Hosea Ballou

"Education commences at the mother's knee, and every word spoken within the hearsay of little children tends towards the formation of character."

--

Today's Featured Article, Website or Blog:Be the Best Secret Santa Ever

Buying secret Santa gifts is, frankly, a pain in the neck. The more time you spend searching, the less confident you feel in your selection. After all, what can you get for a person you don't know all that well without breaking a fairly low price limit?Well, forget about joke secret Santa gifts. With these ideas, you'll be able to wow just about anyone: Be the Best Secret Santa Ever

Did you Know...

... that today is Convenience Store Marriage Day? In 1996, Myrtle Bond and Owen Jack Tate got married in the 7-Eleven store where they had met six months earlier when Jack stopped in for coffee and met Myrtle working there. Congrats to the couple!

 

View the Original article

J.C. Watts

"Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught."

--

Today's Featured Article, Website or Blog:Looking to Add a Personal Touch to Your Christmas Tree?

At one time in your life a teacher probably told you, "think outside the box." With these Christmas ornaments crafts, it's more fun and original to think inside the box! You can paint the outside of these ornaments, or use these Christmas ornament craft ideas and have a one-of-a-kind ornament hanging from your tree. Use these simple-step directions for fun kids Christmas ornament crafts that will allow you and your kids the creativity you crave: Looking to Add a Personal Touch to Your Christmas Tree?

Did you Know...

... that today is Maggie's First Word Day? Maggie, the youngest of the Simpsons, spoke her first word in the December 3, 1992, episode. Her first word (voiced by Elizabeth Taylor) was "Daddy."

 

View the Original article

Top 10 Christmas Villains

(1970). As part of Santa’s supposed back-story, the Burgermeister was the mayor of the small village where Kris Kringle first passed out his toys. When the Burgermeister tripped on errant toy duck he banned toys. Even a brief flirtation with a yo-yo wasn’t enough to convince him to change his ways. By making Kris an outlaw he forced Santa to go down chimneys. See how important Christmas villains are? The Burgermeister was given life by venerable cartoon voice artist Paul Frees who also provided the voice for the other cartoon villain Boris Badenov.

9. Heat & Snow Miser

View the Original article

Top 10 Worst Holiday Gifts

Everyone has vivid memories of the dreaded, yet seemingly always present, fruitcake. What are they? What are you supposed to do with them? No one really knows. In fact, there is no reliable information that they are even supposed to be eaten. Maybe the intent of this purported food stuff is decorative in nature.  Unfortunately, most fruitcakes have a stomach unsettling appearance.  Though one could argue the packages they come in are nice (remember when they use to come in those colorful, brown containers?). In reality, fruitcakes are one of those gifts that produce a smile when received but soon find its way into the trashcan when your guests have gone home.

9. Knitted Apparel

View the Original article

Top 10 Santa Legends From Around the World

The Yule lads, or Yulemen, are a group of thirteen mischievous creatures that have largely taken the place of Santa Claus in the Icelandic celebration of Christmas. Their first major appearance can be traced back to the early thirties, when an Icelandic writer composed a short poem describing their role in the Christmas season. Since then they’ve gone through many different incarnations, from lovable gift-givers to annoying pests, and they’ve even been painted as bloodthirsty creatures that kidnap and eat children in the night.

View the Original article

Top 10 Scary Santas

9. Santa Claus as Michael Myers from Halloween…with Rouge

I can hear the music to the movie Halloween when I see this frightening visage. The sheer terror in the little girl rivals anything Jamie Lee Curtis could act out.

View the Original article

Top 10 Misconceptions About Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is a celebration of culture and universal truths that transcend religious boundaries. While one could assert that there is a spiritual content attached to Kwanzaa, the celebration itself is not associated with any organized religion or deity worship. In the words of Kwanzaa’s creator, Dr. Karenga,

View the Original article

Top 10 Sketch Comedy TV Shows

doesn’t have to be dumb entertainment. And for that it more than deserves its place on this list as one of the best loved TV shows of all time.

