Dark Roasted Blend

Animals vs. Reporters

2013-06-17T21:03:00.002-07:00

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Scroll down for today's pictures & links.

Animals vs. Reporters

Check out this hilarious collection of TV news bloopers, including the "Attack of the Wild Turkey" -

Link

Today's pictures & links:

The Flying Liner: Over the Icebergs!

I like its name "Aerotania" (sounds like a cool name for a band, don't you think?). This ocean liner can defy all elements and launch itself into the air, clearing all icebergs in one single "leap". This concept illustration is by H.A. Petersen, from the Judge magazine.

(image via)

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Trams in Siberia, "Lost" in a Forest

This tram makes its ponderous way among the taiga forest in Ust-Ilimsk, Irkutsk region:

(image credit: MMG)

Here is another, similarly wild, location: the 10 kilometers Puscha-Voditsa tram line going through the pine forest, near Kiev, Ukraine:

(images credit: Vittor)

And another tram line puts passengers through the lush plant growth at Liman, near Odessa:

(image via)

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Mona Lisa, Iranian Style

You've seen some versions of famous Mona Lisa painting in our previous article The Lady Vanishes. This is quite different... a traditional mask from the Persian Gulf, seen in Iran (photo by Elena Senao). But the smile is similarly enigmatic, don't you think? -

(image credit: Elena Senao)

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Mixed fresh links for today:

Miniature Car Mayhem! - [awesome car chase videos]
The Ultimate Beatles Interviews Database - [great find]
Gorgeous Vintage Pictures of NASA Facilities - [wow space]
Dressing Classical Sculptures in Jeans - [cool art idea]
Mercury Spinning: The Clearest Image Ever Obtained - [wow video]
Hilarious Flaws in Stock Images - [funny site]
Amazing Complete Map of U.S. Rivers - [wow image]
Weirdest Banknotes, Weirdest Briefcases - [wow designs]
Cute Bird in A Bag: Tap Dancing! - [fun video]
Simple & Effective: Star Wars Elevator Prank - [fun video]
Folding Any Shirt in 1 Second - [wow video]
Speading Sand with the Loader: Fail! - [wow video]
Great idea: "Slender Vender" for Diet Coke - [cool video]
Super Supercell - [wow video, extreme weather]
Deadliest Blood Feuds in United States; Threats - [history]
Weirdest, Best Hotels of the World - [cool info]
Bionic Animals - [assisting disabled creatures]

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The Letter

A very deep, emotional scene by a Ukrainian photographer David D., done in the 1940s World War Two style:

(image credit: David D.)

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A useful device: safe-guarding your personal space during the rush hour!

Then you can put it down on the floor, and nobody is going to crowd you from the sides either.

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What to do after a party?

Here is an idea (this is a printed ad for the Dos Equis beer):

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Beautiful Handmade Mandalas

Woven by Russian artist Tatiana Slinka:

(image credit: Tatiana Slinka)

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The NASA "X-15" Test Pilots, Photographed in 1966

Read about these brave men and learn about "The Right Stuff" in detail here.

(image credit: NASA Archive)

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Dew drops as a masterpiece of nature

(original unknown)

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Awesome Retrofuture Space Machinery

Here is a short update on futuristic rockets and such from the vintage sci-fi magazine pages:

Cover illustration by Curtis Warren, 1953:

(image via)

An illustration by Harold V. Brown:

(image via)

And check out this illustration by Alex Shomburg from 1938 - complete with searchlights in the vacuum of space and a cool video camera:

(image via)

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Very rare picture of the Russian Tsar's favorite car... with a swastika

Emperor Nicholas II seen in 1909, near his favorite car - a French made Delaunay-Belleville, touring version.

This is not a swastika, technically, but its mirror-image. Still somewhat creepy to see it here, as well as many other occasions of using this ancient symbol in Russia and Europe throughout history.

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Happy Father's Day!

It's hard to picture Princess Leia enjoying time on the beach with her father, but here she is -

(image credit: Aaron Rapoport, Rolling Stone Magazine, 1983 Summer issue, via)

What goes around, comes around:

(cartoon art by Duhamel)

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The sign says: "Soon!... New Subway Station"

(original unknown)

Total Windows Failure:

(original unknown)

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Extreme Small Boats & Yachts: Retro Coolness

2013-06-13T17:29:00.002-07:00

"QUANTUM SHOT" #838
Link - article by Avi Abrams

"I'll Float Away in Glory..." I'll Float Away, Hallelujah!

Summer is all around us, and the prospect of boarding a neat boat (or yacht) for a breezy cruise seems mighty fine and dandy... with all these ideas and day-dreaming material in this article, you'll be all set to fantasize, or even start planning to turn some of these dreams into reality. We will start with some vintage "boating dream" advertisements, which often combined great private boat imagery with beer and happy smiles all around -

(1950s ad for the Corby's Whiskey; and advertisement for the Johnson's motors)

Streamlined and Shark-Finned Vintage Boats and Yachts

Here is a lovely photograph of a Q.E.D. streamlined yacht from the pages of "LIFE" magazine, 1938:

(images via 1, 2)

This beautiful boat was designed by William Atkin for the Dutch aviation pioneer and aircraft manufacturer Anthony Fokker. It only lasted two seasons and then sunk due to a fire incident; it did however, participate in the New York Yacht Club cruise in 1938.

Another beautiful boat from the 1950s is the Cadillac Sea Lark - a neat fiberglass boat with space-age shark fins, advertised as a "sweetest boat afloat". Interestingly, the legendary shark fins appeared on this boat in 1956 - first time on any consumer product - several years before the shark fins on the 1959 Cadillac. The boat was designed by Brooks Stevens and displayed a the 1956 New York City Boat Show (see video):

(images via 1, 2)

This October 1945 boat was cleverly advertised as the "Rewards of Victory!" - a smooth progression from powerful war-time military boats to similarly impressive pleasure craft:

(image via)

More wonderful wooden goodness: check out these Chris Craft boats for the 1948:

One of the neatest and most charming retro wooden boats: this one was spotted at Loch Fyne in Scotland:

(image credit: Timothy Monger)

Vintage boat illustrations from Soviet Russia

This wonderful picture from Soviet "Tekhnika Molodezhi" magazine is the catamaran icebreaker and tanker ship combination:

(via Tekhnika Molodezhi, Russia)

Another great cut-away image shows the Netherlands-owned ocean research catamaran vessel "Duplus", built in 1969 and serving as a diving support ship and seabed drilling standby vessel:

(via Tekhnika Molodezhi, Russia)

"God's Tear" from 1983 - boat smashed to pieces, owner rescued from probable death

Will you cross the Atlantic in this little thing? This diminutive boat has a unique shape and is pretty sturdy - its builder Wayne Dickinson did just that, crossed the Atlantic from Massachusetts to Ireland in 1983. "Unfortunately, his beautiful boat was smashed to pieces when he was driven ashore at Arranmore Island in a force 10 gale after 142 days. Luckily, an Irish lighthouse keeper, Charlie Boyle, rescued him from probable death" -

(image via)

Another interestingly-shaped retro boat is "Vraad" from 1904 - built by Ole (Abe) Brude. "This gaff rigged steel lifeboat was sailed with a crew of three from Norway to Boston in 162 days. It was reported to be "shaped like an English Walnut." -

(image via)

Speaking about strangely shaped boats, perhaps nothing could beat this duck boat, which shipbuilder Christian Bohlin sailed across Stockholm harbor in 2011:

(image via)

We will continue shortly with the next part, featuring modern fantastic boats and even super-luxurious yachts of the rich and mighty. Stay tuned.

Article by Avi Abrams, Dark Roasted Blend.

CONTINUE TO "PLEASURE BOAT & RV VEHICLE COMBINATION!" ->

Read the rest of our popular "BOATS & SHIPS" category ->

The Lady Vanishes

2013-06-11T16:58:00.002-07:00

"QUANTUM SHOT" #837
Link - article by M. Christian

Stealing the Most Famous Painting in the World

If it had been done in this age of iphones, ipads, and the rest of our high tech ilives, the movie would have had Clooney or Willis dangling upside down over a pick-up-sticks weave of alarm lasers while a geeky cohort (maybe Steve Buscemi or Alan Cumming), face green from the digital overload bouncing up from a laptop, rattles off a second-by-second update on the imminent wee-oo-wee-oo arrival of the stern-jawed Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale.

("Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo", by Leonardo da Vinci)

But while the lady did vanish – a very, very special lady – the means of her vanishing, while maybe a tad less dramatic, is no less fascinating. While you'll no doubt immediately recognize the lady in question, you may not know her full name, or some of the more interesting details of her portrait. Begun by a certain well-known artist back in 1503, the likeness of Lisa del Giocondo wasn't finished until some years later, around 1519. After the death of this rather well known artist, the painting was purchased by King François I, and then, after a certain amount of time and other kings, it finally ended up in the Louvre. An interesting note, by the way, is that – while not a King – the painting was borrowed from the Louvre by Napoleon to hang in his private quarters, and was returned to that famous French museum when the Emperor became ... well, not the Emperor.

(visual illusion and surreal paintings by Victor Molev, Russia)

Its official title is Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo but the smile says it all, and in 1911 it was stolen – and wasn't returned until 1913.

While much of the theft is still a mystery, what is known is that on August 22, 1911, Louis Béroud, a painter and fan of the legendary Mona Lisa, came into the Louvre early one morning to study the famous work of Leonardo da Vinci, instead finding a bare wall. In a pure Inspector Clouseau bit of history, the museum staff didn't immediately put bare wall and missing painting together and instead thought the painting had been taken to be photographed. It took
Béroud, checking with the photographers themselves, to bring it to the attention of the guards that the painting had been stolen.

Suspects were many and varied: a curious one was Guillaume Apollinaire, the critic and surrealist, who, because he can once called for the Louvre to be burnt to the ground, was actually arrested. While no-doubt annoying, he was eventually cleared and released, but not before trying to finger, unsuccessfully, a friend of his for the theft, another rather well known painter by the name of Pablo Picasso.

Alas, the actual thief and the method of the robbery are almost painfully plain, though the man and the means weren't discovered until much later. In 1913, Vincenzo Peruggia, a Louvre employee, was nabbed when he contacted Alfredo Geri, who ran a gallery in Florence, Italy, about the stolen painting.

(visual illusion and surreal paintings by Victor Molev, Russia)

The story that emerged after his arrest was that on August 20th, 1912, had Peruggia hid in the museum overnight. On the morning of Sunday, the 21st, he emerged from hiding, put on one of the smocks used by employees and, with ridiculous ease, simply took what is arguably the most famous painting in the world and put it under his coat and walked out the door with it. When the gendarmes later knocked on Peruggia's door they'd simply accepted his excuse that he'd been working somewhere else the day of the theft, while the painting was hidden under his bed.

What isn't plain, though, was Peruggia's motivation for the theft.

(images credit: Marco Pece, David Eger)

Elegant Forgery Scheme with a Happy Ending

While he constantly argued he'd stolen the Mona Lisa for patriotic reasons, to hopefully return it to his native Italy, many believe a more intriguing, more nefarious, more devilishly elegant explanation – an explanation that involves one of the most legendary crooks and conmen who have ever lived: Eduardo de Valfierno.

Born in Argentina, Valfierno, who liked to call himself a Marqués, was a man with not just a plan, but a remarkably clever plan. According to those to believe he had a hand in the affair, the Marqués began by commissioning not one, not two, not three but instead six copies of the painting from the equally-legendary forger Yves Chaudron. Now there's no way anyone would buy a Mona Lisa when the real one was clearly hanging on a wall in the Louvre, so Valfierno hired the poor Peruggia to make off with the original. Once the original painting was reported missing, Valfierno took his six perfect forgeries and sold them to illicit collectors all over Europe, convincing each and every one that the Mona Lisa they were purchasing was the one and only.

(left: painting by , right image - Mona Lisa portrait made from Rubik's Cubes)

Waiting for the elegance? Well, even if Valfierno had been caught, the only thing he could have been nailed for was selling forgeries, which none of the collectors he'd sold to were ever willing to report as it would have incriminated themselves as well. What was an extra bonus, Valfierno could have sold as many copies as he'd wanted as long as the original painting stayed missing.

