The Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy website includes an extensive compilation of the tools required for the operation of a lighthouse.  In addition to the expected hardware and lights, they document some beautifully crafted "traveling libraries."

In 1876 portable libraries were first introduced in the Light-House Establishment and furnished to all light vessels and inaccessible offshore light stations with a selection of reading materials. These libraries were contained in a portable wooden case, each with a printed listing of the contents posted inside the door. Proper arrangements were made for the exchange of these libraries at intervals, and for revision of the contents as books became obsolete in accordance with suggestions obtained from public library authorities.

At the link is a sample list and thumbnail description of some of the books that were included in these libraries.

Link.

A San Francisco architect who developed sudden blindness has carved out a successful career as a consultant to architectural firms.

Shortly before he was laid off, Downey had found a blind computer scientist who had devised a way to print online maps through a tactile printer; it worked for architectural drawings too... then I realized that the way he reads his drawings is not dissimilar to the way we experience space. He’ll be walking through a plan with his index finger, discovering things, and damn, he’s walking through the building!”  They talked through other issues. Load-bearing columns that seemed likely to snag a cane. A dramatic staircase that would deposit patients in the center of a big, disorienting room...

The rest of the story is at The Atlantic.

Link.  Photo credit Don Fogg.

A plaster cast from the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum -

This fig-leaf was hung on the David on the occasion of visits by royal ladies. It was last used in the time of Queen Mary (1867-1953). According to anecdotal information, on her first encounter with the cast of 'David', Queen Victoria was so shocked by his nudity that a firm suggestion was made that something has to be done. Consequently, the correctly proportioned fig leaf was created and stored in readiness for any visit the Queen might make, for which occasions it was hung on the figure from two strategically implanted hooks.

The item is presently displayed in a case attached to the back of the pedestal on which the David replica stands.

Link, via A London Salamagundi.

Pictured above is the "Duplex," which uses a connecting-iron "by means of which the two front wheels of ordinary bicycles of the same make may be coupled together."

The link goes to a fulltext and extensively illustrated manual from 1876, offering tips on how to get on and off the high-wheeled non-tandem bicycles, how to ride side-saddle, and how to ride without using the hands (or the hands and legs), supplemented by some useful training tips:

The daily use of the cold bath, or tepid if necessary, cannot be too strongly insisted upon; and also early rising and going to rest; and the avoidance of all rich viands, such as pork, veal, duck, salmon, pastry, &c., &c..."

Link, via.

YouTube link.

The performance here is by the Portsmouth Sinfonia - students in Portsmouth, England, directed by English composer Gavin Bryars.

The Sinfonia had an unusual entrance requirement, in that players had to either be non-musicians, or if a musician, play an instrument that was entirely new to them... The only rules were that everyone had to come for rehearsals and that people should try their best to get it right and not intentionally try to play badly... The early repertoire of the Sinfonia was drawn from standard classical repertoire so that most orchestra members had a rough idea of what the piece, or at least famous parts of it, should sound like; even if they could not play their chosen instrument accurately, they would at least have an idea that they should be going higher at one part then lower at another, and so on. The end result was the musical ensemble producing not only the correct note but several notes nearby, 'clouds of sound' that gave an average impression of the piece.

The group has not performed since 1979, but those who enjoy the video above can hear renditions of In the Hall of the Mountain King, The Hallelulah Chorus, The William Tell Overture, The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and other classic favorites at this YouTube link.

Link.

Diastema (a gap between teeth) has often been viewed as a cosmetic defect, but there are indications that modeling agencies, fashion designers, and casting directors have changed their point of view.

At model casting calls for New York's fashion week, which begins today, one of the most coveted attributes is an affront to modern orthodontics: gapped teeth.

The look is a bold departure from recent standards of idealized beauty that have rewarded curvaceous and perfect-smile models... In editorial spreads in Vogue and W, as well as ads for high-end brands like Chanel and Marc Jacobs, gaptoothed gals are having a moment...

"It's a love for the imperfect, and the authentic," says Stefano Tonchi, editor-in-chief of W magazine. "These are values that are more and more important for younger generations. Originality, authenticity…in a world that is more and more digitally enhanced."

Don't have a gap between your teeth?  Don't despair.  You can have one created: "...fashion designer David Delfin asked an orthodontist to insert a bracket to open a space between his two front teeth."

Link.

The United States Postal Service offers substantial shipping discounts for materials sent at Media Mail rates.  The predictable result, especially during an economic downturn,  is that retailers and the general public often try to send non-media items in packages at Media Mail rates.  In the current issue of American Philatelist, Wayne Youngblood, a Director-at-Large of the American Philatelic Society, reports that the USPS is cracking down on these abuses:

Media Mail as a class is not closed against inspection. Thus, our local post office and (in theory) a few others have been opening virtually all incoming and outgoing Media Mail for the past year (since July 1, 2009). Larger post offices are supposed to do spot checks. The explanation is that this enforcement program may eventually go national.

When non-qualifying material is found inside the package, the recipient is charged postage due for the difference from standard Parcel Post delivery (at this point, no additional penalties are being applied).  That difference may easily double or triple the cost of shipping.

The biggest problem for users of Media Mail is that the definition of qualifying items is somewhat vague.  "Advertising" is prohibited in material shipped at Media Mail rates, but advertisements are often incidental components of items that would otherwise be considered media.

The article notes that during these inspections, the USPS is also looking for evidence of inappropriate use or reuse of Priority Mail and Express Mail shipping boxes.

