Usually it is hard for such creatures to survive for very long after hatching.
Wednesday
Double-headed cobra
A double-headed cobra has been found in China.
Usually it is hard for such creatures to survive for very long after hatching.
Usually it is hard for such creatures to survive for very long after hatching.
Monday
Faces of Nations...
Flags (from left to right): United Kingdom, Guinea, United States of America, China
Swedish Surströmming (soured herring)
How do you know when your surströmming (soured herring) is ready to be devoured? When the cans bulge around the middle, an effect caused by a gassy, bacterial byproduct of its lengthy fermenting process.
To prepare this traditional Swedish meal, herring from the Baltic Sea are gutted and tinned in brine, then stored somewhere (preferably warm) for several months. Its pungent aroma makes dining alfresco an absolute must. Locals recommend opening the can under water whenever possible to contain the tantalizing odor of rotten egg, rancid butter and vinegar that results from the fermentation process.
Don't worry about running into it stateside: Often classified as rotting, not fermenting, and considered a potential weapon (because of the pressurized contents), surströmming is banned by a number of airlines and customs agencies.
To prepare this traditional Swedish meal, herring from the Baltic Sea are gutted and tinned in brine, then stored somewhere (preferably warm) for several months. Its pungent aroma makes dining alfresco an absolute must. Locals recommend opening the can under water whenever possible to contain the tantalizing odor of rotten egg, rancid butter and vinegar that results from the fermentation process.
Don't worry about running into it stateside: Often classified as rotting, not fermenting, and considered a potential weapon (because of the pressurized contents), surströmming is banned by a number of airlines and customs agencies.
Canned birds nest drink
Could this be the most disgusting soda drink ever? Available in China, where birds nests are a highly appreciated delicacy.
And no, it’s not a fake!
The Chinese have served bird's nest soup, considered a delicacy, for hundreds of years. It's made using the nests of swiftlets, or cave swifts. These avian homemakers regurgitate their gelatinous spit, creating a web-like superglue which forms their nests and attaches them to cave walls in Southeast Asia.
The nests are collected by hunters on precariously tall ladders and then dissolved into soup. Said to stimulate cell growth, raise libido and boost the immune system, these edible abodes are among the most expensive animal-food products consumed; They are rare, difficult to harvest and require a labor-intensive cleaning process. Don't feel like dropping the coin to get a taste of the cure-all nectar? Pop a tab on the canned bird's nest drink, and get your vitamins on the go.
And no, it’s not a fake!
The Chinese have served bird's nest soup, considered a delicacy, for hundreds of years. It's made using the nests of swiftlets, or cave swifts. These avian homemakers regurgitate their gelatinous spit, creating a web-like superglue which forms their nests and attaches them to cave walls in Southeast Asia.
The nests are collected by hunters on precariously tall ladders and then dissolved into soup. Said to stimulate cell growth, raise libido and boost the immune system, these edible abodes are among the most expensive animal-food products consumed; They are rare, difficult to harvest and require a labor-intensive cleaning process. Don't feel like dropping the coin to get a taste of the cure-all nectar? Pop a tab on the canned bird's nest drink, and get your vitamins on the go.
Kiviak, Greenland Inuit Fermented Seal dish
The sutures are then cut to reveal the fermented seagull/auks. The fermented intestinal fluids are sucked out from the whole birds, or used as a sauce for other foods. It is said to taste similar to natto paste, or very mature cheeses.
Icelandic for “fermented shark”
Hákarl or kæstur hákarl (Icelandic for “fermented shark”) is a food from Iceland. It is a Greenland or basking shark which has been cured with a particular fermentation process and hung to dry for 4-5 months. Hákarl has a very particular ammonia-rich smell and taste, similar to very strong cheese. It is an acquired taste and many Icelanders never eat it.
Hákarl is served as part of a Þorramatur, a selection of traditional Icelandic food served at Þorrablót in midwinter. Hákarl is, however, readily available in Icelandic stores all year round and is eaten in all seasons.
