CultCase

Man Comes Back From The Dead in Israel

2009-07-03T14:11:00.041+03:00

An ambulance crew dispatched to the apartment of an 84 year old man in the city of Ramat Gan in Israel, found him lying on his stomach amid filth in his living room. Maggots and blue death marks were all over the body that was already cold. There was also no pulse or breathing or other life signs and there could be no mistake about the strong putrid smell in the apartment. In other words, the man was dead. So, after a doctor arrived to the scene and examined the body he signed the death certificate shown in the above photo.

But as the saying goes, it ain't over till it's over. A few minutes later, when the body evacuation crew was waiting for the CSIs to complete their documentation process, a policeman came near to the "corpse" and could see it is, well... moving his hand. The paramedics were called back, and the man was taken, conscious, to Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer. Naturally, until the recommendations of the special investigation team that had been set up following the incident are issued, the team that declared the man dead was suspended from all medical activity.

We're relived.

Via JPost and Ynet
Photo by paramedic team member Berale Yaakobovitch, via Ynet

Worst Parking Fail Ever

2009-06-29T20:43:00.028+03:00

Gladly, most of us know that "the art of parking" go hand in hand with "the art of driving". Some of us, unfortunately, tend to focus on "driving" and forget about the "parking" part. Take that 23 years old woman, for example, was - sadly - severely injured today after falling 3 stories with her Mazda due to a failed parking attempt at the Malha shopping mall in Jerusalem.

Furthermore, according to the Israeli news portal Ynet, her husband who was standing outside the car was also injured after getting hit by the running car on its way down.

Please don't get us wrong here, this is not about female drivers! Women are often more careful than men and known to account for fewer car accidents. It's just that this one is not a very good example to all that. Photographs by Gil Yochanan, Ynet.

Manhole Cover Designs: 22 Urban Industrial Artworks under Our Feet

2009-06-15T13:50:00.062+03:00

Manhole design has been around for many years, since the era of ancient Rome to be exact, when people began using sewage and drainage systems. An extraordinary ahead-of-its-time book by Mimi and Robert Melnick is most likely, however, to be the first attempt to define and document manhole covers and their place in (American) culture as an urban industrial art. As described by MITpress in the book intro:

"They lie underfoot, embellished and gleaming. They seal off and provide entry to an underground world of conduits, water mains, power lines, and sewers. They appear by the thousands in our cities, but very few people ever look at them or think about them as art. At once completely ordinary and totally unexpected, manhole covers present an infinite variety of design in the commonplace as well as a record of defunct utility companies, forgotten business firms, and obsolete foundries."

Manhole cover design varies greatly from city to city, with each municipality particular approach for budget versus art. According to ManHole.ca, a website dedicated to Fine Sewer Art and Manhole Cover Photography - some cities, such as Seattle, opted for a clever street map design on their covers while others go for city logos or seals. A few cities, such as Vancouver, Seattle, New York and Tokyo, went even further and pursued commissioned designer covers. Furthermore, in competitions to find the best designs, these cities have had their communities actively participating in waste awareness. Above: "In Direct Line With Another & The Next", taken in Downtown, New York.

With their own astonishing variety depending on locality, utility type and manufacturer but often including a symbol specific to an area or town as part of the overall design, Japanese are considered amongst the most extraordinary manhole covers. In Kyoto, for example, a turtle symbolizing wisdom and longevity is the main motif. In other cases local landmarks, festivals or flora and fauna are used (japanvisitor.com). Above: manhole cover in Himeji. The following are a few of the most interesting cover designs as photographed and collected by people in Japan, USA, Germany, France, Canada and Mexico. If you have any photos of other interesting manhole covers from around the world please send them over or post their links here as a comment. Enjoy!

Manholes in Japan

Kobe (1), Japan
Source

Kobe (2), Japan.
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Kobe (3), Japan.
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Takaoka, Japan.
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Fukuoka, Japan.
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Toshogu, Japan.
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Himeji, Japan.
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Fire hydrant cover at Hanahaku park with the character from the flower exhibition in 1990.
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Manholes in USA

Seattle, USA.
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San Francisco, USA.
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New York, USA (Source).

East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, USA (Source)
Also one from Washington here.

Manholes in Germany

Berlin, Germany (Source)

Bergen, Germany.
Source

Freiburg i.Br., Germany (Source)
Also two more from Potsdam and Berlin

Manholes in Canada

Vancouver, Canada.
Source

Manholes in Mexico

Unknown, Mexico
Source

Manholes in France

Barrage de Bimont
Also one from Maubec Oppede here

Manhole Collections

Puppenspieler
Jannem
Troutfactory: Japan’s beautiful manhole covers

1960 Ford Prefect Farewell

2009-05-19T12:41:00.040+03:00

We have been together for 12 years. During three of them she was my best mate. Most reliable piece of machinery I've ever had. Everything with this 1960 Ford Prefect could be fixed with nothing but the simplest tools, a few cheap spare parts and two hands. No computer experts. With a 997 CC, 4 Cylinder engine and more than a ton of steel acceleration was not the best on the road (OK, it was horrible.) but since you can not go faster than 80 KPH anyway it really did not matter much. Safer and better fun looking at the view too.

Love matters but nonetheless, after a few years life had its say and attention had to put in some other more important aims. You know. Family oriented "nothing about that old wreck" ones. So, the heart is broken, but - knowing she'll get a good care and be back on the road soon - the mind fills with of joy. The snapshots below were taken in 2 separate occasions. The first - in 2003 during a general work session. The second a few weeks ago, when it was taken after sold. $600 for those who are interested.

2003

Front view, 2003

Back view, 2003

Left side view, 2003

Internal view, 2003

2009

Departing 1960 Ford Prefect: Left side, 2009

Departing 1960 Ford Prefect: Front side, 2009

Departing 1960 Ford Prefect: Going up on the tow truck, 2009

Departing 1960 Ford Prefect: Up on the tow truck, 2009

Departing 1960 Ford Prefect: farewell

895 Feet Long Mural Painted by Community

2009-05-16T15:54:00.073+03:00

While technically a mural can be any piece of artwork on a wall, ceiling, or other large permanent surface (Wikipedia) some of us tend to associate murals with ancient masterpieces made by masters painters and artists rather than with ordinary people and suburb communities. Yet, a small suburbs community in an Israeli village named Kfar Netter, has recently collaborated on a unique project, mixing self-expression, fun and community relationships into a gigantic wall mural next to a walkway crossing the village. Made from 70 separate elements, all designed and painted by the residents, this impressive mural measures 895 feet (approx. 273 meter or about 0.17 miles) long and 6 feet high.

Environmental art or casual creative entertainment, call it as you like - the people of Kfar Netter seem to have liked the idea and about half of them - approximately 400 people - have attended the single day gathering. It was hot. Music was loud, cold drinks were all over and within a few hours the mural was done, accept for a few minor segments which were taken care of later on.

OK, we know what you are thinking. Since most of us like to paint but not everyone is a painter, here are just a few words about how it was practically done: First a date for the special gathering day was set and announced. Each family was then invited to come up with its own masterpiece and provide it to the event organizers in the form of a standard A3 paper sheet.

A special company was hired to cover the entire wall with a primary paint and then sketch the outline drawings based on the given residents' input. Above is an example of such an outline prior to the paint job. Below: a Google earth snapshot showing the exact location of the wall and the mural (kmz file here).

Here are a few selected photos taken during the painting gathering.

Photos by CultCase

20 (More) Great Artists that Never Reached 30

2009-05-08T11:50:00.127+03:00

Several performing artists enjoyed long, almost epic in magnitude, careers. But for some, cultural significance was achieved in a short, meteoric explosion. Some fade away, some burn out. If you are a frequent CultCase reader you may have already stumbled the first article in this topic. It was only thank to our devoted readers, who protested the omission of their favorite under-30 dead artists, that we managed to assemble this complementary list. Before we begin, based on 40 examined cases, the following is a non exhaustive list of recommendations for our young, under 30, artistically inclined readers:

If you do drugs not to overdose (8 didn't). Stay away from guns, mainly held by others but also by yourself (7 didn't). Diseases such as Influenza, Tuberculosis and Typhoid often disagree with you (6 didn’t realize it in time). Modern transportation arrangements such as cars and buses (4) or planes (4) can be extremely dangerous, especially when their drivers are heavily sedated or alcohol intoxicated. Avoid fluids in your respiratory system (3 didn't) and try to stay away from wars (2 didn't). Artists can bleed. here they are, 20 more culturally significant artists that never made 30.

