Japanese artist Ako Tsubaki creates beautiful sand art in a vase. Can you guess what the sand art will become?
Cat With Two Legs Learns To Walk Again
A cat found with its two hind legs missing is learning to walk again. He can balance steadily for a brief moments. Originally, vets believed Deuce was attacked, but later decided he probably lost his legs in a farming accident.
Deuce has since gone to a humane society with hopes for adoption.
Earlier this year, Michael Fishbach and his friends were boating in the Sea of Cortez when they found a humpback whale floating in the water. It appeared to be dead, having been trapped in a fishing net for a long time. Fishbach discovered that she was still alive — but only barely. They worked hard for an hour with only one knife to cut the net away and free her. Once freed, the whale showed its appreciation to her rescuers.
Artist Mark Nixon made a wind chime sculpture under a bridge with 600 50mm diameter gold anodized aluminum pipes ranging in length from 120 mm up to 3750 mm. The art installation recently exhibited at Sculpture by the Sea in Aarhus Denmark.
A man grieving the loss of his Rottweiler accidentally set his house on fire while cremating his dog in Dale City. He had requested the authorities to pick up the dog's remains, but they informed him to bring it in. His car was too small, so he decided to cremate it on the property. After pouring gasoline on the remains, the flames transferred up the side of the house and on to the roof. The house suffered extensive fire and smoke damage. The dog's remains remained on a tarp next to the house. The animal control authorities eventually came to remove the dog's remains from the property.
Groups of baboons kidnap, train and raise dogs as pets. Bizarre and difficult to watch at times. Nonetheless, it kind of makes sense when you think of how humans do the exact same thing.
A Melbourne man, Vu Ho, 54, has paid upwards of $60,000 to keep his beloved companion home after the Greater Dandenong City Council threatened to remove his pet Baa. The Greater Dandenong City Council local laws officers hit him with a $220 fine on February 25 for "keeping livestock on land under half (a) hectare". Baa has lived with Mr. Ho for over 10 years. Mr. Ho says Baa is a close member of his family. If he loses the case on September 7, he faces $30,000 in legal costs plus a similar bill for the council's lawyers. The council updated the laws late last month, exempting cats and dogs from the term "livestock"
Shirley and Jenny were two circus elephants that were chained up most of their circus days except when they were forced to perform for audiences. Shirley adopted Jenny when she was calf and become her surrogate mother. Soon after, Shirley was moved and Jenny was forced to continue performing for next 23 years of her life until she sustained a leg injury. After she was injured, she was dumped on an animal welfare's doorstep. The animal welfare organization was barely equipped or funded to care for an injured elephant. An animal activist contacted an elephant sanctuary and had Jenny transferred there.
Jenny's first days at the sanctuary were spent in isolation. Because she was miserable without company of her kind, she was urged to spend more time with the herd. Coincidentally, Shirley was sent to the same elephant sanctuary years earlier. Upon recognizing each other, both Shirley and Jenny trumpeted as they bumped their ample bodies together in a typical gesture of affectionate camaraderie. Both elephants were happy to see each other after so many years apart. Immediately, the old friends were inseparable and soon were joined by another duo, Bunny and Tarra.
Unfortunately, Jenny's leg injury become critical and she worsened. When she became too weak, Shirley led her to a shaded valley area to lay down. Shirley used her truck to help Jenny stay comfortable. When the situation became to unbearable to bear, Shirley left to mourn the loss of her friend. Bunny and Tarra stayed with Jenny, trumpeting and easing her comfort, until she passed away.
I am a huge fan of actor Johnny Deep. His character roles are diverse and delightful to watch. Artist Derek Eads has created a poster with each of Depp's characters.
Marine Sculptures Using Ocean Plastic Debris
Oregon artist Angela Pozzi was frustrated by the waste debris that washed up on the beaches near her home. So, she decided to create art sculptures of marine life out of the ocean debris. The exhibit is titled Washed Ashore Project.
Three girls are the winners of the Google Science Fair, a co-ed science competition. Lauren Hodge studied the effects of different marinades on the level of carcinogens in chicken, Naomi Shah studied indoor air quality and asthma, and Grand Prize Winner Shree Bose studied ways to improve ovarian cancer treatment for women who have built up a resistance to chemotherapy drugs. Way to go girls of science!
