Feeling

Mancala Boards - Some Unique Ones

2010-01-27T23:43:00.000-08:00

In the United States, Europe and elsewhere, board game players are typically used to seeing one standard type of Mancala board, the folding light-colored wooden Mancala board.

Before these, most familiar to many players, Mancala boards went into mass production, the game had been played for hundreds and hundreds of years. The earliest archaeological evidence of Mancala gameplay, dates to between the years 500 and 600 A.D.

Because of the long history of Mancala games, I felt an urge to display some unique Mancala boards.

For your viewing pleasure ...

Somewhat Regal Looking Mancala Board

This looks like a nice spot for a Mancala game. I can't tell if the Mancala board is somewhat oversized or if the table and drinking vessels are somewhat small.

Hand-Carved Mancala Board from Dark Wood

Here we have a hand carved board that has seen many fun games of Mancala. You can see the evidence of many many deposits and removal of the well-polished Mancala stones.

Close Shot, Colorful Beads

The wood grain showing through the paint of this Mancala board give it a nice look.

Hand-Shaped Clay Mancala Board

A game of Mancala in progress on what looks to be a board shaped out of clay. The board has a pretty nice looking crack in it, but it seems to be holding together well. It appears beans are functioning as the pieces for this game. An item no doubt used in games early in the history of Mancala.

Green & Red Painted Mancala Board

Here is an ornately decorated Mancala board, with small seashells being used for the Mancala game pieces. Brilliant!

Photos Courtesy
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/jophan/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamcohn/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/twcollins/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smallape/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/suzieq/

African Wood Carvings are Beautiful

2009-08-31T13:08:00.000-07:00

The people of Africa have produced many extraordinarily beautiful wood carvings.

Here are some African wood carvings I feel like sharing today -

Carved Wood Giraffe Head

Giraffes are just cool animals, besides being the tallest living land species, their coat also has that cool pattern.
It's no surprise the influence of the giraffe can be found in the art of the African people.
The Giraffe's favorite source of food are Acacia trees.

African Carved Goat Head

An animal playing a more intimate role in the lives of some Africans is the goat.
Here is an African artist's interpretation of the head of a goat carved in wood.
This wood carving is housed in the the De Young Museum in San Francisco, CA.

Life-Like Human Head Wood Caving

This Human head wood carving is striking in its life-likeness.
The face of the species that carved the above works turns the focus on itself.

Ashanti Female Fertility Statue Ghana

Among the culture of Ghana this is recognized as an "Ashanti Mother" / "Ashanti female fertility statue" carved by an artisan of the Ashanti people.

N'tomo Mask from Mali

This is impressive, known as a N'tomo Mask, it is carved by the Bambara People of Mali and worn by dancers in Male initiation
ceremonies.
This masked was carved around the turn of the last century and can be viewed at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Acacia Tree of Africa

2009-05-15T10:26:00.000-07:00

A quintessential African image, an Acacia tree spreading its branches on the African Serengeti.

Acacia trees are found in warm-temperate regions throughout the world.

There are around 1300 known species of Acacia, most of these being native to Australia, around 960 Acacia

species.

Though Australia harbors the majority of Acacia tree varieties, Africa is well known for the Acacia tree.

The horizontal branching posture of the Acacia tree on the African Serengeti is a popular photographic subject

and enjoyable to look at.

Acacia xanthophloea

This Acacia xanthophloea growing in Lake Nakuru National Park in the Rift Valley of Kenya is roughly as tall as it is wide.

Known as the Fever tree, a name derived from this Acacia species perceived connection to malarial fever.

This connection results from the tendency of Acacia xanthophloea to grow in wet, swampy areas, also the home of malaria carrying mosquitoes. Before mosquitoes were determined to transmit malaria, people

believed this tree and the yellow powder on its bark that can be seen to float in the air as small powdery clouds played a role in the contraction of the malaria fever and so it was known as the Fever tree.

Acacia and Animals

Zebra, giraffes, and wildebeests like the Acacia too.

Acacia trees play a part in the giraffe's diet.

A trio of cheetahs atop a termite hill, below an Acacia tree with an eye out for lunch, a vulture waits overhead to clean up.

Yellow grass, green Acacia leaves, blue sky and Blue Wildebeest in this nice panorama.

This picture was taken in the South African grasslands.

It might surprise you to see a pair of Acacia among the desert dunes.

Acacia Trees and Sunsets

The Acacia tree and sunsets go together well, very well.

Glowing sunset and monochromatic hills behind the Acacia tree.

