PictoVista

40 Things In The Past That Will Make You Feel Old

2012-02-01T15:40:00.009+07:00

Clarissa is this old

This is what the Pepsi girl looks like today. She's 19.

The final episode of Teletubbies aired ten years ago.

The top 5 songs 15 years ago

This year's 18-year-olds were born in 1993

Macaulay Culkin is 30

Kimmy Gibbler today

Surge hasn't been sold in over 10 years

Elijah Wood is 30. He was 18 when he was cast in The Lord of the Rings.

The Spice Girls' ages

The Backstreet Boys' ages

TV Guide from 20 years ago

12 years ago

TV Guide from 10 years ago

JFK would be 92-years-old this year

Marilyn Monroe would be 86

The Rugrats' ages today

TV Guide from 15 years ago

Kurt Cobain has been dead for 17 years

Aaliyah has been dead for 10 years

The first state quarter came out 11 years ago

Hasn't been on American TV in 9 years

If the Simpsons actually aged, Bart would be 31 by now

The cast of Boy Meets World's ages

Family Guy has been on TV for 12 years

All 3 Hanson brothers are married with kids

Have been divorced for 6 years

Daniel Radcliffe 10 years ago

Napster was launched 11 years ago

A new episode hasn't aired in 13 years

Goosebumps books were released between 1992 and 1997. There hasn't been a new one in 14 years.

Jonathan Lipnicki

The first commercial with the Taco Bell chihuahua aired 14 years ago. The chihuahua has been dead for 2 years.

The little girl from Jurrasic Park is 31

1990

The Macarena is 16 years old

buzzfeed.com

Bad Photo Ideas For Your Pre-Wedding Photos

2012-01-18T16:10:00.005+07:00

Don’t try to be funny.

Either this couple is going for the “Check us out, we’re so goofy together!” look or they are horribly unaware that their positions of choice are very suggestive. Either way, chances are you’re sending this announcement to extended family and friends, who might not be in on the joke.
Photo credit: guidespot.com

Don’t choose random meaningless locations as your backdrop.

If you and your husband have never taken a bath in the middle of the woods before, then what the heck are you doing there? It would kinda make more sense if your fiancé was a plumber and you worked in forestry, but if not, choose a scene that better reflects your interests as a couple.
Photo credit: lusterstudios.com

Don’t include others in your photos.

“Oh honey, you, me, and this dolphin are going to be so happy together!” Engagement photos are supposed to capture a special bond between two people. Don’t let something else steal the spotlight.
Photo credit: bkcphoto.com

Don’t act like you hate each other.

As cheesy as making goo-goo faces at each other might seem, it’s better than acting like you’re about to run for the hills. You’re getting married and hopefully kind of dig each other. Act like it.
Photo credit: lusterstudios.com

Don’t let the photographer shoot from below. Ever.

Everyone has their good side and bad side, but shooting from below yields the most unflattering photos for everyone. Suddenly your chin triples in size and your friends and family know what you’re hiding up your nose. Not cute.
Photo credit: Lyfe Photography

Don’t over-edit your photos.

Unless this groom has a Thumbelina fixation, we’re perplexed why they thought this was a good idea. The wonders of Photoshop are undeniably genius, but when it comes to engagement photos, special effects make the pictures appear tacky.
Photo credit: guidespot.com

Don’t reenact famous movie scenes.

If you do not have Spidey sense and cannot shoot web from your wrists, please, please just get down from the tree. Yes, the upside-down kiss between Spiderman and Mary Jane is breathtaking, but when a couple tries to reenact iconic scenes, they usually come out looking cheesy and contrived.
Photo credit: guidespot.com

Don’t emulate cheesy pop culture icons.

Is it just us or does this photo look suspiciously similar to the Twilight poster? Even if you and your husband are diehard members of Team Edward, do you really want the photo declaring your love to be associated with pop culture craze?
Photo credit: guidespot.com

Don’t pose in unnatural situations.

It’s totally normal for couples to visit exotic beaches, snuggle up at the water’s edge, and take a nice little snooze while half submerged in the ocean. Right? Unless you have a rather severe case of narcolepsy, this is definitely not natural.
Photo credit: bkcphoto.com

But don’t act too into each other.

If people look at your photos and feel like they accidently walked in on an intimate moment, you’ve gone too far. Couples take these pictures to share with their friends and family so avoid getting all handsy with each other until the camera is off.
Photo credit: bkcphoto.com

divinecaroline.com

Feet First: British Couple Traveled Through 31 Countries and 90 'feet photos' Taken

2012-01-17T14:35:00.005+07:00

British photographer Tom Robinson got the idea for his Feet First series in 2005 while sitting on Brighton beach in the UK with his girlfriend Verity. Ever since then, the globe-trotting couple has continued to photograph their feet as they traveled the world.

They have since travelled through 31 countries taking the shots in places like Vietnam, Peru, Scotland and Australia. The couple now has a collection of more than 90 “feet photos” taken in front of exotic locations and natural wonders.

Then the photos took a happy and unexpected twist when a third pair of feet, that of their daughter Matilda, joined them in 2011.

“It really excites me to think of all the future adventures we're going to have together,” said Tom to the Daily Mail. “In 30 years time it'll be great to look through the series - remember all the places we went together, see how fashions have come and gone and how those little feet got bigger and bigger.”

amusingplanet.com

Book Sculptures: An Artist Carved Books Into Amazing Landscapes

2012-01-13T14:20:00.004+07:00

An interdisciplinary artist who has been practicing for 30 years now, Guy Laramee has done several things in his lifetime, from stage writing to contemporary music, painting painting and literature. But the work he became most famous for is book sculpture. Rocky mountain ranges, bodies of water, islands and hidden caves, you name it, he can bring it to life out of a book, in 3D. For instance, from a set of English and Chinese hardcover encyclopedias, he has created two series of stunning landscapes, named The Great Wall and Biblios.

odditycentral.com

Before & After Photos of Pampered Pooches In A Dog Beauty Salon

2012-01-10T14:24:00.004+07:00

They were all more straggly haired and dishevelled versions of themselves when they walked into the Green Dog beauty salon in Tokyo - where mud packs, massages and aromatherapy are also on the menu.

Following a shampoo pet and dry, these dogs look as good as new.

when sopping wet

Kabe, pictured is a Toy Poodle but looks more like Animal from the Muppets

Toy Poodle Biru, has the 'Miami Cut' at the salon where the dog's feet are shaven.

The ears make her look like Gromit's friend Wendolene

Done up to the ca-nines: Canon is a Shih Tzu who prefers the Veronica Lake peek-a-boo.

Her hair is kept long so it can be tied with ribbons

This Bichon Frise is called Letasu, meaning lettuce

when dried looks just like a polar bear cub. Perhaps that should be iceberg lettuce

This Standard Poodle looked in a bit of a state before he walked into the salon...

...but he walked out with a 'boot cut' which leaves the leg hair wide and fluffy

dailymail.co.uk

Beautiful Optical Illusion Paintings: Two Images In Every Painting

2012-01-09T14:15:00.008+07:00

Ukrainian artist Oleg Shuplyak creates amazing optical illusion paintings.

Different elements painted in specific locations come together to form a second picture of a bird, human face, or human body.

It is possible to see two distinct images in each painting.

toxel.com

12 Ugliest Tattoos of 2011

2012-01-04T15:03:00.005+07:00

I don't believe it will be sucked anytime soon

Although their purses all cost over $800, there is nothing classy about having a Louis Vuitton tattoo on your arm.

How do you ever lead a normal life after getting this tattoo?

Please tell me this is Photoshop.

Looks like this lucky little man is wearing a bowtie. That’s how you know he’s classy.

Your vagina may be beautiful, but your tattoo is not!

Cathy Ward, a supermarket worker from Reading, braved 22 hours in the tattoo artist's chair after months of saving £2,000 to put permanent reminders of stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner on her skin.

I don't think this is Kosher.

This is by far the best way to get back on your cheating girlfriend: leave her with a mark on her back that she will remember forever.

Totally NSFW (Click on the link for a non-censored version if you must).

