Daily SiBlurb- 6/29/07

Sorry I totally forgot to post this on Friday...enjoy!

Random

-Chris Farley Lives! - funny!

Daily Video

Crazy pitch

Video Dress

Lets look 20 minutes into the future with good old Max Headroom as we check in on the Video Dress.







Check out the video dress. Powered with LED embedded into the fabric to display a rose opening and closing. Ladies (or gents), now you will be noticed no matter where your at. Thanks again Max for the futuristic, stylistic statement!

Bacon Suitcase

Bring home the bacon with this Bacon Suitcase! Boy does that slab of swine look good!

Apples to Apples: iPod Displayed in Microsoft Box

First off I want to make it clear that I am no Apple Fanboy or Microsoft Fanboy, but this did upset me

Anyways....yesterday I was at my local Costco picking up a new Western Digital 160GB external hard drive when I saw something strange. I was sitting in line and noticed the display of Apple iPods over by the front entrance. What caught my attention was that one of the iPods in the display was in a Microsoft box. Wait, did I miss something!? When did Microsoft start making iPods? Never! I figure that they were setting up the display, ran out of boxes and decided to use the Microsoft box because hey, they are a computer-related company too! That only makes logical sense, right? If you couldn't find any Pepsi display boxes wouldn't you just use Coke display boxes? Stupid!

Emo Light Bulb

I love it when I find some funny Emo stuff....really nothing is better

This Week in Health, Fitness and Science

Good Week For:

• Sobe Lizard Fuel: New research states that Gila Monster spit could help you lose weight. However, not enough evidence is out to state that making out with your pet amphibian is good for your health. Article
• Male Enhancement Drugs: One article states that reading and viewing magazines like Maxim and FHM make men feel inadequate. Article
• Bessie and the cows: Scientists in South Dakota have just won a grant to further study the use of Prairie Cord Grass to make an alternative fuel source ethanol. Ethanol is also produced from corn and added to gas. The rise of corn use for ethanol has left a food shortage for cows. Thus milk prices have gone up! Article
• 24 hour fitness: Exercise can help make smarter. Exercise has a number of benefits including cardiovascular health, weight management, alleviating depression and anxiety and body image. Article
  

Bad Week For:

• Xbox: The American Medical Association said it isn't sure if excessive video game use can be labeled as an addiction. But they did label it as a 'formal disorder'. Seems like your an addict if you weight outside for 3 days to pay a butt-load of money for a Playstation. Article
  
• Being Young at Heart: Research states that teens that use drugs, alcohol and have sex may partly be doing it to feel older and partly cause it's fun. Article
• Human Quilting: Recent research that looked at nine studies over the last 15 years states that acupuncture effects may mostly be due to the "Placebo Effect". So don't run out to your favorite fabric store just yet. Article
• Robotussin: Getting high on cough syrup ingredient Dextromethorphan is bad for you, enough said. Article
  

Daily SiBlurb- 6/28/07

Random

-Zebra + Horse = Zorse - wait...right?
-Crop Circles on Drugs - Very abstract
-How Many People Have Lived On Earth? - That is a lot of people
-Ear Turn Signals - Good idea but I think you look like a tool
-Spice Girls Reunite - Luke, you better get Spice World back out!

Daily Video

Only you can prevent Douchebaggery

Sleeper House

Those of you who are from Colorado probably know about this house but don’t really know about it. The house that I am speaking of is the spaceship looking house that sits on top of Genesee Mountain and is visible from I-70. This house, designed by Charles Deaton, is known as the "Sculptured House" or more commonly as the "Sleeper House" after the Woody Allen movie that it starred in.



About

Charles Deaton based his architectural philosphy on the premise that “people aren’t squares, so why should they live in squares?”. In 1963 Mr. Deaton started to build the kind of house he thought people should live in, on 15 acres high in the foothills above Denver. The house was intended to be both a work of art and a home, although it would be many years before it ever became a home to anyone. By 1966 the exterior of the building had been completed at a cost of $100,000, which was a lot of money for a complete house in those days. The exterior design was widely praised in architectural circles and received a fair bit of attention in the press, but financial problems prevented Mr Deaton from ever finishing the building. The house was the subject of a 1969 New York Times article, which inspired filmmaker and actor Woody Allen to use the building in his 1973 comedy "Sleeper". The infamous "Orgasmatron" of the movie was apparently inspired by the tiny two-person elevator in the stem of the house. The elevator is still there, but unfortunately it doesn’t do any more than move from one floor to another.

