Robert Banks (born 1974), better known as Banksy, is a well-known yet pseudo-anonymous English graffiti artist from Yate near Bristol. His artworks are often satirical pieces of art which encompass topics from politics, culture, and ethics. His street art, which combines graffiti with a distinctive stencilling technique, has appeared in London and in cities around the world.
Banksy's stencils feature striking and humorous images occasionally combined with slogans. The message is usually anti-war, anti-capitalist, anti-establishment or pro-freedom. Subjects include animals such as monkeys and rats, policemen, soldiers, children and the elderly. He also makes stickers (the Neighbourhood Watch subvert) and sculpture (the murdered phonebox), and was responsible for the cover art of Blur's 2003 album Think Tank.
Source: banksy.co.uk
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Banksy the Greatest Street Graffiti Artist of All Time
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
One of the Most Dangerous Road in the World
Bolivia's Road of Death
The North Yungas Road is a 38 to 43 mile road (depending on source) leading from La Paz to Coroico, in the Yungas region of Bolivia and is undoubtedly the most dangerous road in the world for motorists.
It is legendary for its extreme danger and in 1995 the Inter-American Development Bank christened it as the "world's most dangerous road". One estimate is that a fatal accident happens there every couple of weeks and 200-300 travellers are killed yearly along the road
The road moreover includes Christian crosses marking many of the spots where such vehicles have fallen. Upon leaving La Paz, the road first ascends up to around 5km, before descending to 1079 ft (330 m), transitioning quickly from cool altiplano terrain to rain forest as it winds through very steep hillsides and atop cliffs.
The road was built in the 1930s during the Chaco War by Paraguayan prisoners. Because of the extreme dropoffs, single-lane width, and lack of guardrails, the road is extremely dangerous. Further still, rain and fog can make visibility precarious, the road surface muddy, and loosen rocks from the hillsides above.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
The Tree-House Restaurant
This Okinawa Tree-House restaurant, on Highway 58 at the entrance in Onoyama Park in the south of Japan. What may look like a genuine tree is actually a man-made concrete structure, just like the French used to build in the lathe 19th century. Customers actually have to get in an elevator inside the “trunk” to reach the restaurant. I have to say it’s a pretty original idea and the work on the tree is amazing, I couldn’t tell it was fake the first time I saw it.
Amazing Stairs
Quality in materials, design and workmanship - this is the first and most important step to creating a showcase staircase in your home.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) by Sigurdur H Stefnisson
Auroras (Polar Lights; or aurorae, sing.: aurora) are natural different colored light displays, which are usually observed in the night sky, particularly in the polar zone. Some scientists therefore call them "polar auroras" (or "aurorae polaris"). In northern latitudes, it is known as the aurora borealis, named after the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name for north wind, Boreas. It often appears as a greenish glow (or sometimes a faint red), as if the sun were rising from an unusual direction. The aurora borealis is also called the northern polar lights, as it is only visible in the North sky from the Northern Hemisphere. The aurora borealis most often occurs from September to October and from March to April.
Here are The Northern Lights photographed by Sigurdur H Stefnisson.
Sigurdur H Stefnisson has been involved in photography since the age of 7. He is highly regarded among professional photographers many of whom have used his services extensively.
"When the electrically charged particles contacts the outer layers of the atmosphere it causes them to glow. Different gases in the atmosphere cause different colors as can be observed from Earth in the many color variations of the auroras.
When solar activity is high the sun releases solar particles. These particles travel with solar winds towards the Earth and are drawn into the atmosphere by the earth's magnetic field.
The auroras have been a source for all kinds of ideas. Later, more realistically, people thought they were reflections of the Sun.
They can be seen in auroral belts that form 20-25 degrees around the geomagnetic poles, both the north and the south. The Northern Lights, also called Aurora Borealis (Southern lights or Aurora Australis in the southern hemisphere), are one of the most spectacular shows on this earth. Sometimes they cover almost all of the sky and seem to be dancing around with such grace and speed that one can only watch in awe."
These photographs are difficult to taken but Sigurdur H Stefnisson has mastered this techniques.
Source: iww.is
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Test Your Awareness: Do The Test
How many passes does the team in white make? Test you awareness and Do the Test! TFL cycling safetly advert! Do you see the Moonwalking bear?