Acacia tortilis, the "Umbrella tree" provides a great foreground for the setting sun in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.

Another Acacia in Serengeti National Park bearing witness to a soft orange sunset.

Lovely & Unique African Wood Carving

2009-04-27T00:14:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting African style carving.

Quite unique isn't it?

It evokes a somewhat disconcerting feeling, but at the same time seems to draw the viewer in for further study of the absent section.

The bracelet and earring are nice touches adding to this wood carving's intricacy.

At the base of the photo, you can see some a portion of some small carved African masks, they look interesting, due in part to their size.

Sand Castle on Grand Cayman

2008-10-18T01:02:00.000-07:00

A sand castle involving squares show its form in the sand on Sevenmile Beach, Grand Cayman Island.

Should the builders of this sand castle get hungry, they can work their ways back a bit from the beach and if they want cross the road remembering that cars drive on the left, if they hail from the U.S. or Canada or any other drive on the right side of the road area.

Once off the beach, sating the castle constructors hunger should be easily accomplished in one the many restaurants in the Seven mile Beach area.

Or, if not wanting to leave the beach a spear could be fashioned from a piece of wood, a fish gleaned from the ocean, and a fire built if you like your fish cooked.

Or, one could speak to one of the hotels or residents in the Seven Mile area and suggest they plant some fruit bearing trees, so a future beachgoer can harvest a snack from land or in the shade.

While many people visit the Cayman Islands to spend time off the land in the water
I'm sure some on the would be eager to do a little "rewilding."

Little Cayman and Cayman Brac as well, I imagine.

Djembe all around

2008-08-16T10:46:00.000-07:00

Djembes and humans have a lot in common, like uh...

Hailing originally from Africa and having since spread throughout the world is a characteristic of both the djembe and human beings.

...and, that's all i got...

oh,

and of course, humans have heads and djembe drums have drumheads.

In light of these quite curious similarities. Nearly stunningly, amazingly, interesting similarities perhaps.

Presented now are some pictures of Djembes and their human counterpart laying down some nice djembe rhythm.

From Africa, to the snowy north.

The Djembe has a bright future in Canada

as evidenced by this photo of children playing the djembe in a Toronto, Ontario park.

Another Black & White Djembe Photo

In this image of a Djembe drum circle we have an interesting perspective. Additionally we can see what is a common type of cord to secure and tune modern day djembe drum heads.

A man utilizes his Djembe in an intelligent manner

more Djembes are visible in the background along with their presumptive percussive masters.

Abdoulaye Sylla playing the Djembe Drum

Well known djembe percussionist Abdoulaye Sylla surely enjoys playing his djembe!

Lots of great places to play the Djembe

this is surely one of them, Djembe players along with other instrumentalists gathered at a Byron Bay, Australia beach.

Bahamas - the Islands & about Them

2008-08-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

The Bahamas, or by the official name, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island nation, or more specifically a nation of islands.

Flag of the Bahamas

The Bahamas are located in the Atlantic Ocean to the east & south of Florida and to the north & east of Cuba.

Map depicting location of the Bahamas relative to neighboring landmasses.

Inhabited since roughly the 600s AD, today The Bahamas are an independent nation.

The official language of The Bahamas is English.

Since 1964 The Bahamas have been self-governing and on July 10, 1973 full independence from the United Kingdom was realized for the nation of Bahamanians.

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The Bahamas is of course, a fairly familiar term to many people, this owing mainly to the connotations of holiday, vacation, and travel associated with this island nation's name.

Bahamas Travel Tips

Traveling in the Bahamas can cover both ends of what is often seen as the traveler type spectrum. From relaxing in a beautiful Bahamas resort to exploring enchanting natural landscapes, whether you see yourself as a vacationer, traveler, or just eager to have a magical Bahamas holiday. Most everyone drawn to the charm of these islands spread across the Atlantic Ocean should find something to suit their tastes.

Nightlife in the Bahamas

If you are after some Bahamas nightlife you should have some luck looking in the cities of Nassau and Freeport.

Bahamas Resorts

The Bahamas of course are often regarded as a quintessential resort land.

If lying poolside or on the beach, strolling through and admiring beautiful, lush tropical flowers and foliage, and dining on professionally prepared Bahamas cuisine - or if Bahamas food doesn't do it for, any of a number of other quality edibles - floats your yacht, then you my friend are in luck.

Those looking for the Bahamas resort experience should be served well by beginning their search in the areas surrounding the cities of Freeport/Lucaya and Nassau.