Hank Williams (29)

Age: 29
Cause of death: Morphine overdose

Hank Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer and songwriter and musician who has become an icon of country music and one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th century. Above Image: Williams on stage at the Midnight Jamboree broadcasting from the Ernest Tubb Record Store. Copyright: Jett Williams

On January 1, 1953, a 17-year-old chauffeur named Charles Carr pulled over at an all-night service station in Oak Hill, West Virginia and discovered that Hank Williams was dead in the back seat. Controversy has since surrounded Williams' death, with some people claiming Williams was dead before leaving Knoxville on his way to Oak Hill. In the above image: Hank giving a concert from the back of a flatbed truck in his hometown of Georgiana, Alabama. Audrey, Hank's first wife, is the woman in sunglasses in the foreground. Copyright: Hank Williams Boyhood Home and Museum

Alain Fournier (28)

Age: 28
Cause of death: War

Henri-Alban Fournier, who wrote under the pseudonym Alain-Fournier,was born October 3, 1886 at the Chapelle d’Anguillon in France. In 1910, he went to work as a journalist for the Paris Journal and fell in love with Jeanne Bruneau who was later the basis for the character of Valentine in his book "le Grand Meaulnes (The Wanderer)". The creation was first published in the July-October 1913 issue of the "Nouvelle Revue française" and later on as a book. Although nominated for the prestigious Goncourt Prize, The Wanderer narrowly lost the prize to Marc Elder's "Le Peuple de la Mer".

In 1914, Alain-Fournier started work on a new book "Colombe Blanchet", which remained unfinished as he had to join the army in August 1914 and got killed only one month later. His body remained unidentified until 1991, at which time he waslaidtorest in the cemetery of Saint Remy la Colonne. Above: Alain-Fournier, 19 years old.

Source

Bradley Nowell (28)

Age: 28
Cause of death: Heroin overdose

Bradley James Nowell (February 22, 1968 – May 25, 1996) was an American musician who served as lead singer and guitarist of the popular genre transcendent band Sublime. He died at 28 from a heroin overdose shortly before the release of Sublime's self-titled major label debut. Shown above (center) with his Sublime mates and below, young and happy.

Source
Image sources: 1, 2

Brandon Lee (28)

Age: 28
Cause of death: Gunshot while filming

Brandon Bruce Lee (February 1, 1965 – March 31, 1993) was a Chinese-American actor and the son of the late legendary martial arts film star Bruce Lee. Lee followed in his father's footsteps, starting a promising career in action movies and signing a multi-film contract with 20th Century Fox. He was accidentally shot and killed while filming The Crow (1994). Leading critic Roger Ebert wrote that "Lee clearly demonstrate[d] that he might have become an action star, had he lived."

Source
Image sources: 1, 2, 3

Heath Ledger (28)

Age: 28
Cause of death: Toxic combination of prescription drugs

Heath Andrew Ledger (4 April 1979 – 22 January 2008) was an Australian television and film actor. His work includes 19 films, most notably 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), The Patriot (2000), Monster's Ball (2001), A Knight's Tale (2001), Brokeback Mountain (2005), and The Dark Knight (2008). In addition to his acting, he produced and directed music videos and aspired to be a film director.

Ledger died at the age of 28 from an accidental "toxic combination of prescription drugs." A few months before his death, he had finished filming his penultimate performance, as the Joker in The Dark Knight.

Source
Image sources: 1, 2

Jean-Michel Basquiat (27)

Age: 27
Cause of death: Cocaine and heroin mix ("speedballing) overdose

Jean-Michel Basquiat (December 22, 1960 – August 12, 1988) was a Haitian American artist. He gained popularity first as a graffiti artist in New York City, and then as a successful 1980s-era Neo-expressionist artist. Basquiat's paintings continue to influence modern-day artists and command high prices. He died accidentally of mixed-drug toxicity, combining cocaine and heroin, a mix known as "speedballing" at his studio in 1988. Above: Jean-Michel Basquiat, 1987 in a photo portrait by Ari Marcopoulos.

Source
Image sources: 1, 2

Nick Drake (26)

Age: 26
Cause of death: Suicide by acute amitriptyline poisoning

Nicholas Rodney Drake (19 June 1948 – 25 November 1974) was an English singer-songwriter and musician best known for his acoustic, autumnal songs. His primary instrument was the guitar, though he was also proficient at piano, clarinet, and saxophone. Although he failed to find a wide audience during his lifetime, Drake now ranks among the most influential English singer-songwriters of the last 50 years. During the night of 24/25 November 1974 Drake died at home in Far Leys from an overdose of amitriptyline, a type of antidepressant. The cause of death has been stated as a result of "Acute amitriptyline poisoning - self administered when suffering from a depressive illness", and concluded a verdict of suicide.

Source
Image sources: 1, 2

Tose Proeski (26)

Age: 26
Cause of death: Car accident

Todor "Toše" Proeski (January 25, 1981 – October 16, 2007) was a famous Macedonian pop singer. He was popular across the entire Balkan area and further north, and locally he was considered a top act of the Macedonian music scene. Proeski was known for his trademark quote "Ve sakam site" (I Love You All), and was called "Elvis Presley of the Balkans" by BBC News. He died in a car crash in Croatia on October 16, 2007.

Source
Image sources: 1, 2

Aubrey Beardsley (25)

Age: 25
Cause of death: Tuberculosis

Aubrey Vincent Beardsley (21 August 1872 – 16 March 1898) was an English illustrator and author. Beardsley was active till his death in Menton, France, at the age of 25 on 16 March 1898, of tuberculosis.

Source

John Keats (25)

Age: 25
Cause of death: Tuberculosis

John Keats (31 October 1795 – 23 February 1821) was an English poet who became one of the key poets of the English Romantic movement during the early nineteenth century. During his very short life, his work received constant critical attacks from periodicals of the day, but his posthumous influence on poets such as Alfred Tennyson has been immense. In 1820, Keats began showing serious signs of tuberculosis, the disease that had plagued his family. On the suggestion of his doctors, he moved into a house in Rome, Italy (today a museum dedicated to his life and work) where despite attentive care the poet's health rapidly deteriorated. He died in 23 February 1821 and was buried in the Protestant Cemetery, Rome.

Source

Randy Rhoads (25)

Age: 25
Cause of death: Plane crash

Randall William "Randy" Rhoads (December 6, 1956 – March 19, 1982) was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. Despite his short career, he is cited as an influence by many contemporary heavy metal guitarists. Rhoads was killed instantly in a plane crash along with 2 of his friends, including the pilot of the plane Andrew Aycock who was also the Blizzard of Ozz group tour bus driver. All three bodies were burned beyond recognition, and were identified by dental records. It was later revealed in an autopsy that Aycock's system showed traces of cocaine at the time; Rhoads' toxicology test revealed only nicotine.

Tupac Shakur (25)

Age: 25
Cause of death: Murdered by gunshot

Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. In addition to his status as a top-selling recording artist, Shakur was also a promising actor and a social activist. Most of Shakur's songs are about growing up amid violence and hardship in ghettos, racism, problems in society and conflicts with other rappers. On the night of September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas and was admitted to University of Nevada Medical Center. He died six days later of respiratory failure and cardiac arrest at the University Medical Center. 2Pac became the unlikely martyr of gangsta rap, and a tragic symbol of the toll its lifestyle exacted on urban black America.

2Pac died six days later of respiratory failure and cardiac arrest at the University Medical Center and became the unlikely martyr of gangsta rap, and a tragic symbol of the toll its lifestyle exacted on urban black America.

Source: 1, 2
Images sources: 1, 2

Cliff Burton (24)

Age: 24
Cause of death: Bus accident

Clifford Lee Burton (February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986) was a bassist best known for his work with the American heavy metal band Metallica from 1982 until his death in 1986. As a bassist he made heavy use of distortion and effects (several of which are usually associated with non-bass guitars), best exemplified on his signature piece, "(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth".

On the evening of September 26, 1986, Burton was asleep when at several minutes before 7 am (on the 27th), according to the driver, the band's tour bus ran over a patch of black ice, skidded off of the road and flipped onto the grass in Ljungby Municipality, near Dörarp in rural southern Sweden. Burton was thrown through the window of the bus, which fell on top of him causing his death. James Hetfield later stated that he first believed the bus flipped because the driverwasdrunk,claiming he had smelled alcohol on the driver's breath after the accident. Above: Metallica. Left to right - Cliff Burton, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett

Source
Image sources: 1, 2

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (23)

Age: 23
Cause of death: Murdered by gunshot

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995), best known as Selena, was an American singer who has been called "The Queen of Tejano music". The youngest child of a Mexican couple, Selena released her first album at the age of 12(!). She won Female Vocalist of the Year at the 1987 Tejano Music Awards and landed a recording contract with EMI a few years later. Her fame grew throughout the early 1990s, especially in Spanish-speaking countries.

