Here is an enjoyable collection of photos of President Obama doing what he does aboard Air Force One. Check out these snaps to get a glimpse inside his private plane.

Have you ever wanted to make your house more environmentally-friendly and produce it’s own energy by using solar panels on your housing? Here’s the next best thing:

Spray paint isn’t just for graffiti anymore – imagine transforming a whole side of your house into a huge solar panel just by spraying some ink on. It could be a reality in just a few years. Researchers at the University of Texas are working on a method that would make photovoltaic cells much cheaper while allowing them to be sprayed onto virtually any surface. The new technology would use nanoparticle “inks” to capture solar energy and turn it into electricity. The tiny photovoltaics contained in the inks are made of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), sun-absorbing particles 10,000 times thinner than a strand of human hair. They are formed into a solution and sprayed onto a substrate, such as sheets of plastic or stainless steel.

Existing solar cell harvesting technology is so expensive that it’s often cheaper to just use fossil fuels. The team developing this new technology aims to change that by making their spray-on solar collectors much less expensive than conventional silicon photovoltaic cells. The technology will require more work before it’s available commercially, though: currently it only converts 1% of the sunlight that reaches it into electricity. The team’s goal is to raise that conversion rate to at least 10% before the “inks” can be made available. Still, the team expects to have the technology on the market within three to five years.

EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC WIN!!!

This performance, done by Pilobolus, was meant to explain the nature of a relationship. Named “Symbiosis”, the dance group showcased how everything in this world is not only related, but how they evolve together. Watch this breathtaking, weird and fascinating dance.

Knitting and crocheting need not be limited to scarves and hats. Check out these hilarious knits from etsy.com.

All cute ideas from NeedleNoodles and Hansigurumi.

Article by Michael K

Gawker took us back to 2006 by posting these pictures from someone’s Facebook account of Katie Couric celebrating her new job as the anchor of the CBS Evening News by getting all messy on the dance floor. I’ve always known that Dan Rather could smash lights with his crotch thrusts, but who knew Katie Couric could pop that asshole like it’s Groundhog Day!?

Katie is giving FACE, BOOTY, SPAKLE, FACE in all of these pictures. Homegirl definitely has the sweet nectar running through her veins. AND HOW!

I love how she’s just backing her junk up to anything in her way. Make it rain dollars, Katie!

I love it with piano. Completely non-aggressive voice too.

Hey, let’s just throw in another of hers for the fun of it. It’s Saturday, it’s “video-day-because-I’m-lazy-day”.

by Tiffyiffyiffy

Charlotte Lin, one excellent photographer, was visiting Toronto from Quebec and asked to snappy snappy me at the ROM. Here’s how things turned out. When copywriter and photographer unite!!!!

(If you’d like to see the full shot, please click on the enlarged photo.)

A really cool art/design shop. Like Magic Pony, but weirder.

Check out these:

Link me! I’m into weird shit!!!

Chaotic. Grim. Beautiful.

The amount of detail on these renders me speechless and dumbfounded.

The art of Kris Kuksi is wildly unpredictable and are rich creations, ominous in their very amount of detail, often “unspeakable” in a very Lovecraft-ian way, pregnant with the idea that perhaps the world is more twisted than most artists care to admit. Something that Philip K. Dick might have conjured in his worst moments of battling the “demons of the mind”, or Medieval Architects would aspire to, if they were given more creative freedom.

Visit Kris’s website to see more (some images may be nsfw). We asked Kris some questions and he kindly agreed to answer Dark Roasted Blend, and provided us with some additional imagery:

An Exclusive Interview with Kris Kuksi, The Master of Grotesque.

(“The Deadly Sins”)

DRB
How long have you been doing this, and how do you define your genre?

Kris
I started my first one in 2004 called “Parasite and Host”, and from there they have evolved into what I call an appropriated onslaught of shit put together that otherwise shouldn’t be together in order to create a physical world of what is in my head.

DRB
Any connection with works of Hieronymus Bosch, Lovecraft, Clive Barker?

Kris
Bosch was an early favorite of mine, perhaps more so than anyone else. He was well ahead of his time or perhaps he could see more than the other artists at the time.

