Blood Head Sculpture Acquired By The National Portrait Gallery

Self, Marc Quinn (2006)

Click image to go to original story

Most museums that hold precious art in their premises protect their art by maintaining a temperature of around 70 degrees Fahrenheit in their halls. In the National Portrait Gallery in London, a colder climate is needed for its newest acquisition, a work known to be one of the most important works of the BritArt era.

The National Portrait Gallery has purchased a newly minted version of Marc Quinn’s Self sculpture; the artwork is the fourth reproduction of the British artist’s head made out of nine pints of his own frozen blood. Three previous versions of the art piece sit in private collections yet this one was acquired by the gallery in order to show to the public.

The Art Fund, a charity in the UK that is devoted to collecting important works for public collections contributed £100,000 to the £300,000 ($500,000) cost of the sculpture. It was already an arranged discounted price since the work was intended for the museum. The remainder of the funds used to purchase the blood head sculpture came from other nonprofit organizations.

The National Blood Service in the UK recommends that there should be a 16 week waiting period in between blood donations. If Quinn follows the necessary protocol, it takes him almost three years to collect the necessary amount of blood to make another version of the sculpture. If Quinn aspires to create another version, the next sculpture will be available for sale in 2011.

Black Woman, White Kids

Black Brazilian mother with albino children

A black woman has puzzled many scientists because three out of her five children are white. Rosemere Fernandes de Andrade and her partner Joao are Afro-Brazilian must be carriers of the albinism gene since it requires both parents to be carriers in order to produce albino offspring.

The genetics professor Valdir Balbino of the Federal University of Pernambuco said that it is a very rare occurrence since the parents and two other children are black.

The family lives in the slum area of Olinda in north-east Brazil and the children have been ridiculed by the other students at their school. Mrs. Fernandes struggles to pay the medical bills for her children Ruth, 10; Esthefany, 8; and Kauan who is just 5. She must also buy the children expensive sunblock and extra clothing to protect their skin. The mother of five has also been challenged by security guards who insisted she could not be the children’s mother because they look different.

Albinism affects around one in 17,000 people and those with albinism do not produce enough melanin which gives color to the skin, hair, and eyes and protects the body from the sun’s harmful rays. People with albinism often suffer from extreme short-sightedness and a severe sensitivity to light.

In several parts of the world, people dare to pass judgment on people with albinism, calling them names that could only hurt. People with albinism did not wish to be born that way and most of them are having a hard time coping up with the people around them. Be nice to them!

If you would want to help people with this condition, read on to the original article. Thank you.

Deranged Woman Throws a Cup at the Mona Lisa

Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa

It's not the first time that the world's most recognizable portrait has suffered an attack from a viewer; in fact the Mona Lisa has had suffered a lot of woes from people who must be out of their minds.

I have read from a website just recently that the famous painting got attacked on 2 August 2009 -- a Russian woman hurled a ceramic cup at the Mona Lisa out of frustration from being denied French citizenship!

The Mona Lisa is a portrait known the world over for its enigmatic smile and for its artist, the great Leonardo da Vinci. A portrait of Francesco del Giocondo's wife, Lisa Gherardini, the Mona Lisa is also refered to as La Gioconda. The painting was created with great skill with Leonardo's own sfumato technique and brilliant artistry. The painting is owned by the Government of France that is why it is gracing its own wall at the world-famous Louvre Museum in Paris.

The woman visited the museum on a Sunday when the entrance to the museum is free and suddenly threw the cup out of frustration. The Mona Lisa went through that attack unharmed since it is covered in bulletproof glass. The Russian woman however, was arrested by the police and underwent psychiatric testing for her behavior. She was eventually released but the Louvre filed a legal complaint against her for the incident.

I have watched several documentaries about the Mona Lisa and it is deemed to be da Vinci's most favorite of his works because he always took it with him while traveling from one place to another and had it with him until his death.

My friend Odessa is a big fan of da Vinci and the Mona Lisa...I wonder how she'd react to this weird piece of news in the art world.

