Ratatoskr

odditiesoflife: Stunning Landscape - Cappadocia, Turkey The...

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:35:22 +1000

Stunning Landscape - Cappadocia, Turkey

The mysterious rock formations and underground cities of Cappadocia make this region of Turkey one the most beautiful in the world. The rich history of this site can be told through the villages, subterranean churches and fortresses that have been carved straight into the soft, porous, eerily eroded rock.

Popular activities in the region include visits to the underground cities, viewing the ancient Christian cave art, seeing the “fairy chimney” rock formations, and taking sunrise hot air balloon rides for a view of the breathtaking landscape from above.

archiemcphee: Depending on the purity of your heart, or perhaps...

Sat, 18 May 2013 09:09:55 +1000

archiemcphee:

Depending on the purity of your heart, or perhaps simply whether or not you know the residents, this incredibly awesome dragon gate either bars the entrance or grants access to the Harlech House, located in Goatstown, Dublin, Ireland.

[via Technabob]

It’s Wonderful Winged Creatures Day on Geyser of Awesome!

odditiesoflife: Anamorphic Sculptures These sculptures are...

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:32:11 +1000

odditiesoflife:

Anamorphic Sculptures

These sculptures are created with such mathematical precision that the image can only be seen as a reflection. To get this effect the London-based artist, Jonty Hurwitz, first scans a 3D object, then distorts it with a computer using π algorithms. His final pieces, made from steel, resin, perspex, or copper, have to be viewed next to a round reflective cylinder – only then do the objects come into focus.

Singer and comedian Paul McDermott is appearing at the Festival...

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:19:59 +1000

Singer and comedian Paul McDermott is appearing at the Festival of Voices in Hobart, so ge was at today’s launch to show off a song.

Joel Rheinberger got to speak to him before-hand. You may have heard a snippet of this interview on our afternoon program, but this is the full version, with a couple of very funny stories that didn’t make it onto the radio.

A new public artwork has been set into the pavement in Salamanca...

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:24:00 +1000

A new public artwork has been set into the pavement in Salamanca in Hobart, Tasmania, to commemorate the gay rights movement and the community that fought for change.

The artist is Justy Phillips. Photographs by Jonathan Wherrett.

Get the full story here.

neil-gaiman: butcherbilly: The Post-Punk / New Wave Super...

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:03:09 +1000

neil-gaiman:

butcherbilly:

The Post-Punk / New Wave Super Friends by Butcher Billy

Who are your heroes?

Reblogged purely to make Amanda smile.

archiemcphee: Watch out acrophobes, this piece of anamorphic...

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:33:50 +1000

archiemcphee:

Watch out acrophobes, this piece of anamorphic street art might give you vertigo. Erik Johansson, a Swedish photographer based in Berlin, Germany created the dizzying illusion of standing on the edge of a skyscraper’s roof for visitors actually standing quite safely on the pavement in front of the Skrapan shopping mall in Stockholm, Sweden.

“He sees photography as a way of collecting material to realize the ideas of the mind. Last fall, Johansson was commissioned by the Stockholm shopping mall Skrapan to create a perspective illusion for their 5th anniversary. Being one of the tallest buildings in the city, they wanted to incorporate the view from the top of the building into the optical illusion.”

[via CollabCubed]

Escher Girls: Clothes I'm forced to wear in the majority of MMORPGS

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:51:31 +1000

Escher Girls: Clothes I'm forced to wear in the majority of MMORPGS:

eschergirls:

repair-her-armor:

[Please take note that the commentary is just for fun. Bunch of sarcasm. Don’t take it too seriously. I am getting tired of these outfits, though.]

1. The classic Bikini Armor. If you’re lucky you might get an actual shoulder-pad! If the designers even bother doing something more than just a regular bikini, you might get some accessories with stilettos! Exactly what I want in battle. For a extra nice touch; cameltoe.

2. The Lingerie ”Armor”. There’s absolutely nothing that protects you, but it looks really uncomfortable and nice in ~~bed~~ battle! Complete with some feathery, useless shoulder pads!

3. The ever so Stylish Swimsuit! This is usually the armor you get before you get the upgrade Bikini Armor. Bonus points if a choker, thigh-high boots/stockings and a half mask is included!

4. The Abstract Art. Yes, we’re all wondering how the hell that works; how does that thing stay on, how does she walk with those shoes, how on earth is that supposed to protect her and why is half of her naked? All those questions is a part of the costume! They say art say more than thousand words.. or something!