5. Chappelle’s Show

It isn’t by accident that most of the great sketch comedy shows are the products of a comedy troupe. Writing and performing even a bad show takes hours and hours of work. Trying to put together a great show takes that much more. Even if it were an average show, you’d still have to admire the work Dave Chappelle put into his brief but memorable Chappelle’s Show- but it was anything but average. Built upon the well-honed stand up of Dave Chappelle’s earlier career, Chappelle’s Show was a controversial mix of race, drugs, sex, and everything else on the star’s mind. A singular vision, it presented Chappelle’s unique take on the powder kegs of modern life. Watching Chappelle’s Show is like taking a tour of modern America through the eyes of one guy. A ridiculously talented, balls-out hilarious guy. That persistent voice and sense of humor makes it unique on this list and in the sketch comedy world. Here was one guy pouring out his mind and thoughts in the funniest way he could. Is it any wonder he burned out after two seasons? He worked way too hard to give us one of the best sketch shows there ever was.

4. Tim And Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!

Definitely the strangest show on this list and possibly the strangest show to ever air on television, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! is supremely weird. The sketches are surreal and at times disturbing, the supporting cast is a mix of famous comedians and bizarrely untalented non-actors, and the whole thing is presented with production values that would embarrass the cheapest public access show. This deliberate strangeness might make for a uniquely terrible viewing experience except for one thing. It’s absolutely original and absolutely hilarious. With Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim have managed the rare feat of creating something simultaneously odd, unsettling, and incredibly funny. Anybody can do weird for weird’s sake, but Tim and Eric do it in such a unique, funny way that you can’t help but watch. Sitting down to the average episode is like watching a traffic accident. Except there are clowns there. And John C. Reilly in a wig. You can’t look away and you can’t stop laughing.

3. Saturday Night Live

It may be everyone’s favourite thing to hate these days, but no matter how many more substandard seasons they let it run, nothing can diminish the electricity and pure comedic energy of the first few seasons of Saturday Night Live. Coming out of the improvisation tradition created by The Second City (a movement that continues to be a major source of American comedy talent), SNL combined a murderer’s row of talent and a youthful fearlessness that pushed at the confines and strictures of what TV comedy could be. The Not Ready For Primetime Players (the nickname John Belushi, Dan Akroyd, Gilda Radner, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtain, Garret Morris, and Lorraine Newman gave themselves) may have started as a bit of self-deprecation, but it became just the opposite. They were too good for primetime. Too smart, too hip, and way too cool for TV. They made staying home on Saturday night what the cool people did- to not watch SNL was to be out of touch and left out of the cultural discussion. Like Monty Python, they were comedy rock stars who instantly became household names. At least for anyone in the house under 25. Even after 35 years and through the light of the some great and many terrible seasons since, those first four years stand as one of the best moments in American comedy history.

2. SCTV

The second of the two great sketch comedy shows to come out of the Second City improv tradition, SCTV was Saturday Night Live’s quieter, slightly more clever brother. Filmed in the relative obscurity of Toronto (compared to SNL’s New York City home, the media capital of the world) SCTV never became a cultural institution like its more famous cousin, it just became an incredible groundbreaking show. Founded on the genius premise that every sketch and parody was actually airing on a terrible local TV station, SCTV skewered every trend, genre, and celebrity that called TV home in the 70s and 80s. Even better, the conceit that they were a TV station allowed them to go behind the scenes and create a cast of rich, totally unique characters. From sleazy station owner Guy Caballero, hacky comedian Bobby Bittman, kiddie horror host Count Floyd, scuzzball host Johnny Larue to dozens of others, SCTV created an entirely realized world around the usual fare of parodies and impressions. This devotion to building characters, along with a cast that included comedy giants like John Candy, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Catherine O’Hara, Dave Thomas, and Joe Flaherty among others made SCTV a show that rewarded loyal viewers. Their recurring characters were actual characters, not just catchphrases or silly costumes.

1. Monty Python’s Flying Circus

Sketch comedy existed before Graham Chapman, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam started Monty Python’s Flying Circus, but they made it an art form. With their brilliant satire, absurd yet instantly recognizable characters, and almost preternatural understanding of the tropes and tricks of television they created an entirely new form of comedy. Drawing on the social and cultural change around them yet maintaining enough distance to properly mock it, they made traditional comedy that was thoroughly modern. They were Oxford and Cambridge educated men who could riff on classical philosophy and Spam in the same episode. They were smart, stupid, clever and ridiculous all at the same time. It’s not without accident that they became comedy megastars and the acknowledged masters of the genre. Other groups have come and gone, some of them incredibly funny. But there will always only ever be one Monty Python. And they will always be the best sketch comedy group of all time.

