Wednesday, September 13, 2023
FROM THE VAULT
-----oOo-----
From Bytes, Monday, September 9, 2013
Street Stone
Caution: Nudity
-----oOo-----
French art director Alexis Persani and French photographer Leo Caillard have digitally dressed centuries-old Louvre sculptures in hip, modern day fashion. The resultant fusion of modern and classical shows the age old statues in a modern light, as well as showing how much the poses make them look like models in present day fashion shoots. Their series of pics is called Street Stone and they are fascinating, especially of the females in short skirts and the photo of the woman in a bra.
The pics were achieved by having models wearing clothes recreate the poses of the statues, in as much a similar lighting as possible. The photos of the statues were then photoshopped by adding the clothes.
Callard says of the project:
'Who is to say that the figures presented in the stone of Greek Agora were not the greatest representation of the human form known at that time? The statues, with their clothes stripped away reveal a magnificence of shape & balance. But what were the Greeks wearing when they weren't posing for sculptors..? Appearance, in all its many nuances, present the character. 'Clothes maketh the man' as William Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet. One’s dress sense indicates one's priorities, choices, and lifestyle. Are you 'in' or are you 'out'? 'Hipster or Classic? Which tribe are you a member of? Which tribe were the men posing for these statues from?'
Images of some of the statues prior to being digitally clothed are included for comparison...
-----oOo-----
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
FACTS
---------oOo---------
Honey doesn't go off!
Archaeologists have found pots of honey in ancient Egyptian tombs that are over 3,000 years old and still perfectly edible. However today the oldest honey in the world was not that found in King Tut’s tomb in Egypt.
Honey was revered in ancient Egypt, and until recently the oldest honey in the world was indeed found in an Egyptian tomb. That 3,000 years old honey had been placed in honey pots in the tomb of deceased pharoah King Tut to keep him happy on his celestial journey to the afterlife.
In 2012, it was reported that the world’s oldest honey had been discovered in 2003 in the country of Georgia, west of Tblisi, during oil pipeline construction. Archaeologists estimate the honey is about 5,500 years old. Three types of honey were found – meadow flower, berry and linden. Much like in ancient Egypt, the honeys were in ceramic vessels in the tomb of a noblewoman or a beekeeper so they could journey with her into the afterlife.
In the burial mound, in a plundered tomb, ceramic vessels were found with the remains of honey, which, apparently, was left in the burial for future afterlife meals.The above three containers were in the grave, on the walls of which traces of honey were found.
---------oOo---------
Cows have BFFs!
Like humans, cows can form deep bonds with other cows and develop friendships which can last their whole lives. Research has shown they can exhibit signs of stress when they're not near their friend.
Recent research from the University of Northampton has highlighted the human-like relationships among cattle. The research found that cattle not only have selective friendships, they also experience significantly less stress when they are hanging out with their mates.
---------oOo---------
Flamingos are pink because of their diet!
Flamingos are long-legged wading birds that are usually covered in bright pink feathers. With a name that derives from the Spanish or Portuguese word meaning “flame-colored,” the birds are known for their vibrant appearance. The pink of their feathers, though it is their most famous quality, is not a hereditary trait. Flamingos are in fact born a dull gray.
The bright pink color of flamingos comes from beta-carotene, a red-orange pigment that’s found in high amounts within the algae, brine fly larvae, and brine shrimp that flamingos eat in their wetland environment. In the digestive system, enzymes break down carotenoids into pigments that are absorbed by fats in the liver and deposited, for flamingos, in the feathers and skin. To actually color those external attributes, carotenoids must be ingested in very large amounts. Because the flamingo diet is nearly exclusively carotenoid-filled delicacies, the birds have no problem coloring themselves. Humans, on the other hand, would need to eat quite a lot of carrots (a food so rich in carotenoids that it gave the pigments their name) to turn their skin a shade of orange.
Baby flamingoes are white!
---------oOo---------
There's a country which has more pyramids than Egypt!
Sudan has 255 pyramids, compared to Egypt's 118.
Pyramids of Meroe, Sudan
Sudan was once home to the Kingdom of Kush, a rival to Egypt that embraced its neighbour’s culture and beliefs. The city of Meroë became its capital, where over 30 kings were buried amid 200 pyramids. In comparison, there are only 118 pyramids in all of Egypt.
