Winners, Champers and Shoes

Driving to the shops yesterday I heard a news report . . . 

The 2020 Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix will be Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo’s last with Renault. After two years at Renault, Ricciardo is due to join McLaren for the 2021 Formula One World Championship. His team mate for 2021 is due to be Lando Norris who is currently set to be retained by the team. Ricciardo subsequently admitted to the media that before signing for McLaren he had held talks with Ferrari about taking over Sebastian Vettel's seat but Ferrari had instead signed Carlos Sainz Jr, who Ricciardo is replacing at McLaren. 

I am not a petrolhead of F1 enthusiast, I leave that to my daughter, Acacia,  pictured here in 2016 with Daniel Ricciardo: 

Here's a couple of introductory stills from the videos Acacia sent me from last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix:

The news report had me thinking of Ricciardo’s penchant to toast his podium finishes with a “shoey”, skulling champagne out of his racing shoe and pressing his fellow podium finishers to share it with him. Ewww. 

Before you ask, I don't know whether my daughter has shared a shoe or two with Daniel Ricciardo.

Ricciardo brought the shoey to Formula 1 in 2016, celebrating his second-place result at the German Grand Prix. He has stated that it is his attempt to bring some levity and entertainment to F1. He has managed to even have acting stars such as Patrick Stewart and Gerard Butler share a shoey with him. 

Lewis Hamilton joins Daniel Ricciardo in a 2020 shoey. "I was about to drink a beautiful fresh one and I heard Lewis saying 'take your other shoe off'," said Ricciardo. This was surprising in that Hamilton had declared in earlier years that he would never do it. He stated later that it tasted like “toe jam”. 

Gerard Butler’s shoey. 

From the Daily Mail Australia, May 1, 2018: 

The iconic Aussie celebration known as the 'shoey' has been trademarked by the owners of Formula One. The trademark was granted even though the shoey - in which beer or champagne is sculled from a shoe or boot - was invented by Aussie surfers 15 years ago. 

Twins Dean and Shaun Harrington, founders of cult surf brand The Mad Hueys, claim to have done shoeys as early as 2002, and a relative was first to trademark the term. 

The shoey then shot to worldwide fame after being performed by Perth racing driver Daniel Ricciardo and Italian MotoGP racer Valentino Rossi on the winning podium. 

F1 was granted their trademark on August 24 last year, and it came into effect in 25 countries on January 4, The Independent reported. 

The trademark applies to flasks, glasses, bottles, mugs, sculptures and figurines, and puts the F1 in conflict with the Australian surf industry entrepreneurs. 

The trademark application has led to suggestions F1 will soon be selling shoe-shaped drinking vessels or beer steins. 

The Gold Coast-based Mad Hueys describe themselves as a surfing and fishing crew and now sell clothing, merchandise and their own craft beer. 

In a 2016 interview the Harrington twins said the shoey was handed down to them by their ancestors at birth in 1985. 

'Daniel Riccardio. I was so proud of him. Sculled it like a true champion,' one of the twins told Stab Magazine. 

According to the article above:

News of the trademark caused outrage among Australian social media users, who insisted they would not let the trademark stop them performing the celebration.

'I'm still going to do a shoey when it's warranted and call it a shoey because it's a shoey, dude,' said one.

'Stop stealing Aussie intellectual property like drinking piss out of a sweaty shoe,' said another.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5677111/Formula-One-TRADEMARKS-shoey-famous-Daniel-Ricciardo-invented-Aussie-surfers.html

Whether there are historical precedents earlier than above can be saved for another day’s discussions. 

In the meantime, here is an item from the Bytes vault from October 15, 2011 on the origin of the winner’s ejaculatory celebration with champagne . . . 

Champagne and Podia 

Trivia: 

- Following the presentation of the trophies, motorsport drivers will often spray champagne over each other and their team-members watching below, a tradition started by Dan Gurney following the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans race. 