For more funny footage, check out our YouTube playlist ‘Top 1o Sketch Comedy:’

By Geoff Shakespeare

View the Original article

Surreal and Conceptual Photography by Chiara Fersini

Posted by me on 12/15/10 • Categorized as photography

Surreal and Conceptual Photography by Chiara Fersini aka Himitsuhana. More of Chiara’s photography on her website, flickr and you can follow her on twitter and facebook.

View the Original article

Photography by Eliot Lee Hazel

Posted by me on 12/16/10 • Categorized as photography

Photography by Eliot Lee Hazel. More of Eliot’s great photography on his website and flickr.

View the Original article

Alan Macdonald Paintings

Posted by me on 12/17/10 • Categorized as Art

Alan Macdonald Paintings. Great 17th century style oil paintings with modern brands and quotes from cool song lyrics. More of Alan’s paintings on his website.

View the Original article

Illustrations by Ken Wong

Posted by me on 11/30/10 • Categorized as Art

Illustrations by Ken Wong. These are just some of his great artwork, for more visit his website.

View the Original article

Dark Surrealistic Photography of Erlend Mørk

Posted by me on 12/01/10 • Categorized as photography

Dark Surrealistic Photography of Erlend Mørk. For more dark surrealism visit his website and facebook.

View the Original article

Photography by Eolo Perfido

Posted by me on 12/03/10 • Categorized as photography

Photography by Eolo Perfido. For more great photography go see his website.

View the Original article

Street art by Tian

Tagged as: stencils, Street art, Tian Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Street art'Bumblebee – street artUrban illusions – art by Joshua CallaghanStreet art by TassoStreet art and paintings by HerakutPopular PostsDemotivational posters (70 pictures) Dave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Last photos before disaster Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Photography by Gregory Crewdson

Tagged as: Gregory Crewdson, photography Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'photography'Black and White Photography by Kristina LernerPhotography by Fredrik ÖdmanPhotography by Ryan SchudeLick the sun – Contemporary photography by Brian WalkerPopular PostsDemotivational posters (70 pictures) Dave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Last photos before disaster Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Surrealism by Tetsuya Ishida

Tagged as: surreal art, surrealism, Tetsuya Ishida Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Art'Berlin Dada Photomontages by Raoul HausmannCharles Bukowski – Words and picturesTimeline – Graffiti and digital art by Telmo PieperCuddly Creepy Surrealism by Mark RydenPopular PostsDemotivational posters (70 pictures) Dave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Last photos before disaster Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Photography by Ryan Schude

Tagged as: photography, Ryan Schude Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'photography'Black and White Photography by Kristina LernerPhotography by Fredrik ÖdmanPhotography by Gregory CrewdsonLick the sun – Contemporary photography by Brian WalkerPopular PostsDemotivational posters (70 pictures) Dave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Last photos before disaster Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Berlin Dada Photomontages by Raoul Hausmann

Tagged as: Berlin Dada, Photomontages, Raoul Hausmann Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Art'Charles Bukowski – Words and picturesSurrealism by Tetsuya IshidaTimeline – Graffiti and digital art by Telmo PieperCuddly Creepy Surrealism by Mark RydenPopular PostsDemotivational posters (70 pictures) Dave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Last photos before disaster Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Photography by Fredrik Ödman

Posted by me on 11/25/10 • Categorized as photography

Detailed, surreal, frightening and amusing . More of his great work on his website and facebook page.

View the Original article

Black and White Photography by Kristina Lerner

Posted by me on 11/26/10 • Categorized as photography

Surreal/abstract Black and White Photography by Kristina Lerner. Lots more of her work on flickr and livejournal.

View the Original article

Street art by Dolk

Tagged as: Dolk, Street art Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Street art'Street art by BoxiNature’s revenge – Street art by LudoStreet art by STRØKStreet art by JRPopular PostsDemotivational posters (70 pictures) Dave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Last photos before disaster Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Surreal art by Otto Rapp

Tagged as: Art, Otto Rapp, paintings, surrealism Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Art'Timeline – Graffiti and digital art by Telmo PieperCuddly Creepy Surrealism by Mark RydenAcrylic painting on photos by Sangho ParkSweet and Creepy Paintings by Ana BagayanPopular PostsDemotivational posters (70 pictures) Dave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Last photos before disaster Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Street art by Boxi

Tagged as: Boxi, stencils, Street art Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Street art'Nature’s revenge – Street art by LudoStreet art by DolkStreet art by STRØKStreet art by JRPopular PostsDemotivational posters (70 pictures) Dave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Last photos before disaster Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Horror Photography by Holly Ferguson

Posted by me on 11/03/10 • Categorized as photography

. To see more great photography by Holly Ferguson visit her website here or facebook page here.