On the morning of March 31, 1995 at a hotel room, Selena and Yolanda Saldívar - the president of Selena's fan club and the manager of her boutiques - had a fight over some missing financial papers. At 11:48 am, Saldívar drew a gun from her purse, pointing at Selena. As the singer turned and left the room, Saldívar shot her once in the back. Critically wounded, Selena ran towards the lobby to get help. She collapsed on the floor as the clerk called 911, with Saldívar chasing her, calling her a bitch. Before collapsing to the floor, Selena named Saldívar as her assailant and gave the room number where she had been shot. After an ambulance and the police arrived on the scene, Selena was transported to a local hospital and died there from loss of blood at 1:05 p.m. She was 23.

Aaliyah Dana Haughton (22)

Age: 22
Cause of death: Plane crash

Aaliyah Dana Haughton (January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001), who performed under the mononym Aaliyah, was an American recording artist and actress. Introduced to audiences by R&B singer R. Kelly, Aaliyah became famous during the mid-1990s with several hit records from the songwriting-production team of Missy Elliott and Timbaland. She found success with her debut album Age Ain't Nothing But a Number, while introducing a "street but sweet" style which would become her trademark throughout her career followed by two more albums, One In a Million and the eponymous Aaliyah.

In addition to Aaliyah's commercial success, collaborations with Timbaland helped shape the sound of R&B in the later half of the 1990s. She also modeled for Tommy Hilfiger, appeared in a Victoria Secret ad and starred in two motion pictures, Romeo Must Die and Queen of the Damned, before she and 8 other people died in a small plane crash in the Bahamas on August 25, 2001 after filming the music video for the single "Rock the Boat".

Darby Crash (22)

Age: 22
Cause of death: Heroin overdose

Darby Crash (September 26, 1958 – December 7, 1980) was an American punk musician who, along with long time friend Pat Smear, co-founded the music band The Germs. Crash committed suicide on December 7, 1980, at age 22. Unreported at the time, Crash had overdosed on heroin in a suicide pact with close friend Casey Cola, who ended up surviving. She insists that he did not intend for her to live, nor did he change his mind at the last minute and intend for himself to live. As he lay dying, he attempted to write "Here lies Darby Crash" on the wall, but did not finish.

Source
Image sources: 1, 2, 3

Rebecca Schaeffer (21)

Age: 22
Cause of death: Murdered by gunshot

Rebecca Lucile Schaeffer (November 6, 1967 – July 18, 1989) was an American actress who was best known for her role in the sitcom My Sister Sam. Schaeffer was stalked and then murdered by an obsessed fan, prompting the passage of anti-stalking laws in California. On July 18, 1989, Schaeffer was murdered by Robert John Bardo, an obsessed fan who had been stalking her for three years. Bardo pulled out a gun from a brown paper bag and shot her once at point-blank range in the chest in the doorway of her apartment building in Los Angeles, California. Schaeffer screamed and collapsed in her doorway as Bardo fled. The following day, Bardo was arrested in Tucson, after motorists reported a man darting through traffic on Interstate 10. He immediately confessed to the murder.

Above: Rebecca Shaeffer and Pam Dawber in My Sister Sam

Raymond Radiguet (20)

Age: 20
Cause of death: Typhoid fever

Raymond Radiguet (June 18, 1903 – December 12, 1923) was a French author. He associated himself with the Modernist set, befriending Picasso, Max Jacob, Juan Gris and especially Jean Cocteau, who became his mentor. Radiguet also had several well-documented relationships with women. An anecdote told by Ernest Hemingway has an enraged Cocteau charging Radiguet with decadence for his tryst with a model: "Bébé est vicieuse. Il aime les femmes." ("Baby is depraved. He likes women.") Radiguet, Hemingway implies, employed his sexuality to advance his career, being a writer "who knew how to make his career not only with his pen but with his pencil." Above: left - Raymond Radiguet. Right: Jean Cocteau, Georges Auric, Raymond Radiguet at John Russell Bibliothèque Jacques Doucet, Paris.

Radiguet had died December 12, 1923 aged 20, of typhoid fever, which he contracted after a trip he took with Cocteau. In reaction to this death Francis Poulenc wrote, "For two days I was unable to do anything, I was so stunned". Alongside these two novels, Radiguet's works include a few poetry volumes and a play. Above: Portrait de Raymond Radiguet by Jacques-Emile Blanche.

Source
Image sources: 1, 2, 3

Ritchie Valens (17)

Age: 17
Cause of death: Plane crash

Ritchie Valens (Richard Steven Valenzuela; May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. A rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens' recording career lasted only eight months. During this time, however, he scored several hits, most notably "La Bamba", which was originally a Mexican folk song that Valens transformed with a rock rhythm and beat that became a hit in 1958, making Valens a pioneer of the Spanish-speaking rock and roll movement.

On February 3, 1959, on what has become known as The Day the Music Died, Valens was killed in a small-plane crash in Iowa, an event that also claimed the lives of fellow musicians Buddy Holly and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. Above: Valens with Bob Keane.

Heather O'Rourke (12)

Age: 12
Cause of death: Cardiac arrest caused by septic shock due / medical misdiagnosis

Heather O'Rourke (December 27, 1975 – February 1, 1988) was an American child actress who played Carol Anne Freeling in the Poltergeist film trilogy and made several television guest appearances. O'Rourke became ill in early 1987, and was misdiagnosed by Kaiser Permanente Hospital as having Crohn's disease. She was prescribed medicine to treat the Crohn's, which allegedly "puffed up her cheeks".

On January 31, 1988 O'Rourke was ill again, vomiting and unable to keep anything down. The next morning she collapsed while trying to leave for the hospital and her step-father called paramedics. She suffered a cardiac arrest en route to the hospital, and after resuscitation was airlifted by helicopter to Children's Hospital and Health Center in San Diego, where she died.

Source
Image sources: 1, 2

Enjoyed this article? See also: Live Fast, Die Young: 20 Great Artists that Never Reached 30

OneShot Stencils: Urban Street Riddles by klone

2009-05-03T19:03:00.005+03:00

OneShot stencils by klone is a series of uniquely designed free-style cut graffiti templates combining conventional graffiti techniques with a surprising twist. The stencils are mounted up on street walls using sticky tapes or nails and spray-painted. Yet, as opposed to ordinary graffiti templates, klone's OneShot stencils are left hanging in their position, covering their positive copy like whimsical urban riddles until some random passer-by takes them off to discover the hidden graffiti underneath. For more visit klone yourself! on flickr or see International Street Artists Add (More) Multicultural Sauce to Israeli Society.

An uncovered OneShot stencil example (Source)

Meal for two (uncovered): collaborated project with $0.00 , Kloz and Know Hope in Florentine neighborhood, Tell Aviv. (Source)

Uncovered OneShot stencil collection. (Source)

Feeding the new generation of gods (Source)

More at:
klone yourself!

Crescent Moon with Earthshine over Israel

2009-04-27T11:26:00.012+03:00

World's greatest spectacle yesterday (April 26, 2009) was taking place at dusk, high above all of us in the western sky. At that time, the crescent Moon, Mercury and the Pleiades star cluster had gathered for a three-way conjunction, potentially visible to the naked eye even from light-polluted cities. This was not an everyday event, as described by Dr. Tony Phillips from Science @ NASA:

The show begins before the sky fades to black. The Moon pops out of the twilight first, an exquisitely slender 5% crescent surrounded by cobalt blue. The horns of the crescent cradle a softly-glowing image of the full Moon. That is Earthshine- dark lunar terrain illuminated by sunlight reflected from Earth [...] Shortly after the Moon appears, Mercury materializes just below it [...] To the naked eye, Mercury looks like a pink 1st-magnitude star. The planet itself is not pink; it only looks that way because it has to shine through dusty lower layers of Earth’s atmosphere.

But wait, according to Dr. Phillips, there was even more:

Next, do nothing. Spend some quiet moments absorbing the view. As the twilight deepens, your eyes will dark-adapt and - voilà! There are the Pleiades [...] The brightest stars of the cluster are only 2nd magnitude, not terrifically bright. Nevertheless, the Pleiades are compelling in disproportion to their luminosity. Every ancient culture -- Greek, Maya, Aztec, Aborigine, Māori and others - put the cluster in its myths and legends. On April 26th you may discover why, even if you cannot articulate your findings.

So, we are no astronomy photo experts but below are a few photographs we managed to take yesterday night, in spite of some pretty bad air pollution over the nearby western city of Netanya. Just as Dr. Phillips said, it's very hard to articulate our findings... We think we did capture our own Crescent Moon plus, we suspect we got a view of the so called Earthshine. Yet, what a bummer - we could not have identify any materializing Mercury below the moon... Can you see any?

8:05 PM + detail. No materializing Mercury...

A wide angle shot including some of the area, 8:15 PM

8:30 PM + detail

OK, we also see there is something else there, we are not that blind. The problem is that, according to Phillips, the Pleiades are "a cluster of young stars about a hundred light years from Earth" forming "a miniature Little Dipper located, on this particular evening, halfway between Mercury and the Moon." (See infographic). Therefore we don't believe the small cluster of lights shown in the below detail is actually the Pleiades, but we thought it might worth adding nevertheless. Just in case anyone of you kind readers can help us find out what it was.

