Life in the Fast Lane » Uncategorized

Baby Ox with Whopping HUGE Heart-Shaped Marking

Deborah — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:41:22 +0000

More of Mother Nature’s love messages are revealed to the world with her spectacular creatures that have captivate humankind, as a baby ox born with a whopping huge heart pattern on his forehead was brought to life just ahead of Valentine’s Day.

Photo Junko Kimura / Getty Images

Named “Ha-chan” — meaning “heart” in Japanese — was born at the Yamakun dairy farm 25 miles (40 kilometers) from Tokyo in Fujisawa, Japan, a mere 20 days ago.

Japanese farmer Kazunori Yamazaki was astonished when he discovered the baby ox the morning after he was born on his farm complete with a love-heart-shaped marking on his forehead.

Photo Junko Kimura / Getty Images

Amazingly enough, the curious creature was also born in the year of the Ox. He has become a local celebrity, with people flocking from all over the country to see the almost near-perfect pattern on his forehead.

“Good timing for Valentine’s Day.” said Kazunori.

Photo Junko Kimura / Getty Images

An appeal has been made in Japan to save the baby “Valentine” bull from the butcher’s chop.

The farmer hopes that someone will buy him as a romantic gift for Valentine’s Day — otherwise his days are sadly numbered according to Kazunori, who says he can’t keep the male bull at his farm.

Kazunori hopes that a zoo or a tourism farm will volunteer to take care of him.

Ha-chan may be a local celebrity, but if no-one can give him a home he will have to be sold for meat.

But Ha-chan won’t have to go to the slaughterhouse quite yet, as young bulls are normally sold for meat at the age of 2 years. If a new owner isn’t found before then, “even Cupid would find it difficult to protect him.”

Photo Junko Kimura / Getty Images

Ha-chan the Baby Ox

Penguin Looking for Love
She’s young, footloose, fancy-free and single — and looking for love in all the right or wrong places, even on MySpace.

Roxy the Rockhopper penguin is sadly the only one at the London Zoo without a mate or date, but she’s hopeful she’ll find a suitor this Valentine’s Day.

And she has plenty of admirers — her handlers have set up a red post box in the penguin enclosure to receive her plentiful Valentine’s Day cards.

Roxy’s so popular she even has her own MySpace page and has unruffled 431 friends on the social networking site.

Once penguins find a love interest they hook up for life, so Roxy won’t settle for any old bird — this lovely little lady is only interested in Rockhoppers from European breeding programs.

Roxy the Rockhopper Penguin

Wishing you a heart-filled day on Valentine’s to spend with your favorite love, family, and / or furry friend.

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Post from: Life in the Fast Lane

Baby Ox with Whopping HUGE Heart-Shaped Marking

Worlds Weirdest and Most Bizarre Perfumes

Deborah — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:10:51 +0000

With the rage of celebrity fragrance past its peak, manufacturers have been seeking other novel methods of marketing perfumes in their pursuit to promote new scents. Now smell this, and hold onto your delicate olfactory senses and tender noses, as we dive into the weird and wacky aromatic world of peculiar perfumes.

Photo Andrew Mason

Flame, a body spray for men produced by the famous fast-food chain Burger King was launched earlier this week, and being sold at a New York restaurant and online at their appropriately named website, firemeetsdesire.com.

Touted as a gift idea for the meat-loving man who has everything — barbecue-scented cologne — Flame is being promoted as “the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat.”

Photo Stop Down

Photo Andrew Eick

Sniffing out an opportunity in the marketplace, a manufacturer in Egypt developed a men’s fragrance which was designed to smell like cigarettes, while the Stilton Cheesemakers’ Association in the UK commissioned a women’s scent to promote its famous cheese. Presented in a glass bottle with a marbled appearance similar to that of blue cheese, the company claims the scent is wearable and doesn’t smell quite as bad as a block of cheese, but mimics its earthy aroma.

Photo Gaetan Lee

Weird Scents provides free samples of their unique (to say the least) novelty scented unisex colognes in fragrances such as Grease Monkey, Money, Burning Rubber, and Boiled Crawfish which are in testing stages.

