Monday, August 31, 2009

photography :: squirrelize your photos

Need to add a squirrel to one of your photos but can't find a willing subject in your backyard? There's a quick way to embed the cute little varmint into your photographs and it doesn't involve acorn bribery or nasty rodent bites either. It's called "squirrelizing".

This was a photo from an earlier post of mine that I magically squirrelized. Wanta try it yourself? Check out the squirrelizer application here .

Squirrelizing - It is definitely JUST COOL!

Sunday, August 30, 2009

pets :: dog gone art


For a piece of cheese, Jack Russell Terrier, Tillamook Cheddar from Brooklyn, New York will paint you a masterpiece! This paw-some pooch has been likened to artists Jackson Pollock and Cy Wembly and at the age of ten has been widely exhibited throughout the U.S. and Europe. At sales of over 2000 dollars for each of her paintings she ranks up there with other famed animal artists like chimp painter "Congo" who's paintings bring in over 8000 dollars.

What's this fluffy Picasso's technique? Her owner Bowman Hastie, explains:
"Tillie's primary process is a dynamic color transfer technique. In preparation for each of her works, her assistants assemble a touch-sensitive recording device by affixing pigment-coated vellum to a sheet of lithograph paper backed by mat board. The artist takes the prepared "canvas" in her mouth and brings it to her workspace. Working on the outside surface, she applies pressure with teeth and claws in a methodic ritual marked by dramatic shifts in tempo and intensity. The resultant sharp and sweeping intersecting lines complement the artist's delicate paw prints and subtle tongue impressions, composing an expressionistic image that is revealed on the paper beneath when she is finished. She works with shocking intensity, sometimes to the point of destroying her creations. "




When asked if Tillie enjoys exhibiting at shows, Bowman replied, " She typically hangs around the cheese table!" which makes sense since Tillie was named after her favorite brand of cheddar.

Tillamook Cheddar - the cheese AND the dog painter are JUST COOL!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

sports :: a new way to win!

A bunch of my friends are die hard football fans and have I got a website for them! It's called WaiverWire and it's brand new, created by football fans for football fans. When a bunch of former Wall Street guys with a passion for the game got fed up with the financial markets, they came together and built an incredible website for fantasy football players. They applied the format, tools, and techniques for analyzing stocks to analyzing NFL player and fantasy football teams. Now how cool is that! Waiverwire offers the most advanced fantasy sports tools and information available, in fact  they have the world’s only draft tool with artificial intelligence! They make winning possible by helping the player to make decisions faster than their competitors. Plus they have a great networking forum for staying in touch with old friends, talking sports with new ones and keeping informed and connected with the game. My friends will absolutely love this site for all it has to offer.So, hey, if you are one of those crazy die hard football fanatics like a lot of my friends are, then go check out the new website. Sign up, it's fast, it's free and it's easy!




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interiors :: greenwich village grand!

Who says tiny can't be grand? This 400 square foot jewel box of a studio located in the heart of Greenwich Village proves it can be! The owner has worked her magic turning this tiny studio into a comfortable castle taking inspiration from the townhouses and flats in Knightsbridge, London and transforming it with luxurious Old World European flair. This chic lair boasts ample storage and organization hidden behind its grand facade, and posh plush outfittings to make living here an opulent experience!
Filled with charm and personality and enchanting vignettes at every turn, this apartment is JUST COOL!
AND it's FOR SALE!

Friday, August 28, 2009

design :: stone age radio


Copenhagen Designer Guus Oosterbaan's Rock Radio is a radio cast in cement. When it didn't recieve radio signals due to being totally encased in the concrete, he took a hammer to it (ouch!) and now it works. What a great Fred Flintstone look this has.



LOVE THIS! It's JUST COOL!