Another 8:30 PM detail (cropped from left side) showing a bright cluster of lights. Probably not The Pleiades...

Article by Dr. Tony Phillips via RedOrbit
Photos by CultCase, April 26, 2009
Taken with Nikon CoolPix 8800
Kfar Netter, Israel

The Sexiest Pair of Lemons You've Ever Seen

2009-04-26T03:18:00.010+03:00

A pair of sexy lemons in afternoon magic-hour light. Photo by CultCase.
High-res version here

7 English Words and their Biblical Hebrew Origin

2009-04-23T14:38:00.020+03:00

English is the world's unofficial "lingua franca" - a language used to communicate between people not sharing a mother tongue. Some English words are used in almost every country and by every nationality. We say OK and Cowboy knowing these words will be understood just as if they were in the listener's native language. The English language originated from several dialects which were brought to the British Isles by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the beginning of the 5th century. It was heavily influenced by the Old Norse language of Viking invaders. However, there are also English words originating in other languages, sometimes very ancient ones. The following are 7 interesting English words and examples from their Biblical Hebrew origin.

Armageddon

The English word Armageddon derives from the Hebrew word combination of Har Megido (הר מגידו) meaning Megido Mountain, the biblical location of an apocalyptic battle.

Biblical example (Hebrew)

The End is Near (but looks cool) if you Ask Aleix Gordo Hostau.

2009-04-15T19:10:00.002+03:00

With no formal art education but with strong background in urban street art and graffiti, Aleix Gordo Hostau began holding a pencil before he "was able to speak" and managed to evolve from drawing for publishing companies to advertising and fashion illustration, comic books and painting. Today, amongst the clients of this talented illustrator and painter based in Barcelona, Spain, are leading firms such as Vans, Pepe Jeans London, Montana Colors and Panini Comics. "My iconography is based in Nordic mythology, masonry and some other personal developed stuff about the Apocalypse" says Hostau when asked about inspiration. The following samples of Hostau's work are published with permission of the artist.

The above fashion Illustration is made by colour pencils and watercolour. Theme is based in the Funk of the 70's, Hip-Hop and urban culture in general. Below: Detail.

The End is Near

The End is Near (above) is part of an in-process series of paintings Hostau has been working on. Same as other items in the series the above piece is made of spray paint and paint marker on canvas. Size: 100x100 cm.

Don't Panic

The Spanish version of the famous Don't Panic magazine will publish a 42x59.5 cm poster designed by Hostau this year. Themed after The End of The World, 25,000 copies of this poster are due to be distributed with the magazine in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia before the end of 2009. Below: Detail.

Mural Mariachi

This mural was done in collaboration with several other artists including Inocuo, TvBoy, Juan Carlos Noria and Sonos for the 24x24 Graphic Design Marathon - a happening organized by IDEP in Barcelona where - how cool - 24 designers create 24 illustrations during 24 hours. Hostau's part included the Mariachi element. Technique included paint, paint markers, and spray paint on wall. Below a detail of Hostau's Mariachi.

La Troupe #2

The first graffiti comics in Spain and a unique of its kind in the world, La Troupe is published by Montana Colors and British Panini Comics, hosting the works of 52 of the most well known graffiti artists and writers in Spain.

Art takes time so Hostau has been working on his La Troupe #2 project since 2004. If all goes well, we can all get our La Troupe #2 copy later on this year, after it will be published in France. For more about La Troupe check on their Facebook group.

For more art by Aleix Gordo Hostau:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aleixgordohostau
http://aleixgoho.blogspot.com
http://www.aleixgoho.com

Polar Bears Prefer (Unstable) Chubbiness

2009-04-13T00:34:00.015+03:00

We already know Lions Prefer Blondes and make great Photojournalism dramas but other than the Grizzly Man we had very little explicit visual information about the human oriented culinary preferences of bears in general and polar bears in particular. Thanks to CNN News, we can now report that polar bears prefer unstable chubby young women. This preference is clearly demonstrated here with a German 32-year-old lady during a casual visit to the Berlin zoo and, well... after climbing into the moat surrounding the bear pen during feeding time.

Swimming. watching (via cri.cn)

According to local police the woman jumped into the water-filled ditch that separates visitors from the enclosure that houses the bears. Not surprisingly we should say, one of the bears dived into the water and "mauled the woman" a little bit causing "serious injuries". Above: bear is eating (via nydailynews)

Luckily for our young friend a few brave Zoo workers came to the rescue and tossed their always waiting rescue rings to hoist her out.

The polar bears swam nearby and the whole scene was captured on cameras, video included.

Official police spokesman said that "The woman has proved herself to be careless by jumping into the enclosure." adding that "Logic tells us that polar bears will do this type of thing in this situation." We tend to agree with the German police in this case only we are not sure if that's a matter of logic or a simple appetite for a chubby meal. Rescue video below.

Enjoy Subprime Lending

2009-04-11T09:28:00.018+03:00

If you live in New York City you may have noticed a new street-art campaign in the last couple of months, commenting the current state of economy via stickers and posters. Thanks to Patrik from The Big Apple for sharing Enjoy Subprime Lending with CultCase.

Just in case you are not a great fan of Subprime lending, perhaps you'd enjoy a small Stimulus Package.

More at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/enjoybanking/

Parking policy in Portugal

2009-04-08T12:26:00.015+03:00

In most cases, transportation and parking issues included, having no policy is better than not being sure about it. Take this street corner in Portugal for example. Details below.

Above: Detail, left side. Below: Detail, right side.

By António Flórido, via Opalhetas

Contend Fear

2009-04-02T15:00:00.014+03:00

She was born, raised and received her BFA in photography from Parsons School of Design and Technology in New York but six months ago Mollie Delaria moved to Israel for her Masters degree. She began working on Contend Fear, a self-portrait project exploring different scenarios of people’s mental attitudes, in 2005 and completed it in 2008.

By utilizing herself as the main subject of the composition, Delaria invites the viewer into the image, to connect with her, to confront their own personal hidden fears, suppressed memories and perspectives.

Her compositions are used to create a surrealist scene which is then being enhanced with a narrative using props and gestures, and using facial expressions to establish a feeling.

We think she got the hang of living in Israel four years ago already, when she was in New York.

More here:
http://www.molliedelaria.com

Heart of Darkness

2009-03-28T13:25:00.019+03:00

Lev Hamafeliya (לב המאפליה), Hebrew for "Heart of Darkness".
Photo by CultCase

7 Non-Egyptian Mummies and Mummy Cemeteries You Must See Before You Die

2009-03-20T11:44:00.034+02:00

For most of us thinking of mummification means thinking of mysterious ancient Egypt and the pharaohs. Indeed, eternal life was the main focus of all ancient Egyptians who believed the body was home in the afterlife to a person's Ka and Ba, without which it would be condemned to eternal wandering. Famous movies such as The Mummy, a British horror film from 1959 to name one, have also contributed their part to our somewhat "Egyptian-biased" perception of mummification. Here is a (2:17 min) reminder:

Nonetheless, mummification existed in many non-Egyptian cultures just as well, as exemplified in the largest and most ambitious mummy exhibitions ever staged, recently opened in the northern Italian town of Bolzano. With more than 60 mummies from Asia, Europe, South America as well as Egypt, Mummies of the World: The Dream of Eternal Life will tour science centers and museums in the United States for a three year tour commencing July 2010. So, to celebrate this spectacular must see exhibition and since we know many of you want to but will not be able to attend, here are 7 famous mummies and mummy cemeteries we think you should see before singing off for your eternal wandering.

Oetzi the Iceman

Among the mummies that will be exhibited on the Dream of Eternal Life show will be the world-famous 5,300-year-old Oetzi. Natural Mummies - mummies that are formed as a result of naturally-occurring environmental conditions - have been found all over the world. Yet, none of them is even remotely amazing as this mummified Neolithic hunter also spelled Oetzi and known as Frozen Fritz or "The Iceman".

via crystalinks.com

Otzi the Iceman is a well-preserved natural mummy of a man from about 3300 BC, found as shown in the above astonishing photographs by two German tourists, Helmut and Erika Simonby in 1991 in a glacier of the Otztal Alps in Italy, near its border with Austria. Otzi rivals the Egyptian "Ginger" as the oldest known human mummy, and has offered an unprecedented view on the habits of Chalcolithic (Copper Age) Europeans.

Via National Geographic

Thanks to modern x-ray technology recently published studies tell a lot of new facts about how Otzi lived. And died. For example, we know he was a member of a relatively advanced farming society and may even have been an Alpine herdsman. His moccasins were not made of bearskin, as previously believed, but from the skin of ancient seasonally migrating cattle made by herdsmen in the region of the Alps. We also know he died from an arrow-inflicted lesion to an artery near his left shoulder.

