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ECO-CLIFF: Vertical Zoo Competition Proposal

2011-12-15T05:08:00.000-08:00

In Buenos Aires, from a tiny man-made island that once held a landfill, may rise an unprecedented ‘vertical zoo’ – like a skyscraper for animals that must be at once beautiful, organic and functional for both its inhabitants and zoo visitors. A competition for the Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve is sought creative solutions and this proposal, called ‘ECO-CLIFF’, is a towering habitat meant to resemble a natural cliff that would also provide nesting ground for migratory birds.

It may seem highly unnatural to house wildlife in such an urban structure, reaching high into the sky rather than spreading out onto acre after acre of land. What ECO-CLIFF aims to do is recreate a cliff habitat for the types of animals that would naturally be living in such an environment. However, it’s not clear whether the designers also intended for common zoo animals with a need for a large amount of space to be housed in this design.

Envisioned by Hila Davidpu, Tal Gazit, Eli Gotman and Hofi Harari, ECO-CLIFF features a footpath winding around an inner core of animal enclosures, all within a net-like steel shell that lets in air and sunlight as well as a controlled amount of rainwater in certain areas. The nets and cables support vegetation that gives the tower a more natural feel, and select pockets serve as open-air nesting for the birds.

Visitors reach the tower in cable cars connected to the public transportation system, and can then take in an even more spectacular view on a high-level observation deck.

Healing Mining Pits with Self-Sustaining Underground Skyscrapers

2011-11-15T05:07:00.000-08:00

The earth is pocked with giant pits like scars, left behind by mining operations that take what they seek from the land and then leave the site in ruin. But what if we could use those gaping holes as the basis of new underground cities? ‘Above Below’, a proposal for the 2011 eVolo Skyscraper Competition, gives one such mining pit a new life with a bustling underground skyscraper where a self-sufficient community can live, farm, work and play.

This unusual inverted skyscraper design, by Matthew Fromboluti of Washington University in St. Louis, was created specifically for the massive Lavender Pit Mine outside of Bisbee, Arizona, which measures an astonishing 900 feet deep and 300 acres wide. Built around a ‘solar chimney’ that provides light and ventilation to the deepest reaches of the structure, ‘Above Below’ would be virtually undetectable on the surface, with a dome roof covered in native vegetation.

The underground tower is entirely self-sustaining, with its own source of electricity and a water recycling system. Below, in the steppes of the mining crater, tiered platforms planted with crops benefit from sunlight that streams in through skylights in the roof. A light rail system would even provide an easy means for residents to reach the nearby town of Bisbee.

While such underground structures wouldn’t be a viable solution to reclaiming all of the mining pits that dot formerly pristine landscapes in such places as the Appalachian Mountains, especially because such sites tend to be isolated, ‘Above Below’ is an intriguing idea for Bisbee in particular. Not only does the design completely turn the concept of a skyscraper on its head, it could be an interesting solution for habitable communities in harsh desert environments like that of Arizona.

Bilbao Building Features Faceted Glass Facade

2011-10-15T05:06:00.000-07:00

Faceted like an irregular crystal, this building in Bilbao, Spain wasn’t simply born of some stroke of artistic inspiration. The amorphous towering facade came about because the city’s restrictive zoning rules required a setback from the curb as well as other concessions. Coll-Barreu Architects took those restrictions and ran with them, producing an unexpected structure that not only serves as a focal point on the street, but is energy-efficient as well.

The striking glass skin is actually disguising a rather pedestrian health department building, but while some architecture enthusiasts may bemoan the lost opportunity for an interesting modern interior, the ‘double facade’ lets in lots of natural light and allows for natural temperature regulation, decreasing energy needs. The inner structure shines through at night like a skeleton.

“The double façade solves not only urban requirements but also those concerning energetic, fire-resistant and acoustic insulation from outside,” explain the architects. “This climatic improvement enables the elimination of the conventional air-conditioning installation as well as the false ceiling. Thus, the sound produced by the building is reduced, air recirculation in workplaces disappears, with a significant increase of health conditions. The volume occupied per floor is also reduced.”

The space between the building itself and the skin acts as a massive two-story atrium that opens up to a rooftop deck. Because of all the angles on the facade, the view from inside is never quite the same, reflecting various parts of the city scene outside depending on viewpoint, season and the time of day.

It’s Alive! 13 Examples of Green Growing Furniture

2011-09-15T05:04:00.001-07:00

Is living furniture the next frontier in ultra-eco-friendly design? Oxygenating the air, providing a punch of green and acting as a natural accent in both interior and exterior spaces, these 13 unusual furniture designs incorporate actively growing moss, grass, vines, mushrooms and even crystals.

Growing Chair by Michel Bussien

(image via: yanko design)

Raised on a growing platform like an elvish throne, Michel Bussien’s ‘Growing Chair’ helps us get back to our roots with a clear polycarbonate frame that is filled with greenery as the plant inside grows. The artist says “To move further we need to incorporate the living matter that surrounds us. Let us use the complexity of living nature and include it in our creations. These creations will then redefine the way we reconstruct nature.”

Moss Bath Mat

(image via: dornob)

All that water that drips off your body when you emerge from the shower could be feeding live moss, which is just squishy enough to provide a super-comfy surface to stand on. This unusual bath mat features three different types of moss that thrives in the moist environment of a bathroom.

Pooktre Chair by Peter Cook

(images via: inhabitat)

Free of waste and man-made materials, the ‘Pooktre Chair’ by Peter Cook is an entirely natural piece of actively growing furniture that is lovingly shaped over seven to eight years before being replanted in the yard of the purchaser. Each chair is a work of living, functioning sculpture.

Grow Your Own Crystal Chair

(image via: mocoloco)

It may not be the most comfortable chair ever, but it’s certainly unique. Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka starts with a polyester elastomer skeleton, seeds it with living crystals and submerges it in an aquarium to provide the perfect growing environment and a month later, this sparkling piece of artistic ‘furniture’ is what results.

The artist said “…I have pondered on challenging the history of design by creating an epoch-making chair grown from natural crystal structures. Today, a rapid development of technology, particularly the use of computer renderings, has ensured and made various things real. I want to believe, however, there is something in nature that defies all human imagination.”

Mushrooms Ate My Furniture

(image via: inhabitat)

Pretty greenery and crystals aren’t the only natural materials that can be made to grow on furniture. Perhaps one of the last living materials you’d expect turns up on Shinwei Rhoda Yen’s ‘mushrooms ate my furniture’ chair, a simple modern wooden bench that provides a habitat for fungus. The chair naturally biodegrades after a few years exposed to the elements, giving itself over to the life that it sustains.

DIY Grass Armchair

(images via: green upgrader)

The ‘Terra Grass Chair’, pictured above, is a simple cardboard frame that you assemble, cover with dirt and plant with grass seeds. Water it regularly et voila, you end up with your very own DIY grass furniture. You could create your own version with an old, less-than-pretty chair using the same process for an even more eco-friendly option.

Airplant Table

(image via: ecofriend)

While most indoor living furniture requires a bit of maintenance, not to mention the occasional mess of dirt and water, the ‘Oxygen of Green’ low table is worry-free but still green and alive. The table features a bed of tillandsia air plants, which live off the moisture and nutrients in the air while also enriching your home with oxygen.

Kinokoto Planter Table

(image via: mocoloco)

How about furniture that incorporates plants in a subtle way, as accents? Kinokoto’s table includes a narrow planting strip that provides a little bit of greenery while leaving most of the tabletop surface functional.

Vege-Table by Judy Hoysak

(image via: re-nest)

While grow lights are a great way to maintain an indoor garden, it can be hard to make them fit into the décor of a home. Judy Hoysak turns a mini garden into a piece of functioning furniture with the ‘Vege Table’, a coffee table/self-watering planter equipped with lights that can grow lettuce right in your living room with minimal effort.

Mobilier a Jardiner

(image via: mocoloco)

For outdoor areas that are low on both space and greenery, such as balconies or rooftop gardens, perhaps combining furniture and plants is the way to go. That’s the approach taken by 5.5 Designers with ‘Mobilier a jardiner’, an outdoor furniture collection that incorporates planters into the backs of chairs and benches. Just don’t plant anything thorny!

Kai Linke’s Plant Art Furniture

(images via: dornob)

It’s messy, and not always pretty, but Kai Linke’s plant-centered design is more experiment than functional furniture. Link plants quick-growing grasses, bulbs and bamboo in clear frames that skew and force the plants’ growth patterns, sometimes resulting in overflowing roots, grass growing sideways and other unusual configurations.

Modern Plant Chair by Zhuo Wang

(image via: double takes)

This might just be an ordinary albeit sleek and modern chair if not for the addition of a single pot on one of the back legs, allowing for a touch of greenery or, if one desires, a vine that travels up the leg of the chair and entwines itself around the frame.

Auto-Cannabalistic Table

(image via: inhabitat)

This table isn’t going to last very long – and that’s exactly the point. While most eco-friendly furniture is designed with a long life in mind, the Auto-Cannabalistic Table will inevitably consume itself as the recycled paper egg cartons it’s made from decompose under the weight of soil and water.

Explosive Architecture: 10 Volcano-Inspired Structures

2011-08-15T05:02:00.000-07:00

They’re beautiful and sinister, jutting up out of the landscape with a deceptive peace when inactive, but hiding the threat of death and destruction just beneath the surface. Perhaps it’s that element of danger that makes architects and artists hot for volcano-inspired architecture, giving that distinct sloping form to stadiums, power plants, resorts and enormous self-contained cities all over the world.

Blue Volcano Concept, Zagreb, Croatia

(images via: arch daily)

It’s easy to see why the njiric + arhiteki’s design for this civic arena, housed in an artificial hill made from rubber and paint sprayed onto sheets of corrugated aluminum, has been nicknamed ‘blue volcano’. Conceived for the city of Zagreb in Croatia, the design even features a solar-power-harvesting ‘cloud’ that floats above it, displaying game scores and other information. The cloud also protects the stadium from rain and snow, eliminating the need for a dome.

Taichung Convention Center

(images via: arch daily)

These are unlike any volcanoes you’ve ever seen – or any buildings, for that matter. MAD Architects wanted to give the Taiwanese city of Taichung a world-class architectural landmark that honors the natural landscape of the region, and the crater-like Taichung Convention Center delivers in an eccentric and unexpected way. The interconnected system of buildings is covered in a high-tech pleated ‘skin’ that provides air flow and reduces energy consumption.

Ultra Modern Volcano House, California

(images via: freshome)

With a design as severe as the desert landscape that surrounds it, this house almost looks like a spaceship perched atop a volcano. Built in 1968 in Newberry Springs, California, two hours east of Los Angeles, the Volcano House has been called a ‘modernist masterpiece’ and was, according to the Los Angeles Times, “envisioned to resemble the information center at the construction site of the nuclear generating plant in San Onofre.” The 60-acre estate is currently on the market for $750,000.

Estadio Chivas – Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico

(images via: design boom)

From a distance, it seems as if a dangerous eruption is underway: a gargantuan white cloud hovers over the mouth of a volcano. But get closer and it becomes clear that this is no ordinary volcano. Estadio Chivas in Guadalajara, Mexico features green walls made of sloped parkland, and can hold 45,000 spectators. It will take another two years for greenery to grow in so that the effect is complete.

Earthquake-Proof Solar-Powered Volcano Towers

(images via: inhabitat)

OFIS Architecture’s All-Seasons Tent Tower concept features two cylindrical structures covered in a shaded net-like mesh that supports greenery in the summertime. But unusual as it is, the mesh isn’t what makes these towers special: a system of concrete cores and composite columns within the towers make them earthquake-resistant, an important consideration in quake-prone Armenia.

Italy’s Volcano Buono Shopping Center

(images via: the coolist)

Unlike all those ‘bad volcanoes’ that erupt violently and cause plenty of problems – like Mt. Vesuvius, just a few miles away – this ‘good volcano’ has nothing but positive things to bring to the community. That is, if you like the design. Vulcano Buono blends in with the Italian landscape, and unlike many similar designs, it’s not just for sports and special events. Designed by Renzo Piano, Vulcano Buono houses a shopping mall, outdoor theater, restaurants, and a hotel. The green ‘roof’ that forms the walls of the volcanic structure supports more than 2,500 plants.

Crystal Island, Moscow

(images via: inhabitat)

Crystal Island, a massive tent-like structure conceived as a city within itself, will be the world’s largest building – if it’s ever built, that is. Foster + Partners envisions Crystal Island as a solar- and wind-powered community packed with 900 apartments, 3000 hotel rooms, an international school for 500 students, theaters, a sports complex and more all in a 1500-foot-tall structure with a footprint five times larger than that of the Pentagon building in the U.S. Construction has been delayed due to the state of the economy.

BEI-Teesside Power Plant, UK

(images via: dezeen)

Built on a reclaimed brownfield along the Tees River, the BEI-Teessidee biomass power plant by Thomas Heatherwick will rise from the industrial landscape like a modern man-made volcano. The power station, which will produce fuel from palm kernel shells, will be covered in vertical greenery to give this barren area an organic-looking focal point.

Jameos del Agua, Resort in a Volcanic Crater

(image via: web de lanzarote)

Behind a wall made of volcanic rock on the fourth-largest of Spain’s Canary Islands, there’s a startlingly beautiful secret: a hidden lagoon full of blind albino crabs that can’t be found anywhere else in the world . Jameos del Agua was formed when the ceiling of a volcanic tunnel, formed by eruptions of the Corona volcano three to four thousand years ago, collapsed into itself. Now a tourist attraction, Jameos del Agua features a swimming pool, an auditorium, gardens, restaurants and night clubs.

Roden Crater, Arizona Art Installation

(images via: grid city)

Since the 1970s, James Turrell has been crafting a highly unusual work of art: a system of chambers and tunnels inside the Roden Crater, an extinct volcano northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona. It’s not scheduled to open to the public until 2011, but speculation about the work has reached a fever pitch among art critics and collectors. The work is shrouded in secret, but the few who have visited say that it highlights aspects of the crater and its natural environment, like the stars in the sky and the subtle sounds of the desert.

Sustainable Store Style: 12 Incredible Retail Interiors

2011-07-05T05:01:00.000-07:00

No longer an afterthought, retail interior design has become so creative and beautiful in itself that it sometimes threatens to eclipse the products on display. Architects and designers charged with making a sustainable store design eye-popping and memorable are making unexpected use of all kinds of recycled, reclaimed and natural materials, often thinking inside the (cardboard) box for maximum visual impact with a small environmental footprint.