- The drivers will generally refrain from spraying champagne if a fatality or major accident occurs during the event. 

- For the Bahrain Grand Prix, drivers do not spray the traditional champagne on the podium, although alcoholic beverages are legal in Bahrain. Instead, they spray a non-alcoholic rosewater drink known as Waard. 

- In the 1980s Alan Jones used to spray orange juice instead of champagne because the Williams team at the time was sponsored by Saudi Arabian companies and alcohol was forbidden by religion. 

- In France there was a law forbidding all advertising of alcohol products. In theory, the use of champagne on the F1 podium is an infringement of that law and one year the French refused to supply champagne. Annoyed, Bernie Ecclestone sent one of his assistants to a local supermarket on the morning of the race with instructions to buy bottles for champagne for the ceremony. If there was any legal action, Bernie said, he would face it. The champagne was sprayed and nothing happened. 

- Normally there is not much champagne left in a bottle when an F1 driver has sprayed it over the others and himself on the podium. Nonetheless the bottles can be very valuable and are sometimes kept and then signed by drivers for charity auctions. Others are given to mechanics as gifts. 

- A previous post dealt with the 1955 tragedy at the Le Mans 24 hour race, mentioning that Mike Hawthorn’s traditional spraying of champagne was met with scorn locally: 

http://bytesdaily.blogspot.com/2011/06/history-le-mans-endurance-race-1955.html 

Origin:

The traditional podium victory celebration at the end of motor racing events screams sex and testosterone: skimpily clad females, the phallic spraying of champagne by alpha males over the spectators and each other, the victory celebration is even known as “mounting the podium”. Victoro spolia – “To the victor, the spoils.” 

The custom of giving winners champagne predates the 1955 race, winners having been provided a magnum of champagne which was then drunk and shared as a victory celebration. 

In 1967, Le Mans race winner Dan Gurney (with co driver A J Foyt) broke with that tradition and, in so doing, started another tradition. The Ferrari team had intended sending the Ford team back to the States without a podium finish but, in a huge upset, Gurney and Foyt won in the last remaining Ford out of 6 Fords that started the race. 

Handed the traditional magnum of champagne, Gurney looked down and saw Ford CEO Henry Ford 11, team owner Carroll Shelby and their wives, as well as several journalists who had predicted disaster for the high-profile duo. 

According to Gurney: 

I was so stoked that when they handed me the Magnum of Moet et Chandon, I shook the bottle and began spraying at the photographers, drivers, Henry Ford II, Carroll Shelby and their wives. It was a very special moment at the time, I was not aware that I had started a tradition that continues in winner's circles all over the world to this day. 

I was beyond caring, and I just got caught up in the moment. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments where things turned out to be right. You don't re-create those moments, but a hard-fought victory needs something. 

Gurney autographed and gave the bottle of champagne to a LIFE magazine photographer, Flip Schulke, who used it as a lamp for many years. He recently returned the bottle to Gurney, who kept it at his home in California. 

The bottle - enshrined in a glass case - is on display at All American Racers. On occasion it travels to auto shows or classic car concourse. 

8

Thought for the Day

 

World War II Photos That Most Have Never Seen, continued

From Horizon Times at: 

https://www.horizontimes.com/worldwide/world-war-two 

Fascinating photographs, some of which have been posted in Bytes before. 

Photographs, headings and comments are from the above link.

Further instalments to come. 

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German POWs 

Today this plot of land in Nonant-le-Pin, France is part of a farmland. But on August 21st, 1944, it was the holding ground of German prisoners of war. 

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Germany’s Railway Gun 

This massive artillery gun was supposed to be a game-changer for Germany during World War II. This 1,350 ton weapon could travel on train tracks to attack targets as far as 47 km away. It shot a single round every 30 to 45 minutes. 

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The Railway Gun Captured 

American soldiers proudly stand atop the “Schwerer Gustav” gun that they captured. When it came to new weaponry during World War II, the Germans constantly tried new and many times, effective, weapons. 