View the Original article

Acrylic painting on photos by Sangho Park

Tagged as: Art, Sangho Park Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Art'Timeline – Graffiti and digital art by Telmo PieperCuddly Creepy Surrealism by Mark RydenSurreal art by Otto RappSweet and Creepy Paintings by Ana BagayanPopular PostsDemotivational posters (70 pictures) Dave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Last photos before disaster Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Cuddly Creepy Surrealism by Mark Ryden

Tagged as: Art, Mark Ryden, paintings, surrealism Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Art'Timeline – Graffiti and digital art by Telmo PieperAcrylic painting on photos by Sangho ParkSurreal art by Otto RappSweet and Creepy Paintings by Ana BagayanPopular PostsDemotivational posters (70 pictures) Dave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Last photos before disaster Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Photo Manipulations by Jan Oliehoek

Tagged as: Jan Oliehoek, photo manipulations Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'photography'Hopes, fears and fantasies of modern Britain – Photography by Nicky HamiltonDancing in the airReflections – Photography by Anja BührerPhotography by Jan KriwolPopular PostsDemotivational posters (70 pictures) Dave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Break up (how does breakup feel like in 28 pictures) Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Sweet and Creepy Paintings by Ana Bagayan

Tagged as: Ana Bagayan, Art, illustrations Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Art'Art by Jean JullienIllustrations and photography by Rob SheridanSurreal art by Tomek SetowksiNuclear bomb playhouse and other artwork by Dietrich WegnerPopular PostsDemotivational posters (70 pictures) Dave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Break up (how does breakup feel like in 28 pictures) Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Street art by STRØK

Tagged as: Art, stencils, Street art, STRØK Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Street art'Street art by JRStreet art by VeraStreet art and paintings by Zed1Street art by C215Popular PostsDemotivational posters (70 pictures) Dave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Break up (how does breakup feel like in 28 pictures) Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Art by Jean Jullien

Tagged as: Art, Jean Jullien Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Art'Illustrations and photography by Rob SheridanSurreal art by Tomek SetowksiNuclear bomb playhouse and other artwork by Dietrich WegnerArtwork by Anthony ListerPopular PostsDave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Demotivational posters (70 pictures) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Writings on walls Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Street art and paintings by Zed1

Tagged as: paintings, Street art, Zed1 Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Street art'Street art by JRStreet art by VeraStreet art by C215Shadow and Chalk art by Ellis GallagherPopular PostsDave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Demotivational posters (70 pictures) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Writings on walls Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Street art by Vera

Tagged as: Street art, Vera Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Street art'Street art by JRStreet art and paintings by Zed1Street art by C215Shadow and Chalk art by Ellis GallagherPopular PostsDave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Demotivational posters (70 pictures) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Writings on walls Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Street art by JR

Tagged as: JR, Street art Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Street art'Street art by VeraStreet art and paintings by Zed1Street art by C215Shadow and Chalk art by Ellis GallagherPopular PostsDave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Demotivational posters (70 pictures) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Writings on walls Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Nuclear bomb playhouse and other artwork by Dietrich Wegner

Tagged as: Art, Dietrich Wegner, installations Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Art'Illustrations and photography by Rob SheridanSurreal art by Tomek SetowksiArtwork by Anthony ListerSurreal Teletubbies and other surreal paintings by Jaroslaw KukowskiPopular PostsDave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Demotivational posters (70 pictures) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Writings on walls Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Shadow and Chalk art by Ellis Gallagher

Tagged as: Ellis Gallagher, shadow and chalk art, Street art Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Street art'Plenty more fish – Street art by Mau MauStreet art by MogulStreet art and Urban art by SpYStreet art by AbovePopular PostsDave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Demotivational posters (70 pictures) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Writings on walls Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Middle finger and other sculptures by Maurizio Cattelan

Posted by me on 9/27/10 • Categorized as Art

Giant middle finger, other sculptures and artwork by Maurizio Cattelan.