In 1991 Mr. Deaton sold the house and land to Larry Polhill, a California businessman, for $800,000. Mr. Polhill started work on an addition designed by Deaton that would triple the livable space in the house, but lost interest and allowed work on the house to stop. The house sat neglected for years, with vandals smashing all the windows, and the interior left open to the elements. When Denver resident John Huggins inspected the house prior to buying it in 1999, he found four feet of snow in the living room, and a fox living in the house. Foxes and snowdrifts notwithsthanding, an inspection found the house to be structurally sound, and Mr. Huggins bought the house and began the long process of restoring the house and completing Charles Deaton’s dream. The $1,325,000 that Mr. Huggins paid for the house was based entirely on the appraised value of the 15 acres it sat on.



Mr. Huggins hired interior decorator Charlee Deaton and architect Nick Antonopoulos (daughter and son-in-law of the original architect) to complete the interior and the addition to the house and, two years and a few million dollars later Charles Deaton’s dream was realized. The addition to the house is invisible from the highway, even though it triples the livable space in the house. The original windows (all of which were smashed by vandals) have been replaced by soundproof glass to block out the sound of traffic on I-70. Until I-70 was completed to Genesee in 1971 the only paved road near the house was US Highway 40, two narrow lanes far across the canyon carrying a few cars an hour on a busy day.

Sleepover?



Cloud Nine Living offers a night of excitement at the "Sleeper House". Enjoy a once in a lifetime experience at Charles Deaton’s "sculpture you can live in". Your private limo will take you 20 miles west of Denver to one of the most beautiful, storied and mysterious homes on Earth. The 7,700 square foot marvel of modern architecture juts out from it's 8,000' perch amidst 300 acres of dense pine forest. The secluded enclave is your private playground for the night. Inside, the finest designer furniture, bedding, sound and lighting spark your imagination. Outside the the 5,500 square foot flagstone deck, 3 acre meadow, gas and charcoal barbecues, hot tub and views remind you of your place on top of the world. The ultra private master balcony delivers breath taking vistas of both The Continental Divide to the West and The Front Range from Boulder to South Denver to the East.

Up to 8 guests will enjoy a catered 4 course gourmet dinner, cocktails and wine and a private screening of Woody Allen’s 1973 film, "Sleeper"; in which the home had a starring role.Prices range from $2,700 for 2 people to $3,900 for 8 people

Other

Charles Deaton also designed a similar Key Savings and Loan Association (now Colonial Bank) in Colorado. I am not positive but I think that this may be the bank that is located off of Hampden and Broadway in Englewood. Here is the only picture that I could find of it



Facts taken from Blue Sky Colorado and Cloud Nine Living

Other Links:
-Kentwood Homes - I think this is the official site for it. Amazing pictures of exterior and interior
-Forbes: Sleeper House - Good and short article
-Littleton Rotary Photo Slideshow - Quick slideshow but the photos from the Kentwood site are way better
-Rocky Mountain City & Mountain Views - Another good article
-Charles Deaton Wikipedia Page
-Sculptured House Wikipedia Page

Extreme Rockies Races

"A video of the Transalpine race in Germany, the sister race to the Transrockies trail race in September"

The Great Continental Divide Race

" The Great Divide Race is a self-supported, solo competition following the 2,490-mile Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Traversing Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico, the route demands over 200,000 feet of climbing along it's length. Competitors carry all equipment necessary to negotiate the backcountry, restocking on food and other supplies from the small towns along the route."

http://www.greatdividerace.com/

Transrockies 2 Team Trail Run
125 miles in 6 days
This year from September 16th to 21st, up to 350 teams of two will take on the Colorado Rockies for a running experience like no other.
During the six days of the inaugural GORE-TEX™ TransRockies Run, runners from all over the World will run, eat and live together as they cover 125 miles of the most spectacular scenery in the world,
fully supported by a dedicated and professional Event Team who will look after all aspects of their food, accommodations and on-course support. 1250$ per person
http://www.transrockies.com/transrockiesrun/index.htm

AdventureXstream Adventure Race Series

Presented By

The premier adventure race series returns for its 7th annual season. 2007 will include Sprint Races, 12hr and 24hr Races and an Expedition length race for the series finale. Race venues include Moab, Durango, Breckenridge, and Vail.
http://www.gravityplay.com/

Many More. Check it out at www.rockymountainsports.com let me know if you've come across anymore extreme sproting events!