For those who like to tie Valfierno to the crime, Peruggia only tripped up the whole scheme when he realized that Valfierno had stuck him with the serious end of the crime – the theft – and he'd stumbled when trying to sell the Mona Lisa or, as he claimed, simply trying to return it to his native Italy.

The tale, though, does has a somewhat happy ending: Peruggia, despite the outrage over the theft of the painting in France, was given a rather lenient sentence by the Italian authorities, who felt moved by Peruggia's claim to have been motivated by patriotism. While little is known about the possible mastermind, Valfierno, considering the brains and creativity involved it's not a huge stretch to imagine him doing quite well afterward.

Meanwhile, The Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo, was returned to her noble spot in the Louvre where she smiles out as us to this day: her cryptic expression as mysterious as the shadowy history surrounding her theft in 1911.

(street art by Banksy)

This article by M. Christian was originally published in "Welcome to Weirdsville": a wonderful compendium of interesting subjects and fascinating topics. This is a highly recommended book for all lovers of weird & wonderful this side of the Universe; order the Kindle edition here.

CONTINUE TO MORE WEIRDNESS! ->

Awesome & Weird Chocolate, Part 2

2013-06-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

"QUANTUM SHOT" #836
Link - article by Avi Abrams

If it's sweetness you crave, then sweetness you will have... and much, much more

The story of chocolate starts from the deep antiquity: Mayan and Aztec civilization used chocolate as a highly desirable offering to the gods, and had a special character (looking like a cute fish) to write the word "Kakaw" - cocoa:

(image via)

Interestingly, the fish characters make sense, as the word "chocolatl" consists of "chokol" meaning "hot", and the Nahuatl "atl" meaning "water". By the way, this is what the cocoa fruit (from which chocolate is made) looks like:

(image via)

Interplanetary Travel: just by using your taste buds:

These are "Out of This World" Chocolates! Available from White Rabbit company from Japan (made by chocolatier L’éclat of the Righa Royal Hotel Japan), this heavenly set will appeal to any red-blooded geek who likes chocolate and LOTS of space to go with it:

(images credit: L’éclat, via)

Remember the (sort-of) hilarious song by R.E.M. "It's the End of the World (and I Like It)"? Well, with this set of chocolates you can swallow the Earth, the Moon, etc. etc. and entirely like this process.

They also make some "sugary asteroids"...

(image via)

The Chocolate Express (inside a concrete station)

A part of the Carl Warner's "Foodscapes", this is one sweet train to catch! See the rest of his incredible foodscapes here:

(image credit: Carl Warner, via)

Another chocolate train was created by Julia Ferguson as a one-off project, and it looks great! -

(image credit: Julia Ferguson, J. J. Miller)

However, the LONGEST chocolate train was revealed at Brussels Chocolate Week, made by Maltese chocolate artist Andrew Farrugia - this sculpture is 112-feet (34.05 meters) long and weighs over 2,755 pounds (1250 kilos) - more info:

(images via)

"Three days before the event, Farrugia transported the chocolate train by truck in 25 wooden boxes from Malta to Belgium. The train incurred considerable damage during the move and several of the train’s walls had completely collapsed. The chocolate artist was able to fix all the damages before presenting the train to the public."

Many other locations offer chocolate sculptures on display, for example this one:

(original unknown)

Salon du Chocolat

Here are some of the designs seen at the 15th World Chocolate Fair in Paris:

(image via)

Yet another fashion show impresses with these (fake?) chocolate dresses:

(images credit: Alexandra Beier/Getty Images, via)

Here are some strange chocolate head accessories, seen at the 2011 World Chocolate Wonderland in Shanghai:

(images credit: Reuters, via)

From the classic (and pretty tame) chocolate art - to some wild and wondrous examples:

Chocolate art indeed can be sensuous and evocative:

(images via)

On the right is part of the chocolate shoe "Forever Art" collection by Gerhard Petzl (see more here):

(top right image via)

Here is a Japanese manga strip slice, already half-eaten... and a tribal mask, hollow inside:

(images via 1, 2)

Careful, there is a chocolate nail inside! (one of the projects made during a workshop with Florence Doléac, Olivier Sidet and Ronan Bouroullec):

(image via)

Chocolate nails will go great with the chocolate tool box (left image below). On the right is the Chocolate Scrabble:

(image via)

This is the whole room full of edible Godiva chocolate creations, by Larry Abel and Raymond McCallister - more info:

(image via)

These chocolate pencils (or rather crayons) is the work of artist Oki Sato and patissier Tsujiguchi Hironobu: it even comes with a "pencil sharpener" to grate the chocolate unto your dessert! - more info:

(image via)

Delicious Chocolate... Couch?? Yes! Do not sit on it - scoop it up:

(image via)

By now, you have probably seen chocolate keyboard in one form, or another. This is definitely a classic:

(image via)

And how about this "Choco-clock" which lets you regulate your chocolate consumption: it gives out a treat only once an hour. You will have to be patient (or you will have to break the clock open):

(image via)

Chocolate Art Gone Nuts

Chocolate Russian Roulette can be seen on the left (we do not need to add anything, but rather just gaze at it in wonderment and trying to imagine buying it for daily entertainment). On the right are the Sugar Skulls! You can make them yourself, here is the full process. This sort of candy is called Mexican Skull Candy and is made specifically for the Day of the Dead Festival.

(images via)

"Chocolate Skulls Gone Nuts"? "Edible Brain Candy"? Any of these titles will do. You can buy these delightful crazy desserts here:

(image via)

Make chocolate, not war! -

And if you do get hurt eating such aggressive chocolates, here is a chocolate Band Aid to soothe your wounds:

(image credit: Motosuki Fukuma)

Daniel Craig Lollipop. 'Nough said.

(image via)

Even more repulsive: human organs and such... sculpted from chocolate by Stephen J. Shanabrook: see a lot more here:

(images via)

Edible Insects for the Adventurous

The Hotlix company is responsible for this gourmet abomination: real insects dipped in chocolate.... They've been making these beasties for twenty years, putting some inside tasty chocolate and some inside lollipop candy:

(images via)

"It is said, "Everything tastes better with chocolate." The initial sensory sensation of a flavorful insect covered with chocolate results in a mouthwatering experience you won’t soon forget."

"Our insect candy below covers a wide range, from chocolate insects to worms in lollipops. Some of our edible insects are novelties, like the Edible Ant Farm and Scorpion Lollipops, but others are true delicacies in some countries, like chocolate dipped grasshoppers and BBQ worm snacks."

Yet another breed of repulsive chocolate bugs is actually not that authentic - they do not have real bugs inside, just yummy chocolate. Namco’s Chocolate Bugs can still creep you out, just by looks alone -

(image via)

"I do not like Valentine's Day, and I'm not afraid to say it"

These Japanese chocolate plates, done in the style of manga characters, proclaim some blasphemous things, like:

"I hate Valentine's!"
"Valentine's has been canceled this year"

More manga slices here, and the resulting cake:

(images credit: )

Article by Avi Abrams, Dark Roasted Blend.

CONTINUE TO "CHOCOLATE & CANDY ART"! ->

READ THE REST OF OUR AMAZING "FOOD" CATEGORY ->

London Necropolis Railway

2013-06-02T20:53:00.000-07:00

"QUANTUM SHOT" #835
Link - article by George Mason and Avi Abrams

Exploring little-known, morbid slice of London history

It’s hard to conceive, but 1848 was an even worse time to be dead than usual.

A cholera outbreak had recently swept through London, killing almost 15,000. Burial space was non-existent; as little as 300 acres had been allocated for the capital’s needs and space was tight even without an epidemic. During the winter of 1848, the graveyards reached saturation point. With nowhere to bury them, the dead began to pile up; corpses lay stacked beside churches, giving off an unholy stench. Recently-interred cadavers were dug up and discarded to make more room, while toxins seeped into the water supplies, increasing the chance of another outbreak. Simply, there was nowhere left to put the dead.

(images credit: John M. Clarke, via, Paul Slade, via)

Boom Town

The first half of the 19th century had seen a rapid expansion in London’s fortunes. The industrial age ushered in an era of unparalleled growth: rural workers flocked to the city seeking work; factories mushroomed up across the East; and railway lines began to snake out from the capital, criss-crossing the length of the country. With this explosion of economic growth came one of population. In 1801, London boasted slightly under a million inhabitants; by 1851 it claimed nearly two and a half. Inexperience, disinterest and a certain laissez-faire attitude left the city ill-equipped to deal with such sudden expansion. Slums sprang up, poverty and disease became rife and cemeteries began to fill. By the time the 1848 cholera epidemic came along, it was clear something needed to be done: the city needed a cemetery to suit the times, operating on an industrial scale. It was at this time the problem came to the attention of Sir Richard Broun.

(image via)

"A classified advert in The Times newspaper for The London Necropolis Company, 7 November 1854

The Railway of the Dead

Broun was fascinated by the recently-emerged technology of steam trains. In 1848, Waterloo Station had only just been opened, and the railways themselves were still considered something of a novelty. Broun, along with his partner Richard Sprye, concocted a plan to ease the overcrowding issue with the help of this new invention. Buying up a 1,500 acre site outside Woking, they proposed the creation of a dedicated railway of the dead: a line (serviced by London & Southwest Rail) used for the sole purpose of transporting the deceased from London to ‘Brookwood Cemetery’ for burial.

(image via)

If all went to plan, the new site would be capable of serving the capital for around 350 years; giving the two a monopoly, as it were, on death.

(images via)

" Under Waterloo train station, London: this was also the place where they stored the bodies of people awaiting the Necropolis Railway to Brookwood Cemetery."

Heyday and Decline

The railway was inaugurated on 13th November 1854, with its own dedicated platform at Waterloo Station. A timetabled service would transport coffins down at night and mourners by day, delivering them to one of two stations: the Conformist station on Brookwood’s sunny side; or the non-conformist station on its dark north face. To prevent upsetting any delicate Victorian sensibilities, each ‘coffin train’ was divided into classes to separate the dead from their poorer neighbours. Even in death, it seemed, the idea of sharing a carriage with a pauper was anathema.

(images credit: John M. Clarke, via)

Even from the outset, it was clear the service would never be as popular as envisioned. While Broun had estimated shipping around 50,000 corpses a year; the actual figure was around 3,000. Yet the LNR limped on for almost a century, throwing up a few oddities along its way. Chief among these was a trend for golfers to take advantage of the cheaper fares to Woking by dressing up as mourners for the journey down.

(image via)

"The London Necropolis Railway Station, privately owned station in Westminster Bridge Road, after London's biggest night raid of the war. New York Times Paris Bureau Collection."

Until the 1940s it remained a weird London institution, a ghoulish Victorian hangover that resisted time, social change and falling demand. Ultimately, it took the Luftwaffe to close it down: during the heavy bombing raid of 16th April 1941 the Waterloo terminus was obliterated. The LNR had shipped its last cadaver.

(image via)

"A photograph of 121 Westminster Bridge Road, London, near London Waterloo station. The building is all that remains of the London terminus of the London Necropolis Railway system, which originally linked London with Brookwood Cemetery. The railway platforms were bombed during the London Blitz, and were never repaired."

Today, little remains of this morbid slice of London history. Only a fraction of the Brookwood terminus and the Cemetery itself; now a minor tourist destination. Long gone, largely forgotten, the service that was meant to last 400 years survives only as a bizarre footnote; a reminder of a distant time, when men tried to monopolize death and failed.

Thanks to George from VCars.co.uk for sending us this look at London’s forgotten transport history.

