This urinal was photographed at Rheinfels Castle in Germany. I would think that most men would prefer to just take it outside.
(Image credit: Flickr member klaas koopmans)
Miss Cellania's Blog Posts
This urinal was photographed at Rheinfels Castle in Germany. I would think that most men would prefer to just take it outside.
(Image credit: Flickr member klaas koopmans)
Some people really know how to write a letter and get to the point, with the result of pleasing the recipient.
I won't spoil the surprise by putting the transcript here, so go read the whole thing at Letters of Note. Link
Despite never being published in the paper, the following brief letter — sent to the offices of The Times in 1946 by the famously eccentric Lt. Col. Alfred Daniel Wintle — was so adored by staff, it has apparently been preserved ever since. It's easy to see why.
I won't spoil the surprise by putting the transcript here, so go read the whole thing at Letters of Note. Link
Who knew? A tunnel dug underneath the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea is open for tours, even though you cannot access the ground above it! This is just one of several odd and interesting corridors you can read about in a list at Atlas Obscura. Others are in Vietnam, Brooklyn, Liverpool, and Australia. Link
Do legends and traditions of storybook giants have some basis in fact? Fossils of Gigantopithecus suggest the species reached almost ten feet tall and lived up to 300,000 years ago. Fortean Times looks at the possibility that the primate wasn't an ape, but something a bit closer to human, and might not even be extinct.
Of course, you'll want to read this while taking a few large grains of salt. Link
There is plenty of American Indian lore concerning True Giants; they have left their mark in the names given to places in North America. And there are modern reports for them as well, from all over the world. To survive at all, they remain shy of human beings. It is no accident that the detailed observations of these giants are so often made from a distance and that the best records generally come from mountainous areas, just as they do in North America. There are two reasons for this.
Firstly, these surviving giants no longer confront human beings if it can be avoided. In rare instances of prolonged visual contact, they have kept their distance from observers. Secondly, in the New World’s Pacific Northwest there has been an unparalleled effort to collect accounts of hairy beings of all kinds. If comparable efforts were made elsewhere, we would be likely to hear of similar matter-of-fact and detailed sightings of True Giants.
Of course, you'll want to read this while taking a few large grains of salt. Link
We always get a kick out of announcing the winner of the British contest Shed of the Year, but this year, the winning shed is quite interesting in its own right. Jon Earl of Clevedon, Somerset won £1000 and a "shedload" of the sponsor's products. His shed is more than just a place to store things -it's also a place for musicians to film videos!
Originally a First World War billet hut, music fan and regular festival goer Jon decided in 2009 to turn his ramshackle shed into a venue to video acoustic music sessions. He began inviting musicians from all over the world into the 12ft by 10ft shed to video the sessions. The humble looking shed has hosted sessions for musicians ranging from the Fairport Convention to Steve Harley and has even been the setting for a video for US band the Water Tower Bucket Boys.
You can see those videos on the website Songs from the Shed. Earl plans to use the prize money to fix up his shed. Link -via Breakfast Links
Neatorama presents a guest post from actor, comedian, and voiceover artist Eddie Deezen. Visit Eddie at his website.
John, George, Pete Best, Paul, and Stu Sutcliffe in 1960
As we all know, there is a time in every performer's career where they are "complete unknowns." Yes, there was a time, really not so long ago, when no one knew or had ever even heard of Frank Sinatra or Woody Allen or Meryl Streep. And so it was with the greatest, most famous, most deified show biz act of the 20th century: The Beatles.
In the summer of 1960, none of the usually-employed Beatles even had a day job. And like us all, the boys wanted to make some money. The then-foursome consisting of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Stuart Sutcliffe played the oddest gig in the Beatles' long and storied history.
In those days, the Beatles were such a small-time act, they didn't even have a drummer: Tommy Moore left the group in May after a traffic accident, and Pete Best joined in August. John, Paul, and George would play guitar and Stu Sutcliffe was the band's pretty mediocre bass player.
Allan Williams
The Beatles, in those days, had a semi-manager named Allan Williams. Williams was one of those "on the fringe" show business figures we're all so familiar with- the guy who was always trying to hustle up a "deal," the guy with the "big dreams," the poor chap who never really got a break.