I was appalled when I first read the headline... Thank goodness for bulletproof glass I can still keep dreaming of seeing her someday!

Do You Want 56 Permanent Stars On Your Face?

What would you do if a guy draws 56 stars on your face and you won't be able to rub them off with soap and water? That's the sad fate of Belgian teenager Kimberley Vlaeminck who sued the tattoo artist who put too much stars on her face.

The eighteen year old said she only wanted three stars on her face but she happened to doze off during the process. She woke up in pain when the tattoo guy started to put stars on her nose. She was surprised that the guy turned her face into a galaxy!

The tattoo artist said that the teenager agreed to have fifty-six stars tattooed on her face but only complained when she went home and her father got mad with what happened.

What should we learn from this young woman's experience? If you want a tattoo, better make it clear with the artist what you want, how big do you want it and how many do you want of it. It is also very important to never fall asleep while you are getting yourself inked!

A Car Made of Matches

Michael Arndt and his F1 Match Car

It was in February of 2008 when the news broke out about a man who created an F1 car from almost a million match sticks. I know this post may seem stale because it is nothing new but I love the handiwork of the guy that's why it's on my blog!

Anyway, Michael Arndt of Germany used 956,000 match sticks to make a Formula One car. It took him thousands of hours for more than six years to make such a masterpiece. He used 1,686 tubes of glue to put the sticks together in order to create the life-size F1 model. He spent a total of £4,500 on the said project.

Creativity and patience can make a person do great things.

Are you creative and patient enough to do great stuff?

A Pink Dolphin?

A pink albino dolphin

A pink dolphin??? Yeah a PINK dolphin! The albino dolphin was spotted in an inland lake in Louisiana in the US. Conservationists think that people should leave the dolphin alone and not to harm it.

Dolphins are interesting animals and this pink one happens to be more interesting than the rest!

Sushi Time

Must I blurt out that I love eating food? I'm in for any adventure especially when it comes to food! I even have my own food blog The Food Lover where I post different kinds of food I love eating and recipes of food I love cooking.

My latest post is a photo of four sushi pieces. There are different kinds of sushi and these darlings belong to the makizushi group.

Makizushi are rolls of rice, vegetables and seafood wrapped in nori or dried seaweed wrap.

These maki are composed of sushi rice, crab, and some vegetables rolled together in a tight seaweed wrap. I loved dipping them in soy sauce and wasabi.

It's been a long time since I had sushi and I'm glad I had them once again.

Maybe I'll have some more soon...

The Herb

Cannabis sativa is an annual plant in the Cannabaceae family. It is an herb that has been used throughout recorded history by humans for various purposes such as fiber, for its oil, and as food, as a drug, as medicine, and for spiritual purposes. Different parts of the plant have different uses, and different varieties are cultivated in different ways and harvested at different times, depending on the purpose for which it is grown.

Cannabis, also known as marijuana or marihuana, or ganja (from Hindi/Sanskrit गांजा gānjā, hemp),is a psychoactive drug extracted from the plant Cannabis sativa, or more often, Cannabis sativa subsp. indica. The herbal form of the drug consists of dried mature flowers and subtending leaves of pistillate (female) plants. The resinous form, known as hashish, consists primarily of glandular trichomes collected from the same plant material. The major biologically active chemical compound in cannabis is Δdelta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly referred to as THC.

Humans have been consuming cannabis since prehistory,although in the 20th century there was a rise in its use for recreational, religious or spiritual, and medicinal purposes. It is estimated that about four percent of the world's adult population (162 million) use cannabis annually and 0.6 percent (22.5 million) daily. The possession, use, or sale of psychoactive cannabis products became illegal in most parts of the world in the early 20th century. Since then, some countries have intensified the enforcement of cannabis prohibition while others have reduced the priority of enforcement.