Deer Placenta Soup
Not surprisingly, deer placenta is also sold in encapsulated form as an herbal medicine. The following description comes from an “Anti-Candida Web Mall:”
“Placenta is an embryonic tissue formed during pregnancy from the cells of the fetus. The unique biological compounds in placenta ensure that the fetus is supplied with the necessary nutrients and oxygen needed for successful growth. Chinese anti-aging and restorative formulations have often relied upon placenta as a primary ingredient in formulations designed to rejuvenate the body. Deer placenta has been accepted as the premier source of placenta. Deer is considered to be a “higher order” animal, and deer placenta very closely resembles human placenta chemically. It is extraordinarily nourishing and is completely safe to consume.”
Caldo de Cardan (Bull Penis), Bolivia
In Bolivia they do not need viagra, there is a common broth.
To fight fatigue, but not with an energizing drink of “Red Bull”, they say this increases sexual potency. But it is not Viagra. It is a common broth, a curiosity of the Bolivian cuisine that seems to be gaining more and more support among those in need an extra push or clear mind after a long celebration.
Weekends, and always after dawn, many Bolivians fill the restaurants in the city of El Alto and the slums of La Paz in search of the intense flavor of the broth, whose main ingredient is the virile member of the bull.
Consumed by people of all ages, including women, convinced that it is an effective cure for a hangover. Some attribute aphrodisiac properties and some will recommend it for back pain and joints.
“It’s like my breakfast. The first thing I eat when I get up,” confessed Bráñez Benito, a resident of El Alto for 59 years, who has eaten the broth for the last decade.
The popular soup takes its name from the similarity between the member of a bull, and the mechanical tube located at the base of a car which carries the force of the engine to the rear wheels.
The secret of the mint broth’s effectiveness lies in preparedness. “As a concentrate, we cook it from 10 pm until the next morning,” Luque said in July, owner of a restaurant whose specialty is the popular soup.
The liquid acquires in this way, according to connoisseurs, the strength of the bull, contained in the testes.
“The long, slow cooking in huge pots heated with wood fire stoves or liquefied petroleum gas, makes taurine (a substance present in many energy drinks) which is mixed with the broth” explained Luque, who has prepared the porridge for the last 17 years with a recipe he learned in the central region of Cochabamba, where he worked as a kitchen helper.
“Almost 10 hours of cooking so that the broth is concentrated, this is one of the secrets, the other is taking it tomorrow,” said Cristina Poma, wife of Luque and cook in the restaurant that they handle.
After cooking, the broth takes on a creamy consistency and only then are small pieces of the bulls member mixed in the dish with lots of legs of beef, chicken and lamb, boiled egg, some rice and potato. The potato is ubiquitous in Andean Bolivian cuisine.
“I like it because it is rich,” said Bráñez sipping the broth, which, by the variety of ingredients has a pleasant and intense flavor.
For her part, Surco Lucio said: “I have nine children thanks to the broth” while lifting her chest and shoulders to lift up her younger son, Marco, who she said will, from time to time, taste the succulent dish.
“The broth is a universal tradition,” added the young man carrying a piece in a plastic bag. A single dose of just 12 bolivianos, will cost you a little over a dollar and a half.
Korean Baby Mice Wine Health Tonic
What better to wash down your gelatinous lumps of lye fish than a nice chilled cup of dead mice? What better indeed.
Baby mice wine is a traditional Chinese and Korean “health tonic,” which apparently tastes like raw gasoline. Little mice, eyes still closed, are plucked from the embrace of their loving mothers and stuffed (while still alive) into a bottle of rice wine. They are left to ferment while their parents wring their tiny mouse paws in despair, tears drooping sadly from the tips of their whiskers.
Wait, it gets worse …
Do you wince at the thought of swallowing a tequila worm? Imagine how you’d feel during a session on this bastard. Whoops, I swallowed a dead mouse! Whoops, there goes another one! Whoops, I just puked my entire body out of my nose!
My favorite bad-taste wine labels
I love good wine, I don’t much care if it’s red or white, if it tastes good, I drink it.
I have never been able to remember which wine is meant to go with which food, so I get many looks of disdain from arrogant wine waiters.
Often, I choose a wine, solely based on the design of the label simply to antagonize the wine snobs, and to hear the rapid intake of breath and patronizing, “tut tutting” of the self proclaimed experts.