Let me know if you are interested in the Transrockies team race and need a partner. Send comment with email in format name[at]host[dot]com or send to Siblog Posters link at email on left.

Chuck Norris WoW Character

Check out this Chuck Norris World of Warcraft character! I have never played WoW, but if I did I would definitely want Chuck Norris in my guild

Zombie Corpse

More Zombie decorations for my yard!? Yes please! $90...oh no thanks


Do not be fooled by the crisp white button-down: this guy's a zombie. Despite the fact that being undead has turned his mouth rather blue, he displays a mouthful of surprisingly straight pearly whites. This Latex Stuffed Zombie measures 30" from elbow to elbow and reaches a height of 23"; the perfect size to lurk in your yard waiting to scare away pesky neighborhood children or door-to-door salesmen. Also works beautifully as the centerpiece for a goth buffet or a bedroom mascot for the youngsters! Priced at $89.99

Daily SiBlurb- 6/27/07

Random

-Transformers Cake - I love cake design. I used to design cakes a few years ago
-Meltdown Chair - Cool Chair
-Toilet with Remote - because using your hand to flush the toilet is too hard?
-The Correct Way to Pour Ketchup - Very detailed
-Dutch Hot Tub - Idea kinda seems like the same thing as those baby pools
-Designer Cardboard Boxes - In case magic markers won't do
-What the iPhone Won't Have - Interesting....but I am sure it will still be pretty cool. Ugh...I hate Apple
-Jaw Arthritis for Kobayashi - Could end his career

Daily Video

This Human Sling Shot looks fun but I hope that they have those people sign waivers before they send them off shooting

The Human Sling Shot Part 2 - Watch more free videos

Geek Trivia: Tale of the tape (player)

I am going to make this a weekly post that comes from the guys over at TechRepublic. Unfortunately since next Wednesday is the 4th of July I will not be posting one. But going forward from there it should show up every Wednesday. The trivia goes through a brief factual blurb relating to the question and then the question is at the bottom with the answer available through a link

Language and technology have never been the most steadfast of bedfellows. To most tech-heads, proper syntax has more to do with debugging code than subject-verb agreement, which is probably why technology products create some of the most infuriating cases of grammar confusion found in the English language.

Case in point: The iPod nano. (And yes, Apple insists that nano be lowercase.)

How would you describe a group comprised of more than one iPod nano? You'd say iPod nanos, right? Or is it iPod nanoes, as in more than one potato means you've got potatoes? (Of course, this is not a universal rule, as more than one piano gives you pianos.)

Or is it iPods nano, as we're pluralizing the noun and not the adjective? This would be similar to the case that more than one sister-in-law means sisters-in-law and not sister-in-laws.

It's a grammatical conundrum for sure. But it's just one of many to originate from Apple's marketing department, what with its linguistically irritating habit of giving several products a noun-then-modifier namesake, such as MacBook Pro or Mac Mini.

Of course, what do you expect from a company whose motto is itself a grammatical error? Think Different is an adjective modifying a verb. Only adverbs can properly modify verbs, so the slogan should be Think Differently.

So, how does one say or write the plural of iPod nano? Well, iPod nano is a compound noun, which means you can place the pluralizing -s in either spot. Typically, pluralizing the lower noun (the noun within the compound element) as opposed to the higher noun (the whole compound) is traditionally only correct in hyphenated forms, such as the aforementioned sister-in-law. So you wouldn't expect to see iPods nano. The issue of -s versus -es pluralization comes down to convention, so it's up to Apple to decide.

Apple, unfortunately, goes out of its way in marketing copy not to pluralize any product name -- or even use articles such as an or the. Apple treats products like singular, proper nouns, as in "While it can't stop the rain, iPod nano might make your day a bit brighter." All I can say is write its customer service department for an answer to this pluralization debate.

Now, before you declare it unreasonable to expect a major product manufacturer to waste time on such trivial matters as official pluralization, I'd refer to the infamous case of the Sony Walkman -- a product so revolutionary, popular, and grammatically confounding that Sony had to list an approved plural form of the word.