CONTINUE TO OUR "ABANDONED PLACES" CATEGORY! ->

Link Latte 202

2013-05-31T20:04:00.001-07:00

#202 - Week of May 30, 2013

The Birth of a Tornado: from nothing to F5 in 10 minutes! - [wow video]
Timelapse of the Earth over the Last 30 Years - [wow nature]
Google Blimps Will Bring WiFi to Africa - [wow tech]
Beautiful Image of the NASA's New Ion Engine - [wow space]
"Windows To The Past": Wonderful Retro Collages - [Flickr set]
The Making of Kubrick's 2001 - [rare find]
Tree Charts of the Computer Languages - [geek info]
Spectacular Pattern inside a Meteorite - [Thomson structures]
German Motorcycle with the Airplane Engine - [wow tech, video]
Onomatopoeia: Words Imitating Sounds - [neat examples]
So Sad: Living Inside the Shipping Containers - [wow pics]
Hundreds of Giant Red Slugs, Unknown to Science- [wow nature]
Tokyo Light Symphony: Wow Installation - [art, video]
History of the ASCII Art - [geek art]
Marvelous "Weird Info" about Pet Animals - [cool site]
Unravelling Mysteries of the Mayan script - [internet helps]
Rare Interview with Philip K. Dick from 1982, 1975 - [sci-fi]
Spaceship-like Lamborghini's Egoista Concept - [wow auto, pics]
Incredible Surfing Animals, Get Out of Jail! - [info, weird]
The Decline of Eye Contact? - [interesting]
Kitty Versus Lizards: Freak Out! - [fun video]
Truly Spectacular Dubai Timelapse, Police Cars - [wow videos]
This Guy Can Dance! - [fun video]
Waltzing Rally Car - [wow video]
Catching a Flying Bird with a Hand - [wow video]
You Shall Not Pass!! - [weird driving, video]
Mesmerizing "Only Forward Arrow" Racing Game - [wow video]
Making Crepes in China: Neat! - [wow video]
Cuttlefish "Aliens": Great Video Segment - [wow nature]
Fortress: Great Homemade Russian Steampunk Film - [wow video, somewhat nsfw]
Female Superheroes & Guys Who Lost It - [weird, info]

SEE ALL OTHER LINK LATTE ISSUES HERE

Not For the Scared of Heights

2013-05-27T17:09:00.001-07:00

Link
Scroll down for today's pictures & links.

Not For the Scared of Heights

The newly opened "Skyscreamer" at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas is a pretty wild ride: a carousel suspended 400ft in the sky - the world's tallest? (we hear there is another one 400ft tall at Grönalund in Stockholm, Grona Lund Eclipse) - more info.

Link

Today's pictures & links:

Incredible Storm Rolling over Tula, Russia

Sinister shelf clouds hanging over the urban landscape of apartment buildings -

(original unknown)

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This is not a Star Trek / 1970s Scifi spaceship

This is the "Futurama" General Motors pavilion at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair - see the cool retro video here.

(image via)

Another great vintage image from "This Island Earth" movie, 1955 (with Rex Reason, Faith Domerque and a "mutant" monster) -

(image credit: James Vaughan)

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First Man in Space, taking a siesta

Yury Gagarin, 1934 - 1968, relaxing in a chair, perhaps even thinking about a short nap -

(image via)

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Mixed fresh links for today:

China Builds a Superbuilding in June, ugly? - [838 m tall]
New Zealand is part of the huge sunken Zealandia continent! - [interesting]
Short on Cash in Italy? Pay with Cheese! - [weird, travel]
Ruins of Super Science - [abandoned, overview]
The First Image Ever of a Hydrogen Atom's Orbit - [cool]
Extremely Rare Kind of Lightning - [a "Red Sprite"]
Greatest Soviet Cosmonauts - [space, info]
Russian Gun at International Space Station - [weird info, space]
Making the "Hugo" Automaton: Behind the Scenes - [great video]
Great Vintage Style Surreal Music Video - [wow video]
Hilarious, Unexpected: Putting on Makeup - [fun video ad]
"Amsterdam Drift" in a Canal - [wow video]
Adorable Hamster Fail - [fun video]
Penniless Young Guys Trying to Live Well in 2013 - [new web series]
Truly Weird Presidents in Action - [weird pics]
Good Independent Film to Promote - [video trailer]
Weird: Insects Used in Medicine - [strange stuff]
Extremely Rare Color Video of London in 1927 - [wow video]

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Beautiful Industrial Photo from 1931

"Komsomolets at the Wheel, Balakhna" - photo by a prominent Soviet photojournalist and photographer Arkady Shaikhet

(image credit: Arkady Shaikhet)

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The Road to Success

A truly epic vintage illustration, from 1913 - click to enlarge:

(image via)

Originally published in The Etude music magazine, in October 1913.

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Neat vintage accounting machines - typewriters on steroids!

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Famous people, who were perhaps born at the wrong time

Here is how they would look in our day and age:

Leo Tolstoy -

Modest Mussorgsky, famous russian composer, info -

Vladimir Lenin -

A Beautiful Unknown Woman - original is a well-known painting, by Ivan Kramskoi, 1883 -

Mona Lisa managing a local corner store -

and Vladimir Putin in our day and age, no Photoshop needed:

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Does anyone remember "Brass" comic series, from 1996?

Truly gorgeous mecha art by Richard Bennett (story by Aron Wiesenfeld). Here is the info on the series.

(image via)

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Bubbles: Unique Pattern Formed in a Sink

(image via)

This is just one of many cool images from Reddit's Mildly Insteresting section, which are, well, mildly interesting... (and recommended).

------------

Classic Nokia phone is nearly indestructible

... and pretty useful in a variety of situations:

... and here is how you communicate your plight when a cell phone (or other radio) is not an option:

(image via)

"These words appeared in the sky above Los Angeles on March 23, as part of a prank by comedian by Kurt Braunohler."

------------

This Onion is Grumpy

(original unknown)

Go This Way!

(original unknown)

READ THE PREVIOUS ISSUE ->

READ ALL BISCOTTI ISSUES HERE ->

Make sure to check our daily updates on Facebook!

Topological Marvel: The Klein Bottle in Art

2013-05-22T20:09:00.000-07:00

"QUANTUM SHOT" #834
Link - article by Avi Abrams

Impossible shape with no distinct "inside" or "outside" - in Art, Fashion and Architecture

A geometric enigma, a convoluted mind-bender dropped upon us from the wonderful extra-dimensional realm of topology, the Klein Bottle is perhaps even more popular with artists and architects than the ubiquitous Moebius strip. In fact, the Klein Bottle is what happens when you merge two Moebius Strips together: the resulting shape will still have only one side - with its inside and outside merging into one!

Such a paradoxical shape is clearly not possible within our three-dimensional reality and requires a fourth dimensional jump at some point to make it all come together. Also because true Klein bottles do not have discernible "inside" or "outside", they have ZERO VOLUME. As a result, these objects can only be simulated as an "impossible art" in our world, or only modeled with a "fake" 3-D intersection, instead of a true extra-dimensional joint. The more such intersections you add, the more it would look like some sort of a Spaghetti Monster:

(images credit: Torolf Sauerman, Bathsheba, Satgnu)

On the left you see the intricate mathematical art by Anatoly Fomenko from Russia (Klein Bottle and Torus combination); on the right is a steam Klein Bottle cart "impossible concept" by Roger Shepard:

(images credit: Anatoly Fomenko, Roger Shepard)

The first Klein Bottle was described by the German mathematician Felix Klein in 1882; here are his lecture notes (left image below). On the right is the famous Escher's Moebius Strip - a structure from which Klein Bottle can be formed by topological extension:

(images via 1, 2)

And here is how the bottle can be formed (note: this requires an extra-dimensional jump at the "intersection", so it's only a simplified visualization):

Taking a clue from the Moebius strip image with ants crawling all over it (see above), this animation shows the path that these ants would follow crawling on the Klein bottle:

(image via)

The Klein Bagel: do you want cream cheese with that?

Also called "the figure 8 immersion of the Klein bottle" (read about immersions here), this bagel-like impossible shape has an even more impressive, impossible cross section:

(images via)

This would be perhaps the first object that we'd print on a 3D printer

The whole gallery of 3D models by Torolf Sauerman (also known as "jotero") is worth looking at (and drooling over the possibilities of 3D printing it for your office) - click here. He also runs a YouTube channel full of topological animations.

(images credit: Torolf Sauerman)

Californian 3D artist Erik Anderson rendered this remarkably life-like image of chained Klein bottles:

(image credit: Erik Anderson)

Nested Topological Glass Vessels

Here are a couple of rather more simplified, hand-blown glass emulations (the wine "glass" on the right you can even purchase here) -

(images credit: Clifford Stoll and Grand-Illusions, Encyclopædia Britannica)

The California-based Acme Klein Bottle Company sports quite a catalog of different glass and plastic bottles. They describe their products as "the finest closed, non-orientable, boundary-free manifolds sold anywhere in our three spatial dimensions":

(image credit: Science Museum, London)

Speaking about more sophisticated topological glass objects, you should check out glass Klein bottle collection on exhibit in The Science Museum in London - for example, this "triple bottle" variety (made by Alan Bennett in Bedford, United Kingdom, in 1995):

(image credit: Science Museum, London)

Here is "a single surface, five-layered sphere: extension of the three Klein bottles above to infinity which when cut gives a pair of single-twist Moebius strips":

(image credit: Science Museum, London)

Adding more and more rounds of "handles" that theoretically fold upon themselves, results in this intriguing glass sculpture:

(image credit: http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/images/I065/10328081.aspx)

These are the "two single surface glass vessels made by Alan Bennett in 1995. Part one is a double loop Klein bottle which when cut gives a pair of three-twist Moebius strips. Part two is a triple loop Klein bottle which when cut gives a pair of five-twist Mobeius strips."

Do you want your Klein object DOUBLE, or TRIPLE?

Produced by the same "Acme Klein Bottle Company", the double Klein bottle looks much like an hourglass - it was featured on the cover of the book, "Endless Universe" by Paul Steinhardt and Neil Turok. Both double and triple bottles are externally linked in this case, but it is also possible to link them internally.

(images via)

In the middle you can see another Acme innovation - the spiral top vessel (more info). They also call it the "Spiral top Kleindensor" which are commonly used as condensors in 4-dimensional stills. On the right is the Acme Klein wine bottle, which might present a few problems in actual usage:

"The Wine Bottle Klein Bottle is difficult to fill with wine, because of vapor-lock. As you pour water (or wine) into it, there's no place for the air to go. So the wine is trying to go down while the air is trying to go up the spout. Result is slow filling. Pouring wine out is equally frustrating. Not only are these difficult to fill and empty, but cleaning them is a real challenge. Since there's little air circulation within the Klein Bottle, moisture doesn't evaporate. Worse, you can't reach in with a towel. So you'll need to dry the interior surface using alcohol. I've had good luck with a pair of small magnets wrapped in cotton cloth."

... or, perhaps, even TRIANGULAR?

Triangular, triple Klein bottle form:

(image via)

Would you prefer your Klein manifold sliced? (more info):

(images credit: Science Museum, London, Klein Bottle)

Stained Glass Impossibility

This wonderful structure is made from 11 faces of brightly colored and illuminated glass, which certainly creates the illusion of complexity in its reflections; a sort of the stained glass 3D puzzle. it was created by glass sculptor Istvan from Hungary:

(image credit: Istvan)

Klein Bottles in Architecture: A Klein Bottle House

Remember a great 1940s science fiction story by Robert A. Heinlein "And He Built a Crooked House"? The bizarre topological house featured there was a tesseract, but a Klein bottle would lead to similar fantastical adventures if one were to get stranded inside of it by some freak accident:

(photo by John Gollings, via)

The Klein Bottle House was built by architects McBride Charles Ryan just outside Melbourne, Australia, has all the trappings of a science fictional dwelling and mathematical Garden of Eden for those who like their brains and sense of orientation challenged - but it also looks surprisingly liveable and warm (more info).

The Klein Bottle Playgrounds: Just don't end up with arms and legs tied in a topological knot!

How do you build physically impossible structure, especially turning it into a playground? Well, you could use the so-called "figure 8 immersion" of Klein Bottle: American artist, designer and architect Vito Acconci has been commissioned to create such an intriguing shape as part of a playground in the Miami Design District in 2014

(image credit: Vito Acconci)

On the right image above you can see another mind-boggling park installation by Vito Acconci, perhaps even more sophisticated and original.

(image via)

Here is a Krabbelknoten , a crawl-through playground structure installed at the ‘Math Adventure Land’ in Dresden in 2011 - more info

(images via)

Sophisticated mathematical knots make up great knitting projects!

Check out these single-sided Klein Bottle Hats (created by Kleinbottle and Majolo):

(images via)

Klein Bottle Bottle Opener and Coffee Cups

I wonder if you open a wine bottle with a physically impossible bottle opener (made by Bathsheba Grossman), would that lead to some miracle while drinking the wine? Perhaps the wine would never run out? I can only dream.