Depressed Ferret Flees Circus with Monkey and Parakeet
A ferret, monkey and parakeet have run away from a circus in East Siberian city of Chita apparently due to "depression from the bad weather." The monkey was found in a doghouse cuddling with the dog. The whereabouts of the ferret and parakeet are unknown.
New York cyclist Casey Neistat consistently received tickets for biking outside the bike lane. He created this video to prove it is not safe to bike in the bike lanes in NYC.
Terminally Ill Owner and Dog Reunited
When homeless Kevin McClain was found by paramedics living in a Wal-Mart parking lot with lung cancer, he was moved from a hospital to a hospice. His beloved dog Yurt, whom he raised from a pup, was transported to an animal shelter. Mr. McClain yearned for his beloved companion as his health worsened. Paramedic Jan Erceg, who also worked at the animal shelter, arranged for one last visit before McClain passed away. Yurt has since been adopted by a loving family.
Jerusalem rabbis sentence canine reincarnation of lawyer to death by stoning
A Jerusalem rabbinical court sentenced a dog to death by stoning after determining the dog was the reincarnation of a famous secular lawyer, who insulted the court's judges 20 years ago. Thankfully, the dog managed to escape.
Bela: L'Homme Chat is short documentary shot during Cannes Film Festival 2011.
"Bela" follows the day in the life of a street performer named Bela Erdei or "the cat man". Bela, a recognizable face to some, travels hours by train throughout the south of France to perform with his affectionate house cats. An affable and eccentric character who has a real passion for what he does.
Do we influence genders to be masculine or feminine? What if we allowed children to choose what colour they prefer or what toys to play with. A preschool in Sweden addresses all children as friends, not "him" or "her", allowing each individualistic child to define their gender role and preferences. But will the genderless programming create a more neutral and equal dynamic between boys and girls?
Farmer Requires License to Remove Fish from Flooded Fields
Martin Reid of Sabrevois, Quebec, was previously fined $1,000 for fishing with a license to remove fish from flooded fields of his farm in 1993. He is concerned he may be fined a second time up to $100,000. Each permit obtained only lasts 2 weeks. Reid explained. "I have to transport them so as not to damage them, by containers with water inside. If some of them die, I have to bury them." Canadian bureaucracy at its best.
Viva Italia! There has been a lot of controversy the past few years regarding the fashion industry exclusively using waif-like, anorexic-looking models. Interestingly, maybe 1% of the women on the planet are a size 0. Nonetheless, Vogue Italia published a stunning cover with three plus-size models (I loathe this term) of Tara Lynn, Candice Huffine and Robyn Lawley, who all look absolutely stunning.
Ninety-Year-Old Tortoise Becomes Mother For First Time
A 90-year-old tortoise of the Dubbo Western Plains Zoo in Australia has given birth to a baby tortoise for the first time. The father could one of 2 tortoises in their 40s.
Cheerleader Booted for Refusing to Cheer for Rapist
A Texas cheerleader Hillaire was axed from the team when she refused to cheer for her date-rapist. She is trying to fundraise funds to fight her case. When she decided to come forward with her statement, high school officials at Texas’ Silsbee High School told her to keep quiet. When the case was taken to the appeals court, it was dismissed, and her family is now required to pay $45,000 to cover the school’s legal fees. Basketball player Rakheem Bolton pleaded to the charge of misdemeanor assault, and was allowed back on the basketball team. After she was kicked off the cheerleading team, she was publically branded a slut. The allowance of Rakeem Bolton to continue to play basketball with the full support of the high school, as well as the way the court system and high school officials have behaved in Texas, reinforces that an alleged sexual assaulter can get away with date-rape. Truly a sad tale indeed.
A new opera titled Two Boys at the ENO London Coliseum, highlights the Internet culture (or lack there of) developing online. Social networking (Facebook, Twitter) is watering-down communication style to low levels. “Do you want to be my friend? Can I poke you? What’s your comment?”