WHAT IS THE OFFICIAL PLURAL OF WALKMAN?

To find out, check out the Geek Trivia Answer on TechRepublic.com.

Did You Know: Leprechaunism

Did You Know: That Donohue's Syndrome refers to Leprechaunism. Leprechaunism is so named because individuals with this rare hereditary disease have elfin features such as low set protuberant ears, flaring nostrils and large lips. The afflicted also have larger than normal sex organs and concomitant growth retardation.

Tattooless Tattoo Styles

Tattoo style without all the pain, money and long term effects! Check out the Tinsley Tattoo Sleeves. Where the 'tattoo' covers your arms just like a shirt and presto you have a giant tat. Pick from tribal, japanese, metal, vintage or more designs for around 24.95$.

Pickle T-shirt

I thought that this T-shirt was amusing because I hate Pickles and pretty much everything pickled. I think the pickling process is gross and it ruins the food. Anyways here is the shirt....

SiBlog Firefox Search Engine Plugin

Do you use Firefox? The poll shows a lot of you do. Do you use the search engines in the top right hand corner of your Firefox browser? I do, in fact I use this tool when doing any searches for Google, Wikipedia, Amazon, etc. Anyways....I created a search engine plug-in for this blog and you can add it to your Firefox very easy. Simply go to this link and click on "SiBlog". From there it will bring up a dialog box asking you if you really want to add it and if you want to start using it right away. Click "Add" and the search engine will be added to your list of search engines. I am sure many of you probably don't search the site and I rarely do too...but I just thought it would be cool to have.

Daily SiBlurb- 6/26/07

Random

-Baby off of Nirvana Nevermind Album - Not a baby no mo
-Great Picture - But really scary
-Lego Rings and Cufflinks - Radical!
-Beer Shelves - Great Idea!
-Swimming Treadmill - Another stupid invention for the pool
-10 Worst Video Game Movies - Great list!

Daily Video

300 trailer but PG version. Thanks Luke!

Uber Shades are Uber Cool

Swiss Army like glasses that offer a whole slew of tools. You can personalize it with up to 263 different options. I wonder if it offers anti beer goggle capabilities or lasers would be nice.

Wendy's Baconator

Is this already out? Did I miss something?

Baconator - Six bacon slices piled high atop two 1/4 lb. fresh, never frozen, burger patties. Complete with American cheese and mayonnaise dressing on our signature premium bun. Go on, obsess a little.

Let me give you a few nutrition facts to make your arteries cry
-Calories: 830
-Fat: 51
-Saturated Fat: 22
-Carbs: 35
-Protein: 57

Purple and Brown

Purple and Brown is a short on Nicktoons Network. The series is animated using Claymation. Its storylines are usually random and are composed for the purpose of amusement. It is popular in the UK and has recently become more so in the United States. Purple and Brown is about two buddies made out of clay. The dynamic duo has a trademark giggle which is the hallmark of the show. In one short, it is suggested that each of them is married. Purple and Brown is a creation of Aardman, who are more widely known for animating Wallace and Gromit. The series is devised and directed by Rich Webber and edited by Mike Percival. Mike and Rich are also the voices of Purple and Brown.

Tree Bark Clothes

Tree Bark Clothes are made from an old and labor intensive task. Bark from the wild Mutuba fig trees is stripped and repeatedly soaked in water and pounded flat. The bark is wrapped in banana leaves and is considered a sustainable way to manufacture clothing. I wonder when this fashion will hit the runway?

Relive your favorite movies with the Lightsabre Groove Machine and the Musical Rocky Boxing Gloves

Check out the musical Rocky Boxing Gloves with sounds like "Whack", "Bam" and the the "Rocky Theme Song"!! Live it up like your Stallone.



Forget the glow sticks and 'Drop it like its hot' with the likes of Yoda and Luke Skywalker! This Lightsabre has a built in MP3 player for all your geeky dancing needs. www.coolest-gadgets.com

Puppy Power!

This weekend I finally got the puppy that I have been talking about for weeks. My girlfriend and I picked her up from DIA on Saturday morning and had an amazing yet sleepless weekend with her. I decided to name her Kiaya, because that was my favorite and it won the poll last week. I am getting her all setup and having a great time with her. Here are some pics.....
Here she is giving a us a great example of "puppy eyes"

...And here Barney the Gnome and her are duking it out. Kiaya has a good lock on his head but little does she know that Barney has a hoe in his right hand. Luckly I broke it up before it got too messy.