Bahamas Green / Nature / Eco-Friendly Travel

For those who eschew the luxuries and pampered environments provided by many Bahamanian resorts, fret not, what are typically referred to as the "Out Islands" can provide travelers to the Bahamas a fix to their yearning for a holiday in the sun, enjoyment of tropical environments, or just lying naked on a beach with no one around.

Travelers of this nature, will also likely find the National Parks of the Bahamas to be an attractive destination. Three of the Bahamas national parks are located on the island of Grand Bahama, the same island as the town of Freeport / Lucaya, allowing for an easy combination of a resort vacation with the enjoyment of natural beauty.

Turquoise Water and Green Travel, oh yeah!

Bahamas Money

The Bahamanian dollar is linked in value to the United States dollar at a 1:1 ratio.
The U.S. dollar is widely accepted, this means people traveling to the Bahamas from the United States will have no need to change their currency.

Unless they'd just rather see Bahamanian dollars in their pocket instead of U.S. dollars.

To see what Bahamas money, dollars and coins, look like, see below.

-rental

Bahamas Population & Cities

The population of the entire nation of the Bahamas is just a scant ~ 330,549 people. As is the case in many places around the world, the majority of these people are located in cities, and in fact the two most populous cities in the Bahamas, Nassau and Freeport are home to roughly 84% of the country's inhabitants.

Though being an island chain, if you visit the Bahamas you can still find plenty of uninhabited(by humans) space and rural areas to explore during your Bahamas vacation.
The Bahamas is actually nearer to the bottom than the top on a list of countries as ordered by population density of each country.

Cities in the Bahamas

Bahamanian cities in order of largest population.

Nassau is the largest city in the Bahamas as well the Capital of the Bahamas ~ 226,000 residents of the Bahamas.

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Freeport a.k.a. Freeport / Lucaya is a Free Trade Zone located on the island of Grand Bahama ~ 50,000 Bahamanians.

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Coopers Town is the northernmost settlement on Great Abaco island, the second largest island in the Bahamas after Andros Island. Coopers Town is home to around 7,200 people who call the Bahamas their home.

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Marsh Harbour - 4,600

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Freetown - 4,100

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High Rock - 3,900

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Andros Town - 3,500

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Clarence Town - 2,200

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Arthur's Town - 1,700

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Dunmore Town - 1,500

As mentioned above the Bahamas is a nation of islands, many many islands in fact. Islands and cays to be precise.

Root Beer Recipe - Home Made is Best

2008-08-06T11:13:00.000-07:00

The quest for the rootiest of the rootiest and fizziest of the bubbliest the taste to best all Root Beers having come before, begins here.

Homemade root beer recipes to knock your socks off!

Clackers by any other name...

2008-08-05T14:55:00.000-07:00

CLACKERs

Clacker you say?

Just what is a clacker?

"Objects termed 'clackers' can be many things."

The big green cat says today.

Clacker this, Clacker that, Clacker over your welcome mat.

Called a Clacker mainly owing to the sound it emits.

A bird is a chirper,

That - ... , those my friends are clackers!

Here we have a clacker toy, constructed purely for the sake of joy.

A clacker like this, moves where it is taken, the water flows smoothly, and is never shaken.

bamboo water fountain clacker

Some luminescent toy clackers, refecting on a reflective surface.

Another toy clacker from days of yore, having spawned so much joy, it gets its own doily.

antique wooden toy clacker

Sea Turtles of the World

2008-07-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

Found in the oceans and seas around the world, with the exception of the Arctic,

Sea Turtles are typically held inn high regard by us humans

and many of us hold a curiousity toward these ocean creatures.

The are seven types of living sea turtles in the world.

Seven types of Sea Turtles

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Flatback Turtle

Green Turtle

Hawksbill Turtle

Kemp's Ridley Turtle

Leatherback Turtle

Loggerhead Turtle

Olive Ridley Turtle

Some captured Light exposition

Okmok Caldera Volcano

2008-07-12T23:28:00.000-07:00

Panoramic Photo Detailing the Width of the Okmok Caldera

7 / 12

The caldera volcano atop the summit of Mount Okmok erupted Saturday July 12, 2008.

The caldera began spewing ash to an elevation of over 30,000 feet at around 11:43am

local time.

In the above photo, the indented ring is the Okmok Caldera you can then see inside this caldera are numerous pyroclastic cones and lava domes, appearing as volcanoes inside the Mount Okmok volcano.

