Nurikabe Yokai

This is a Yokai from Japanese folklore, the Nurikabe manifests itself as a wall. It tries to impede or misdirect travellers in the night time. This would be completely futile though, as it extends itself forever, but lore has it that knocking on the lower part of the wall will make it go away. The legend is believed to have originated as an explanation for travellers losing their bearings on long journeys

Pop culture Nurikabes in Japan: So wonderful!

Info and Pic from Tumblr

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Astronomy watch/ Midnight planetarium

What a wonderful beautiful watch

However, a 333K price tag is ridiculous and a terrible comment on the kind of people willing to pay this for non-essential items!

Pics from Pinterest

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Alice

Antique Alice in Wonderland stamp case collectable

And this wonderful illustrated edition, Lisbeth Zwerger is such a talented artist and has illustrated some Oscar Wilde stories too, so beautiful!

Pics from Tumblr

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V for Vendetta/ Pink Floyd's The Wall

With both their iconic characters and themes, does anyone else feel a wonderful similarity between the 2 films? Everything borrows from something, but I think its a great thing, your own interpretation thrown in to expand on the idea more!

Both these films challenged the way my young self thought, and I am glad they did

We often hear about how essential it is to critically think, and these films and graphic novels serve as a friendly reminder of a not so friendly possibility/ reality/ future

We must remember and think about our fellow man, and strive our best to help them. To try to leave the world better than we found it seems pointless, and futile, and many people will say this is certainly the case, but I believe our actions, thoughts and how we treat others can have a gigantic impact, for the better

It starts with us all, don't finish watching these films and go back to being a dick, otherwise we've missed the point!!!

(Loved V's house though!)

I saw this picture with the caption "It's almost like we can't win" along with it, so true.

Here are the iconic freedom from repression Guy Fawkes masks being made in a third world factory in Brazil

It makes you think really hard about owning something so iconic

Pics from Tumblr

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Mont St Michel

If ever I return to France, Mont St Michel is at the top of my must see list, apart from Guedelon castle of course!

Just last week this magnificently beautiful flood happened which turned it into a temporary island, what a stunning feature.

I have since found out about an intentional medieval commune near my house, only a short drive away, I shall have to investigate it much further!

All pics from Tumblr, last one from link above

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Guedelon/ Secrets of the Castle with Ruth, Peter and Tom

I freaking LOVE!!!! this documentary series. Ruth Peter and Tom are a historian and archaeologists respectively and they immersed themselves in the Guedelon castle site, which is happening AS WE SPEAK/ type/ read: an experimental archaeological site, building a 13th century era castle with 13th century era technology. Read about Guedelon here, this is so amazing!

If they use a nail, it is made on site by the black smith, all the stones are dug cut and set by masons, the paint is sourced from local ochre, it is just the most amazing series about total immersion in historical methods so they are not forgotten or superceded by modern developments.

Here they are firing tiles they have set themselves in the site kiln:

Ruth, Peter and Tom sleep in a replica medieval hut (probably only while filming, but hey the concept is wicked!) and they also wear the clothes of the time and eat the food of the time (Pottage!)

Here is Guedelon in 2004:

And in 2014:

It is a slow process, but when you think they are making everything and sourcing it themselves, its pretty damn amazing, I am captivated!

They even use a tread wheel crane on site, as depicted above from a 13th century manuscript.

BEST of all, you can watch the whole thing online!

Link to the first episode!

All pics from stills. The BBC have done a marvellous job with this series!

Enjoy!

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Never drink alone again because there's wine for cats

You thought that was a fake headline and caption, well: think again!

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Alternate moon landing speech

That symbol of hope and pride, the space race was a welcome distraction (kinda) from Cold war politics. Even though the competition was fierce, it remained a symbol of hope, pride and modernity.

Here is a copy of the speech Nixon was to deliver if it had gone wrong, strange to think! Maybe Elon Musk and his space mates are writing one currently in the event the Mars trip goes wrong, who knows!

pics from Tumblr

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Nibbled to death by an Okapi

The first time I listened to the entirety of Machine Gun Etiquette by The Damned, the track loop at the end of Smash it up confused the crap out of me, but I knew I'd hear it somewhere before

The above animal is an Okapi, Arthur Dent brother was nibbled to death by one in the Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy!

Well arthur isn't talking about his brother in the GIF below, but who doesn't love the Hitchhickers guide! What a series! (book, radio, tv and movie)

Culturally, I think I should just start identifying as British! 

All pics and gifs from Tumblr

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Listen below!

Best protest sign ever:

Particularly what Australian politicians are trying to do with the ridiculous de-regulation of university fees:

I have faith that it will not pass, and for once am looking to the Australian Senate to keep our series of checks and balances working

We are SO lucky in Australia, and I think we tend to forget that often

Pic from Pinterest

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Edvard Munch

Probably most famous for The Scream, here are some of his other works. 

Above: Kiss by the window

Death at the helm

I love love love his use (perhaps under use) of colour, it adds a dimension of mood to each piece rather than detail, it evokes a mood, a feeling

Death in the sickroom

Madonna

Evening on Karl Johan Street

Woman on the Shore

By the deathbed

Early lithographs, really wonderful use of black and white, simple

All pics in the public domain, via Wiki

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National Geographic photos

Rice fields, China 2015

Pretty sure this guy was a greenfrog ( I know right, Voldemort much)

Amazon dolphins, aren't they amaaaaaazing!!

The above shots with the light and the water= happiness!

Arctic fox, what a beautiful face! Mother Nature is the BEST!

All pics from National Geographic site

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