So, when I come across labels such as these, I try to obtain a few bottles, just to get up the nose of the any really pretentious wine wankers.
So if you come across any that you think would upset the winey’s… please let me know, because a good friend who has a restaurant wants to create a display and wine list around the theme of bad taste wines.
I have never been able to remember which wine is meant to go with which food, so I get many looks of disdain from arrogant wine waiters.
Often, I choose a wine, solely based on the design of the label simply to antagonize the wine snobs, and to hear the rapid intake of breath and patronizing, “tut tutting” of the self proclaimed experts.
So, when I come across labels such as these, I try to obtain a few bottles, just to get up the nose of the any really pretentious wine wankers.
So if you come across any that you think would upset the winey’s… please let me know, because a good friend who has a restaurant wants to create a display and wine list around the theme of bad taste wines.
The Secret to Picking Your Nose in Public…
Picking your nose, has just become the latest party craze… and You can see why… These clever people have turned one of the most mundane items into fun. With a bit of luck it will replace the office bores from wearing lampshades.
Breast Puddings…
How come the Japanese keep coming up with all this bizarre stuff?
Is it the water they drink? or some form of new, questionably legal, stuff they put in their cigarettes?
How would you order it from the waitress? Excuse me miss, for sweets I’ll have a very large serving of your breasts!
Mind you it would make a great take home gift (No! we won’t mention doggy bags)
In fact it/they would probably sell like hot potatoes as a gimmick for the office worker market.
Is it the water they drink? or some form of new, questionably legal, stuff they put in their cigarettes?
How would you order it from the waitress? Excuse me miss, for sweets I’ll have a very large serving of your breasts!
Mind you it would make a great take home gift (No! we won’t mention doggy bags)
In fact it/they would probably sell like hot potatoes as a gimmick for the office worker market.
Low cost attention grabbing billboard
How about this for a low cost attention grabbing billboard?
Apparently it was dreamed up and produced in Belgium.
I guess half the fun was emptying all those bottles.
If you decide to give this a try, yes, I am available to help out on the production/bottle emptying line.
Obviously they don’t have a vandal problem there, or maybe they do and used that to generate some free media attention.
Apparently it was dreamed up and produced in Belgium.
I guess half the fun was emptying all those bottles.
If you decide to give this a try, yes, I am available to help out on the production/bottle emptying line.
Obviously they don’t have a vandal problem there, or maybe they do and used that to generate some free media attention.
Brilliant beer advertising idea
I simply can not understand why some businesses continue to use boring bag designs when there are so many brilliant ideas around.
It’s simply a matter of converting an existing, non productive, cost into a supercharged advertising and promotional tool.
It’s simply a matter of converting an existing, non productive, cost into a supercharged advertising and promotional tool.
Gadgets that help you cheat at summer sports
I don't see a Tour de France in your future, so why work so hard with all that pedaling? The Sanyo Enloop carbon fiber electric bike handles that problem for you and can keep you going for up to 62 miles on a single 3.5 hour charge.
Spend less time fishing and more time getting drunk with this radio controlled chum boat. Not only does it drop feed and a bait hook up to 950 feet away, it also has a built-in fish finder that relays information to your handheld remote.
Face it, you could barely slip a playing card between your feet and the ground on a vertical jump. Poweriser spring-loaded boots can give you a vertical leap of up to six feet and run strides of up to nine feet. Just imagine what you could do on the basketball court. Check out the product page to see it in action.
When it comes right down to it, putting is really at the core of a good golf game. The Argon Laser Putter helps give you an edge in that area with a three-laser targeting system.
Of all the sports out there, golf is probably the one you need the most help with. Titanium drivers have revolutionized the sport, but the Air Force One driver from PowerBilt takes things a step further with compressed nitrogen. Filling the clubhead with nitrogen at 150 psi allows you to reduce the thickness of the face and increase the size of the sweet spot—and increased flex in the clubface means greater distance. Surprisingly, this club even meets USGA guidelines
Spend less time fishing and more time getting drunk with this radio controlled chum boat. Not only does it drop feed and a bait hook up to 950 feet away, it also has a built-in fish finder that relays information to your handheld remote.
