It's cold and snowy in Washington, D.C., with all of the advantages and disadvantages such weather brings. If you have to go out of your home, it's a nuisance. But these pandas at the National Zoo are telecommuting, so it's nothing but good times for them. The Smithsonian reports that Mei Xiang and Tian Tian spent time joyfully playing in the snow that fell inside their habitat.

-via Laughing Squid

If one were to make a movie about the life of Eugene Jacques Bullard, it would run into two problems. First, it would appear implausible, likened to Little Big Man or Forrest Gump, except Bullard's is a true story and he drove the narrative instead of merely being there. Second, it would have to be a miniseries, because feature films aren't long enough.

Bullard was born in Georgia, but ran away from home and made his way to Scotland, where he became a professional boxer. After a bout in Paris, he stayed and made his home there. He joined the French Foreign Legion and became a highly decorated hero of World War I. Then Bullard learned to fly.

Already viewed as a hero, he was able to pull the necessary strings to enter flight school, and became the first Black American fighter pilot in history.
He flew a SPAD VII C1 with a distinctive alteration to its appearance. Painted on the outside of the fuselage was a red heart with a dagger through it. Above the heart was his personal slogan, one he would later use for the title of his unpublished memoir: Tout Le Sang Qui Coule Est Rouge; roughly, in English: “All Blood Runs Red.”
He flew with honor and distinction until his career in the air came to an abrupt halt. The Americans had entered the war and the involvement of a certain Dr. Gros, a US Army Major with racist attitudes, led to the end of the Black Sparrow’s career as a pilot.
 
But the French continued to celebrate him. He ended this part of his military career with the Military Medal, Croix de Guerre, Volunteer Combat Cross, Medal for Military Wounded (twice), World War I Medal, Victory Medal, Voluntary Enlistment Medal, Battle of Verdun Medal, Battle of Somme Medal, and the American Volunteer with the French Army Medal.
And that is when his life got interesting.

Oh yes, that was just the beginning of his story. Bullard turned to the business of the Jazz Age and made a name for himself in Paris all over again in the 1920s, and the '30s, and the '40s. Read about the amazing life of Eugene Bullard at the Jax Examiner.  -via Fark

(Image credit: U.S. Air Force)

Update: Regarding the post title, the Jax Examiner calls Bullard the Black Sparrow, but he was actually known as the Black Swallow.

The world has made great leaps in miniaturizing electronics, bringing the computer from room-size down to one that will fit into your pocket. But how small is too small? Is there a market for an inch-tall game? Kevin Bates has produced the Arduboy Nano, possibly the smallest video game that you can use with your big old thumbs.

Less than an inch tall, the Arduboy Nano can stand on a quarter without completely covering the coin. Inside the case, which is made from three 3D-printed parts that all slide together, is a 0.49-inch, 2,048-pixel OLED display, a 25 mAh rechargeable battery good for about an hour of gameplay, and an incredibly quiet 15-millimeter speaker, all of which are powered by the same ATmega 32u4 microcontroller you’ll find inside the larger Arduboy. The Arduboy Nano is fully playable, assuming your fingers are tiny enough to hit the individual action buttons and your eyes have the focusing capabilities of an electron microscope.

While this is an interesting experiment in miniaturization, Bates has no plans to mass-produce the Arduboy Nano, unless buyers express interest. They might, just for giggles. But how much would you pay for a tiny game that will not only frustrate your eyesight and thumbs, but may well get lost in the couch cushions forever?

Well, if you want a cat so bad but can’t afford the expenses of having one, or if your current home does not allow you to have one, you can always make a figurine! Sure, it’s not better than the actual living furry companion, but it could be a nice addition to your home. Frederic Chen shows how to make a replica of a Minecraft cat. This one could soothe the want of adopting a cat for my own! 

When we think about geniuses, we turn to famous scientists, such as Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, or popular artists such as Leonardo Da Vinci and Vincent Van Gogh. Musicologist turned professor Craig Wright also thought the same, but his idea of what makes a genius has shifted over time. Through research and conversations with people of different backgrounds, Wright has disproved a couple of incorrect ideas about geniuses. Check the full piece here.

Image via Inc

This cat has decided on the lucky human household that will be graced with her company! A cat from a feral cat colony decided to self-domesticate and invited herself in a human home. This Tumblr blogger shared the story of how her furry companion invaded their home and their hearts. Check BoredPanda’s full piece on the topic here. 

Image via BoredPanda 

Often, when kids go outside and venture on their own, they go home with a new companion, either a kitten or a puppy. This kid however, brought a different animal back home. After casually walking into the woods, four-year-old Dominic brought home a confused deer, much to the surprise of his parents: 

In a Facebook post shared by his mother, Stephanie Brown on January 26, 2021, the little fella had apparently walked into the woods at the national park where his family was holidaying before returning to the front porch of his accommodation with the surprise package.

Brown said that the family were packing their bags to return home when Dominic had wandered off into the woods.

She first heard him cleaning his boots against the floor mat before she looked up to find a slightly puzzled fawn next to a smiling Dominic.

“I couldn’t even tell you, I was in shock. I was like, ‘No way. My mind is playing games with me,'” she said to 8News.

His mother then instructed Dominic to walk the deer, whom he named Flash, home.