Film buff Miljenko Parserisas Bukovic enjoyed the film about Erin Brockovich so much he got 82 tattoos of Julia Robert's FACE permanently etched all over his body.

oddee.com

Spectacular Fireworks Displays Around The World For The New Year 2012 Celebration

2012-01-02T14:21:00.011+07:00

LONDON: 2012 starts with a bang as spectacular fireworks light up the sky over the London Eye on the South Bank of the Thames in the capital at midnight

LONDON: The dazzling display lasted for around 15 minutes in the capital

LONDON: Fireworks light up the sky and Big Ben just after midnight

LONDON: Welcome to 2012! The show had an Olympian theme

LONDON: The display was the result of 12 months of planning with a crew of 306 working on the site since Boxing Day

LONDON: Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: 'Our New Year fireworks were a brilliant start to a spectacular year.'

LONDON: Fireworks explode over the Houses of Parliament

LONDON: The fireworks heralded the start of an exciting year for the capital, which will host the Olympic games

LONDON: The dazzling display lasted for around 15 minutes in the capital

LONDON: The new year will host the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Games

LONDON: Crowds gathered on Westminster Bridge in central London as they wait for New Years Eve fireworks to be set off

SCOTLAND: Fireworks over Edinburgh Castle during celebrations to mark the new year at the Hogmanay street party

EDINBURGH: Crowds fill Princess Street as a huge party gets underway to mark the start of the New Year

EDINBURGH: Fireworks over Edinburgh Castle last night as Scotland marks the start of 2012. An estimated 80,000 people were partying in the city centre

EDINBURGH: Revellers watch on as fireworks go off over Edinburgh Castle at 12 as the city marks the New Year

EDINBURGH: Fireworks explode over Ethe Castle during the Hogmanay street party celebrations as the clock hit 12 last night

NORTHUMBERLAND: Tar Barrels are lit in readiness for the traditional Allendale New Year Tar Barrel Parade in Allendale, Northumberland to mark

LAS VEGAS: Fireworks burst over the Las Vegas Strip in the early minutes of New Year's Day 2012

NEW YORK: Confetti flies over Times Square as the clock strikes midnight during the New Year's Eve celebration

NEW YORK: Lady Gaga performs onstage during the New Year's Eve celebration as seen from the balcony of the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square

BRAZIL: Fireworks explode over the Copacabana during new year beach celebrations in Rio de Janeiro

BRAZIL: Celebrations on the Copacabana as fireworks light up the sky at 12. Brazil was one of the last countries to see in the New Year

BRAZIL: As fireworks go off on the Copacabana, this new year reveller celebrates the start of 2012 in the sea. Over three million people attended the New Year's Eve festivities in Rio

BRAZIL: Fireworks explode over Copacabana beach during New Year celebrations in Rio de Janeiro

LITHUANIA: Fireworks light the sky above the Cathedral square in Vilnius during the New Year celebrations

GERMANY: Fireworks explode over the Quadriga statue on top of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin at midnight

PORTUGAL: Fireworks light up the sky above the Funchal bay in Funchal, Madeira Island

PORTUGAL: Fireworks explode during the year end celebrations over the Funchal city bay in Madeira island

SWITZERLAND: Fireworks light the sky above the Grossmuenster church in Zurich

SWITZERLAND: A reveller writes 2012 with a sparkler as they welcome in the new year in Verbier, Swizerland

VIENNA: The number 2012 is written with sparklers during a long exposure in front of St Stephen's Cathedral during New Year's Eve celebrations

BEIJING: The Circular Mound is illuminated with a variety of colourful lights as China celebrates 2012 at the Temple of Heaven Park

MOSCOW: Thousands of people watched the fireworks explode during the new year's day celebration on Red Square

SINGAPORE: Spectacular scenes could be seen from across the city as fireworks exploded over Marina Bay during the New Year celebrations

MALAYSIA: Fireworks display near the country's landmark Petronas twin towers during the New Year celebrations as the clock strikes 12

PHILIPPINES: A huge fireworks and water fountain display marks the New Year at Manila's Rizal Park

TAIWAN: Colourful fireworks explode from the country's tallest skyscraper Taipei 101 and light up the night sky as the country celebrates the start of 2012

SYDNEY: Thousands of people gathered to watch the impressive display as Australia welcomed in the New Year

AUSTRALIA: A red hue lights up the sky over the Sydney Opera House. More than a million people gathered to watch and then celebrate 2012

GERMANY: Fireworks explode before New Year celebrations over the 'Golden Victoria' on top of Berlin's landmark victory column

dailymail.co.uk

Major News Stories of 2011 In Lego

2011-12-29T14:29:00.003+07:00

The Guardian has rounded up this year’s top news in pictures but instead of using regular photos they used pictures of Legos that reenacted some of major news stories of the past 12 months. From the royal wedding to the death of Osama bin Laden, the English summer riots and the fall of Gaddafi, here is what grabbed news headline during the past year.

March 2011 - troubled star Charlie Sheen was fired from American sitcom Two and a Half Men after he rejected requests by its broadcast network to enter rehabilitation

June 2011 - Barack Obama, appears with Angela Merkel, played down the prospect of a double-dip recession

May 2011 - US president Barack Obama and his national security team were picture in a now famous photo watching the mission to kill Osama bin Laden unfold in real time

July 2011 - Rupert Murdoch's wife Wendi Deng blocked him from getting cream-pied during a hearing of a government select committee hearing on phone hacking

August 2011 - rioters clash with police in London, Birmingham and Manchester, as local businesses and buildings are looted and damaged

April 2011 - The Royal wedding

October 2011 - tributes were paid across the web to Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, who died aged 56

October 2011 - Hosts New Zealand beat France in the final of the Rugby World Cup

September 2011 - protesters camped out in Zuccotti Park as part of the Occupy Wall Street movement, sparking copycat demonstrations across the globe

November 2011 - the pepper spraying cop at a protest in California

October 2011 - fighting continues in Libya between anti-Gaddafi forces and loyalists as the rebels mount a massive attack on Gaddafi's forces in Sirte

amusingplanet.com

Can You See Them? These Animals Are Blending Into Their Environment

2011-12-28T18:37:00.006+07:00

Stare at these pictures for long enough and you might just spot some clever creatures playing the ultimate game of hide and seek.

This Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko is barely visible against the leaves in the Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, Madagascar.

These amazing animals are true masters at blending effortlessly into their environment as a means of survival in the natural world.

This Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko hides from predators in Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, Madagascar, or is it just a leaf?

It's nearly impossible to pick out this Lichen Spider at the Erawan National Park in Thailand

A Speckled Sanddab blends perfectly with the pebbled ocean floor

This Sandhopper protects itself by covering red sand all over its body in the desert

An Orchid Mantis sits inside a flower

A Bat-faced Toad hides among dead leaves in Amacayacu National Park, Colombia

A snow leopard looks for prey in the Himalayas

This Peppered Moth has found the perfect hiding place on a rock

A Righteye Flounder camouflages himself on the ocean floor

A Katydid blends into foliage in Costa Rica

This Leaf Katydid looks like part of the forest floor in San Cipriano Reserve, Colombia

A Vietnamese Mossy Frog is perfectly adapted to his surroundings

The Great Potoo hides in a tree in Brazil as it searches for food

A pair of Glass Frogs shelter in foliage at Manu National Park, Peru

This Mossy Leaf-tailed Gecko is a master of disguise in Montagne dAmbre National Park, Madagascar

There's a Leaf Frog in there somewhere

dailymail.co.uk

15 Winners Of the National Geographic Photo Contest 2011

2011-12-22T16:12:00.007+07:00

After receiving more than 20,000 photo submissions from over 130 countries, the National Geographic Photo Contest 2011 concluded last month and the judging began.

The winners were announced this week, with the grand prize awarded to Shikhei Goh for his capture of a dragonfly riding out a rainstorm in Indonesia. Goh was awarded $10,000 and a trip to the National Geographic Photography Seminar next year. National Geographic has shared the following winning photos (and honorable mentions) from this year's contest here. All captions and photos are by the individual photographers.