Eco Pop-Up Christmas Shop

(images via: treehugger)

How do you make a pop-up shop – well – pop? Lots (and lots) of fabric in a cute print gave this eco Christmas shop, erected in London in 2008, lots of color and personality. Fabric is a great relatively inexpensive and reusable material for such applications, ensuring that ‘temporary’ doesn’t mean ‘disposable’.

Low, Lisbon

(images via: ecofriend)

It’s cheap to ship, recyclable and requires no glue or finishes of any kind… yep, flat-pack cardboard is close to as green as it gets and highly appropriate for an eco-shop selling recycled goods. Designer Pedro Campos Costa created quite a work of art for ‘Low’ in Lisbon with his curvilinear bench/display.

PUMA Container Store

(images via: arch daily)

Shipping containers aren’t exactly the most aesthetically pleasing architectural building blocks in the world, but in the hands of the right designer, they can become something spectacular. The PUMA container store isn’t just portable and green, it’s quite stunning with its cantilevered deck and interior combination of sleek wood and industrial steel.

Ann Demeulemeester, Seoul

(images via: inhabitat)

Lush vertical greenery takes what is already a beautiful modern building design and makes it absolutely unforgettable. Korean design firm Mass Studies created this shop for Ann Demeulemeester in Seoul, contrasting the coldness of concrete and glass with the vitality and texture of moss.

Lulamae Cardboard Pop-Up Store

(images via: psfk)

Flat-pack cardboard is an ideal choice for pop-up shops, making it incredible quick and simple to transport and set up all of the materials needed to turn a bare space into a warm and welcoming boutique. Breathe Architects used a cut-out effect and black markers to turn a bunch of corrugated cardboard into a little village complete with columns, windows and awnings.

eBarrito Modular Cardboard

(images via: francesca signori)

What makes cardboard an even more interesting and visually arresting choice for eco-friendly shops? Contrasting its colorless uniformity with bright neon colors and luxe bamboo flooring. Designer Francesca Signori improvised the interior of this eBarrito shop in Cremona, Italy using cardboard tubes and pressed cardboard sheets.

Bearstech ‘Cave’, Paris

(images via: great interior design)

Salvaged waste wood is seemingly sucked up onto the ceiling in a bizarre vortex in French architect Paul Coudamy’s design for Bearstech in Paris. The wood was piled up and nailed in a configuration that the firm hoped would call to mind a bear’s cave, symbolizing both raw natural power and a den of creativity.

Smithfield Recycled Cardboard Interior, UK

(images via: great interior design)

Recycled mailing tubes and shipping boxes were used for practically every last element in this Manchester Smithfield’s, designed by Peter Masters from Burnt Toast. Wall hangings, columns, sculptures, décor – even light fixtures were artfully crafted from a material that is usually found in dumpsters, discarded without thought.

Yeshop, Athens

(images via: great interior design)

Yes, it’s more cardboard, but utilized in a new and refreshing way: the raw edges of repurposed shipping cartons present themselves in a texturalized, streamlined wall inset with shelves and a mirror. The design, which used 1500 sheets of cardboard, was a collaboration between designer Yiorgos Eleftheriades and dARCH Studio for the former’s Athens boutique, Yeshop.

Green Depot, NYC

(images via: inhabitat)

The first retail store in New York to receive a platinum LEED rating, Green Depot isn’t just the perfect place to pick up eco-friendly essentials from appliances to cleaning products – it’s also supremely green in itself. Starting with a carefully preserved historic building that once held a YMCA, the design maintains cool structural elements like pool tiles while incorporating modern green building elements including low VOC finishes and custom LED light fixtures.

Aesop’s Recycled Glass Ceiling, Adelaide

(images via: shaun hng)

Thousands of recycled amber glass bottles shimmer on the ceiling of Aesop in Adelaide, Australia, making for a stunning focal point in an otherwise minimalist interior. Aesop, maker of botanical skin care products, is known for putting the emphasis on its product packaging in meticulously arranged rows.

Aesop’s Cardboard Makeover, Melbourne

(images via: kostasvoyatzis)

Aesop’s Melbourne location was temporarily made over in 2007 using nothing but industrial-grade cardboard, assembled into boxes and laid out in flat stacks to display the shop’s white-labeled glass bottles. The repetition of the textured cardboard along with that of the nearly identical bottles makes for quite an unexpectedly beautiful visual effect.

Artistic Evolution: From Scrapyard to Barnyard

2011-06-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

Art out of recycled materials is both great for the environment, and an interesting artistic challenge. Animal themed art is inherently interesting because of its unique reflection of the mundane world we see every day. Strong artistic ability and skill allows some creators to come up with larger than life versions of their real world counterparts, or stunning reproductions and interpretations of the smallest critters that grace our planet.

(Images via quazen, greenopia, ecofriend)

These horse sculptures are jarring at first, until one realizes they are fashioned carefully out of curved pieces of wood. The difficulty of using this material, and the accurate reproduction make these stunning examples of natural art.

(Images via redbubble, keetsa, webdesignerdepot, foundshit, greenopolis)

Flying creatures made out of discarded scrap metal are visually stunning, but unfortunately unable to fly like the creatures they represent (in the case of the flying pig, this is probably a good thing). It’s amazing how such an eclectic mix of materials can form such a recognizable shape.

(Images via thinkoutsidetheboxtoday, tomsguide)

Elephants are not easy to make. Their huge size are an immediate and often overwhelming obstacle to creating a life size replica, but this doesn’t deter everyone. Using recycled materials, some artists push the boundaries and create wonderfully evocative sculptures.

(Images via designswan, kirtland, designswan, recyclechicken, respawned, thesculpturewebsite)

Fish lend themselves to being created out of recycle materials; their flashing scales look metallic enough already, that recreating them is a natural fit for metal workers. The skill with which these artists put together accurate and entertaining representations is no less impressive because of the fit of the subject matter.

(Images via whatthecool, glimpsepa, greenopolis, instructables)

There’s no limit to what one can create with some scrap metal and a good welder. Insects, critters, and huge mythological beasts can all be found in sculpture gardens and inside homes across the world. These creations are both fun and environmentally friendly, making a great statement for anyone who owns one.

(Images via jorymon, whatthecool, ebsqart, beverlykayegallery, seesomethingstrange)

Large four legged beasts are not easy to create in any medium, and the natural restrictions of using found materials makes this subject matter even more difficult. Some artists use these boundaries as motivation to get even more creative; coming up with animal versions that seem almost bionic, while others strive for the most accurate representation possible.

Sleeping in Trash, Trains & Drains: 14 Recycled Hotels

2011-05-15T04:58:00.000-07:00

When you’re in search of a romantic honeymoon spot or comfortable lodging after a long day of travel, sewage pipes, harbor cranes and the county jail probably aren’t at the top of your list. But believe it or not, such structures have been transformed into fun, quirky and sometimes stunning hotels. From a former research lab at the bottom of the sea to a Boeing 727, these unusual recycled and upcycled hotels offer up one-of-a-kind accomodations.

Boston’s Liberty Hotel in a Former Jail

(images via: libertyhotel.com)

Prison inmates once wasted their lives away in these rooms. Today, affluent travelers pay top dollar to occupy them. The Liberty Hotel in Boston was converted from the historic Charles Street Jail in a stunning $150 million restoration that preserved vestiges of the jail cells within common areas like the lobby and the appropriately named ‘Clink’ bar and restaurant.

Controversy Inn: Reclaimed Trams

(images via: inhabitat)

How fun is this colorful Netherlands hotel made of four recycled trains? Named for the ‘Controversy Farm’ where the hotel is located, the inn features reclaimed trams that once rode the rails in Germany and Amsterdam and now house themed rooms packed with eco-friendly recycled details like tabletops made from old traffic signs.

Hotel Made From Beach Garbage, Rome

(images via: corona)

A sharp contrast to the elegant white columns of the Vatican behind it, the ‘Save the Beach’ hotel is Rome’s trashiest – and it’s proud of that designation. The temporary hotel was built entirely from garbage collected on European beaches and erected on one of the dirtiest beaches in Rome. 12 tons of trash were used to create three bedrooms and two bathrooms, and highlighted some of the weird materials that get dumped on beaches, with mannequin legs and musical instruments among the bits sighted in the walls.

Drain Pipes at the Das Park Hotel, Austria

(images via: dasparkhotel)

Sewage pipes might seem like the last place you’d ever want to sleep, and most of the time, there’s good reason for that. But it’s a different story at Das Park Hotel in Austria, where three of these massive concrete drain pipes have been reclaimed for use as extremely compact lodging. There’s no bathroom and it’s definitely not for the claustrophobic, but it’s fun and modern, and definitely a creative example of adaptive reuse.

Shipping Container Travelodge, UK

(images via: world architecture news)

Shipping containers are being reused in all kinds of awesome and unexpected ways, and one of the most practical yet is in the form of a hotel in the UK. Budget chain Travelodge built a clever modular shipping container hotel from 86 used containers that were fully pre-fabricated with walls, electric and bathrooms in place before being assembled onto a giant steel frame. The design is also easily disassembled, so once renovations are required, the containers can simply be replaced.

727 Airplane at the Costa Verde Resort, Costa Rica

(images via: inhabitat)

Since most airplanes end up rotting in bizarre plane graveyards when they’re no longer air-worthy, it’s always nice to see them get transformed into something new. At the Costa Verde Resort, guests can stay in a 1965 Boeing 727 that has been converted into a cozy two-bedroom suite with a kitchenette, dining room and private terrace. Perched on a platform 50 feet above the ground, guests can experience something like the sensation of flight, not to mention incredible views of the ocean.

De Vrouwe Stavoren Wine Cask Hotel, Austria

(images via: de vrouwe van stavoren)

It’s the ultimate getaway for oenophiles: a hotel made from upcycled wine casks that once held 14,500 liters of Beaujolais from a French chateau. Each cask holds two twin beds, and guests have access to adjoining bathrooms and sitting rooms.

Oil Rig Hotel & Spa Concept

(images via: jetson green)

Abandoned oil rigs already sit and rot in oceans around the world, and many more will be decommissioned as we transition from heavy use of fossil fuels. So innovative ideas like the Oil Rig Hotel and Spa not only provide highly unusual and unique lodging and recreation on the water, but also prevent old oil rigs from being removed – which is done, at great hazard to sea life, by explosion. The concept, by Morris Architects of Houston, would feature 300 guest and luxury suites, event space, dining, shopping, entertainment, a casino, a fitness center and more.

Dockside Crane Hotel, Netherlands

(images via: luxuo)

Until 12 years ago, this harbor crane had a lot of work to do, unloading heavy timber on a daily basis. But the construction of a new harbor forced the crane into early retirement. Luckily, it found its niche as an extremely quirky 1-room speciality hotel. The guest room is in the former machine room and features a double bed, Eames chairs and a large screen television not to mention a commanding view of the harbor. Breakfast, which is included, comes up to the bedroom on an internal lift. But that’s not even the best part – you get to play captain in the working control room and spin the cabin around.

Holiday Inn Made of Recycled Key Cards

(images via: fast company)

Expert card stacker Brian Berg teamed up with Holiday Inn to create the most unlikely of hotels: a literal house of cards. And while Brian proves the strength of his creation by sitting on the bed, this hotel where even the toilet paper is made from recycled key cards isn’t actually available for sleeping. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting accomplishment using reclaimed materials. If laid end-to-end, the 200,000 cards used to create the structure would stretch 11 miles.

Hotel Monaco in a Former Post Office, Washington D.C.

(images via: monaco-dc.com)

Patterned after the Roman Temple of Jupiter, the General Post Office building in Washington, D.C. has long been an architectural attraction in America’s capital city and is on the National Register of Historic Places. But now, Washington’s first all-marble building, built in 1839, is home to Hotel Monaco, a 183-room boutique hotel. The main post office area of the building was turned into the hotel lobby, which has retained the character of the building with all of its white columns. And in what was once the mail-sorting area, diners can sit down and enjoy a meal in the hotel restaurant.

Waitanic Patrol Boat Hotel

(images via: woodlyn park)

Guests can choose between four rooms – the Titanic, Britanic, Honeymoon or Captain’s – in a grounded World War II patrol boat at the Waitanic Hotel, one of New Zealand’s most unusual offerings. Not only is this clever reuse of a boat that once detected submarines, guests get another wacky treat when they stay there – the owner, Billy Black, is a professional sheep shearer and performer who puts on a ‘Kiwi culture show’.

Research Station to Jules Undersea Lodge

(images via: jul.com)

If you want to stay at the Jules Undersea Lodge, you’ll need scuba equipment. No kidding. Built in a marine research station, this hotel in Key Largo, Florida requires a 21-foot dive beneath the surface of the sea just to gain entrance. The station, which was once used to explore the continental shelf off Puerto Rico, now features a bedroom, a common room with a kitchenette, and a ‘wet room’ where divers surface, take off their gear and enjoy a hot shower. It’s even air-conditioned.

Hotel Icon in a Former Bank, Houston, Texas

(image via: hotel icon)

Built in 1911, the former Union Bank building is one of Houston’s most iconic architectural attractions – so is it any wonder that after a $35 million hotel conversion project, it’s now called Hotel Icon? This 135-room hotel retains the massive wooden counter of the old bank as its front desk, and the vault can be seen in the lobby.

Oceanic Biomimicry: 13 Designs Inspired by the Sea

2011-04-15T04:56:00.000-07:00

How do you design the perfect turbine blade for use underwater, or build a fleet of vehicles that can pack tightly together and navigate around obstacles in a flash? Look to nature – specifically, in this case, the astounding complexities of the sea and all of the life it contains. Architecture in the shape of shells, robotic lobsters, cars that behave like schools of fish and swimwear modeled on sharkskin are just a few biomimetic designs inspired by the ocean.

Pollution-Sensing Robotic Fish

(image via: gizmag)

When a team of British scientists needed to put a robot into the sea to test pollution levels, they realized that nothing would be able to navigate the waters better than a fish. So they designed a completely autonomous, wi-fi connected, life-like robotic fish equipped with chemical sensors that can located the sources of hazardous pollutants in the water. The fish, which transmit the information they collect to a control center while re-charging their batteries at a “charging hub”, were released into the waters in the Spanish port of Gijon in 2010.

Taiwan BioLab Inspired by Nautilus Shell

(images via: world architecture news)

A nautilus shell is one of nature’s most perfect shapes, and it is from this sophistication that architect Manifred Nicoletti drew inspiration for the BioLab Squadron in Taiwan, which are set to be among the most technologically advanced laboratories on the planet. Nicoletti’s honorable mention-winning proposal not only used the nautilus shape as the basis of the two labs, but delved further into biomimicry with an outer skin pattern that emulates the four symbols attributed to the DNA sequence of the bacteria that would be studied inside the labs.