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Getting Fit 

Here you can see American soldiers working out and getting fit. The American Army did a massive call-up of soldiers as the war progressed. 

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Gifts For Hitler 

There are few things better than getting gifts on Easter. But these gifts, specially addressed to Adolf Hitler, were gifts he probably didn’t want. 

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Hitler In Paris 

This infamous photograph shows Adolf Hitler accompanied by high-ranking Nazi officers in Paris. In the background you can see the Eiffel Tower. 

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Napping Kitten 

Aboard a US Naval ship, a sailor tends to a young kitten. The sailors set up a makeshift bed for the young animal. 

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Overcome With Anguish 

A French man weeps with fear and anguish. This was the day that the Nazis marched into Paris, putting it under their control. 

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Pearl Harbor 

On December 7th, 1941, Japanese bomber planes attacked Pearl Harbor. The attack came as a surprise to the Americans, and it was this act that brought America into the war. 2,335 Americans lost their lives that day. 

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Remote Controlled Tanks 

British soldiers inspect “mini tanks” that the Germans created to attack tanks and other military personnel. Their aim was to drive by remote control and then explode in enemy territory. They didn’t prove successful was they were expensive and travelled very slowly. 

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Rescued 

This breathtaking scene shows Jewish women and children exiting a train that was on the way to a death camp. The Allies liberated them and this photographer snapped the picture moments afterwards. 

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Safe Children 

With German bombardment on English cities becoming a constant occurrence, kids received gas masks as adults did. No-one was safe from the air raids. 

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The Australians 

A typical Australian sense of humor is visible in this picture. The Australian troops put up this sign at the El Alamein road on the 14th of September, 1942. 

By the way: 

“During the Korean War an American base had a sign saying `Second to None', and down the road was an Australian Army camp with a sign which said `None'.” 

- From a parliamentary speech by Jackie Kelly, MP 

September 17, 2002 

Hansard: https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;db=CHAMBER;id=chamber%2Fhansardr%2F2002-09-17%2F0056;query=Id%3A%22chamber%2Fhansardr%2F2002-09-17%2F0000%22 

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The Colonel 

Some choose not to believe this story, but the story still stands. Hand-to-hand combat expert, Col. Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle, supposedly ordered Marine trainees to try kill him with their bayonets. He disarmed all of them. 

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Time To Nap 

A Royal Air Force pilot takes a moment’s rest in between flights. The dogfights that the Allies and Germans had were some of the most costly of the war. 

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Unlikely Allies 

After Hitler betrayed his peace treaty with Russia, the Russians took the Allies side. This photograph shows an American soldier and a Russian soldier together. 

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War Umbrellas 

When it rains, it pours, they say. These tanks rolled through the streets without a worry. It was only their crew members who had another idea to ward off the rain. It’s not everyday you see a tank with umbrellas. 

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After Effects 

This young girl draws her own depiction of “home” after the war. She grew up in a concentration camp and this is how she depicted “home”. 

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Approaching Omaha Beach 

American soldiers wait patiently as their boat heads towards the shores of Omaha Beach. Many soldiers were killed even before they disembarked from the watercraft. 

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Legendary cricket all rounder, Australian Rules footballer and decorated World War Two fighter pilot, Keith Miller, on being asked by Michael Parkinson about the pressure of Test cricket:

“Pressure? Pressure is a Messerschmitt up your arse, playing cricket is not.”

SPEECHES: RICHARD NIXON'S CHECKERS SPEECH

At a time when political speeches are televised, scrutinised, analysed and criticised, it is worth taking a few minutes to look back on the first-ever US nationally televised address, Nixon’s Checkers speech which, according to the Atlantic, “both saved and scarred young Richard Nixon, opening a new communications era and upending conventional political imagery.” 