Anyway, in that summer (July is usually considered the exact time) of 1960, Williams had just opened up a new club called "The New Cabaret Artistes Club." This was what we now refer to as "a gentleman's club," i.e. a high class strip joint. Williams had hired an entertainer for the man, a stripper, to perform that July week. Her name was Janice. She was a stripper from Manchester (in some accounts, her name is given as Shirley).
Allan Williams approached the four "layabouts" and asked if they'd play backing music all week for Janice the stripper. After some initial resistance, the four Beatles had haggled out an equitable financial deal. Supposedly, Sutcliffe was the tough negotiator and got them a fairly decent fee. "Why so much?" Williams had asked them during the negotiations.
Paul had replied, "For the indignity. The bloody indignity of it all!"
A fee of 50p (about two dollars) per night was agreed upon for each musician. That came to 250p for the week per man, i.e. around ten dollars.
Janice the stripper wanted the Beatles to play her usual selected repertoire and handed them the sheet music. That was pointless, as none of the Beatles could read music. It was reputed that during the engagement they played such songs as "Moonglow" and "The Harry Lime Theme" from the movie The Third Man.
Janice was a bit of a tease (being a stripper, of course). After each number, she would bow to the crowd, then she would turn around and bow facing the four teenage boys -stark naked. According to Paul: "She would turn around -completely starkers. We were just lads. We didn't know where to put ourselves."
Not that I know anything about strip clubs (ahem!) but it must have been an incredibly surreal sight in that incredibly surreal week, seeing a smoke-filled club filled with lonely, sex-starved men, in front to them on stage a sexy stripper and standing a few feet behind her, four teenagers who were, in a few short years, to become the most famous and influential human beings on the planet.
Stu Sutcliffe
The week's series of gigs backing Janice went on without a hitch, and the Beatles wrapped up what was -undoubtedly- the strangest gig of their career. The very unusual week was hardly ever mentioned in the countless later interviews given by John, Paul, or George. (As a sad sidebar, Stu Sutcliffe died tragically young in 1962, at the age of 21.)
One wonders whatever became of Janice (or possibly Shirley). Maybe she is still alive. But we can safely assume one thing: Wherever she went, wherever she performed, as long as she lived and breathed, every friend, relative, and acquaintance of Janice heard her stories regaling and boasting about the week she was backed up as a stripper by The Beatles.
Stu, John, Paul, guest drummer Johnny Hutchinson, and George in May 1960
John, George, Pete Best, Paul, and Stu Sutcliffe in 1960
As we all know, there is a time in every performer's career where they are "complete unknowns." Yes, there was a time, really not so long ago, when no one knew or had ever even heard of Frank Sinatra or Woody Allen or Meryl Streep. And so it was with the greatest, most famous, most deified show biz act of the 20th century: The Beatles.
In the summer of 1960, none of the usually-employed Beatles even had a day job. And like us all, the boys wanted to make some money. The then-foursome consisting of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Stuart Sutcliffe played the oddest gig in the Beatles' long and storied history.
In those days, the Beatles were such a small-time act, they didn't even have a drummer: Tommy Moore left the group in May after a traffic accident, and Pete Best joined in August. John, Paul, and George would play guitar and Stu Sutcliffe was the band's pretty mediocre bass player.
Allan Williams
The Beatles, in those days, had a semi-manager named Allan Williams. Williams was one of those "on the fringe" show business figures we're all so familiar with- the guy who was always trying to hustle up a "deal," the guy with the "big dreams," the poor chap who never really got a break.
Anyway, in that summer (July is usually considered the exact time) of 1960, Williams had just opened up a new club called "The New Cabaret Artistes Club." This was what we now refer to as "a gentleman's club," i.e. a high class strip joint. Williams had hired an entertainer for the man, a stripper, to perform that July week. Her name was Janice. She was a stripper from Manchester (in some accounts, her name is given as Shirley).
Allan Williams approached the four "layabouts" and asked if they'd play backing music all week for Janice the stripper. After some initial resistance, the four Beatles had haggled out an equitable financial deal. Supposedly, Sutcliffe was the tough negotiator and got them a fairly decent fee. "Why so much?" Williams had asked them during the negotiations.
Paul had replied, "For the indignity. The bloody indignity of it all!"
A fee of 50p (about two dollars) per night was agreed upon for each musician. That came to 250p for the week per man, i.e. around ten dollars.