WhalePower

For millions of years, whales have propelled themselves through heavy water despite their bulk and weight – thanks to a finely honed design that couldn’t be more perfect if all the world’s most talented engineers spent their lives trying to outdo it. Biology professor Dr. Frank Fish (no joke) noticed that the little bumps on the flippers of a humpback whale served an important purpose, increasing their aerodynamic efficiency. Along with Stephen Dewar, Fish co-founded WhalePower, a company turning this discovery into innovative solutions for things like airplanes, submarines and wind turbines. Their most tangible accomplishment thus far is a highly efficient ceiling fan.

Stunning Shell Villa Retreat

(images via: artechnic)

The stark white exterior of the Shell Villa curves around itself in a clear yet subtle imitation of its namesake. This graceful home hovers off the ground in sharp contrast to the green of its natural surroundings and the brown of its wooden decks. Designed by ARTechnic, the airy and naturally day-lit structure dazzles with walls of windows and built-in furniture that sets off its curvilinear surfaces.

Nissan’s Fish-Inspired Car Design

(images via: inhabitat)

Robotic cars may someday make traffic automatic – but it’s important for commuters to retain the ability to navigate around unexpected obstacles. Nissan engineers noted the way schools of fish pack tightly together and move quickly around predators and coral, and applied it to the EPORO, a cartoon-like concept car that uses Ultra Wide Band radio signals and laser measurement technology to mimic this behavior.

“We, in a motorized world, have a lot to learn from the behavior of a school of fish in terms of each fish’s degree of freedom and safety within a school and high migration efficiency of a school itself,” said principal engineer Toshiyuki Andou. “By sharing the surrounding information received within the group via communication, the group of EPOROs can travel safely, changing its shape as needed.”

Robolobsters: Biomimetic Underwater Robot Program

(images via: design life now)

It’s got eight legs, antennae and a protective shell, but this is no ordinary lobster. For one, it can detect mines and send that information back to the military. It’s also made of plastic, metal and wire. Scientists realized that the perfect design for trawling the ocean floor was in the biology of a lobster, and they adapted not just its physical shape and movements but the way its nervous system responds to variable conditions in its environment. Robolobsters will allow detection of mines in places where human direction isn’t possible, potentially saving a lot of lives.

Syph: Jellyfish-Like Self-Contained Ocean City

(images via: inhabitat)

In a worst-case scenario world where the earth is so flooded, there’s little land left for human civilization, ocean cities could provide a safe haven. This concept by Arup Biomimetics is not just a single floating city, but a collection of ‘organisms’, clearly inspired by jellyfish. The entirely self-contained cities have trailing appendages performing different energy and water-related functions, drawing in seawater to desalinate or collecting energy from waves.

Jellyfish House by Iwamoto-Scott

(images via: evolo)

Unlike the Syph, the Jellyfish House doesn’t actually look anything like a jellyfish, but it’s just as connected to the billowy invertebrate. Design firm Iwamoto-Scott imagines an ultramodern home that, like a jellyfish, coexists with its environment through a network of senses and responses despite having no brain or nervous system. The house, designed specifically for reclaimed land, can actually act as a water filtration system that operates within the ‘skin’, or exterior walls, helping to remediate the toxic soil at the building site. “Like jellyfish, the house attempts to incorporate emerging material and digital technologies in a reflexive, environmentally contingent manner. The house is designed as a mutable layered skin, or ‘deep surface’, that mediates internal and external environments.”

Algaerium: Algae-Inspired Design

(images via: inhabitat)

Going even deeper beyond just biomimicry is ‘Algaerium’, living surfaces and textiles that actually produce biofuels from algae. Marin Sawa’s design was inspired by how efficient natural systems can be without any electronics. She set out to utilize algae’s biological attributes of photosynthesis and bioluminescence to create design products like ornamental plant-based décor and jewelry that is also useful in other ways. The products are ever-evolving, changing color as the algae goes about its natural processes.

The Porpoise-Shaped Oculus Yacht

(image via: schopferyachts.com)

With three levels capable of accommodating twelve guests in the utmost comfort, the Oculus Yacht is definitely luxurious – but all of its ostentatious trappings aren’t really what makes this 250-foot vessel by Schopfer Yachts stand out. It’s the unusual design, clearly inspired by the shape of an open-mouthed porpoise. The design isn’t based on science or aerodynamics, just looks, but it’s an interesting direction to take for high-priced homes on the sea.

Shark Scale Swimsuits & Ship Skins

(image via: speedo)

Ever wonder why sharks have scales? They enable smooth, fast swimming, eliminating the drag caused by eddies that can form as water passes over the surface of an object. Considering that in the Olympics, the difference between winning and losing can be one-tenth of a second, crafting synthetic shark skin into swimsuits for athletes can definitely provide an edge. Speedo’s FastSkin line of swimsuits incorporates not just the texture of shark scales, but also the variability, changing the shape and texture over various parts of the bod for optimal aerodynamics. Applied to the exterior of ships, the same concept could even make Navy fleets faster and more energy-efficient.

Sea Snail Shells to Military Armor

(image via: science blogs)

The three-layered shell of one particular species of sea snail could lead to improved armor for soldiers and military vehicles. An MIT study found that mimicking the iron-plated shell of the scaly-foot snail would provide advanced protection due to the way the shell dissipates mechanical energy, like attacks from crabs. The strength of the snails’ shells evolved due to the animals’ harsh environment on the floor of the Indian Ocean, where it not only fends off attacks from predators but is subject to extreme fluctuations in water temperatures and acidity from hydrothermal vents.

BioWAVE: Harnessing Wave Power

(images via: biopower systems)

Just like the little plants that grow on the sea floor, the bioWAVE ocean wave energy system is designed to sway with the movement of the ocean. The buoyant blades capture the force of the waves during optimal energy-harnessing periods but are also able to cease operating and lay down flat in a safe position during extreme conditions to avoid damage. BioPower Systems is currently testing this technology for 250kW, 500kW and 100kW capacities in the hopes of providing power to the Flinders and King Islands off Australia in the short term, and possibly the entire state of Victoria in the long term.

Out on a Limb at the Morris Arboretum Tree Adventure

2011-03-15T04:54:00.000-07:00

Nestle into a human-sized bird’s nest or stretch out on a suspended web 50 feet above the forest floor at the Morris Arboretum Tree Adventure in Philadelphia, a journey through the treetops punctuated with lookouts, a swaying bridge and fun play areas for children. The ‘Out on a Limb’ portion of the Tree Adventure consists of a 450-foot walkway made of steel and cedar wood, and illuminated with LED lighting.

Designed by Metcalfe Architecture & Design and winner of a number of awards including the 2010 American Association of Museums Excellence in Exhibition Design Award, Out on a Limb is both fun and educational, employing a “play-to-learn” strategy that aims to foster respect for nature in children.

The structure, which was pre-fabricated offsite, is made from recyclable metal and sustainably harvested, 100-percent renewable Western Red Cedar. Naturally bug- and rot-resistant locust wood decking will ensure that the Boardwalk stays safe and beautiful for a long time. Very much a part of the woods in which it is located, the structure is nevertheless entirely free-standing. Placed on small foundations called “micro-piles”, the boardwalk was engineered to put the least amount of strain possible on the root systems of the trees.

“We spend our whole lives on the ground looking up,” said Paul Meyer, director of the Morris Arboretum. “But I think there is something instinctively attractive in the trees. Why else would we want to build tree houses as children? Something like this allows us to escape the bounds of the earth.”

Mind mapping on( creative multimedia )

2011-02-26T23:27:00.000-08:00

this is our project from the start this is our first mind mapping on( creative multimedia )

The First step .

The second step is to focus on key word from the mind mapping and we choose ( Advertising )

3 Step

Essay on Advertising 800 words

The Power of Advertising . Is creative multimedia

Advertising is a paid, mass-mediated attempt to persuade. Advertising can be done for a product, service, idea, person, or an organization. One important factor to keep in mind is that no advertisement contains one single message that all of the members of the audience will interpret alike. Advertising is a part of the marketing mix, under promotion, and is a very important aspect in Marketing.
Advertising is a form of communication intended to persuade an audience (viewers, readers or listeners) to purchase or take some action upon products, ideals, or services. It includes the name of a product or service and how that product or service could benefit the consumer, to persuade a target market to purchase or to consume that particular brand. Modern advertising developed with the rise of mass production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Commercial advertisers seek to generate increased consumption of their products or services through branding, which involves the repetition of an image or product name in an effort to associate related qualities with the brand in the minds of consumers.

Types of advertising, there are many types of advertising

Digital advertising

Television advertising / Music in advertising . The TV commercial is generally considered the most effective mass-market advertising format. The average cost of a single thirty-second TV spot during this game has reached US$3 million (as of 2009). The majorities of television commercials feature a song or jingle that listeners soon relate to the product. Virtual adverts may be inserted into regular television programming through computer graphics. It is inserted into otherwise blank backdrops or used to replace local billboards that are not irrelevant.

Radio advertising Radio advertisements are broadcast as radio waves to the air from a transmitter to an antenna and a thus to a receiving device.

Online advertising Online advertising is a form of promotion that uses the Internet and World Wide Web for the expressed purpose of delivering marketing messages to attract customers.

Product placements Covert advertising, also known as guerrilla advertising, is when a product or brand is embedded in entertainment and media.

Physical advertising

Press advertising press advertising describes advertising in a printed medium such as a newspaper, magazine, or trade journal. Mobile billboard advertising

Mobile billboards are generally vehicle mounted billboards or digital screens. In-store advertising in-store advertising is any advertisement placed in a retail store.

Celebrity branding

This focuses upon using celebrity power, fame, money, popularity to gain recognition for their products and promote specific stores or products.

Advertisements usually have a negative connotation associated with them and because of this most people don’t like taking the time look at and even read advertisements. The good news is, not all advertisements are bad and some companies have taken the time to design some very clever advertising campaigns.

Future of advertising

Global advertising has gone through: domestic, export, international, multi-national, and global stages. For global advertisers, there are four: building a brand while speaking with one voice, developing economies of scale in the creative process, maximizing local effectiveness of ads, and increasing the company’s speed of implementation.

Diversification Continued industry diversification has seen observers note that “big global clients don’t need big global agencies any more”. This is reflected by the growth of non-traditional agencies in various global markets, like Canadian business TAXI and SMART in Australia and has been referred to as “a revolution in the ad world”.

New technology The ability to record shows on digital video recorders (such as TiVo) allows users to fast forward through commercials. Additionally, fewer people watch the shows on TV. However, the fact that these sets are sold, means the company will receive additional profits from the sales of these sets. To counter this effect, many advertisers have opted for product placement on TV shows.

An advertising company is a potentially very successful and enjoyable business, but only if done correctly. Advertising promotion is older than most people think.

In the pre-1800’s, the means of advertising were abit primitive as adverts were only informational. The commonest means were placing price lists signs on walls, printed announcements, calls of town crier and the like. Steadily these means started emancipating through use of different measures of capturing consumer’s attention, like factories were turning out goods that need public attention, use of borders, headlines, and white space to draw attention, canning and bottling allowed for brands.

Later in the motivational stage in the 1930s advertising companies started using attractive people in their pictures and posters to create pleasant associations for the product. Because of this, people bought products not just because they physically needed them.There were also various hidden psychological needs. A brand could make them more powerful, more loved, or more socially acceptable.

From the behavioural stage in the 1950s, consumers have become more critical and educated. Agencies study consumer needs and buying patterns to create a product image by adapting more “scientific” manner of targeting, for example introduction of low carb goods. With time, adverts became more entertaing and enticing throught the use of celebrities who may be anything from singers, dancers, actors to models,sports personalities and successful enterpreneurs. However, some advertising industries that do not use celebrity branding decide to go with complete novelty and creativity in the adverts, all of which may be anything simple from skits,snapshots, writings to more sophisticated means in the digital realm. Digital advertising and creativity has been seen to be taking over the advertising world earning advertisers a great deal of money. In the future advertising will take any sort of form or means, whether it is physical or digital. Digital advertising will be more sophisticated, intricate and very advanced. I fathom there will even be the use of three dimensional holographic images and videos and will be made to be mobile and accessible.

Advertising ; Creative Multimedia is bolding the Quality

Reference

http://www.exampleessays.com/viewpaper/96289.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising#Types_of_advertising

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising#Future_of_advertising

4 Step

the Random Association

the Association

The Practice

The 5 Step

The Sketches

Options

GPS

prices

numbers

Bluetooth

Video

airtime

music calling

Games

microphone

touch screen brands

Design

the final sketches

the final poster

More: http://namecardmy.com/2011年兔年运程
(from 1 Name Card, 1 Malaysia)

2011-02-25T04:52:00.000-08:00

We’re used to seeing projects that help humans get around (like highways and pedestrian crossings) but it is less common to see projects that help nature navigate around us. This wildlife crossing was designed by Olin Studio for West Vail Pass, Colorado as a way to help animals pass safely over the street. The design, called “Wild (X)ing,” is one entry in a design competition that aims to find a way for both wildlife and humans to travel safely in the same area.

Because a highway runs through the very large White River National Forest, it poses a very real threat to the animals that make their homes there. The green bridge concept would help wildlife in the White River National Forest cross over a busy highway while staying at a safe distance from the vehicles.

The wildlife bridge concept uses a repeating rhomboid shape because of its inherent strength and functionality as a modular component. The bridge is designed to be expandable when needed; if the highway is widened in the future the bridge can easily be widened along with it.

Each rhomboid is actually what the designers call a “habitat module,” which is a segment of habitat naturally found in the area. Six different types of habitats have been identified for inclusion in the project, ranging from xeric grassland to wet meadow to spruce and fir forest.

By combining these modules on the wildlife-friendly crossing, the designers hope to create a landscape that connects the man-made structure to the surrounding wildlife and provides a comfortable environment for fauna. If the surrounding landscape should happen to change in the future, modules can be lifted out by cranes and replaced. According to the designers, this module approach is the safest and most cost-effective way to integrate a wildlife bridge into the national park.