(images via 1, 2)

Similarly, impossible topological coffee cups should lead to a never-ending supply of coffee inside (siphoned from some helpless extra-dimension, straight into our coffee-starved reality). The cups on the right were made by Cunicode, a design agency in Barcelona, which came up with a unique cup for each day (a new coffee cup design every 24 hours); see lots of them at this link.

Fold it!... and don't let it fall into an extra-dimensional wormhole -

A single sheet of paper with no cuts or tape can be folded into this interlocking model of Klein Bottle: the crease patterns are available here. Dr. Robert Lang is responsible for this puzzling origami masterpiece:

(image via)

Hide the M&M candy inside a topological machine, and kids would never get to forbidden sweets

As we said before, Klein bottles are supposed to have zero volume, yet you can apparently fill them with M&M candy? Well, this standard Acme bottom-mouth Klein Bottle does the trick:

(images via 1, 2)

Right image above shows the BIGGEST Klein bottle in existence: 1.1 meter tall, 50 cm diameter (the size of a 5 year old child) - made by the same Acme Klein Bottle Company.

Here is the Klein Bottle - SQUARED!

if you thought that simple Klein Bottle was something challenging to wrap your brains around, try this topological maze, created solely to befuddle our spatial 3-dimensional senses:

(image credit: Sea Moon)

And now, to cool your brain after all these impossible topological exercises, here is a picture a NORMAL BOTTLE, with normal "inside" and "outside", for a change! -

(image credit: Bree Walk)

Article by Avi Abrams, Dark Roasted Blend.

CONTINUE TO "KILLER VIRUSES GLASS ART"! ->

Check out the rest of our popular "ART" category ->

The Cutest Animals: Awww Update

2013-05-17T23:18:00.000-07:00

"QUANTUM SHOT" #833
Link - by Avi Abrams

In our rough and tough world we need a shot of cuteness from time to time. Well, then, consider yourself "shot".

We featured some of the cutest animals in our previous posts (see our extensive "Animals" category). What can we say? It's time for another update!

Latte, Capuchino, Caramel Macchiato & Espresso... guinea pig babies:

(image credit: Pacifist)

What is it, with hamsters and flowers? - this little guy simply LOVES flowers:

(image credit: HendonGirl)

Hold on a minute... I gotta warm my tummy -

(this meerkat likes it - image via)

Touch it! -

(images via)

This photo is not simply an "awww" moment, it is also an elegant piece of art, worthy of framing:

(image credit: Fernando Amutio)

This is a Golden Brushtail Possum

This Trichosurus vulpecula Golden Brushtail Possum baby is called Bailey (his cream-colored fur reminds us of a certain Irish liquor) - these animals are rarely seen the wild, being a nocturnal marsupials mostly found in Tasmania:

(image credit: WILD LIFE Sydney)

This is a Solenodon

Sole... what? (the name means "Slotted Tooth"). This is a pretty rare nocturnal animal, which digs holes, eats insects and is venomous. It is interesting because it still retains unique characteristics of primitive mammals, which lived during prehistoric times - more info.

(image via)

The Japanese dwarf flying squirrel is just as rare, and impossibly cute (check out these hazy, large eyes). Another very cute shot of resting squirrels is here.

(image via)

This is a sloth; just one extremely grateful sloth. It was rescued in Costa Rica:

(image credit: Caroline Castendijk)

A newborn Mongoose Lemur looks into the camera (right image)... Mongoose lemurs are very rare; their only protected habitat is the Ankarafantsika Reserve - they are the size of a small house cat and can be both diurnal and nocturnal (depending on the season):

(left image via; right image credit: Sacramento Zoo)

(images credit: Linton Zoo, Cambridgeshire)

Here is a very cute, long-nosed baby meerkat (left image). On the right is another very sweet baby meerkat posing in rough:

(right image via)

The long eared jerboa from Mongolia is on the left:

(originals unknown)

So much tension! And excitement -

(bottom right image credit: Omar Alzaabi)

On the right is a rare and wonderful Kinkajou seen at the Bronx Zoo:

(right image credit: Bronx Zoo, via)

Time for bed; sweet dreams! - by the way, there is a whole book about this little rat, Bug, buy it here:

(image credit: Jessica Florence)

This rat seems to like to go to bed with his plushy friend (just like Mister Bean does):

(image credit: Ellen van Deelen / SWNS.COM, via)

Baby Pigmy Hippopotamus is having a bath (info) -

(image via)

A marvelously cuddly baby Albino Koala:

(image via)

Puppy Love? Sleeping cute puppy love, yes:

(images via 1, 2)

White Fur Fuzziness Overload

This is one sad owl... See a lot more adorable baby owls here. On the right is the bunny white "fur ball" -

(left image via; right image credit Francesca Birini)

Here is a baby fennec fox (left), and a grown animal (on the right): these guys are sometimes called "little monsters", as they are very high maintenance and do not make good pets, no matter how cute they might look -

(images via)

(image credit: In Cherl Kim)

A baby otter can be utterly adorable as well: check out this "Otter Ball" -

(images via 1, 2)

On the right, of course, is just a cute puppy.... But WHAT A CUTE PUPPY!!

This is a bunny, right? -

(image via)

Here is an African Pigmy Hedgehog with "flower power":

(image via)

Here is a spineless hedgehog in a yellow jumper - and another story about a hedgehog with no bristles ("Betty the hedgehog, who was abandoned by her family because she does not have any spikes"):

(images via 1, )

"Staff at St. Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Buckinghamshire have made a little jumper to keep a spineless hedgehog warm. The animal was found by a member of the public in a garden in Bedford and has been named Spudlina by staff as her skin resembles that of a potato."

And then, there is this baby chameleon:

(original unknown)

Interesting fact: "there are several species of pygmy leaf chameleons from Madagascar that are this size when fully grown."

Check out the rest of our popular "ANIMALS" category ->

Glory of Early Aviation (1900s-1960s)

2013-05-13T17:56:00.000-07:00

"QUANTUM SHOT" #832
Link - article by Avi Abrams

"Adventure in Contentment" - Vintage Air Travel Posters and Airline Nostalgia

Some will say that we live in the Golden Age of Air Travel today. There are certainly plenty of conveniences and almost limitless choices when it comes to planning your trip on any number of premium airlines. However all this easy availability of air travel comes at a price. A certain measure of glamour and romance associated with air travel has been irrevocably lost, and languishes now in the mists of time... glowing from the pages of vintage magazines or gracing old travel posters.

So let us cast a glance back at the day when flying was an event, and airlines treated it accordingly, infusing boundless style and luxury into their "Stratocruisers" and "Super Constellations". The Golden Age of Air Travel, thus defined, will fall between the 1930s and early 1960s - we will never tire of revisiting these glowing times.

(vintage TWA ad; on the right is the Douglas DC-4E, serving as a "SuperMainliner", image courtesy LIFE Magazine)

Breakfast in bed, President-style? Check! -

(image via)

Smiling stewardesses with plenty of positive attitude? Check! -

("Fly Girl" from TWA (left) and DC-8, United Airlines (top right) - images via

We wrote about slightly mad concepts of early aviation in our article "Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines". Today we revisit these glory days and admire their wild ideas, bizarre designs and sheer pluck to reach for the sky in what - quite frankly - could only be described as flimsy, unreliable constructs. A couple of decades later, and we find that aviation has become a glamour affair, capturing the imagination of millions and the hard-earned cash of those lucky few who were able to afford such luxurious travel.

Airlines Compete in Luxury and In-Flight Perks

Here is the distinctive, luxurious style of a 1930's plane interior: inside the largest, heaviest, and most powerful flying boat in the world in 1930... Dornier-X (more info)

(images via 1, 2)

Chairs must've been nailed to the floor in case of turbulence, and cups and saucers were probably secured to the table, as well. Still, incredible presentation.

This 1950s TWA's "Adventure in Contentment" starts from "all-you-can-fly" menu of premier airlines at the airport. Choose at will, and make your trip memorable:

This is the kind of service provided by United Airlines back in 1952 on its Mainliner "Hollywood" and "San Francisco" flights:

And check out this glorious mid-afternoon buffet on the right! This was a normal feature on United Airlines flights to Hawaii in the early 1950s.

"The Super Constellation" from Northwest Orient Airlines, 1955

This was the Lockheed Super Constellation, 1955 - sporting "restful 5-cabin privacy, congenial Starlight Lounge, spaciousness, meals served in the grand manner, intimate club atmosphere..." -

(images via)

Boeing "Stratocruiser" Lives Up to its Name

Boeing Stratocruiser cutaway ads show the multilevel comforts and design worthy of luxurious hotel establishments:

(images via)

Sure there was engine noise and slow speed to endure back then, but the Boeing 733 still captured the imagination like a "fortress in the sky", or rather, a stronghold, an island of luxury. This is United Airlines' Mainliner from 1952:

(image credit: Plan59)

The Honolulu Clipper: the Pinnacle of the Flying Experience

Operating between San Francisco and Honolulu throughout the war, the Pan American’s Boeing 314 flying boat featured plethora of incredible amenities:
- 7 luxurious sleeping compartments for 40 lucky passengers
- a lounge, converting to 14 seat dining room
- a private "honeymoon" suite
It even had a play room for kids, complete with a babysitter...

Here is the cover of a 1937 Pan American’s Hawaiian Clipper brochure:

(images via 1, 2)

The right image below shows another Clipper, this time serving routes to China and using the Martin M-130 built in 1935 for Pan American Airways:

(image via)

As you can see, there was choice - and lots of choice - when it came to luxury long-distance air travel, with multiple airlines competing for passengers and depicting their travel experience in the most glorious light possible. Soon, many smaller airlines disappeared, swallowed by bigger and (perhaps less romantically-inclined) corporations. Yet, the Golden Age of Air Travel endured till the end of the 1960s, leaving us with plenty of printed ephemera and (alas, slowly fading) memories.

Speaking of airline mergers, check out this tree, courtesy of NoLuckBoston. It lists eleven airlines that have ultimately merged to form Delta - follow from the top, or bottom:

Delta

Delta - Northwest

Delta - Western | Northwest - Republic

Delta - Northeast | Western - Pacific Northern Airlines | Northwest | Republic - Hughes Air west - Southern

Delta - Chicago & Southern Air Lines | Western | PNA | Northwest | Republic - North Central | Hughes Air West - Bonanza - Pacific Coast - West Coast | Southern

This practice of course is continuing today, as airlines struggle to maintain efficiency and relevancy in our tough economic climate.

The Thrilling Story of the Luxurious "Catalina" Air Yacht

Here is something infinitely more carefree and comfortable than the early 1900s flying machines: an air yacht from the 1950s - actually, a WW2 "Catalina" flying boat converted for luxury trips:

(image via)

This 1960 issue of LIFE Magazine has the particulars of this incredible conversion story and its trip around the world:

(image courtesy LIFE Magazine)

For those who admire exotic airplane wrecks, this page has a photo-set of a wrecked Catalina seaboat, left to rust on a beach off the Strait of Tiran in Saudi Arabia for more than 50 years.

(images via)

"The aircraft is a PBY-5A model and was bought from the US Navy by Thomas W Kendall, a retired businessman who converted it to a luxury flying yacht. In the spring of 1960 Mr Kendall took a pleasure trip around the world with his wife and children together with his secretary and her son. A photographer joined the group to cover part of the trip for Life magazine. On the 22nd March 1960 they landed at the Strait of Tirana and anchored the aircraft a short distance from the shore to spend the night there. They heard someone shouting but did not pay any attention.

In the afternoon of the following day they were attacked with machine guns and automatic firearms from a headland nearby. The children were able to swim back to the aircraft. Mr Kendal and his secretary were wounded while trying to start the Catalina but moved it about 800 metres, unfortunately it ran aground on a coral reef. The firing lasted 30 to 40 minutes and no fewer than 300 shots hit the aircraft. The fuel tanks were perforated and 4000 litres of fuel poured from the holes but miraculously the aircraft did not catch fire. The sea was only about 1.5 metres deep and all aboard managed to leave the aircraft and reach the shore.