Link (pdf).

Stab- and slash-resistant clothing might seem to be a modern innovation, but there is evidence that Alexander the Great and his army utilized similar technology.

Presented at the annual meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America in Anaheim, Calif., the study suggests that Alexander and his soldiers protected themselves with linothorax, a type of body armor made by laminating together layers of linen.  Indeed, Aldrede and co-investigator Scott Bartell discovered that linothorax was widely mentioned in ancient records.  "Currently we have 27 descriptions by 18 different ancient authors and nearly 700 visual images on objects ranging from Greek vases to Etruscan temple reliefs," Aldrete said.  The main visual evidence for Alexander wearing linothorax is the famous "Alexander Mosaic" from Pompeii, in which the Macedonian king is depicted with this sort of armor.

"Our controlled experiments basically dispelled the myth that armor made out of cloth must have been inferior to other available types. Indeed, the laminated layers function like an ancient version of modern Kevlar armor, using the flexibility of the fabric to disperse the force of the incoming arrow," Aldrete said.

Link.  Image:  Detail from the Alexander Mosaic at Pompeii.

YouTube link.

This brief CCTV footage taken inside a Pacific Sun cruise ship during stormy weather seems humorous at the beginning, but ultimately serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that can be encountered in such situations.

Another video documents equally frightening events on the ship's lower cargo deck.  This article reports that the injuries received by the passengers "included broken ribs and limbs, a fractured pelvis, a broken collar bone, and cuts and gashes."  In compensation, the cruise line "was offering passengers 25 per cent off the price of any future cruise they took."

Via Reddit.

In an effort to make young people more aware of breast cancer, the Keep-A-Breast organization is marketing wrist bands which proclaim "I [heart] Boobies."  Middle school and high school students around the country are wearing these to school and finding themselves in conflict with dress codes.

"We have an existing dress code that specifically states clothing, jewelry or accessories with sexually suggestive language or images is not allowed at school, said Avants. A number of other school districts require students to flip the bracelets inside out so the word "boobies" is not visible.

Some critics believe the organization intentionally used edgy language just to draw attention to itself, and that wearing the products at school prompts inappropriate behavior and language.  Other critics argue that the campaign focuses on the breast rather than the person.

Link (with video).

...on a lumpy leg.  It is, rather, a guilloche pattern, typically seen on banknotes but also incorporated into other works of art and design.  In the past such patterns might have been generated by a geometric lathe, but nowadays they can be created mathematically.   The one above is generated by:



Found at The Ministry of Type, via Proof Math is Beautiful.

From the files of the Science Museum's History of Medicine website comes this impressive prosthetic limb, dated to the 1850-1910 period.

Made from steel and brass, this unusual prosthetic arm articulates in a number of ways. The elbow joint can be moved by releasing a spring, whereas the top joint of the wrist allows a degree of rotation and an up-and-down motion. The fingers can also curl up and straighten out. The leather upper arm piece is used to fix the prosthesis to the remaining upper arm. The rather sinister appearance of the hand suggests the wearer may have disguised it with a glove.

The object is apparently part of the Wellcome Trust collection.  One wonders if it was found in a hydraulic press and donated to them by a woman named Sarah.

Link (where there's lots more cool stuff...)

The carpet, slightly over 5' x 8' in size, was commissioned by the Maharajah of the Indian state of Baroda in 1865.

This splendid carpet has a surface that is entirely embellished, created using an estimated two million natural seed pearls, known as “Basra” pearls originally collected in the waters of the Gulf. The design is picked out in coloured glass beads and the whole richly encrusted and embellished with gold set diamonds and precious stones in their hundreds...  Across the centre there are three large round ‘rosettes’ each made of table cut diamonds set in silvered gold. Further smaller diamond rosettes in the border, all of which are embellished with sapphires, rubies and emeralds set in gold.

The carpet was publicly displayed at the Delhi Exhibition in 1902, and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1985.  In 2009 it sold at a Sotheby's auction for $5.5 million.

Link, via Couleurs.  Detail photos.

The Bodleian Library is publishing a new edition of the first English language dictionary of slang, which has been out of print for 300 years.

Originally entitled A New Dictionary of Terms, Ancient and Modern, of the Canting Crew, its aim was to educate the polite London classes in ‘canting’ – the language of thieves and ruffians – should they be unlucky enough to wander into the ‘wrong’ parts of town.

With over 4,000 entries, the dictionary contains many words which are now part of everyday parlance, such as ‘Chitchat’ and ‘Eyesore’ as well as a great many which have become obsolete, such as the delightful ‘Dandyprat’ and ‘Fizzle’.

Here are some examples to whet your appetite:

Cackling-farts, c. Eggs.
Farting-crackers, c. Breeches.
Grumbletonians, Malecontents, out of Humour with the Government, for want of a Place, or having lost one.
Mutton-in-long-coats, Women. A Leg of Mutton in a Silk-Stocking, a Woman’s Leg.

You can view the definitions of Arsworm, Bumfodder, Dandyprat, Humptey-Dumptey, and many more at the Bodleian Library link.

Link, via The Centered Librarian.

Created in Germany ~1500-1525, this ivory carving is the terminal on a rosary.

Each bead of the rosary represents the bust of a well-fed burgher or maiden on one side, and a skeleton on the other. The terminals, even more graphically, show the head of a deceased man, with half the image eaten away from decay.

The other terminal and six exquisitely-carved beads and their silver, partially-gilded mounts, can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art link.

Link, via La Muse Verte.