They claim the scents aren’t just for people, but can be used on objects to imbue the item with a long lasting fragrant scent to make them smell good — or bad, depending upon your perspective. The catch? You’re asked to tell them what exactly you think about them once you’ve tested them out.

L’Artisan Parfumeur has Dzing! designed to smell of the circus — the aroma of the great cats, the sawdust in the ring and the leather whip, but critics have claimed this is false, stating that it smells like a new fur coat that has been rubbed with a very creamy mint toothpaste. Not gel. Paste.

Bored with the usual ways in which you can use your DNA – cellular repair or forensic identification? My DNA has a scent just for you — you do the usual buccal swab DNA collection at home, send it in, and get an exclusive fragrance created for you.

Blotter stripes used for designing perfume. Photo Ayala Sender

Photo Shabbir Siraj

Perfume seller by the Mecca-Medina mosque, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.
Photo Koshyk

Demeter Fragrance carries a plethora of bizarre and oddball scents including Black Pepper (we already know what happens when one accidentally inhales a healthy dose of this spice) and Play-Doh for ”Those fresh-from-the-can, full-of-potenial, childhood memories.” The wide range weird of fragrances offered also include:

Clean Windows
You know how it smells right after you have finished cleaning glass and it’s squeaky clean? Well, it’s like that moment captured in a bottle.

Dirt
Made to smell exactly like the dirt from the fields around the Pennsylvania family farm.

Dust
Based upon the more typical fine bits of fabric or dirt that give off a familiar and ‘comfortable’ odor.

Earthworm
Said to be a deeper, darker, richer version of Dirt, reflecting not the worm itself, but where it lives, deep in moist soil, on the floor of a forest covered with decomposing leaves.

Photo P Kirsch

Photo SuperFantastic

Photo Okaggi

Fireplace
Capturing a small part of this tradition with the wonderful, cozy comforting scent of the fireplace on a cold winter’s eve, it smells exactly like your sweater after sitting for hours in front of a wood fire.

Fresh Hay
The smell of fresh cut hay on a hot summer day.

Funeral Home
Demeter describes it as smelling like a funeral — a blend of classic white flowers: lilies, carnations, gladiolus, chrysanthemums with stems and leaves, with a hint of mahogany and oriental carpet.

Holy Water
When Demeter came out with their Holy Water scent, New York Magazine wrote that Madonna had been approached to do a scent with this name, which was apparently too sacrilegious even for her. The designer describes their controversial scent as providing good memories of church — the porcelain font, ozone scented water, and oak scented pew.

Laundromat
In celebration of the anniversary of the invention of the first Laundromat in Fort Worth, Texas, Demeter says their version of Laundromat cologne is the cleanest scent they know.

Photo P R

Lobster
Not for the faint of heart and probably their most obtuse fragrance, the cologne is a combination of the sea, sweet meat, and a hint of drawn butter.

Mildew
Inspired by the mildewy smell of first turning air conditioners in spring.

Paint
Apparently just as the name implies, the smell of drying paint.

Paperback Books
Like a dusty old copy of a novel, your home can always smell like your favorite first edition classic book — this scent is sweet and just a touch musty.

Photo Gregg O’Connell

Photo Bradley P Johnson

Pipe Tobacco
A rich, deep, moist, and pungent fragrance, with touches of both sweetness and spice — everything you could ask for from a fine tobacco accord. In reminiscence of dear old dad, the designer also has Whiskey Tobacco cologne.

Poison Ivy
Demeter thought it was high time Poison Ivy gave people something better than a rash, so they decided to capture the great, fresh smell of Poison Ivy without the itching and scratching.

Swimming Pool
Swimming Pool is the lingering memory of the pool water on the skin, to savor the Summer, anywhere, anytime.

Stable
Fresh Hay, muck, and sweet animal sweat — that’s as real as it gets.

Vinyl
The smell of vinyl seats from 1970’s, or a sort of PVC jacket from the same era. The company notes that because they don’t chill and filter their fragrances, the cologne will have flakes or precipitate in it, a natural byproduct of mixing this unnatural fragrance oil into an alcohol base.