On the beach they were captured by a group of Bedouins attached to the Saudi Arabian army, who had taken them to be Israeli commandos. They were eventually taken to Jeddah, interrogated and finally set free with the help of the American Ambassador. The Ambassador protested to the Saudi Arabian government but they refused to accept any liability for the attack and consequent loss of the aircraft." (source)

Vintage Airline Travel Posters Reflect the Glory and Radiate the "Golden Rays" of Romance

Hawaiian postcard from United Airlines in 1940 (including wonderfully cheerful hula dancer poster). "Guests to the Hawaiian Islands were greeted by the Hula, an expressive sort of Polynesian dance."

(images via 1, 2)

On the right is a beautiful painting, a part of advertisement for Pan-American flights to Hawaii - "Fly to South Sea Isles Via PanAmerican"! (buy this poster here).

"Fly to Hawaii by Clipper!" is probably the most colorful (while still remaining within the limits of "tasteful") travel poster we've seen so far:

(image via)

Right image above: the story of Hawaiian Clipper is full of mystery - read the story of its strange disappearance here.

United Airlines printed many wonderful, highly collectible airline posters back in the day:

(images via)

The "America by Clipper" poster can be framed and displayed in any stylish home, what a beautiful poster! (buy it here):

(images via 1, 2)

The "Western Air Express" flies over San Fransisco (left image) - buy this glorious poster here... While the Braniff Airways poster brings memories of King Kong swiping away pesky biplanes in the Manhattan skies (center image). And then, there is the ultimate luxury treatment - "Fly the Rolls Royce Way to London"! -

(images via 1, 2)

An overabundance of chrome! An Armstrong Whitworth "Ensign" of Imperial Airways Takes Off (left image) - buy this great poster here. The KLM Royal Dutch Airlines poster is just as beautiful to look at (center image). On the right you see the classic ad by Herbert Matter for "Winter - Luftverkehr", issued in 1935:

(images via 1, 2, 3)

Lovely (and sometimes strange?) airline printed ads... featuring incredibly helpful crew all-around

The "Come Fly with Me" ad from United features wonderfully smiley faces all around... and then there is the "Former Miss Butterfingers"! (the text says: "Two months ago, Sheri Woodruff couldn't even balance a cup of coffee.") -

(image via)

"No Floor Show"! The ad copy says: "Next trip, come see our working girls work. It's no floor show. But it's funny how you you get to feel like a leading man." (left image). On the right are some winsome-looking graduating stewardesses:

(images via 1, 2)

And we finish with German-Norwegian actress Wencke Myhre cuddling up to an airplane - pure eye-candy! -

(image via)

Article by Avi Abrams, Dark Roasted Blend.

CONTINUE TO "SEXY STEWARDESSES"! ->

CONTINUE TO "MAD CONCEPTS OF EARLY AVIATION" ->

Check out our "Amazing Airplanes" category! ->

Archive: April 2013

2013-05-08T19:04:00.000-07:00

	Sleek Vintage Salon Hair Dryers Chrome Coolness, Gentle Breeze and Space Age Fashion
	Awesome Armoured Trains and Rail Cruisers Great symbols of power and "stable stagnation"
	Strange Deep-Sea Diving Suits Under Pressure... and Enjoying It
	The Golden Age of Cigar Box Art Elaborate Old Cigar Boxes: Visual & Historical Treat
	Thrill Ride: Bumper Cars Wonderful vintage & adapted bumper cars
	Futuristic Aircraft Update Inspiring, radical designs...
	Strange Eye Exam Charts Offbeat Optometry: Testing, Testing...

	Biscotti Bits Mixed Links & Images Incl. "Hypnotic: Mechanical Principles"
	Feel-Good #8 DRB Feel-Good Issue #8 Tons of spectacular links and images

Check out previous Biscotti & Feel-Good issues! - Click Here

Link Latte #200 - Click Here

Link Latte #201 - Click Here

Check out previous Link Latte issues! - Click Here

CONTINUE READING! - NEXT PAGE ->

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Link Lattes

Link Latte 201

2013-05-07T20:35:00.000-07:00

#201 - Week of May 7, 2013

Animation Made From... Atoms - [amazing video]
One Year Without the Internet - [the results are in]
Quantum Internet: in use by Government Lab - [geek info]
German Postal History: Huge Collection - [great site, vintage]
Super Impressive Visuals of the Saturn Hurricane - [wow space]
Great Exploration of Rockland Insane Asylum - [abandoned]
Linguists identify 15,000-year-old ‘ultraconserved words’ - [science]
Eric Standley’s Laser-cut Paper Art - [wow art]
China’s Most Polluted Cities, map - [info]
Don't look at this building! NSFW in China - [architecture]
Anti-Gravity and Anti-Matter: Wow Research - [science]
3D-printed canal home takes shape in Amsterdam - [geek info]
Piano found on Britain's highest mountain- [truly weird]
Good Old OMNI Magazine Available Online - [196 issues]
Wow Pic: 1923 Hyper-Inflation in Germany - [history]
Weird Ice Needles "Behaviour" - [wow nature, video]
Magic Realism? No, in Russia, it's "Turbo Realism"! - [literature, transl.]
Adventure in a primitive mysterious structure - [cool game]
Major crime that stayed undiscovered: Rare books stolen - [neat article]
Bedroom Cassette Masters - [1980s music galore]
Incredibly Skilled Heavy Machinery Operators - [wow videos]
Even More Ridiculous: Crossing the River - [wow video]
Military Launches Gone Horribly Wrong - [wow video]
Bioshock Infinite: The Movie - [3.5 hours gameplay HD video]
Drifting in the Crown Range in New Zealand - [wow video]
This is how they hammer in steel piles in Thailand - [wow video]
Steven Spielberg's "Obama" - [fun video]
Worst Ad Placements: Internet, Billboards - [weird info]
Green Musicians? Animal Phobias! - [compilations]

SEE ALL OTHER LINK LATTE ISSUES HERE

Hypnotic: Mechanical Principles

2013-05-06T18:26:00.000-07:00

Link
Scroll down for today's pictures & links.

Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock ... Lots Of Mechanical Fun!

This mesmerizing and yet hugely educational video simply has to experienced in our day and age. Ralph Steiner is considered by many to be not just a groundbreaking photographer but one of the key figures in avant-garde filmmaking. His Mechanical Principles, made in 1930 is as beautiful as it is hypnotic.

Link

Today's pictures & links:

Awesome, somewhat horrifying photograph of a solar eclipse

(image credit: copyright 2009 Miloslav Druckmüller, Peter Aniol, Vojtech Rušin, Lubomír Klocok, Karel Martišek, Martin Dietzel, via)

See more images of this exceptional 2009 total solar eclipse on this site: photo taken by Miloslav Druckmüller
Institute of Mathematics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic.

------------

Beautiful Actress from 1924: Lillian Gish

(image credit: Picturegoer Magazine, 1924)

She was called "The First Lady of American Cinema", "The First Lady of the Silent Screen"; her acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912 to 1987... more info.

------------

Extreme kayakers look over the brink of Victoria Falls in Zambia

(image credit: Desre Tate, via DailyMail UK)

A lot more pictures and a full story are here.

------------

Mixed fresh links for today:

Extracting Audio from Pictures - [fascinating]
Some of the first sounds ever recorded - [listen here]
Vertical Horizon: Hong Kong Photography - [wow pics]
You gotta see the gallery of this Japanese mecha artist - [sci-fi]
Eye-Tracking Technology Revolution - [exciting?]
"Into the Wild": Some Myths Debunked - [interesting]
Most Lavish Private Pools, Spectacular Beach Homes - [architecture]
How to Make Balloon Chocolate Bowls - [cool video]
Mechanical Woman Walking - [wow video]
Neat Roller Coaster Made from Cans - [wow video]
Totally Ridiculous Backflips! - [wow video]
Can You Follow the Storm Trooper? - [addictive? video]
Tongue Caught In Zipper (Prank) - [crazy video]
America's Famous Serial Killers - [creepy info]
Great Office Architecture and Vehicle Yarn Bombs! - [compilations]

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This is a 3-D Printed Dress

Question is, is it comfortable? Somehow we doubt it. However, it looks pretty rad, and is likely to please the steampunk crowd:

(image credit: Iris Van Herpen)

This dress was designed by Iris Van Herpen using a stereolithography method, see more of his creations here, including some done for Bjork.

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Inventor of Time Travel Lived Here... When?!

The brilliantly playful Dave Askwith and Alex Normanton have been putting plaques like this all over London. Hopefully they’ll inspire the same amount of whimsy and fun in other countries and cities as well:

(image via)

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Sex in Space: a view from the year 1961

(image credit: illustration from Adam magazine, 1961)

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Bye-Bye Winter

See you next year! - in this madcap knitted ski mask hat, for sure!

(images credit: Australian Women’s Weekly, 1967, via; right - via)

The hilarious boy's knitted ski mask on the right is from McCall’s Needlework & Crafts, Fall-Winter 1965-66.

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AngBand

And this is where the winter goes to dwell... Angband, inspired by Tolkien's Legendarium - check out this epic sobering landscape, painted by Sergey Musin:

(image credit: Sergey Musin)

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Wooden Levels: Automatons and Sculptures

Automaton: on the left is the handmade wooden creation of Paul Spooner that playfully demonstrates the British healthcare system: "Doctors and nurses are shown carrying out health checks on infants, children and pregnant women." -

(image credit: Science Museum Library, Ward Kimball)

The Apartment, By Ward Kimball - shown on the right, is this great sculpture created by Ward Kimball, a model train enthusiast par excellence, one of Disney's "nine Old Men" animators, and a brilliant artist.

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Dalek Latte Art

Yes. This is yummy in many different ways.

(original unknown)

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Paul Heijnen's Walking Lights

Paul Heijnen was clearly frustrated by lighting that didn't go where it was supposed to – so he created these whimsical lamps that look like they are about to stroll off to playfully illuminate some darkness.

(image credit: Paul Heijnen)

See more in this video on the artist's site.

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Did you know about this?

We were blissfully ignorant... and would like to remain that way.

(original unknown)

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Sleek Vintage Salon Hair Dryers

2013-05-05T16:07:00.000-07:00

"QUANTUM SHOT" #831
Link - article by Avi Abrams

Chrome Coolness, Gentle Breeze and Space Age Fashion

We love Space-Age vintage salon hair dryers, with their sleek style and unapologetic abundance of chrome. They look even better when coupled with Coke in this 1960 ad, don't you think? (and no, we are not paid by Coke for this endorsement):

(from National Geographic Magazine, 1965 - via)

Here is another great chrome dryer, just as sleek as the ones above (by the way, their sleek designs prevent dirt and loose hair from collecting, and are easier to clean):

(image via)

And here are some weirder versions of old hair dryers and perm machines, sporting bountiful wires and sleek rocket shapes:

(images credit: LIFE Magazine Archive)

Hovering, hooded apparatuses, with octopus-like hoses and wires welcome you into the dark of the salon -

(images credit: LIFE Magazine Archive)

They crouch in the dark surrounded by a low humming noise, they reach to envelop your hair with their warm uncaring fingers, to entangle you and keep you sitting still until the hair-setting procedure is finished...

These are more compact setups, one from 1928 (left) and one from 1963 (a vacuum cleaner used as a hair dryer), both looking pretty strange to our modern eye:

(images credit: left via, right: The Nationaal Archief in The Hague)

Vintage salon hair tools included other strange-looking apparatuses: medusa-like hair straighteners, hair curlers, heat setters, pore openers... This catalogue is from The Illustrated London News, 20 October 1928 -

(images source: The Illustrated London News, 20 October 1928, via)

This is probably the most visually interesting perm machine, a flying saucer-shaped Gabrieleen Silver Queen, made in the 1930s (this is NOT a brain-sucking device):

(image via)

And finally, here is the whole futuristic hair-drying setup, worthy to be a prop in any 1960s sci-fi movie:

(image credit: LIFE Magazine Archive)

CONTINUE TO "VINTAGE ARCADE MACHINES"! ->

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Awesome Armoured Trains and Rail Cruisers

2013-05-01T20:07:00.000-07:00

"QUANTUM SHOT" #830
Link - article by Simon Rose and Avi Abrams

Armoured train as a symbol of military power, as well as "a symbol of stable stagnation"

Armoured trains usually had a number of railroad cars, equipped with machine guns and heavy artillery, and were heavily protected with armour. The armies of several countries used these military trains during the late 19th and early 20th century and in World War II. Armoured trains were protected by a variety of thick metal plates, but concrete and even sandbags were sometimes used to create makeshift armoured trains in some conflicts.

