The "Comma Of Grace”

Stuff Christians Like just did a post about the "comma of grace" that is pretty amazing. You should go over and read it. Just click on the comma to be transported there.

For the Facebook Dog Lover

Beginning January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010, for every fan of The PEDIGREE® Adoption Drive at facebook.com, PEDIGREE® Brand will donate 8 oz. of PEDIGREE® Brand Dry Food for Dogs to animal shelters selected by PEDIGREE® Brand, up to a total of $1,000,000 (aggregate retail value).

Click the image to be directed to the Facebook page.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

How Google, Apple, And Other Household Brands Came Up With Their Names

Finding a name for a company is sort of like finding a name for a band: all the good ones seem to be taken already.

Furthermore, while it might not be what actually matters about what you do, all creators have a sense that it matters. Plus there's the matter of finding (or buying) the domain name(s).

As you'll see, even some of the biggest tech giants got their names kind of at random, so even if you pick out something that might sound stupid, it might not kill you.

Click the image above to see how 13 Tech Behemoths Found Their Name.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Big Picture: Earth Hour 2010

Beginning in Sydney, Australia three years ago, Earth Hour has grown into a global observance. States, large organizations and individual people observed Earth Hour 2010 on Saturday March 27th, as homes, office towers and landmarks turned off their lights for an hour starting at 8.30 pm local time to raise awareness about climate change and the threat from rising greenhouse gas emissions. Collected here are a series of before-and-after photographs from this year - which (starting with the second one below) will fade between "on" and "off" when clicked. [See also: last year] This effect requires javascript to be enabled. (26 photos total)

Click the image to see the collection, and be sure to click on each picture to see it fade to 'dark'.

Big Picture: Robots, part III

Robots continue to grow in their importance amongst law enforcement, military use, medical research and care, space exploration and entertainment, among other tasks. Robots recently in the news include Russia's decades-old Lunokhod rovers - recently photographed from Lunar orbit, the naming of "Curiosity", NASA's next Mars rover, and a robotic dental patient, designed for realistic training. Collected here are a handful of relatively recent photographs of robots around the world - and the solar system. [Previously, 1, 2]. (33 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection.

An Interesting Perspective

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

We Are Hiring Kensington Out As A Babysitter

If we can only get Kensington to 'sing' at the right time we could make a fortune.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Want To See The Sistine Chapel Without Having To Go To Italy

It takes a few minutes to load, but the wait is worth it. Use your mouse button to 'grab' the image and move it around. Use the wheel on your mouse to zoom in (there is a zoom in the lower left as well).
Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Teeth Growing Time-Lapse

* 7 months to create.
* Averaged 1 photo/frame every 3 days.
* 70 frames total.
* August 9th, 2008 – March 10th, 2009.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Would You Do What Hitler Asked Of You?

Given the right circumstances, would you torture and ultimately kill another person at the request of others? Not someone that is threatening you or your family, just a stranger that someone asks you to torture. Would you do it?

In a 1961 experiment a French psychologist found that two-thirds of the test subjects were willing to administer a fatal shock.

Well, that was 1961. Surely our 'enlightened' society would be less likely to perform such a heinous act. Click the image above to read the article and learn if your peers are more or less likely to torture and kill.

Bicycle storage in Japan

This is ALMOST enough to make me want to ride a bike in Tokyo.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Big Picture: Haiti, 70 days later

In Haiti, the survivors of the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck about two and a half months ago continue to struggle, with a few signs of hope as international assistance is beginning to make measurable progress, some international debt is being forgiven, and some businesses and institutions start to come back to life. In a country still mourning the loss of a now-estimated 230,000 citizens (on par with the 2004 Indian Ocean quake), over one million people remain housed in makeshift tent cities, uncertain about their future or security. According to a recent draft summary of the Haitian government's damage and needs assessment, the country will need $11.5 billion to rebuild. Collected here are a handful of recent photographs from Haiti, a country still in need. (40 photos total)

How To Pull A Tablecloth Off Of A REALLY Big Table

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Destination Dinners

The perfect gift for the foodie or traveler who has everything. Recipe Kits from Destination Dinners make cooking authentic dishes from around the world fun, easy and educational.