Woman sues ex-fiance after being impaled on fence while urinating from his veranda
An Australian woman is suing her ex-fiance after impaling herself from falling from an unsecured veranda. The woman has sustained extensive injuries to her urinary system, as well as her lower abdominal and pelvic regions. She claims she was urinating off the veranda that was not secure nor appropriately lit.
Niu Niu, a cat, has taken a fondness to helping in the raising of chicks in China. The owner, a farmer, caught the cat getting into the chick's box and fear the cat was going to eat them. The cat frozen red-handed, then until the owner noticed the chicks playing with the cat. Now the owner lets the cat chick-sit while he is at work.
Someone in Hampshire, UK reported a tiger relaxing on a golf course and the police were mobilized to capture the dangerous beast. (Un)fortunately, the wild tiger turned out to be stuffed.
Dog Fights for Recover After Being Shot and Buried Alive
A dog is slowly recovering after being discovered buried alive, bound and shot that was accidentally discovered by animal welfare officers investigating neglected dogs in a field. They heard the muffled whimpering of an animal. After looking under a wooden plank, they discovered "Star".
Couple Sentenced to Stand In Wadding Pool Wearing Life Jackets
A young couple who were swept away in a river without wearing life jackets have been sentenced to stand in a wadding pool with life jackets and hand out boating safety educational pamphlets.
NY Sunworks, a non-profit organization, has teamed up with Manhattan School for Children to build the first green roof in the city. The collaborative team plans to building over 100 green roofs on schools.
Four liger cubs born in Xixiakou Wildlife Zoo were at risk when their tiger mother stopped nursing them. A dog that recently nursed some puppies was enlisted to help.
Canadian indie ISP owner recounts how corrupt monopoly drove her out of business
ISPs are dirty, but regulators refuse to investigate
The Canadian CRTC has received numerous complaints regarding ISPs' net neutrality and throttling bandwidth services, but fails to investigate complaints.
Jeff Gurwin, 28, proposed to his girlfriend, Caitlin Fitzsimons, 27, both of New York by commissioning graffiti artists to create a Scrabble-themed mural.
A six-year-old Croatian boy has an apparent ability to attract metal to his body. Health professionals have investigated his special abilities and have not been able to find a scientific explanation for his unique gift.
Imagine a bakery where it suggests its customers pay what they can afford or deem reasonable for fresh baked goods. Would this business model work? Could the little bakery that could survive? Apparently so.
Panera Bread has adopted this model in three of its 1500 stores in the United States. During the first year, sixty percent of customers pay the suggested amount, twenty percent pay more and twenty percent pay less. One customer even paid $500 for a meal. Sometimes pay it forward really does work.
Legless Chinese man has planted 3,000 trees in 10 years
A retired veteran Chinese man has planted 3,000 trees in 10 years in northern China. Every morning, the 62-year-old rises at 5:00 am, puts on his prosthetic legs and climbs mountains and plants trees. Truly inspirational.
Wonderful animation featuring art with books by Maurice Gee.
Modular Apartment
Could you live in a tiny apartment? Christian Schallert lives in an apartment of 258 square feet in Barcelona. With some creative, innovative design, he has created all the necessities of city living in this small space.
Recently, I saw this censored Sesame Street segement with The Count. It is amazing how your brain fills in the omitted dialogue. I could not stop laughing while viewing it.
The Greenest House in Chicago is a Self-Sufficient Clean Tech Showcase
The Smart Home designed by Michelle Kaufmann was showcased at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. The house features numerous environmental design initiatives including energy-efficient heated radiant subfloors, Low-E windows, mechanized shading, recycled flooring and tile, and a green roof.
When I saw the Smart Home in an online article a few years ago, I knew I wanted to eventual live in it. The only drawback is the real estate in Vancouver is exorbitant.
Designer Shinichiro Ogata of Wasara has created beautiful, compostable tableware out of tree-free biodegradable composite materials bamboo, reed pulp and bagasse (an agricultural waste byproduct). Starter kits start at $20.
Pantene is launching plant-based packaging in Western Europe. Len Sauers, Vice President of Sustainability, the new packaging is expected to cut the company's fossil-fuel consumption by 70 percent and reduce their greenhouse-gas emissions by 170 percent.