It was one or more of these 'interior volcanoes' that erupted recently.

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Steve McNutt, a geophysicist and volcanologist in the area advised not getting into

a 10 mile radius of the Okmok Caldera, an instruction that should be easily

complied with owing to the human population density of the area.

Okmok Volcano

The Okmok volcano is located on Umnak Island in the western half of the Aleutian

Island archipelago.

Umnak Island Map

View Larger Map

Umnak Island is about 860 miles out from Alaska's most populous city, Anchorage.

Mount Okmok Caldera Volcano emitting steam in 2002

Sources:
alaska.edu

Mount Okmok

2008-07-12T22:47:00.000-07:00

The Caldera Volcano spread across the summit of Mount Okmok erupted July 12, 2008

Dashiki - Coolest of the Cool!

2008-07-11T18:01:00.000-07:00

I always knew this type of shirt existed, but I never knew what to call it.

Well, I do now!

Meet the

African Dashiki Shirt

A young girl posing in her many-colored dashiki!

What is a Dashiki?

Well it is this stylish fabric shirt you see here of African Origin.

Let's face it, the suit and tie, khakis or 'casual wear' are not for everyone.

Sometimes you just want to say "You know, I'm just not comfortable in those clothes."

or

"I don't really see why everyone should wear the same the clothes."

You can still say those things and now you can say them visually as well by wearing your

own African Dashiki.

I'm glad I can do that after I buy a dashiki now that the all important step of

knowing what this garment is called has been taken care of.

I will now present to you the definitive guide to being a 21st century style machine!

Step 1 - Buy Dashiki

Step 2 - Wear Dashiki

Step 3 - Success!

Three people chillin' in their dashikis.

Beyond the Dashikis obvious visual appeal, there are some added benefits a Dashiki

can provide you.

- The loose fit of a dashiki makes it an exceptionally comfortable piece of clothing.

- The sophisticated look of a dashiki along with their availability in a range of

colors and embroidery patterns makes it a piece of clothing appropriate for a wide

range of events.

- Perhaps a benefit some people will really like, because of the unique it's look

you're sure to attract some attention when wearing your dashiki. ;)

Just a few things to keep in mind when looking for a dashiki for sale!

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Ladybug Pictures

2008-07-09T22:33:00.000-07:00

Ladybug pictures are a great thing to look at when you are interested in seeing some natural beauty from the insect world.

Below is a selection of pictures featuring ladybugs and the environments in which these beautiful Lady Bugs can be found.

Ladybugs fly, and this ladybug sitting at the tip of a finger with wings outstretch, looks like it wants to prove it.

More Sizes:
http://flickr.com/photos/saveena/346931617/sizes/m/

Yellow and Black Ladybug crawling outward along the petal of many-petaled pink flower.
More Sizes:
http://flickr.com/photos/lilcrabbygal/307521849/sizes/m/

Beautiful Closeup of a ladybug showing 3 and half of its ladybug spots with its red ladybug shell contrasting against a green leaf.

More Sizes -

http://flickr.com/photos/cityhunter12/892311050/sizes/m/

Ladybug with interesting red spots on its head crawling on a purple flower petal in San Diego, California.

More Sizes -

http://flickr.com/photos/peasap/459204964/sizes/m/

Hope you enjoyed the Lady Bug Pictures!

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One Day in July

2008-07-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

You may have recently seen the posts on what ants eat or ant facts, if so, you may have found them particularly interesting or more so than you would imagine they'd be.

That was certainly the case for me. In fact, the unexpected interestingness of creature culinary consumption will likely serve as inspiration for future posts.

Right now I'm thinking What do Iguanas Eat!

Have a day.

Ichthyologist who is down with Ichthyology.

2008-06-28T12:34:00.000-07:00

Ichthyologist what is that? I hear some imaginary voice cry out.

Well, a definition of Ichthyology that is as explanatory as it is concise could be said as follows -

Ichthyology is the branch of zoology dealing with the study of fish.

An Ichthyologist of course being one who practices the study of fish.

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People having been studying fish for a long, long time, or should I say practicing Ichthyology.

Some theorize that our early homo-sapien ancestors before even leaving Africa were ardent Ichthyologists.

The theory goes, with archaeological evidence to back it that, that early man was drawn to areas along the African coast due to the abundant food supplies of the ocean.

So it was these ancient ancestors of ours who had to study the fish, in order to catch them.

It is then theorized that this high-protein diet along with the unique fatty acids contained in the fish contributed to early mans brain development, as the constituents of the fish diet were particularly nourishing to the brain and spurred it's development.