Inspired by Insects: 10 Creepy-Crawly Biomimetic Designs

2011-02-15T04:48:00.000-08:00

Buzzing, flapping, flying and crawling, insects and arachnids of all shapes and sizes surround us day and night in numbers that are almost too frightening to contemplate. But such creepy-crawlies not only have an important place in the world – they also provide an incredible source of inspiration for everything from the display screens on our e-readers to fog-collecting capabilities of sustainable buildings. These 10 biomimetic designs take cues from butterflies, beetles, dragonflies and bees to bring our own creations closer to the perfection of nature.

Mirasol Display Mimics a Butterfly Wing

(image via: businessweek)

A low-energy alternative to electronic ink for gadgets like cell phones, tablets and e-readers, the Mirasol low-voltage display screen takes a cue from butterfly wings, which are translucent membranes covered in microscopic light-reflecting scales. As light passes through a butterfly wing and the wing flaps, sunlight refracts and different wavelengths, making a wing look iridescent. The Mirasol screen achieves a similar effect with two glass panels and tiny mirrors that reflect colors onto the screen. This means that the screen delivers bright color in strong light, making it easier to see in the sun, using natural light from the environment rather than artificial lighting.

Beetle-Inspired Water Bottle

(image via: inhabitat)

In water-starved areas of the world, nothing short of ingenuity will help ensure clean, safe drinking water for all – and one designer has an idea that could harvest water from fog. The design for the Dew Bank Bottle by Pak Kitae mimics the way the “fog beetle” collects dew droplets in ridges on its back. The bottle has a stainless steel dome that becomes cooler than the air in the morning, forming dew drops that slide down into a collection channel. The bottle can harvest about a cup of water at a time, which may not seem like much to us, but could mean the difference between life and death for some.

Water Theater Gathers Fog Like a Beetle

(image via: grimshaw architects)

It’s like the beetle water bottle, times a thousand: an amphitheater that pulls water in from the air in a seaside location, effectively distilling seawater. The Water Theater, designed specifically for the Las Palmas development in the Canary Islands, uses the same beetle for inspiration. The theater uses the fresh water that it produces to irrigate crops and provide cool relief in this hot desert climate.

Dragonfly Vertical Farm Concept

(images via: archdaily)

The metal and glass ‘wings’ of Vincent Callebaut’s stunning vertical farm concept for New York City were modeled directly on the exoskeleton of a dragonfly, housing plant and animal farms that make use of plentiful sunlight and air flow high in the sky. The 132-story complex, imagined for the south end of Roosevelt Island, also includes housing and work space.

Photonic Beetles Inspire Faster Computers

(image via: physorg

From any angle, despite their iridescence, the scales of the Brazilian beetle L. augustus always look like the same shade of green. That may not sound impressive, but for scientists engineering optical computer chips, it could be the key to a problem that’s been holding them back for years. The scales each contain a crystal with a honeycomb-like interior with a structure that could provide a model for the photonic crystals needed in optical computing.

Zimbabwe Building Modeled on Termite Mound

(image via: inhabitat)

How do you keep a mid-rise building in the middle of Zimbabwe cool without air conditioning or a big energy bill? By modeling it after self-cooling termite mounds. African termites maintain a steady temperature in their mounds by constantly opening and closing heating and cooling vents throughout the mound, sucking in air at the base and pulling it up the peak. Eastgate Centre has a ventilation system that operates in a similar way, providing a sustainable and cost-effective way to maintain a comfortable inside temperature.

Honeycomb Tires Can’t Go Flat

(image via: world car fans)

The tire of the future doesn’t need air, therefore it can’t go flat – which could be a real lifesaver for members of the military. Responding to the government’s need for tires that can support lots of weight, survive an IED attack and still speed away at up to 50mph, developers Resilient Technologies and Wisconsin-Madison’s Polymer Engineering Center realized that nothing was more perfect than Mother Nature’s design of the honeycomb. The series of hexagon shapes is extremely strong, and distributes weight evenly for a smooth ride.

Butterfly Wings Could Lead to Better Solar Panels

(image via: treehugger)

In 2009, scientists discovered that butterfly wings have scales that act as natural solar collectors, which absorb light in an ultra-efficient way. Using a natural butterfly wing as a template, researchers were able to improve light-harvesting in dye-sensitive solar cells, which have the highest light-conversion efficiencies among all solar cells. Best of all, this method of producing solar collectors is more cost-effective than others that were previously used.

Honeycomb Housing Complex in Slovenia

(images via: ofis)

Drawing inspiration from beehives, architecture firm Ofis designed this low-income housing complex in Slovenia for maximum privacy and visual interest. The staggered windows, with their colorful shades, also offer solar shading and ventilation. The overall ‘artificial honeycomb’ effect gives the building a much more interesting look than would a conventional window layout.

Mondo Spider Electric Vehicle

(images via: mondospider.com)

There’s never any shortage of incredible art cars and other vehicles at the annual Burning Man festival, but one stands out for its biomimetic design: Mondo Spider. This eight-legged, one-man vehicle moves via hydraulics and though it won’t get the driver anywhere fast – it tops out at “brisk walking speed” – it’s fascinating to watch in action.

Esui Contest

2011-02-09T20:12:00.000-08:00

For further information, log on to the contest:
http://namecardmy.com/esui/

Testimonial

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Giant German Airship Hangar Transformed into Tropical Resort

2011-01-25T04:44:00.000-08:00

Berliners depressed by the city’s notoriously cold and gray winters need to travel mere minutes in order to escape to a lush tropical paradise where the sun always shines, the air is a balmy 77 degrees, and orchids bloom beside a wide expanse of crystal-blue water. But the coolest thing about Tropical Islands, an artificial tropical resort in the German countryside, is the fact that it was built in a repurposed airship hangar.

The 194-million-cubic-foot structure – one of the world’s biggest buildings by volume – was originally commissioned by CargoLifter AG as a hangar for a prototype airship. When the company went bankrupt in 2002, it sold the 351-foot-high hangar to a Malaysian company called Tanjong, which repurposed the massive structure into a reproduction of a seaside village complete with a water park and the world’s largest indoor pool.

Nearly a million visitors take advantage of a 600-foot sandy beach and careen down a nine-story waterslide that sends sliders into the pool at speeds of up to 44mph. The record-breaking resort also contains the world’s largest artificial rainforest, which is packed with over 50,000 trees in 600 varieties.

Of course, as Inhabitat points out, maintaining all of this tropical artificiality in the middle of snowy Germany is not exactly eco-friendly – imagine the water and power bills. But it’s certainly a novel re-use for a structure that is so large as to be impractical for nearly any other purpose, and if the project does well in the long-term, other disused airship hangars around the world may follow suit.

Brilliant Bio-Design: 14 Animal-Inspired Inventions

2011-01-15T04:43:00.001-08:00

Surveillance cameras flap their wings in the sky just like birds and bats. Tiny little hairs on gecko feet help a robot climb a smooth vertical surface. The impact-resistant surface of human teeth inspires light and durable aerospace materials. Just like designs inspired by the sea, insect-mimicking inventions and buildings that look like natural terrain, these 14 examples of biomimicry based on animal and human biology capitalize on the unparalleled efficiency of nature.

A Robotic Arm Like an Elephant Trunk

(image via: festo.com)

Robotics have always been bound by the limitations of the computers of their time, but as computer technology continues to evolve, more complex calculations for a wider range of movements become possible. And the capability of flexible, pliable movement has given way to more advanced designs like this one: a new ‘biomechatronic’ handling system based on an elephant’s trunk. Created by German engineering firm Festo, the Bionic Handling Assistant smoothly transports heavy loads, expanding and contracting by inflating or deflating air sacs within each ‘vertebrae’.

Solar-Powered Bat-Inspired Spy Plane

(image via: inhabitat)

Bats have unwittingly become the inspiration for a government surveillance device. The United States military commissioned the COM-BAT from the University of Michigan College of Engineering, giving them a five-year, $10-million-dollar grant to develop the design. Fitted with a solar panel in its transparent ‘head’, the 6-inch spy plane has wings shaped like those of the flying mammal. The plane must be able to collect large amounts of surveillance data while running on only 1 watt of power.

Bird Skulls Inspire Lighter, Stronger Building Materials

(image via: andres harris)

“Skulls in general are extraordinary impact-resistant structures and extremely light at the same time as they protect the most important organs of an animal body and this performance and physical property can be applied in structure or architecture design,” says architect Andres Harris, who has studied animal bones – particularly bird skulls – extensively in a bid to design a highly efficient bio-inspired surface. Harris imagines mimicking the material for a large pavilion, and the blog Biomimetic Architecture notes that this concept could also be applied to cars.

Bullet Train Has a Nose Like a Kingfisher Beak

(images via: yimhafiz, laszlo-photo)

The kingfisher dives into the water from the air without making a splash, mostly thanks to its highly efficiently-shaped beak. In a stroke of genius, engineer and bird enthusiast Eiji Nakatsu realized that the same shape could solve an annoying problem faced by Japan’s ultra-fast bullet trains, which created a loud booming sound like a thunder clap whenever they exited a tunnel. The nose of the train was pushing air at high speeds, creating a wall of wind that not only made the loud sound, but also slowed down the train. The new, kingfisher-inspired train nose eliminates this problem, making the trains up to 20 percent more fuel efficient.

Bio-Inspired Computer Takes Cues from Cat Brains

(image via: aturkus)

Sure, computer tech has advanced a lot in recent years – but even supercomputers still can’t recognize human faces as well as cats can. The University of Michigan decided to study the feline brain in order to develop an intelligent computer. The idea is that current computers execute code in a linear fashion, as opposed to the mammalian brain, which can process many things at once. Lu is in the process of developing a circuit element that behaves like biological synapses. This ‘memristor’ can remember past voltages that passed through it in a way that is similar to memory and learning in the brain. Why cats? Computer engineer Wei Lu says it was simply a more realistic goal than mimicking the brain of a human.

Bat Sonar Navigation Helps the Blind Get Around

(image via: gizmag)

It doesn’t have any cool physical features that reveal its inspiration, but the Ultracane wouldn’t be possible without study of the way bats get around in pitch blackness. In the same way that bats can “see” in the dark using ultrasonic echoes that reveal the location of obstacles, the Ultracane warns blind users of objects in their path. A number of sensors on the cane even make it possible for users to sense objects higher than head height.

Radio Chip Mimics the Human Ear

(images via: physorg, lisaw123)

Faster than any human-designed radio-frequency spectrum analyzer, this radio chip also needs very little power to operate. How is that possible? The design is based upon the human ear. MIT researchers looked at the way the cochlea converts sound waves into electrical signals sent to the brain. The sound waves create mechanical waves in the fluid of the inner ear, which activate tiny hair cells that facilitate electrical signals. Rahul Sarpeshkar used the same design principles in his artificial cochlear radio chip, which would make possible wireless devices that can receive cell phone, internet, radio and television signals.

““The more I started to look at the ear, the more I realized it’s like a super radio with 3,500 parallel channels,” said Sarpeshkar.

RoboSwift Micro-Airplane is No Ordinary Bird

(image via: science daily)

Here’s yet another invention to make you paranoid that that little flying creature above your house is no ordinary bird or bat. The RoboSwift, as implied by its name, is based upon the biology of the swift, a family of birds capable of extremely fast flight. Developed by Delft University of Technology, the RoboSwift is equipped with observation cameras that might be used either to study birds, or possibly for surveillance of human activity. Wind tunnel tests have found that its flight is remarkably bird-like thanks to the ability to fold its ‘feathers’ backwards.

Stickybot: Gecko Feet Help Robot Climb

(image via: science daily)

How can a robot climb a smooth surface like glass without using suction cups, which are slow and inefficient? The secret lies in the intricate design of a gecko’s toes. Mark Cutkosky, a professor of mechanical engineering at Stanford University, developed the ‘Stickybot’ with the same type of dry adhesive that lets those lizards cling to the most improbable of surfaces. This ‘directional adhesive’ relies on millions of hairs on the ridges of a gecko’s foot with split ends that interact with the molecules of the climbing surface.

“Other adhesives are sort of like walking around with chewing gum on your feet: You have to press it into the surface and then you have to work to pull it off. But with directional adhesion, it’s almost like you can sort of hook and unhook yourself from the surface,” Cutkosky told ScienceDaily.

Deer Antlers Inspire Basis of Super-Tough Materials

(image via: stuart.bassil)

What makes the antlers of a deer so bone-crushingly strong? Scientists at the University of York in the UK weren’t sure exactly how the moisture level in deer antlers affects their strength. They studied antlers that were cut just before the stage when stags start dueling, when they need their antlers to be at their strongest, and discovered that during this period, the antlers dry out. Dry, stiff materials are usually brittle and easily breakable, but deer antlers proved to be 2.4 times stronger than wet bone. This revelation seems to have solved a puzzling problem for engineers: making a material that is both stiff and tough. The structure of deer antlers will likely become the basis of incredibly durable industrial materials.

Human Teeth Structure and Aerospace Technology

(image via: diongillard)

Our teeth are only about a strong as glass – so how can they withstand nearly a lifetime of chomping on all kinds of hard foods? Researchers at Tel Aviv University examined thousands of extracted human teeth and found that under stress, the highly sophisticated structure that makes up the exterior of our teeth forms a network of micro-cracks instead of large ones. These tiny cracks are then able to heal over time. If engineers can find a way to replicate this ‘wavy’, multi-layered structure in a synthetic material, they could develop lighter and more crash-resistant aircraft, though the self-healing properties are probably a long way from realization.

Contact Lenses of the Future Inspired by Gecko Eyes

(image via: jurvetson)

Feet aren’t the only part of gecko anatomy that’s got engineers excited. Scientists have discovered that geckos have a series of distinct concentric zones in their eyes that make it possible for them to see colors at night, an ability few other creatures have. These zones have different refractive powers, giving geckos a multifocal optical system that allows light of different wavelengths to focus on the retina at the same time. This makes their eyes 350 times more sensitive than humans, and lets them focus on objects at different distances. The discovery may allow engineers to develop more effective cameras and possibly even multi-focal contact lenses.

Beer-Foam-Like Bird Feather Colors Influence Optical Materials

(image via: steve patten)

The brilliantly colored feathers of the male Eastern bluebird aren’t created by pigments, like most other colors found in nature – that shade of blue is actually produced by nanostructures that self-assemble in much the same way as beer foam. Essentially, they form the same way as materials undergoing ‘phase separation’, when different substances become unstable and separate from each other. Color-producing structures in feathers start out as bubbles of water inside living cells, and are replaced with air as the feather grows. These intricate optical structures, which look like sponges with air bubbles under a microscope, are being used to create a new generation of optical materials in the lab.