(“A New Divinity”)

“His works share his thoughts on psychological issues, religious ideology, and aesthetics. Yet he never strays from the honesty within himself though he has had to shed many masks in order to do so. He finds the materialistic world of popular culture as the food for self-indulgence, self-escapism, and shallow-heartedness. Kuksi is obsessed with exposing the illusions we created as a result of fear in our minds…”

(“Macabre Ride”)

(“The Decision”, detail)

(“The Surrealist’s Carnival”)

DRB
What kind of “mixed media” do you use in your sculptures?

Kris
Mixed media is a very simplified term for what materials I use, but the list would be to long for this interview. I use “things”. These things are pre-fabricated, injection-molded, press-molded, mass-produced, kitschy, weird stuff all brought together in a very articulated way that involves imagination, skill, math, craftsmanship, paint, and lastly, magic.

DRB
Do you model them on the computer first?

Kris
No, it is all built in my head first, but the detailing and such is improvised while I build. There are hundreds of possible ways of bringing these things together, but they must have the appeal of a flowing composition with visual balance and an overall pleasing look.

(“Lies & Persuasion”, detail)

“He decides to see things differently in attempts to challenge the perspectives and ways of seeing that society, religion, parents, and governments want us to. He believes all walks of life, all people, all creatures are equal and it is selfish of us to characterize, judge, and punish those we feel are inferior to us. Kuksi wishes that his viewers will at least see things a different way even if it is only a brief while…”

(“Palace of Hedonism”)

“He soon discovered his distaste for the typical and popular culture of American life and felt that he had always belonged to the “Old World”. In personal reflection, he feels that mankind of the West today is an elastic and fragile being driven primarily by greed and materialism.”

(“The House of Fascism”)

Interview from Darkroastedblend.com

An amazing photographers create pieces to capture what it would look like had we superheroes in such trying times.

There are some amazing chocolatiers and candy makers out there. See some of the most creative, odd and of course, delicious works of art.

Where would you exile an inept leader who ruined your country?

Probably as far away as possible! Short of launching him into space, consider this island – the most remote inhabited location on the planet. There are other distant places, but they are uninhabited, mostly barren and unexciting – but here life is established in a very British way, so our world-leader-in-exile would not mess it up so easily, one hopes.

Tristan da Cunha, the Loneliest Island on Earth

When Napoleon was sent to St. Helena by the British, they annexed the closest chain of islands to prevent the French from attempting to rescue him. After all, who wouldn’t travel a mere 2430 km over rough and hostile seas in order to rescue the Emperor himself? Yes, that’s right, the islands of Tristan Da Cunha closest neighboring land mass, the island of St. Helena, is 2430 km away.

The island is so small that cartographers can’t even put it on their maps (not enough resolution). Located in the South Atlantic between Africa and South America, this volcanic outcropping has the honor of being the remotest inhabited island on the planet, and that’s including Antarctica and the North Pole. One of the islands in the archipelago is called “Inaccessible”, which only seems appropriate, together with their motto: “Our faith is our strength”

Tristan Da Cunha is home to a population of 270 very isolated people, with an economy based in the fishing industry. The climate is sub-tropical, with very little variation in temperature from season to season, and it would probably be a pleasant place to stay… if there were more arable land: the only sort-of level bit of land is located at the northwestern edge of the island, and the rest is moutainous and rocky.

The group of islands is a huge volcanic formations which rose out of the South Atlantic about a million years ago. They are located on the edge of the caldera of the very active volcano! In 1961 a cone near the town, Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, began to erupt and the whole community was evacuated to England. After 2 years, an investigation was conducted and it was found that damage was minimal and the residents were allowed to return.

Here are some bonus shots:

Sender-inner, Martha O.

Recently an article was written about Stephen Wiltshire, a fantastic artist who happens to also be autistic. His pieces are nothing short of amazing as you can clearly see below.

What’s more amazing, is this panoramic drawing was produced after Stephen spent a mere 20 min. on a helicopter ride over New York City. What he created afterwards was an  18 ft. panoramic mural of the entire city which he drew completely by memory.

Here’s a quote from MailOnline.

“Listening intently to his iPod throughout the artistic process – because music helps him – London-born Stephen uses only graphic pens as he commits his photographic memory to the high-grade paper.”

Stephen was mute as a child. He didn’t relate to most human beings and could not express himself through words. At age five, he was sent to Queensmill School in London where drawing became the only past time he enjoyed. It soon became apparent the young boy communicated with the world through the language of drawing.

His teachers encouraged him to speak by temporarily taking away his art supplies. Frustrated, Stephen responded with a series of sounds which lead to his first word:  ”Paper.” By 1987, his talent was exhibited on the BBC and he was eventually proclaimed “the best child artist in Britain”.