If that's not adeerable, we don't know what it.

Image via Mashable 

Sure, he's adorable, but having a Force-sensitive child can throw a wrench into everyday parental activities. TJ Howard, who is a physics teacher and a woodworker, also manages to draw wonderful scenes featuring the characters in The Mandalorian. For example, if Mando and Grogu were a middle class family on earth, it would be a struggle to make the child do anything he doesn't want to, like brush his teeth.

Continue reading to see more.

We've heard the deepest voice from a man, now let's hear from a cat! You'll be surprised at Jack's meow. I really thought this was overdubbed at first. But there's an explanation.

Jack has a very rare form of laryngeal paralysis and his voice changed after his first surgery.  

(via Fark)

Redditor Ranzant7 made these amazing dumplings that look like they're ready to swim happily in your stomach. Another redditor correctly comments:

I made standard round dumplings for the first time on Thursday and I realized dumpling making is an art and I am no artist. You my friend are an artist.

Indeed. Getting a dumpling correctly shaped even before steaming is tricky work that requires a lot of practice.

The NCaved is a residence lodged into the slope of a hill in Serifos Island, Greece. The residence, created by Mold Architects, looks like a 3-dimensional chess board from an aerial view. With three levels housing the living areas, bedrooms, and guesthouse, the home is able to combine functionality with its unique location and design: 

Designed to spoil its visitors with uninterrupted vistas of its surroundings, NCaved’s views from the open sea-front terraces and pool area are generous. Moving deeper into the home, towards the hill’s ascent, we are treated with interior spaces that are punctuated by small patios and pathways that draw our eyes towards the sky. 

NCaved’s three levels house the living areas, bedrooms and guesthouse, a series of atypical spaces that are connected to each other by an external staircase running down the length of the slope. Dressed in a material and color palette inspired by its seaside location – stone, exposed concrete, wooden slats, metal and glass – the interiors are kept minimal yet elegant, subdued in the face of such natural beauty. A contemporary home in a rustic setting, this is a dwelling that rightfully lets nature take the reins in dictating its presence in this incredible Greek isle.

Image via Plain Magazine 

Empress Elisabeth of Austria was the wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I, and held her title for 44 years, plus that of Empress of Hungary after the dual monarchy was created in 1867. She was an educated, independent, and beautiful woman known for her travels and her magnificent hair. Elisabeth's life was quite an adventure, ending with her assassination in 1898. But her fascinating life had low points. Her son, crown prince Rudolph, committed suicide at age 30, a scandalous incident that contributed to a sequence of events that led to World War I. Empress Elisabeth is said to have only worn black for the rest of her life after the death of her only son.

The picture above shows one of Elisabeth's mourning outfits with a mask made of black velvet, surrounded by beads, lace, and ostrich feathers. It tops a dress with a long train, now in the possession of  the Imperial Carriage Museum Vienna. See more pictures of the outfit at Haute Macabre. -via Damn Interesting

It is one thing to discover that your child is a genius. It is another thing to raise him/her. When raised properly, the genius kid will be equipped to do great things when he/she grows up. The question is, how do you do that? Here is what Maye Musk, the mother of Elon Musk, has to say.

“People often ask me how I have raised such successful kids,” she wrote in her 20019 book “A Woman Makes a Plan: Advice for a Lifetime of Adventure, Beauty, and Success,” as quoted by KLAS.

“I did it by letting them follow their interests,” she wrote. “If they prefer to start a business and you think it’s a good idea, support them. Teach your children good manners. But let them decide what they want.”

Simple, yet effective!

(Image Credit: Luan Luu/ Wikimedia Commons)

Hedgehogs, typically the African pygmy hedgehog, have become quite the popular household pet in Japan in recent years. I would say, however, that the hedgehog’s popularity is not exclusive to Japan, as it has become popular as a pet worldwide as well.

If you’re someone who owns a hedgehog, then you know how hard it is to separate yourself from the tiny creature that you wish could be with you wherever you go. The person who created this miniature mobile home has the same sentiments.

Resembling a miniature tent, the hedgehog mobile home comes with a strap and window you can open to check in our your little buddy. And when you’re not carrying it around it can also be placed inside a cage where it functions as a crib. A washable floor cover and water-resistant material helps keep your hedgehog’s safe space nice and clean too. And when not in use, it folds up flat.

It’s available for 4,900 JPY ($47 USD) through retailer Solcion.

Cool!

(Image Credit: Solcion/ Spoon & Tamago)

Fetch. A simple game, yet dogs love it. In fact, they love this game so much that they want to play it with you for hours, if not the whole day. And it makes a great time killer, too. At least, that’s what Baloo realized when he observed that his mom, Natalie McAllister, takes some time inside the shower.

Usually Baloo just checks in on his mom [in the shower] and that’s it, but one day, as she showered and he waited, he came up with the best idea. 

He decided to bring his mom one of his toys. 

“His only goal in bringing me the toy was to play fetch, which is one of his favorite games,” McAllister said. “I don't often throw toys for him in the house, because he's crazy, but I think he felt like he had me cornered and that I would have to throw his toy back.” 

This was the first time that Baloo brought a toy in the shower, but his mom is sure that this won’t be the last time.

Well, what do you think?

(Image Credit: Natalie McAllister/ The Dodo)