"Into the Wild" the Movie

Jon Krakaeur's "Into the Wild" is a great tail of Chris McCandles' journeys throughout America. It details and questions the true story of Chris McCandles' adventures and his final journey to Alaska. The movie is directed by Sean Penn and based on a true story that unfolds Chris' journeys detail by detail. Check it out! The book is a quick read, well written and highly recommended. Fasten your seatbelts for an emotional and riveting story. Bravo for a more original movie than the saturated cookie cutter Hollywood productions of this day and age.

this Week in Science: Novel Sources of Energy

The Spinach powered home - Powere by a solar energy using Photosystem I plant pathway found in spinach. It also collects and filters stormwater and uses soy based wood panels.


















Self Sufficient Gym - I've been waiting for something like this for probably 10 years. This gym is powered by the work of the users on the machines. The work is converted to electricity to help with lighting needs.














Fruit Fuel - Scientist have been able to isolate a sugar found in fruits that can be utilized to as a low carbon fuel source. It is said to contain far more energy than ethanol.

Daily SiBlurb- 6/22/07

Random

-Simpson Movie Trailer - Just because I know many of you love the Simpsons
-List of Celebrities that have died from drugs/alcohol or died while on them - Wow that is a lot of people!

Daily Video

World Bench Press Record

This Week in Health, Fitness and Science

A Good Week For:

• Extreme Car Camping: China stated they will build a highway to the Mt Everest basecamp. Mt. Everest is the world's tallest peak and China hopes to have this elaborate plan finished before the 2008 Olympics to help the torch bearers make it to the summit! Article
• The National Beard Registry: A new report states that many teenage girls are using steroids to improve their body image. The report also states that the majority of the drug abusers aren't even athletes and one stat stated that 7% of seventh graders had admitted to using steroids. Steroid side effects include the development of abundant facial hair and a deepening of the voice. Many other more serious side effects are also noted. Article
• Underage Drinking: Students have developed an alcohol powder. Just add water and presto, convenient boozing. I've been waiting for this for awhile. If only I had paid more attention in Organic Chemistry I could be making bank right now. Article
• Taxi's: Gastric Bypass Surgery cuts the amount of alcohol needed to cause a drunken state and increases the time needed to sober says a new study. The surgery cuts the amount of alcohol metabolized by the stomach and allows more alcohol into the bloodstream. Article

A Bad Week For:

• Fresh Breath: The US announced a ban on Chinese toothpaste and other products because of dangerous chemicals and negligent practices used to produce them. Article

Animated Pong T-Shirts

Lets look 20 minutes into the future with good old Max Headroom as we check in on the Pong T-Shirts










This Pong T-Shirt reminds me of the good old days when video games were easy and simple to play. Now I can't even understand them let alone figure out the joysticks. Thanks again Max!























Here's the female counterpart. It has joysticks to ensure that their is fair competition over her chest.

Miller to Buy Coors?

.....Just because I used to work for Miller and I love beer. I think this would be a good move for both companies so that they can better battle other industry rivals InBev and Anheuser-Busch. The beer industry has been moving towards consolidation and this merge could prove profitable for both companies.

SABMiller PLC, owner of Miller Brewing, has signaled it may be interested in a tie-up with Coors Brewing, according to a news service report.

Thomson Financial reported from London that Norman Adami, president of SABMiller's Americas division, told an investor presentation this week the companies see cost savings in a potential tie-up with Coors.

Golden-based Coors merged with Canada's Molson in 2005 to become Molson Coors.

Adami said SABMiller would do 'everything reasonable' to improve its position in the US, including potential acquisitions, but declined to comment on the likelihood of a deal for Coors, according to Thomson Financial.

"Should they make themselves available ... clearly we would look at everything out there," the news service quoted him as saying.

Active trading in Molson Coors options also has fueled speculation that the company may be the target of a takeover. The Web site OptionMonster.com noted heavy trading in June options to buy Molson Coors share, a move the site linked to "takeover chatter."

The company recently reveal a new severance plan for executives in case of a takeover, which may have helped fuel the speculation.

A Coors spokesman wasn’t immediately available.

