The Art of Deja Vu

"Minnesota photographer Thomas Allen cuts illustrations from the covers and interior pages of pulp novels and kids' books, turns them into 3D scenes and photographs them." More at Thomas
Allen's "Pulp Fiction"!

This clever online exhibit is not to be missed... but what caught my eye was that I remember the image to the right from my childhood!

It was from that obligatory copy of the children's illustrated Bible that was always in doctors' office waiting rooms at least as late as the 1970s!

(via Boing Boing: Pulp covers turned into 3D sculptures)

2nd Annual Zombie Kickball Game!

I guess I missed the sporting event in Portland this past Memorial Day weekend: the second annual "Zombie Kickball Game"! (You gotta love the timing...)

Coverage of this year's ZKBII is here at Strange Maine.

Group photo of the "Zombie Bleachers" taken by SM's editor Michelle (no relation...)
You can see video taken of this gory group photo here!

Witness all the brain-eating, ball-kicking mayhem from last year in a rough-cut of a documentary which will be screened at the "Fear No Film" Film Festival in Salt Lake City this upcoming June!

(Not to mention the Flickr set... and this year's developing coverage in the Zombie Athletics League Flickr pool!)

Here's hoping that they'll arise again next year!!

Post Script: Wanna be warned if they do? Make "friends" with http://www.myspace.com/zombiekickball!

Hieronymus Bosch Action Figures!

You loved "The Garden of Earthly Delights"! (After all, who doesn't??)

Now you can play with all the characters at home with the "Hieronymus Bosch Action Figures"!!

(via Fimoculous)

What does your birthdate mean??

Your Birthdate: May 29

You have the mind of an artist, even if you haven't developed the talent yet. Expressive and aware, you enjoy finding new ways to share your feelings. You often feel like you don't fit in - especially in traditional environments. You have big dreams. The problem is putting those dreams into action. Your strength: Your vivid imagination Your weakness: Fear of failure Your power color: Coral Your power symbol: Oval Your power month: November What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Getting Ready for Venice (or Just Summer!): "How To Save Your Wet Cell Phone"

Dropped your phone in the canal? I haven't (yet) in Venice, but my Venetian hubby has! (Of course, he was rowing at the time, so that's a pretty good excuse...)

The good folks at SquareTrade Warranty just sent an email though that seems incredibly useful! Enjoy!!

(Or, should I say, I hope you won't have to!!!)

So you went swimming with your cell phone again, or accidentally spilled Gatorade on it. Hey, it happens, but there are ways to recover from the Red Dot of Death if you're fast enough. Get it out of the water and remove both the battery and the SIM card. Dry everything off, and then wait. And I mean wait... (read more here!)

"The College Prank as Viral Video"

Type 'college prank' into YouTube and you will be greeted with hundreds of videos. Most will be really, really dumb. Many won't even be pranks at all. Some will make you furrow your brow, shake your head, and fear for the future of our country. But a few of them push the art of the prank to new heights...

Check them out here, at the Chronicle of Higher Education!

(via Arts and Letters Daily)

Yes, they are just plain extraordinarily silly... and yet, they're things of beauty and a joy forever!

And note to my students... don't get any wise ideas!! (LOL)

UPDATED - Back in Business: A "Sinking Feeling in Venice"

Ah, long time no blog... But it's getting to be that time of the year again that my blogging need not be taken up by all my classes, and I can actually do some stuff that's recreational! YAY!!

For example... According to the China Post from earlier this week...

Sinking feeling in Venice over glass and steel bridge:

It has been called "the world's longest bridge", not because of the distance it should cover -- 94 meters, but because of the time it has taken to build -- 11 years and counting.

Now, a planned glass and steel bridge over Venice's Grand Canal is also threatening to cause irreparable damage... Experts have calculated that the 52-ton structure will create a downward force of 1,500 tons, equivalent to 75 large lorries. This weight could sink the sides of the canal, which have been built on a soft, muddy floor..." (read more here)

Uh, oops... As if Venice doesn't have enough problems already!

UPDATE (5/15) - From yesterday's "Buongiorno Venezia" newsletter:

"Drawn by continuing disputes about his 'creature', Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava arrived in Venice last week to view the situation in person. His inspection of the area where the bridge's foundation is being tested to determine whether it meets requirements proved to be, for him, very satisfactory. 'The bridge is wonderful and perfectly in conformity with my plans. I make bold, but not unsafe bridges. The delays and the increased costs certainly aren't attributable to me because I'm only the designer. The blame is on Italian legislation, which calls for the cheapest, not the best, firms and suppliers. In a special town such as Venice, the municipality must be free to choose the best.'"