Also see: Photo Entries of National Geographic Photo Contest 2011

"Splashing", Grand Prize Winner and winner of the Nature category. This photo was taken when I was taking photos of other insects, as I normally did during macro photo hunting. I wasn't actually aware of this dragonfly since I was occupied with other objects. When I was about to take a picture of it, it suddenly rained, but the lighting was just superb. I decided to take the shot regardless of the rain. The result caused me to be overjoyed, and I hope it pleases viewers. Location: Batam, Riau Islands, Indonesia. (© Shikhei Goh)

"Flying Kites", honorable mention in Places category. Kite battle at Santa Marta ghetto, Rio de Janeiro. For many years, the kites were used to alert the drug dealers when their enemies were coming. The place was a "war zone" controlled by traffickers that were in constant conflicts against each other to control the drug market. A few years ago, Santa Marta was occupied by the Pacifier Police Division, which released the population from the traffic domination. Location: Santa Marta, Rio de Janeiro (© Felipe Carvalho)

"The Fjellman Family", winner of the People Category. One shot and the reindeer is dead. The Sámi family Fjellman, which lives in Arjeplog, northern Sweden, now have food on their table. In the early autumn they slaughter a couple of their reindeer for food during the cold winter months. Location: Arjeplog, Lapland, Sweden. (© Izabelle Nordfjell)

"Sulfuric Fire Festival", honorable mention in Places category. Once a year, Formosa fishermen's unique sulfuric fire fishing ritual is handed down from generation to generation. Location: Taipei (© Hung-Hsiu Shih)

"Blue Pond & First Snow", honorable mention in Nature category. The blue pond of the famous tourist resort. This is a place where many tourists gather in spring, summer, and autumn. However, since this pond freezes in winter, nobody is there during that period. This photograph is the moment of the first snow of the season falling on that blue pond. We can see the first snow of the season beginning at the end of October. Why is the pond blue? Because the underground hot spring ingredient is gushing. This blue pond changes color every day. I think that mystical blue and pure white snow are beautiful. All are nature's tints. Location: Biei, Hokkaido, Japan. (© Kent Shiraishi)

"Cyber Monsoon", honorable mention in Places category. A torrential monsoon rain in Bhaktapur, Nepal. (© Anuar Patjane)

"Panic in the Pan", honorable mention in Nature category. I was leading a photographic safari in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. It was midday and we came across a dazzle of zebras approaching a waterhole to quench their thirst. Every few minutes the zebras will enter the water to drink, just to panic and scatter out of the water again. Location: Serengeti National Park, Tanzania (© Marius Coetzee)

"Sunrising Jellyfish", honorable mention in Nature category. Jellyfish (Cotylorhiza tuberculata) drifting just beneath the surface, looking to capture the first sunrays to trigger their symbiotic algae to produce energy for it. Location: Mar Menor coastal lagoon, Murcia province, Spain (© Angel Fitor)

"Auburn Pride", honorable mention in People category. Young men driving into a patch of reflected light along Auburn Road. Part of a larger personal project documenting the western Sydney suburb of Auburn. The series provides a glimpse into the life of the next generation of Australians living in Auburn, peering behind the veil of this little-known side of society. Auburn is a small suburb in Sydney's west, a landing point for many migrants and refugees when they first arrive in Australia. Location: Sydney, Australia (© George Voulgaropoulos)

"Zombies, Brisbane", honorable mention in People category. A young family dressed as zombies in Brisbane, Queensland. Each year around Halloween time a gathering of people dressed as zombies walks through the city in an effort to raise money for the Brain Foundation of Australia. Location: Brisbane, Australia. (© Lisa Clarke)

"Waterway to Orbit", honorable mention in Places category. Space shuttle Endeavour STS-130 launches into orbit toward the east, as the stars and waning crescent moon trail toward the west, leaving a beautiful reflection on the Intracoastal Waterway in Ponte Vedra, Florida. This 132-second time exposure of the final night launch of a space shuttle, from launch through SRB separation, was taken 115 miles north of Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Location: Ponte Vedra, Florida (© James Vernacotola)

Beluga whales in the arctic having fun. Viewers' Choice winner in the Nature category. (© Dafna Ben Nun)

"From Up Here", honorable mention in People category. Stephen "ST 2 Lettaz" Harris, and David "Yung Clova" Williams make up the Huntsville rap duo G-Side. I took this photo of them on tour, conducting a cell phone interview with a journalist on a fire escape in Manhattan. The photo speaks to the "D.I.Y." nature of the current independent music scene. Digital technology has played a big role in G-Side's business strategy, enabling them to use the Internet and viral word of mouth to build a diverse international fan base. G-Side released a track in 2011 called "Nat Geo." Location: Manhattan, NY, USA (© Helen Pearson)

"Into the Green Zone", winner in the Places category. A beautiful rainbow after the rain, into the green zone of the Palawan Islands. Location: Onuk island, Balabac Palawan, Philippines (© George Tapan)

"The Hunt", honorable mention in Nature category. I personally believe that, beyond the formal representation of reality, mediated by the technical instruments necessary to fix an image in time, photography is made of insights. The shot is the last act of image capturing and in many ways the easiest part of the whole process. This panning effect, even in its imperfection, with the chromatic harmony of the background, with all the needless information eliminated and the luck of having the big cat's lifted tail in symmetry with the impala horns, brings the observer inside the hunting without distractions. Location: Kenya, Masai Mara National Reserve (© Stefano Pesarelli)

theatlantic.com

New Floor of Google's Office In London Has To Be One Of The Trendiest In The World

2011-12-21T15:08:00.009+07:00

Google needs its engineers to come up with brilliant ideas, and to help them do that apparently a work environment like the Big Brother House will do the trick.

The search giant’s London headquarters in Victoria covers three floors. But last November some of its 350 staff began using a revamped engineering floor - called L4 - that has to be one of the trendiest in the world.

Nelson Mattos, Google’s Vice President of Engineering, said: ‘We hire the brightest and best engineers in the UK and put them together in a highly creative, relaxed and exciting environment.’

When Google set about creating it, they started with a completely blank canvas.

All the walls were knocked through and the furniture taken away.

A Google worker hoping for inspiration

Cushions are all-important at Google

One of the ultra trendy meeting rooms in the London office

The Coffee Lab serves 19 blends

Google's corridors look very futuristic

For bigger team talks bosses can use this state-of-the-art suite

The office is designed to be completely stress free

Google workers are treated to a pool table and games consoles

Unconventional seating is a must at Google

Workers can even write ideas down on white boards in the corridors

One of the many relaxation areas in L4

A picture of a spaceship from Star Wars adorns one of the meeting-room walls

Workers can always tune out with a pair of headphones if they're being distracted

There's no diary room, but L4 does have futuristic meeting pods

May the force be with them: Programmers are encouraged to play with toys

Perhaps Google Googled 'trendy office' for inspiration

The next Google Doodle?

One hull of an office: The resident rowing boat

L4 is paradise for creative thinkers

Hi-tech video conferencing is a cinch at L4

Two workers admire their new super-clean office environment

All white on the night: There aren't many dark corners at Google

Global headquarters: The Googleplex headquarters in San Francisco is also quirky

dailymail.co.uk

20 Unique McDonald's Sandwiches Around The World

2011-12-19T14:21:00.004+07:00

Big Bulgogi Burger -- South Korea

Bulgogi, literally fire meat in Korean, is a traditional marinated barbecue beef that is simply put, absolute mouth-watering deliciousness. McDonald's put their spin on the Korean favorite by sandwiching two pork patties in a hamburger bun, slathering it with bulgogi sauce, and calling it a day.

Le Croque McDo -- France & Belgium

McDonald's version of the classic croque monsieur, the Croque McDo is a favorite amongst francophiles. Two slices of Emmental cheese and a slice of ham are squashed between toast and pressed in a sandwich maker, creating a gooey, fondue-like ham and cheese.

McShawarma And McKebab

These Middle Eastern favorites are fixtures all over the globe. McDonald's in Israel features barbecued beef on a lafa and pita. Both are served with a small Middle Eastern-style salad.

Veggie McCurry Pan -- India

Fun Fact: India is the only country in the world where McDonald's does not serve beef. That means no Big Mac, and no Quarter Pounder. A moment of silence, if you please. Instead, vegetarian favorites like the McCurry Pan, a rectangular-shaped crust topped with curry, broccoli, baby corn, mushrooms and bell peppers and baked till crisp are common fare. Other favorites include the Chicken Maharaja Mac, Big Spicy Paneer Wrap (which should be the only kind of paneer wrap) and McAloo Tikki.