Medical cannabis refers to the use of the Cannabis plant as a physician-recommended herbal therapy as well as synthetic THC and cannabinoids. So far, the medical use of cannabis is legal only in a limited number of territories, including Canada, Belgium,Austria, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, Finland and some U.S. states. This usage generally requires a prescription, and distribution is usually done within a framework defined by local laws.

There are many studies regarding the use of cannabis in a medicinal context.

Cannabis has an ancient history of ritual usage as an aid to trance and has been traditionally used in a religious context throughout the old world. Herodotus wrote about early ceremonial practices by the Scythians, which are thought to have occurred from the 5th to 2nd century BC. In India, it has been engaged by itinerant sadhus for centuries, and in modern times the Rastafari movement has embraced it. Anthropologist Sula Benet claimed historical evidence and etymological comparison show that the Holy anointing oil used by the Hebrew contained cannabis extracts, "kaneh bosm," and that it is also listed as an incense tree in the original Hebrew and Aramaic texts of the Old Testament. The early Christians used cannabis oil for medicinal purposes and as part of the baptismal process to confirm the forgiveness of sins and "right of passage" into the Kingdom of Heaven. The Unction, Seal, laying on of hands, the Counselor, and the Holy Spirit are all often synonymous of the Holy anointing oil.

Early Gnostic texts indicate that the Chrism is essential to becoming a "Christian." Some Muslims of the Sufi order have used cannabis as a tool for spiritual exploration.

There are a lot of bad and good feedback on Cannabis. Want to share your ideas?

Feedback welcome. :D

Effects of Cold Water

I saw this image as I was surfing the net earlier today. I am not sure if it is 100% percent true but if I am going to base it on what my mother's doctor told her, then it must be.

The other week my mother had been taken to the doctor for a general check up because she had not been feeling well. After a series of tests, the renowned doctor (he is a notable doctor with a noble cause), he prescribed a bunch of medicines and told her to stop drinking cold water or drinks. He did not prohibit fatty food or such like other doctors do but only told her to stop drinking cold stuff and told her to take everything in moderation.

He got his point, too much of something can really kill!

What do you think? Do you believe that cold water has such effects on the body?

Mind-Boggling Old News

My friend Bevs sent me a link to this mind-boggling old news... It's old news since the report's date is 1 Feb 2007 yet the content still catches attention... It's PR 3...

___________________________________________________________________

The headline: NEW HAIR PRODUCT USES BULL SEMEN

It seems like a load of bull to see such a headline eh???

This then "new" hair stuff is made from bull's cum...yeah you read that right! The hairdresser in London who developed it got inspired by that "hair gel" scene from There's Something About Mary... If you haven't seen the movie yet...well...your hair will definitely stand on end when you see that scene! Hahaha!

The so-called £55 "product" is used for a 45-minute conditioning treatment and it is made from the semen of thoroughbred Aberdeen Angus bulls. It is guaranteed to make the hair shiny. Eeeyuck!

The hairdresser said that it is an "organic" treatment which doesn't leave a bad smell on the hair. 8-|


___________________________________________________________________

Hmmm...

Next time, when you go for a hair treatment in the salon, make sure what kind of product they use on your head...

It's All In The News

Whenever we watch, listen to, or read news in the Philippines, most of us cringe at the sights and/or sounds of ugly and indigestible stuff which make us lose our sanity or appetite for a moment…or sometimes for long periods of time…Who would want to have dinner while listening to endless rants about scams and while watching bloody accidents and killings???

Let's be thankful I suppose since it is not only in Pinas where weird stuff can be found… In other words, hindi lang mga Pinoy ang mga sira-ulong tao sa mundo!!! Errrrr…in English, what I meant to say is that Filipinos are not the only weird or insane people on this planet!!!

The following are some stuff you might find either interesting or stupid or both. You can click on the links to see their full stories.

______________________________________________________________________________________

US

In Chicago, Illinois the town of the newly-elected Obama, a woman was found living with three dead siblings. The elderly lady was found shacking up with a decomposed body and two skeletons. The remains of her siblings were found in different parts of the house and were covered in sheets.

So weird…who would want to live with dead people?