mattresses :: sleeping with the enemy


If you are in the market for a new mattress than listen up , because not all mattresses and mattress brands are created equal.There are many types of mattresses on the market , memory foam being the most popular choice over innerspring mattresses today. Not only does memory foam have the ability to contour itself to your body but it cradles you in comfort and support as well. But be careful when purchasing that new memory foam mattress and do your homework like I have. You will be surprised to know that the conventional memory foam mattress you purchased a few years ago may be your enemy and may actually be making you sick! Regular memory foam, also known as Visco-elastic memory foam or visco foam, is made with petroleum based chemicals and often contains toxic components in it's makeup. And because overseas manufacturers (who often produce these mattresses) have no regulatory laws regarding the manufacturing of their product, they aren't required to disclose these chemicals. Nasty ones like Cyanide, Acetone, Lead compounds , Benzene, Dioxins and Furans. Ones that have been linked to cancer, heart, lung and kidney damage etc. Yuk... just imagine these very chemicals lulling you to sleep each night. Not a pleasant thought, is it?
So how do you get a comfy, cozy memory foam mattress sans that nasty toxicity?
Enter the Essentia Natural Memory Foam Mattress, the ONLY natural memory foam manufactured in the world. Made from rubber tree sap and "adhesive free technology", Essentia's patented process infuses organic essential oils, plant extracts and water into the foam composition to give it a memory foam like feel. The result? Luxurious and outstanding comfort, no chemical off-gassing or odor,a healthy, allergy-free sleeping environment, extreme durability (a 20 year warranty!), a mattress 80% more breathable than conventional memory foam, a faster recovery time and, get this, a miracle mattress that is biodegradable! I DEFINITELY want one!You can read more about this amazing natural mattress over at MyEssentia.com and get ALL the facts for yourself . Finally a mattress that is really JUST COOL!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

garden :: have a seat

Love this! Furniture that fits right into your garden. So take a seat ...



or a nap ;)



Gardening thats fun and JUST COOL!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

food :: best pizza around!


Pizza, McDonald's style. How do you like yours?

With cheese...


or without

Oh ... so yummy ;) and JUST COOL!
recipe here ->  rabatjoie

design :: cover up

A cool idea - slipcovers for benches. Ikea's clever campaign called "A Little Fabric Makes A Big Difference", took everyday items indoors and out, like these benches, and covered them with fresh modern slipcovers! Love this!



Just goes to show how fabric can add personality to just about anything! Definitely JUST COOL!


science :: prayer for the mung beans

I'm on a sprout kick. I've tried sprouting broccoli seeds, alfafa seeds and mung beans.The mung beans worked fab...the rest died. So I  have been eating mung bean sprouts on everything.. You name it, everything. I've even threatened my daughter when she wanted me to bake brownies that I would be adding a few healthy additives to the mix heheh. I'll never run out of these sumptiously crunchy little delicacies since I have a huge rotating harvest of them in my pantry . . . which now looks like a laboratory.
After reading a few awesome mung bean articles, I found that not only are they mega healthy for you but that they are listening too... and responding! Yes , even the lowly mung beans has spiritual ears. Check out this interesting article written by Cynthia Sue Larson.
REALITY SHIFTS
An Element of Effective Prayer
by Cynthia Sue Larson

Have you ever wanted to know the best way to wish for something? Have you wondered whether some kinds of prayer are more effective than others... or if stress or misfortune will affect whether your wishes and prayers come true?
If you’d like answers to these questions, you’re in luck! Researchers at Spindrift found that certain kinds of prayer are more likely to promote healthy growth of mung beans, a staple of Asian cuisine and the most-consumed sprout in the world. Spindrift is a publicly supported foundation dedicated to the scientific research of consciousness and healing through silent prayer, using experimental tests on mung beans, soybeans, molds, and other organisms. Spindrift was founded by two Christian Science practitioners, Bruce and John Klingbeil.
Carefully controlled studies at Spindrift involving sprouting beans showed that there is a striking 85% difference between beans placed in ideal growing conditions and those which are under some kind of environmental stress (having too little or too much moisture, or are too hot or cold, or have too much salt). A difference has also been found between goal-directed thought (where seeds are imagined to be growing very well) and non goal-directed thought (where no specific outcome is requested or visualized).
We might guess that beans starting out in ideal growing conditions would respond best to prayer, and out-perform traumatized beans... and also that visualization would enhance the growth of these beans. What would you guess?
Interestingly, researchers at Spindrift discovered that the growth of mung beans placed in the ideal growing environment which were prayed for with either the goal-directed or non goal-directed thought did not improve as quickly and well as the stressed seeds. Healthy plants were already at the ideal rate of growth and did not improve as dramatically as the seeds that were too wet, too dry, or too salty. The stressed beans really took off! The next surprising finding was that seeds prayed for with visualization did not grow as quickly as seeds prayed for in a more general, non-directed fashion, although both kinds of prayer improved the rate of mung bean growth.
While humans are only distantly related to mung beans, it’s still refreshing to consider the possibility that some environmental stress can actually be good for our growth and development. I’ve found that when I’ve been under tremendous pressure, I’ve also experienced the most growth. Times of parenthood, death of a friend or relative, career change, divorce and moving stretch my sense of limitations, beliefs and boundaries and remind me to pray for the best outcome? - Since any more specific wish might not turn out to be best for me. Stressful times give me exciting new opportunities to break free of old patterns - much as a bean sprout breaks free of its husk to reach up to the light!
Other studies at Spindrift have shown that more frequent prayers sped the rate of growth of soybeans. This finding seems to indicate that more frequent prayers (or prayers by more people) can be dramatically more effective than solo prayer.
If you’re interested in trying out prayer experiments with beans at home, you can order your OCIA certified organic beans on the internet through http://www.sproutpeople.com, and view the Spindrift experiments at Spindrift research’s web site at http://www.xnet.com/~spindrif/. Here’s one experiment you can really sink your teeth into! You can have fun seeing the power of non-directed thought in your own home, and end up with some tasty sprouts when the experiment is over.
Cynthia Sue Larson holds a bachelor's degree in physics from UC Berkeley (1982), earned in conjunction with her pursuit of a more complete understanding of reality. Shortly after receiving her physics degree and working with scientists at the Space Sciences Laboratory in Berkeley, she earned an MBA degree from San Francisco State University with the intention that she would be able to help scientists better manage their projects. Following completion of her MBA degree in 1984, she worked as a project manager at Citibank for seven years at the California Data Center.
Cynthia currently writes articles for Magical Blend and Parabola magazines about reality shifts - discussing everything from the physics of prayer to the connection between language and our culture's view of reality. She has taught workshops and classes to dozens of people, and communicated with thousands more on the internet through discussion forums and chats. She has been interviewed by Elliot Stein for his Stein Online talk show.

