Sharon Johnstone: Dew Drop Macro Photographs

Sharon Johnstone is a Birmingham, England based fine art nature photographer. She completed her Fine Arts degree at the University of Creative Arts in 1993, specializing in printmaking. Of her dew drop photographs, she writes:
‘With macro photography I escape to another little world. I love exploring the tiny details in nature that often get overlooked. I love finding beautiful colors and abstract compositions within nature. I think I am at my happiest when I am crawling around on my hands and knees exploring a small patch of moss dripping with sparkling dew in the early morning sun.’
MORE
Via

Familiar?

Designed in 1934 by Swiss sculptor Hedwig Frei. It shows a double E for 'Einigung Europas' (Unity of Europe). It was used as flag by European Federalists in Hertenstein in 1946 and is therefore called the 'Hertensteiner Kreuz' (Hertenstein cross)
Via
(Thanx Peter!)

Dogception

Via

Robert Storr: Gerhard Richter -The Cage Paintings

Gerhard Richter

Mossad chief visited New Delhi days before attack on Israeli officials

Pearls Before Breakfast (2007)

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule.
A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to walk.
A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.
The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.
In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.
Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?
One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?
Via

Pearls Before Breakfast

Sunni Extremists May Be Aiding Al Qaeda’s Ambitions in Syria, Analysts Say

Syria 'much different' from Libya, 'big players' involved in conflict

Enough, Already: The SOPA Debate Ignores How Much Copyright Protection We Already Have

(Thanx Steve!)

Music Industry Mulls Suing Google Over 'Pirate' Search Results

Sony Says Raising Prices On Whitney Houston Music Was A 'Mistake'

Following the news that Sony Music raised prices on Whitney Houston's music very, very soon after news broke that she passed away, the company has now said that it was a "mistake" and issued an apology:

"Whitney Houston product was mistakenly mispriced on the UK iTunes store on Sunday. When discovered, the mistake was immediately corrected. We apologize for any offense caused."

Of course, that seems to raise more questions than it answers. What kind of "mistake"? Human error? Did someone just accidentally jack up the price? Or was it someone doing it on purpose... and Sony now thinks that his or her decision to do so was the mistake?
Mike Masnick @'techdirt'

One more time...

kode nine @kodenine

ok, we've said this before - THE SKIPS AND CUT OUTS ON ASHTRAY WASP ARE INTENTIONAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(totally unprofess, and prob illegal, but i might start a blog showcasing some of these burial complaint emails we get sent - priceless)

 

Ever get the feeling it's getting ever closer?

Brian Eno - Another Green World (Arena)

(Thanx SJX!)

Boys Keep Swinging

Criminal World
(Thanx Ken!)

UPDATE:
My thanks go to Nik who SHOUTED out across the web that Bowie's head was FUCK PHOTOSHOPped on to Sable Starr's body. 
Got to say that the Dame wears it better in my opinion

Vladimir Putin 'on trial for terrorism' in internet viral video

The video, which has had more than 2m views on YouTube, shows the Russian prime minister in a courtroom cage in what seems to be a real trial. The cleverly edited video is actually the trial of the oil magnate Mikhail Khodorkovsky, with Putin's face superimposed on Khodorkovsky's. The fake video comes weeks before Russian presidential elections in which Putin is standing.
Via