Avenging Unicorn Set

I know I have said this before but I love unicorns and I am sure you all do too. So I figured that everyone wants an imaginary unicorn friend that they can call forth to smite their enemies. The Avenging Unicorn Play Set has everything you need to use the power of the unicorn to rid your life of irritations. Gore men, women and even mimes with your horned companion! The set runs around $12 and comes with four interchangeable horns including classic spiral, chrome, glow and pearlescent.

Updated - Movie: Where the Wild Things Are

UPDATE: HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTO BELOW
I am so pumped for this movie! This is my favorite childhood book of all-time!

/Film: First Photo: Spike Jonze’s Where the Wild Things Are

The first photo from Spike Jonze’s adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s story Where the Wild Things Are, has been revealed at the New York City Licensing Show. The photo above comes from Wizard, but we spent quite some time in photoshop making the photo ready for prime time. Click on the photo to enlarge.

We loved this book when we were kids, and I can’t think of anyone (other than maybe Spielberg) that we’d rather see making this movie. The cast and voice cast includes: Catherine Keener, Forest Whitaker, Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, and Catherine O’Hara.

Below you can also find the official Warner Bros plot synopsis:

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

Where the Wild Things Are follows the adventures of Max, a head-strong young boy who leaves home after having a fight with his mother — only to find himself in a mysterious forest bordering a vast sea. Misunderstood and rebellious, Max sets sail to the land of the Wild Things, where mischief reigns.

The adventure film will use a unique process to bring the story to life, incorporating the most dynamic elements of voice performance, live-action puppetry and computer animation. Where the Wild Things Are releases October 3, 2008.

Reaper Hot Sauce

For all hot sauce fans, masochists and goth lovers. Introducing the Reaper Hot Sauce!

"The Reaper comes with a white mask and a hooded robe tied to the neck of the bottle, this is a wicked looking and deadly tasting hot sauce. There is no doubt that this sauce belongs in the super hot category!

From Louisiana but brewed in Costa Rica, this hot sauce includes habanero peppers, Scotch Bonnet peppers and African olesoresin."

The description says it all. I saw the words peppers and scotch and that's enough to keep me away.

Daily SiBlurb- 6/21/07

Random

-Watch your step - funny
-Annual AFI Greatest Movies of All Time - Sucks again this year
-Farting Armpit Guy - Funny little guy

Daily Video

How to make and use a Bump Key

The Utilikilt

I spotted this crazy Scottish/Irish reworking from the guys down at the Goat. The utilikilt allows you to handily store all the tools you may need while adding on to the house, putting up the fence or installing a new light fixture! Enjoy more of a breeze on those hot summer days, draw a crowd when your working 30 feet up on the ladder and reenact your favorite Braveheart scenes with your hammer and nailgun. All of that fun in a good day's work!

Shown above is the Workmans Utilikilt. Other sizes and fashions are available ranging from 100 to 600$

Inflatable Car Tent by BMW

Car camping at a whole new level! www.coolest-gadgets.com

Discoid Lupus

Did you Know: That Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel also known as the pop artist Seal has a rare genetic disease called Discoid Lupus Erythematosis (DLE). DLE is an autoimmune disease of the basal cell layer of the the skin where the body attacks the epidermis causing scarring and damage. Sun and UV exposure seem to aggravate this rare condition. DLE is also common in Dogs leaving nose scarring, loss of pigment and flaking of the skin.

Flesh Eating Zombies Play Set

One thing that we love hear at Teh Siblog is Zombies! Nothing is better than undead flesh eating humans! This Set of Plastic Zombies comes complete with blank stares, gaping mouths, open wounds and missing limbs....and guess what else? They glow in the dark! To own this motley crew of the undead it is going to run you around $15

Marree Man

One of my favorite things to do on the web is to go see the wonders of the world with Google Maps. Recently I read about this huge geoglyph of a man throwing a stick, known as the Marree Man. The geoglyph is located in South Australia and is very intriguing.

