I've seen it in on farms, in a restaurant I purchased several years ago as a form of shelving, and in gardens, but I've never seen chicken wire used for art. It's an amazing product to use when forming art, covered with paper mache. I remember making an elephant back in high school out of chicken wire. Of course, it was completely covered and painted with raw materials.

About the Artist

Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Ivan spent his childhood in Africa, England, Wales and Germany.  When not outside enjoying the natural environment, Ivan was drawn to all forms of artistic expression, and began drawing birds and African wildlife.   As an adult, Ivan worked mostly in construction, but art was always an important part of his life. 

Check out the collection and article over at Lifeartworks

Real or not, this video shows us a glimpse of what the real life Pac-man really looks like. Kind of looks like a freaky grapefruit with eyes. Yikes!

If my Siberian Husky Pele was in Greenland, he'd be working runnered or toboggan-style sleds over long distances of snow or ice. But as global warming causes a dramatic shift in Arctic climates and wintry conditions become less severe, these furry workers may soon be out of a job.

 Source

Art in satire can easily offend or inspire, as it hits low on the belt and adds a punch to topics we tend to take too seriously. We can respect the history, of course we can do that, however sometimes it takes the right artists to capture what we're really thinking and turn it into something unexpected.

In the spring of 1970, a daring new product from alumni of the Harvard Lampoon appeared on American newsstands. It was called the National Lampoon, and it mixed the satire of MAD magazine with a dose of sex and drugs for a combination that helped launch the careers of its contributors.

When the movie Animal House came out, it actually hit the magazine deep in the pockets. This type of humor was now available in the mainstream, and as time went by, the satire turned towards nudity.

Check out the High Art of Lampoon Satire History

A rare Sumatran tiger has killed a palm oil worker in western Indonesia - the second deadly attack in as many months.

The World Wildlife Fund said Thursday that the tiger was found eating the remains of the 35-year-old worker earlier this week in Bengkalis, a district in Riau province. Villagers had gone looking for the man after he failed to return home from his plantation.

Story courtesy of adnkronosinternational

The holidays are slowly creeping closer. Have you started shopping yet? Or are you one of those shoppers looking for that last minute deal on kitchen appliances? Yes, that would be me. For many of use, we don't have the luxury of buying the latest refrigerator or dishwasher without looking at the price tag first. If you have the ability to do this and money really does grow on trees, I wish you would give me the directions to those trees.

Ok, so let's get started. There is a shopping guide online that helps shoppers compare prices side by side before they make a commitment to buying a product. This amazing online shopping guide scans the internet to find you, the consumer, the best deals through searches. All purchases are done through the online retailer of the user's choice. You don't have to worry about entering personal information or credit cards on this site. It's really a huge database filled with products ranging from cookbooks and toasters to flatware. It's a great resource for anyone researching before they buy.

Being a smart shopper means saving money, and if you have extra money, you can buy one more presents for the holidays or possibly even a spa treatment for yourself. You'll need a little rest and relaxation after this shopping spree.

     © Landon Walker

MUSIC PORTRAITS by Tatiana Plakhova from Tatiana Plakhova on Vimeo.

Botanics, physics, and most recently references to music and frequency drive the work of Russian designer Tatiana Plakhova. Beautifully complex patterns and organic eleents are accented by vibrant bio luminescence in pieces described by Plakhova as “Complexity Graphics.” The video above contains her recently released collection, “Music Portraits.”

Link via Neu Black

It’s that time of year again when Kelly and I plan our holiday vacations. We have several places in mind this fall, if time permits of course. We were looking to split our time in South Carolina at one of the resorts in Myrtle Beach and a cabin in the mountains. We live in Florida and we see the ocean almost every day, however it’s nice to have a different view for a change, which is why we are looking for a new Myrtle Beach hotel to stay at this year.

Kelly has a modern view on design and I like an old world style, however we try to meet in the middle, which is why we have chosen http://avistaresort.com . The Avista Resort has modern amenities like a day spa, indoor and outdoor pools, exercise room, the Just Off Main and Tree Top Lounge matched by the serene beauty of the ocean, seen from the view in your room. Plus some of the world’s greatest golf courses are only a few minutes away. I’ll admit I’m not a golfer. However, I do like to play a round with Kelly at least one day out of our week. I may like riding in the golf cart a little more than the golf itself, but it’s the atmosphere of the green and the great weather that brings me out to play 18 holes. Oh, and those plaid shorts are pretty cute too.