McFalafel - Egypt

McDonald's Egypt offers a falafel sandwich that rivals a Big Mac any day. The falafel patties are shaped to look like burgers and drenched in the ever-present secret sauce that seems to pop up everywhere, from Europe to NYC halal carts. After inquiring, I found out the sauce was a not-so-mysterious but delicious tahini-garlic dressing.

McSatay -- Indonesia

Satay Friday is a sacred holiday here at Food Republic Headquarters.

McPork -- Japan

McPork -- a basic hamburger with a pork instead of beef patty -- and then maybe some green tea and a red bean ice cream sundae, which is not such a bad thing.

Samurai Pork Burger -- Thailand

Cousin to the Japanese McPork, the Samurai is Thailand's answer to population that leans swine-wise and favors pork to beef any day.

McKroket -- The Netherlands

McDonalds goes Dutch in the Netherlands with the McKroket, a deep fried roll stuffed with chili.

McTurco & Kofteburger -- Turkey

Recently we've waxed poetic on the virtues of the underexposed Turkish cuisine, and told you about our love affair with Turkey's Wet Burger. Although McDonalds' McTurco and Kofteburger (meatball) don't come close to our beloved Islak burger, we'll choose them over a Big Mac any day. Besides, it's been many moons since any of us were able to make a kofte without stuffing it with mozzarella.

McLobster -- Canada

The idea of McDonald's serving shellfish makes us a little quesy, but why not give the Canadians a shot with the McLobster -- eh? It may not be up to the standards of lobster purists, but it should tide you over until summer in the Hamptons. Snob.

McOz -- Australia

Traditional Australian hamburgers usually include cheese, beetroot, pineapple, a fried egg (usually with a runny yolk) and bacon. McDonald's down under created a fusion between the classic Americano and the Aussie with their McOz by including beetroot in an otherwise classic Big Mac.

Kiwi Burger -- New Zealand

In New Zealand the McOz is taken up a notch by throwing in a fried egg. Voila: the Kiwiburger.

Mince Pie -- UK

During the holiday season, McDonald's all over the UK offer the traditional British favorite. The savory pies are made with ground beef and classic holiday flavors: cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

The Nürnburger -- Germany

The specialty on a roll is Drei im Weggla, a trio of small, spiced sausages. McDonald's take also includes a sausage trio with a smear of mustard.

The Greek Mac -- Greece

The Greek Mac swaps out the original Big Mac's secret sauce and famed sesame seed bun for a pita and yogurt.

McCriollo -- Colombia

McCriollo is Latin America's answer to the Egg McMuffin. Almost exactly the same, the only difference is a beefed-up bun in place of the classic English muffin.

McEmpanada Con Queso -- Chile

In Chile, fries can be subbed with empanadas. The Chileans are onto something, and the Colombians seem to agree.

McSpam -- Hawaii

Spam is often referred to as the "Hawaiian Steak." Not by us, though. McDonald's in Hawaii offers a Spam breakfast in an attempt to offer authentic Hawaiian fare.

The Flaming Hot Doritos Quarter Pounder -- Mexico

In 2010, McDonald's Mexico added the Flaming Hot Doritos Quarter Pounder, basically a quarter pounder souped up with layer of Flaming Hot Doritos and a healthy smear of guacamole. Taco Bell followed suit, and has recently come up with Doritos Tacos Locos.

huffingtonpost.com

Perspective Photography Turns Holiday Photos To Artworks

2011-12-15T14:21:00.003+07:00

Among the stunning shots complied by environmentalgraffiti.com is a playful holiday snap which shows a giant tourist holding a woman over water at the Perito Moreno glacier in the Argentine region of Patagonia with just one hand.

Nova Scotia's Peggy's Cove is the backdrop for another on the list, with a woman appearing to tower over its classic red-and-white lighthouse.

Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia provides the perfect setting for photographers keen to test out their perspective-bending skills, two examples manipulating the perception of size in this collection have been taken in the region, one with a giant banana large enough for two people to sit on.

The Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida is the launch pad for both of these visual gags

The vast, expansive landscapes of the world’s largest salt plains have few features to shatter the illusion of big objects appearing small or small objects big, says writer Karl Fabricius who compiled the pictures.

A giant tourist holds a woman over water at the Perito Moreno glacier in the Argentine region of Patagonia with just one hand

A woman touches the top of a lighthouse at Nova Scotia's Peggy's Cove

The world’s largest salt plains of Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia provides the perfect setting for photographers keen to test out their perspective-bending skills

This example shows a woman blowing out the steam from the Old Faithful, Yellowstone's most famous geyser

With the creative camera work, the photographers have been able to pull the wool over the eyes of human perception even making a little girl appear to stand over the Eiffel Tower.

dailymail.co.uk

Dancing Geckos

2011-12-08T14:04:00.004+07:00

Like a lizard version of Strictly Come Dancing, these geckos look like they are getting into the party season.

Photographed by 37 year old Shikhei Goh, the geckos are his pets.

'I wanted to break out of the mould of traditional insect and flower macro photography,' said Shikhei

Photographed on a glass sheet with a simple black background, it seems they're busting some moves on a mirrored dance floor.

'I take the photos in the early evening with some additional lighting to create the right effect,' said Shikhei.

telegraph.co.uk

Christmas Trees Around The Globe

2011-12-06T16:06:00.006+07:00

Workers in Beirut decorate a Christmas tree with the message 'Merry Christmas and Happy New Year' in three languages: English, French and Arabic.

David Cameron, the British prime minister, turns on the Christmas tree lights at No 10 Downing Street in London.

A tree on the ground floor of the Galeries Lafayette department store in Paris.

Hundreds of people gather on the traditional Christmas market of Frankfurt, Germany, that was opened with the lighting of the tree.

Thai workers decorate a giant Christmas tree in a shopping mall in Bangkok.

People gather in front of the 30-metre high tree during the lighting ceremony in central Sofia, Bulgaria.

An employee of Japanese jeweller Tanaka Kikinzoku Jewelry unveils a 150 million yen (£1.2m) Christmas tree in Tokyo.

Visitors walk by a giant Christmas pyramid at the Christmas market in Berlin.

A worker installs a steel tree outside a shopping mall in Beijing.

The Rockefeller centre Christmas tree in New York City.

A street vendor dressed as Minnie Mouse sells balloons by Puerta del Sol Square's Christmas tree in Madrid.

A Christmas tree built of Lego bricks is on display at St. Pancras International station in London.

David Oakley, curator of the Christmas display for the Royal Collection, puts the finishing touches to a tree that is suspended from the ceiling at Windsor Castle.

The giant tree in Strasbourg's Christmas market.

A trumpeter plays during the illumination of the Christmas tree and opening of the Christmas market in Prague.

Fireworks explode over an 85-metre-long floating Christmas tree at the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro.

An illuminated tree stands in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

Fireworks light up the sky to launch the Christmas tree display along a bay walk in Palawan city, Philippines.

The White House tree is displayed in the Blue Room of the White House in Washington.

A Norwegian Christmas tree lights up Trafalgar Square.

The National Christmas Tree is pictured with the White House in the background in Washington DC

A girl poses for photographs in front of a Christmas tree decorated with teddy bears in Seoul, South Korea.

guardian.co.uk

A Dolphin's Head Tatoo On Amputee Arm

2011-12-03T14:54:00.002+07:00

Heine Braeck, 33, from Sarpsborg, Norway, has been without an right arm since he lost it during a freak accident when he was 13. Now he has decided to make the stump look like a dolpin's head with the help of Bulgarian tattooist Valio Ska.

huffingtonpost.co.uk

15 Beautiful Photos From Google Street View

2011-11-28T15:32:00.004+07:00

Google's Street View camera cars can sometimes capture unbelievable landscapes and moments, as Pittsburgh-born photographer Aaron Hobson discovered when scouting for locations around Los Angles using Google Street View for a new project. After getting addicted to Google Street View, Hobson began exploring other places around the globe for amusement. Soon he had amassed a collection of Street View shots of the loneliest and most isolated places on earth.

