The mysterious green cat of Varna Bulgaria has baffled people all over the interwebs.
Many have asked, is green cat real or was he simply shaded that way in photoshop? It seems that he is indeed real and scientists have been unraveling the mystery of this pea coloured puss ever since. In truth he visited a grooming salon and asked for something really edgy that none of his hipster friends could even imagine yet.
It’s no secret that I adore infographics. Even better are infographics or interactive media that has a personal angle. This enables the user to better relate to and absorb the information in a meaningful way.
This interactive infographic from the BBC certainly does add a new dimension to the data. It’s a clever combination of science, philosophy and geekery which is really appealing. If you haven’t jumped the gun and tried it already – dive right in!
I love that this infographic does a great job of explaining how infinitesimally small and insignificant we all are – which paradoxically makes it all seem more precious because it’s so fleeting. There’s something very zen about this.
Your Life on Earth an Interactive Infographic by the BBC
Contrary to what you might think, watermelons looked very different (and probably tasted better) in the Renaissance compared to today. Why exactly? Farming practices have changed and genetically modified food has modified the humble watermelon out of its original state of being.
Take a look at this renaissance painting by Giovanni Stanci, courtesy of Christies to see how the fleshy fruit would have looked in the 17th Century.
Giovanni Stanchi (Rome c. 1645-1672) Watermelons, peaches, pears and other fruit in a landscape; and Chrysanthemums, tulips, irises and other flowers and fruit in a landscape.
The curly and compartmentalised flesh of the fruit looks completely foreign to our eyes.
In an infographic by James Kennedy, you can see the genesis of watermelon from seed to cultivation and beyond.
About five thousand years ago in Africa, watermelons were bitter and inedible. They went through thousands of years of selective breeding and became how they appeared in the Renaissance painting. It wasn’t until the middle of the 20th Century that advances in agriculture and crop resistance that scientists were able to develop thicker rinds.
Seedless watermelon varieties come from Japan where crop scientists fiddled with watermelons by adding chemicals to double a watermelon’s chromosomes and create the mutant seedless variety, that is nonetheless convenient for us to eat and therefore universally popular.
Friends for over 40 years, ballroom dancers Mary Hall, 85, and Gerald Kavanagh, 80, practice in the early evening in Bendigo, Australia. Photograph by Brendan McCarthy from the National Geographic 2009 International Photo Contest.
If you’re in a bind, bored of simply tired of the same old mediocre crap in your regular channels or news feeds, then check out this ingenious little tool.
This lookup tool allows you to get acquainted with useful websites that offer helpful skills and solutions that are universally handy for anyone. Click to explore
I got something in the mail the other day. A planned new cycleway running down one of the main streets of Auckland CBD, Nelson st and then criss-crossing all over the city.
This is music to my ears as Auckland has to be one of the noisiest and congested cities in this part of the world. The city has a population of 1.4 million in the 2013 census and is the most populated centre in the country with the population set to rise in the next 20 years by up to 30%.
There are the obvious health benefits to cycling. Plus traffic congestion is lowered. Suddenly the community cares about this or that public space and a sense of civic responsibility springs up from cycling, in a way that car drivers could never imagine.
Cycleways are fantastic as they allow citizens to reclaim the streets from cars. Slowly but surely, bikes have since become so fashionable again, spurred on by hipster trends. Suddenly what’s old became fashionable again in the past decade.
However unlike the more pretentious trends of the hipster movement, like buckwheat shots and bushy beards, cycling and riding fixies is practical, healthy, saves you money and is a mode of transport. It also means that people become more personally invested in their urban spaces.
So I got a letter in the mail from Auckland Transport, and how did I respond? with a passionate plea that the city planners transform the city into a bike and pedestrian only zone.
Famous Examples of Cities Reclaimed By Bikes
Here’s a definitive list of the trendy, vibrant, young and cool cities where everyone wants to live in. Some of the measures these cities took to boost the look and energy of the city were bike related, including: dedicated cycle lanes throughout the city, lowering speed limits for cars, bans on cars during the weekend, pedestrian and bike only thoroughfares and bike hiring facilities:
Berlin: A city for bikes
When I lived in Berlin a few years ago, the presence of cycleways throughout that city astounded and delighted me. ‘So you’re telling me that you can cycle on the streets in your own dedicated bike lane and cars and traffic lights will give way to you? AMAZING!’ I said to my friend. That this could become a reality in New Zealand seemed like utter fantasy. That’s me in the red shorts, six years ago!
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Paris, France
Portland, USA
Melbourne, Australia
Bogota, Columbia
Copenhagen, Denmark
All of these places are incredibly beautiful and places I would want to live in. Now I hope it’s Auckland’s turn to attract young, creative people into its metropolis. Ample cycle ways are the first step. What do you think?
Although akin to smutty words, this collection of innocent-until-proven-otherwise words come from a forum post on Reddit.
I hope you enjoy them and can contribute your own slightly smutty sounding words to the list. If you find your skin crawling a little bit then refrain from using them or at least think of this silly post the next time you hear them!
Some words in English inexplicably have a defined meaning and then also mean the exact opposite of that meaning. These are known as contronyms or Janus words – the latter derived from the Roman god of beginnings and endings, often depicted with two faces looking in opposite directions).
1.Sanction
To give official permission or approval for an action.
To impose a penalty upon someone/something.
2.Oversight
A verb meaning to oversee, derived from Old English ofersēon: to look from above.
A verb meaning to overlook or to pass over without noticing.
3. Dusting
If you dust crops you add chemicals.
If you dust furniture you remove dust particles.
Battersea Power Plant
4. Trimming
Derived from Old English the verb to trim means to make firm, strong, settled or arranged; i.e. a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.
However trimming as a verb refers to paring back or pruning overgrown trees – the opposite.
5. To cleave
One form of the verb derives from Old English and means to cling or adhere to something. (cleofian, clifian, or clīfan.)
The other form of the verb to cleave comes from a past participle of the word: cloven. You would know the term cloven hoof. This is the other meaning of cleave: cloven/separated.
6. Fast
Fast generally means moving rapidly or at speed.
Yet colours, glue and materials can be held fast in one place. The latter meaning derives from the term steadfast.
7. Clip
You can clip sheets or papers together to be bound. This comes from Old English: clyppan, to clasp with the arms, embrace or hug.
However you can also clip away or snip parts of an object away. The latter meaning comes from the Old Norse word Klippa meaning the sound made by shears.
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