Human Eye Inspires Cameras with Wider Field of View

(image via: orangeacid)

The curved surface of the human eye facilitates a wider field of view than has ever been possible using a camera. The challenge for engineers was to transfer microelectronic components onto a curved surface without breaking them. Yonggang Huang of Northwestern University and John Rogers of the University of Illinois built a digital camera of the same size, shape and layout of the human eye, and developed a mesh-like material that hold electronic components onto the curved surface. This technology would enable photographs that are entirely clear and focused, unlike today’s cameras which can focus only on certain areas. It may even enable the development of an artificial retina or bionic eye.

Hottest Asian model girl, Hwang Mi Hee beautiful photos

2010-11-27T01:59:00.000-08:00

She is Korean popular and famous sexy model girl, Hwang Mi Hee. She is so sexy, hot and beautiful Asian model girl. Because of her beauty and sexy style, she becomes very popular not only in Korean but also in Asian.
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More: http://namecardmy.com/2011年兔年运程
(from 1 Name Card, 1 Malaysia)

Korean Sexy model, Asain sexy girl, Hwang Mi Hee's beautiful photos

2010-11-17T01:58:00.000-08:00

Hwang Mi Hee is the Korean top sexy model girl. She was born in 1982 and her height is around 174 cm. She is also the racing queen because she becomes famous by modeling at the motor car racing. Now, she becomes top model in Korean because of her beauty and lovely style. Hwang Mi Hee is really sexy and cute Asian model girl.

Hwang Mi Hee is the Korean top sexy model girl. She was born in 1982 and her height is around 174 cm. She is also the racing queen because she becomes famous by modeling at the motor car racing. Now, she becomes top model in Korean because of her beauty and lovely style. Hwang Mi Hee is really sexy and cute Asian model girl.

Korean Sexiest Model and Car Model, Racing Queen, Hwang Mi Hee

2010-11-07T00:53:00.000-07:00

Asian sexy model, Korean popular model, Hwang Mi Hee

Hwang Mi Hee is the Korean top sexy model girl. She was born in 1982 and her height is around 174 cm. She is also the racing queen because she becomes famous by modeling at the motor car racing. Now, she becomes top model in Korean because of her beauty and lovely style. Hwang Mi Hee is really sexy and cute Asian model girl.
She is Korean hottest model girl, Hwang Mi Hee. She is one of the top models in Korean. Hwang Mi Hee is sexy, hot and cute Asian girl.
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Korean sexy model, Hwang Mi Hee's hot school girl style

2010-10-27T01:57:00.000-07:00

Korean sexy model, Hwang Mi Hee with lovely school uniform

Asian sexy model, Korean popular model, Hwang Mi Hee

Korean Beauty Queen, Popular Car Model, Hwang Mi Hee's cute photos

2010-10-20T00:51:00.000-07:00

Korean Popular Car Model, Hwang Mi Hee with beautiful racing queen outfit

Korean sexy model, Hwang Mi Hee with lovely Car Model/Racing Queen Outfit

Hwang Mi Hee is one of the top models in Korean. Hwang Mi Hee is sexy, hot and cute Asian girl.
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Korean Sexy Racing Queen, Car Model, Hwang Mi Hee with sexy racing outfit

2010-10-07T00:51:00.000-07:00

Korean top model Hwang Mi Hee is showing off her sexy legs with beautiful and sexy racing outfit. She was born in 1982 and her height is around 174 cm. She is also the racing queen because she becomes famous by modeling at the motor car racing. Now, she becomes top model in Korean because of her beauty and lovely style. Hwang Mi Hee is really sexy and cute Asian model girl.
Korean sexy model, Hwang Mi Hee, Cute and lovely Car Model/Racing Queen
Hwang Mi Hee is one of the top models in Korean. Hwang Mi Hee is sexy, hot and cute Asian girl.
Hwang Mi Hee is the Korean top sexy model girl. She was born in 1982 and her height is around 174 cm. She is also the racing queen because she becomes famous by modeling at the motor car racing. Now, she becomes top model in Korean because of her beauty and lovely style. Hwang Mi Hee is really sexy and cute Asian model girl.
Korean Popular Car Model, Hwang Mi Hee with beautiful racing queen outfit
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Korean Sexy Model and Beauty Queen, Hwang Mi Hee 황미희 At Gwangju Motor Show

2010-10-07T00:50:00.001-07:00

Korean Top Racing Queen, Hwang Mi Hee 황미희 is so beautiful and sexy with White and Black Racing Model Outfit at Gwangju Motor Show.Mi Hee is showing off her beauty with Cute white Dress. She was born in 1982 and her height is around 174 cm. She is also the racing queen because she becomes famous by modeling at the motor car racing. Now, she becomes top model in Korean because of her beauty and lovely style. Hwang Mi Hee is really sexy and cute Asian model girl.

Korean Sexy Car Model, Hwang Mi Hee 황미희 with Sexy Outfit

2010-10-07T00:46:00.000-07:00

South Korea Popular Racing Beauty Queen, Hwang Mi Hee 황미희 is showing of her pretty and big boobs with sexy racing outfit. She was born in 1982 and her height is around 174 cm. Hwang Mi Hee is really sexy and cute Asian model girl.

Hwang Mi Hee 황미희, South Korea Top Sexy Model Girl

116 Incredible Wallpapers By You

2010-08-19T02:03:00.000-07:00

For this week's Shooting Challenge, I asked you to shoot whatever you wanted. As the 116 photos that follow prove, this was a great decision.

Lead Shot

A friend gave me a nifty new Nikon 55mm macro f 3.5 with a Nikon bellows focusing attachment a couple of days ago. I slapped a Canon 5D to the back of it and was trying to take a picture of the flower, but this little guy stuck his butt in the way. It turned out to be my favorite picture in the bunch. I had to shoot at ISO 3200 with Canon 580EXii flash to get it light enough.
-Jennifer Kehl

Landscape Silhouette

Shot from inside a car at a parking lot.
Canon EOS Rebel XS
Canon 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM
1/1000
4.5
ISO400
-Taishi Matusmoto

Sparkling Eyes

Shot with Canon XTi
1/50
f/5.6
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 31mm
Had a shoot with a gorgeous girl by the name of Sam. This was one of my favorite shots, I think the sparkles around her eyes make the photo for me.
-Austin Trevin Tooley

Gatorade As You've Never Seen It

Camera: Nikon D5000
Lens: Nikon 18-105mm
ISO 200
f/3.5
1.6 sec exposure
For this one, I shot through a four foot long cardboard tube to achieve the spiraling effect. To get the blue at the center, I just pointed it at a bottle of blue Gatorade.
-Sean Edwards

(Obligatory) Light Painting

Nikon D3000
Shutter: 10sec
f/5.6
ISO: 100
Flashlights: 2 blue led lights, and 3 cheap flash lights
I asked 5 friends from my hall at school to grab some flashlights. Then I asked them to run toward me with them. This was our first try. It was also our only try. After this, our RAs told us we were being too loud after quiet hours. Shoot.
[Ed note: More long exposures in a vintage Shooting Challenge here.]
-Austin Gohn

Jesus Diaz's Fave

I photographed our cat Pixie while she was looking at the windows, with my Canon 50D with a 100mm macro lens (settings : f/2.8, 1/80sec, ISO 400).
[Ed note: pet photography is rarely so entrancing.]
-Céline Ruffino.

Shot on a Cellphone

This is a picture of the Engineering 2 building at the University of California, Santa Cruz. It was taken with an iPhone 2G in the afternoon, around 4pm, when the sun was a bit lower in the sky. The distortion you see in the foreground is something I've been experimenting with, and is done in-camera.
-Benjamin Bunch

Life In an Old Mine...

Taken with a Canon XSi with an 18-55mm kit lens at ISO 800 and at 1/30 of a
second. The picture was taken at an old copper mining plant where it
dumped the waste sand out into Lake Superior.
-Forrest Sherman

...Reminds Us of WALL-E

I took this shot with my Nikon D90 with a 50mm lens on manual mode. The shutter speed was 1/100, ISO 100 and an aperture of f5. A Nikon SB-600 (set to 1/13 power) was placed approximately 1 meter behind the paper craft WALL-E and triggered via Nikon CLS. I like how the dust in the air was illuminated and makes it look like a space scene.
-Zak Milofsky

Sriracha 4EVER

As a hot pepper junkie, I shot this as a tribute to my capsaicin addiction.
The fire was from a puddle of isopropyl alcohol directly behind the peppers. Shot on a dark glass sheet in front of a black backdrop. Minimal Photoshop needed- just dust removal and contrast curves.
f/11, 4s, ISO125. Canon 5D + 50mm EF Macro lens.
1/16th Vivitar 285 into small softbox, set left rear.
1/32 ABR800 into 30" moonunit, set right.
1/4th Vivtar285, snooted, under glass.
Medium foam reflector, set front left.
Cactus V2 trigger.
-Kurt Elster

Blowing Bubbles

Camera Nikon D300s
Focal Length 35mm
Aperture f/5.6
Shutter Speed sec
ISO 400
Shot my nephew while playing w/bubbles right in front of his home. Small wall in front of steps, I just had him sit down while I laid on my stomach! Taken in Pasadena, CA
-Ray Yoro

The Antimatter Has Arrived

"The antimatter, has arrived"
Shot on the Nikon D300 with the Nikkor AFS DX 35mm f/1.8G lens: 14bit lossless .nef, 1/250x (sync) shutter speed, f/2.8 aperture (which is where the magic happens with this lens, by the way), ISO 200. D300 built-in flash commanding 2 x SB600's wirelessly (IR). Conversion, color correction and curves in Raw Therapee, editing in Photoshop CS3.
-Wade Saathoff

It's Just a Neat Shot

It's now been 5 months since I obtained my first DSLR, a beginner's Canon EOS Rebel XS. I have tried my best to participate in almost every one of Gizmodo's shooting challenges to better myself, and I think it's been paying off. Here's my free for all shot. I took a pool raft from my back yard that unexpectedly had a spiderweb on one side of the rafts headrest, suspended in the web were several leaves and other things. I put the lens of my camera in one end of the headrest, using it as some kind of weird DSLR silencer. I pointed it at the pool and took this shot during bright daylight.
f/5 - 1/60s - ISO 100 - 18-55@42mm - Canon Rebel XS
-modestmouse

Looks Like Cherry Blossoms

Canon Rebel XSi, 18 mm, f/8, 2.5 sec, iso 400
I've always wanted to try infrared photography, and this challenge gave me a great excuse to do just that. This is a photo of a dying hemlock tree, which I took at Rainbow Falls this week. I used a tripod and an infrared filter and then did some tweaking in Photoshop.
-Timothy Flynn

Orange Plant

I saw the plant while cleaning the car and really likes how they were slightly translucent, so I grabbed my camera. I used a Rebel XTi with a prime 50mm USM lens at ISO-100 and a f3.5 aperture and used a makeshift reflector. Used Lightroom to sharpen and crop the picture.
-Johann Garces

Forbidden Do'h nut

Canon T1i
28mm
f/1.8
1/4sec shutter
ISO 100
Joby Gorillapod
After the initial focus stacking challenge I had this shot in my head and finally had an excuse to retry this technique. I call this one, "Forbidden Do'h nut".
[Ed note: see focus stacking challenge]
-Will Phan

Spontaneous Sparks

Camera: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 7D
Lens: EF-S17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
ISO: 250
Exposure: 1/20 sec
Aperture: 3.2
Focal Length: 55mm
I was walking on the streets of Manhattan and this road was under maintenance. This guy was cutting metal rods off the ground and it produced these amazing sparks.
-Abhiram Bandaru

WINNER

This is obviously taken underwater, as this is my primary focus for photography. This is on the ascent line back up to the dive boat. Edited in Aperture for white balance correction.
Canon EOS 7D
Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye Zoom lens @ 13mm
Nauticam NA-7D underwater housing
Zen Dome Port on top of a Nauticam 40mm extension port
ISO200, f5, 1/125, natural light
-Sam Garber

195 Splashing, Rippling Wallpapers

2010-08-09T02:01:00.000-07:00

For this week's Shooting Challenge, we've brought in a special guest judge. Martin Waugh is not only a master of catching water drops in flight; he's oft-labeled the inventor of the "drop collision" shot.

He's appeared discussing his craft on the Discovery Channel, and you can find his work in museums and advertisements alike. (Of course, you could just head on over to his website, too.)

We didn't always agree on our favorites, but that's what makes this week's results so much fun. So with no further ado:

Lead Shot—Wilson Pick

Taken with a Canon 550D with a Sigma 50 mm lens mounted on a tripod.
A glass of water was placed on a black surface so to not reflect light upwards, with a black tshirt as background. Taken in full sunlight with the background angled so it was shaded to make it darker.
Took a table spoon of milk and started pouring, voila.
Shutter: 1/2500
Aperture: F5.6
ISO: 400
-Emil Brikha

Wilson Pick

Shot with a Canon 5D Mk II at 58mm 1/200 f22 ISO 200. I wanted to create something a bit surreal, so I placed a spiral notebook under a clear glass baking dish filled with 1/2 inch of water. It was illuminated with an off camera flash set at 1/4 power. I rested my right hand holding the pencil on the edge of the baking dish, whilst holding a plastic bag filled with water dripping precariously close to all the electronic equipment in my left hand. The camera was triggered by my right foot from a remote trigger laying on the ground. This was my first time trying to shoot a water drop and it took about 500 tries.
-Garry Kline

Wilson Pick

Here is my entry. I chose to shoot an actual water drop, pre-splash. Please consider this as a submission.
Camera: Canon T1i
Standard 18-55mm Lens
ISO 200
F.8
1/2000
Canon 430exii
I tried to capture a perfect water droplet pre-splash. I took the flash off of the camera using an ettl-cord, and pointed it into the sink. The result was distinct scene lighting behind the water drop, and an even crisper, brighter reflection in the water drop.
-Justin Alexander Veenema

Wilson Pick

Nikon D300s
Nikkor 150mm F/2.8
1/125, f/8, ISO 200
Outside on the patio with natural light, citronella candle in the background provides the red. SB-900 camera left fired from SB-900 master unit on D300s.
Cropped in Lightroom, sharpened in Nik Software RAW Output Sharpener.
-Chuck Pepper Jr.