Each Kit contains all of the pre-measured hard to find spices, sauces and dried ingredients, preparation instructions, shopping list for fresh items and trivia about the destination.

Click the images below to go to the site.

Example: Use This


To Make This

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Google Map's Camera Almost Hit A Bird

Click the logo to see the image.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Big Picture: World Water Day

Today, March 22nd, is recognized by the United Nations Water Group as "World Water Day", this year's theme being "Clean Water for a Healthy World". Although we live on a water-covered planet, only 1% of the world's water is available for human use, the rest locked away in oceans, ice, and the atmosphere. The National Geographic Society feels so strongly about the issues around fresh water that they are distributing an interactive version of their April, 2010 magazine for download - free until April 2nd - and will be exhibiting images from the series at the Annenberg Space for photography. National Geographic was also kind enough to share 15 of their images below, in a collection with other photos from news agencies and NASA - all of water, here at home - Earth. (43 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection.

I Am Tempted...

This site was created to meet the need of those who are bothered by poor email etiquette, specifically when it comes to forwarded chain letters, urban myths, and bad jokes. The primary function of the site is to allow individuals to anonymously email someone who has sent them spam or forwards (also known as FWDs) a generic letter that politely asks the recipient to refrain from sending this type of email.

The recipient of this email is protected against abuse of StopForwarding.Com by a feature of the site that keeps the same email address from being used more than once every three months. To facilitate this feature, the email address is kept on record for 90 days before automatically being erased from our system. These email addresses will not be used for any other purpose other than as mentioned above.

Click the image above to go to the site.

Below is a sample of the e-mail they send.


Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Big Picture: Record setters

Earlier this week, the world's shortest man, He Pingping, age 21, died after developing chest pains while filming a television show in Italy. Pingping suffered from primordial dwarfism, a condition which kept him from ever growing taller than 73 cm (2 feet 5 inches) tall. Pingping was recognized by the Guinness World Records organization, who also held a "World Records Day" last November, encouraging people all over the world to set their own records. Collected here are a group of superlatives, recent photos of world records and record attempts around the world. (31 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection.

Big Picture: 2010 Winter Paralympics

Over 500 athletes from 44 countries around the world have once again descended on Vancouver Canada, for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Paralympic Games, (officially known as the X Paralympic Winter Games). After a separate torch relay and opening ceremony, competitors faced off in five different sports: Sledge hockey, Wheelchair curling, Alpine skiing, Biathlon, and Cross-country skiing - the last three broken into classes of sitting, standing and visually impaired. Currently Russia is leading the medals race, with Canada and Ukraine tied for second place. The Winter Paralympics continue until the Closing Ceremony on Sunday March 21st. Collected here are some scenes from this year's games. (40 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection.

Tropicana Lights Up The Arctic

Juice brand Tropicana wanted to highlight the fact that it played an important role in the morning ritual of millions of Canadians, to coincide with the launch of its newest juice, Tropicana Essentials, with added calcium and vitamin D.

The brand wanted to elevate its role beyond simply being a brand of orange juice and increase loyalty amongst its consumers and become Canada’s National Provider of Brighter Mornings.

In order to do this, Tropicana spent a month in Inuvik, one of the country’s northernmost towns, during the coldest and darkest days of the winter. The 3,500 residents of the Arctic town in the Northwest Territories live without a sunrise for several weeks every winter. Tropicana literally brought a brighter morning to Inuvik with a giant artificial sun that emitted 100,000 lumens of light. A team of Canadian filmmakers captured the raising of the ’sun’ in Inuvik for a series of documentary-style commercials.

The lights were affixed to a 36-foot wide helium balloon which then rose and illuminated the town. The Tropicana Brand’s ’sunrise’ coincided with Inuvik’s annual Sunrise Festival, which celebrates the return of sunlight after weeks of relative darkness.

