Corbett, The Car Part Sculptor

November 17th, 2009 Spooky

James Corbett takes used card parts and, using them like pieces in a puzzle, creates amazing steampunk sculptures.

Corbett showed artistic talent ever since he was a little boy. Colleagues at his Redcliff school would always tell him he’d grow up to be an artist. But, at 36 years old James was running a motor wrecking business. That’s when he started welding together a bunch of car parts and awakened the dormant talent inside. In just 18 months he closed his wrecking business and became a full-time artist.

James Corbet says he makes these original sculptures because he can and it would be a shame to waste his God-given talent. The Car Part Sculptor has exhibited his works in galleries all across the world.

via John Davies Gallery

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Jewelry Made with Human Teeth and Hair

November 17th, 2009 Spooky

Teeth and Silver go together like horse and carriage. At least according silversmith Polly van der Glas, who created a strange collection of teeth encrusted silver jewelry.

Polly van der Glas, who won the Craft Victoria Fillipo Raphael Fresh! Award, in 2006, handcrafts a unique type of silver jewels, using collected human teeth and hair. The teeth are collected from all around Melbourne and sterilised, while the hair is sometimes imported from China and India.

Apparently the teeth are pretty hard to come by in Australia, so maybe miss van der Glas should get in touch with an Indian street dentist. I’m sure they could work out some sort of agreement.

via Ecouterre

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Spain’s Death-Defying Bull Leapers

November 16th, 2009 Spooky

In the name of entertainment and adrenalin, Spain’s bull leapers, known as “recortadores”, continue an ancient tradition that can be traced back to 1500 BC, during King Minos’ reign.

Teams of 5 to 7 bull leapers gather each year in cities like Valencia or Barcelona, to take part in a performance that many compare to the Russian roulette. Each team may face up to three bulls in the ring, at once, taunting and jumping over them just when the beats prepare to impale them.

The bull leapers all look calm and brave, but they don’t hesitate to run for their lives after a successful jump or evasion, to stay well clear of the angry bulls. The atmosphere in the bullfighting arena is said to be exhilarating, with the crown cheering every successful trick.

Sure some may call these death-defying artists insane, but I have a lot more respect for them than I do for bullfighters. At least bull leaping doesn’t get the bull killed in a violent way. sadly it can’t quench the Spanish thirst for bull-fighting blood.

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The Unique Coffee Art of Karen Eland

November 16th, 2009 Spooky

Karen Eland, a talented sketch artists and painter from Tulsa, uses only espresso to recreate some of the most famous paintings in history.

Karen’s talent and her love for coffee created a unique art-form that propelled her to celebrity status on the internet and TV shows. As an art student she used to practice her skills in coffee shops, seeping espressos. One day, as she was watching red-brown coffee pouring into her cup, she realized her favorite drink could be a part of her art.

That’s how it all started and over the years she became a master at blending layers upon layers of espresso and creating beautiful coffee-scented masterpieces. Some might find Karen Eland’s way of blending a cup of coffee in her paintings offensive, but I think it makes for a perfect trademark.

Photos via Gizmodo

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China’s Kingdom Of The Dwarves

November 16th, 2009 Spooky

Over 100 height-challenged Chinese people perform in a show called Kingdom Of The Dwarves, close to Kunming, Yunnan Province.

Casting for the Kingdom Of The Dwarves show took place last summer, with only two conditions stipulated: the performers had to be between 18 and 40 years old and be shorter than 130 cm (4′3″). No other special skills were required. Now they take the stage of the Kunming World Butterflies Garden twice a day, singing, dancing and performing comedy sketches to entertain the crowds.

I know it looks like exploitation and discrimination, but the short performers see it only as another form of migrant labor and a haven away from people who mock and tease them on a daily basis. With discrimination and unemployment still high in China, the little people saw the Kingdom Of The Dwarves as an opportunity.

Just to clear things up, this is just a profitable theme park, not a community formed by the dwarves themselves as a shelter, and the mushroom houses only serve as decor and changing rooms, not as living quarters.

Photos by REUTERS

via Telegraph.co.uk

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24,000 LED Dress Will Make Any Woman Shine

November 16th, 2009 Spooky

Not that women need to wear a dress made out of LEDs, but CuteCircuit’s Galaxy Dress is, at least, a very interesting project.

CuteCircuit, a design company that specializes in “wearable technology”, presented their work of art, a dress made from 24,000 LEDs, attached to multiple layers of chiffon and crinoline. Apparently a few iPod batteries, hidden in the crinoline,  will keep the Galaxy Dress shining for about an hour. That’s more than enough time to make an impression.

And to make sure the wearer shines even after the batteries run out, the LED dress is decorated with 4,000 Swarovski crystals. The dress itself is made from silk and the LEDs are 2×2 millimeters each. The Galaxy Dress is now a permanent exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry, in Chicago.

Check the video at the bottom to see it in action.

Photos by J.B. Spector

via Ecouterre

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Kids Build LEGO Replica of the BMW X1

November 13th, 2009 Spooky

Over 800 children worked played together to create a life-size LEGO replica of the BMW X1 and make life better for socially-disadvantaged kids in Germany.