Wilson Pick

General Set-up: Colorful striped background behind a bowl filled with water and a camera on a tripod in front of it.
Lighting: Flash hitting the background behind the drop
Camera Settings:
Camera Model: Canon EOS REBEL T1i
Tv( Shutter Speed ): 1/200
Av( Aperture Value ): 8.0
ISO Speed: 100
Lens: EF100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Focal Length: 100.0mm
-Ivan Grinkevich

Wilson Pick

Canon 5D Mark II
100mm f/2.8 Canon Macro Lens
580EX Flash with a Fong diffuser
Pocket Wizard Mini TT1 and Flex TT5
My daughter and I balanced a blue plastic bowl filled with water between two chairs and placed the flash under the bowl pointing up. Then we dripped drops of Grenadine into the bowl and tried to time the shutter to coincide with the drop impact time.
-Jesse Zibble

Waugh Pick

Canon 5D Mrk II f/22 B (cable trigger)
Canon 180mm macro
580EX II ext flash
430EX ext flash
MT-24EX twin flash
Home-brew, PIC microcontroller laser/photocell trigger
all flashes set to 1/64th power for shortest flash duration
with laser trigger beam ~2.5" above drop, 30-200ms trigger
delays used for various different shots
[Waugh: Good use of "bright-field" lighting to highlight the edges of the water with a dark rim. And the bright primary colors happily contrast with the black and white subject.]
-Randy Heisch

Waugh Pick

Equipment
Canon 7D, 12mm extension tube, Canon 50mm F/1.8 lens, Canon Speedlight 430EXII (to the right), Opteka EF600DG-C (to the left), Shutter speed: 1/25th of a sec, Aperature: F11, ISO: 100, Focal length: 50mm, Whole milk, Mug, Bag with a hole in it, suspended about 1.5 feet above the mug, Rear background is a blue felt piece of fabric
[Waugh: Perfect symmetry and balance. The white-on-blue has the appeal of a Delftware cup.]
-John Lavin

Waugh Pick

Canon 50D
Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 II
f/9
200mm
1/200 sec.
ISO 400
Wireless flash using generic triggers from ebay.
I wanted to create something vivid and playful and that's what I came up with. I'm glad I got a chance to get my camera out of my bag.
-Aurimas Liutikas

Wilson and Waugh Pick

The technique is simple :) We have one drop that falls in water and rebounds and the second is coming down hitting the first. You have a link for a little example.
nikon d90 at 2 second with f:16, 2 external metz flash connected to a device that control the timing . so the flash will frozen the moment.
[Waugh: Good capture of a drop collision. Very nice depth of field and the point of focus is well-chosen. The colors stand out nicely against the gray background.]
-Silviu Bondari

Wilson and Waugh Pick

This water drop shot was created by filling up a casserole dish with water and then photographing droplets from the kitchen faucet so I could easily control the flow and timing of the droplets. I used a tripod-mounted Nikon D90 with an AF Zoom-Nikkor 35-70mm f/2.8D lens and an external Nikon SB-600. The flash was bounced off two red and blue pieces of paper to color the water. Focusing was done manually. This was one of 300 pictures taken over a period of an hour.
Exposure information (manual exposure): 1/125 second, f16, ISO 200, 70mm focal length. Flash exposure: 1/16 power.
-Mac Mirabile

Wilson and Waugh Pick

The Photo itself is called "... With Milk?" and features a small milk drop in a cup of coffee.
It was shot using a Pentax K20D with the DA 55-300 f4.0-5.8 ED, using a Metz 48 AF-1
as a Slave flash from the side.
I set up the camera as follows:
1/160sec, f11, ISO-400, Internal Flash -2EV, Metz +3EV
I used a small styropor board with white paper glued on it to preserve the white background. Now I set up the Metz at exactly +3EV as a Optical Slave Flash and put it on a bunch of books, on the left side of the cup. The Internal Flash must be set at about -2EV, it shouldn't bring any kind of power to light the picture. After a bit of testing, I found that the drop of milk, falling off from about 50cm over the cup, made the best results.
-Moritz Schwertner

WINNER - Wilson

Milk drop
Canon 30D
Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro
f/10 1/250th
Canon 430EX flash
[Wilson: Above a whirlpool, a perfect, white marble floats unperturbed by gravity. But what makes the shot for me, for whatever reason, is the blurry milk bubble in front.]
-Chris Andrews

WINNER - Waugh

Black casserole bowl filled with water. A yellow placemat hung up behind the bowl. Shot with a Canon Rebel XS using a kit lens (28-105, f3.5-4.5). With the camera a few inches above the bowl & as close as possible (minimum focus range is like 18 inches i think), I zoomed in as much as possible, and opened the aperture as large as possible. Turned on the flash & set it to fastest shutter speed that I could (which is only listed as 200 with the flash on, but I'm guessing the flash duration's shorter than that, and there was almost no other lighting on in the room...). Kept ISO at 400 to avoid too much noise. Set the timer to 2 seconds and used a water dropper... Repeat...
[Waugh: A classic splash formation (this stage in the drop life-cycle is often called the "spike"). The use of negative space teases the eye and lets the ripples contrast against the undisturbed surface. And the choice of color echoes the smooth waves.]
-Eric Kornblum

HD Rolls of Wallpapers

2010-07-28T22:59:00.000-07:00

Items: 100
Format: Jpg
Resolution: 1024x640 - 5000x2813
HD Rolls of Wallpapers Pack June 09 Size: 108 Mb

Free Download

Grand Auto Wallpapers Pack 8 FIAT 500

2010-07-18T23:02:00.000-07:00

Items: 92
Format: Jpg
Resolution: 1600x1200 - 2048x1536
Grand Auto Wallpapers Pack 8 FIAT 500 Size: 22,5 Mb

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Cartoon Digital Art Wallpapers Pack

2010-07-08T22:58:00.000-07:00

Items: 35
Format: Jpg
Resolution: 1600x1200
Cartoon Digital Art Wallpapers Pack Size: 11 Mb

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Grand Auto Wallpapers Pack 10 Rolls Royce & Bentley

2010-06-28T22:53:00.000-07:00

Works of Andy Jones Pictures Pack

2010-06-18T22:54:00.000-07:00

Grand Auto Wallpapers Pack 9 Mclaren

2010-06-08T23:03:00.000-07:00

Items: 27
Format: Jpg
Resolution: 2048x1536
Grand Auto Wallpapers Pack 9 Mclaren Size: 7,1 Mb

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Works of Christopher Peters Pictures Pack

2010-05-30T22:55:00.000-07:00

Items: 128
Format: Jpg
Resolution: Various
Works of Christopher Peters Pictures Pack Size: 30,0 Mb

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Rabbits 1600x1200 Wallpapers Pack

2010-05-28T22:49:00.000-07:00

Works of Yap Kunrong Pictures Pack

2010-05-21T22:56:00.000-07:00

Items: 43
Format: Jpg
Resolution: 480x706 ~ 1200x992
Works of Yap Kunrong Pictures Pack Size: 6,9 Mb

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Works of Dominic Davison Pictures Pack

2010-05-18T22:57:00.000-07:00

Items: 89
Format: Jpg
Resolution: 508x763 ~ 1318x825
Works of Dominic Davison Pictures Pack Size: 35,0 Mb

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HQ Auto Wallpapers Pack 88

2010-05-18T22:47:00.000-07:00

HQ Auto Wallpapers Pack 90

2010-05-07T03:14:00.000-07:00

Full HD Mixed Wallpapers Pack 57 by Smpx

2010-05-04T03:08:00.000-07:00

Items: 35
Format: Jpg
Resolution: 1600x1200 - 1920x1200 - 2560x1600
Full HD Mixed Wallpapers Pack 57 by Smpx Size: 52,5 Mb

HD Sexy Girls Wallpapers Pack 20

2010-05-04T03:03:00.000-07:00

Realistic Photo Pack

2010-05-04T02:26:00.000-07:00

Items: 100
Format: Jpg
Resolution: 1526x2313 - 2122x1664 - 2313x1526
Realistic Photo Pack Size: 187,0 Mb

Lucky One

2010-04-08T20:47:00.000-07:00

Lucky One

David Hanson

2010-02-01T21:09:00.000-08:00

David Hanson crosses a fallen log beneath soaring trees and a lingering fog in Washington's Olympic National Park.

Office : MySpace

2010-01-23T03:05:00.000-08:00

Creative fashionable wall clock

2010-01-13T02:51:00.000-08:00

Do anyone know where can I buy?

Coffee Art

2010-01-03T02:32:00.000-08:00

This is the artist used different concentrations of 3,604 cups of coffee produced a similar dream of Lisa!!

Ontario

2010-01-01T20:58:00.000-08:00

This is about one hour of firefly activity near my home in rural Ontario. The precision of the background star trails is an interesting contrast to the chaotic pattern of the firefly flashes.

Pudong and the Bund

2009-11-30T20:49:00.001-08:00

I was in the front car of the short subway between Pudong and the Bund, and was treated to the wonderful spectacle of an oncoming train in the tunnel's changing light show. I put my camera up to the window and shot as fast as possible to get this image.

Creative Work

2009-09-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

mammoth

2009-09-24T03:21:00.000-07:00

必看的故事教你学会做人

2009-09-17T23:37:00.000-07:00

1、宽容

一只小猪、一只绵羊和一头乳牛，被关在同一个畜栏里。有一次，牧人捉住小猪，牠大声号叫，猛烈地抗拒。绵羊和乳牛讨厌牠的号叫，便说：「他常常捉我们，我们并不大呼小叫。小猪听了回答道：「捉你们和捉我完全是两回事，他捉你们，只是要你们的毛和乳汁，但是捉住我，却是要我的命呢!

立场不同、所处环境不同的人，很难了解对方的感受；因此对别人的失意、挫折、伤痛，不宜幸灾乐祸，而应要有关怀、了解的心情。要有宽容的心！

2、 靠自己

小蜗牛问妈妈：为什么我们从生下来，就要背负这个又硬又重的壳呢？
妈妈：因为我们的身体没有骨骼的支撑，只能爬，又爬不快。所以要这个壳的保护！
小蜗牛：毛虫姊姊没有骨头，也爬不快，为什么她却不用背这个又硬又重的壳呢？
妈妈：因为毛虫姊姊能变成蝴蝶，天空会保护她啊。
小蜗牛：可是蚯蚓弟弟也没骨头爬不快，也不会变成蝴蝶他什么不背这个又硬又重的壳呢？
妈妈：因为蚯蚓弟弟会钻土, 大地会保护他啊。
小蜗牛哭了起来：我们好可怜，天空不保护，大地也不保护。
蜗牛妈妈安慰他：「所以我们有壳啊！」

我们不靠天，也不靠地，我们靠自己。

　3、 鲨鱼与鱼

曾有人做过实验，将一只最凶猛的鲨鱼和一群热带鱼放在同一个池子，然后用强化玻璃隔开，最初，鲨鱼每天不断冲撞那块看不到的玻璃，耐何这只是徒劳，它始终不能过到对面去，而实验人员每天都有放一些鲫鱼在池子里，所以鲨鱼也没缺少猎物，只是它仍想到对面去，想尝试那美丽的滋味，每天仍是不断的冲撞那块玻璃，它试了每个角落，每次都是用尽全力，但每次也总是弄的伤痕累累，有好几次都浑身破裂出血，持续了好一些日子，每当玻璃一出现裂痕，实验人员马上加上一块更厚的玻璃。

后来，鲨鱼不再冲撞那块玻璃了，对那些斑斓的热带鱼也不再在意，好像他们只是墙上会动的壁画，它开始等着每天固定会出现的鲫鱼，然后用他敏捷的本能进行狩猎，好像回到海中不可一世的凶狠霸气，但这一切只不过是假像罢了，实验到了最后的阶段，实验人员将玻璃取走，但鲨鱼却没有反应，每天仍是在固定的区域游着它不但对那些热带鱼视若无睹，甚至于当那些鲫鱼逃到那边去，他就立刻放弃追逐，说什么也不愿再过去，实验结束了，实验人员讥笑它是海里最懦弱的鱼。

　　可是失恋过的人都知道为什么，它怕痛。

4、神迹

法国一个偏僻的小镇，据传有一个特别灵验的水泉，常会出现神迹，可以医治各种疾病。有一天，一个拄着拐杖，少了一条腿的退伍军人，一跛一跛的走过镇上的马路，旁边的镇民带着同情的回吻说：「可怜的家伙，难道他要向上帝祈求再有一条腿吗??」这一句话被退伍的军人听到了，他转过身对他们说：「我不是要向上帝祈求有一条新的腿，而是要祈求祂帮助我，叫我没有一条腿后，也知道如何过日子。」

试想：学习为所失去的感恩，也接纳失去的事实，不管人生的得与失，总是要让自已的生命充满了亮丽与光彩，不再为过去掉泪，努力的活出自己的生命。

5、钓竿

有个老人在河边钓鱼，一个小孩走过去看他钓鱼，老人技巧纯熟，所以没多久就钓上了满篓的鱼，老人见小孩很可爱，要把整篓的鱼送给他，小孩摇摇头，老人惊异的问道：「你为何不要？」小孩回答：「我想要你手中的钓竿。」老人问：「你要钓竿做什么？」小孩说：「这篓鱼没多久就吃完了，要是我有钓竿，我就可以自己钓，一辈子也吃不完。」

我想你一定会说：好聪明的小孩。错了，他如果只要钓竿，那他一条鱼也吃不到。因为，他不懂钓鱼的技巧，光有鱼竿是没用的，因为钓鱼重要的不在"钓竿"，而在"钓技"。

有太多人认为自己拥有了人生道上的钓竿，再也无惧于路上的风雨，如此，难免会跌倒于泥泞地上。就如小孩看老人，以为只要有钓竿就有吃不完的鱼，像职员看老板，以为只要坐在办公室，就有滚进的财源。

6、诚信

做人要有诚信，要厚道，从中学到或感悟到些什么就达到我的目的了。

Lye Huat Garden, Kedah (On the way to Sintok)

2009-09-05T05:30:00.000-07:00

God's Amazing Pharmacy

2009-08-27T05:24:00.000-07:00

It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, and made animals and fish, long before making man.
據說上帝在造出人類之前，首先將鹹水與淡水分離，造了陸地、在花園裏種上各種花草、造了各種動物和魚類…
To ensure healthful living, God left us some clues as to which foods we should eat to keep specific parts of our body healthy!
為了確保健康的生活，上帝留給我們一些線索來告訴我們該吃什麼食物以對我們身體的一些部位有益。
We call this God's Amazing Pharmacy..
我們稱之為上帝的神奇藥物

A sliced carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye. And yes, science now confirms that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to our eyes.
切片的胡蘿蔔看起來像人的眼睛。瞳孔、虹膜和放射的線條，看起來完全就是人的眼睛。科學也的確證明胡蘿蔔能大大促進血液向眼部的流動、改善眼部功能。

The tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. Research shows that tomatoes are loaded with lycopine, a wonderful heart and blood food.
番茄是紅色的有四個心房。心臟也是紅色的有四個心房。所有的研究都告訴我們番茄裏充滿了茄紅素，事實上它也是能淨化心臟和血液的食物。

Grapes hang in a cluster resembling the shape of the heart. An individual grape looks like a blood cell and research today shows that grapes are a wonderful heart and blood vitalizing food.
葡萄一串一串在一起形成心臟的形狀。每一顆葡萄看起來都像一個血液細胞，現代科學研究也都證明葡萄能極大增強心臟和血液的活力。
A walnut looks like a little brain, with left and right hemispheres, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on a walnut are like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.
核桃看起來像小小的腦，有左、右半球和上大腦、下小腦。連它上面的褶皺看起來也很像新皮質。現在我們知道核桃能為大腦多提供三打以上的神經傳導.