The brand also provided 1,200 free cartons of Tropicana Pure Premium Orange Juice – one for every household in the community.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Big Picture: Shanghai prepares for Expo 2010

Construction workers and organizers in Shanghai, China are busily completing tasks ahead of the planned opening of the 2010 World Expo on May 1st - planned to be the largest World Expo in history. The theme of the Expo is "Better City, Better Life", and is scheduled to run until October 31, 2010. In recent months, large construction and renovation projects have dominated much of Shanghai, in preparation for becoming the World's stage on May 1st. Up to 800,000 visitors are expected each day - a total of 70 million visitors in all visiting exhibitions from nearly 200 participants around the world. Collected here are several recent photos from Shanghai as construction nears completion for the Expo 2010. (31 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection.

Cuba: Hate Their Politics...But Love Their Bench Clearing Brawls

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Best Jobs In America

The recession brought a tremendous rise in the unemployment rate in America and many people are having trouble finding employment. However, there are many jobs to be had -- and not just any jobs, some of the best companies in America are hiring. Depending on your skillset, degree and what you want from a job, some of the best jobs in the country may be on your career path.

Click to see a larger image.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

McDonald's + Weight Watchers = Partners - Who Woulda Thunk It?

McDonald’s corporation is trying to slim down.

The Oak Brook-based company has received Weight Watchers’ seal of approval on some of their menu items, including the popular Filet-O-Fish, Chicken McNuggets and the Sweet Chili Seared Chicken Wrap.

“The partnership was initiated for the growing number of customers interested in health and well being,” said Mark Hawthorne, McDonald’s New Zealand managing director. The Weight Watchers items will be marketed to the Kiwis first.

The fast food giant joined forces with the world’s leading weight management organization to offer customers new meal combinations, each offering a Weight Watchers POINTS value of 6.5 per item.

Click either image to read the article.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Dogs Love Tetherball...At Least This One Does

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Big Picture: On the Spot with Kim Jong-il

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea's state-run (and only) news agency, sporadically releases photos of reclusive 69-year-old leader Kim Jong-il as he makes "on-the-spot" guidance visits. Kim Jong-il, continuing a practice begun by his father, Kim Il-sung, makes these visits to factories and facilities throughout the country, purportedly to offer his personal guidance. Followed by army officers, security personnel and plant managers - most carrying pencils and notepads to record the guidance of "Dear Leader" - he examines, listens, gives a talk, poses, then moves on, entourage in tow. When viewing the photos below, keep in mind that the KCNA is a state-run operation, most of the photos are undated, no photographers are credited, and independent verification of circumstances is nearly impossible. Collected here are a few recent photos released by the KCNA of Kim Jong-il giving "on-the-spot" field guidance. (31 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection.

This Kiss - North Texas Version

Notable North Texas athletes, mayors, and personalities offered their singing talents (or at least singing efforts!) to recreate Faith Hill’s hit single “This Kiss.” This must-see video debuted before Faith Hill’s concert at Bass Hall in Fort Worth for the opening concert of the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee’s Kick-off Concert Series.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Big Picture: Scenes from Kenya

Kenya remains one of Africa's most developed countries, but has been dealt several setbacks in the past few years. Political and tribal conflicts, unstable neighbors (Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia), and a crushing drought last year have left much of Kenya on hold, trying to regain recent momentum. The tourist trade has begun to pick up, nearly returning to the record levels - $810 million dollars earned in 2009. Several government plans are in motion to retain and rebuild the economy, including a massive translocation project to move zebras and wildebeest into lion territory - hopefully alleviating lion attacks on livestock in the drought-affected area. Collected here are a handful of recent photographs from Kenya. (40 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection.

Things You CAN'T Do When You're NOT a Dog

The video below is a little PG13, but funny none-the-less.

Boeing 747 Survives Underwear Bomb Blast

The BBC did a test on an old decomissioned 747, putting a dummy with the same type and amount of explosives found on the underwear bomber. As you can see in the above video, the flexibility of the outside of the frame allowed it to absorb the blast. If the bomb had gone off, the plane would have still been able to fly and land.

Of course, the damage inside the plane still would have been horrific. But it’s nice to know that the trusty 747 can stand up to such abuse.