“I see dead people…and I live with them…”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In Dayton, Ohio a 38-year old woman was arrested for punching her 12-year old daughter in the face while talking to police officers. The police officers were at the woman’s residence because she wanted them to pick up her two sons who were in another part of town. The woman got pissed with her daughter because she kept coming in and out of the room. Out of nowhere she hit the girl in the face and wham she was arrested on the spot!

Tsk tsk… hitting a KID in FRONT OF POLICE OFFICERS… Bad move momma!

______________________________________________________________________________________

UK

In the land of Prince William, a British police officer was arrested and sent to prison for having admitted to have had sex with a woman while on duty and for proposing to do the act with another woman. The married police officer worked late night shifts and went to the first woman’s house to have dinner and sex afterwards. Well that’s “normal” since they were in a relationship for a year…However, the second woman was somebody he arrested and propositioned to have sex with. The woman said NO and bammmm he was reported to the authorities.

Mister officer will be caressing the cold iron bars of the jail he’s in…and maybe some inmate’s ass…

______________________________________________________________________________________

JAPAN

In the Land of the Rising Sun, a male Japanese air force major was caught naked while shopping for women’s lingerie. The major has been suspended for 10 days for having just his wallet and shoes on him, thinking that people will find it funny if he went to the store buck naked.

Surprise, surprise!!! That was really funny major!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Still in Japan, a woman was arrested for committing virtual murder to her online husband!!! The 43-year old woman plays the online game Maple Story and was upset that her online husband divorced her. Missus was deranged and killed her online husband’s character. If she will be found guilty for manipulating electronic data, she will be sent to prison for up to five years.

Well, somebody has taken the virtual world too seriously…too bad she's not allowed to serve time in a virtual jail.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Had enough for today?

Hahahaha!

Beer Monks

Those green and brown stuff are empty beer bottles!!!

Who would have thought that Buddhist monks in Thailand’s Sisaket province will build a temple using a million beer bottles? The Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew temple and its crematorium and washrooms are built with the combination of Heineken (green) and Chang (brown) beer bottles.

Another classic example of "One man's trash is another man's treasure"...

Firestarter

A Japanese guy set a hotel on fire in order to stop a wedding ceremony---his wedding ceremony!

Now that is weird...

If one does not want lifetime commitment, it is easier to run away and never return... The guy must have been so stressed that's why the only idea that lit in his head was to start a fire!

The Queen of Swords

I was bored and created a slide show of various Queen of Swords cards from various Tarot decks. The music in the video is Enya's Boadicea...her tribute to one of the greatest heroines in history.

The Queen of Swords indicates a woman who is blessed (or cursed) with sharp perception, and highly honed intuition. She is acutely analytical, with a razor-sharp ability to get to the heart of a situation, seeing exactly what is, rather than what others would wish her to see.

She is a private woman, unwilling to let people too close to her until she is satisfied she thoroughly understands their motivations. But once won as a friend, she is unfailingly loyal, honest and supportive.

She's usually very intelligent, with a dry sense of humour. Her penetrating insight will often reveal aspects of themselves to others that they had previously been unable to grasp - thus she is a capable therapist, teacher or leader.

The woman represented by this card will be experienced in the flow of life, understanding a great deal about both the great triumphs, and the deepest failings of the race. Her clarity and measured expression will be of great value at times of confusion and sadness.

Sometimes in a reading, this card will turn up to indicate a woman in a particular phase of her life, where she temporarily becomes a Sword as a result of what is happening to her. In that case the card is not quite so positively defined, for it can indicate a woman left alone, and perhaps embittered. She may be a widow, or a woman passing through the aftermath of divorce.

In this case we often see the more negative aspects of the Queen - coldness, judgmentalism, criticism. At these times there is a certain sourness about her, with cynicism and sharpness making themselves felt.

It should be said that these qualities are inherent to the woman who is a Queen of Swords by nature too - if the woman concerned has not evolved sufficiently you will often find that the card represents a person who is hard and cold toward others.