View the Original article

Street art by Above

Tagged as: Above, Art, Street art Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Street art'Street art and Urban art by SpYMiniature Buildings – Street art by EvolPopular PostsDave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Demotivational posters (70 pictures) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Writings on walls Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Street art and Urban art by SpY

Tagged as: SpY, Street art, urban art Leave a Response Cancel Reply

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Website

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

More in 'Street art'Street art by AboveMiniature Buildings – Street art by EvolPopular PostsDave Devries Monsters (36 pics) Demotivational posters (70 pictures) Surreal horror art by Beksinski (41 pics) Life sucks smile (25 pics) Writings on walls Search ContactSend questions and suggestions tohello.pulpfactor

View the Original article

Pulp Art Photography

Posted by me on 9/06/10 • Categorized as Art

from Pulp art book, a collaboration between supermodel Joni Harbeck and photographer Neil Krug.

View the Original article

Top 10 Super Bowl Performances of the Last Decade

K – New England Patriots – 2002

Yeah, I know that Tom Brady won the first Super Bowl MVP award of his career in this game, but I say it was Adam Vinateri that was the best player on the field in this contest as he coolly nailed the game-winning kick from 48 yards out to lift the Pats to their first Super Bowl title.

If any kicker ever deserved to win a Super Bowl title, it’s Adam Vinateri. Besides, Tom Brady completed just  16 of 27 passes for one touchdown, so it’s not like he actually led the Pats to victory with an impressive aerial performance.

8. Super Bowl XXXVII – Dexter Jackson

View the Original article

Top 10 Ways Kids are Scared of Santa

The purest showing of terror: The Bloody Murder Scream. These children held nothing back and let their primal terror be heard. Will the screaming ever end? Not if Jolly Saint Nick has anything to say about it.

The Screaming Choir

View the Original article

Top 10 Bizarre Christmas Traditions

it’s a bird) that is wrapped in seal skin and buried under a rock in the frost several months before Christmas.  The Christmas tradition is to dig up the kiviak, squeeze out the rotted guts, and then eat the auk.  No, I’m not kidding.  According to the few reports we could find, it smells a lot like Stilton cheese and tastes really tangy.  We’ll take your word for it, Greenland. Image source: http://foodlorists.blogspot.com/

9.    Hiding Your Brooms

Bad witches and evil spirits could exist here as well as Norway.  Norway takes preventative measures on Christmas Eve, when evil baddies and baddie witches might try to make off with your brooms.  Hide all your brooms! Apparently, Christmas Eve is a prime broom-joyriding time in Norway.  It could be here, too!

8. Kallikantzaroi & Pig Jaw Protection

View the Original article

Top 10 Strangest Monarchs

The Ming Dynasty’s strangest emperor, Zhu Houzhao, aka the Zhengde Emperor, took to the throne of China at the age of 14. Not long after becoming Emperor, Zhengde became drunk with power. He neglected his duties as ruler, and instead chose to spend his time drinking and visiting brothels, which he filled with women of his choosing. He built lavish palaces to store exotic animals like tigers and leopards, and he would often have them turned loose so that he could hunt them down for his own amusement. Even weirder, Zhengde would have his servants go to great lengths to dress up the inside of his palace like a city block. He would then command all the court employees to pretend to be vendors and passersby, so that he could stroll down the

View the Original article

Top 10 Movie Soundtrack Firsts

4. First Score Comprised Entirely by Electric Instruments

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

Legendary film score writer Bernard Herrmann’s first work after moving to America, the soundtrack for The Day the Earth Stood Still, was one of the most influential in science fiction history. The first film soundtrack to be comprised on electronic instruments, the soundtrack used electric violins, cellos, basses, two Theremins, vibraphones, and several other electric and amplified instruments. Berman also used overdubbing and tape-reversal techniques to make the soundtrack more unearthly and futuristic. The soundtrack would go on to inspire the music to many more science fiction films, including such masterpieces as Blade Runner.