After hours and hours of driving through empty countrysides, tundras, and deserts, I began to put together a dozen or more locations that matched my aesthetic appeal and narrative. I decided to turn my gaze outward at the world and the isolation of other people and places through the Google technology. This process is about the amazing technology of Google Street View and the places it has allowed anyone with a computer and internet access to explore. I am trying to share remote locations of splendor and beauty, places of isolation where life is difficult and slower being so far removed from large societies.

“The first hint that they’re not his photos is that when you take a closer look, you realize that any faces captured in these photos are blurred out”, writes Nancy Messieh on TheNextWeb. “Aaron is simply curating these photos, taken by the mechanical eye of Google Street View cars.”

Below are some images from the GSV Cinemascapes photoset. Be sure to check out his website for more. And if you liked these, you will also like Jon Rafman’s collection of interesting images found on Google Street View.

Dearagon, Spain

Morrone Del Sannio, Italy

Inverallochy, Scotland

Capetown, South Africa

Prejmer, Romania

Route 17, South Africa

Sao Joao Del Rei, Brazil

nedhardy.com, amusingplanet.com

7 Craziest Human's 'Extra' Body Parts

2011-11-24T14:32:00.004+07:00

The Scientific Journal of Dermatology reported on a rare case of a 22-year-old woman with a nipple on the bottom of her foot, complete with the works -- breast tissue, areola, and hair. The condition, which is the first of its kind occurring on a foot, is called Supernumerary Breast Tissue or SBT. While she has had her vestigial foot nipple since birth, it has grown over the years to be about four centimeters in diameter.

Zhang Ruifang, 101, of a village in China, stunned family and neighbors when she sprouted a mysterious goat horn on her forehead. It grew more than two inches in length and then another began to emerge on the other side of her forehead.

Twenty-year-old furniture maker, Wang Yongjun lost the tip of his finger when working with an electric saw. Eeek! His doctor had to make a snap decision to save the finger with this unusual technique -- making a faux umbilical cord-type thingy to restore blood flow to the tip of the digit and help regenerate a new finger. In a month from now, the wounded finger will be birthed from his stomach, good as new. Whaaa! That is insane.

Liu Hua of Shanghai has the world's largest hand weighing in at 22 pounds.

This baby boy in China was born with two left arms. Jie-jie is the first child on record to have such an unusually well-formed third arm.

Deepak Kumar Paswaan of India was born with the arms, legs, and butt of a parasitic twin literally protruding from his chest. He's since had the extra body parts surgically removed.

So, lots of humans have been born with tails, but Moscow man, Oleg Polovski can WAG his.

thefrisky.com

Photo Entries of National Geographic Photo Contest 2011

2011-11-22T14:53:00.014+07:00

The deadline for entries for this year's National Geographic Photo Contest is November 30. Photographers of all skill levels (last year more than 16,000 images submitted by photographers from 130 countries) enter photographs in three categories: Nature, People and Places. The photographs are judged on creativity and photographic quality by a panel of experts. There is one first place winner in each category and a grand prize winner as well. The following is a selection of 54 entries from each of the 3 categories. The caption information is provided and written by the individual photographer.

More photos @Boston.com

LONE TREE YELLOWSTONE: A solitary tree surviving another harsh winter in Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

IS HE STILL THERE?!: A little gecko, hidden between the ridges of the leaf. Holualoa big Island, Hawaii

LANDSCAPE IN THE RAIN: It was raining heavily when I took the photo, but the sun illuminated the landscape parochially. Bergueda, Catalonia, Spain.

WINTER LOLLIPOPS: Winter is extremely beautiful in Lithuania. It was an early morning and minus 25 degrees Celsius outside.

MOSAIC: Patterns of sea stars as exquisite mosaics, attractive, and each time is different. Cambodia

DUNBAR: Two elements. Water and rock. Motion and tranquility. Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland.

FLIGHT OF AN EAGLE OWL: A large adult eagle owl in flight. Lingfield, Surrey, UK.

CONFRONTING: Cage divers confront a great white shark on the Isla de Guadalupe.

NONI NECTAR FOR GREEN GECKO: Madagascar Gold Dust Day Gecko licking nectar from a young noni fruit in Kailua, Hawaii.

FLESH AND BONES: In a world where no one understands the importance of nature, all that is left of our nature is just these flesh & bones. Toronto, Canada.

ATACAMA SUNSET: Setting sun lights up clouds over Salar de Atacama in north Chile.

LOVE OF PARENTS: The emperor penguins fight for survival and to protect their only baby in the frozen Antarctic ice desert. Antarctica: Atka Bay, Weddell Sea.

THE CLOUD: At safari not only animals can attract attention. South Africa, Western Cape, Aquila Safari park.

NIGHT TIME HAMMERHEAD: Curious hammerhead at dusk. Cat Key, Bahamas.

RHEA'S PORTRAIT: A different angle from an American Rhea (Rhea americana) seen in Pantanal, Brazil, on a cloudy day. Pantanal, Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

WILDEBEEST CROSSING: Beautiful mayhem. Masai Mara, Kenya.

SAND SPHERES: The food filtered 2-3mm sand ball creations of a tiny Sand Bubbler Crap. Done so that it knows which sand has been filtered for food. Daintree Rainforest region, Cairns, Austrailia.

OXPECKER'S PUZZLE: I've always been intrigued by the markings of giraffes--how they vary between individuals and how they look like pieces of a puzzle. South Africa.

GOOD MORNING: Jabulani the elephant greeting his caretaker, Stavros Chakoma, before heading out on safari. Kapama Game Reserve, Kruger region of South Africa.

CLASH OF CIVILISATIONS: Walking down a main street in Addis, I met this young character. We started talking and soon became friends. One day, he invited me to his home to try some famous Ethiopian coffee, prepared traditionally.

YUENGLING, 2011: This is the first photo that I took of my friend, Robert, when he got back from serving in Afghanistan for one year. He didn't talk much. We just sat together, and he showed me what he was feeling when I put my camera in front of him.

DUSK IN THE BALE MOUNTAINS: A kitten and an elderly woman stand outside their hut deep in the subalpine Bale Mountains of southeastern Ethiopia. Bale Mountains, Ethiopia.

SUMMER AT GRANNY'S: This is a heart-shaped stawberry in the hand of my grandmother. Love is the message. Gyula, Hungary.

DAY OF YOUTH: Muslim girls at the day of the youth on the 11th of February. The girls are walking in a procession to the mayor of the village and are singing about the power of Cameroon. Lagdo, Cameroon.

SUNBATHING UNDERWATER: The sun gives us energy even underwater. This image was captured during freediving (diving on a single breath without scuba gear) in the Red Sea. Eel Garden, Dahab, Sinai, Egypt.

UNTITLED: Children filled with happiness playing in the water. Brazil.

WEATHERED HANDS: The Kara women collect the water, cook for family, harvest the fields, make the clothing, and are the backbone of the tribe. Omo River Valley, Ethiopia.

THE PENITENTS: The day of Friday, there is the traditional procession of penitents through the village streets beating their backs with the discipline of rings and metal plates. San Lorenzo Maggiore, Benevento, Italy.

THE UNTOLD STORY: A young Afghan refugee girl living, with her family, in a village named Bhaun near district Chakwal in Punjab, Pakistan. Village Bhaun, Punjab, Pakistan.

WRESTLER'S HANDS: A wrestler at the US Olympic Training facility in Colorado Springs, CO, stops to rest and catch his breath after a hard training session. Colorado Springs, CO.

AUBURN PRIDE: Young men driving into a patch of reflected light along Auburn Rd. Part of a larger personal project documenting the western Sydney suburb of Auburn. The series provides a glimpse into the life of the next generation of Australians living in Auburn.

ROSA: My 89-year-old Great Aunt sits in the living room of her second floor apartment. Philadelphia, PA.

CHILDHOOD: When does childhood become adulthood? When does snack time become lunch at your desk? When did safety shift from blankies to insurance? When did magic turn into illusion? Childhood. When the whole world is magic. Portland, Oregon.

FLAT OCEAN: Just before a huge monsoon downpour, the ocean became flat as I have never seen before. Makassar, Indonesia.

THE PIGEON FEEDERS: Photographs taken at the entrance to the New Mosque in Eminonu districkt of Istanbul.