Cheers!

Thoughts on Things and Littlefield, Arizona

2008-06-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

Recently, you may seen the post on what ants eat, if so, you may have had some of the same thoughts or feelings as me.

In particular, all of us on this planet and in this universe, being made of essentially the same stuff, yet there is so much apparent variety.

So no surprise should necessarily be had at what ants eat and the vast array of things they consume and the manner in which they do so. But, I certainly found it to be interesting nonetheless, even likely inspiration for future posts. The huge number of different ant species also was appealing to my interests.

and on another note...

Littlefield, Arizona is an interesting town having come to my attention.

Littlefield is located the absolute northwest corner of Arizona.

What is unique about Littlefield, is that although it is located in Arizona, if you want to travel to another part of the state, Phoenix for example, you must first cross into one of the adjacent states, either Nevada or Utah.

This requirement is due to the town of Littlefield being located just northwest of Grand Canyon National Park and there being no roads connecting the town to other areas of the state without first crossing the state bounds into Nevada or Utah.

Littlefield is located west of the Virgin River, a tributary to the Colorado River.

Littlefield is also the only city in the state of Arizona to be located along Interstate highway 15, you can follow I-15 a little ways out of town and you will soon enter the Virgin River Gorge.

In the winter, when the climate is more suited to such activity, the Virgin River Gorge is a popular area for rock climbing.

What Do Ants Eat?

2008-06-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

Ants eat many different things as would be expected from a creature that to date has been categorized into over 12,000 species and colonised nearly every landmass on the planet. Yeah, that'll make you hungry, so ants have to eat!

And when ants do eat, it is not necessarily the picnic baskets you might have seen them carrying away in cartoons.

Some things found on the ant menu include small insects like flies and spiders.

Other ant edibles can include dead vertebrate animals, or even their own fellow dead ants or the eggs produced by the egg laying members of the ant colony.

One of the more interesting things that ants eat is what is refered to as 'honeydew'
it is not however the honeydew melon that may be familiar to us humans, but a substance produced by the aphid insect. Part of what makes this so interesting, is that the way in which this is done much like the way in which humans keep cows, goats, chickens for milk or eggs. The ant places the aphids somewhere in which they have something to feed on, the ants then stroke the aphids back, similar to a human milking a cow, when the aphid is stroked it produces the sweet substance known as honeydew which the ant we can only assume takes great pleasure in ingesting. Wow, ants were herding aphids when humans were still chasing wooly mammoths!

Ants eat so many things and because there are so many types of ants, it would be quite a task to make a definitive list of everything that ants eat. If you are curious as to whether or not a certain substance or food is eaten by ants or what a certain species of ant in particular eats, then leave a comment and I will do what I can to help you find out more about the eating habits of ants.

Ant Facts

2008-06-23T15:59:00.000-07:00

There are many interesting facts about ants, it could even be called a fact that this neat little creature, the ant, has held many peoples interest since childhood.

Interesting Ant Fact Numero Uno

Ants evolved from a creature like the wasp of today some 110 to 130 million years ago. If you look at an ants body structure, you can see how it resembles that of the wasp.

Ant Fact Number 2

To date there has been more than 12,000 species of ants classified.
Yes, that is quite a wide variety of ants!

Another Ant Fact

Ants are social insects, meaning they live and work with other ants. They are a member of the Family Formicidae along with bees and wasps(as to be expected due to there evolution from early wasps as stated earlier.)

Ant Fact Four Ant Division of Labor

Some of what defines ants as social insects are that they live together with many other ants in what is refered to as an ant colony. In this living together they have developed a division of labor where different ants are tasked with doing different things, like in our own human societies. Some of the roles different ants perform are the gathering of food for the colony, some ants are solely responsible for the reproduction of the ant species, ants live in a wide variety of homes or nest and some types of ants are simply nomadic, moving from place to place. For ants living in nests or mounds, there are worker ants whose job it is to construct and perform the upkeep for the colonies home.

Similar to the food collector ants, there are even ant gardeners!
The leafcutter ant only eats a specific type of fungus that is grown in their nests and there are various members of the leafcutter ant species whose job it is to cut and collect leaves, which are then given to another group of leafcutter ants which chew the leaves, the chewed leaves are then given to another group of leaf cutter ants whose job it is to tend to the fungi gardens and make sure the fungi is receiving the right type of leaves and nutrients it needs to grow. That is what I would call an interesting ant fact!