The Checkers speech was an address made on September 23, 1952, by California Senator Richard Nixon, six weeks before the 1952 United States presidential election, in which he was the Republican candidate for Vice President on General Dwight Eisenhower's Republican national ticket. 

Nixon had been accused of improprieties relating to a fund established by his backers to reimburse him for his political expenses. This placed his position as VP candidate in doubt. Nixon flew to Los Angeles and delivered a half-hour television address in which he defended himself, attacked his opponents, and urged the audience to contact the Republican National Committee (RNC) to tell it whether he should remain on the ticket. 

Nixon’s address was the first American political speech to be televised live for a national audience and was watched or heard by over 60 million people, the largest audience ever assembled. 

Why was it called the Checkers Speech? That will become clear from the excerpts from the speech below. 

By the way: 

The speech led to an outpouring of public support, with the RNC and other political offices receiving millions of telegrams and phone calls supporting Nixon. Eisenhower won the election and Nixon became Vice President. 

The Checkers speech was an early example of a politician using television to appeal directly to the electorate, the term having come more generally to mean any emotional speech by a politician. 

Watch the speech by Nixon by clicking on: 

https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/richardnixoncheckers.html

Excerpts: 

The middle passages of the speech lay out his family's financial circumstances in excruciating detail in what has been termed Nixon's "financial striptease: 

I have a theory, too, that the best and only answer to a smear or to an honest misunderstanding of the facts is to tell the truth. And that's why I'm here tonight. I want to tell you my side of the case. I'm sure that you have read the charge, and you've heard it, that I, Senator Nixon, took 18,000 dollars from a group of my supporters. 

Not one cent of the 18,000 dollars or any other money of that type ever went to me for my personal use. Every penny of it was used to pay for political expenses that I did not think should be charged to the taxpayers of the United States. 

I was born in 1913. Our family was one of modest circumstances, and most of my early life was spent in a store out in East Whittier. It was a grocery store, one of those family enterprises. The only reason we were able to make it go was because my mother and dad had five boys, and we all worked in the store. I worked my way through college, and, to a great extent, through law school. And then in 1940, probably the best thing that ever happened to me happened. I married Pat who's sitting over here. We had a rather difficult time after we were married, like so many of the young couples who may be listening to us. I practiced law. She continued to teach school. 

Then, in 1942, I went into the service. Let me say that my service record was not a particularly unusual one. I went to the South Pacific. I guess I'm entitled to a couple of battle stars. I got a couple of letters of commendation. But I was just there when the bombs were falling. And then I returned -- returned to the United States, and in 1946, I ran for the Congress. When we came out of the war -- Pat and I -- Pat during the war had worked as a stenographer, and in a bank, and as an economist for a Government agency -- and when we came out, the total of our savings, from both my law practice, her teaching and all the time that I was in the war, the total for that entire period was just a little less than 10,000 dollars. Every cent of that, incidentally, was in Government bonds. Well that's where we start, when I go into politics. 

Now, what have I earned since I went into politics? Well, here it is. I've jotted it down. Let me read the notes. First of all, I've had my salary as a Congressman and as a Senator. Second, I have received a total in this past six years of 1600 dollars from estates which were in my law firm at the time that I severed my connection with it. And, incidentally, as I said before, I have not engaged in any legal practice and have not accepted any fees from business that came into the firm after I went into politics. I have made an average of approximately 1500 dollars a year from nonpolitical speaking engagements and lectures. 

And then, fortunately, we've inherited a little money. Pat sold her interest in her father's estate for 3,000 dollars, and I inherited 1500 dollars from my grandfather. We lived rather modestly. For four years we lived in an apartment in Parkfairfax, in Alexandria, Virginia. The rent was 80 dollars a month. And we saved for the time that we could buy a house. Now, that was what we took in. What did we do with this money? What do we have today to show for it? This will surprise you because it is so little, I suppose, as standards generally go of people in public life. 