FALLING LEAVES: This photo was taken in Bruges, Belgium in September in 2011. Bruges, Belgium (Brugge).

NATURAL LANDSCAPE PAINTING: The Landmannalaugar is probably one of the most impressive place in Iceland, a popular tourist destination. Located near the volcano Hekla in southern section of Iceland's highlands.

NEW ORLEANS STREETCAR: This is a streetcar in New Orleans traveling back towards The Quarter on St. Charles Ave.

The Origin of Angry Birds

2011-11-22T14:45:00.001+07:00

buzzfeed.com, via gusnyc.tumblr.com

Benetton's Controversial Ads: World Leaders Are Shown Kissing

2011-11-19T15:04:00.003+07:00

World leaders are shown kissing in digitally manipulated images that are part of Benetton's new "unhate" ad campaign promoting tolerance. The retailer withdrew an advertisement using an image of Pope Benedict kissing an imam on the mouth after the Vatican protested at its inappropriate 'shock value.'

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

President Barack Obama kissing Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez

U.S. President Barack Obama and China's President Hu Jintao

Pope Benedict XVI and Dr. Ahmed al Tayyeb, the grand sheikh of Cairo's Al Azhar Mosque. This image was pulled from the campaign after a complaint by the Vatican.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak.

The Vatican says it is taking legal action to prevent the publication of a photo montage showing the pope kissing a leading imam as part of a Benetton advertising campaign.

A man strolls in front of the Benetton store in downtown Rome November 16, 2011.

news.yahoo.com

Gigantic World Map Made From Recycled Computer Components

2011-11-17T14:56:00.004+07:00

British artist Susan Stockwell has completed a gigantic world map(21 feet x 13 feet), the map made from recycled computer components for the University of Bedfordshire. The piece uses motherboards, electrical wiring, fans, and myriad other components.

likecool.com

Terrible Bumper Stickers

2011-11-14T13:48:00.003+07:00

The bumper sticker has never been a medium for high art, but one could argue that a select few have achieved relative greatness. We've all seen that one that nearly made us run off the road as we tried to get close enough to snap a picture of it.

Of course, more often than not, those bumper-sticker-related auto collisions are caused by the stupid, reprehensible or otherwise baffling examples of the art form. In honor of bad taste, we gathered a small selection of our favorite, terrible bumper stickers, so you can enjoy them while you're NOT driving.

huffingtonpost.com

10 Funny Photos Of Faces and Expressions Of Frightened Folks At A Haunted House

2011-11-11T15:43:00.003+07:00

thefrisky.com

Meet The No.1 Fan of Shah Rukh Khan

2011-11-08T14:19:00.003+07:00

Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan has a legion of fans all over the world, but not many will be able to beat Vishal Singh's obsession with the star.

The 38-year-old Indian businessman has plastered every square inch of his house with Khan's pictures and spent his honeymoon waiting outside the actor's house in Mumbai, hoping to catch a glimpse of his idol.

Singh's house is a shrine to Khan. There are cutouts of Khan on the ceiling, the television and even on cushions. Singh has even changed his name to Vishahrukh Khan.

His family was initially less than impressed with his adoration of the star, Singh said. "My parents were very worried about me, but now they know that my love for Shah Rukh will never end," he added.

Khan has met his fan several times, including on Singh's honeymoon, when Singh drove more than 800 miles with his wife to Mumbai. Khan has not returned the favor as yet, though he has promised to visit Singh's home.

Imran and Aryan Singh sit in a room of their home in Lucknow.

Vishal Singh walks out to the terrace of his house in Lucknow, India, on October 24. Singh is a fan of the Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan and has plastered every square inch of his house with Khan's pictures.

Ruchi Singh, wife of Vishal Singh, speaks on the phone in their bedroom.

Simran, left, and Aryan, children of Vishal Singh, relax in their bedroom, which their father has decorated with photos of Shah Rukh Khan.

Vishal Singh sits in his living room with his wife Ruchi Singh, daughter Simran and son Aryan.

A photograph of the Singh family sits on a table in front of a wall filled with posters of Shah Rukh Khan.

photoblog.msnbc.msn.com

The Big Pictures of Population Seven Billion

2011-11-01T14:16:00.012+07:00

The United Nations Population Fund estimates that in one week, on October 31, 2011, the world's population will reach 7 billion. Just 200 years ago, there were only 1 billion people on the planet, and over the next 150 years, that number grew to 3 billion. But in the past 50 years, the global population has more than doubled, and the UN projects that it could possibly grow to 15 billion by the year 2100. As the international organization points out, this increasing rate of change brings with it enormous challenges. Meeting the basic needs of so many will mean growing, shipping, and distributing more food while providing more clean water, health care, and shelter -- all without inflicting too much further damage on our environment.

A baby gestures minutes after he was born inside the pediatric unit at hospital Escuela in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on October 21, 2011. According to Honduras' health authorities, about 220,000 babies are born in Honduras each year and the cost of having a baby delivered at the public hospital is $10.

A densely populated neighborhood in West Delhi, India, seen from above via Google Earth.

A view of deforestation on Indonesia's Sumatra island. Indonesia and Australia launched a $30 million project to fight deforestation in Sumatra as part of efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and boost a planned forest-carbon trading scheme in 2010. Photo taken on August 5, 2010.

A long abandoned farmhouse sits in open fields near Osoyoos, British Columbia, on September 24, 2011. British Columbia has one of the largest collection of ghost towns or derelict communities in Canada. Many are past mining dreams that harvested copper, silver and gold and are either gone without a trace or lie in ruins ravaged by time.

Public residential buildings are seen in Po Lam, one of the "satellite towns" in Hong Kong, on September 14, 2011. This southern Chinese city is described as a concrete forest, famous for the number of high-rise commercial and residential towers. About 25 percent of the world's tallest 100 residential buildings stand in the territory.

Young sea gypsies play in the water in the center of their neighborhood in the Sulawesi Sea in Malaysia's state of Sabah, on February 17, 2009. A community of 30 families of the indigenous ethnic group of sea gypsies maintain a nomadic and sea-based life without fresh water supply, TV nor electricity, and only go to land to bury the dead.

Family members of Ziona pose for a group photograph in Baktawng village in the northeastern Indian state of Mizoram, on October 7, 2011. Ziona is the head of a religious sect called "Chana," which allows polygamy and was founded by his father Chana in 1942. Ziona has 39 wives, 94 children and 33 grandchildren. He lives in his 4 story 100-room house with 181 members of his family

Marie and Gabrielle Vaudremer, a pair of 101-year-old Belgian twins, hold hands as they celebrate their birthday at the Chateau Sous-Bois retirement home in Spa, on October 2, 2011. Marie and Gabrielle were born in 1910 and are the world's oldest pair of twin sisters, according to the Guinness World Records.

A farmer walks past a terrace of codonopsis pilosula, a traditional Chinese medicine also known as dang shen, in Min county, Gansu province, on May 31, 2011. Rows of white plastic shields have been installed to protect the roots of the dang shen to keep it warm and moist. Commonly used as a cheaper substitute for ginseng, the herb is believed to lower blood pressure, boost one's immune system and improve appetite.

Cars cross a street in Mong Kok district in Hong Kong, on October 4, 2011. Mong Kok has the highest population density in the world, with 130,000 in one square kilometer.

Katy and her husband Facundo practice her breathing during a swimming pool prenatal course run by the private Aquamater clinic in Caracas, Venezuela, on October 1, 2011. Aquamater opened in 1999 and is the first center specializing in waterbirths in Venezuela. It aims to advise couples, who pay a fee, on techniques for breastfeeding, pain relief and different ways of giving birth.

A group made up mostly of unmarried men poses for a photograph in the remote village of Siyani, about 140km (86 miles) west of Gujarat's capital of Ahmedabad, India, on October 5, 2011. Siyani is typical of many Indian villages and may be an indicator of things to come as India's male to female ratio declines. The village has some 350 unmarried men over the age of 35 - and hundreds more under 35 - because there aren't enough women to marry. Many women have also left to look elsewhere for grooms with more money and better prospects. Census data released earlier this year revealed there are 914 girls for every 1,000 boys born - a sharp fall since 2001 when the ratio was 933 girls for every 1000 boys.