(Czech troops on an armored train in Irkutsk, Siberia - photo taken in 1918, via)

Once trucks, tanks, armoured personnel carriers and other military vehicles became more effective and possessed sufficient firepower, the days of the armoured train were numbered. The trains and the tracks they operated on were very vulnerable to attack from the air, despite their protection, and the tracks could also easily be sabotaged with explosives.

(images via)

Armoured trains were used in the American Civil War (1861-65), the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71) and in the Boer War in South Africa at the end of the nineteenth century. The Russian Empire, which was to see extensive use of armoured trains in the first half of the twentieth century, used them during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05). Armoured trains also saw action in the years of the Mexican Revolution (1910-20 and in World War I (1914-18).

This "railroad battery" from 1861 (see below) was used to protect workers during the American Civil War:

(illustration from Frank Leslie Illustrated Newspaper, 1861 , via)

This train (shown below) is seen transporting British soldiers in Egypt in 1882. It isn’t as well protected as later armoured trains, but is equipped with a Nordenfeldt Gun, an early machine gun that was eventually superseded by the Maxim gun in the 1880s:

(the armored train in Egypt, via)

In World War I, among others, one of the armoured trains used by the Russian Army were the Zaamurets. These were self-propelled rail cars equipped 57 mm cannons and machine guns. It could move independently or be used to pull other armoured wagon trains. Armoured trains also played a large role during the Russian Civil War. The Zaamurets shown below traveled halfway across the world on the Trans-Siberian Railway, passing from the Bolsheviks, to the Chinese Nationalists, and then to the Japanese:

(image via)

Here are a couple of armoured trains used in Russia by the opposing sides in the years of bloody conflict that followed the 1917 revolution:

When World War II began, the Soviet Union had a lot of armoured trains, but many of these were destroyed or damaged when the Germans invaded in 1941. The trains used later in the war had turrets usually fitted onto tanks and some were even armed with huge naval guns transferred from ships:

(image credit: Alexey Grachev)

Some specialized Soviet armoured trains were equipped for anti-aircraft duties. This MBV -2 armoured train from World War II (above) can be viewed at a tank museum near Moscow.

The MBV-2 (seen below) was deployed on the Leningrad Front in 1942, while the bottom image is from the 14th Separate Armored Train Battalion in early 1944:

(images via 1, 2)

The Soviet military greatly valued the MBV-2 and the trains were frequently fitted with different types of guns. German armoured trains of World War II were often used almost as mobile forts on the Eastern Front. The Soviet trains (below) acted in more of a supporting role for army units, able to perform reconnaissance in an area and also attack any German infantry or tanks that they encountered:

(images via)

This book in Polish (left, below) covers Soviet armoured trains used in the 1930s and in the early years of World War II. Trains deployed from 1941 to 1945 are the topic of the book in the middle. Both books have a summary and photo captions in English, for those who are interested in delving deeper into the subject:

(right image: "Armored Train in Action", 1915 painting by Gino Severini, Museum of Modern Art, New York, via)

The left picture shows armoured train number 695 of BP-35 type, supported by armoured railcars. On the right is the armoured locomotive BR-35 in 1942:

Humongous Railway Gun (used during the siege of Leningrad)

This railway gun of the TM-3-12 model (below) can be seen at the St. Petersburg Outdoor Train Museum. This was not part of an armoured train, but was actually built with others in the late 1930s using guns taken from a battleship and placed on a rail chassis. It was used in World War II, but captured by the Finns and used during the siege of Leningrad. When Finland ended their war with the USSR in 1944, the gun was handed over as part of the peace agreement:

(image credit: Tekhnika Molodezhi magazine, 1975)

(image credit: Andrei Korchagin)

(image via)

The train on the left has its guns pointing skyward, as they might once have done to target the Luftwaffe on the Eastern Front:

(images credit: Rob Dickinson; bottom image Nataliya)

Here's the impressive armoured train "Zheleznyakov", used to defend Sevastopol in World War Two. The lettering reads "Death to the Fascism!"

(image credit: Sevastopol Photo)

At the beginning of World War II in September 1939, Poland used armoured trains after the German invasion. The trains were used to move troops around, but the trains and tracks were heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe:

(images via)

Some armoured trains were escorted by a draisine, which was kind of like a tank that ran on rail tracks. These were mostly used for advance scouting, patrols along the track and similar tasks. Sometimes, armoured cars were converted into vehicles that could run on tracks, but most draisines were built specifically for this purpose. This armoured draisine (left) was built in Czechoslovakia for Polish armed forces in 1920s and 1930s. On the right is a Polish draisine captured by the German forces during the campaign in Poland in September 1939:

(images via 1, 2)

This armoured train from World War II (below left) is on display in Poland. The one on the right can be seen in the Warsaw Railway Museum, but is a Panzertriebwagen, a German heavy armored train built in 1942. It was used on the Eastern Front and was captured at the end of the war. Polish forces then used the train for a couple of years, before it was retired and placed in the museum:

(images via)

Germany didn’t use armoured trains as much as their Soviet counterparts did, but had trains that were very well equipped. The Germans had heavily armoured locomotives that were used to pull the trains and some railcars were fitted with anti-aircraft gun turrets. Some cars were also designed with ramps to be able to carry and deploy tanks. The BP 42 train on the right was apparently used in some movies after the war:

(images via 1, 2)

This is the command wagon of the BP 42 train (left). On the right are a few examples of German rail cruisers from World War II:

(images credit: Thomas T., 2)

The Slovak resistance used three armoured trains during the Slovak National Uprising in the fall of 1944. A replica of the Hurban train is on display near the castle in Zvolen, Slovakia, and two original cars are preserved in the local rail repair shops:

(images via 1, Greg)

After 1945, some countries still used armoured trains in the Cold War, including French forces during the war in Indochina. Most recently, armoured trains were employed in the conflict following the collapse of Yugoslavia in the 1990s and the Russian military also used modified armoured trains (left) during the fighting in the Caucasus. On the right, Russian troops are shown manning a gun on a train during the war in Chechnya:

(images via)

Imaginary Armored Trains

What about this fearsome looking armoured train, from the post-apocalyptic video game Transarctica? This is actually the famous Rodney Matthews painting "Heavy Metal Hero", see it here:

(right image credit: Rodney Matthews)

This train is also from video game, the World War II themed Rush for Berlin, but gives a reasonably accurate depiction of the German armoured trains of the era:

(image via)

Here's another imaginary armoured train, a Polish model made for Flames of War, featuring an unusually-shaped battlefront assault car:

(images via 1, 2)

Here's a neat sci-fi concept for an armoured train, designed by Martin Kornelius Dahl:

(image credit: )

Gothic Armor on Rails

And finally, this is a hand-built model of the armoured train from the War Hammer 40K universe, made by the guys from the Games Workshop studio team:

(image via)

Article by Simon Rose and Avi Abrams, Dark Roasted Blend.

CONTINUE TO "SPECTACULAR COG RAILWAYS" ->

READ THE REST OF OUR "AMAZING TRAINS" CATEGORY ->

Strange Deep-Sea Diving Suits

2013-04-25T17:00:00.000-07:00

"QUANTUM SHOT" #829
Link - article by Simon Rose and Avi Abrams

Under Pressure - and Enjoying It

This time, we thought we’d take an in-depth look at diving suits, those strange looking costumes that many of us have seen before, on TV, in movies or maybe even in real life. The diving suits known as standard diving dress had a metallic helmet, made of brass, bronze or copper, an airline or hose supplying air from the surface, a canvas diving suit, weighted boots and were equipped with a knife, just in case. The suits had other lead weights too, usually fitted on the chest or back, to help the diver descend to the required depth. These types of suits aren’t used that often these days, but although they are the diving suits that most people are familiar with, they weren’t the first ones to be developed.

(image credit: Musée Fédéric Dumas Sanary sur Mer)

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This diving suit (see below) was designed way back in 1715 by Pierre Remy de Beauve. The suit’s iron corset protected the diver’s chest from excessive water pressure and a leather jacket was supposed to make the whole thing waterproof. Two pipes linked the helmet to the surface, from where air was pumped using bellows. The suit also featured weighted shoes, to assist the diver with his submarine explorations:

(images credit: Musée Fédéric Dumas Sanary sur Mer)

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For this suit from 1797, the air would have been pumped down through the weighted air tubes from a turret on the surface. The diver also didn’t wear the weighted boots that became a standard feature of later suits, but appears to have carried a few weights with him, just to keep him from floating back to the surface too early. Still, let’s hope he didn’t step on anything sharp in those bare feet:

(image credit: Avi Abrams)

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Here’s a good selection (left) of some of the early designs, showing something of the evolution of the diving suit. However, at the bottom of the picture, the unsuspecting diver on the left could perhaps be facing an imminent attack from his more robotic counterpart, approaching from the other side. This suit on the right dates from the 1870s and was probably the latest fashion in its day for the professional deep-sea explorer. It certainly seems to have attracted the attention of the two people in the background:

(images via)

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This is the front cover illustration of The Illustrated London News from February 6, 1873 and shows divers preparing to descend to a recently wrecked ship called the Northfleet. The rather bizarre diving suit on the right is from the 1870s too. I can only assume, that the designers assumed, in their wisdom, that there’d be so much for the diver to see under the waves that he wouldn’t know where to look first, hence the helmet’s multiple viewing windows. Either that or this isn’t diving attire at all, but rather a spacesuit, rescued from the wreck of a craft flown by an alien species with multiple eyeballs:

(images via 1, 2)

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In 1906, de Pluvy created one of the very first atmospheric diving suits. He claimed to have completed a number of dives to depths of up to 100 meters. The joints were apparently made of leather and rubber, but the suit does seem to have worked, even it does resemble a robot from a 1950s science fiction movie. This one on the right is also from the early 1900s and seems to be the famous William Walker, who heroically saved Winchester Cathedral from collapsing in 1905 - read the full story here.

(images credit: Historical Diving Society, Italy, via; right image: via)

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Here’s American silent movie comedian Buster Keaton (1895-1966), wearing a diving suit for a scene from The Navigator, released in 1924. Keaton even wears his distinctive hat on top of the helmet, just in case he didn’t stand out enough from the other members of the cast.

The Neufeldt-Kuhnke diving suit from 1923 (right) could withstand pressure at depths of 160 meters. The suit’s breathing apparatus was operated in a closed circuit and the diver even had a telephone to stay connected with the surface. Makes you wonder though how he’d make or answer calls with those claws and I wonder where he kept the phone itself? -

(images via 1, 2)

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In 1935, J. Peress’ dive suit, Tritonia, (left) explored the wreck of the Lusitania, which was sunk by a German U-Boat off the coast of Ireland in 1915. Peress’ chief diver was Jim Jarrett, who descended to 95 meters. The suit he used was a forerunner of the JIM suit, which was named after him (see later in article). The two divers on the right look to be either preparing for, or maybe recovering from, an undersea mission of their own.

(images via 1, 2)

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U.S. Navy divers wore the Mark V suit from 1918 right up to the mid 1980s. This suit allowed divers to work at much greater depths than before and was mostly used for deep sea and salvage diving missions. The rubberized-canvas suits protected the diver from cold, contaminated water and when they were working in hazardous environments:

(images credit: Maritime Exchange Museum, Carl Purcell)

Navy diver George W. McCullough (left) waits to start his dive wearing a Mark V suit. The wrist cuffs and a rubber seal at the neck made everything watertight, and in case you were wondering, wool undergarments layered beneath the suit kept the diver warm and cozy while he was busy beneath the waves. The helmet on the right dates from the 1940s:

(image credit: Naval Undersea Museum, Greatest Collectibles)

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Cool Recent Developments

Atmospheric Diving Suits (ADS) were first used in the oil industry then later developed by the Navy for submarine rescue missions. The pressure inside ADS is the same as it is on the surface. This allows divers wearing ADS to work at extreme depths without having to decompress on their return to dry land. The JIM atmospheric diving suit is named after Jim Jarrett, the chief diver of the suit’s designer, J. Peress. The JIM was developed in the late 1960s and was basically a one-person submarine. Divers no longer had to experience freezing water, complex gas mixtures, and potential decompression sickness. They could breath normal air, return to the surface quickly and even dress casually inside the suit, with most divers choosing to wear a thick wool sweater.