As he grew older, so did his talent. In fact this panoramic view is only ONE of the many he has done. After this drawing, he went onto sketch Rome, Hong Kong, Madrid, Dubai, Jerusalem and London. Many of them based on 20 min. helicopter rides.

If you’d like to see more of Stephen’s work or learn more about him, click the link below:

Stephen Wiltshire’s Website.

Smoke Art by Dave Barstow.

Check out the craftsmanship on this thing! Wait ’til the ride starts to really see the magic of this beautiful beast.

God, I love Steampunk.

For those of you who aren’t as familiar with the term “Steampunk”, the term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of “the path not taken” of such technology as dirigibles, analog computers, or digitalmechanical computers (such as Charles Babbage’s Analytical engine); these frequently are presented in an idealized light, or with a presumption of functionality.

Click here to ride the Steampunk Carousel.

Tattoo artist Scott Campbell has created this series of laser cut currency, where each stack is formed from one dollar bills. They were part of his Make It Rain solo show at O.H.W.O.W. Gallery. Another artist by the name of Justine Smith, made money sculptures (Grenade/guns/flowers). The artist who did the skyline and historical figure pieces is still unknown.

Done by Magnus Muhr.

Check out this amazing adaptation!

Chris Mitchell has travelled all over the world and eaten all kinds of food. One delicious adventure was to find out how McDonalds customizes their menu to suit the culture of it’s country. Tell us Mike!

Written by Chris Mitchell from www.darkroastedblend.com

McDonald’s Around The World: Marvels Never Cease, Especially in Asia

If you think McDonald’s sells the same burgers and fries everywhere in the world, think again – here in Asia they’ve had to make some concessions to local tastes and come up with some peculiar fast-food variations on Asian favourites.

It all started with the Samurai Pork Burger. I saw this advertised outside a McDonald’s in Bangkok back in 2004 and was somewhat perplexed. Why is it a Japanese name when I’m in Thailand? And what do Samurai have to do with pork? Actually, why is it called Samurai at all? Sadly, I never actually found out any of the answers, but it made me start paying closer attention to McDonald’s every time I went to another country in Asia.

Perhaps more traditional for Thailand, the sThai Spicy Fish McDipper(image above right) are a piscine breadcrumb and chili overload. Incidentally, don’t actually expect to eat your fast food in Thailand fast – you will inevitably be handed your burger but have to wait five minutes for your fries, which will be dutifully brought to you – by which time, of course, you’ve eaten your burger…

In Singapore, the national obsession with rice extends to having rice cakes in your burger.

I expected lots of interesting stuff in a Japanese McDonald’s – McTentacles perhaps – but the menu was disappointingly ordinary.

Although there were these – Seaweed Flavoured Fries. Also, see below-right: the tasty tentacle snack from Japan. Yum.

In Hong Kong, I nearly got arrested for taking this photo of the Green Tea and Red Bean Ice Cream Sundae. Didn’t realise they guarded their secret bean recipe quite so zealously.

Perhaps my biggest WTF moment (Weird and Troubling Food, naturally) in a McDonald’s was in the Philippines, when I spotted the clotted mess that is McSpaghetti. (McDo indeed). My Filipino friends explained to me that it was incredibly popular and basically consisted of spaghetti soaked in sugar. Ewwww.

Let me repeat this: Spaghetti – Soaked In – Sugar!.

I also seem to remember that when I first went to Australia in 2003, there was a Billabong Burger that had tinned beetroot between two patties. Sadly (or perhaps thankfully), I don’t have any photographic evidence, though it tasted as grim as it sounds. There was also a similar one called McOz with only one patty (plus the tinned beetroot that is ubiquitous in Australia – fresh beetroot isn’t nearly as popular).

Spam, Spam, Spam, Eggs, Bacon, and Spam

David Gardner shares his experience: “Did you know you can get Spam, eggs, and rice for a McDonald’s Breakfast in Honolulu? Yup. Right there on Kalakaua St facing Waikiki. Totally cool!”

See this classic Monty Python sketch to truly appreciate the irony.