Motorists crowd at a junction during rush hour in Taipei, on October 29, 2009. There are more than 8.8 million motorcycles and 4.8 million cars on Taiwan's roads and nearly all motor vehicles and inhabitants are squeezed into a third of the island's area.

Men look at the overflowing Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam on Narmada river at Kevadia Colony, some 200 kms from Ahmedabad, India, on August 29, 2011. The dam is one of India's most controversial dam projects and its environmental impact and net costs and benefits are widely debated.

The crowded maternity ward of the government-run Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila, Philippines, on June 1, 2011. The ward, the busiest in the country, sees an average of 60 births every day. The Philippines' population growth rate of around 2.0 percent is above Southeast Asia's average of around 1.7 percent, with an estimated 200 babies born every hour. Lack of a national policy on birth control and access to modern family planning methods - frowned upon by the powerful Catholic church - are some of the factors that have led to the country's population ballooning to nearly 100 million, according to various government and private sector estimates, with the Philippines the second most populous nation in the region after Indonesia.

Indian laborers are silhouetted after sunset at a construction site of a new apartment building on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, on October 5, 2011.

Clotilde Boutin of France holds her newborn baby as she looks at her Venezuelan husband Antero Alvarado at the private Aquamater clinic in Caracas, Venezuela, on September 23, 2011.

A German man from Hamburg, who identifies himself only as Yiorgos, smokes a cigarette in his home in the village of Skafi some 500 km north of Athens, Greece, on September 27, 2011. Skafi once had a population of about 45 families but today it is populated by Yiorgos alone in the winter and about a dozen elderly Greeks who come in the summer. Greece's population has shrunk by more than 1 percent over the last 10 years, according to a census carried out earlier this year, thereby bucking the trend of the last few decades.

A farming region in Heilongjiang Province, near Harbin, China, viewed from above via Google Earth.

The sun sets over the Ifo extension refugee camp in Dadaab, near the Kenya-Somalia border, July 31, 2011. The whole of drought- and conflict-wracked southern Somalia remains in a serious food crisis.

A section of Sun City, Arizona, a retirement community near Phoenix, seen from above via Google Earth.

The Dharavi slum in Mumbai, India, at twilight on October 9, 2011. Already the second most populous country with 1.2 billion people, India is expected to overtake China around 2030 when its population soars to an estimated 1.6 billion.

Aron Anderson, 6 plays in the playground at Out Skerries school, on September 23, 2011. Aron is one of only seven children on the entire island.

A view of a residential building in Shanghai, China, on March 18, 2009. Shanghai is currently the most populous city in the most populous nation in the world, home to more than 23 million residents.

Filipinos inspect a site after a retaining wall at a landfill collapsed causing a rubbish-slide due to heavy rains brought on by typhoon Nanmadol in Baguio, north of Manila, on August 28, 2011.

A traditional Mongolian tent near Zuunkharaa city, Selenge province, Mongolia, 200km northeast of Ulan Bator, on October 12, 2011. Mongolia is the world's least densely populated country, with 2.7 million people spread across an area three times the size of France, two-fifths in rural areas on wind swept steppes. According to a 2010 National Population Center census, every year between thirty to forty thousand people migrate from the countryside to the capital Ulan Bator.

An aerial view of the island of Out Skerries, on September 22, 2011. Out Skerries is a tiny, treeless island off the east coast of Scotland where the population is just 65. There are only seven children on the island making the school the smallest in the UK.

Wrecked rickshaws in a dump at Mirpur in Dhaka, bangladesh, on September 23, 2011. Rickshaws far outnumber cars on the streets of many Bangladeshi towns, and they are an important source of income for the country's poor, who often have no other options. Yet the vehicles are a major headache for police, who struggle with licensing and safety issues for the estimated 1 million tricycle rickshaws on the road in Dhaka. Nearly half of all road accidents in the city are believed to involve them.

A pensioner sits in a wheelchair in a long corridor in a residential home for the elderly in Eichenau near Munich, Germany, on June 21, 2011

A cargo train on the Kenya-Uganda railway line travels through the sprawling Kibera slum, one of the largest and poorest slums in Africa and home to about 1 million people, in Kenya's capital Nairobi, on August 26, 2011.

People gather to get water from a huge well in the village of Natwarghad in the western Indian state of Gujarat on June 1, 2003.

A single ger (or yurt, tiny white dot at top left) stands along a dirt road near the broad riverbed of the Tuul River in a remote area of Mongolia, seen from above via Google Earth. The riverbed is over two miles wide at this point.

Residents crowd in a swimming pool to escape the summer heat during a hot weather spell in Daying county of Suining, China, on July 4, 2010.

Favela Joaquim de Queiros, a hillside neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, viewed from above via Google Earth.

A woman takes a photo of relatives in front of graffiti painted by Brazilian artists Val, Cris and Toddy, members of OPNI, an organization that uses graffiti to improve life in the slums, in the Vila Flavia favela of Sao Paulo, on August 27, 2011. OPNI, a Portuguese acronym which means "Unidentified Graffiti Artists", was formed in 1997 by some 20 youths in Sao Paulo's marginal slums with the goal of transforming the streets into an open-air gallery where the community can express its gripes and denounce social injustices.

Cuban neonatologists watch over premature babies in the natal intensive care unit of a public maternity hospital in Gatire on the outskirts of Caracas, Venezuela, on October 5, 2011. The hospital is part of the "Barrio Adentro" program, which is a collaboration between the governments of Venezuela and Cuba, where highly trained Cuban doctors help provide publicly-funded health care for poor and marginalized communities in Venezuela.

Workers remove floating garbage from Three Gorges reservoir area in Yunyang County, China, on October 24, 2010.

The power plant of Kardia, Greece, viewed through a destroyed house in the village of Charavgi, some 500 km north of Athens, on September 29, 2011. According to a May 2007 WWF survey called "Dirty Thirty", the Greek Public Power Corporation's (PPC) power plants of Kardia and Agios Dimitrios are the EU's top two polluting stations. The once flourishing nearby villages of Charavgi and Kleitos have been gradually abandoned since PPC opened the two mines. The company "bought" the villages and relocated residents elsewhere. The only person who now lives in Kleitos is an Indian immigrant, Jangdip Pal, 45, who works as a nightguard at the mine. And only one shepherd and his family live in Charavgi. The power plants produce 70 percent of Greece's electricity.

housands of Bangladeshi Muslims board overcrowded trains as they try to return home after attending a three-day Islamic Congregation on the banks of the river Turag in Tongi, outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, on January 23, 2011. The congregation held each year since 1966, is among the world's largest religious gatherings.

St. Paul's Cathedral is seen among the skyline through the smog in central London on April 22, 2011. A combination of hot weather and still conditions brought on by a high pressure system increased levels of ozone and polluting particles known as PM10s, which can affect people's health.

A nurse fills in documents minutes after a baby was born inside the childbirth unit at hospital Escuela in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on October 21, 2011

People play tennis at a tennis court surrounded by high-rise buildings in downtown Shanghai, China, on November 4, 2010.

theatlantic.com

WTF Pics of The Week

2011-10-31T14:46:00.002+07:00

izismile.com

10 Stunning And Frightening Carved Pumpkins By Ray Villafane

2011-10-29T14:34:00.000+07:00

thefrisky.com

5 Most Googled 2011 Halloween Costumes For Women

2011-10-29T14:20:00.003+07:00

According to Google, there are five pop culture Halloween costumes for women that will be hot this All Hallows' Eve weekend. These outfits are inspired by the year's most popular movies, TV shows, and musicians, but some take a cue from the past. So if you end up donning the same trendy costume as six other ladies at a Halloween party this weekend, don't say we didn't warn you! Find out the top five most-searched women's costumes now!

Playboy Bunny

Even though The Playboy Club didn't last very long, thanks to the show's good and bad publicity, Hef's Playboy bunnies and clubs have been been news fodder of late. Whether women go as the '60s bunnies or the modern ones won't really matter, since not much has changed!

Nicki Minaj

If you've moved on from that other outrageously dressed singer Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj may be your best option. She, too, dons colorful wigs, face-covering accessories, and underwear as clothes.

Smurfette

Thanks to The Smurfs movie with Katy Perry as the voice of Smurfette, this blue cartoon character is a costume trend for both girls and women this year.