The best part of staying in Myrtle Beach, I think, is the food. In fact, it’s a huge deciding factor when I book hotels. This is not to say I don’t love the shopping, hiking by the lake, laying on the beach, and horseback riding. I just like the fact I get to eat somewhere different every time in between. Typically, I start my start my day in the hotel dining room. You just can’t beat breakfast at the resorts here. Vista Resort has an amazing dining experience I can’t wait to enjoy. I’ve been checking out their menu already. That’s what happens when you’re a chef at heart. You plan your vacation around the food. Activities come later. *smile*

If I didn’t say it already, I think Myrtle Beach may be my favorite destination in the US. So far that is. It’s wonderful for families, honeymooners, or anniversaries and there are activities for all ages. Not to mention, it’s much more reasonable than taking a family of four to the theme parks we have here in Florida. Start looking on the internet. Check out the resorts. See what Myrtle Beach has to offer you.

You cannot determine the fittest of the species unless you know the rate of reproduction, and without a rate of reproduction, natural selection cannot determine which of the species is the fittest. Therefore, "Fitness" results from reproduction. You must survive to reproduce, but if you don't reproduce, then no fitness.  Rate of reproduction can be determined by, but not limited to, several contributing factors to natural selection including mutations, genetic drift, gene flow, and assortive mating.

Mutations lead to a new genetic variation in population. Mutations can cause varying... From: Natural Selection: Not The Survival of the Fittest

What would you do for fame? Imagine, someone gives you a bit of hand in the way of your dreams. It's easy. It's instant. You will achieve everything and be adored by everyone. Seems like a deal with the devil. Never ends well does it?

For one innocent street performer, spending his days creating sounds that mimic nails on a chalkboard, it's a dream of a lifetime. He waits for a moment. Should he or shouldn't he?

Watch what happens in the video.

What was once a time honored tradition and art form typically seen in gloriously opera houses, featuring a famous soprano or an even more famous tenor, has now become a robotic show.

Later this month, the Opera of the Future Group at the MIT Media Lab will premiere Death and the Powers, an opera more than 10 years in the making. Featuring life-sized singing robots and a musical chandelier, the opera could redefine how technology can enhance live performance and help reestablish opera’s spirit of innovation.

Tod Machover, composer, MIT Media Lab Professor, and honorary patron of the project, is hoping the performance will allow the audience and performers to connect on another level. A personal level.

I tend to think traditional operas already provide a deep connection between the performer and the audience. It just depends on your interpretation of the performance and how it moves you. Everyone is different.

What's your take on this? Would you attend a robotic opera?

Photo: Jill Steinberg

If you missed the Monday Ground Up on Ancient Digger, shame on you. I had the pleasure of introducing photographer Landon Walker and his series of black and white photography from the landscapes of Scotland.

Landon is the drummer for 1149 productions. I met the production team almost a year ago, more specifically Mary Gunderson. They are a group of visionaries who never seem to disappoint in the way of the arts. Read the entire article and see the work of Landon Walker. I mean it! Click the photo.

 Pic Source

I've had my fair share of cardboard supermarkets, a cardboard car I wore for Halloween (when I was 12 mind you), and a few cardboard snowflakes for Christmas. However I never tried to bring my creations to life like the artist Anton Tang, a talented artist and blogger from Singapore.

Using some amusing angles, a few surprised turtles, and some side streets, Tang manages to bring cardboard cutouts to life, in real life situations.

The special thing about these photos is that they add life to the tiny characters, and that gives you the impression that they all have a story to tell. The photos themselves are absolutely stunning. The right combination of lighting and angles makes the “cardboard people” look average-sized and not small. Check out this Blog Rules for More on Anton Tang

THE BEAT OF NEW YORK from tim hahne on Vimeo.

You know you're in New York when you find yourself in the subway listening to the man, sitting on a bucket, drumming some of the best beats you've ever heard on a handmade drumset. Using only his   will to entertain and only a few plastic buckets, the beats can be infectious, and you just can't help but bob your head.
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This is the story behind  "The Beat of New York". The video is a high speed, ultimate ride through the Big Apple, a city that never sleeps, and you never see the same person twice.

Thomas Noesner was in New York for a shoot of the new Mercedes R-Class. Right after the job, he took his camera and strolled through the busting streets of "The City“. While screening the pictures of a drummer in the tube station, I had the idea of creating a "remix“ of the recorded drum sequence to use it as a soundtrack for the film. That´s when our sound designer Toussaint came into play. We composed a track around the drum beat of this guy. Watch and listen to the beat of New York!