Kidney beans help heal and maintain kidney function and, yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.
菜豆能治腎並幫助維持腎功能，而且它們看起來確實很像人的腎。

Celery, bok choy, and rhubarb look like bones. These foods target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.
芹菜、白菜、大黃葉柄看起來就像是人的骨頭。這些食物具有增強骨質的功效。骨頭含有23%的鈉，這些食物也含有23%的鈉。如果你從日常飲食中攝取不到足夠的鈉，身體就會從骨骼中吸收，從而使骨骼變弱。這些食物可補充身體對骨骼的需求。

Avocados, eggplant and pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female, and they look just like these organs. Research today shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances her hormones, helps shed unwanted birth weight, and helps prevent cervical cancers. How profound is this? It takes nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).
酪梨,茄子,梨具有改善女性子宮和子宮頸的功能，使之保持健康，它們看起來確實就像這些器官（子宮和子宮頸）。
現在的研究證明，如果一個女人每週能吃一個酪梨，就可以調節荷爾蒙、甩掉贅肉，並且預防宮頸癌。那麼這當中究竟多少奧妙？一個酪梨從開花到瓜熟蒂落需要整整九個月的時間。它們都含有超過14，000多種以上的化學營養物質（現代科學只對其中的141種做過研究並命名）。

Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.
無花果裏面長滿了子並且是兩兩掛在一起生長。無花果可以促進男性精子的流動，並能增加精子數量，同時還能治癒男性不育。

Sweet potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.
紅薯形狀像胰腺，可以調節糖尿病患者的血糖指數。

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries
橄欖有助於改善卵巢功能、保持卵巢健康。

Oranges, grapefruits, and other citrus fruits look like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.
橘子,葡萄柚和其他種類的柑橘看起來就像女性的乳腺，事實上它們有助於保持乳房的健康，促進淋巴液進出乳房。

Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.
洋蔥看起來就像是人體細胞。現代研究表明洋蔥可以幫助所有人體細胞清除廢物。它們還可以導致眼淚流出沖刷眼睛的上皮細胞。它的同伴大蒜也有助於從體內清除廢物和對人體有危害的輻射。

母亲一生的八个谎话

2009-08-10T21:07:00.000-07:00

儿时，小男孩家很穷，吃饭时，饭常常不够吃，母亲就把自己碗里的饭分给孩子吃。母亲说，孩子们，快吃吧，我不饿！――母亲撒的第一个谎

男孩长身体的时候，勤劳的母亲常用周日休息时间去县郊农村河沟里捞些鱼来给孩子们补钙。鱼很好吃，鱼汤也很鲜。孩子们吃鱼的时候，母亲就在一旁啃鱼骨头，用舌头舔鱼骨头上的肉渍。男孩心疼，就把自己碗里的鱼夹到母亲碗里，请母亲吃鱼。母亲不吃，母亲又用筷子把鱼夹回男孩的碗里。母亲说，孩子，快吃吧，我不爱吃鱼！――母亲撒的第二个谎。

上初中了，为了缴够男孩和哥姐的学费，当缝纫工的母亲就去居委会领些火柴盒拿回家来，晚上糊了挣点分分钱补点家用。有个冬天，男孩半夜醒来，看到母亲还躬着身子在油灯下糊火柴盒。男孩说，母亲，睡了吧，明早您还要上班呢。母亲笑笑，说，孩子，快睡吧，我不困！――母亲撒的第三个谎

高考那年，母亲请了假天天站在考点门口为参加高考的男孩助阵。时逢盛夏，烈日当头，固执的母亲在烈日下一站就是几个小时。考试结束的铃声响了，母亲迎上去递过一杯用罐头瓶泡好的浓茶叮嘱孩子喝了，茶亦浓，情更浓。望着母亲干裂的嘴唇和满头的汗珠，男孩将手中的罐头瓶反递过去请母亲喝。母亲说，孩子，快喝吧，我不渴！――母亲撒的第四个谎。

父亲病逝之后，母亲又当爹又当娘，靠着自己在缝纫社里那点微薄收入含辛茹苦拉扯着几个孩子，供他们念书，日子过得苦不堪言。胡同路口电线杆下修表的李叔叔知道后，大事小事就找岔过来打个帮手，搬搬煤，挑挑水，送些钱粮来帮补男孩的家里。人非草木，孰能无情。左邻右舍对此看在眼里，记在心里，都劝母亲再嫁，何必苦了自己。然而母亲多年来却守身如玉，始终不嫁，别人再劝，母亲也断然不听，母亲说，我不爱！――母亲撒的第五个谎

男孩和她的哥姐大学毕业参加工作后，下了岗的母亲就在附近农贸市场摆了个小摊维持生活。身在外地工作的孩子们知道后就常常寄钱回来补贴母亲，母亲坚决不要，并将钱退了回去。母亲说，我有钱！――母亲撒的第六个谎

男孩留校任教两年，后又考取了美国一所名牌大学的博士生，毕业后留在美国一家科研机构工作，待遇相当丰厚，条件好了，身在异国的男孩想把母亲接来享享清福却被老人回绝了。母亲说，我不习惯！――母亲撒的第七个谎晚年，母亲患了胃癌，住进了医院，远在大西洋彼岸的男孩乘飞机赶回来时，术后的母亲已是奄奄一息了。母亲老了，望着被病魔折磨得死去活来的母亲，男孩悲痛欲绝，潸然泪下。母亲却说，孩子，别哭，我不疼。――母亲撒的第八个谎不论你多富有,不管你官多大,到什么时候也离不开咱的妈....珍惜母亲的每一个谎言,好好的对待父母,很多东西,失去后才得来的珍贵代价太大.所以一定要好好的爱我们的父母~

SeDO COLLAGEN PROTEIN MIX (深海胶原蛋白)

2009-07-29T19:57:00.000-07:00

The formula of Sédo Collagen is quite unique and is the result of advance hydrolisation and extraction process that takes 2 - 3 months to complete and is conducted under clean room conditions governed by international pharmaceutical standard with regular quality control checks and which is free of preservatives. Sédo Collagen offers optimum absorption by the body and has been shown to be in the blood stream within 10 minutes of ingestion.

深海胶原蛋白白的独特配方，是透过尖端技术，用2至3个月时间的分解与萃取等各种步骤才逐渐完成。在制造的过程中，我们严格监控每一个制作流程，同时不添加任何防腐剂及化学原料，以求符合国际卫生标准。经过专家证实，Sédo深海胶原蛋白可以在十分钟里面，完全被身体及皮肤所吸收。

Rumusan Sédo Collagen adalah amat unik dan dihasilkan melalui proses hidrolisasi dan pengekstrakan canggih yang mengambil masa 2 hingga 3 bulan. Proses ini dijalankan di bawah keadaan bilik yang bersih, dikawal oleh piawai farmaseutikal antarabangsa dengan pemeriksaan kawalan kualiti yang tetap serta bebas dari bahan pengawet. Sédo Collagen membolehkan penyerapan maksimum oleh badan dan dibuktikan berada dalam saluran darah dalam masa 10 minit selepas ditelan.

Net Weight: 15 Sachets x 15g

(more info: www.findwo.com)

Mind Mapping

2009-07-21T20:28:00.001-07:00

Learning Skills: Mind Mapping

Mind mapping, whole brain note taking, uses both sides of your brain to study subjects usually only studied with your left brain.

Using both sides of your brain substantially increases your brain power and memory.

Origin of mind mapping and it's uses.

Invented by Tony Buzan, mind mapping is a very powerful tool for brainstorming, creative thinking, problem solving, organizing of ideas and of course, note taking.

Mind mapping as a note taking technique can be used for almost any subject and done in any language. It is especially useful for students in tertiary education and beyond, and this is because the more advanced the studied material, the greater the need to condense and simplify it in a form that is easy to learn.

iPhone 3GS on its way to Malaysian shores

2009-07-09T20:45:00.000-07:00

KUALA LUMPUR: Maxis Communications Bhd will be bringing Apple Inc’s iPhone 3GS to Malaysia later this month.

Maxis customers interested in registering for one can log on to www.maxis.com.my/iphone3gs for more information.

The 3GS looks the same as the iPhone 3G but sports a faster processor, longer battery life, an internal compass, a video camera and a photo camera with better resolution and auto-focus.

A 16-gigabyte version of the 3GS sells in the United States for US$199 and a 32-gigabyte version at US$299.

True meaning of job positions

2009-06-11T22:23:00.001-07:00

你懂这些名词的意思吗 ?

主席 - 主要工作是休息 .
总裁 -总是到处去裁员 .
老板 -老是板起脸孔 .
经理 -经常无所事事到处修理人 .
员工 - 原来只有我在做 工 !

The 6 Jars Of A Millionaire Money Management

2009-05-25T04:27:00.000-07:00

Money management is one of the important aspects of developing your millionaire mindset. You need to successfully develop a certain money management habit into your monthly routine. One of the easiest method to manage your money is taught in the Millionaire Mindset Intensive by T.Harv Eker.

This easy millionaire money management system involves having at least 6 jars. The idea behind these jars is to burn into your subconscious a millionaire mindset about monthly money management. Once you’ve set the methodology a natural habit or your monthly routine, your monetary problems and worries will gradually disappear.

The six jars are to be labeled as:

Financial Freedom Account (10%)
Long Term Savings and Spending (10%)
Education (10%)
Play (10%)
Give (5% - 10%)
Necessity (50% - 55%)

The percentage attributed to each jars above, represents the percentage amount of money which you must put into the jars every single month. All you need to do every month is to allocate a certain amount of money for the money management jars.

Remember, you need to turn this into a part of you. Make it your natural money management habit. Here’s a secret of the millionaire mind for you. In order to do this, you need to ensure that you do it every single month without fail. As such, you must start with an amount which you can really afford. You can even start with $1.00. You can certainly afford to spare a dollar for the money jars couldn’t you? Yes, just allocate a dollar a month to the jars to start with. Of course if you can afford to allocate more, the better.

So how do you use this basic money management system? Lets take a look at it now. To make calculations easy, lets say you are allocating $100 to the jars every single month. Here is how to break down the $100 into the jars:

Financial Freedom Account ($10.00)
Long Term Savings and Spending ($10.00)
Education ($10.00)
Play ($10.00)
Give ($5.00)
Neccessity (%55.00)

Once again, you need to turn this into your money management habit. Thus, allocate a monthly amount which you are sure you can afford. Start small. Managing small amount of money is easier. Raise the amount gradually as and when you can afford to add more. Do not fail to do it on a monthly basis.

Just do it. Go get yourselves 6 jars to manage your money with. I don’t know about the area where you live. I bought my jars at RM2.00 a piece. A money management method that costs just RM12.00, not bad.

Don’t worry about what each jars are to be used for. I’ll be covering each of the 6 money management jars and their usage in the next upcoming posts in this Millionaire Mindset series.

Keep going, it would be good for you to recognize your role in life.

2009-05-08T20:38:00.000-07:00

Do you know what is family?
Do you really understand what is behind the word family?
It gives us a shock when we know the answer.

FAMILY
Father And Mother, I Love You

WHY does a man want to have a WIFE?
Because:

W---Washing
I---Ironing
F---Food
E---Entertainment

WHY does a woman want to have a HUSBAND? Because:
H---Housing
U---Understanding
S---Sharing
B---Buying
A---and
N---Never
D---Demanding

Do you know that a simple "HELLO" can be a sweet one?
Especially from our loved ones. The word HELLO means:

H=How are you?
E=Everything all right?
L=Like to hear from you
L=Love to see you soon!
O=Obviously, I miss you ..... so, HELLO! Good day!

Wishes

2009-04-15T22:38:00.000-07:00

Nice!!!

NATURE'S BEST PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS

2009-04-06T23:13:00.000-07:00

- - 2007 :

White Peacock

2009-03-09T05:56:00.001-07:00

People say if you see a White Peacock it will bring you good luck. For those who receive this email it is good luck every year. That's why I am sending the good luck to you – my friends, wishing you good luck and prosperity every year!

甘蔗渣环保饭盒 - 盘也可吃掉

2009-02-17T21:42:00.000-08:00

二零零九年一月二十日凌晨十二时四分

（槟城19日讯）在不久的将来，槟州人民可以像当年笑匠查理卓别灵电影剧情一样，在吃完饭后如果还感觉饥饿的话，连盘子也可以吃掉！

所不同的是，连盘子也吃掉，在以前只是电影中搞笑的剧情而己，但在科技发达的今日，却已成为事实。

而这种可以吃掉的盘子，是以甘蔗或植物渣制造，是一种可分解（BIODEGRADABLE）的食物容器（包括饭盒及盘碗）。

抛弃后45天内溶解

除了可以吃掉外，上述可分解的食物容器一旦在使用被抛弃后，将在45天内溶解，并且成为一种自然的有机肥料，不过，如果没有被使用，这种容器在获得良好的保存下，在长达2年时间内仍可有效使用。

将生产这种以甘蔗或植物渣制造的食物容器的公司为绿色世界（GREENWORLD）有限公司，而这间公司将会在威省武吉米雅科学工业园设立一间工厂，为槟州朝向绿化掀开新的一页。

槟州首席部长林冠英是于今日上午在宣布该公司在槟州的投资时，如此指出。

为50人提供"饭碗"

他指出，绿色世界公司将在未来4年内投资大约1亿令吉，以及在开始阶段，该公司只为50人提供"饭碗"，然后逐渐将增加至为1千人提供"饭碗"。他披露，该公司的生产工厂将会在威省武吉米雅一块10英亩的土地上建立。

已接获欧美定单

绿色世界公司首席执行员拉玛尼斯透露，生产可分解容器产品是一个新的市场及一项新的科技，该公司将在今年第三或第四季开始大量生产，而至目前为止，该公司也已接获来自欧洲及美国的定单。

他说，在目标中，该公司于今年主要是为食品工业生产食物包装产品，明年则将生产医药及其它包装的产品。

他指出，在开始阶段，该公司可分解产品的售价将比保丽龙产品高出30至50％，不过于未来，该公司产品的与保丽产品的售价或可能将不相上下，让消费人拥有另一选择，尤其这是一种可协助保护环境的选择。

他透露，80％的该公司产品将是出口，只有20％在国内销售。

推行4大重点发展计划

林冠英强调，计划中，槟将推行4大重点发展计划，即知识经济发展计划、回教食品中心发展计划、最优秀专才发展计划及工业组合计划。他说，在知识发展计划下，将推动资讯通讯工艺的发展，使到全州都可上网，而回教食品中心发展计划则是建立一个回教食品工业园，最优秀专才计划将使到槟州拥有最优秀工程师、会计师，医生及甚至拥有最高素质的公司及环境。他指出，在工业组合计划中，将包括生物科技工业、高科技工业及绿色工艺工业。

五州民联头头未达共识

林冠英透露，于昨日在民联五州首长及州务大臣会议上未能达成共识的课题，将会在下一次的会议上继续讨论。

Ace Your Coffee Date

2009-01-23T21:28:00.000-08:00

Meeting for a casual cup of coffee is a great way to suss out compatibilities … our dos and don'ts will help make sure the outing is a success.