Pan Am

Another new retro show is inspiring women this Halloween: Pan Am. This drama harkens back to the days of glamorous flight attendants, who were sexy without the fishnets and push-up bras.

Black Swan

Natalie Portman's award-winning psychological thriller has influenced all kinds of things this past year, from a hilarious Saturday Night Live skit to a Black Swan-inspired wedding. And with the flick's dramatic makeup and ballet costumes it's no surprise it's the top female costume and No. 2 overall most-searched Halloween costume this year (after Angry Birds).

tressugar.com

Stormtrooper: The Fatherhood Life

2011-10-28T14:17:00.007+07:00

You don’t have to be a Star Wars geek to love Stormtroopers. We all do! But in case you were still on the fence, thinking they are evil and mean, these freakin’ brilliantphotos by Stockholm based Kristina Alexanderson might make you reconsider and appreciate them for who the cool, caring and ‘real’ they are. After all, it’s just a job… Check out this great collection of photos after the jump!

Kristina Alexanderson is a Stockholm based Teacher, Project Manager and Star Wars Fan. She’s been photographing Stormtroopers for quite some time already, and her amazing concept and work has been featured on numerous sites and newspapers like The Daily Mail.

diegoguevara.com

Superman Fan Undergoes Plastic Surgeries To Become Superman Look-alike

2011-10-26T14:46:00.005+07:00

Most kids will eventually get over their childhood obsession with comic book superheroes by the time they reach high school, but not Herbert Chavez. This 35-year old Filipino designer is so crazed with Superman that he has undergone several cosmetic surgery for his nose, cheeks, lips and chin down to his thighs and even his skin color to look more like the "Man of Steel."

For more than a decade, Chavez has undergone a series of procedures that have made his nose higher and slimmed down his thighs. He has had surgery on his cheeks, lips and chin, and injections to whiten his skin. He is planning for more operations that will give him more muscular abdomen and even looking forward to having metal inserted in his legs to make him taller. He has designed his own Superman costumes and when not in them, he sports thick, black glasses to assume his idol's nerdier incarnation, mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent.

Herbert Chavez’s admiration began when he was a child and watched Superman lifting a stack of cars on the big screen. He later began collecting Superman memorabilia, amassing a huge collection over the years. Now his house is packed with Superman cups, bed spreads, action figures and life-size Superman statues.

Just like Superman, Chavez has two identities, working during the day as a dress designer and pageant trainer. His Superman persona comes to life after work. People in Calamba, south of Manila, refer to him as the "village superman."

amusingplanet.com

Baby Sleep Positions: "Sorry, No Space For You, Mom & Dad"

2011-10-23T12:59:00.004+07:00

howtobeadad.com

Nail Arts Of Famous Movies and Games

2011-10-17T14:43:00.007+07:00

It's amazing what can be done with nail polish, patience and a lot of toothpicks.

Star Wars

Labyrinth

Gundam Wing

Nightmare Before Christmas

Batman

Tron

Hayao Miyazaki

Star Trek

Cheshire Cat

Harry Potter

Dharma Initiative

WALL-E

Wonder Woman

Toy Story

Angry Birds

Below is by artist Maya Pixelskaya

Jaws

Amelie

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Street Fighter

buzzfeed.com

Horrific Vegetable and Fruit Sculptures

2011-10-12T15:21:00.004+07:00

These skull-ful creations are turning heads across the globe.

Russian artist Dimitri Tsykalov uses an axe, saw and electrical drill to carve human skulls out of fresh fruit and vegetables.

The 48-year-old then uses a scalpel, pincers and cotton wool pads to add and smooth remarkable detail with 'surgical precision'.

Dimitiri - who has carved skulls into an apple, melon, cabbage and aubergine - waits for his sculptures to rot and then photographs them.

dailymail.co.uk

Remembering Steve Jobs: The Funny Cartoons

2011-10-09T13:43:00.004+07:00

Remembering Steve Jobs, 1955-2011.

10 Phenomenal Photographs of Starry Night Sky

2011-10-08T13:46:00.003+07:00

Ben Canales offers up not only stellar night photography, but also a humble and inspirational spirit that encourages other photographers to try it out. Here are 10 examples of his phenomenal work.

Nope, These imags haven't been photoshopped to high heaven to get that milkyway mirroring the mountain. Sure, there's some post-processing involved, but much of it has to do with being in the right place at the right time, and knowing what to do with your camera, as Ben Canales most certainly does.

For more story and video where he teaches us the techniques he uses to get these shots, go to treehugger.com

Incredible Optical Illusions: Artist Ben Heine Blends Pencil, Photography, Imagination and Reality

2011-10-03T14:40:00.008+07:00

You have often heard about art imitating life, but an artist has taken the saying to a whole new level with an incredible collection of drawings that reveal a masterful eye for illusion.

Reality meets fantasy in this amazing series of drawings which are to be exhibited at art shows in London next month.

Using expertly-drawn sketches, Belgian artist Ben Heine blends pencil, photography, imagination and reality - and the results are truly astonishing.

X-ray vision: This man is a little more exposed than he should be in this clever drawing

Chain gang: These worker ants have been magnified as they walk across the twig in this piece

Ben's work is to be exhibited at a number of forthcoming art shows in London next month.

He will feature at the Art London exhibition, at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, from October 6 to October 10; the Affordable Art Fair at Battersea from October 20 to October 23 and Affordable Art Fair in Hampstead between October 27 and October 30.

Hitching a ride: An old-fashioned tram is seen rattling through a quiet street... but there's more to this than meets the eye

Mixed reality: This incredible sketch has captures the boats on the water sitting alongside a mermaid on a rock. A carefully-cut hole in the paper even makes room for the diver as he prepares to launch himself overboard

A hand holds a paper aeroplane

Leap of faith: Tiny men are seen jumping from block to block in this sketch. The drawing makes the apartment blocks on the horizon look like the computer game Tetris

A sits in a swing in the clouds, held aloft by two doves over a mountainous landscape

A dinosaur goes on the rampage... but city dwellers have nothing to fear from this pencil-drawn monster

Trick of the eye: Ben Heine's drawing takes optical illusion to a new level as this floor is turned into a giant chessboard

Here's looking at you: This incredible image breathes new life into this snapshot of three smiling children

'Full of magic, illusion, poetry and surrealism': Pencil Vs Camera mixes drawing, photography, imagination and reality

Dual fuel: This drawing splits the vehicle in two and has tiny toy cars driving through the middle of it

On the box: A quirky take on the BBC Breakfast presenters turn them back into two dimensional figures

Balancing act: A tight rope performer walks among the clouds in this moonlit fantasy

Not even tram lines escape the artist's mischievous eye

Table for one: One lonely panda, looking for companionship, seeks same... but is he really there?

Illusions: Art, imitating life, imitating art... the artist claims his technique is a 'new visual invention'

Great apes: A man is seen turning a camera on human's earliest ancestors, in this humorous take on the theory of evolution

Delicate steps: Those suffering from vertigo should look away now - this creation turns a pavement into a precarious mass of vertiginous blocks

Double vision: You could be forgiven for thinking you were under the influence of alcohol looking at this drawing of a cat

This simple coastal road has been transformed by Ben's technique

What an ass: These two donkeys are given a Heine makeover, complete with crazy sunglasses and thought bubbles

Watch your step! A man with a white stick is seen heading straight towards an open manhole

Fire starter: The flame on this clever drawing is a devil of an illusion

The koala bear could soon be out of time as the flames creep towards the tree it clings to

Skin and bones: A horse and bird are given the Heine treatment in the artist's exhibition

Global warning: This clever sketch gives a volcano an all together more interesting landscape

Two children are seen climbing among the stars in this celestial drawing

Taking in the view: A woman and child peer at some houses below, oblivious to the fact that one of the buildings has bee given a sketchy makeover

A little boy on a tricycle gets the Ben Heine treatment

The camera never lies... or does it? The photographer's eye is met with this fantastical scene

dailymail.co.uk

Beautiful Painting Made With Lips & Lipstick

2011-09-30T14:14:00.003+07:00

These paintings you have before you are made by artist wearing lipstick and kissing the canvas.

bestcutefun.blogspot.com