Via National Geographic

Grauballemanden the Tollund Man

The Tollund man, shown above, is another fantastic example of what ancient Europeans may have looked like. This naturally mummified corpse was dressed only in a pointed cap and belt when discovered in a peat bog in Denmark in 1952. The Tollund Man is believed to be over 2000 year old from the Pre-Roman Iron Age in Scandinavia.

By Malene Thyssen via Wikimedia

Tollund Man was found buried in a peat bog on the Jutland Peninsula in Denmark, which preserved his body. Amazingly, the head and face were so well-preserved that at the time of discovery he was mistaken for a recently deceased murder victim. Below are a few more interesting snapshots of the Tollund Man mummy.

Via tollundmanden.dk

Mummy Juanita the Ice Maiden

Via USAToday

Mummy Juanita is a frozen Inca mummy of a teenage girl who died more than 500 years ago and was discovered in Peru in 1995 by anthropologist Johan Reinhard and his Peruvian climbing partner Miguel Zarate. Also known as Momia Juanita (original Spanish), the Ice Maiden, the Lady of Ampato and the Frozen Lady, this mummy is unfortunately going through quite a difficult modern life and not doing so well. In 2006 daily newspaper El Comercio published that an expert from the U.S. Smithsonian Institution who was vacationing in the southern Andean city of Arequipa detected dampness inside the mummy's glass-enclosed refrigeration compartment. Shown above: Mummy Juanita when found on Mount Ampato in Peru in 1995.

The above photograph was released by Peruvian press agency ANDINA on 18 May 2007. Authorities of the National Culture Institute said that the mummy is currently suffering from a slight deterioration that could eventually end in a complete decomposition if not saved by new technology.

Chinchorro Mummies

by Iain McDonald

Chinchorro mummies go back to 7000 years, practically thousands of years before the Egyptian mummies mummified, thus representing the world earliest attempt known to date to intentionally preserve the dead. They are believed to be the remains of individuals from the South American Chinchorro culture found in what is now northern Chile and southern Peru around 5000 B.C. and reaching a peak around 3000 B.C. Their old age is clearly shown in the above photo by Iain McDonald and the one below by Paul but they can still provide a general idea of what you can expect if you happen to pay them a visit.

by Paul

Via artslivres

Chauchilla Mummies

By Colegota via Wikimedia

The cemetery of Chauchilla, located 30 Km away from Nazca, southern Peru, offers a particularly interesting set of pre-columbian mummies, human bones and skulls as well as some very interesting pottery work. We say "particularly interesting" because… well, they are just there, awaiting their visitors at open air. Above: A resting mummy in the Cemetery of Chauchilla.

By Ryan Kelly

By Nicola e Pina in Per…

By Lucas Steiner

By snoww

Guanajuato Mummies

Via LATimes

Perhaps the most terrifying mummy set ever discovered has certainly nothing to do with ancient Egypt but with the horrible cholera epidemic outbreak in Guanajuato, Mexico in 1833. The Mummies of Guanajuato are naturally mummified and - believe it or not - some of them were actuality buried alive:

"Due to the ferocity of the epidemic, more cemeteries had to be opened in San Cayetano as well as Cañada de Marfil. Many of the bodies were buried immediately to control the spread of the disease; in some cases, the dying were buried alive by accident. As a result, some of the mummies have horrific expressions attesting to their death in the tombs, though most expressions became fixed postmortem." (Wikipedia)

No one knows exactly how many bodies were extracted but unclaimed ones are from time to time extracted and put on display for your enjoyment in the Museo de las Momias in the city of Guanajuato near Mexico City. At the moment, according to L.A. Times, there are 56. Below photos from Guanajuato's Museum of Mummies via studenttravel.about.com.

Above: Ignacia Aguilar's Mummy, buried alive?

Via studenttravel.about.com

by Tomascastelazo via Wikimedia

Above: Hand of Guanajuato mummy in the Museo de las Momias where unclaimed bodies often end up for public exhibition. Below are some more photos taken by visitors in the museum.

By Jeffrey

By David Sgeary

By Jeanne & Ray Burnham

By Phyllis k. Johnson

Takla Makan Mummies

In the late 1980's, perfectly preserved 3000-year-old mummies such as the amazing Marquis of Dai Mummy (via chinatravel.net) shown above began appearing in a remote Taklamakan desert.

"They had long reddish-blond hair, European features and didn't appear to be the ancestors of modern-day Chinese people. Archaeologists now think they may have been the citizens of an ancient civilization that existed at the crossroads between China and Europe. The discoveries in the 1980s of the undisturbed 4,000-year-old ”Beauty of Loulan” and the younger 3,000-year-old body of the ”Charchan Man” are legendary in world archaeological circles for the fine state of their preservation and for the wealth of knowledge they bring to modern research." (meshrep.com)

Taklimakan Baby, Man and Woman Mummies, via ancestry.com

Enjoyed our 7 mummies and mummy cemeteries review? Don't forget to subscribe!

Inspiration 3! An Open Call for Art from the Streets of Tel Aviv

2009-03-06T09:55:00.017+02:00

if you are a regular reader on CultCase you may already know that Israeli street-art and graffiti scenes have been gaining strong International momentum recently. Much of this trend is attributed to talented immigrants from former U.S.S.R. countries, Europe and North America. INSPIRATION 3! - the third art exhibition produced by INSPIRE COLLECTIVE and Israeli street-artist and media activist idiotthewise – is one more example to how alive Israeli street-art scene really is. Focusing in posters, print works and clothing, this year's show is already in production and a "call for action" has been published:

"There is such a feeling of impending seasonal change here in Tel Aviv. Inspiration comes in with the spring & for the third year, the INSPIRE Collective asks you to show off some inspiration! It’s during these pre-spring months, for the last few years, that we really get working and organized in order to time the show with these weather and seasonal changes as a type of metaphor for inspiration..."

As the two previous Inspiration exhibitions the show is open to artists from all over the world, not just Israel so verity is accordingly. For pictures of the first Inspiration Art Exhibition at the Barbur Gallery in Jerusalem see here. For pictures of the second show at the Legal Action Gallery / Casco Urban Lab in Tel Aviv see here. The following are a few selected works already submitted to the INSPIRATION 3! project.

Beer

Stencils on water cylinders in the City Bowl. Cheers to Warren Lewis, also known as worldwarwon, a visual artist working from Cape Town, South Africa who will be exhibiting this enlightening work simply-titled Beer. More works from worldwarwon here.

Israeli match 1 and 2

Israeli match 1 and Israeli match 2 are two powerful art pieces by another interesting artist from Cape Town, South Africa named senyol. It's hard to think of a more appropriate image to express the reality in Israel at the moment. Other than being a sharped-eye artist and running an active Flickr account, senyol also run his own blog. For more mathcstick art by senyol see here.

The Kotel

We are usually not very big fans of holy places here at CultCase yet this fabulous piece by Jehan King is just too interesting to ignore. Kotel fits just well with how King describes her own work – energized, vibrant, colorful, raw and bold. King is a self taught abstract contemporary artist from USA. Check on her Etsy store here.

The Beach

The Beach is a vector-graphics styled painting by Yael Reshef from Tel-Aviv, Israel. As opposed to senyol's Reshef's images somewhat focus on images of how Israel could have looked like.

State is A Fear of Mind

We love simply implemented statementual conceptual creations such as this stencil work from Melvin Design also known as melvind from Birmingham, UK. Made with reused materials.

For more information about Inspiration 3! or to submit your own works go to http://www.flickr.com/groups/inspiration3

The Cameratruck: Shaun Irving and The World's Largest Traveling Camera

2009-02-28T18:05:00.001+02:00

With an old mail truck purchased via eBay and lenses from old military surplus and a submarine periscope Shaun Irving travels around taking large-format photos that are not just stylish and intriguing but also 3,000(!) times bigger than the typical 35mm negative. As a matter of fact, The Cameratruck is not just a fascinating art and reuse project but also the world’s largest traveling camera.

Here are a few additional facts about The Cameratruck and its operator:

Aperture is set with a piece of scrap paper
Shutter is made of a cardboard box (!)
Developing rig consists of two buckets, a sponge and a garden hose (and developer, of course).
Other than the basic setup the process of an average Cameratruck shot also includes test prints before final exposure and takes about half an hour.
To take a photo, Irving stands inside the truck "fumbling around in the dark."

A series of 75 mega-photographs was taken from the Cameratruck in 2007 when Irving spent 5 weeks touring about 5,000 miles across Spain, visiting "every province" and taking photos of "presidential palaces and the most abandoned of villages."