Click the image to read more.



Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

All-In-One Waterproof Jacket, Tent and Sleeping Bag

JakPak™, the world’s first all-in-one waterproof jacket, sleeping bag and tent, was created to provide safety and comfort in an unpredictable world. JakPak is the only portable personal sleeping system on the market designed for outdoors and sports enthusiasts, as well as emergency preparedness.

Click the image to read more.



Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Hen that thinks it's a dog adopts litter of puppies

You’d be forgiven for thinking that chickens and dogs were not natural bed fellows.

But a one-year-old hen that thinks it’s a dog has adopted a litter of puppies much to the bemusement of their canine mother.

Mabel has taken to keeping the small dogs warm by snuggling up to them while their mother, Nettle, sits out in the yard at a farm in Shrewsbury.

Click the image to read the article.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Smart Or Stoopid?

Are you smarter or stoopider than the average person? Take this short IQ Test and find out how you compare. I don't mean to brag, but here are my results...

**The Smart or Stoopid test is purely meant to be a fun quiz to see how your IQ rates alongside the average, based on the scores

of other people who have taken the test. Naturally, only stupid people would take it as a true indicator of intelligence,

and only intelligent people would take it as a true indicator of stupidity. Or something like that.

Click the image to take the test.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

South Africa’s kulula airline’s Rebranding

South Africa’s kulula airline’s recent rebranding will leave every passenger with a basic knowledge of aviation and aircraft. Now every traveler can even learn where the black box is.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Big Picture: Chile, nine days later

Nine days after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake killed hundreds of people in south-central Chile, relief efforts were beginning to reach those in need, rescue missions became recovery missions, and rebuilding is already under way. In the days since the February 27th quake, nearly 150 aftershocks have been recorded, including thirteen above magnitude 6.0. The government has been criticized by Chileans, who say the response was slow and inefficient. One recent government action was to grant a short amnesty to looters before sending troops out in search of stolen goods. Nearly $2 million worth of looted items were returned, often dumped on roadsides, by Sunday. Collected here are photographs from the past week in quake-affected Chile. (41 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection.

Giving From A Child's Perspective

Giving: From A Child's Perspective from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

How hundreds of people, millions of dollars and an experimental 'lung' saved the life of a British soldier

It was one of the most complex military logistical and medical operations ever undertaken – and it saved the life of a young British soldier critically injured in Afghanistan.

It involved hundreds of doctors, air and ground crews of several nations, travelling many thousands of miles, revolutionary and experimental medical equipment, several planes and helicopters and communications between three continents and cost millions of pounds.

For months, details of the massive operation to save one man’s life have been shrouded in secrecy. The injured soldier was not shot by the Taliban but was almost certainly wounded accidentally at his camp near Sangin in Helmand province in late July last year.

It is understood that Soldier X – he is not being identified at the request of his family – was not wearing body armour at the time. The Ministry of Defence has declined to offer any explanation.

The respected American journalist Michael Yon, himself a former US special forces soldier, reported on his blog that he heard the shot and saw a flurry of activity and a medical evacuation helicopter taking Soldier X away.

Click the image to read the article and to see a larger version of the image above.

David Crowder*Band - "How He Loves" OFFICIAL Music Video

Big Picture: NYC and Las Vegas from above, at night

Photographer Jason Hawkes, a frequent contributor to the Big Picture blog, returns today, sharing with us some of his latest images of American cities seen from above at night - New York City and Las Vegas, both cities that undergo significant transformations after the sun goes down. From Hawkes: "The images of New York were shot on Nikons latest camera, the D3S, using three gyro stabilizing mounts and flown using twin star helicopters. (Eurocopter AS355). We flew from heights of just over 500 ft up to 2,500-ft with no doors on, it was very very cold. The images of Las Vegas were shot for a separate project, using a range of helicopters from a Robinson 44 to Eurocopter AS355". Be sure to see Hawkes' earlier entries here (1, 2, 3), and check out his newly-released book "London at Night". A book of his New York at night photos is due for publication in the Autumn. Captions provided by the photographer. (20 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection.