In the middle of Moscow, on a busy Arbat street, you can get a take-out for your horse:

Big Macs are a Big Unknown in Chongqing, China

My most memorable experience of McDonald’s in Asia, however, is stumbling onto a MaccyDs in Chongqing, China. I’d just completed an excruciating trip up the Three Gorges on an overloaded passenger boat that played earsplitting soap operas the entire journey, and I was in need of comfort food. Chongqing is a vast city with a mind-boggling 31,000,000 inhabitants – and that’s just the official figure. Arriving there just as dusk began to fall was somewhat intimidating to say the least. Things were not helped when I arrived at the front of the McDonald’s queue dishevelled and hungry, and found, much to my horror, that the universally understood phrase of “Big Mac” was not understood here.

Managers were summoned despite (or perhaps because of) my increasingly strident pointing at the overhead menu, until a Chinese teenager behind me stepped up and got me exactly what I wanted in 20 seconds flat. He spoke a little English, and I could tell he wanted to practice so I invited my culinary rescuer to join me and we had a great, if slow conversation about his life in Chongqing. “Chongqing is great”, he said. “But I want to go to America”. “Why?” I asked. He broke into a beam of a smile and said “Because I want to meet Christina Aguilera!”

That conversation rescued what had otherwise been a grim day, and makes me smile every time I recall it. And it wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t gone to McDonald’s.

Some Other Fast-Food Masterpieces From Around the World

Some are not McDonald’s, technically, but very hard to omit when making an article like this. Here is -

Tuna Pie! Seen at Jollibee (Philippines).

This is wonderful pizza jigsaw puzzle, where every piece is a tasty morsel:
(Winter Double King Pizza at Pizza Hut, Japan)

Peas and potatoes make up the patty in the McAloo Tikki at McDonald’s in India -

Great travel site Trifter shows more international Mac food variations, among them guacamole (avocado paste) McPollo burger in Chile:

Skateboarders are a fanatical bunch, warriors on wheels who’ll ollie and grind whenever and wherever they can. Any urban space will do, but if it’s raining or there isn’t a skate park nearby, what’s a skater to do? Answer: live in the Ramp House, newly completed by Acrhivirus Architecture and Design. The Ramp House is exactly what it says it is: less a residence with a ramp than a seamless integration of half-pipe and homestead.

Given the brief of creating a “skatable habitat”, architect Athanasia Psaraki launched into creating “a curved form interior which set the whole house as well as the inhabitant’s life into motion.” She tells Environmental Graffiti: “It was more a project of passion and creativity than functionality.”

This was an undertaking that could genuinely claim to redefine a living space – actually a roof addition to a three-storey building – given that homes are not designed for skating, just as skate parks tend not to be the homeliest places.

Psaraki strove to achieve a harmonious balance between the old and the new. A wooden pergola and wooden horizontal louvers envelop the entire structure, connecting the building as it was with the way it is now – while also offering an airy spot from which to watch the action.

Far from simply having a mini-ramp installed in a living room, the skateboarding factor was incorporated into the very design details, making a home fully capable of being skated – frontside, backside, anyside. Says the architect:

“For me, the challenge of this project was to make a living space where the ramp, the bowl and all the interpretations of those terms would actually become the building elements for this space.”

Thus, by way of the architect’s imagination, straight lines became curved, and flat surfaces found new meaning as part of a ramp or a bowl. Psaraki says:

“Playing with these forms and with the variable transitions which they offer, my main goal was to create a functional open space where aspects of daily life would adopt ‘the feeling of acceleration.’”

With this in mind, Psaraki designed a home where the living room is no longer just a living room but a mini-ramp that turns into a bowl – which in turn creates a partition with the bedroom and bathroom. Meanwhile, elements like the fireplace and storage units are hidden within the ramp structures.

Through a merging of styles, concrete supplies the street skate aesthetic while wood provides a warm ambiance. Concrete walls mould into the floor, which then becomes wood, forming a ramp separating the kitchen. In this last space, at least, surely the crockery makes kick-flips a faux pas? But no.

Psaraki also reveals that experts were very much – sorry – on board: “The ramp transitions were made on site by skater friends who had experience skating mini ramps while construction details were drawn after extensive research via the internet and people who might know!”

The final effect? A skater’s dream that wouldn’t alienate those who just want an environment to chill in; a smooth environment where you “can flow from one space to the other, skating or walking”.

Turning a home into a play park for your pastime of choice is probably not a luxury everyone can aspire to, but for those who can it’s a pretty rad idea. It more than set Psaraki’s creativity in motion, with the architect concluding: “At the end of this project I definitely adopted ‘the feeling of acceleration.’”