First of all, we've got a house in Washington, which cost 41,000 dollars and on which we owe 20,000 dollars. We have a house in Whittier, California which cost 13,000 dollars and on which we owe 3000 dollars. My folks are living there at the present time. I have just 4000 dollars in life insurance, plus my GI policy which I've never been able to convert, and which will run out in two years. I have no life insurance whatever on Pat. I have no life insurance on our two youngsters, Tricia and Julie. I own a 1950 Oldsmobile car. We have our furniture. We have no stocks and bonds of any type. We have no interest of any kind, direct or indirect, in any business. Now, that's what we have. What do we owe? 

Well in addition to the mortgage, the 20,000 dollar mortgage on the house in Washington, the 10,000 dollar one on the house in Whittier, I owe 4500 dollars to the Riggs Bank in Washington, D.C., with interest 4 and 1/2 percent. I owe 3500 dollars to my parents, and the interest on that loan, which I pay regularly, because it's the part of the savings they made through the years they were working so hard -- I pay regularly 4 percent interest. And then I have a 500 dollar loan, which I have on my life insurance. 

Well, that's about it. That's what we have. And that's what we owe. It isn't very much. But Pat and I have the satisfaction that every dime that we've got is honestly ours. I should say this, that Pat doesn't have a mink coat. But she does have a respectable Republican cloth coat, and I always tell her she'd look good in anything. 

One other thing I probably should tell you, because if I don't they'll probably be saying this about me, too. We did get something, a gift, after the election. A man down in Texas heard Pat on the radio mention the fact that our two youngsters would like to have a dog. And believe it or not, the day before we left on this campaign trip we got a message from Union Station in Baltimore, saying they had a package for us. We went down to get it. You know what it was? It was a little cocker spaniel dog in a crate that he'd sent all the way from Texas, black and white, spotted. And our little girl Tricia, the six year old, named it "Checkers." And you know, the kids, like all kids, love the dog, and I just want to say this, right now, that regardless of what they say about it, we're gonna keep it. 

Pics: 

Thought for the Day

 

FUNNY FRIDAY

-----o😊o----- 

As the countdown to Christmas continues, one would be forgiven for not realising that it i9s the Christmas season. Has anyone else here in Sydney noticed the lack of Christmas lights, community displays and public decorations? 

Perhaps it will change as Christmas gets closer. 

Or maybe it is just in my local area.

Does COVID have a role in this? 

Or is Christmas dying out? 

Let’s see what happens. 

-----o😊o----- 

SOME HUMOUR: 

For those of you who are placing Christmas lights / decorations in your garden, can you please avoid anything that has Red or Blue flashing lights together? 

Every time I come around the corner, I think it's the police and I have a panic attack. I have to brake hard, toss my wine out the window, hide the weed, fasten my seat belt, throw my phone on the floor, turn my radio down, and push the gun under the seat, all while trying to drive. It's just too much drama, even for Christmas. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. 

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A woman gets cheated by her husband. Devastated, she doesn't know how to continue to live her life. She heard that there's a very wise monk who lives up in a mountain, and decided to go there to consult him. 

After few days of traveling, walking, climbing, she reaches the top and meets the wise monk. "I have spent my whole life with him, my youth was dedicated to support him, take care of him. And now he left me with a young woman. My life is stolen, and I'm left with nothing. I don't know what to do." 

The monk gives her a cookie and asks her to eat it. 

After she finishes eating, he ask, "Is the cookie delicious?" 

"Yes," she answers. 

"Do you want another one?" 

"Sure, please." 

The monk looks her in the eyes and said, "Do you see the problem now?" 

The woman thinks for a while, and then slowly speak, "I guess human nature is greedy. You got one, then you want more, maybe a new one, bigger one. It's never enough. And nothing lasts forever, anything is impermanence. We should be aware and not disappointed for that." 

The monk shakes his head, "No, I mean you are too fat, you should eat less." 

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New Zealanders Trevor and Jeanette are walking down a street in Bondi in Sydney. 