For a period of 200 years, around 3000 BCE, Egyptian pharaohs sent their army south along the Nile in search of gold, granite for statues, ostrich feathers and slaves. They built forts, and later temples, to demonstrate their dominance over the Nubians. The Nubians were the early inhabitants of the central Nile valley, present-day northern Sudan and southern Egypt, and believed to be one of the earliest cradles of civilization.
The conquered region came to be known as the Kingdom of Kush, with the Kushites adopting all aspects of Egyptian culture, from gods to glyphs. They embraced it to such a degree that when the Egyptian empire collapsed in 1070 BCE, the Nubian dynasty, led by Alara, King of the Kush, spearheaded a renaissance of Egyptian culture, including the construction of their own pyramids.
---------oOo---------
The largest snowflake was bigger than most pizzas!
Guinness World Records lists a snowflake 36 centimetres / 15 inches in diameter and 20 centimetres / 8 inches thick as measured at Fort Keogh, Montana, in 1887, as the largest.
By the way:
- "Snowflake" is a derogatory slang term for a person, implying that they have an inflated sense of uniqueness, an unwarranted sense of entitlement, or are overly emotional, easily offended, and unable to deal with opposing opinions.
- The term gained prominence in the 2010s, and was declared by The Guardian in Britain to be the "defining insult of 2016", a term "thrown around with abandon in the wake of Brexit debate in the United Kingdom and the 2016 US election".
- In the 1860s, "snowflake" was used by abolitionists in Missouri to refer to those who opposed the abolition of slavery. The term referred to the color of snow, referring to valuing white people over black people. This usage was not believed to have extended beyond the state of Missouri in the 1800s.
- In the 1970s, according to Green's Dictionary of Slang, snowflake has been used to describe "a white person or a black person who was perceived as acting too much like a white person".
- Chuck Palahniuk has often been credited with originating the modern pejorative use of "snowflake" in his 1996 novel Fight Club, which contains the quote: "you are not special, you are not a beautiful and unique snowflake". The 1999 film adaptation also includes this line.
- Following Fight Club, the terms "special snowflake" and "special snowflake syndrome" were applied to individuals with a negative connotation. Such terminology refers to people who believe their status as a unique individuals means they are destined for great success, or deserve a special career, with abundant praise and admiration.
- According to Merriam-Webster, in the 2000s snowflake referred "mostly to millennials who were allegedly too convinced of their own status as special and unique people to be able (or bothered) to handle the normal trials and travails of regular adult life".
---------oOo---------
Don't blow your nose in Japan!
Blowing your nose, spitting and other bodily expressions of the mucus-producing kind are not appreciated in Japanese culture. If you must clear your schnoz, consider tucking yourself away from any other observers, or into a bathroom stall. Always use a paper tissue, not a handkerchief, and throw it away after use.
By the way:
- If your hotel provides you a kimono to wear, wrap the left side over the right. Doing it the opposite direction is used for burials.
- Don't eat and walk at the same time — it's considered rude. Stop, enjoy, and give credit for what you are tasting, before continuing on your journey. The only place eating in public is heartily embraced is on Japan’s high-speed trains, and train stations sell a dizzying array or bentos for youjourney.
- If you partake in an onsen, wash yourself completely at the provided washing station before entering the hot water. Guests partake communal bathing without clothing. Men and women will bath separately—unless a double private onsen is booked.
---------oOo---------
Mickey Mouse was originally called Mortimer!
Walt Disney began his first series of fully animated films in 1927, featuring the character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
When his distributor appropriated the rights to the character, Disney altered Oswald’s appearance and created a new character that he named Mortimer Mouse; at the urging of his wife, Disney rechristened him Mickey Mouse.
Two silent Mickey Mouse cartoons—Plane Crazy (1928) and Gallopin’ Gaucho (1928)—were produced before Disney employed the novelty of sound for the third Mickey Mouse production, Steamboat Willie (1928), though Mickey did not utter his first words (“Hot dogs!”) until The Karnival Kid (1929). Steamboat Willie was an immediate sensation and led to the studio’s dominance in the animated market for many years.