"My work is primitive, through my choice and because of the limits of the camera. I've been shooting this way for many years, but I still can't even describe it. It's sharply focused... yet blurred beyond comprehension. It's mass-produced... yet hand-crafted and individual. It's cold and stark... yet packs an emotional punch. I wish I could take credit for my work. But the fact is nature, and even the truck itself, play a more important role than I do."

Above: A photo by Irving titled Tagged Bull Santa Pola Valencia, Spain. Below: more samples from the Spanish series.

Skull (Puente Ra) Sierra de Cebollera La Rioja, Spain

Mine at Tharsis Tharsis, Alosno, Spain

Doñana Parque Nacional de Doñana, Huelva y Sevilla, Spain

Full-sized prints of selected works from the Spain tour are available for purchasing as limited-editions: Each edition is limited to five prints, full-sized and hand-developed by Irving on silver gelatin photographic paper. Image sizes averages about 7 feet wide by 3.5 feet tall. Irving also offers the original negatives for sale as one-of-a-kind works of art.

For more about the tour in Spain and further explanations by Irving about the art and science behind Cameratruck watch the above video titled Landscapes in a Truck. For more images of higher resolution and more about Irving and The Cameratruck visit http://www.cameratruck.net

Yoga Class for Babies in The UK

2009-02-07T16:54:00.008+02:00

As you probably know Yoga is a lot about breathing. Actually, one of the five basic principles of Yoga is a special breathing exercise named Pranayama designed to promote proper breathing. Anyways, greetings to the avid CultCase reader who asked to remain anonymous but sent us the intriguing snapshot shown above, taken during her baby's Yoga class in The UK. You must have noticed yourself how the guy on the right has an obviously great future with the art of Pranayama. The best thing about that snapshot, however, is that the seven samurai are lined up according to their birth order, left to right.

7 Strikingly Unconventional and Far-fetched Gifts for Valentine's Day 2009

2009-02-06T13:45:00.003+02:00

Everyone wants to be loved. Perhaps that's one of the reasons why we had to come up with the idea of a special day in which we "show" how much we love someone by giving him or her a present. The need to give and receive Valentine's Day presents - preferably surprisingly original ones - is amazingly strong. Last year, for example, eight million Americans admitted they have sent themselves their own Valentine's Day gifts. So, be it yourself or someone else, here are 7 creative though unconventional Valentine's Day gifts for the one you love: from the most artistic to the sexiest.

Artistic: Light Art Prints

If you are a regular reader on CultCase you may have already met Ryan Warnberg and Michelle McSwain from M::R::I. ("Long exposures. Bright lights."). The regular stuff from the M::R::I couple usually includes fabulous kaleidoscopic slightly sexy portraits but for this year's Valentine's Day they came up with 3 special digital metallic prints. Size: 8x10 Inches.

Get your light art love prints here

Morbid: BitterSweets

If you feel Valentine's Days tends to get your morbid sides loose you may want to place an order with the folks from BitterSweets who have taken the "honest approach" quite far with their view of the holiday:

"For most, there is no crueler day of the calendar year than that of Valentine's Day. While a tiny fraction of the population can look forward to a holiday of wine and roses, poetry and song, the vast majority of us can anticipate a day of nausea and grimacing, trauma and grief. A day in which minutes seem like hours, and hours like days, as we reflect sorrowfully on yesteryear's romantic indignities, today's loneliness, and the unknowable but certain heartbreak that will be visited upon us repeatedly in the years to come."

The sweets you see here are available in three unique collections, namely; "Dejected" with sayings such as I MISS MY EX, PEAKED AT 17 and SETTLE 4LESS; "Dysfunctional" with sayings such as P.S. I LUV ME, I DO MY DISHES and AWFUL INLAWS and; "Dumped" with sayings including HE FIT U FAT, BACK 2 KENNEL and SHE IS 22!. For those of you who tend to over thinking things over, notice that "supplies are limited. But the pain that accompanies them may not be". BTW, the sweets are made in "a facility that processes nuts and peanuts". We we've certainly noticed about the nuts.

Get bitter here

Animalistic: Heart Shaped Box of Chocolates Plush Dog Toy

If showing your dog how much you care sounds like a good idea for this coming Valentine's Day perhaps this 5"x5", polyester and cotton set, promised to "bring the sweet side out of any hound". Heart Shaped Box of Chocolates Plush Dog Toy includes three sumptuous and soft "truffles" nestled on top of the heart-shaped toy.

Bring the sweet side out of any hound here

Limitless: I Love You From Top to Bottom Romantic toilet paper

Well, we can think of a few better expression of our kind of love but guessing for some this can be considered as a way to say I REALLY Love You. $14.95 (per roll) and you are on your way to heaven. Jeff Block of JustPaperRoses.com reports 50 rolls are already sold before the Valentine's Day rush even started and plans to sell 200 to 300 rolls before this Valentine's Day. Good luck Jeff!

Love From Top to Bottom here

Nasty: Voodoo Doll Candle

For those of us with unresolved issues with the ex this Voodoo doll candle may help. Designed to "relish every moment as you light the wicks and wish them the very worst" this perfect Valentine gift for the recently dumped may indeed be a damn good therapy.

Voodoo doll Candle your Ex here

Authoritative: The Control Your Spouse Set

Why waste precious time and energy trying to control the thoughts and actions of your significant other when you can automate the process? Just push a button and let our talking remote controller do it for you. The remotes deliver a riot of verbal one-offs and funny sound effects sure to keep your spouse on the right track. Features 18 saying including (men control) "Time to listen!", "What about my needs?", "What were you thinking?" (Women control) "Zip it!", "Clean up on aisle four!" and "All right, hand over the credit cards!". Get both for only $34.95.

Start controlling your spouse from here

Sexy: Edible Candy G-String

Indeed a true Valentine's night delight, the Candy G String is made of approximately 330 fruit-flavored candy pieces, and has just 60 calories so don't worry about it affecting the diet. We particularly liked the note to the women: "He treats for dinner, you treat for dessert. Show off your body and your equality."

Get you G-String Candy here

For more ideas for Valentine's Day gifts try here

Spectacular Holy Land Rainbow

2009-02-01T19:29:00.005+02:00

Unfortunately, nothing about the upcoming elections in Israel can be looked at as a light of hope, that is if peace is what you are hoping for. Therefore we are guessing the spectacular rainbow that showed up outside the main CultCase headquarters at Kfar Netter about three hours ago must be related to the newly announced president of The United States of America. We just can't see any other reason why we got so lucky to have it.

For those of you who know but would like to refresh their memory according to Wikipedia a rainbow is:

"An optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines onto droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere. They take the form of a multicolored arc, with red on the outer part of the arch and violet on the inner section of the arch."

Technically the colors of the rainbow are absolutely not as distinct as we see them but instead span a continuous spectrum. Traditionally, however, and as is illustrated in the below detail, the sequence can be "quantized" as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Sometimes (not in this case) rainbows are caused by non-rain water such as mist, spray, and dew.

Pictures: CultCase (Nikon CoolPix 8800)
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow

The Carmel Tunnels Project: Israel's Longest Tunnel Dug

2009-01-21T21:11:00.006+02:00

Haifa is about to join larger cities such as Tokyo, Paris and Stockholm where underground tunneling helps to reduce ever-growing urban traffic. Project franchisee, Carmelton, has completed digging the westbound tunnel in the eastern portion of the Carmel Tunnels project - a set of road tunnels currently being constructed inside Mt. Carmel - under and around the city of Haifa, Israel.

Amazingly, the idea for the megalomaniac project was originally conceived over 100 years ago by the Turks during the rule of the Ottoman Empire. Today the Carmel Tunnels project is considered the second largest BOT project ever undertaken in the Middle East. The tunnels will have three portals: one from the west, near the MATAM Advanced Technology business park, one in the center off Rupin Road and from the east leading to the Kerayot interchange also known as the "Checkpost". The project aims to connect Israel's Coastal Highway (Road 2) at the southern entrance of Haifa with the northern entrance, bypassing the city center.

The western portal near the the MATAM Advanced Technology business park

The Rupin Road portal

Bridges enter the eastern portal, leading to the Kerayot interchange.

The completed 1,650-meter long westbound tunnel is the longest tunnel ever built in Israel and the most ambitious construction project of its kind ever preformed in Israel. According to Israel's leading financial newspaper "Globes" this is "a historic date" as the link of the first tunnel is "an important milestone toward the opening of the tunnels to traffic within two years."

The Carmel tunnels are built as a BOT (Build, operate, transfer) project so driving in the tunnels will require paying a toll. The project has already gone through many difficulties and was almost terminated more than once. Carmelton has already obtained financing for the project in 1999 but construction was delayed until 2002 due to objections and other legal matters. The project was once again delayed in September 2008 due to the International climbing constructions costs. Eventually, the cost is estimated with 1.25 Billion NIS (approximately $300 million) including 4.7 kilometers of tunnels and 6.5 kilometers of routs altogether.