Trevor happens to look in one of the shop windows and sees a sign that catches his eye. The sign said "Suits $10.00 each, Shirts $4.00 each, Trousers $5.00 per pair". 

Trevor says to his pal, "Jeanette, look! We could buy a whole lot of those, and whin we get beck to In Zid, we could make a fortune". 

"Now whin we go unto the shop, you be quiet, okay? Jist lit me do all the talking cause uf they hear our accint, they might not be nice to us. I'll speak in my bist Aussie ixcint."' 

‘No worries’, smiled Jeanette, ‘I'll keep my mouth shut.' 

They go in and Trevor says, 'I'll take fufty suits et $10.00 each, 100 shirts et $4.00 each, and fufty pairs of trousers et $5.00 each. I'll beck up my truck and...' 

The owner of the shop interrupts, 'You're from New Zealand, aren't you?' 

'Well... Yis,' says a surprised Trevor. 'How the hill dud you know thet?' 

The owner says, 'This is a dry cleaners!' 

-----o😊o----- 

FROM THE VAULT: 

I was standing next to this fellow in the changing room at my local gym yesterday when a mobile phone rings. He was getting dry so he put it on loudspeaker. 

MAN: "Hello" 

WOMAN: "Honey, it's me. Are you at the gym?" 

MAN: "Yes" 

WOMAN: "I am at the Metro Centre now and found this beautiful leather coat. It' s only $2,000. Is it OK if I buy it?" 

MAN: "Sure, ..go ahead if you like it that much." 

WOMAN: "I also stopped by the Mercedes dealership and saw the new 2021 models. I saw one I really liked." 

MAN: "How much?" 

WOMAN: "$200,000" 

MAN: "OK, but for that price I want it with all the options." 

WOMAN: "Great! Oh, and one more thing .... The house I wanted last year is back on the market. They're asking 2 million.” 

MAN: "Well, then go ahead and give them an offer of two million dollars. They will probably take it. If not, we can go the extra one hundred thousand. 

WOMAN: "OK. I'll see you later! I love you so much!!" 

MAN: "Bye! I love you, too." 

The man hangs up. 

The other men in the locker room are staring at him in astonishment, mouths agape.....He smiles and asks: "Anyone know who this phone belongs to?" 

-----o😊o----- 

LIMERICK OF THE WEEK: 

By moi . . .

“I’m staying” is The Donald’s advice 

But what Rudy did I find nice – 

'Cos in the Old Dart 

The word “trump” means a fart 

And Rudy expelled a trump twice. 

-----o😊o----- 

GALLERY: 

-----o😊o----- 

CORN CORNER: 

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Three men were on a boat. All together, they had four cigarettes; However, no one brought any matches. 

They threw one cigarette overboard, which caused the whole boat to become a cigarette lighter. 

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Why did Bilbo Baggins live so long? 

Because old hobbits die hard. 

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To the guy who stole my anti-depressants 

I hope you’re happy. 

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Teacher: Use a sentence that starts with "I" 

Bobby: I is... 

Teacher: No, Bobby. You should say "I am", never "I is". 

Bobby: I am the 9th letter of the alphabet. 

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Here are some of my favourite ones: 

One, uno, eins, un . . . 

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You can count on me. 

That’s what friends are 1,2,3,4 

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Do you hate it when people answer their own questions? 

I do! 

-----o😊o-----

Thought for the Day

 

Interesting as F. . . , continued

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Caution: risqué site title and expressions of diverse opinions.

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There is a wonderful website which is called Interesting as Fuck because it is . . . well . . . as interesting as fuck. The site can be viewed by clicking on the following link: 

https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/ 

Here are some more of the interesting pics submitted to the site as recently featured on Bored Panda, together with BP headings and some BP reader comments, viewable at: 

https://www.boredpanda.com/incredible-interesting-pics/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Newsletter

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On This Day 40 Years Ago Terry Fox, A 21 Year Old Canadian Who Lost A Leg To Cancer, Began An East To West Cross-Canada Run To Raise Money And Awareness For Cancer Research. He Ran The Equivalent Of A Full Marathon Every Day And Made It 143 Days And 5,373 Km Before He Lost His Battle With Cancer 

Reader comments:

He was one tough SOB 

To date, over $800 million has been raised worldwide for cancer research in Terry's name through the annual Terry Fox Run, held across Canada and around the world. 