The JIM was first used in 1974 by the oil industry in the Canary Islands. In 1976, divers used the JIM at an oil well in the Arctic, working for six hours at a depth of 275 meters. In 1979, Sylvia Earle set a world record in the JIM. She descended to 381 meters and walked around on the sea floor for two and a half hours, a record that has never been bettered, so far. The JIMs were still in use during the 1980s, before being surpassed by the WASP suit.

(images credit: Naval Undersea Museum, 2)

The WASP one atmosphere diving system from Oceaneering (left) allows divers to work for long periods at depths of 700 meters. The manned suit is used to inspect and repair facilities located in deep ocean environments. One of the most recent developments in deep sea diving was Nuytco Research’s launch of the Exosuit (right), designed to be the next generation of atmospheric diving suits:

(image credit: Oceaneering, Nuytco Research Ltd.)

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Deep Diving Media Circus

(left: scuba diver with an umbrella, Paris, 1949 via)

Imagine if you saw this guy (left image below) emerging from the waves, while you were quietly relaxing on the beach? He almost looks like he’s taking a call too, presumably on his shell phone. And who says those old bulky, cumbersome diving suits were uncomfortable? Here on the right is one of the people involved in the making of Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in 1952, taking an underwater nap during a break in filming. I wonder if this could be referred to as relaxing on the seabed? -

(image credit: left: Peter Harris; right: Peter Stockpole for LIFE Magazine, see it bigger)

At the International Exposition of Surrealism in 1938 (left), the always guaranteed to be outlandish Salvador Dali decided to appear dressed a little differently to his fellow artists. Can you guess which one he is? Decades later, perhaps in homage to that earlier surreal diving suit incident, this chauffeur wearing a diver’s helmet (right) is on display at the Salvador Dali museum in St. Petersburg Florida. I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure if I’d feel too safe with this guy driving me around:

(images credit: Donald Pittenger, 2)

Tintin, a heroic Belgian reporter (left) who has had many exciting adventures, first appeared in print in 1929. Tintin was created by Georges Remi (1907-1983), who wrote under the pen name Herge. This modern figurine is based on the Tintin story Red Rackham’s Treasure. With his faithful dog Snowy at his side, Tintin prepares to dive down to explore the wreck of The Unicorn. The August 1933 issue of Modern Mechanix and Inventions also featured undersea treasure hunting, with the hero’s very striking red gear guaranteed to make him stand out amongst the other residents of the ocean floor.

(images credit: Big Bad Toy Store, Modern Mechanix 1933 cover)

Ever wondered how to meet girls and get dates? According to these pictures, all you need is a trendy diving suit and the rest will follow, although the initial kiss may present something of a challenge. On the right, this was actually part of a campaign by the British Lifeboat Institution to raise funds for important sea rescue missions. Still, the suit certainly attracted attention from young ladies, as shown here on the streets of London. Maybe there’s something to that diving suit dating idea after all? -

(right image credit: Modern Mechanix)

Diver Dan’s adventures were shown on children’s television in the early 60s. This is the DVD cover (left) from a few years ago, bringing Dan to a whole new audience. I don’t think Dan ever conducted his exciting nautical adventures on a bicycle (right). Still, who knows, it might have been his preferred mode of transportation to travel to the set every day?

(right image credit: Rob Jan)

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Diving deeper as it gets... weirder

Maybe these types of designs will be the wave of the future for the well-dressed diver? Characters in the BioShock video game series wear these formidable-looking suits:

(images via)

This one on the left also looks somewhat futuristic, but is in fact on display at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas. And finally, how about this inflatable diving suit? Not sure I want to consider what kind of gas might be used to inflate the suit though:

(image credit: Glenn D, 2)

Article by Simon Rose and Avi Abrams, Dark Roasted Blend.

CONTINUE TO "AMAZING SUBMARINE CONCEPTS" ->

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The Golden Age of Cigar Box Art

2013-04-23T17:06:00.001-07:00

"QUANTUM SHOT" #828
Link - article by Simon Rose

Elaborate Vintage Cigar Box Labels: A Plethora of Themes and Visual Curiosities

The collecting of cigar boxes is, like the collecting of stamps and coins, a specialized field of interest. Peculiar Postage, which previously appeared here on Dark Roasted Blend, was not intended as a detailed study of stamps, merely a look at some of the more curious examples. Similarly, the following article examines just a small selection of some of the most striking cigar box artwork from years gone by.

(images in this article, unless otherwise noted, are courtesy Cigar Box Labels; used by permission)

Originally, cigars were sold to customers in bundles covered with pigs' bladders, if you can believe it...

This hardly seems guaranteed to drive sales, but you’ll be relieved to know that vanilla was used to make this pork packaging smell a little sweeter. Large chests that could hold around 1,000 stogies were next introduced, but by the 1830s, cigars were being packaged in sealed cedar boxes.

Cedar apparently stops the cigars from drying out and matures the tobacco as well, but either way it sounds like a distinct improvement on the bacon bladders. Between 1800 and 1960, wood was used to create around 80% of cigar boxes. The most common variety, called “nailed wood”, comprises six pieces of wood nailed together and holds 50 cigars.

(images in this article are courtesy Cigar Box Labels, used by permission)

By the middle of the nineteenth century, the industry had grown so much that it became necessary to distinguish one cigar brand from another. Labels began to appear featuring colourful illustrations, so that cigar manufacturers could set themselves apart from their competitors and attract more customers.

As with any industry’s advertising, fashions and themes came and went. Famous people, politicians, mythological figures, pretty girls, children, patriotic figures and themes, animals, humour and more, were all used over the years to decorate cigar boxes. Here at Dark Roasted Blend, we spotlight just a tiny fraction of the multitude of labels produced during the golden age of cigar box art.

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The old gentleman on the right (see below) certainly appears to be enjoying his cigar. Old Nick himself on the left might be trying to promote a devilishly good brand, but could just as easily serve as an advertisement for the evils of tobacco. Still, I guess he’d never have any trouble finding a light for his cigar when he’s relaxing at home, especially with all those flames around him in the underworld:

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Animals of various kinds were often used in cigar box art. Camels were quite closely associated with some tobacco products and here’s one happily racing across the desert in Egypt. No doubt located very far from the desert, we find this rather aristocratic looking frog on this label from 1901. He certainly appears to be very content, or at least as content as a frog can look, on his comfy leaf by the pond:

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More animals here, with the hippo perhaps proclaiming his love and support for Zeko stogies with a defiant roar. These cigars were made in Cleveland, where hippos would have rarely been spotted back then, unless you were visiting the zoo or if maybe there was a circus in town. Not convinced of hippo expertise when it comes to cigars, the woman on the right seems to be getting advice on tobacco products straight from the horse’s mouth:

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Fidel Castro is of course always cited as one of the most famous cigar smokers. However, he apparently did quit some years ago, showing leadership in an effort to persuade his fellow countrymen to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Intriguingly, the picture on the left promotes Cuban cigars using another Castro, who I guess could be distant ancestor of the famous president. On the right, the union being celebrated by Uncle Sam and his friends concerns the events in Cuba at the time of the Spanish American War in 1898. This friendliness seems in marked contrast to relations between the U.S. and Cuba in more recent decades.

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The Cuban Cavalier (left) would no doubt never have contemplated followed the country’s flag into battle without having a supply of cigars close at hand. On the right, the picture is a recreation of a painting of the pioneers responsible for the first Trans-Atlantic cable, at their meeting in New York in 1854:

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Over a century separates the images depicted here. The Council of War on the left shows George Washington and his fellow revolutionaries prior to the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The right picture honours army and navy commanders in the Spanish-American War in 1898:

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Also related to the Spanish-American War, on the left we see President William McKinley (1843 to 1901), who after the war turned the United States into a colonial power. Perhaps to celebrate the birth of this new empire, Uncle Sam is shown (right) showering the world in cigars. Fitting in many ways, since cigars used to be handed out by the proud father to male friends and relatives to celebrate the birth of a child. Hard to believe nowadays that all that smoking used to take place in hospitals in close proximity to new born babies and their recovering mothers. How times have changed:

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In another celebration of history, George Washington (1732 to 1799) is featured on this label, along with Native Americans and a scene depicting the general crossing the Delaware in 1776 during the Revolutionary War. On the right, the label portrays the early days of the U.S. mail service using the expanding nation’s burgeoning railroads, when items could be delivered from Delaware to just about anywhere else in the country, at what was then probably considered to be lightning speed:

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Here we have two people who died almost a century apart and who both had significant impacts on history. On the left, we have Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 to 1791) one of the world’s most renowned composers, who influenced countess other musicans both during his lifetime and after his untimely death at the age of 35. On the right is Otto von Bismarck (1815 to 1898), who united Germany into a powerful Empire in 1871 and dramatically changed the European balance of power. His career also had a lasting legacy, well into the following century and is still being felt today. Not sure how fond Mozart was of cigars, but apparently Bismarck used to smoke up to 14 a day. That’s quite a formidable contribution to the tobacco industry, when you think about it. No wonder someone thought it was appropriate to honor him by putting his picture on the lid of the box:

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This label (left) features Oliver Cromwell (1599 to 1658), depicted as a man of the people after his success in the English Civil War and the execution of King Charles I. However, since under his regime the Puritans clamped own on the revelry of such things as Christmas, I’m not sure if he’d have been in favour of cigars at all. On the right is Sir Walter Scott (1771 to 1832), the Scottish novelist and poet who was very popular in his time for such novels as Ivanhoe and Rob Roy. Scott can still be seen regularly today, since his portrait is featured on Scottish banknotes:

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Mr. Riley doesn’t exactly look ecstatic, but perhaps he could turn on the charm when needed for his customers, since they all evidently thought so highly of him. William Gladstone (1809 to 1898) was one of the best known of Britain’s Prime Ministers in the reign of Queen Victoria. Not sure how he felt about cigars, but he was very religious and introduced restrictions on the sale of alcohol and the licensing of pubs and bars, so he may not have spoken as highly of Mr. Riley, had the two men been acquainted with each other.

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With Rip Van Winkle offering a toast and hoping that we all will live long and prosper, you’d almost expect him to be giving that famous Mr. Spock Vulcan hand signal. Mr. Van Winkle, of course, fell asleep and awoke many years later, becoming a time traveler of sorts. The prophet (right) made a living by seeing the future as well, while staying firmly in the present as he doubtless consulted his crystal ball, books, star charts and other divination tools.

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The man on the left certainly seems to be enjoying his cigar and could even be attempting to send smoke signals. The Buccaneer doesn’t look too happy at all. Perhaps he’s waiting for his stogie supply to be delivered by those ships in the background? -

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He appears to be very satisfied (left) with his luxurious smoke, don’t you think? On the right, at first glance this seems like quite an odd name for a cigar brand. After all, if the woman on the left has received a letter and her friend is offering her condolences, you’d expect them to be wearing sadder expressions, wouldn’t you? However, who knows what’s written in that letter. Maybe she’s just heard that an exploding Prime cigar killed the husband she loathed? -

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Here’s another happy gentleman, although there’s no indication of what people around him thought to the aroma of his “fine fragrant cigar.” Not sure if the fellow on the right was an actual judge or otherwise employed in the legal profession, but he looks prosperous enough:

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The Bull Frog label (left) is another fine example of the wonderful illustrations that so often graced cigar boxes. I’m not sure how big a factor it would have been in the sales of the cigars, but you have to admire the quality of the artwork. Another famous historical figure, Buffalo Bill (1846 to 1917) appears on the left picture, possibly in an attempt to make cigars appear manly and heroic? -

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This German label (left) wishes ‘Good Hunting’ to the man presumably having a relaxing smoke, before heading out to find some deer in the woods. The right image commemorates Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (1838 to 1917) the aviation pioneer, although I don’t think he would have sanctioned cigar smoking on board the airship. A stray spark could have been disastrous, due to the inflammable fuel. Then again, maybe that’s what happened to the Hindenburg? -

(images credit: Cerebro.com)

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Another German label (left), this time promoting good health, may seem somewhat inappropriate, considering the smoking and drinking that’s going on, although the frothing beer does looks tempting. On the other hand, the brand name of the cigars on the right seems highly appropriate, since a pile of white ash is always the end result:

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Today, it seems surprising, to put it mildly, that children were often used to advertise cigars in years gone by, as shown in these two examples. The dangers of smoking were not fully understood back then or at least not as publicized as they are now. Still, the boy in the right picture certainly doesn’t look old enough to be smoking, as he accepts a light from a girl who looks to be scarcely older than him.