The Construction of the tunnels began in early 2006 and they are due to be open to traffic by the end of 2010. Above: updated view into the tunnel near the western portal. Here are a few more details from the official Carmelton website:

Tunnel height: 6.5 meters
Tunnel width: 10 meters
The tunnels are dug 100-200 meters under populated areas of Mt. Carmel.
Every day 4 additional meters and 2000 cubic meters are dugg using 100-200 trucks
Planning took 10 years from 1996 to 2006.
Estimated total duration of implementation: 4 years.
Concession period: 35 years
Time required for crossing Mt. Carmel via the tunnels: 6 minutes (driving 60 KPH)

Here is an Interactive map of the Carmel Tunnels where you follow the tunnel path across the mountain. Below a sketched top-view map and side profile showing the tunnel rout through the mountain. The Mediterranean sea is on the left.

For more see http://www.carmelton.co.il

20 Creative Ways to Reuse Egg Cartons (in Pictures)

2009-01-16T19:22:00.008+02:00

Did you know the egg carton was invented in 1911 in British Columbia in an attempt to solve a dispute between a farmer and a hotel owner who kept on blaming one another when the farmer's eggs often arrived broken? Probably not. But approximately 100 years later, egg cartons are obvious items in almost every modern house and a significant portion of the trash we generate. Yet, from modern art and high-class lighting sets to beds for cats, seed starters and toys - there are countless of ways egg cartons can be reused and otherwise useful. CultCase has photo-listed 20 of them here, but we know there are more. If you know of any others and have some photographs please do feel free to drop us a line anytime and we may publish them here.

1. Eggcubism Village Party

Completed in December 2008 and titled Village Party this new monumental masterpiece by Dutch artist Enno de Kroon is sized 154 x 209 x 24 cm and made of acrylic and egg cartons. If you are a regular reader at CultCase you may have already stumbled The Art of Junk: 7 Creative Approaches to Trash Reuse and met De Kroon. From his studio at Rotterdam, The Netherlands, De Kroon leads a new wave in reuse art and helps taking cubism into the 21st century. (Re)using ordinary egg crates for canvas De Kroon makes spectacular "two-and-a-half" dimensional paintings in a style he defines as Eggcubism. Above: A frontal view studio shot of Village Party. Below: details (cut by the artist).

According to De Kroon:

"The egg carton works came about out of my previous work where I find the relationship between the viewer and the piece as an object to be of great importance. I've always played with distortions of perspective, which puts the viewer on the wrong foot and makes them conscious of their manner of observing. The way we see things is so conditioned and decides what our minds eventually see in something. The egg cartons had been lying around my studio for some time ready for me to be painted upon, but it took some courage before I could take the plunge. It also took a while to come up with a product I was satisfied with."

No textual explanations had been made available about Village Party so far but, since we asked, De Kroon did provide us with a few words of clarifications about the inspirational roots of it. "Village Party was inspired by open air dinner parties that take place in the village streets of Provence in the south of France." Says De Kroon "it is a mixture of different perspectives one can have of such parties and the special social relations they involve. Someone has described my technique as "exploding" perspective. I don't know about that but they are related to Pieter Breugel works."

According to De Kroon he did not use any real photos of the described village party dinners but he did send us a snapshot of the painting 'Peasants Wedding' by Pieter Brueghel the Elder.

http://www.ennodekroon.nl
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ennodekroon

2. Heart

Patricia Zapata is a mom, wife, graphic designer, author and an avid blogger at alittlehut.blogspot.com where she shares and explores new ideas and projects. Zapata's paper craft book "Home, Paper, Scissors" will be published in August in 2009. Above: Recycle project no. 11 - egg carton turned into a heart.

3. Mona Lisa

This interesting pixel-like piece is made of cut-out egg cartons and paint. It was first sketched with a pencil and then ("slowly"…) painted. "Took a long time to fully visualize the look of it". We love it! Via niveakpl

4. Dubrovnik

This sculpture is named "Not Montenegro, but Dubrovnik in Croatia" and made from egg cartons. via Greenwich Photography

5. Volkswagen Trucks Ad

"Volkswagen Trucks. For every kind of load" is a print advertising campaign by advertising agency from Sao Paulo, Brazil named ALMAPBBDO. Copywriter: Eduardo Andrietta. Art Directors: Marcus Kawamura, Ary Nogueira. Photographer: Hugo Treu. Via publicidad21

6. Lighting sets

This fellow was feeling guilty for buying the blue egg carton "because it contained eggs from caged hens" which he usually does not buy.

Handsome guilt!

And here you can learn how to make your own egg-carton flower fairy lights.

The original intention here was to show local artisans how reusing materials could become a source of income. Yet, this quickly turned into a passion for Salvadorean designer Eugenio Menjivar. Dancer includes three shades made from egg cartons. The shades sit slightly askew, dancing, on a recycled iron base and held in place with recycled iron rods. You can get your own Dancer in three different colors including violet, lime and black. Via apartmenttherapy.com

Egg Carton Flower Pendant Light is a DIY Lighting project. Made from paper pulp egg cartons, this pendant light is promised to give off a soft, beautiful ambient light. Via addicted2decorating.com

7. Cat beds

Flickred by cieraphotography this wild animal looks very much and comfortably asleep where 12 chicken eggs used to reside. We are guessing he is dreaming about the chickens.

After a few days out of the box, Flickr user Kimberly Jennery was already used to finding those three clumped together in the "human bed". The other day she came home and found them all clumped in an egg carton. Goofies indeed.

Please meet Toby, (staring) on his very own egg carton.

And this is Alice who think egg cartons are "irresistible, especially when they're precariously balanced atop the recycle bin".

And this one is another, slightly smaller, wild cat in the same carton. "I assure you that no human intervention was involved in these poses. Last 2 by jiffy from Tomecat.com

8. Footstools

This versatile Good Egg footstool by award-winning industrial designer Inna Alesina is handmade from recycled paper pulp egg cartons and colored with water-based fabric dye ("no varnish or lacquer is used"). It can be used upright or on its side for a relaxing rocking motion and is also designed to make a sturdy base for a coffee table. Alesina is an award-winning industrial designer who looks to "keep the spark of invention alive in each of us." Via eco-artware.com

9. Seats

A cool seat made mainly of egg cartons. Not for heavy folks. Via Grynster

10. Seed starters

Egg cartons are perfect as seed starters. Just fill each cup with potting soil and plant some seeds. Cut each cup from the tray and plant it after seedlings sprout. Above: Tomato sprouts

Sowing Coriander and Chives

This one also has a sense for shapes.

11. Flowers

Colored egg carton flowers. Via munchkinmay

12. Dozen figs containers

Someone gave Marilyn Blanche's mom - a genius mom - a dozen figs. We digg you Miss Blanche!

13. Concrete slabs

The above shanty shack concrete slabs are made with egg cartons.

An egg carton "detail" poured into a porch slab.

14. Bulletin Boards for office

This may actually work.

15. Toy Cameras

Daniel takes a picture with his creatively reused egg-carton-and-water-bottle camera.

16. Toy Potties and Toilets

Via deanj

17. Costumes

T-rex Costume

Frog eyes egg carton mask

18. Proofing sound

Experts say Egg cartons are not very good as sound proofing devices but this is still one of the most common ways to reuse them. Shown above is journalist Abdourahmane Toure in a studio lined with egg cartons to improve sound quality at Radio Pindjiguiti in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau. It might not work so well but admit it looks pretty cool.

Sources: dontbesostubborn, swimvixen2, poligraf

19. Apparel

Not exactly made from the classic carton type but this nice dress was once containing eggs, that is for sure.

20. Organizers

Flickred by willowpoppy, a "Klutzy, creative, spirited British lass" from California, U.S.A, this is titled "favorite activity".

Have any photos of other cool usages for egg cartons? please let us know.

7 Major Meteor Showers You Can Expect in 2009

2009-01-03T14:16:00.009+02:00

Did you know Meteor Showers recur each year, in some cases for hundreds or even thousands of years? Technically speaking, Meteor Showers are bursts of cosmic debris entering Earth's atmosphere at extremely high speed and thus vaporizing, leaving a streak of light that quickly disappears. Normally named after the constellation from which they originate these bursts are the result of interactions between a planet and a comet in which a number of meteors are observed. As they all travel in parallel paths and at the same velocity, to their viewer Meteor showers appear to radiate away from a single point in the sky. This is called the "radiant" of the shower.

So, as we know you don't like spending your early mornings outside at the desert or up the mountains, but still love fantastic meteor showers, the following are 7 of the most prominent ones you may expect during 2009. We collected the most interesting snapshots for you, demonstrating how these event looked like in previous years. For full lists of Meteor showers expected this year see theskyscrapers.org or this 2009 Meteor Shower Calendar courtesy of the International Meteor Organization. For a full list of all (or most) known Meteor showers see here.