He started the Marathon of Hope, and now Canadians run Marathons of Hope every year in cities and town across the country to raise money for treatments. The marathons have raised millions and millions of dollars, all because of Terry Fox. 

I remember watching him on the nightly news as a kid, as he made his way across Canada. A truly great Canadian. 

ok, real talk. Can we stop referring to having the desease cancer as "battling cancer" because if the person passes away, it sounds like they were the loser. 

If the person passes away, they have definitely lost the battle, it doesn’t infer that they are a loser, but rather that they fought a brave fight. With your logic, everyone would technically be a “loser” at some point 

Every step would have been painful. It shows in his face. 

I still think he must have been superhuman... seriously. I've never been able to run even a quarter marathon, no matter the age - and I have **no** disease that would hinder it. Terry Fox... you deserve all the multitude of buildings/streets/monuments named after you. 

I was 15 and stood at the end of my driveway to cheer him on 

That prosthetic is ...unbelievable. Surely even 40 years ago they were better designed than that? It looks medieval! 

We have his statue downtown in Ottawa,Ontario, Canada. Drive by it every day. We have a Terry Fox Marathon every fall since his death. It is good for the world to know about him. He was truly driven. He asked that his journey continue, and it has. 

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I've Been Training Myself How To Draw Photorealistically For A Little While Now. Here's My Best Sampling From Each Year Of Progress 

Now that's progress! It looks like you just straight up bought a camera in 2018. 

She did. The last two are most definitely photos. :OOO 

The detail on the skin is fantastic! it's always just the little things that you need to actually make it look authentic. great job! :) 

2016 was excellent but 2019 looks like a B&W photo. What a talent!! 

That's insane. 

It's amazing, but I don't understand the point. 

Holy s**t 

That's so impressive! At first, I thought the last two were photographs. 

You nailed it in 2018, that's amazing. 

wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh 

What do you mean the last two are photographs 

Wait...these are drawn?? 

Being able to draw has nothing to do with natural talent; everything to do with practice. 

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About 100,000 People Take To The Streets Of Warsaw Poland To Oppose Tightened Abortion Law 

Initially a Women’s Strike that was gradually joined by anyone, of any profession, denomination, any ideological inclination who wished to protest against the new anti-abortion act, against the oppression of women and the LGBT community, against the arrogance and financial scams of the ultra right government in Poland, against the cover-ups of the pedophilia scandals in church. It’s still going on, but nothing is changing for us. 

In case anyone makes anti-abortion comments: pro-choice isn't about the unborn children. It's about women's reproductive rights. Besides, abortion can't be murder if the embryo is not developed and born. It is essentially a clump of cells. Anyways, passing a law that legalizes abortion doesn't mean that women are going to be "killing babies" left and right. It means that we have a choice. For many years, women weren't allowed to decide for themselves. The fact that we aren't allowed to do what we want with our body, in the 21st century, is an astounding and stupid fact. If you use the excuse "abortion is murder" then you must think that a clump of cells is equivalent to a breathing human. It is not. If you aren't a woman, you don't have the right to control our bodies. If you don't have a uterus, then stop yapping about anti-abortion laws since you don't know what it's like to give birth. Giving birth can scar a person, both emotionally and physically. 

This may get some hate but I feel like abortion should just be a woman's choice I don't think men should be involved in the decision making, because it’s the woman's body. 

I personally don't have any opinions on abortion but I do love the fact that they are standing up for something they believe in together. They are united and are speaking out for what they believe in. That is cool 

So I guess Coronavirus isn't a thing any more. 