3. First Hollywood Film with an All-Jazz Score

The Man with the Golden Arm (1955)

The Man with the Golden Arm was a film that was destined to break all of the rules. It dealt with the forbidden topic of drug addiction, spat in the face of Hollywood censors, and used a soundtrack by blacklisted Elmer Bernstein. Bernstein decided that jazz would be the most appropriate music to help replicate the turmoil felt by a recovering heroin junkie, crafting the very first all jazz score in Hollywood history. It would give the film a chaotic, urgent feeling that would set it apart from other Hollywood productions. Afterwards, Bernstein would go on to write jazz scores for the films The Sweet Smell of Success (1957) and A Walk on the Wild Side (1962).

2. First Film Score Entirely Written By a Popular Artist

Pat Garret and Billy the Kid (1973)

Sam Peckinpah’s 1973 Pat Garret and Billy the Kid is considered a forgotten classic of the Western genre – one of the most famous reasons is its soundtrack, written and performed entirely by Bob Dylan. While other films had been written and made around popular music (like The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine), this was the first time that a full-length musical score was written expressly for a film by a popular artist.

Dylan was hired after country music star Kris Kristofferson, who played Billy the Kid, brought him into the film. Even though Peckinpah had (somehow) never heard of him before, he hired him on the spot when he heard Dylan’s proposed title theme. While the soundtrack album received little critical acclaim, it is remembered for spawning the classic Dylan anthem Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.

1. First All-Digital Film Soundtrack

Stop Making Sense (1984)

Nowadays, everything is digital but there was a time when digital technology was a huge innovation in the film world. The first time that a film used complete digital audio technology was the Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense. Directed by Jonathan Demme, Stop Making Sense was recorded on a 24-track Sony digital recorder. The film itself would go on to be described by critics such as Leonard Maltin as one of the greatest concert films ever made.

View the Original article

Top 10 Video Game-Ruining Power-Ups

oh, wait, Nintendo gives you a big orange arrow on the map telling you where to go next to find it. And there’s no time limit either, so you can just go through the admittedly elaborate fetch quest the game requires you to travel on, and then you’ve got a sword that wipes out almost every non-boss in the game with precisely one hit. Yeah, that won’t drive down the difficulty curve or anything. (Image: hylianhelpdesk.com.)8. The Five-Seven in Splinter Cell: Conviction

Let’s go down the checklist:  Silenced? Check. Biggest magazine size? Check. Better accuracy? Check. After one upgrade, a function that lets you take out up to four enemies automatically? Check. So, explain to me again

View the Original article

Top 10 Most Important Discoveries in Astronomy

The Discovery

It’s tough to wade through a couple thousand years of ancient Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek, Indian, Chinese, Mayan and Persian astronomical history to pick out the highlights, so I’ going to cheat and roll all of their achievements up into one entry. Maybe if their civilisations hadn’t died out they would have got a better spot on this list, but because they couldn’t keep their empires together the ancient world gets stuck with the number ten spot. That’ll learn

View the Original article

Top 10 Controversial Billboards

With every president often comes some sort of disapproval; actually, with any type of politician there is always opinions, both good and bad. And of course Barack Obama is no exception to this long standing way of political life. With so many opinions, two very different political parties, it’s no surprise that someone won’t hesitate to speak out against the president. Across the country there are plenty of people who don’t approve of Obama’s course of action but in Texas, a man named Ellis Miller decided to take it to the next step. To show his high disapproval of the direction of the health care bill, he decided to purchase a billboard that simply said:

View the Original article

Top 10 Unexpected Killers in Nature

If you’ve taken college biology, you may be familiar with the humble planarian, a primitive animal consisting of little more than a thin sheet of tissue with a minimal nervous system. Most species inhabit water, but a few can be found slithering on dry land, and these nearly brainless creatures are sometimes carnivorous. Various land planaria live off a diet of earthworms, which they dissolve into mush with the secretion of a digestive enzyme.

9.  Katydids

View the Original article

Top 10 Most Famous Celebrity Deaths

when pyrotechnics set off during the filming of a scene for Twilight Zone: The Movie brought down one of the circling helicopters, decapitating the 53-year old actor and killing the two child actors he was holding in his arms at the time. The accident very nearly derailed the careers of director John Landis and producer Steven Spielberg, but both were acquitted on charges of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment (though they did pay a hefty settlement to the victim’s families). The film, being a Landis/Spielberg production, was expected to do well but flopped at the box office

View the Original article

Top 10 Most Unusual Christmas Trees

The divers of Manila’s Ocean Park installed a beautiful decorated underwater Christmas tree. They surprised their visitors by posing as Santa Claus and mermaids in front of the underwater evergreen, as part of the park’s Christmas show.