Janice the stripper wanted the Beatles to play her usual selected repertoire and handed them the sheet music. That was pointless, as none of the Beatles could read music. It was reputed that during the engagement they played such songs as "Moonglow" and "The Harry Lime Theme" from the movie The Third Man.
Janice was a bit of a tease (being a stripper, of course). After each number, she would bow to the crowd, then she would turn around and bow facing the four teenage boys -stark naked. According to Paul: "She would turn around -completely starkers. We were just lads. We didn't know where to put ourselves."
Not that I know anything about strip clubs (ahem!) but it must have been an incredibly surreal sight in that incredibly surreal week, seeing a smoke-filled club filled with lonely, sex-starved men, in front to them on stage a sexy stripper and standing a few feet behind her, four teenagers who were, in a few short years, to become the most famous and influential human beings on the planet.
Stu Sutcliffe
The week's series of gigs backing Janice went on without a hitch, and the Beatles wrapped up what was -undoubtedly- the strangest gig of their career. The very unusual week was hardly ever mentioned in the countless later interviews given by John, Paul, or George. (As a sad sidebar, Stu Sutcliffe died tragically young in 1962, at the age of 21.)
One wonders whatever became of Janice (or possibly Shirley). Maybe she is still alive. But we can safely assume one thing: Wherever she went, wherever she performed, as long as she lived and breathed, every friend, relative, and acquaintance of Janice heard her stories regaling and boasting about the week she was backed up as a stripper by The Beatles.
Stu, John, Paul, guest drummer Johnny Hutchinson, and George in May 1960
You can find a Tumblr picture blog for almost any subject under the sun. Starbucks Spelling is dedicated to the custom of baristas writing a customer's name on a cup, for which they sometimes get the spelling wrong. What makes this worth a look is 1. there are so many misspellings, and 2. how can anyone keep track of all the venti and grande lattes and espressos and then spell Joe G-I-O? Shown here are four different orders Omar recorded. Link -via Gorilla Mask
Life is never easy for a Storm Trooper. Invade a new planet, get eaten by a giant kitten! -via Cute Overload
(Image credit: Flicker member Piutus)
(YouTube link)
Take a bunch of skateboarders, attach remote-control spray paint devices underneath the boards, and let them loose in a an empty pool. The result resembles a human Spirograph! -via Dangerous Minds
This hairdryer was designed by Tembolat Gugkaev, who was inspired by Star Wars. No word on whether it will ever be available to the public. http://www.behance.net/gallery/Darth-Hairdryer/1371763 -via Boing Boing
A 65-meter high minaret stands in Afghanistan, built around 1190 CE. It is covered with religious carvings and calligraphy in more than one language. But this ancient and remote edifice is surrounded by the Hindu Kush mountains in a country at war, so these pictures will be the closest you get to it -for now.
Amazingly, this imposing structure was standing forgotten for centuries... until rediscovered in 1886 by Sir Thomas Holdich; then forgotten again and rediscovered in 1957. Then the Soviet invasion in 1979 again prohibited access to the area, and since then only a handful of people from outside of Afghanistan have seen the minaret, because of its middle-of-nowhere location
Read more about the Minaret of Jam and the ancient multicultural city that once surrounded it. You'll also see lots more pictures at Dark Roasted Blend. Link
Kid Casting is a blog that looks at adult movie and TV characters and the children who play those same characters as youngsters, whether in flashbacks or in earlier parts of the narrative. Oddee has collected the best examples of well-done kid casting in their latest list. Shown here are the characters of George Bailey and Mary Hatch from the movie It's A Wonderful Life as both kids and adults. Link
Owl Kitchen Timer | $17.95
What a cute little companion in your kitchen! This owl will tell you whooo, uh, I mean when, your food is done because he's a timer. No batteries, just wind up and keep time up to an hour. Get your Owl Timer today from the NeatoShop!Check out other kitchen gadgets as well as more clocks and timers at the NeatoShop.
Artist Mike Puncekar illustrates the enemies of Mario in a way that makes them downright nightmare-inducing. See a collection of them at Buzzfeed. This piranha plant looks like it would be right at home in a Little Shop of Horrors! Link
(YouTube link)
Chris Unitt was brave enough to become a prop for a bicyclist during a promotion for Cirque Eloize in Boston. He's got more nerves than I do! http://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/default.asp?Id=241&PageSubType=258&sC=page29&mobile=0 -via The Daily What
Email This Post to a Friend