Marlie Casseus, a 14-year old Haitian girl, suffers from a rare form of Polyostotic Fibrous Displasia. This condition is a genetic disease that causes bone to become "like a big bowl of jelly with some bone inside". In Marlie's case, it's a 16 pound tumor on the face.

From the website:

[Doctor Gomez] said Marlie is in constant pain and must be medicated but should have a normal life span with the operation.

Back home in her native Port-au-Prince, Marlie faced not only physical suffering but rejection by her neighbors as well.

"She was treated like an animal. If she was walking on a sidewalk, people would cross the street," Gomez said. "If they tried to stop a taxi, it would keep going."

Doctors at the Holtz Children's Hospital has performed the initial surgery to remove the tumor, but is seeking to raise funds for the reconstructive surgeries.

Please help: International Kids Fund | Marlie's Story.

Matt Chiles used about 8,000 pieces of Lego bricks to make this awesome Lego roller coaster. http://www.auctionbrick.com/mchiles/rollercoaster/index.htm (via Look at This ...)

        The Old Castle             Performance in Seoul                Cako's website

Hungarian artist Ferenc Cakó's specialty is drawing with sand - yes sand. If you only click on one link today, checkout his real time performance in Seoul.

Built in 1875 by Hugh Powell and his brother-in-law Peter Lealand, this object is not just a microscope, it's an art masterpiece. Link

Backyard Artillery, the maker of Catapult Watch, declares: "It's time to get medieval on your friends."

From the website:

"The only watch that's also a weapon- it shoots BBs, dried peas, popcorn kernels, lentils and more up to 8 feet accross the room!"

Link

From Washington Post:

"Bush, who appeared almost playful, fastened the heavy medal around Muhammad Ali's neck and whispered something in the heavyweight champion's ear. Then, as if to say "bring it on," the president put up his dukes in a mock challenge. Ali, 63, who has Parkinson's disease and moves slowly, looked the president in the eye -- and, finger to head, did the "crazy" twirl for a couple of seconds."

Link

To have your own text written by Einstein, click here: Link

Roger Wood's Klokwerks is a collection of amazing pieces of clocks, made from unusual objects. Link

From the website:

"Courtesy of the relentless contributions of numerous anonymous passerbys, this tree bears the fruit of countless pairs of shoes.

Most are tied together in pairs or clumps and flung high into the branches, with the lowest shoes at least 15 feet off the desert floor. Some hang from shoelaces, others are linked by bras or underwear. Nobody seems to know exactly how this shoe tree got started, but it seems to have originated sometime in the mid 80s."

Link

Michael Dickinson of Caltech led the creation this cute robot called "Bride of Robofly" to measure the forces of different parts of insect wings as they flapped.

"Scientifically speaking, insect flight was shrouded in mystery for much of the 20th century and even now is haunted by enigmas.

Studies have shown how insects fly by frantically flapping their wings and taking advantage of physical forces too microscopic to be exploited by airplanes. Now scientists are beginning to investigate how insects' brains, although extremely tiny, can manage the incredibly complex motions required for them to stay aloft."

Link

Architect and artist Adam Kalkin created an instant home made from a shipping container with motorized wall, called "Push Button House". Link to NY Times article | Link to Kalkin's website

Many scientists believed that facial recognition required a large brain, and possibly a specialized area of the brain.

A new study by a team led by Adrian Dyer probably shot that down: He discovered that bees can recognize human faces, and remember them for two days.

Link

A good one for this Christmas: The Life of Jesus in Christmas lights.

Also checkout Norwood Matt's cool Stuff on Fire Blog: he's got it in animated gif (and rauncy commentary)!