5. The Dominatrix and/or Slave outfit! For those kinky players out there! Complete with leather or latex, fishnets, chains, chokers and whips! Bonus points of the stilettos are sky-high!

6. The Stereotype Shaman or Barbarian! Because she’s clearly so wild and ~exotic~ that she doesn’t need clothes! Best worn with tiny loincloth and underboob-straps!

7. The Cute Frilly Dress! Something you’d LOVE to wear, CONSTANTLY…. in battle! Usually the female “robe” costume, but hey, robes doesn’t show her nice legs! ): For absolute effect, add garterbelts.

8. I call this the Why?. Everything is so massive and made of thick material, but we wouldn’t want to cover her girly parts now, would we? Clearly NO ONE would be aiming there!

9. Nature Thing Something. If you’re not of human race and belong to the nature, expect your outfit to look something like this! Feel completely ~~exposed~~ free! I didn’t even bother with this one, but clearly they don’t even do that in games either. But since you’re not human, it’s totally okay!

10. This is best known as “Just In Case You Forgot”. Have a decent looking outfit, but then they suddenly cut obvious holes around your privates, just reminding you that you have breasts, a butt and a vagina! How nice of them! Bonus if you don’t have a boob-hole, but instead boob-chest-plate!

11. The Everyday Archer! A very classic outfit, complete with a corset and a mini-skirt! Don’t forget the cape, but heavens forbid that you wear it longer than your hips! Then we wouldn’t be able to see your nice butt or legs from behind! *sad face*

12. The Creative Healer! She isn’t supposed to be in close-combat, and sometimes doesn’t even use weapons other than a staff, so minimal armor is understandable… that’s why we give you a dress that leaves you wondering how that thing stays on, and with a leg-slip-thing! We wouldn’t want you to forget you have legs, after all!

13. And finally, your Average Sci-Fi chick! This one is an absolute classic. It has weird cut-outs everywhere, extreme cleavage, patterns pointing to your crotch and chest, and CRAZY shoes! Don’t forget the skin tight, often nearly-transparent, glossy fabric. Perfect battle wear, absolutely perfect!

On the bright side, you never have to worry about being too hot! >_> And you save a bundle on fabric!

archiemcphee: London-based designer Sophie de Oliveira Barata...

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:41:22 +1000

archiemcphee:

London-based designer Sophie de Oliveira Barata creates some of the most jaw-droppingly awesome prosthetics we’ve ever seen.

Sophie comes from an art background, with a first class honours degree at London Arts University where she studied Special Effects prosthetics for film and T.V. She then went on to work for 8 years, as a sculptor making realistic looking, bespoke prosthetics for amputees at one of the leading prosthetic providers. She worked in all areas sculpting fingers, toes, partial feet , partial hands, bespoke liners and leg and arm covers for amputees. In her spare time she made more experimental art work in this medium, before setting up her own studio.

Known as The Alternative Limb Project, Sophie works as a specialist consultant with other prosthetists and produces both artificial limbs that look completely realistic as well as limbs created using imaginative ideas provided by the clients themselves. “She can interpret your ideas and create a unique design that will reflect your interests and personality.”

As you can see here, Sophie’s work is truly astonishing. As well as being completely functional prostheses, these amazing limbs are also unique works of art.

Each of her designs offer a sense of individuality, allowing the customer to express their personality through their synthetic appendages. The artist says, “Having an alternative limb is about claiming control and saying ‘I’m an individual and this reflects who I am.’”

Visit The Alternative Limb Project website to learn more about Sophie’s awesome work and check out more of her creations.

[via My Modern Metropolis]

odditiesoflife: Fire Tornadoes The fire tornado or fire devil,...

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:36:43 +1000

odditiesoflife:

Fire Tornadoes

The fire tornado or fire devil, one of nature’s rarest phenomenon, is caused when a column of superheated, rising air comes into contact with a wildfire. Basically its a tornado composed of fire instead of dust.

Film-maker Chris Tangey of Alice Springs Film and Television was filming a wildfire in Curtin Springs, Australia, when a small twister touched down causing it to build into a spinning flame. Just 300 meters away was a 30 meter high fire swirl which “sounded like a fighter jet” despite there being no wind in the area. The tornado that Tangey caught on camera reportedly lasted for more than 40 minutes.

odditiesoflife: The Tessellated Tiles of Tasmania Strangely...

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:24:29 +1000

odditiesoflife:

The Tessellated Tiles of Tasmania

Strangely created by nature and not man are the tessellated tiles of Tasmania. Located near the southern end of Tasmania on the Tasman Peninsula, Eaglehawk Neck is a thin stretch of land which links two Islands. It is the Earth’s finest example of tessellated pavement.