Fifth Ant Fact

Ants eat a wide variety of things, not just fungi, as to be expected due to the wide variety in types of ants that exist. More info on Just what do ants eat? can be found here.

Sixth Ant Fact

Ants may eat a wide variety of foods, but the aardvarks, or anteater is not the only creature that eats ants, there are in fact many different humans that eat many different types of ants.

Ants and their larvae, or eggs, can be found as an ingredient in dishes every from India, Burma, and Thailand, to Mexico and Columbia.

Interesting types of Ants

Fire Ants
Flying Ants
Black Ants
Leafcutter Ants

Acting, certainly an artistic endeavor

2008-06-12T13:28:00.001-07:00

ch ch ch ch check it

A video showing how to dissolve a Quarter

2008-06-12T13:09:00.001-07:00

This video shows a process for dissolving a quarter.But if you ask Filemon Trevino, he'd probably rather create a quarter mile long piece of art.

Electrocardiograma Artistico 411 - more pictures! - truly Artistica

2008-06-12T12:34:00.000-07:00

Filemon Trevino's feat of artistic ingenuity has already been profiled here, and now I have returned to bring you more photos of this interesting artwork sweeping the zeitgeist, The Artistico 411 ! ! !

Electrocardiograma Artistica 411 Photos

In this picture you can see the artist, Trevino, standing next to his lengthy work. If you look behind Trevino at the base of the stairs you can see more plastic
barriers that line this piece of artwork.

This small visible section, however, only hints at the astounding length of the "Electrocardiograma Artistica 411" which spans in total a quarter of mile.

The Electrocardiograma's depiction, as implied by the title Trevino has placed upon the piece, is of the heart and circulatory system. You can see a part of how this has been depicted in the displayed paper at the base of the above photo.

These photos were taken in Monterrey, Mexico.

Maybe in a year and a half or so we will see a piece of even of even greater length, someone whom Mr. Trevino has just now inspired, and who will work
at the reapid pace of Trevino, which actually impacted upon his physical health. Maybe, but something tells me Filemon Trevino will be holding onto
this Guinness World Record for the longest drawing for some time to come.

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Filemon Trevino, Mexican Artist Displays A Strong Will

2008-06-12T03:05:00.000-07:00

Have you ever just gotten the urge to draw something?

So maybe you got a sheet of paper and then began drawing, and then maybe you determined your vision would be better suited to two pieces of paper.

Maybe then you got another sheet to continue the drawing and what the heck maybe another, so now with four sheets of paper
you might think "You know self? I've got a pretty big drawing going here."

But what if you were to continue drawing on more and more sheets of paper? Say these were the standard size 11.5 by 8 inch sheets of paper, and say for some reason you want to make this the longest drawing in the world, as recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.

Well, to do so would require in excess of 1,350 sheets of paper if that was the chosen medium.

Why such a number?

The Mexican Artist Filemon Trevino in 2005 completed what has recently been recognized by the Guiness Book of World Records as being the longest drawing in the world.

The work entitled 'Electrocardiograma Artistico 411' required more than 800 pencils to complete.

Trevino's lengthy artistic expression portrays the human heart and circulatory system.

This feat of artistic feet no doubt took considerable heart on the part of Mr. Filemon Trevino who began the drawing in July of 2004

in pursuit of his lifelong quest of setting a world record.

So, in August 2005 after more than a year of intense focus on his chosen task and numerous health problems due to the artist, Trevino's own admission of "Forgetting to drink water"(That's focus) Monterrey, Mexico artist Filemon Trevino completed the work that would satisfy his lifelong quest of getting into the record books.

Picture of 'Electrocardiograma Artistico 411'

In this photo - foto, the artist Filemon Trevino can be seen standing with a section of his record breaking piece 'Electrocardiograma Artistico 411' in the background below.

A 50 meter long section of the work can be seen in the Engineering Department of Regiomontana University in Monterrey, Mexico http://www.ur.mx/ where the 411 meter or 1350 feet work was first unveiled in March 2008.

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Bonnaroo 2008 Lineup! - Bonnaroo 08!

2008-02-08T13:10:00.000-08:00

The lineup for Bonnaroo 2008 has been announced and it appears to be another good one.

In the lineup for June 12 - 15 2008 are some great acts including
Iron & Wine

B.B. King

Sigur Ros

Talib Kweli

Rilo Kiley

Robert Randolph's Revival

My Morning Jacket

This year Bonnaroo will again feature comedic acts, among them -

Zach Galifianakis
&
David Cross

Full artist lineup to follow...