LEED Platinum Vancouver Convention Centre Takes Home Top Ten AIA COTE Award
The new Vancouver Convention Centre has won an AIA Cote Award for its LEED Platinum sustainable design integrating ecology, habitat restoration, energy efficiency, and integration into the urban environment. Bravo LMN Architects, Musson Cattell Mackey, DA Architects + Planners, the Province of British Columbia, and the City of Vancouver.
A Calgary teenager, who was born with a rare liver disease and became paralyzed three years ago, received some therapy through laughter. Two therapeutic clowns, Jumpa (Fif Fernandes) and Sparkle (Cheryl Oberg) at the Alberta Children's Hospital assisted Micaela in yoga laughter classes to help reduce pain and stress and increase oxygen intake through breathing and laughing. These exercises helped exercise slowly speak again and gain some mobility back. Laughter is indeed the best medicine.
Dog submerged herself in bathtub to survive raging fire
A Belgian Malinois named Mia survived a house fire for six hours by seeking refuge in a water-filled bathtub in the basement of a burning house. The Southern Carolinian family insists the dog had always been smart. The dog had learned to open doors and would have had to open four doors to get to the bathtub in the basement.
Factory workers forced to pledge not to commit suicide
At least 14 works in Apple's factor in China have committed suicide in the past sixteen months. This number does not include failed suicide attempts. Staff members are being forced to sign written promises to not commit suicide.
In addition, the staff members must also promise that if they did end their lives, their families would not seek damages beyond the legal minimum. One executive accused victims of committing suicide to win compensation payouts for relatives.
Several shelties were rescued from a radiation area in Minami Soma, Japan. The group of dogs were waiting for their breeder owner. A group of volunteers managed to rescue about twenty of the dogs and transport them to a veterinarian.
Few months old ocelot kitten, Evita, took its first steps close to its mother, Bella. She is slowly taking in her new surroundings. The Woodland Park Zoo has posted some wonderful photos on their blog.
In China, hundreds of dogs were saved from cooking pots by about 200 animal-rights activists. A truck transporting 430 to 520 dogs was forced to stop by a swerving motorist. Many of the dogs had been stolen from owners. After a 15-hour stand-off, the animal-protection group purchased the dogs for 115,000 yuan ($17,600).
Some Americans are in an uproar over a J. Crew ad in the new catalogue. Apparently, a photo showing the CEO and her son enjoying an afternoon painting their toe nails is promoting transgender children. Really what is wrong with a boy liking pink and nail polish? Can only girls like pink and nail polish?
I know growing up, I liked to wear pants and sneakers, ride my bmx bike, build tree forts and play with Legos. It is such a double-standard in North America for acceptance of females to be tomboyish, but males can never be feminine to any degree.
A recent study funded by the Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming has revealed that meat and poultry tested throughout the United States is infected with drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. I do not understand why the average person tolerates and accepts these low standards for quality and assurance of their food supply. Yet, people wonder where cancer, disease and congenital defects arise from.
Ever since I was a young child, I have always been fascinated and frustrated how toys are marketed to be gender-specific. Anyone can easily divide and separate toys marketed to girls and boys.
The colours, the dolls vs. cars, the delicate vs. action, the nurture vs. creativity, the feminine vs. masculine. I loathe how advertising and toys directed at young girls portrays a stereotypical messages of being submissive, reining in personalities, being delicate and demure. Whereas, advertising and toys directed at young boys promotes stereotypes of strength, adventure, success and sports.
It is no wonder that girls and boys grow up to be such polar opposites of each other and do not know how to communicate or compliment each gender, not too mention that women are so submissive and insecure.
These word clouds by Crystal highlight these stark gender biases.
Cancer survivor Barrie Gardham, of Hornsea, believes he is alive because his cat detected his prostate cancer. Whiskey the cat had always been a rough animal, but one day he was cuddly and tender. Gardham decided to go see a doctor and, after testing, found out he had cancer. Since recovery, Whiskey has gone back to being his disdainful self.
