Welcome to another installment of Magpie Monday on Wednesday. Here’s your silverware and a napkin—now tuck in!
◊ SHE BLINDED ME … WITH SCIENCE!
Astronomy: Gaze upon all of Mercury for the first time ever:
Biology: Scientists discover an entire new teeny-tiny body part, Dua’s layer.
Entomology: from io9: “Photographer Yume Cyan has been recasting the fireflies around Nagoya City, Japan, as fairy lights in a series of long-exposure photos. The momentary flashing of each bug becomes part of a bioluminescent trail it winds through the trees.”
photography by Yume Cyan
Environmental studies:
Geology: Ice sheets from xkcd.
Information science: The Mundaneum, a proto-Internet made of index cards (via).
Medicine: Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva.
Neuroscience: How you hold your phone reveals whether you’re left- or right-brained.
Physics: The webcomic guide to quantum physics by Jorge Cham:
What if Superman punched you? (spoiler alert: at least you wouldn’t see it coming) Via.
Psychology: How stereotypes really do cloud your mind; These two psychological tricks will get people to do you favors.
Zoology: We finally have an accurate measurement of a cheetah’s top speed (spoiler alert: it’s pretty darn fast).
◊ THE HORNS OF ELFLAND.
Not much of a video to speak of, but I like the sound of Pawws’ “Slow Love” quite a lot.
Give a listen to Pawws’ “Time to Say Goodbye” while you’re at it (this is my favorite of the two).
◊ LET THEM EAT CAKE.
This Bat-symbol wedding cake is pretty impressive, though I thought the topper might be a bit more elaborate (I do like the Lego figures, I must say).
I don’t even know what a monotribe synthesizer is, but it makes for one great detailed birthday cake!
I love the cake Google gives employees when they leave! Via.
This is an impressive Jawa cake. But I think by definition all Jawa cakes are impressive.
◊ SOMEONE’S IN THE KITCHEN….
Did you know that June is National Candy Month? Neither did I. Did you know that the NCA (National Confectioners Association) has a list of candy holidays? At least two a month, and sometimes as many as five! Enjoy 11 awesome candies that you’ll probably never eat again (because they’ve been discontinued, mind). I’ve actually not eaten many of these eleven in my candy-strewn history, only Bar None, Nestlé Alpine White, and PB Max.
New York City’s Sushi Yasuda restaurant eliminates tipping, and gratuities no longer accepted, because the wait staff are now “fully compensated by their salary” (via). I know the American arguments for why requiring servers to work for tips, but I think giving them a living wage is the humane way to go.
Buzzfeed’s article on Sembikiya, a fruit parlor/gift shop in Japan that sells really expensive fruit, is just fascinating, as is the history of fruit selling in Japan, where fruit is primarily seen as a luxury item and bought for gifts. I wonder if the fruit tastes as good as it looks? Via.
Sembikiya sells this square watermelon for $212
Via the always stirling Sterling on Facebook: Green Hill Cheese from Sweet Grass Dairy in Georgia. I had no idea this cheese existed, and practically in my own backyard, but I want to try it, oh, yes, I do!
◊ VIEWERS’ PARADISE.
I love many, many things about The Simpsons, but Christopher Coleman knows one of them: “All the things you may remember Troy McClure from” (via):
Stunning behind-the-scenes photos show iconic movies in a new light, like this great shot from the set of 1954’s Godzilla (Japanese title: Gojira):
Many many thanks to Claire for sharing this link on Facebook about how Dame Judi Dench, while on set, does needlework embroideries of all kinds of swears. I love Dame Judi so, so much! One of my favorite bits in the post comes from a comment by psyfic, who writes (edited slightly for those of you offended by the word)—I laughed and laughed! -sigh- I wish Dame Judi was my friend and that we took tea and she gave me embroidered swears.
My favourite true anecdote was about the time she was crossing the street in London and was nearly struck by a car. She was still righting herself when the driver rolled down his window to yell at her ‘keep out of the way, you c**t!’ to which she responded, ‘That’s DAME C**t, to you!’ Classic Dench comeback.
The title Batman in Classic Movie Scenes pretty much describes itself (via):
The third episode of Convos with My 2 Year Old, “The Cookie”:
I’m quite intrigued by this trailer for The White Queen. The official description, to whet your appetite:
The White Queen is a riveting portrayal of one of the most dramatic and turbulent times in English history. A story of love and lust, seduction and deception, betrayal and murder, it is uniquely told through the perspective of three different, yet equally relentless women—Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret Beaufort and Anne Neville. In their quest for power, they will scheme, manipulate and seduce their way onto the English throne.
The year is 1464, before the Tudor dynasty ruled the country, and war has been ravaging throughout England over who is the rightful King. It is a bitter dispute between two sides of the same family, The House of York and The House of Lancaster.
The House of York’s young and handsome Edward IV is crowned King of England with the help of the master manipulator, Lord Warwick “The Kingmaker.” But when Edward falls in love with a beautiful Lancastrian commoner, Elizabeth Woodville, Warwick’s plan to control the throne comes crashing down.
A violent, high-stakes struggle ensues between Elizabeth, her most fierce adversary, Lancastrian Margaret Beaufort, and Anne Neville, the pawn in her father’s power game—each woman vying for the crown.
Liking Captain America’s new uniform for The Winter Soldier (via):
◊ THE NINTH ART.
I don’t read any Batman comics (other than Batwoman and I did just pick up the first volume of Batgirl), but these covers make me want to change my mind (via):
Batman: The Dark Knight #23.1: The Ventriloquist, cover by Patrick Gleason and Mick Gray
And my favorite of the two:
Batman and Robin #23.2: The Court of Owls, cover by Patrick Gleason and Mick Gray
A brief survey of experimental comic books—worth a gander!
Check out this preview over at The Mary Sue of Betty & Veronica #266, which re-imagines the fairy tale “Snow White.” The variant cover, below, is by the über-talented Jill Thompson:
Variant cover by Jill Thompson
Marko Manev’s latest print, Mutants, is all kinds of super-cool. The print was on sale at Bottleneck Gallery for one day only (alas!), but I hope one will be available somewhere…. Via.
Mutants by Marko Manev
This is a great time indeed with two, count ’em, two, new comics from Kate Beaton! Click on the image to read the entire comic.
◊ THE BOOK NOOK.
Porthole at John W. Doull Bookseller | photo by Celia Moase Photography (via)
Beautiful dance performances that incorporate books.
20 street art-inspired book covers.
Deakin University Library, Australia | photo by RuthC (?) (via)
◊ TREE OF THE FAIRIES.
Tree of the Fairies by MivTheVampire / BootlessinWonderland (via).