All of us go on coffee dates these days. They're quick, relatively cheap, and casual. But as relaxed as they may seem, they have the power to jump-start a terrific relationship ... or leave you both feeling like the dregs at the bottom of a mug of joe. The truth is, in order to go from latté to love, you've got to ace that let's-meet-for-coffee moment. With that in mind, we culled advice from experts to help you brew a positive first impression.

Do appear laid-back. It's just coffee! That's the appearance you want to give. No pressure, relaxed, ready to meet and chat. In other words, if you dress the part of "fun date," you'll have a better chance of having just that. If you're coming straight from the office, consider wearing a less conservative outfit that day or taking off your jacket and unbuttoning your shirt a little so you don't come across as all business, says Nancy Slotnick, founder of Cablight.com and author of Turn Your Cablight On: Get Your Dream Man in 6 Months or Less. "You shouldn't arrive looking like you're about to have a job interview," she points out. "Nothing about this should feel transactional." It's about getting to know one another.

Do stake out the joint. If you're the person who suggests the meeting place, make sure it's someplace that will have adequate seating, a comfortable environment and won't be too crowded. "Make a list of the independent, fun, funky coffee houses in town in addition to the standard chain-type places and check a couple out ahead of time if you can," suggests David Wygant, author of Always Talk to Strangers. "Some of these will also have things like poetry readings or music so you have a chance to broaden the date if you want."

Don't be late! "Some people think it's OK to be late if they call, but it's just not OK because you've still made the other person wait," says Slotnick. "Maybe you can do that with your best friends because they've known you for a long time, but this is about first impressions and you only get one chance." In fact, be five minutes early if you can and grab a table, preferably one with a banquette or soft chairs, so you'll have one less thing to worry about once your date does arrive.

Do maintain eye contact from the get-go. Coffee houses can be busy with lots of distractions. The trick is not to get overwhelmed, because those first five minutes are important. "Put your focus on your date even if there are 17,000 things going on around you," says Slotnick. "Keep in mind the goal, which is connecting with this person and maintaining eye contact, even while waiting in line together." If you don't, your date may have formed an opinion of you before you even get your drinks.

Do order what you want. Are you one of those people with a rather complex drink order? Are you afraid to request your usual venti triple-shot no-whip light-water extra-foam vanilla latte in front of your date? Don't worry. It's how you order, not what you order, that matters. "The important thing here is how you interact with the barista," says Slotnick. "If you're really demanding about it like, 'I want my half-caff, no whip, blah, blah, blah done like this,' you might look high-maintenance or rude." A better bet? Make a joke about it like "Are you ready for this?" and then thank or even tip the barista for getting it right.

Don't make an issue over who pays. Though the general dating rule is "the person who asks, pays," with the coffee date most experts feel the man should foot the bill no matter what. "I love a coffee date because it's affordable," says Wygant. "Too many chew-and-swallow dates leave a hole in the pocket but with coffee, there is no reason for the man not to step up and pay. It just looks good." Wygant suggests avoiding the whole money shuffle by having your date sit at the table, asking what she wants and then getting it for her. Another slick move? Have a pre-paid coffeehouse card—one swipe and payment has become a non-issue.

Don't freak if you can't find a table. If you do have to wait for someplace to sit, don't let it throw you. "It's not like 'Oh my God, we don't have a table so we can't have a date,'" says Slotnick. "You can have a date standing up and be relaxed about it!" Another option is getting "to go" cups and going for a walk or seeing if you can find a bench outdoors somewhere, weather permitting, of course. "It's about not letting your anxiety get in the way of getting to know the person you're with," she says. Being calm and flexible will make a good impression, without a doubt.

Don't arrive famished. Don't assume that the date is going to turn into dinner, so don't turn up absolutely starving. If things are going well, ask if your date would like to share a treat. "You can extend the coffee date with a snack if you like each other," says Wygant. "Just skip the food option up front, but if things are going well in a half-hour or so, offer to share a cookie or a sandwich, which shows you want to keep chatting."

Do suggest another meeting. If, at the end of the date, you know you two are clicking, don't be afraid to book date #2 right then and there. "If you like your date make sure you tell them and secure the next date immediately," suggests Wygant. "Say 'Coffee was great and I'd love to hang out with you on Saturday if you're free' or whatever." In other words, at this point, you probably know if you want to see this person again… so if you do, let it show to make that great coffee date an even better experience!

Kimberly Dawn Neumann is a New York City-based freelance write whose work has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Fitness, and Marie Claire. She has no problem ordering her favorite grande skim 6-pump no-water chai latte on a date, but always thanks the barista by name.

What goes through your mind?

2009-01-22T06:43:00.001-08:00

…..when someone says "Let's go for a drink"?

Nice Cup

2008-12-26T19:14:00.001-08:00

沒有財富也能做的七種布施

2008-12-26T18:34:00.000-08:00

釋尊開示:

> > 即使是窮人也能給予的七種佈施。
> >
> >
> > 有一人向釋尊訴苦：「我不管做什麼事都會失敗，這是為什麼？」
> > 佛說：「因你從不佈施！」
> > 那人答說：「可我是一無所有的窮人！」
> > 釋尊開示：「不對！即使你沒有財富，也可以給人七種佈施！」
> >
> >
> > 一為和顏施：對於別人給予和顏悅色的佈施。

> > 二為言施：向人說好話的佈施，存好心做好事做好人說好話，並勉人切實力行。

> > 三為心施：為對方設想的心，體貼眾生的心的佈施。

> > 四為眼施：用慈愛和氣的眼神看人。

> > 五為身施：身體力行幫助別人。

> > 六為座施：讓座給需要的人的佈施。

> > 七為察施：不用問對方就能察覺對方的心，並給予相對其所需的方便的佈施。

> > 如果你能身體力行此七項佈施，生命也會跟著有所改變！

Happy Autumm Festival ( DongZhi )

2008-12-18T18:59:00.000-08:00

Be Honest

2008-12-16T19:01:00.000-08:00

Be Honest

Always Tell The Truth

YTL

A successful business man was growing old and
knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.

Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children,
he decided to do something different. He called all the young
executives in his company together.

He said, 'It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO.
I have decided to choose one of you. 'The young executives were
shocked, but the boss continued. 'I am going to give each one
of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant
the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with
what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then
judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be
the next CEO.'

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others,
received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the
story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted
the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had
grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began
to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.

By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have
a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he
had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but
he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however.
He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the
seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company
brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.

Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot.
But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick
to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment
of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot
to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety
of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful --
in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and
many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young
executives.

Jim just tried to hide in the back. 'My, what great plants, trees,
and flowers you have grown,' said the CEO. 'Today one of you will
be appointed the next CEO!'

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with
his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to
the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, 'The CEO knows I'm a
failure! Maybe he will have me fired!'

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened
to his seed - Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim,
and then announced to the young executives, 'Behold your next
Chief Executive Officer!

His name is Jim!' Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow
his seed.

'How could he be the new CEO?' the others said.

Then the CEO said, 'One year ago today, I gave everyone in this
room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it,
and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds;
they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.

All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and
flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you
substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the
only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with
my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new
Chief Executive Officer!'

* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust

* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends

* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness

* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment

* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective

* If you plant hard work, you will reap success

* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation

So, be careful what you plant now;
it will determine what you will reap later.

'Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back'

TVB Calendar 2009

2008-12-09T15:47:00.001-08:00

Phrase for the Day....

2008-11-30T21:35:00.000-08:00

HEALTHY JUICES

2008-11-28T21:03:00.001-08:00

Apple + Cucumber + Kiwi - To improve skin complexion.

Bitter gourd + Apple + Milk - Avoid bad breath and reduce internal body heat.

Tomato + Carrot + Apple - Improve skin complexion and bad breath.

笑笑!

2008-11-01T21:38:00.000-07:00

原来我们就这样走完了人生‏人生就是这样，所以还是笑笑的过，不要样样都看不过！

有一天，神創造了一頭牛。
衪對牛說：「你要整天在田裡替農夫耕田，供應牛奶給人類飲用。你要工作直至日落，而你只能吃草。我給你50年的壽命。」
牛抗議：「我這麼辛苦，還只能吃草，我只要20年壽命，餘下的還給你。」
神答應了。

第二天，神創造了猴子。
神跟猴子說：「你要娛樂人類，令他們歡笑你要表演翻觔斗，而你只能吃香蕉。我給你20年的壽命。」
猴子抗議：「要引人發笑，表演雜技，還要翻觔斗，這麼辛苦，我活10年好了。」
神答應。

第三天，神創造了狗。
神對狗說：「你要站在門口吠。你吃主人吃剩的東西。我給你25年的壽命。」
狗抗議：「整天坐在門口吠，我要15年好了，餘下的還給你。」
神答應。

第四天，神創造了人。
神對人說：「你只需要睡覺，吃東西和玩耍，不用做任何事情，只需要盡情享受生命，我給你20年的壽命。」
人抗議：「這麼好的生活只有20年」神沒說話。人對神說「這樣吧。牛還了30年給你，猴子還了10年，狗也還了10 年，這些都給我好了，那我就能活到70歲。」
神答應了。

這就是為甚麼我們的頭20年，只需吃飯、睡覺和玩耍。
之後的30年，我們像一條牛整天工作養家。
接著的10年，我們退休了，我們得像隻猴子表演雜耍來娛樂自己的孫兒。
最後的10年，整天留在家裡，像一條狗坐在門口旁邊看門…………

Men are Hard to Please

2008-09-24T05:16:00.001-07:00

love

2008-07-31T08:23:00.000-07:00

双子座的居内什(6月1日)

2008-07-27T23:21:00.000-07:00

姓名：居内什
生日：1952年6月1日
星座：双子座
目前：土耳其国家队主教练
俱乐部：土耳其特拉布宗俱乐部队

经历
土耳其国家队在上届欧洲锦标赛上止步8强后，这位著名守门员接替欧洲锦标赛前就决定离任的穆斯塔法-德尼兹利担任土耳其主教练一职。居内什曾在许多的土耳其的甲级队执教，经验丰富，经过他的悉心调教，土耳其队终于在47年来首次打进决赛圈。居内什在世界杯分组前就表示，他的目标是打进16强。抽签结果出来后，他的信心更足，"本来土耳其队就不怕任何球队，现在抽到一支好签，我们应当感谢真主，他让我们打入第二轮比赛变成如此轻而易举的事情。现在我们更是谁也不怕了！土耳其队有那么多伟大的球员，在那么多的欧洲俱乐部效力的球星，所以在我们眼里，没有任何球队是令人惧怕的，与我们交手，等待他们的只有噩梦？问题是，他和他领导的土耳其会是巴西人的噩梦，更有可能是中国队的噩梦。

6月1日—众人注目者

宫位：双子座10度-12度
双子座一
变动的风象

6 月1日出生的人通常若不是公众人物，就是走在时代尖端的人。不管属于哪一类，他们都是在社会竞赛中备受瞩目的焦点，或是见证这一切的人。他们对历史的兴趣，通常仅止于那些对“现在”有影响的话题。事实上，这类型的人可以把所有的精力都花在注意流行趋势、穿着打扮、谈论时髦话题，以及研究各种形式的艺术上。

这并不代表他太过于社会化。从表面上看来，他们似乎很外向，甚至极少数人还会显得有些爱表现，但在这活泼的外表下，多半隐藏着孤独、寂寞的心灵。因此，即使不少人自认与他们交情深厚，事实上却很难真正了解他们。6月1日出生的人，不但擅长隐藏情感甚至还会隐瞒自己的所作所为，因此，很少人能够真正进入他们的世界。

虽然如此，今天出生的人无论男女，都不喜欢落单，所以很少会单独行动。为了避免感到孤单，有些人甚至会更全心投入社交活动中，结识一大群朋友。

6 月1日出生的人很少会承认自己的无知。尽管他们连自己的专业部分都不见得很熟悉，却还是常常喜欢夸耀自己的学识丰富。不过，对于他们真正喜爱的领域，这些人倒是肯投注庞大的心力，因而能获得相当可观的心得；同时，这种兴趣并不只限于学术方面，包括体育、连环漫画书等都有可能。

他们与生俱有语言的天赋、灵巧的双手，而且非常了解人们的心理，所以很适合当推销员，一眼就能看出潜在的客户。此外，如果有足够的耐心和毅力，能忍受某些行业中不可避免的无聊和等待，他们也可以成为其中的佼佼者。奉劝6月1日出生的人，努力增强自己集中注意的能力，培养不必外求刺激的自娱能力，这些对人格的成长都非常重要。

因为有敏锐的价值感，所以他们也是很精明的消费者，并且擅长理财。不过，因为喜欢欣赏别人的创意，又拥有超强的模仿能力，这天出生的人往往很难深入发掘自己的潜能。在成长过程中，对自己有信心是非常重要的，毕竟如果缺乏自信，再完美的模仿也会失色。因此，在人生的某些阶段，他们必须鼓起勇气，挖掘自己。一旦真正认识自我，了解自己的所需，不管社会、父母或朋友如何看待这一切，他们都会朝着自己的梦想前时。