Face it, you could barely slip a playing card between your feet and the ground on a vertical jump. Poweriser spring-loaded boots can give you a vertical leap of up to six feet and run strides of up to nine feet. Just imagine what you could do on the basketball court. Check out the product page to see it in action.
When it comes right down to it, putting is really at the core of a good golf game. The Argon Laser Putter helps give you an edge in that area with a three-laser targeting system.
Of all the sports out there, golf is probably the one you need the most help with. Titanium drivers have revolutionized the sport, but the Air Force One driver from PowerBilt takes things a step further with compressed nitrogen. Filling the clubhead with nitrogen at 150 psi allows you to reduce the thickness of the face and increase the size of the sweet spot—and increased flex in the clubface means greater distance. Surprisingly, this club even meets USGA guidelines
The Fitness Center
It is an idea that is sure to grab attention and work for the fitness center that created it…
Pow Wow Bar & Restaurant
The advert was made for ‘Pow Wow Bar & Restaurant’ Their management are either very courageous or very desperate…
I’ll let you decide whether it should get a bouquet or brickbat, it certainly takes it message to the edge of acceptability. What do you think?
Hotel Perivolas, Santorini
In the midst of the Aegean Sea rests boutique hotel Perivolas on the chic island of Santorini. Formed entirely of volcanic rock and steeped in eons of history, the island is home to former fisherman’s cottages elegantly carved high into Santorini’s hillside.
Just a short walk from the charming town of Oia, Perivolas' cluster of softly contoured caves totals 19 unique cocoon-like suites, each with breathtaking views overlooking the sun-soaked caldera. The room-s sun dappled white walls and sensual curves are the perfect backdrop to Santorini's tranquilizing sea. White cotton linens beautifully offset baskets of Mediterranean flowers and without a television in sight, the quiet whisper of the waves lapping below lulls you to sleep.
The handcrafted bedrooms vary, but a bad room simply does not exist at Perivolas. For those seeking privacy, Suite 15 features a spacious and secluded outdoor terrace, while the much-coveted Perivolas Suite boasts its very own pool.
With a full service spa, impressive infinity pool and an exclusive restaurant serving a feast of Mediterranean delights and Greek delicacies, Perivolas offers both modern and ancient beauty.
Just a short walk from the charming town of Oia, Perivolas' cluster of softly contoured caves totals 19 unique cocoon-like suites, each with breathtaking views overlooking the sun-soaked caldera. The room-s sun dappled white walls and sensual curves are the perfect backdrop to Santorini's tranquilizing sea. White cotton linens beautifully offset baskets of Mediterranean flowers and without a television in sight, the quiet whisper of the waves lapping below lulls you to sleep.
The handcrafted bedrooms vary, but a bad room simply does not exist at Perivolas. For those seeking privacy, Suite 15 features a spacious and secluded outdoor terrace, while the much-coveted Perivolas Suite boasts its very own pool.
With a full service spa, impressive infinity pool and an exclusive restaurant serving a feast of Mediterranean delights and Greek delicacies, Perivolas offers both modern and ancient beauty.
Prepackaged Ice Rocks
Ice Rocks are prepackaged, ready-to-freeze individual ice cubes made from French spring water. Geared primarily toward the (upscale) tourism market, they assure worried travelers that the ice is safe to use. Scotch Rocks, a version marketed to bars and whisky drinkers, and Kid Rocks, cubes made from fruit juice, are also in the works.
I can’t wait to see what life changing new product they develop next?
Cappadocia ELKEP EVI Cave Hotel
Cappadocia ELKEP EVI Cave Hotel is located in the town of Urgup on the edge of Goreme National Park in the central Anatolian tableland known as Cappadocia. Goreme National Park and the rock sites of Cappadocia were inscribed on the list of World Heritage Sites as a mixed property of both cultural and natural significance with the UNESCO World Heritage Center in 1985.
Cappadocia offers best authentic,underground hotels in the world. Elkep Evi is finest Hotel in Turkey! Cave hotel has 21 cave rooms including cave suites excellent for honeymooners and families looking for a large, airy, cozy cave-inn hotel in Urgup Cappadocia.