Photo Old Sarge

Photo Travis Hornung

Perfume Making Factoids
The art of making perfumes began in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt and was further refined by the Romans and Persians. Although perfume and perfumery also existed in India, much of its fragrances are incense based.

The world’s first recorded chemist is considered to be a woman named Tapputi, a perfume maker who was mentioned in a cuneiform tablet from the second millennium BC in Mesopotamia. She distilled flowers, oil, and calamus with other aromatics, then filtered and put them back in the still several times.

Recently, archaeologists have uncovered what are believed to be the world’s oldest perfumes in Pyrgos, Cyprus discovered in an ancient perfumery, dating back more than 4,000 years. At least 60 stills, mixing bowls, funnels and perfume bottles were found in the 43,000 square foot (4,000 sq. meter) factory. In ancient times people used herbs and spices, like almond, coriander, myrtle, conifer resin, bergamot, as well as flowers.

Recommended reads:
Offbeat Gift Ideas: 12 Twisted Days of Christmas by WebUrbanist
Urban Knitting – World’s Most Inoffensive Graffiti by Deputy Dog
The Seven Deadly Sins of Geekdom by Dark Roasted Blend
Saved by Dolphins by Neatorama
Alpine Capsule by Been Seen

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Post from: Life in the Fast Lane

Worlds Weirdest and Most Bizarre Perfumes

Sustainable Village Provides Innovative Shelter and Safe Haven

Deborah — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:43:17 +0000

With simple evolution of one of man’s basic methods used centuries ago united with a little modern technology to construct shelter and housing, an innovative architect has created a small eco-sustainable village to accommodate 80 children, 10 staff, and a small school near Kathmandu, Nepal, in the Himalaya Mountains — the first of its kind for the region.

Using a technique developed by Cal Earth in California, architect Nader Kahlili worked with the Pegasus Children’s Project to build a small sustainable village of over 40 “super adobe domes” to provide permanent shelter, using solar panels and a Bio Gas plant for sun and wind energy.

The main building material is simply what’s abundantly available throughout the world — the soil beneath our feet to mold and shape into an eco-friendly home.

Standard polypropylene sandbags in rolls about 14 to 18 inches (35 to 45 centimeters) in diameter and up to a mile long, are cut to length and filled with dirt, sand, or clay, using 10 parts of soil to 1 part cement for added longevity, making these ’super adobe’ homes that can last for decades.

A chain is used to mark out the circumference. The foundation is only one level deep, and numerous domes can be built and conjoined to create one large structure.

The sacks are wound in circular or spiraling forms which are compacted in layers, reinforced and connected together with ribbons of barbed wire in between each layer, acting as mortar to provide added stability.

Doorways and windows are worked into the design as the levels of the dome are built up until the outside shell is complete. One house, up to 16 feet (5 meters) wide, can be built in a day by 4 people.

The dome is then plastered inside and out with sand and cement for further longevity and endurance, and then covered in paint made with milk and linseed oil.

Thus, a pile of earth is transformed to construct a small home for what’s called ‘eco-domes.’

“The structures make the materials of war — sandbags and barbed wire — into materials of peace.” says Khalili, who founded the California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture — known as Cal-Earth — in 1991 to focus on housing for the world’s poor.

More than 100 local Nepali workers were employed for the project, which supports 80 children from poor or difficult backgrounds.

It’s estimated that there are about 5,000 street children in Nepal and nearly 1,000 in Kathmandu due to conflict between the government and Maoists. About 95% of these children have been found sniffing glue.

“Sniffing glue helps us get rid of our hunger.” said Rajan, a 14-year-old boy.

“I forget everything; I won’t feel cold and I can sleep.” said 12-year-old Shyam.

Super Adobe homes are strong, and can be wind and waterproof. Designed to be resistant against extreme environments, they have been earthquake tested to 6.5 on the Richter scale, complying with the most rigorous earthquake building codes.

The flexibility of earth as a raw material allows the easy construction of curved surfaces which work with, rather than against seismic forces.

The domes are surprisingly cool inside during hot summer temperatures, maintaining heat to remain warm and cozy in the winter.

Staff accommodation and office.

The community kitchen has a chimney for cooking.

Boy’s dorm.