Mickey in Steamboat Willie, 1928
---------oOo---------
An Ed Sheeran album title is easy to point out in a list because all of them, save for 2019’s No. 6 Collaborations Project, are named after mathematical symbols: 2011’s +, 2014’s x, 2017’s ÷, and 2021’s =.
Sheeran says part of the reason he went that route with his career is so he himself wouldn’t stand out. In a recent interview with New Zealand’s Project NZ, Sheeran said his album naming convention was sparked by his, as he describes it, “face for the radio”:
By the way, while everyone refers to this: ÷ , as a division sign, it's also called an obelus. The name was created by a maths whizz in Switzerland called Johann Rahn. The term appeared in his book Teutsche Algebra ages ago (1659).
He is also credited with first use of the therefore sign: ∴
Monday, September 11, 2023
A BOGAN POEM
---------oOo---------
For those not in the know, such as overseas readers, ‘bogan’ is the local term for a redneck.
Historians and etymologists are still unsure as to precisely where the term bogan originated. Some research suggests the term originated from specific areas around Melbourne's western suburbs during the 1980s. Others believe it comes from communities living near the Bogan River in rural NSW.
---------oOo---------
The Bogan
by Choco Munday
Choco's comment:
The Aussie Bogan is an endangered species. Good thing, too.
SERIOUS LANGUAGE WARNING!!!
I am an Aussie Bogan, and for that I should be happy,
I walk around in Ug-boots wearing nought but daks of tracky.
With flanny pocket bulging with a box of Winnie Reds,
I head off to St Vinnies with my beanie on my head.
An Aussie Bogan's life is as busy as can be,
It's an hour's walk to town to get my bourbon and V.B.
And just so's the Mrs and the kids don't do two trips,
I'll stop and buy us all some lunch - three bucks worth of chips!
I jack another car up on some bricks on my front lawn,
The disc pads are almost new, and the tyres are just half-worn;
There's half a tank of petrol and the battery's not yet fucked,
I'll flog them off and sell the rest for a couple of hundred bucks!
On payday I'll head down the pub with the Mrs and the kids,
It's happy hour at five O'Clock and schnitzel night at Sid's,
If Centrelink overpay me, like those dickheads often do,
I'll put fifty in the pokies and I'll get a new tattoo!
The kids have gone to school, and the Mrs is in bed,
I'm sitting here, drinking beer and smoking a Winnie Red,
As I reflect upon my life, I wonder what's in store?
Will I ever get my ute fixed, will my Mum go guarantor?
But then I spot a business man, a plumber and a hostie,
Over there's a tradie, and, Oh! Here comes the Postie.
I know what they are thinking, as they glance my way and grunt,
But I'm an Aussie bogan, so go fuck yourself you cunt!
---------oOo---------
Back in 2011 I posted a Bytes item on bogans and it is worth a look, whicch can be done by clicking on:
---------oOo---------
From that 2011 post:
Q: How do you know if you're a bogan?
A: You let your 15-year-old daughter smoke at the dinner table in front of her kids.
Q. What does a bogan use as protection during sex?
A. The bus shelter.
Q. What do you call a 30-year-old bogan girl?
A. Grandma.
Q. Why did the bogan cross the road?
A. To start a fight with a complete stranger for no reason whatsoever.
Q. What do you call a bogan girl in a white tracksuit?
A. The bride.
Q. What's the first question during a bogan quiz night?
A. What you looking at?
Q. Two bogans are in a car without any music, who is driving?
A. The policeman
Sunday, September 10, 2023
OZ FACTS
An unashamed promo for Australia . . .
10 interesting facts about Australia that may surprise you
From Travel Nation at:
Think you've heard a lot about Australia? Well here are a few little gems that might surprise you!
__________
The Australian Alps get more snow than the Swiss Alps
While many people visit Australia for its brilliant beaches and year-round sunshine, the Australian Alps, straddling New South Wales and Victoria, are a mecca for skiing enthusiasts. Snow usually falls between June and September, meaning Australia is the perfect place to get your skiing fix during the northern hemisphere summer.
Thredbo and Perisher are two large resorts near Canberra, the latter being the largest ski resort in the southern hemisphere. Blue Cow Mountain is one of the most popular areas, with a vast range of accommodation and runs as well as stunning views across the Alps.