Time-Lapse Of The Night Sky

The White Mountain from charles on Vimeo.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Friends Aim to "Stand and Deliver" for Ailing Teacher

Jaime Escalante, the East L.A. teacher who was immortalized in the movie "Stand and Deliver," is fighting cancer. His family has run out of money to pay for treatments, according to reports.

Actor Edward James Olmos, who played the teacher in the film, said that Escalante’s family did not want to ask for help, but friends took it upon themselves to get the word out in hopes of making his final days as comfortable as possible. Olmos posted an appeal on his website to friends of Jamie asking them to make a donation.

Olmos said he has been "moved to tears" to hear of the circumstances now facing this "great man."

A fund drive has also been planned at Escalante's alma mater, Garfield High School, on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Click the image to read the article.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Snake Fossil Found Eating Baby Dinosaurs

Scientists have found a 67 million-year-old fossil of a snake coiled around dinosaur eggs and a hatchling. This is the first evidence of snakes eating dinosaurs.

“It’s a stunning, once-in-a-lifetime find,” said paleontologist Paul Sereno of the University of Chicago, who was not involved in the study. “We’ve caught one of the rarest moments in the fossil record, which is prey and predator, together.”

Click the image to read the article.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Translating Color Names For Girls and Guys

Finally someone provides a translation. Click the image to make it larger.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Dogs Eating Treats In Slow Motion

It's dogs in slow-mo catching treats. What could be better.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Big Picture: Holi 2010

Last Monday (March 1st), people in India and other countries with large Hindu populations celebrated Holi, the Festival of Colors. A welcoming of Spring, Holi is celebrated as the triumph of good over evil. Hindu devotees and others enthusiastically drop their inhibitions, and chase each other in temples and through the streets, playfully splashing colorful paint, powder and water on each other. People also attend bonfires to commemorate the story of Prahlada, a Hindu figure and devout follower of Lord Vishnu who prevailed over his father and the demoness Holika with the power of his devotion. Collected here are a handful of images from this year's Festival of Colors. (37 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection.

A sunken town rises

This combination photograph shows the ruins of a church in the Andean town of Potosi in 2008 (L) and its current state on February 21, 2010. The 25-meter-tall church and ruins of a Potosi town flooded in the early 1980s have emerged from the Uribante-Caparo water reservoir after a drought reduced water levels.

Click the image to see the slide show.

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Saturday Night Live Presidential Reunion

I am not taking a political position. I just appreciate the humor and that is why I am sharing it.

Barack Obama gets a surprise visit in the night from ex-Presidents Bush Sr., Bush Jr., Clinton, Ford, Reagan and Carter to get a few pointers about the Consumer Financial Protection Agency and why it’s so important.

Mild language warning.

Funny or Die's Presidential Reunion from Will Ferrell

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

If the day starts to feel shorter, here’s why

The earthquake that killed more than 700 people in Chile on Feb. 27 probably shifted the Earth’s axis and shortened the day, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientist said.

Earthquakes can involve shifting hundreds of kilometers of rock by several meters, changing the distribution of mass on the planet. This affects the Earth’s rotation, said Richard Gross, a geophysicist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, who uses a computer model to calculate the effects.

“The length of the day should have gotten shorter by 1.26 microseconds (millionths of a second),” Gross, said today in an e-mailed reply to questions. “The axis about which the Earth’s mass is balanced should have moved by 2.7 milliarcseconds (about 8 centimeters or 3 inches).”

Thanks To Keith at BagOfNothing

Big Picture: Chile, three days later

Three days after one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded struck the South American nation of Chile, the massive extent of the damage is becoming clearer, and the number of known victims has climbed to 723 deaths so far, many thousands still missing, and nearly 2 million displaced. World governments made immediate pledges of aid after Chilean President Michelle Bachelet requested mobile bridges, field hospitals, satellite phones, electrical generators, disaster assessment teams, water purification systems, field kitchens and restaurants, UN officials said. Collected here are recent photos from areas in Chile damaged by Saturday's 8.8-magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami. (37 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection. Warning: Some images are graphic.