Wikipedia: Marree Man

The Marree Man, or Stuart's Giant as it was named in anonymous press releases (after John McDouall Stuart), is a geoglyph discovered by air on 26 June 1998. The geoglyph appears to depict an indigenous Australian man, most likely of the Pitjantjatjara tribe, hunting birds or wallabies with a throwing stick. It lies on a plateau at Finnis Springs 60 km west of the township of Marree in central South Australia. It is just outside of the 200,000 square kilometre Woomera Prohibited Area. The figure is 4.2 km high with a circumference of 15–28 km. It is the largest known geoglyph in the world and is estimated to have taken between four and eight weeks to create, but despite this its origins are a mystery, with not a single witness to any part of the expansive operation.

The Marree Man is the largest manmade artwork in the world. The geoglyph depicts a man holding either a throwing stick once used to disperse small flocks of birds, or a boomerang (but see Plaque section below).

The lines of the figure were 20–30 cm in depth at the time of discovery and up to 35 metres in width. It was made with a 2.5 metre wide, eight-tine plough which was attached to a tractor, with the lines needing as many as 14 passes. The tractor would have had to have travelled an estimated 400 km and used up more than 300 litres of fuel.

A local pilot in the region, Brad Thompson, stated that the image had probably been defined by earthmoving machinery going over the lines of the figure at least sixteen times.

To select a suitable site, aerial photography or satellite imagery would have been needed. Using a computer, the figure could have been superimposed over the photograph and adjusted to fit the geography with the corresponding latitude and longtitude coordinates mapped out. Some surveying skills would have been needed to plot the outline, and then with the aid of a hand-held global positioning system stakes could have been placed every hundred metres or so.

The image is gradually eroding through natural processes, but because the climate is extremely dry and barren in the region, the image is still visible. While there is a layer of white chalk material slightly below the red soil, the figure was not defined to this depth. This has led to questions as to why the creators would not have dug a little deeper and made the image both more visible and more permanent.

Other Interesting Links about the Marree Man
-Arguments on where it came from
-Google Sightseeing

Daily SiBlurb- 6/20/07

Random

-Pirates 4 Plot - Spinoff for Jack?
-Sweatband with Gutters - Moves sweat to side of head
-Top 10 Deadliest Animals - Yikes!
-Top 20 Magic trick Tutorials - David Blaine watchout
-Shoe Lace Methods - Lace up your new kicks the cool way
-VeohTV - Joost competitor?


Daily Video

Ping Pong Gun....same concept as Potato Gun

Ping Pong Gun - The funniest movie is here. Find it

Bumper Sticker Pranks

I believe I read about this idea in “Fight Club” by Chuck Palahniuk (My favorite author) except it was a little bit more vulgar and mean…plus they were not magnetic. These magnetic bumper stickers are a great way to prank your friends without harming their car. Some of the stickers are pretty awful too. Check them out!

Freestyle Rapping

Freestyle rap is defined by Wikipedia as an improvisational form of rapping, performed with few or no previously composed lyrics, which is said to reflect a direct mapping of the mental state and performing situation of the artist. It is non-scripted, non-rehearsed, uncut, and the rawest form of hip-hop. Artists will often refer to places and objects in their immediate setting. Freestyle rapping forces an individual to think on the spot, describe his or her surroundings, and, to a certain degree, rap uncensored from what is inside. It is similar in this sense to improvisational music or acting and draws comparisons to improvisational Jazz in particular.

Often, freestyling is done in a group setting (called a cypher) or as part of a freestyle battle. In these cases, freestyle verses are often prepared in the rapper's head as the other rappers in the cypher or the opponent in the battle take their turn.

Here is a cool video of freestyle artists Supernatural and Juice going head to head. See which MC can win this freestyle battle. Check it!

Crafty Gadgets for the Office

The anger management office boss! Listen to him rant off orders to you right before you strangle him, dismember him or maybe even disembowel him!
Getting lonely! Grow your own 1up Super Mario Mushroom. Just plant, water, stuff in a dark place and presto you have your own office friend and super powers right at your fingertips!

The Nerf Maverick - a pump action nerf revolver with 6 suction tipped darts.
The Cubicle Periscope so you can check out the SiBlog all you want on company time and no one will ever know!

From http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/category/wacky-gadgets/

Pencil Art

Check out some pencil carvings by Mizuta Tasogare and Kato Jado, these are absolutely crazy!




More pictures of pencil carvings here

Puppy Update - Week 7 Pictures

I am sure many of you could probably care less about my puppy and are tired of hearing about her but I am going to keep giving updates and posting pictures for a while I am guessing.

Here is the little pup that I will be picking up this weekend....