__________
90% of Australians live on the coast
The large deserts of central Australia mean that the vast majority of the population live on the shores of this enormous country. The large cities of Perth, Sydney and Melbourne are iconic places to visit, with buzzing centres and a multitude of beaches, from the sands of Bondi to the surf of Trigg. Outside of the major hubs, there are hundreds of smaller beach towns where you can appreciate Australia's beautiful coastline.
Explore Port Macquarie in New South Wales and catch your own dinner or head up to Queensland and discover the parties of Airlie Beach. Australia's island status means that there are thousands of surf towns and beaches to be found, so follow the masses and head to the coast.
__________
Tasmania has the cleanest air in the world
The island of Tasmania is the ideal spot to experience the great outdoors - with air as clean as Antarctica, around one-third of the state is a national park or World Heritage protected. It is a walkers paradise, with trails and walkways winding over the whole island, where the coastal paths reveal impressive views over Wineglass Bay and the Bay of Fires.
If walking isn't your cup of tea, enjoy kayaking, mountain biking and exploring the island's caves. The wildlife is an extension of the unique animals of Australia, where the Eastern Quoll, now considered extinct on the mainland are commonly sighted in the fertile farmland of Tasmania.
__________
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest eco-system in the world
The Great Barrier Reef is the pride and joy of Australia, made up of nearly 2,500 individual reefs and visible from space. It stretched halfway down the eastern coast of the country, meaning there are plenty of places to use as jumping-off points to explore the kaleidoscopic coral.
Cairns is the most famous city to begin a trip out to the reef but Townsville, Port Douglas and Airlie Beach all have great beaches and various tours that can take you out to enjoy the reef. Snorkelling and diving amongst the colourful fish and turtles that make the Great Barrier Reef their home is sure to be a highlight of any trip to Australia.
__________
Australia has over 60 separate wine regions
You can't go to Australia and not try the wine! With such a huge variety of wine regions, it's hard to choose between them. The majority of the wine regions are in New South Wales and Victoria so if you fancy discovering a few of them a road trip between Sydney and Melbourne would be a great way to go about it.
Take your time to explore the Southern Highlands, Tumbarumba and Alpine Valleys, one of the most picturesque wine regions in Australia, yielding wine from a variety of grapes, from Sauvignon Vert to Chardonnay. Western Australia also has a number of vineyards that are all reachable from Perth, a great trip out of the city to enjoy the wine regions of Australia.
__________
Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world
The sandy shores of Fraser Island are a highlight of any trip to Queensland. Hervey Bay is the jumping-off point for exploring the island, so hop on a boat and discover the delights of this island paradise - the clear blue waters of Lake MacKenzie surrounded by the white sand shore and the serenity of Champagne Pools, where you can swim in the shallow pools at the edge of the ocean. There are 150 dingoes on the island so it is a great opportunity to spot one of Australia's famous wild dogs but keep your distance as they are wild animals and can be aggressive if approached.
__________
Indian Pacific train has the longest straight section of train track in the world
Australia boasts a number of spectacular rail journeys. Between Sydney and Perth lies the Indian Pacific, the railway that snakes its way across the country through the stunning Blue Mountains into the outback towards the mountainous Flinders Ranges.
Stopping off in Adelaide is a must - enjoy gourmet food, art museums and the wide-open spaces of the city. Moving off again takes you across the Nullabor Plain where the straight section occurs before sweeping through the fertile Avon Valley and into Perth. Riding the Indian Pacific is a wonderful way of seeing the varied landscapes of Australia whilst enjoying the luxury services of the train.
__________
The Great Ocean Road is the world’s largest war memorial
The Great Ocean Road is one of the most famous drives in Australia, with stunning views and scenic vistas along the route. Built by returning soldiers after World War One, the road was dedicated as a memorial to those who died fighting and was designed to connect the isolated communities that clung to the edge of Victoria's rugged coastline.
The Twelve Apostles are the famous sight on this winding route but the Split Point Lighthouse, the charming towns of Port Fairy and the surf coast of Apollo Bay are equally beautiful places to visit. Between June and September, you can spot Southern Right Whales along the coast where they come to migrate in the winter months. The road stretches between Torquay and Allansford, ideal as a surface sector road trip between Melbourne and Adelaide.