Ambroise Pare was a French physician, who during the 16th century, made advancements in medicine. Many individuals today regard Pare as the father of modern surgery.

In 1537, Pare was an army physician, attending gunshot victims and suffering patients.  Traditionally, gunshot wounds were treated with boiling hot oil, since the wound itself was considered poisonous. Pare, however, made a mixture of rose oil, turpentine, and egg yolks. The mixture was, of course, much more bearable for the patients. Ironically, this new method healed the wound faster, prompting Pare to publish his findings in 1545.

Ambroise also employed some new methods to amputations, which were typically sealed by cauterizing them to prevent complications or death. Pare reinstated the Roman custom of tying off the vein or artery to prevent bleeding during surgery.

The four kings of France, Henry II, Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III,  recognized Pare’s abilities and employed him as their royal surgeon.

Pare was an innovator, and in so doing, created several different types of prostheses. Most notable were the designs for a prosthetic hand and ocular prostheses, making artificial eyes from enameled gold, silver, porcelain and glass.

Paré's greatest accomplishment, aside from actually coming up with new surgical techniques, was to spread this information throughout the barber-surgeon community, elevating surgery's status to a professional level and paving the way for vast improvements in surgical care. ~Discoveries in Medicine

Pic Sources

The ruins at Belchite are a keen reminder of the turbulance in 1937, representing world superpowers, Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, amongst many others. What's left represents Franco's order to leave the monument to remind everyone that war is both powerful and destructive.

As you approach the ghost town of Belchite in the Spanish province of Aragon the soil turns a deep red, almost like a sign that the place you are approaching is soaked in the blood of battle. Belchite is perhaps the most powerful reminder in Spain of the devastation that war (in this case the civil war of 1936 – 39) can bring to human populations. It remains today as it was at its surrender on 1 September 1937.

Read this article  Belchite – Ghostly Reminder of the Spanish Civil War via our friends at Kuriositas

I adore chamber music, and I would even love it more in the air. Imagine you're taking a 12 hour flight somewhere and one of the world's most notable chamber orchestras plays in the aisle while you're having your coffee or soda, waiting for takeoff. This is exactly what happened to passengers aboard a delayed flight from Shanghai Airport.

"A metaphor is an analogy between two objects or ideas; the analogy is conveyed by the use of a metaphorical word in place of some other word."

Some are stupid, some are smart, and some are truly considered art. I humbly apologize for any unnecessary rhyming, PG profanity, and blatant silliness, but I needed a break. lol Enjoy!

1. He had summer teeth, some were there, and some were missing.
2. I am as high as a kite, like….What did I just say again?
3. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.
4. She grew on him like E. coli, and he was room temperature hamburger meat.
5. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.
6. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
7. She was like an ocean, salty and full of sand in her underpants.
8. The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife’s infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM machine.
9. The hair on her arms looked like she had buckwheat in a headlock.
10. She fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with potato soup.
11. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you’re on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.
12. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.
13. The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease.
14. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.
15. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan’s teeth.
16. He had Zactly breath, breath that smelled exactly like trash.
17. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant, and she was the East River.
18. Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut.
19. Foreplay is like lifting up your legs while your wife is vacuuming.
20. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Chad. But unlike Chad, this plan just might work.
21. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.
22. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame, maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.
23. The ballerina rose gracefully en Pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
24. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.
25. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.
26. Whatever floats your boat, or sinks it.
27. Keep your sheets to the wind. (What does that even mean?)
28. She had kind hair, the kind of hair you find on a squirrels rear.
29. She had the type of gas that would stop a prison love triangle.
30. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.
31. I dreamt I drank the biggest Margarita, when I woke up the toilet was filled with salt and missing the worm.
32. It disappeared as fast as a set of rims at a 50 Cent concert.
33. Sex is like an elevator, you can go up or down.
34. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.
35. Her skin smelled of cocoa butter, like pan fried chicken.
36. Sorority Girls are like the Bermuda Triangle, they both swallow Sailors. (Cleaner Version)

Courtesy of Man-Over-Board, this Dancing Merengue Dog had me all smiles and laughs. One can't help but sway to the music and chuckle at this adorable pooch. Who says Dog's Can't Jump? lol

Remember those episodes of Dick Clark's Bloppers and Practical Jokes? Well, this is just as funny, but with Panda Bears at the Zen Den in China.

Panda Bears are already amusing enough, however when you see them in action, acting like they're in the WWF, you can't help but chuckle.