Tessellated pavement is an extremely rare erosional feature that forms in flat sedimentary rock lying on ocean shores. The pavement earned this name due to rocks fracturing into polygonal blocks that resemble tiles or tessellations. The resulting patterns are another example of nature’s beauty and mystery.

odditiesoflife: The Most Rare Colored Fruit The tiny, rock-hard...

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:21:19 +1000

odditiesoflife:

The Most Rare Colored Fruit

The tiny, rock-hard fruits of Pollia condensata, a wild plant that grows in the forests of several African countries, can’t be eaten. But they have an extremely rare property for a plant. They stay vibrant, metallic blue for many decades, even after they’ve been picked. They produce the most intense color ever studied in biological tissue.

The vast majority of colors in the biological world are produced by pigments—compounds produced by a living organism that selectively absorb certain wavelengths of light, so that they appear to be the color of whichever wavelengths they reflect.

However, Pollia condensata produces its vibrant blue color through nanoscale-sized cellulose strands that scatter light as they interact with one another. Thus the fruit’s color is visible at the cellular level as pictured above.

rosalarian: Angelina Jolie had a double mastectomy, in case you...

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:03:29 +1000

rosalarian:

Angelina Jolie had a double mastectomy, in case you hadn’t heard. How dare she remove those ticking time bombs from her chest, amiright? Like, hasn’t she learned by now that her body is public domain and we all get to vote on what she does with it? Sheesh, how selfish can ya get.

wnycradiolab: Julie Mecoli’s “Dark Matter” is a series of...

Mon, 13 May 2013 22:07:16 +1000

wnycradiolab:

Julie Mecoli’s “Dark Matter” is a series of artworks inspired by the University of Queensland Pitch Drop Experiment (if you want to seriously geek out about this, our story on the experiment is right here).

Mecoli’s pieces are made of bitumen. They start out looking like solids and slooooowly reveal their true liquid nature. Check out some of her other work here.

odditiesoflife: The Glowing Spider-Worms of New Zealand For...

Sun, 12 May 2013 19:28:14 +1000

odditiesoflife:

The Glowing Spider-Worms of New Zealand

For over one hundred years, millions of tourists have flocked to the ancient limestone Waitomo Caves on New Zealand’s North Island, where a stunning species of fungus gnat called Arachnocampa luminosa live.

Unique to New Zealand and Australia, they are found in caves, grottoes, and other sheltered places. Arachnocampa means ‘spider-worm,’ as the gnat is known for the way their larvae hang strong vertical silk threads from their underground habitats. Since the larvae are luminescent, the thousands of tiny threads light up cave ceilings like a starry sky.

odditiesoflife: Stockholm’s Subway The most beautifully...

Sun, 12 May 2013 19:26:59 +1000

odditiesoflife:

Stockholm’s Subway

The most beautifully designed subway tunnels in the world are found in Stockholm, Sweden. The grand architecture reminds its travelers that they are deep underground. Featuring painted cave walls and ceilings, the design is more like an art gallery than a subway.

archiemcphee: Please brace yourself against something or...

Sun, 12 May 2013 19:26:40 +1000

archiemcphee:

Please brace yourself against something or someone sturdy. It’s time for another visit to the Department of Incapacitating Cuteness:

This itty-bitty creature, who looks like he/she just had one too many pancakes for breakfast, is part of a new species of mouse lemur.

Microcebus mittermeieri is one of three newly announced mouse lemur species found on the African island of Madagascar.

Photo by Mark Thiessen

[via National Geographic]

jensensations:

Sat, 11 May 2013 16:21:25 +1000

jensensations:

odditiesoflife: Book Sculptures Landscapes carved and painted...

Sat, 11 May 2013 14:02:47 +1000

odditiesoflife:

Book Sculptures

Landscapes carved and painted into old books by Canadian artist Guy Laramee.

odditiesoflife: The Magical World of Living Light This is the...

Fri, 10 May 2013 13:21:07 +1000

odditiesoflife:

The Magical World of Living Light

This is the mysterious spectacle of bioluminescence. Its hard not to revel in the beauty of this remarkable natural phenomenon. These glowing creatures are primarily a product of the ocean. They are the primary source of light in the largest and darkest area of habitable land on Earth, the deep sea. On land, they are most commonly seen as glowing fungus on wood (foxfire) or in the few families of luminous insects (fireflies).