Thursday, January 1, 2009
11 Animations For You To Waste Time On
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Animations can be fun, creative and timeless. There are hundreds of creative animators out there who create creative and unique short films and flash games, for people to enjoy. There must be at least one animation that you could watch over and over again, right? If you’re bored, or just want to waste some time, try the following eleven animations.
1. Icon War
2. Singing Horses
3. Man in the Dark
4. Human Music
5. Karma
6. Pass the Ball
7. BioMotion Lab
8. Crazy Rabbit
9. Stripes
10. Kenyaaa!
11. Tiny Grow
Top 10 "Useless" Organs
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No. 1 - Male Nipples
Because, why?
No। 2 - Appendix
Darwin claimed the appendix was useful for digestion during our early plant-eating years; it's dwindled down to little since we started eating more digestible foods.
No. 3 - Wisdom Teeth
Back in the day, when we ate mammoth meat off the bone and didn't floss afterward, our teeth tended to fall out. Therefore, when those reserve molars, aka "wisdom teeth," came in they were welcomed. Nowadays, fluoride and dental plans have just made them a huge pain.
No. 4 - Erector Pili
When were hairier (see No. 9), the erector pili made the hairs stand on end when we needed to appear bigger and scarier. Now, it just gives us goose bumps.
No। 5 - Coccyx
More useful as a game-winning Scrabble word than part of the anatomy, the coccyx, or tailbone, is several fused vertebrae left over from the olden days when we had tails.
No. 6 - Tonsils
Also prone to swelling and infection. If you have them by your 30s, it's almost an accomplishment.
No. 7 - Adenoids
Adenoids trap bacteria, but they're also prone to swelling and infection. Just ask any 7-year-old. Luckily, our adenoids shrink with age and are often removed, along with ...
No. 8 - Sinuses
Doctors don't really know much about sinuses, only that we have a lot of them. Possibilities for their function range from insulating our eyes to changing the pitch and tone of our voice.
No. 9 - Body Hair
You may not know it, but you have a third eyelid. Pull open the two more noticeable eyelids and take a look - it's located right in the corner by the tear duct. The third eyelid is left over from what's known as a "nictitating membrane," which is still present in animals like chickens, lizards and sharks.
No. 10 - Plica semilunaris (third eyelid)
You may not know it, but you have a third eyelid. Pull open the two more noticeable eyelids and take a look - it's located right in the corner by the tear duct. The third eyelid is left over from what's known as a "nictitating membrane," which is still present in animals like chickens, lizards and sharks.
The Amazing Hobbit Tree House
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If hobbits lived in the sky, this is probably where they would live – in wooden forest cocoons! Ideal for meditation, relaxation or a quick forest getaway, Free Spirit Spheres in Vancouver Island, Canada has capitalized on our need to burrow – among the tree tops. The wooden or fibreglass spheres are suspended between the trees and can be rented for the night or bought for home use. They not only look amazing but are also fairly luxurious inside.
The idea for the spheres was born from inventor Tom Chudleigh’s need for a permanent space to meditate. He was also searching for a concept that would allow people to move into the forest without having to take it down first by chopping trees to make room for houses. Free Spirit Spheres have been in the news on and off since June 2005, when Chudleigh had two wooden prototypes ready and set up. Since then, he has added fibreglass spheres and individual frames, windows, stairs, etc. to his product list for anyone who wants to build their own sphere.
Half finished sphere
If the sphere’s interiors seem familiar, that’s no coincidence as Chudleigh borrowed heavily from sailboat construction and rigging practice. Each sphere starts with a wooden framework and strips of wood that get attached to the frame to form the walls, which are then sanded down. The door and the windows are cut out next. Then, work on the interiors starts: wiring, insulation, laying the wooden floor, making the cabinets, the bed and seating area. Spheres are either made from local and lightweight woods like cedar and spruce or cast in a fibreglass mould.
Once assembled, the spheres have to be taken to their final destination or a shipping dock, which is usually done by car. They look quite big even on a pick-up truck; though the smaller sphere fits quite well, the bigger sphere seems to dwarf the truck.
Interior of the bigger sphere with small kitchen
Spirit spheres come in two sizes: 9 feet or 2.7 m (called Eve) and 10 ½ feet or 3.2 m (called Eryn) in diameter and weigh around 500 kg. The smaller sphere sleeps one person comfortably and includes a seating area, counter and cabinets. The bigger prototype sleeps three; two on a double bed (with storage drawers underneath) and one on a loft bed. It also has a seating area and a galley with a small refrigerator, sink and microwave.
Raising a sphere is done with a system of ropes and tackles and quite a bit of tree climbing. Spheres are attached by three almost vertical ropes to three separate trees, reducing movement of the sphere while allowing free movement of the trees. It takes a team of three workers a day to raise a sphere and then several more to attach the stairs and the suspension bridge. The whole setup can be dismantled and apparently vanishes without a trace.
Spheres are insulated and come with a heater, allowing them to stay comfortable for temperatures down to –20 degrees Celsius. Imagine lying on the loft bed and watching the night sky through the sky light while being swayed by a gentle breeze – cosy indeed. What greater luxury than undisturbed sleep and dreams that are bound to be excellent. And no need to go anywhere. Well, at least not until nature calls…
But then, a few steps lead down to the composting outhouse. Afterwards, all one has to worry about is whether to go back into the cosy cocoon or to take a stroll in the forest. Those inspired to own a sphere might want to go for a shell (from $6,300) or a do-it-yourself kit ($35,000) as readymade spheres do not come cheap – they start from $45,000 for a fibreglass or $150,000 for a wooden one. Or renting one for $125 and up per night for anyone making a trip to Vancouver Island might be a better alternative.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
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