Suped up Smart Car

2007-12-21T12:06:00.000-08:00

When an extraordinarily light-weight high performance and handling vehicle gets in the hands of the right gear-heads the phrase "souped up," takes on new meaning.

300 horse-power Suzuki gsx-r motorcycle engine? yeah that seems about right!

High Performance Smart Car

Smart Car vs a Ferarri

2007-12-21T11:43:00.000-08:00

So the hottest European econo car and a Ferrari pull up to the starting line, what happens?

You said econo car, right?

Sure I guess the Smart Car started its life in the "economy" category,

but I hear they can be fast...

Souped up Smart Car

Souped up Smart Car

Souped up Smart Car

Smart Car Performance

2007-12-21T11:25:00.000-08:00

With an engine swap, the Smart Car can undergo one of the most drastic performance upgrades of any car on the road.

The trend in Smart Car performance involves replacing the Smart's stock engine with a high

performance motorcycle engine.

This turns the once unique looking Euro city car into a screaming maniac machine.

Something akin to glue a bottle rocket to matchbox car!

It also reminds somewhat the Campagna T-Rex trike because of the shared moto engine trait.

The Smart's four wheels however, give it some pretty wild maneuverability.

Ferrari vs Smart Car

Weedy Sea Dragon of Australia

2007-12-21T09:54:00.000-08:00

The Weedy Sea Dragon a.k.a Common Sea Dragon is quite an interesting and lovely looking fish of the ocean.

The "weedy" protrusions serve as camouflage when the Sea Dragon is perusing around underwater in its natural habitat of,

that's right, seaweed!

If the little weedy fella gets the munchies he or she is likely to dine on some nice plankton or tiny crustaceans.

These exquisitely engaging, patterned little creatures use that crustacean and plankton energy to grow a body up to 45 centimeters / almost 18 inches long.

If you'd like to lay your eyes on a Weedy / Common Sea Dragon in the flesh you'll likely have good luck off the beaches and shores of the southern coast

of Australia and the waters around Tasmania.

Or, If you're not the ocean-diving type you can stay dry and view these Australian Sea Dragon wonders at the Melbourne Aquarium in Melbourne, Australia

Outside of Australia the Sea Dragon is on display at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California.

The patterns on the body of a Weedy Sea Dragon are quite mesmerizing.

Weedy Sea Dragon

Weedy Sea Dragon Video

The Bahamas is another place to see some interesting sea life!

Best Rated Website

2007-12-21T07:12:00.000-08:00

The best websites will be analyzed in order to determine the best rated website.

Upon rating websites based on various criteria a group of websites will remain while others fall away like sand through a sieve.

Before determining the single best rated website we will take count of the

best rated websites.

We're not kidding when we say rating a single best website is a tall order,

that being so, rating best website in individual categories may prove to be

a more useful strategy.

Best is by all accounts subjective, so the best websites are
too.

Quantum physics websites as it were, only there when you are looking...
wait, does that make sense?

This internet thing is crazy.

Which brings us to the Hall of Internetty Things! enjoy | enjoi

The best rated website, its out there somewhere, the rating criteria need not matter

as the contending best rated websites fall away,

we

Will

be left

with

the

BEST.

RATED.

WEBSITE...>>>

Smart Car 2008!

2007-12-15T21:14:00.001-08:00

Smart Car the snazzy little vehicle seen on the streets of Europe will finally be venturing across the Atlantic. There have been instances of suped up smart cars for sure.I however, predict things are only getting started on that front and once some American car modders get their hands on the Smarts we could be seeing some very interesting little vehicles.

Calories in Vodka - Calories in glass of Vodka on the Rocks

2007-12-13T15:23:00.000-08:00

The calories in Vodka are due to the fermentation of sugar / grain used in its production. The finished vodka or other alcohol then contains calories and that is essentially all. The higher proof(alcohol content) spirit the more calories it will contain per volume.

In the United States a standard shot glass is 1.5 fl oz.

An average shot glass of vodka will contain 100 calories.

Don't forget that unless drinking your vodka straight or on the rocks, your mixer is likely to contain calories as well.

Cheers!

Vodka Glasses

2007-12-13T14:41:00.001-08:00

Vodka Glasses some might say can carry a distinction from their drinking brother, the shot glass. This is the case as a simple vodka glass can sometimes be quite the piece to admire.
Well, where did this vodka glass craft originate? For that I suppose one would do well to look at the Russians as the Russian Vodka Glass(see the caps? Respect!) was surely forebear to all the glasses to follow.