They look like ants! God this world is so grossly overpopulated. And yet selfish humans keep having babies. 

Honestly, after watching protests all over the place here in Brazil... Those are hit and miss, largely depending on government. In many of them, barely anything is done or changed, the protests evolve to encompass too many things, loses direction and either dissipates or turns into a civil war. There are places that have results and many where protesting is desperately needed, but... I'm strongly divided about it, is all. They are often either minor inconveniences to those in power or making an unpopular opinion seem stronger. 

On the one hand I agree completely - on the other hand I am SO concerned about social distancing at these events. I even think that some governments are trying to take advantage of necessary restrictions to push through unpopular legislation.. 

That's exactly what's happening in Poland now... 

With that many protesters, change WILL happen! 

Good grief. Look at ALL those people. 

The sad fact is that it won't change anything. The entire country could protest and they wouldn't change their ignorant law. 

Protesting because they cannot kill human beings? With all the methods existing to avoid a pregnancy? This is pure lunacy. Or something else? 

You're wrong. You are commenting without knowing enough about this protest. It is absolutely not about killing children on a whim, just because someone did not know how to protect themselves properly. The new law ORDERS women to give birth to TERMINALLY ILL children (children without brains, without developed lungs, etc.). These babies will be born dead or die a few days after giving birth, causing an avalanche of depression among women forced to give birth to such a child. 

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Heart-Shaped Amethyst Geodes. Discovered Yesterday In Artigas, By The Mining Company Uruguay Minerals 

So cute, look at these two big guys with their matching BFF trinket. 

or maybe they’re in loooove 

They have stone cold hearts 

☝🏻But beautiful 😄 

These geodes can draw better hearts than i can! 

Hearts in hand and standing proud with a smile to boot! Awesome discovery! 

Such a cute couple:-) 

This is adorable. Would make a great Valentines card. 

That's actually just 1 geode, not 2. 

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A Spring That Flows Through A Living Tree 

Tree wee 

Clever tree making sure it gets watered!! 

The Tree of Life! 

It's taking a piss 

Self-watering 

The first water hydrant 

Fairies live there 

I don't know whether to be amazed or just weirded out 

What is the guy behind the tree doing??!! Looks like he’s playing pocket pool!! 

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Certain Fish Skin Can Be Grafted Onto Burns And Diabetic Wounds. The Material Recruits The Body's Own Cells And Is Converted Eventually Into Living Tissue 

So you mean i CAN become a mermaid?! 

This seems to be called a xenograft (which also covers porcine and bovine acellular matrices used for skin grafts.) 

Aquaman 

I notice the right leg was more affected than the left. I hope the treatment was successful. 

Off topic, I thought those legs were chopped of but there's a blanket 

Anyone who watches Grey's Anatomy saw that pic and was like, "Oh, yeah, talapia treatment" lol 

This looks very fishy to me :P 

I know it's good news and impressive but ewwwww 

Have you ever seen an untreated burn wound this size? This picture actually looks really great, there is not much redness, there´s no swelling, looks perfect. 

And this technique has also been used successfully on injured cat and dogs! 

Tilapia skin grafts started in Brazil in 2017 

Looks like an awesome tattoo! 

Do the fish have to first sign Donor cards? 

I recently saw this done on a veterinary show (The Yorkshire Vet?) to a puppy with a bad wound that would not heal. It was amazing! 

I know this must be a horrific ordeal for the patient and it's certainly good if it turns into more human looking skin, but my God, this just looks SO cool! 

Is it wrong of me to be a little bit sorry that it doesn't STAY fish scales? 

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Quote for the Day

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. 

Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities 

By the way . . . 

“Stay tuned now for a dramatization of Dickens immortal Sale of Two Titties. Uh! I mean Tale of Two Cities.” 

- Inadvertent spoonerism by a BBC announcer who fell over his words