Monday, August 24, 2009

pets:: rapture insurance

What will they think of next? A group of atheist animal lovers has thought up an interesting scam idea and a quick way to make some bucks. Rapture insurance for your pet!


"You've committed your life to Jesus. You know you're saved. But when the Rapture comes what's to become of your loving pets who are left behind? Eternal Earth-Bound Pets takes that burden off your mind.

We are a group of dedicated animal lovers, and atheists. Each Eternal Earth-Bound Pet representative is a confirmed atheist, and as such will still be here on Earth after you've received your reward. Our network of animal activists are committed to step in when you step up to Jesus"


Is it for real? Yes it is. For $110.00 Eternal Earth-Bound Pets guarantees that should the Rapture occur within ten (10) years of receipt of payment, one pet per residence will be saved. Each additional pet at your residence will be saved for an additional $15.00 fee. A small price to pay for your peace of mind and the health and safety of your four legged friends.

Any takers? It's WEIRDly JUST COOL!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

kids :: make & color!

 
I as "Mimi" am always looking for ideas to keep the grand kids busy! Over at Chez Beeper Bebe, Holly has an easy tutorial on making these sweet little coloring books for the kiddies. Or have them make them for each other. That'll keep 'em busy! LOVE THESE!

Cuz they're JUST COOL of course!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

green :: salad siding

What a great idea! Recycling rain gutters into mini veggie gardens. Who'da thunk that skinny scrawny rain gutters could actually grow vegetables but YES THEY CAN! And they even look good doing it.

via new world geek

Friday, August 21, 2009

design :: toilets that leave you wanting to go more

I'm not a big fan of bathroom humor but I got a real kick out of these toilet seat designs from Pressalit...



When ya gotta go ya gotta go and these unique toilet seats add to the experience because they have smarts as well as humor! Pressalit invented the AutoClose® function, which lowers the seat silently onto the toilet pan after use – completely and automatically. How JUST COOL is that? ;)

architecture :: a fab prefab

Fab and prefab are two words you won't find together too often. Especially when you're talking about those ugly galvanized steel buildings often seen in rural landscapes that are basically used for functional farming and light industrial needs. But changes are coming! Green architect Michael Jantzen has taken the ugly corregated structure and tranformed it into a cool, modern and yes, FAB minimalist living space.


This affordable, sustainable, energy-independent structure can be reconfigured to suit the needs of it's owners. - “Homestead House is a conceptual design for alternative housing that explores the potential use of a commercially available steel, prefabricated, modular, high strength, low cost, arch building system normally used for agricultural purposes,” said Jantzen. Read more about it at dornob. It's JUST COOL!

advertising :: pec perks from golds gym

Just one of the many benefits you'll get from working out at GOLD'S GYM ...





clever advertising for GOLDS GYM!