9. Mountain Dew Christmas Tree

View the Original article

Top 10 Trashiest Christmas Gifts for Him

First let me point out that truckers are not trashy. They are often owner-operators who work long hours to support their families. At this time of the year they are right up there with Santa’s elves: making sure we get our parcels, our turkeys, and our toys.

The following items, however, are certainly trashy

View the Original article

Top 10 Hot Christmas Toys of All Time

10. Mr. Potato Head

1952
1 million sold
Hasbro

The Christmas Story
Originally George Lerner’s idea for this famous toy spud seemed like it might be a dud. At first, no one seemed interested in his idea, but eventually a small family-run toy company called Hasbro began production. Mr. Potato Head became so popular that a Mrs. Potato Head was introduced the next year.

The Craziness
Mr. Potato Head was the very first toy advertisement on TV. Thank you Hasbro for starting the never-ending chorus of

View the Original article

Top 10 Forgotten Child Stars

just not as long.

Let’s remember the throughout movie history:

10. Maia Brewton

No one can rock a Thor costume like Maia Brewton’s Sara in Adventures in Babysitting.

Co-star Keith Coogan may be grandson to silver screen child star Jackie Coogan, but Brewton steals the movie. Sara not only dresses the part of a superhero, but she acts like one, too. She’s the only one of the group who thinks riding subways with gang members, being chased by car thieves, speeding along with crazed truckers, and hanging from rafters is fun.

Maybe it’s the helmet.

You can also spot an even younger Brewton in a small role as one of Marty McFly’s young aunts, Sally Baines, in Back to the Future.

Where is she now?

Brewton graduated from Yale in 1998. She’s married to TV producer Lara Spotts and is busy raising twin sons.

9. Miko Hughes

Stephen King’s brain has given birth to many a disturbed child. Maybe you’ve blocked out the memory of little Miko Hughes slashing Herman Munster’s ankle as the resurrected demon-child in Pet Sematary. But Hughes wouldn’t be forgotten

View the Original article

Top 10 Worst Sports Teams

Most terrible sports teams are expansion franchises, which is understandable; it’s tough for a brand new team to compete with established squads. But the 2003 Tigers had no such excuse when they went 43-119 in 2003, becoming the second worst modern baseball team in the process. At least the Tigers have company, because as you’ll see later they’re not the only franchise to embarrass Detroit.

9.  1962 New York Mets

View the Original article

Top 10 Mad Scientists in the Movies

death star’ at Washington DC. He is cryogenically frozen in 1967 and revived thirty years later.

Real Science
In an effort to offset global temperatures, some scientists in the U.S. have called for research into simulating volcanic eruptions. Artificially produced particles in the atmosphere would deflect heat from the sun and reduce the effects of climate change. The U.S. military has carried out a lot of research on laser weapons, successfully developing a laser that destroyed mortars and rockets in tests. As for cryogenic freezing, some people have paid out a lot of cash for the privilege but the technology to revive them doesn’t exist yet and most scientists are pessimistic about it.

9. Dr. Caligari

Played by Werner Krauss in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

Movie Science
The plot of this silent slice of German Expressionism is told in flashback. Set in a mountain village, Dr. Caligari and his sleepwalking assistant, Cesare, are a sinister freak show in a traveling carnival. They become suspects in a series of murders. The doctor uses mind control over Cesare, commanding him to do his evil deeds, but there is a twist

View the Original article

Top 10 9/11 Conspiracy Theories

rather, it is meant to detail the most common conspiracy theories related to the events of that fateful and tragic day. While the theories listed below may appear to be expressed in the author’s own point of view, they are meant to reflect only the viewpoint of the Truth Movement itself. Nothing printed below is intended to serve as definite evidence of wrongdoing or criminal activity

View the Original article

Top 10 Famous Mustache Guys Without Their Mustaches

The Mustache

Arguably one of the most famous bits of lip hair in the history of mankind, Hitler’s mustache has come to represent all that is evil and impure in facial hair. If anyone in the world ever misused their mustache, it was Adolf Hitler. Instead of using his mighty

View the Original article