The boy’s dorm consists of 7 domes.

“Every man and woman should be able to build a home for their family using the earth under their feet, integrating some features of modern technology to make their homes resistant to fire, flood, earthquake, hurricane, and other natural disasters.” says Nader Kahlili.

This simple evolution in construction design means that unskilled people can build homes for themselves, whether they’ve been displaced by disaster or simply in need of a home, constructed for less than the cost of tents used for shelter during disasters.

Kahlili’s designs harnesses the local environment to create homes — a simple fusion of landscape and architecture that offers limitless possibilities of sustainable housing.

But don’t be fooled by their simplicity — not only do these homes provide economically viable survivalist housing — they also make for some of the most beautiful living spaces.

Cal Earth is a non-profit organization dedicated to research and education of the public in environmentally oriented arts and architecture. Its philosophy is based on the equilibrium of the natural elements of earth, water, air, and fire, and their unity at the service of the arts and humanity.

Founded and directed by Nader Khalili in 1986, its scope spans technical innovations published by NASA for lunar base construction, to design and development of housing for the world’s homeless for the United Nations. They are now building dome homes for families around the world. Visit the Cal Earth website to learn more.

Photo Cal Earth

Sustainable Village in Nepal

Designing Homes with Nature

Related stories:
First Walking House in the World

eco domes, environment, homes, housing, Nepal, shelter, super adobe, sustainability, sustainable, village

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Sustainable Village Provides Innovative Shelter and Safe Haven

Worlds Most Incredible Skateboarding Dogs

Deborah — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:54:51 +0000

You know that skateboarding has come full circle when it goes to the dogs — literally. From bulldogs to Yorkies and everything in-between, hard-core skateboarders have been teaching their beloved companions the moves, and among the cream of the crop and becoming an internet sensation is Tillman, the English bulldog.

Tillman the skateboarding dog. Photo Metro / BNPS

The tan and white pooch can ride on 3 legs and kick with the other before jumping on, steer left and right around corners, and even tackle ramps, weaving in and out of amazed bystanders at breakneck speeds.

And when he comes a cropper he coolly flips the board over, tucks it under a paw and lifts it up with his teeth before putting it back on the ground.

The 3-year-old dog has become a worldwide star after his owner Ron Davis posted a video of Tillman skateboarding on the internet, which has been viewed by more than 4,000,000 people.

“He absolutely loves it and just whizzes around.” said Ron.

The zany bulldog has become a star and featured on TV shows, commercials, and sports events since his first video of his antics was released on the web.

Tillman started skating when he was only 6 weeks old. Ron said he discovered the incredible talent when he stood him on a skateboard while he was merely a tiny puppy.

“To begin with he was too little to push it along himself so he used to just stand on it and wobble.”

“I tried teaching him how to push off with his paw and he soon got the hang of it and took to it like a duck to water.”

Extreme Pete skateboarding dog

“As he has grown and got stronger he has picked up speed and he can now go faster than I can run.” said the construction manager from California.

“He doesn’t just stumble along; he can properly skate down roads at speeds of more than 10 mph (16km/h).”

Extreme Pete skateboarding dog

Photo Mike STFU Studios

Tillman has become so popular that he has to skate in secret locations to avoid the massive crowds he draws wherever he goes.

“In all other aspects Tillman is a normal dog.” Ron says.

“Some dogs have a passion for chasing balls but Tillman’s is skateboarding — he lives for it really.”

Tillman in Venice Beach California

Extreme Pete

But we think that Pete makes for some serious competition. High Five!

Tyson Rides on the Wild Side

Bada$$ Ollie

More Skateboarding Dogs

Skateboarder Cassie

More Tillman Talents

Source: Metro

animal, animals, bizarre, dog, dogs, odd, pet, pets, skateboarder, skateboarding, skateboards, Tillman, unusual

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Worlds Most Incredible Skateboarding Dogs

Life in the Fast Lane » Uncategorized

Baby Ox with Whopping HUGE Heart-Shaped Marking

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Worlds Weirdest and Most Bizarre Perfumes

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Sustainable Village Provides Innovative Shelter and Safe Haven

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Worlds Most Incredible Skateboarding Dogs

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