Advertising Agency: TAXI, Calgary, Canada
Creative Director: Trent Burton
Art Director: Kelsey Horne
Copywriter: Nick Asik
Photographer: Justen Lacoursiere
Retouching: Robert Blevins, Alex Chung

via adsoftheworld

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

iphone :: BBQ it!

Fire up your iPhone because now there's an app with some serious grilling going on! Utterly useless but wonderfully entertaining, now you can watch as your bratworst sizzles and roasts to a nice golden brown. The app let’s you BBQ in real time. By blowing into the microphone you increase the BBQ fire/heat.


Download the JUST COOL App at ITunes.
Happy BBQing. Now let's eat!

furniture :: the hot seat

Recycled plumbing turns into funky furniture over at Van Thiel and Co., an antique slash curiosity shop in Toronto. This is the Radiator-Chair - Pricey indeed at $1,490, and just as uncomfortable I'm sure. It's more of a sculpture than something I'd want to sit on.



It's got a cool companion though - “The Odd Laundry Room End Table,” pictured below, cost $1,200, that I think might look JUST COOL in my house.

pets :: a suitcase bed

Ever notice how "Fluffy" always finds the worst (for you) places to claim as her sleeping domain. Like your suitcase - when you're packing for a trip - there she is lounging out on your neatly folded clothes. So isn't this great? I found these cute pet beds over on Etsy that give kitty a stylish suitcase all her own .

Vintage Renaissance makes these , transformed from vintage suitcases into upcycled and wonderful pet beds for those jet-setting animals in your life. The removable and washable pillow is custom-made with a durable 100% cotton fabric and filled with eco-friendly stuffing and the funky legs add some serious retro style.Socially and environmentally friendly, these pet beds are suitable and sturdy enough for any small pet (or two!) that might need a cozy place to sleep! I think even Poppy Petunia might like these - they're JUST COOL!

advertizing :: it's in the bag

ziploc now has storage for the bigger meals ...



JUST COOL advertising!

Advertising Agency: Grey Group /G2 Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Creative Directors: Birgit Hogrefe, Christoph Knoebel
Art Director: Annika Frey
Copywriter: Christoph Knoebel
Post production: Peter Engel, Noyan Özok, Mainworks



via adsoftheworld

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

computers :: the best buy

Hello there. I'm the pc responsible for all that you read on this blog. A pc or laptop's life can be pretty demanding. First of all, if you are used as often as this blogger uses me, you rarely get any shut eye or shut down, you're constantly uploading and downloading information, playing music and games, fending off spam and viruses and using up a lot of your memory on all sorts of demanding applications. I'm five years old, I'm slow and I'm worn out already! Now if I were young and one of the new pc's on the block, life would be a different story. For instance if I were an HP HDX 16t Premium series I'd be able to handle anything that Wendy would throw my way and then some . My sleek titanium design, vividly bright, ultrawide display with optional 1080p and 16:9 ratio, home-theater-quality audio and video, built-in TV tuner, Blu-ray, and advanced graphics would make me be the envy of all the other PC's around. I think somehow I should let Wendy know that if she hurries now she can get $500 off instantly when she purchases an HP HDX 16t with $300 coupon code NBN3248 + $200 Instant Rebate. That is a heck of a lot of savings, so she'll have to hurry. Because it's only valid through 8/23 or while supplies last and restrictions and exclusions apply. And I gotta go, because now's the perfect time for me to crash (after she reads this of course) - I need a break!



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signs :: homeless but clever

Homelessness is no laughing matter but some of the signs the homeless make to get our attention and money are! Take a look...


















these JUST COOL photos are via flickr

Monday, August 17, 2009

architecture :: swanky silo

silomain1
I love tiny houses! This tiny house is made even cooler because it was once a grain silo and is now a one bedroom loft at the Gruene Homestead Inn. In 2007 the inn purchased this lowly metal grain container, moved and reinvented it into an upscale and unique lodging experience for their guests.The silo has a queen bed, a full sized sofa-bed, stand up shower, two sinks, wet bar, microwave, refrigerator, private porch and can be rented for $175/$210.


silo8
silo6
silo3
silo2
silo4
Photo Credits: Gruene Homestead Inn
 You can visit the Gruene Homestead Inn’s website to learn more about this JUST COOL lodging.
via tinyhouseblog