Over the past weekend, visitors of BMW Welt (BMW World) in Munich were invited to have their kids participate in a project both fun and important. From November 6 to November 9, the children, aged between 5 and 13, had to put together a LEGO model of the BMW X1. Of course, members of BMW staff jumped in and helped the kids every time they struggled.

The 4.5 meters long, 1.8 meters wide and 1.5 meters high LEGO BMW X1 was made out of around 165,000 mostly yellow LEGO blocks. For each block used, BMW will donate a sum of money to “Die Arche” children’s foundation, in Munich.

The LEGO BMW X1 will be on display at the BMW Welt Plaza until November 25.

via BMW Blog

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Love Supermarket Offers Singles A Chance at Love

November 13th, 2009 Spooky

China’s singles needn’t look for their soul-mates any longer, they cam just go to the Love-Supermarket and buy it from there.

Actually it’s not that easy, but it is a viable way for singles to find a compatible match. the Love-Supermarket opened last month in Xizhimen and was the scene of a special party in celebration of Singles’ Day, on November 11.

The Love Supermarket has had over 500 visitors and has already established 60 successful love connections. Over 200 photos of single people hang on the walls of the establishment, along with personal information (age, gender, career, income,etc.). All clients have to do is pick someone and pay 100 yuan to sign up for a date.

opinions concerning the Love Supermarket are split. Some believe the tax is to high just to meet someone, others don’t care about the money, but doubt the singles info displayed is genuine and fear some of the “accounts” were set up by the owners so they can cash in on the date tax. But, with over 500,000 single women past the average marriage age, the Love Supermarket is bound to be a success.

via China.org.cn

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World’s Largest Matchstick Eiffel Tower

November 13th, 2009 Spooky

The Matchstick Eiffel Tower built by Lebanese Tofic Daher was acknowledged by Guinness Book of Records as the largest in the world.

Tofic Daher, a disabled but talented craftsman who spends his days in a wheelchair managed to create the most impressive matchstick replica of France’s most popular landmark. Tofic worked over 2,316 hours on his matchstick masterpiece, over a period of 4 years.

The wooden Eiffel Tower has a base of 190×190, a height of 6.53 meters  and it’s made out of six million matchsticks. To make it even more impressive, Mr. Daher covered his work in 6,240 tiny lamps and 23 flasher lamps. he estimates he spent around $11,000 building the tower.

The world’s largest matchstick Eiffel Tower was unveiled on November 11,  at the City Mall, in Beirut.

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Heart-Shaped Oranges Spotted in Seoul

November 13th, 2009 Spooky

Their shape may not be as complex as the Buddha-shaped pears, but these heart-shaped oranges spotted in a market, in the capital of South Korea are just as impressive. I’d like to get my hands on one of those for Valentine’s Day, but I doubt they’d ship those babies half way around the world. Oh well, I guess a heart-shaped box of chocolates will have to do.

via People.com.cn

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La SAPE – Fashion above Everything

November 12th, 2009 Spooky

SAPE stands for “Societe des Ambianceurs et Personnes Elegantes” which translates as the society of atmosphere setters and elegant people. Its members put fashion above all the other issues a developing country like Congo is facing right now.

The origins of La SAPE can be traced back to when the first French colonists arrived in the area. They brought with them their famous fashion sense and inspired the locals who regarded the white man as far more elegant and educated than they were. In 1922 Andre Bernard Matsoua was the first local who traveled to Paris and came back dressed as a true French gentleman.

Since that time, members of “La Societe des Ambianceurs et Personnes Elegantes” have been trying to get their hands on the newest, most expensive pieces of designer clothes that appear in Europe. There are some luxury shops in Brazzaville and Kinshasa, but most “sapeurs” prefer to get them directly from the Old Continent. This is actually every member’s dream, to travel to Paris and get their hands on killer wardrobes at the source.

Sapeurs spend thousands of dollars on suits, shirts, shoes and accessories, but this doesn’t mean they’re rich. In a country where the average salary is somewhere around $300/month, most of these guys don’t even have a job. Most of them lend their clothes for a living (renting a designer suit costs about $25/day), while those who travel to Europe bring the latest designer labels and sell them for a small profit.

All members of La SAPE have unique styles and crazy names like Parfait le Bodeur, Serge le Temoin de Playboy, Baleine Sarkozy or Christian Dior. They live for fashion and feed off the attention they get when parading on the dusty streets of Brazzaville. But while most look up to them and dream of being in their shoes, there are those that accuse them of betraying their heritage and encouraging others to do the same.

The photos below are part of Francesco Giusti’s La SAPE Collection, which recently won him an award for photography. They really do capture the charm of these special entertainers.

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The ASUS Motherboard Mona Lisa

November 12th, 2009 Spooky

The technological masterpiece on display inside the ASUS headquarters in Peitou, Taiwan, is a tribute to Leonardo da Vinci’s work and represents the company’s pledge to support “any kind of crazy ideas”

The Techno Mona Lisa may not look as detailed as the classic painting, but there’s a good reason for that. As you probably know, ASUS is the world’s biggest motherboard manufacturer in the world and they decided to celebrate that by recreating a famous work of art using motherboard components and computer chips. I’m not sure exactly sure how many motherboards were used in the process, but it’s definitely a fine piece of geek art.

via Wired

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