I can’t say I was part of the 60’s, nor do I have a special connection to the historical events. Yet, individuals like my parents lived this decade. According to them, the 60’s were a time of contemplation and global awareness. A time of love and acepptance, and a time when transcendence thru drug use was the only way for people to escape the politics of goverment.

There's another side of the 1960's that many would rather forget. Some people call the 60's the "Decade of Death", when Martin Luther King, Bobby and JFK were assasinated, and civil rights activists were murdered by white supremacists.

 Terrible Events of the 60's 

Image © Forgotten Heroes

I remember those summers with my grandpa, crabbing the open waters of New Jersey. It was a blast until one of those pesky shellfish crawled out of the bucket and started to chase me. Nevertheless, it helps remind me of better times.

Homeless is an animated short film by Yevgeni Krachak, which was created at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem. Using a combination of cg and live footage, he's managed to tell a heartwarming and heart wrenching tale of the demise of one sad marine creature. Ok, so it wasn't that sad, but ironic I suppose. Check it out for yourself!

One minute you're searching the internet, and the next, your looking into the eyes of a freaky sleeping cat. At first I thought she was stretching, but then I poked her and she woke up. Eek, this is too creepy! I know some people sleep with their eyes wide open, but cats?

Ever wonder about what it would be like on Death Row? Of course you haven't. However, what would you choose for your last supper if you knew it would be your last? A British artist has recreated a series of bizarre meals chosen by genuine death row prisoners as their last food before execution.

[Thanks MediaDump]

Image Credit Flickr User Keith Marshall

Are they flying saucers on stilts or remnants of World War II? These odd structures look to be abodes on the sea, however designer Guy Maunsell had a different use in mind.

The Maunsell Sea Forts occupied positions in the Thames and the Mersey estuaries during World War Two. Seven steel platforms, interconnected, carried five guns in a semi-circle. At the middle of the diameter of this semi-circle there was the control tower. The seventh structure was for a searchlight.

I've seen the FeeJee Mermaid in person at Ripley's in St. Augustine. In 1842, thousands of gullible onlookers paid 25 cents to see this creature that RT Barnum had coined the "Feejee Mermaid". It wasn't until Barnum grew older that he admitted that his mermaid was the "World's Greatest Fake". A monkey head and a fish fused together. What does this have in common with Enrique de Molina's creations? Well, for starters, they're a fusion of two to three different animals, and the result is positively bizarre.

Enrique de Molina puts into question the possibilities of artificial evolution with his creepy and macabre taxidermy animal art. He says, “The impossibility of my sculpture brings me both joy and sadness at the same time. The joy comes from seeing and experiencing the Fantasy of the work but that is coupled with the sadness of the fact that we are destroying all of these beautiful things.”

For those of you more interested in the sinister side of Christmas, you'll love this craft fair. It's Ripley's Believe It or Not and Christmas, with a hint of strange, and a twist of bizarre.

The Morbid Anatomy Holiday Fair brings together a load of anthropomorphic taxidermy created by a former Museum of Natural History worker — including beetles playing the piano (what's weird about that?) — rare and obscure anatomy books (Got those!), voodoo photographs, ceramic bat masks, sinister jewelry with gory vials and countless other artifacts, not to mention free Brooklyn Brewery beer (always good when you're looking at the anatomy of every human and animal you can think of).

There’s also sparkly crocheted skulls made by a library science student moonlighting as grim embroiderer.

Photo by Shannon Taggart

An epic and masterful story of love through the ages. This video breaths new life into cinematography and reminds us that love and life is fleeting, but the time we have with one another should be cherished. Well done!

When is the last time you bought a new watch? Ok, now when was the last time you downloaded a new app for your iPhone, Smartphone, or Blackberry? Was it an hour ago? Maybe it was last week. No matter how active you are with technology, you have to admit, people's lives are now dominated by their cell phones. But are they personal? Do we all have them because they make a statement? Or are we really too self-conscious to sit alone and not text. What's your point you may ask? If you were considering a gift this holiday season and you wanted to choose something for, let's say, the special man in your life, does a cell phone really fulfill your goal?

Last year, I looked into several companies and websites, in search of some super savvy mens watches, which were one of a kind, and reflected the personalities of several of the special men in my life. I wasn't looking for your run-of-the-mill wrist watch, but a marine inspired, high quality and competitively priced watch. I found that from Bulova. The watch to the right has a 24 hour and second hand sub dial, with a 60 minute chronograph. It's also water resistant and comes with a three year warranty. The price is comparable to cell phone, but I think I'd rather have this attached to my wrist instead of cell phone in my hand. Maybe they make them for women. Hmmm

I don't know about you, but the last cell phone I purchased broke within one year's time. Granted, I was able to replace it with a newer model that came with my contract, but come on. It makes me think these phones are meant to break so you have to stay tied to a company. My gift decision came down to the idea that I wanted to give something personal as opposed to something sterile. Something unique, and not something everyone already has.

Christmas time is here and you're probably searching for the perfect, unique gift for your friends and loved ones. I'm always on the lookout for strange gifts that none in their right mind would ever buy for themselves, but can't live without once they have it.

Ok, so soaps shaped like baby hands is a tad bit odd, but are they not a conversation starter? These are just one of the many bizarre and odd gifts featured at Kaboodle, for sale for only $18.00. In fact, I've seen these crazy hands once before a baby shower used as center pieces. Not your conventional shower decor, but hey, it's better than the usually pink and blue baloons.

If you're not into bizarre soaps, and let's face it, many of us could never get away with these in our home, you can join the crazy digital world by purchasing a "cube world". Quoting the manufacturer, Cube World is simply "Stick People Sticking Together." The boxes they live in have magnetic contacts on four sides so they can connect with other Cube World friends. When joined, Cube World cuties interact with one another in amazing ways. This is too cool and techie!

[Thanks Kaboodle]