The left image features an angelic ideal of childhood, in order to somehow boost sales of Yankee Boy cigars. In stark contrast, the picture on the right maybe portrays a more realistic portrayal of American youth at the time, or at least as far as the criminal world was concerned. This streetwise kids gang is masterminding the robbery of a cigar store, bizarrely using an angry goat as a secret weapon.

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This is an interesting one on the left. As handy as it would be to have a reliable light for your stogie, it’s tough to imagine how you could actually do that while holding the cigar and the rapidly burning match in the same hand simultaneously. Maybe this person is about to light someone else’s cigar? On the right, we have yet another child appearing in a cigar promotion, but at least this time she just looks curious as to what grandpa is up to, rather than smoking the cigar herself.

(images credit: Cerebro.com)

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Whale-Back (left) refers to an ocean going vessel, rather than an aquatic mammal, but the manufacturers were still hoping to appeal to potential customers by stressing the whale of a time you’d have with this particular cigar. I wonder if this particular brand was bigger than all the competitors too? On the right, this picture doesn’t describe some strange culinary creation, but a boat or ship serving the German city of Hamburg:

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And finally, these two labels are both very curious. On the left, we have a monk eating oysters, washed down with red wine and accompanied by a smoldering cigar. The right image is very strange too and after a first glance at the title, you might assume that the woman is attending college after a funeral. However, on closer inspection we can see that she’s waving the flag for the football team and presumably is frequently left alone, like a golf widow, I suppose:

(unless otherwise noted, images in this article are courtesy Cigar Box Labels, used by permission)

Article by Simon Rose for Dark Roasted Blend.

CONTINUE TO "PECULIAR POSTAGE: UNUSUAL STAMPS"! ->

ALSO READ THE REST OF OUR "VINTAGE" CATEGORY ->

Link Latte 200

2013-04-21T01:02:00.005-07:00

#200 - Week of April 21, 2013

Wild Men of Europe: Animal Costume Traditions - [weirdest gallery]
Simply Awesome: Hidden Synagogue, info - [wow object]
Computational Architecture by Michael Hansmeyer - [fractal columns]
In Detail: Interview with the Sword Maker - [fascinating]
Exceptional Steampunk Art - [by Vadim Voitekhovitch]
Retro Travel Brochures, Graphic Design Collection - [cool sites]
Ancient Computers in Use Today - [in military & government]
Leviathan Super Structure - [click on image to see more]
Medieval Bicycle! Elaborate Hoax - [geek pics, info]
More Great Medieval Bicycles by Boris Indrikov - [gallery, scroll down]
In view of the recent Chinese earthquake, you should read about this one- [extreme]
Lennon Playing a Female Role on TV, and more - [great find]
Sci-Fi Illustrations by Shusei Nagaoka - [wow art]
Seriously? Black Sabbath makes plants grow faster - [weird]
Most Fascinating Abandoned Mansions - [abandoned, pics]
Dumbest Fashion Ad Fails, Stupidest Bank Robbers - [weird]
How Much Food Can You Buy For $5 Around The World? - [video]
Most Unique Recording Booth - [info, weird]
Eyeball Shaving in China - [weird, gross]
Wringing out Water In Space - [wow video]
Oddly Mesmerizing: The Destruction Hour - [wow video]
Another Mesmerizing Video: Volley Practice - [wow video]
Cat Plus Vacuum Cleaner - [fun video]
Synchronized Group Ski Jump - [wow video]
16 tons load bearing car test, info - [wow video]
Very Cheerful: Jump Rope Girl - [wow video]
Deep Purple "Child in Time", full version on BBC - [fantastic 1970 video]
Moving to an interesting new city every 91 days - [Istanbul this time]
World's Longest Running Soap Operas - [compilation]

SEE ALL OTHER LINK LATTE ISSUES HERE

Thrill Ride: Bumper Cars

2013-04-19T18:37:00.001-07:00

"QUANTUM SHOT" #827
Link - article by Simon Rose and Avi Abrams

"Directing a film... can be like trying to write War and Peace in a bumper car in an amusement park" --Stanley Kubrick

Most of us have experienced bumper cars at least once at an amusement park. These things have been around for quite a while, providing exciting, yet simultaneously somewhat tame, entertainment, as we crash into other vehicles racing around the track.

(images credit: MR38, Lund Park, Sweden 1960)

Here are some of the vintage bumper car rides (also called "Dodge'ems"): on the left is Glen Echo Amusement Park in 1924; right image shows Electric Custer Cutie bumper car conversion from 1927:

(images credit: Shorpy.com, The Old Motor)

A good time was usually had by all back then. Of course, there might have been some people who dreamed of taking their bumper car on the open road, like this lady, for example:

(images credit: Shorpy.com, John Straub)

Well, today it’s no longer a dream. Here’s a look at some weird and wonderful adapted bumper cars here at Dark Roasted Blend. You can also check out the story of Tom Wright from San Diego, California who’s converted some amusement park bumper cars dating from the 1930s to 1950s and added motorcycle engines:

(images credit: MR38)

The car on the left (see image above) probably won’t break any speed records, but the flames might let you feel as though you’re in a hot looking vehicle... and hopefully the driver of this orange bumper car (right image) isn’t taking his or her license plate seriously if they get out on the road?

This one on the left even declares itself to be a hot idea:

(images credit: 1, 2)

There’s certainly not much on the dashboard in a bumper car, even a modified version, but this one at least appears to have a music system (right image above).

If you did manage to pick up sufficient or excess speed, you can probably rest assured that this police version of the bumper car could keep up with you:

(images credit: Stcone, MR38)

This one on the left is based on a vehicle design from the 1930s (Lusse Rodster from 1936)... also featuring "Ihle Auto-Scooter Alfa Romeo" and "Gebrüder Ihle Auto-Scooter 1958 Chevrolet Corvette" on the right:

(images credit: Stcone)

This vehicle has more substantial bodywork than a lot of the other designs. Maybe it would be a little safer to take out on the road? -

(images via)

Here we can get a better look at the chassis and suspension of these adapted vehicles:

(image credit: Lone Star Racing)

Here are some more vintage bumper cars, maybe just waiting to be turned into mini hot rods:

(images credit: left Christina Kapaun; right - ad from Illustrated magazine, March, 1956, via)

And how cool is this? This unique vintage bumper car (see below) has been modified for race games on Xbox 360. It apparently even shakes and vibrates if you accidentally hit the rim of the track:

(image via)

If you’d rather play it safe and stay off the roads, here’s a Ferrari bumper car on the left. Not sure of this vehicle’s top speed at the amusement park though (left image below)... And finally, on the right image below, if you’re now truly inspired to design your very own bumper car based vehicle, how about this very intriguing adaptation – a bumper car married to a motorcycle?

(images via 1, David Van Mill)

"Bumping Ladies Prohibited"?.. Gotta be extra-careful, then.

(image via)

Article by Simon Rose and Avi Abrams, Dark Roasted Blend.

Continue to "Fantastic Amusement Parks from History"! ->

Read the rest of our "Vintage" category ->

DRB Feel-Good Issue #8

2013-04-15T17:31:00.000-07:00

"FEEL-GOOD SHOT" #8
Link - by Avi Abrams

Some joyful stuff to brighten up your day
Mixed images flow: cars, girls, sci-fi, cats, etc.

Welcome to the new issue of Dark Roasted Blend's "Feel-Good" series: mostly bright and sweet collection of images designed to propel you along your day with a smile on your face and a spring in your gait.

This is a kind of Tumbler-substitute for the caffeinated, busy crowd with deeply-felt and sophisticated sensibilities, somewhat nostalgic about more glamorous times (you know who you are), or just looking for that extra bit of sunshine.

"Spring is in the air"! -

(image via)

Huge, impressive yarn-bombing! -

(image via)

"The craze is becoming so popular it has a fan page on Facebook, where guerilla knitters share their creations by posting pictures online." (more info)

Looking back from the future (check out that futuristic fashion!) - cover of the "Life Magazine" way back from 1914 -

(art by Otho Cushing, via)

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Beatles: we need to catch that train!

(image via)

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Mixed fresh links for today:

How NASA will build its very first warp drive! - [wow future, science]
Ants Predict Earthquakes by Their Behaviour - [interesting]
Weird! Fantastic! Carbon Nanotubes - [wow video]
Declassified UFO design from 1956 - [futurism, planes]
Mesmerizing "Wall of Candles" (artist's site: sound!) - [cool art]
Amazing Treehouse Hotels, Capsule Hotels - [architecture]
Comperssionhead: German All-Robots Band - [wow video]
Great Trans-Siberian Railway: Virtual Journey - [on Google Maps]
Visualization of Kowloon’s Walled City - [wow picture]
The Lost Library of Ivan the Terrible - [fascinating]
This Orchestra "Pretended to be" Moscow Philharmonic! - [successfully]
Giant Fish, Incredible Catches - [pics, compilation]
Everything Only 1 Dollar! - [sponsored]
More Great Photoshop Disasters - [funny pics]

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Feel-Good Cars (and some girls)

We'll start with this gorgeous 1949 Chrysler Town & Country Convertible:

(image via)

(right image: small car Messerschmitt KR200, on the left is Russian actress Irina Pechernikova in the 1970)

(Nationwise Rod Shop made this beautiful car on the bottom; image via)

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Beautiful Actresses & Smiley Faces

Sally Field as Gidget in the 1960s - a restored photograph from Star Celebrity Photos:

(image credit: Star Celebrity Photos)

Italian actress Giorgia Moll, 1958:

Photograph by German-American photojournalist Alfred Eisenstaedt:

(image credit: LIFE Magazine, Alfred Eisenstaedt)

Swedish actress Britt Ekland in the 1960s:

(image via)

Elisabeth Taylor and vintage "Red Star Lines" cruise poster:

American actress Mitzi Gaynor:

Italian actress Christine Carere holds a kitten:

(images credit: LIFE Magazine, via)

American actress Jean Simmons:

Feel that breeze... Jean Simmons in "The Blue Lagoon", 1949 (info):

(image via)

Italian actress Eleonora Rossil Drago from the 1950s (more info):

(images via)

Russian actress Tamara Semina (top images):

(Soviet child actor Natasha Guseva in the 1983 movie "Visitor from the Future")

Pippi Longstocking: Swedish child actress Inger Nilsson from the 1969 film - and Tami Erin from "The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking" (1988):

(images via 1, 2)

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Awesome Pulp Art of the Day

Fragment of the cover by Lawrence Sterne Stevens, for "Fantastic Novels Magazine", 1951:

(image via)

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Feel-Good Animation & Sci-Fi Art

Make sure to check out these classic Japanese sci-fi animation masterpieces:

"Crusher Joe" (1983) - fast moving space adventure:

Here is some backgrounds and vehicle concept art made for the "Crusher Joe" movie in the 1980s:

(art by Mitsuki Nakamura and Tomoaki Okada, "Mecaman Art Works"; buy the book here, or here)

"Gothicmade" (2012) by Mamoru Nagano: robots and girls (which are also half-robots, called "Automatic Flowers" - they help pilot these extreme-looking giant robots):

"Five Star Stories" re-boot:

("Bang Doll" huge robot in "Five Star Stories", info)

Another cool vehicle from the 1980s Japanese comic "The Wingman" - transforming flying bike hybrid:

Transform! -

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Weird Photograph of the Day

Testing a baby gas mask:

"In 1938, the British Government gave everyone, including babies, gas masks to protect them in case the Germans dropped poison gas bombs on Britain. This gas mask was for children up to two years old. Child Welfare Centres gave lessons on how to use the mask. Despite instruction courses, few parents were totally happy with encasing their child in an airtight chamber..." More info and pictures here.

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Looking forward to summer!

Until next time! Keep the sunshine, folks.

READ THE PREVIOUS ISSUE HERE ->