Yet more Anamorphosis art, this time a 3D trompe l'oil sculpture of Dali. http://www.anamorphosis.it/galleria/galleria.htm | Similar Links:

This one is "Escher I: Double Reflection", based on Escher's famous drawing.

This one is "Escher II: Infinite Reflection", a very unique "continuous infinite image":

A cylindrical mirror provides a way of bending the picture plane similar to the method described by Escher. By using anamorphic techniques, it is possible to form a continuous infinite image in three dimensions without changing the shape of the paper. The cylindrical anamorphosis shown here is based on a photograph of Escher looking at his own reflection in a spherical mirror.

Link

This one is called Jules Verne's Mysterious Island by Istvan Orovitz. At first glance, the image looks like a shipwreck on a weird-looking island. When a cylinder is put on the print, the reflection looks like Jules Verne!

A great (and famous) example of anamorphotic art (from Wikipedia):

In other anamorphisms, an anamorphoscope (a conical or cylindrical mirror) is placed on the drawing or painting to transform a flat distorted image into a three dimensional picture that can be viewed from many angles. The deformed image is painted on a plane surface surrounding the mirror. By looking uniquely into the mirror, the image appears undeformed. Current in the XVIIth and XVIIIth centuries, this process of anamorphosis made it possible to diffuse caricatures, erotic and scatologic scenes and scenes of sorcery for a confidential public. Anamorphoscopes were invented in China and brought to Italy in the 16th century, about the time Renaissance artists like Leonardo da Vinci were mastering 3-D and discovering slant anamorphosis.

Link (Thanks Vurdlak!) | Istvan Orovitz: Link | Anamorphic Art Link 1 and Link 2

Lasse shows us how beatboxing and video editing are supposed to be done. Hit play or go to Link

Yes, yes, they're not new pictures, but they're still very, very funny. For more redneck pictures, check the motherload mother lode: Dave's (World Famous) Redneck Photos.

From the website:

The Pet Umbrella keeps your pet dry and comfortable in rain, sleet or snow.

Features include a clear oblong arc trimmed with classic plaid waterproof fabric and ergonomic, angled handle with padded comfort grip.

An umbrella leash with hook attaches easily and quickly to your pet's collar or harness. Clear umbrella body allows full view of pet.

People umbrella sports matching fabric and features automatic pop-up button.

Genocide in Darfur, civil war in Iraq, nuclear threat from Iran ... but Fluffy will now be safe from rain, dammit!

Link (via ETTF.NET)

This how-to may save your life one day: Mike Richardson tells you how to make fire using a condom.

Link (via Look at This...)

Doc Ock would be proud: US scientists funded by DARPA have created a tentacle-like arm:

Most robots rely on mechanical gripping jaws that have difficulty grabbing large or irregularly shaped objects. Replacing these with tentacle-like manipulators could make robots more nimble and flexible, say the scientists.

"An elephant's trunk can pick up a peanut or a tree trunk," says Ian Walker, a member of the project team from Clemson University in South Carolina. "This ability, inherent in the OCTOR robots, gives OCTOR arms a huge advantage over conventional industrial robots."

Just like a real tentacle, an Octarm simply wraps itself around an object in order to manoeuvre it. This allows it to grasp objects of various sizes and shapes and could let robots deal with unpredictable real-world situations, the researchers say.

Link (via Digg)

Artex's Photo to Text software allows you to convert any photo into text arts. From the website:

What makes our software unique is that you can type any message that you want, the converted image will become a full colour, readable text version of your original colour photo.

From a distance it looks like a photo, up close you can read the text with your words, thoughts or story.

http://artext.co.uk/home.htm - don't miss the Audi commercial [Flash]. (Thanks Michael Ugaber!)

Recently, Londoners were treated to a spectacular free show of giant 42-ton mechanical elephant, a time-travelling Sultan and his retinue, made by the French art company Royal de Luxe.

Links: Royal de Luxe's website | BBC coverage | Photo Credit (Thanks Joseph Ryan!)

A fantastic collection of obscure vintage calculators and other outdated technologies: http://www.vintage-technology.info/pages/calculators/general/calccompany.htm (Thanks Yayo!)

Hannes Coetzee is an aloe tapper and self-taught musician from South Africa. He is also the only known man who can play music using a teaspoon in his mouth to slide the melody in his guitar.

The only known practioner of this style, he is able to play the melody and the accompanying chords at the same time creating the sound of two guitars with one.

Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] | See also: Samusic Article on David Kramer's Karoo Kitaar Blues (via Ticklebooth)

(Photo from Ashefire.net's Fat Pets gallery)

Why do we love fat cats? Duh! Because they're so cuddly, cute and fat, of course!

Many fat cats have become Internet phenomenon - the web has seen several viral emails on this subject (including a famous fake one that purportedly show a monstrously large mutant cat found in an abandoned nuclear research facility, see below).

The fattest cat on record is Himmy, a tabby belonging to Thomas Vyse of Redlynch, Queensland, Australia. Himmy weighed 46 lb., 15.25 oz, and died in 1986 at 10 years of age. Fearing people will simply overfeed their cats to top the record, a fully justifiable reason, Guiness Book of Records stopped accepting applications for this record.

The average weights for adult male and female cats are 6.2 lb and 5.4 lb, respectively (with neutered cats ranging from 7 to 11 lb). So, why do these fat cats weigh so much? Sarah Hartwell explains it all here: Feline Medical Curiosities: Dwarf Cats, Giant Cats, Fat Cats.

Scientists are baffled by a huge (about the size of Connecticut) glowing luminescence in the Indian Ocean, as shown in the satellite picture above:

"The circumstances under which milky seas form is almost entirely unknown," says Steven Miller, a Naval Research Laboratory scientist who led the space-based discovery. "Even the source for the light emission is under debate."

http://www.livescience.com/othernews/051004_sea_glow.html

Gotta admire the creativity! (Found at Nothing to do with Arbroath)