__________
80% of the animals are unique to Australia
The animals of Australia are some of the most interesting in the world, from cuddly marsupials to a huge variety of birds. There are so many opportunities to experience the wildlife of the country, from zoos and parks to spotting these unique creatures in the wild.
It is easy to spot kangaroos in the fields and farmland of New South Wales but koalas and platypuses are a little more elusive so if you want to see them in the wild, having a guide show you the spots where they often hide can be very useful. Sydney Wildlife World in the centre of the city is a great place to spot anything you miss.
__________
2.5 km of Uluru is underground
The vast rock of Uluru sits in the red centre of Australia, surrounded by scrubland and sacred to various Aboriginal tribes in the area. It is one of the few places on the earth to be listed twice as a UNESCO World Heritage site, both on the cultural and natural lists. Amazingly around 2.5km of the rock is thought to be underground connected to the Olgas, where the rock emerges again 16 miles away.
Experiencing Uluru at sunset is the best way to appreciate its stark beauty and after dark, the pitch-black skies reveal a multitude of sparkling stars. It is easy to visit Uluru from Alice Springs, reachable by plane or as a stop on the Ghan, the railway from Adelaide to Darwin.
Saturday, September 9, 2023
POETRY SPOT
---------oOo---------
When Your Pants Begin to Go
A poem by Henry Lawson, from 1892.
---------oOo---------
Hear and see a virtual Henry Lawson read his poem by clicking on:
A brilliant effort by Jim Clark.
There is also a bio of Henry Lawson at the above link.
---------oOo---------
An alternative read version:
---------oOo---------
When Your Pants Begin To Go
- Henry Lawson
When you wear a cloudy collar and a shirt that isn’t white,
And you cannot sleep for thinking how you’ll reach to-morrow night,
You may be a man of sorrow, and on speaking terms with Care,
But as yet you’re unacquainted with the Demon of Despair;
For I rather think that nothing heaps the trouble on your mind
Like the knowledge that your trousers badly need a patch behind.
I have noticed when misfortune strikes the hero of the play
That his clothes are worn and tattered in a most unlikely way;
And the gods applaud and cheer him while he whines and loafs around,
But they never seem to notice that his pants are mostly sound;
Yet, of course, he cannot help it, for our mirth would mock his care
If the ceiling of his trousers showed the patches of repair.
You are none the less a hero if you elevate your chin
When you feel the pavement wearing through the leather, sock and skin;
You are rather more heroic than are ordinary folk
If you scorn to fish for pity under cover of a joke;
You will face the doubtful glances of the people that you know;
But—of course, you’re bound to face them when your pants begin to go.
If, when flush, you took your pleasure—failed to make a god of Pelf—
Some will say that for your troubles you can only thank yourself;
Some will swear you’ll die a beggar, but you only laugh at that
While your garments hang together and you wear a decent hat;
You may laugh at their predictions while your soles are wearing through—
But a man’s an awful coward when his pants are going too!
Though the present and the future may be anything but bright,
It is best to tell the fellows that you're getting on all right.
And a man prefers to say it—’tis a manly lie to tell,
For the folks may be persuaded that you’re doing very well;
But it’s hard to be a hero, and it’s hard to wear a grin,
When your most important garment is in places very thin.
Get some sympathy and comfort from the chum who knows you best,
Then your sorrows won’t run over in the presence of the rest;
There’s a chum that you can go to when you feel inclined to whine,
He’ll declare your coat is tidy, and he’ll say: “Just look at mine!”
Though you may be patched all over he will say it doesn’t show,
And he’ll swear it can’t be noticed when your pants begin to go.
Brother mine, and of misfortune! times are hard, but do not fret,
Keep your courage up and struggle, and we’ll laugh at these things yet.
Though there is no corn in Egypt, surely Africa has some—
Keep your smile in working order for the better days to come!
We shall often laugh together at the hard times that we know,
And get measured by the tailor when our pants begin to go.
1892
---------oOo---------
"Keep your smile in working order for the better days to come!"
How good a line is that!
Friday, September 8, 2023
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)