All cave suites are a small troglodyte house with comfort. They have private cave terrace with unparalelled view of Cappadocia so you have all privacy you want. Between the nicest, charming and satisfying cave suites hotel in Cappadocia Elkep Evi's cave rooms and suites are reasonably priced.
If you compare comfort and prices, you will see that this little boutique hotel will be your choice. It's cave suites are magical. Discover this elegant little cave hotel. Pay atention to it's new cave suites with private Turkish Bath, they are excellent.
A traditional Turkish Breakfast of home made gozleme (a savoury Turkish pastry) olives, cheese, fresh bread, an assortment of jam, freshly squeezed orange juice and tea or coffee is served from the hilltop garden with spectacular view of Cappadocia.
Cappadocia offers best authentic,underground hotels in the world. Elkep Evi is finest Hotel in Turkey! Cave hotel has 21 cave rooms including cave suites excellent for honeymooners and families looking for a large, airy, cozy cave-inn hotel in Urgup Cappadocia.
All cave suites are a small troglodyte house with comfort. They have private cave terrace with unparalelled view of Cappadocia so you have all privacy you want. Between the nicest, charming and satisfying cave suites hotel in Cappadocia Elkep Evi's cave rooms and suites are reasonably priced.
If you compare comfort and prices, you will see that this little boutique hotel will be your choice. It's cave suites are magical. Discover this elegant little cave hotel. Pay atention to it's new cave suites with private Turkish Bath, they are excellent.
A traditional Turkish Breakfast of home made gozleme (a savoury Turkish pastry) olives, cheese, fresh bread, an assortment of jam, freshly squeezed orange juice and tea or coffee is served from the hilltop garden with spectacular view of Cappadocia.
This is the only cave hotel located at the top of mountain in Cappadocia
For more info, visit: http://www.elkepevi.com/
For more info, visit: http://www.elkepevi.com/
Saturday
Kurt Wenner - 3-D street painting
Kurt Wenner began street painting in Rome in 1982, and by 1984 was one of a few recognised Master Street Painters.
Inspired by anamorphism, a technique used in frescoed ceilings to create the illusion of height, he devised a unique geometry that enabled him to bring his illusions to the horizontal surface of the street. The new art form, known as anamorphic, illusionistic, or simply 3-D street painting has become a worldwide phenomenon.
Wenner’s development of this technique is featured in the National Geographic documentary Masterpieces in Chalk. Artists using this technique today can trace it back to Wenner’s invention in the early 1980’s. His three-dimensional images have inspired festivals and public events throughout the world, as well as others to continue the practice of bringing images of icons and popular culture to an ever changing public. While the art form continues to develop one thing has remained unchanged, madonnari and their paintings continue to vanish after a festival, or with the first rains.
Find more, visit: http://www.kurtwenner.com/gallery/Street_gallery/index.htm
Inspired by anamorphism, a technique used in frescoed ceilings to create the illusion of height, he devised a unique geometry that enabled him to bring his illusions to the horizontal surface of the street. The new art form, known as anamorphic, illusionistic, or simply 3-D street painting has become a worldwide phenomenon.
Wenner’s development of this technique is featured in the National Geographic documentary Masterpieces in Chalk. Artists using this technique today can trace it back to Wenner’s invention in the early 1980’s. His three-dimensional images have inspired festivals and public events throughout the world, as well as others to continue the practice of bringing images of icons and popular culture to an ever changing public. While the art form continues to develop one thing has remained unchanged, madonnari and their paintings continue to vanish after a festival, or with the first rains.
Find more, visit: http://www.kurtwenner.com/gallery/Street_gallery/index.htm
Kim Joon Art
After the seduction by colour, first things to see in Kim Joon's Party pictures at TOUCHART gallery are bodies: scores in a vibrant acchanal. Then bits of bodies:Vishnu arms sproutig from backs; legs plus an arse for an erect penis. Jungles of embryonic limbs poking from torsos stood and supine. Then tattoos, serpentine and elegant, licking at the surface of each body, adjoining patterns echoing Prada, Levi's and Dior. All this before noticing, each body has skin, pocked like a Google-Earth desert.
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