Follow they did:

Faberge Vodka Glasses
are an interesting affair!

Of course the classicVodka Martini Glass

and who doesn't love the appearance of a nice crystal vodka glass?

Even vodka makers such as Ciroc took a cue from the Russians in designing their own quite stylish Ciroc vodka glasses for their customers to imbibe their Russian water.

Premium vodka wunderkind Grey Goose no doubt are sure to join in with their own Grey Goose vodka glass sets.

With all those vodka glasses and the accompanied drinking, some people may think - calorie, and wonder just how many calories in a glass of vodka?

Time Travel Books

2007-12-09T23:05:00.001-08:00

Books on Time Travel have been popular ever since H.G. Wells penned The Time Machine in 1895. Wells in fact, coined the term, "time machine."

Since then the subject of time travel has been widely explored in many books, primarily science fiction books, as well as movies.

You can also find books on the subject of time travel written in the non-fiction genre.

One such book is Black Holes & Time Warps: Einstein's Outrageous Legacy by Kip S. Thorne.

In it Thorne extrapolates Einstein's work to bring forth the possibilty of time travel and asks "Can an advanced civilization construct wormholes through hyperspace for rapid interstellar travel and machines for traveling backward in time?"

Marijuana: History and uh

2007-12-09T05:18:00.001-08:00

Marijuana is originally a slang Mexican term for the plant,
popularized in the 1920's.

Throughout history it has popularly been called 'canabis' or variant there of, you'll find that across many different languges the plant is referred to with the syllables canna- kanna- or something similar used.

Evidence suggests that Cannabis / Marijuana / Pot / Weed / Ganja / Grass has played important role in human life for millenia.Carl Sagan, the popular astronomer known for among other things, his PBS series "Cosmos" was fond of partaking in the Marijuana Smoke.

Dinosaurs!

2007-12-09T04:55:00.001-08:00

As a kid, everyone had a favorite dinosaur, right? Well, a lot of us for sure.We were lucky enough to be born after 1842 when Richard Owen coined the taxonomy term Dinosauria for the large reptile skeletons that were beginning to be unearthedby us humans.

Oahu, island of ...

2007-12-09T04:44:00.001-08:00

Oahu island in the hawaiian chain has aspects likely recognizable even to those who have never been.Diamond Head, for example is an iconic mountain peak visible from popular Waikiki beach. A hike up Diamond head is an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon, or morning. Or, even all day if you want to really take in the lovely view reaching the top of the trail affords you.

Costa Rica - Central America's Rich Coast

2007-12-09T04:29:00.001-08:00

Costa Rica, "Rich Coast" in Spanish, is located between Panama and Nicaragua.Costa Rica is known for its beautiful beaches, lush jungles, scenic cool elevations, and abundant wildlife including large populations of the often friendly Hominous Gringois.

Phil Dawson of Cleveland Browns Kicks Incredible Field Goal in last seconds

2007-11-20T01:09:00.001-08:00

Phil Dawson

Phil Dawson played college football at the University of Texas Austin.
Dawson began his professional football playing career in the NFL in March 1999 with the Cleveland Browns and has continued to serve as the team's field goal kicker for the Browns through today, 2007.
Dawson was the first player to score for the Cleveland Browns after their 1999 reactivation and beginning of play in Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Amazing Field Goal

Nov 18, 2007, with three seconds remaining in the fourth quarter down three points to the Baltimore Ravens Phil Dawson kicked the field goal that will be shown if and when "It's good play on! Phil" is inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.
After reading multiple descriptions of this incredulous field goal kick, I still did not know quite what I was going to see upon watching it.
I'll summarize it as such Phil Dawson sets up for the tying field goal 51 yards out(his longest ever is 52 yards.) The accomplished kicker lets 'er rip, it looks
good, then from Dawson's perspective, veers to the left, it bounces off the inside of the left goal post, falls toward the ground, before reaching the ground the ball hits atop curved goal post support on the inside of the goal having crossed the plane of the goal posts, after bouncing off the support the ball goes back through the goal posts and lands on the Baltimore Ravens side of the uprights.

See for yourself...

Same thing if above times out.

So the kicker Dawson comes through after initially being ruled no good, the officials realize their mistake rule kick good which sends the game in to overtime.
It was really a kicker's dream night for Phil Dawson too, as he went on to kick the game winning field goal in overtime for a 33-30 Cleveland Browns victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

Here is CBS's post-game coverage.