A British Columbian search and rescue team rescued a Bernese Mountain Dog after it was lost for fifteen days in the North Shore mountains. A family had placed Hurley in a kennel service while away on vacation. The dog got lost on a daily hike in the woods. The kennel company was supposed to use a GPS collar, but neglected one that particular day. The rescue team air-lifted the dog out to safety to be reunited with his family.
I am a huge fan of Futurama and I am so happy that the tv show has been brought back from the dead. This is an animated hommage to the Season 2 episode The Lesser of Two Evils.
A miniature horse, in Texas, was born with only three legs. After being neglected by his original owner, the horse was close to being euthanized before being adopted by Ranch Hand Rescue. The organization fitted the horse with a prosthetic leg and the horse can now stand and run naturally.
A Cape Town baboon that has been terrorizing people by opening car doors and robbing tourists is to be killed. He is motivated to enact a crime when he sees food. The baboon prefers human food to a natural diet. In 2010, he physically attacked three individuals. The city has tried several attempts to deter his behaviour, but feel euthanisation is the only course of action.
Artists Matthew Laws and Hal Watts created an art installation to convey countries water use by 2030 using kitchen sponges. But can the planet support the Western world's increasing water usage, while other areas of the globe go dry?
Social psychologist Amy Cuddy, of Harvard Business School, and her colleagues in a study about warmth and competence discovered that people prefer warmth when assessing others, but choose competence when assessing ourselves.
Do you ever wonder what words are used most in dating profiles across the United States? I wonder more so what words are most popular and marketable in Canada, but this map by R. Luke DuBois is very interesting.
A Yellowstone Park fox stalks and listens to prey six feet beneath the snow before making move.
Australians Stealing Penguins For Pets
Poachers are scaling fences near Granite Island off of Adelaide to stealing penguins for pets. These penguins are endangered because only 146 exist compared to 1,500 only 10 years ago.
Granite Island Penguin Centre co-ordinator Dorothy Longden, who has worked for the centre for seven years, started a petition to close the causeway leading to the facility. However, she has only collected 1,000 signatures but hopes to have the required 2,000 to protect the birds.
The Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, celebrated the birth of an orange baby monkey to the Francois langur monkey family last month. Keo-co (pronounced Key-co) was born to mother Saigon and father Hanoi, is very curious, but stays very close to his mother. When he was born, his mother was afraid of him, but his fur will change to black in six months time.
You may have heard about the plastic island floating in the Pacific Ocean, but what about all the plastic debris marine animals ingest? I know when I see litter in parks, beaches or waterfront areas it makes me cringe. I always think: is an animal going to eat it thinking it is food?
Here is a sample of plastic items found in the stomach and intestinal (gastrointestinal) tract of a juvenile sea turtle. The turtle had an obstruction and could not pass waste. In a period of one month, the turtle passed 74 foreign objects. Would we let a child eat a piece of plastic? I think not.
Michael, a silverback gorilla, learned sign language over ten years ago at age 27. In sign language, Michael recounts the horrifying witness of his mother killed by humans for bush meat.
Disabled Janitor Wins Against Abusive Collection Agency
A collection agency was ordered to pay $311,000 by a court for consistently harassing a disabled janitor for a $3,800 debt. Sometimes the good guy wins.
Matt Jillard, a poor chap, in England has had his home raided forty times in 18 months because the West Midlands Police confuse Repton Road, Birmingham with nearby Repton Grove.
Even after the financial crises in America, CEO salaries and bonuses are still untouchable. A CEO can slash budgets for a hospital in crisis-management, but do not every consider touching the CEO's salary or bonuses.
Two years ago, a children's playground in England was dismantled by a municipality to make way for a brand-new playground. Then, the city installed a brick wall.
There seems to be a trend with using your vagina as a purse. Scranton police have arrested a 27-year-old woman for hiding 54 bags of heroin, 31 empty bags, pills and money in her vagina.
A statue of Stan Laurel stolen from a Scottish hotel has been returned seven years later with a travel journal. The six-foot-tall statue was stolen in 2004. The owners put out a reward for its return, but were never successful in recovering the statue. Several years later, the statue showed up by the back door one day. The owners have no idea where the statue went or how the statue was returned.