1. Quadrantids

The parent body of the strong January shower of Quadrantids was recently tentatively identified as the minor planet 2003 EH1 and may be the same one which was observed by Chinese, Japanese and Korean astronomers 500 years ago. The best date to view the Quadrantids is January 3, although they can normally be viewed on any day from the 1st to the 5th of the month. The radiant rises after local midnight. Jeremie Vaubaillon of Caltech created the above composite image of the 2008 Quadrantid shower combining short exposures of meteors and aurora seen during the returning leg of the Quadrantid MAC mission.

When: January 3-4
Frequency: 31-45 per hour
Illumination: 56.1%
Parent Comet: 2003 EH1

Some more Quadrantids:

Quadrantid 02:38 UT January 03-04, 2008 by Krzysztof Polakowski (detail)

Quadrantid 04:15 UT January 03-04, 2008 by Radek Grochowski (detail)

Quadrantid 05:13 UT January 03-04, 2008 by Krzysztof Polakowski (detail)

2. Lyrids

The Lyrids are a strong meteor shower lasting from April 16 to April 26 each year and resulting from a periodic Comet named C/1861 G1 Thatcher. The Lyrids showers are well known for the past 2600 years. Titled 4 Meteors in 4 Minutes the above 4 minute exposure image of the northern sky by Wally Pacholka includes two Lyrid meteors in addition to two sporadic ones. The photo was taken during the peak of the Lyrid Meteor Shower on the morning of April 22, 2003. The two Lyrid meteors can be distinguished as the parallel streaks pointing back to the constellation Lyra.

When: April 21-22 and June 14-16
Frequency: 16-30 per hour in April, 0-15 per hour in June
Illumination: 5.4% in April, 48.8% in June
Parent Comet: C/Thatcher

3. Alpha Capricornids

Though you can expect only 15 meteors per hour at best under dark sky conditions, the Capricornids are noted for producing brilliant fireballs. Today astronomers generally seem to agree that two or three distinct maximums occur during the time the Alpha Capricornids are active. The shower is created from the debris in the meteor stream, which becomes visible on the earth when the earth passes through the stream. Astronomers have not identified the object responsible for producing the Alpha Capricornids. Yet, the discovery of this meteor shower is attributed to a very cool Hungarian astronomer named Miklós von Konkoly Thege, who first plotted several meteors emanating from the region of the star Alpha Capricorni on the nights of July 28 and 29, 1871! The above photo was taken by Zhong on the night of July 29, 2008. The meteor on the top of the photo has been processed to make more visible. See a few more from Zhong below.

When: July 29-30
Frequency: 0-15 per hour
Illumination: 58.7%

Alpha Capricornids by Zhong 7/29/2008 (processed)

Alpha Capricornids by Zhong 7/30/2008

4. Perseids

Named after the radiant they appear from - Perseus - the Perseids is a meteor shower associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle. Most of nowadays Perseids dust cloud is estimated to be about a thousand years old but some of it boiled off the comet in 1862. Luckily for us who like meteor showers, the rate of meteors originating from these parts is much higher than for the older part of the stream. Above: the night sky Aurora of Perseids, taken by Enest in Colorado on the night of August 21, 2000.

When: August 12-13
Frequency: 45+ per hour
Illumination: 60%
Parent Comet: 109P/Swift-Tuttle

Raining Perseids by SpaceShuttle

5. Orionids

These annual meteor showers occur at and are named after their radiant which is located between the Orion and Gemini constellations. Orionid meteor showers peak around October 21 and normally include 16-30 meteors per hour. The Orionid meteor showers are caused by one of the most well known comets - Halley. Above: 10 seconds exposure photograph of a meteor streak from the Orionids shower, shot by midendian on October 21, 2006 from Blue Canyon, Highway 108 near Sonora Pass, Sierra Nevada, California.

When: October 21-22
Frequency: 16-30 per hour
Illumination: 7.5%
Parent Comet: 1P/Halley

More Orionids:

The top image in the above combination image was recorded on the 21, 22 and 23 of October 2006 by Steve Quirks of the Frog Rock Observatory cyber-space, a privately owned astronomical observatory located outside of Mudgee, NSW, Australia. It shows about 240 Orionid meteors with the Pleiades ones seen right of the image centre. The meteors are from the debris left in Comet Halley's orbit. The lower combination image above was recorded by Quirks on the 16th to the 23rd of October 2007 and shows 192 Orionid meteors.

The above Orionid set by Marsha Adams was taken from Sedona AZ, looking south-east over the Sedona Airport on the night of Oct. 21, 2008. A time lapse camera was taking pictures at one minute intervals. The bolide explosion evidently left a bubble of glowing debris that expanded for at least 15 minutes. The composite picture has been enhanced to make the glowing clouds more visible. Via spaceweather.com

6. Leonids

Named after the location of their radiant in the constellation Leo, The Leonids occur every year on or about November 18, resulting from the comet Tempel-Tuttle. This shower is widely considered to be among the most spectacular of all meteor showers. A great Leonids storm in 1833 have had a major effect on the development of the scientific meteor study which had previously been mistakenly thought to be an "atmospheric phenomena". Top left: The peak of the 1998 Leonid meteor shower shown in a four-hour time exposure through a fisheye lens as taken by Juraj Toth of Modra Observatory. This photograph demonstrates how the meteors in a particular shower appear to emanate from a certain point in the sky (radiant). The two other images above were taken by Shinsuke Abe and Hajime Yano of ISAS during the 1999 Leonid storm.

When: November 17-18
Frequency: 31-45 per hour
Illumination: 0%
Parent Comet: 55P/Tempel-Tuttle

More Leonids:

Above left: Leo Coppeta of New Haven watches as several meteors stream by in the early morning sky at Hammonasset State Park. Above right: A Leonid fireball blazed across the sky above Wrightwood, Calif., during the meteor storm of 1966. (Via reference.aol.com)

Above: 3 Leonid Meteor Shower shots taken by Lauri A. Kangas on the night of November 18, 2001. Those are 2-5 minute exposures using a Nikon F2, 35mm, 28mm and 50mm lenses, a Fuji Superia X-tra 800 Film and an equatorial mount.

Taken by Jerry Lodriguss also during the great Leonid meteor storm of November 18, 2001, and selected as the Astronomy Picture of the Day (November 22, 2001), the fabulous masterpiece above shows a clear view of three Leonid meteors streaking through the constellation of Orion into Eridanus. According to Lodriguss, the fantastic colors you can see in the meteor's path come from different emissions as the meteor burns up and interacts with molecules in the upper atmosphere. After the meteor disappeared "a persistent train was left behind which appears as a twisting smoke trail to the left of the meteor".

Above: a composite image by Lorenzo Comolli showing 44 Leonid meteors and the planet Jupiter. Shot on November 19, 2001 from a mountain near St Tropez in southern France named Notre Dame des Anges. (Via spaceweather.com)

Above: an amazing 20 seconds exposure shot by Frank S. Andreassen taken in Harstad, Norway on November 19, 2001. Equipment included a Nikon F801s camera and Fuji Provia 400F film. (Via spaceweather.com)

7. Geminids

Unlike Perseids and Leonids mentioned above, the Geminids were observed for the first time only about 150 years ago. Considering the fact they are caused by something that does not even exists any more - an extinct comet named 3200 Phaethon - the Geminids are perhaps the most amazing and spectacular of all Meteor showers and are definitely our favorite one. To get a look at those beauties you'd have to hold your breath until mid-December as they usually peak around 12-14 of the month. The Geminid is the most reliable meteor shower and intensifies every year: recent showers were reported to include 120-160 visible meteors per hour under optimal conditions. The above photograph (detail) was taken from the ancient fire temple of Zorostrian in Niasar, Iran by Babak Tafreshi. It was shot just a few weeks ago on December 14, 2008.

When: December 13-14
Frequency: 45+ per hour
Illumination: 12.6%

More Geminids:

The Geminid meteor shower as seen from frosty Maghera in North Ireland on December 14, 2008 around 00.00-07.00 UT. Photographed by Martin Mc Kenna. (Via spaceweather.com)

Shot by Radek Grochowski, near Swidnica, Poland on December 13, 2008. The nearly-full moon interferes but six Geminid meteors are captured during a 2-hour observing session. (Via spaceweather.com)

Lastly, check on the above shot taken on December 14, 2008 by an amateur radio astronomer named Thomas Ashcraft, who operates a dual radio-optical meteor monitoring system in New Mexico, USA. A special "all-sky" video camera operated by Ashcraft records fireballs as they streak overhead. An antenna array records the reflections of distant radio stations from the meteor's ionized trail.

Want even more meteor showers? Check on our recommended resources:

And also: