While in Lyon (France) for the Festival of Lights 2011, we had the chance to admire the Urban Flipper designed by Carol Martin and Thibaut Berbezier who form the collective CT Light. The Urban Flipper is a giant interactive pinball created by 3D projection mapping, projected onto the facade of the Célestins theater in Lyon.

It uses the relief of the facade such as windows, balconies and columns as part of playable pinball, all complemented by the sounds of the pinball! The public has been able to try out the pinball, a very good experience! Congratulations to the creators!

In 2011, one word came up again and again: No. No form-fitting jeans, no baggy jeans, no toys with fast food, no fast food condiments in schools, no homemade lunches either. No cheerleaders in class. No service dogs in class. No dogs on planes. No babies on planes. No babies in restaurants. In fact, no baby photos either.

Here's a look back at everything that's gotten a great big X in the past 12 months.

January
Baby photos: A Maryland hospital banned baby photos in the first five minutes after a child is delivered. The hospital explained that family photographers were causing risky distractions, though those in opposition to the policy believed it was put in place to avoid malpractice lawsuits.


Elton's baby photos: When proud parents Elton John and David Furnish posed with their new baby on cover of Us Magazine, a supermarket in Arkansas deemed the content not safe for shoppers. The totally G-rated magazine was placed behind a "family shield."

Service dogs: A 12-year-old epileptic boy was banned from coming to school with the service dog trained to save his life.

April
Burqas: The controversial ban on women wearing the traditional Muslim head-to-toe covering went into effect in France. Police arrested or fined at least 60 women attempting to preserve their religious freedom by protesting the ban.

Brown-bag lunches: A Chicago public school banned kids from bringing food from home, forcing them to eat the cafeteria lunches or nothing at all. The school says it's healthier for kids but not all parents agree. They're also not in agreement on the price-point, considering home-made leftovers are a lot less money than the daily cafeteria fee.

May
Baggy pants: Schools districts from Florida to Pennsylvania banned students from wearing baggy pants. In Orlando an actual "baggy pants" law suspended students who "exposed underwear or body parts" with a little loose hanging fabric.

June
Babies on planes: When Malaysia Airlines banned babies from some first class flights, the hospitality industry took note.

July
Babies everywhere: Pretty soon babies and young kids were persona non grata at restaurants, hotels, movie theaters and more.

Babies with the name Lucifer: New Zealand courts decided to crack down on parents' rights, banning the name from the baby books because of it's satanic association.

Kids expressing themselves creatively: It really sucked to be a high school student in Florida this year. By the summer, Lake County's school district decided to ban "extreme" "unnatural" hair color and "bold" makeup, citing such mainstays of teen culture as causes of class distraction.



Faces expressing their lines falsely: Another big ban this year? Airbrushing. The British Advertising Standards Authority banned two makeup ads because they were overly airbrushed.

August
Teachers-student Facebook friends: Social networking has been a minefield for teachers. In Missouri, state senators came up with a band-aid solution. Fire any teacher who accepts a student's friend request on Facebook. They probably shouldn't retweet anything from a student either, just to be safe.

September
Fur: Don't hunt for your fox vests or mink coats in Los Angeles. Purchasing fur apparel is now illegal in the City of Angels.

Cheerleader uniforms: At a San Jose high school, cheerleaders are required to buy a micro-mini uniform if they make the squad. But they're also required to take it off when they go to class, because it's way too short. Paging the office of mixed messages.

Saying 'bless you': A teacher said his class got so out of hand with sneeze follow-ups he banned the verbal courtesy from his classroom.

October
Tanning teens: First no fur, now no leather skin. That's probably a good thing. California passed a law banning the use of tanning beds by anyone under 18.


America's favorite condiment: While burgers seem to pass the health boards in France, the country put its foot down when it comes to kids dousing them in ketchup. The Los Angeles Times reported: "In an effort to promote healthful eating and, it has been suggested, to protect traditional Gallic cuisine, the French government has banned school and college cafeterias nationwide from offering the American tomato-based condiment."

November
Choosing your birth date: Hospitals in Massachusetts, New York, Arizona, Texas and California ban elective C-sections and inductions before 39 weeks gestation due to serious health risks.

Dakota Fanning holding a bottle of perfume: The British Ad Council banned this ad suggesting it's borderline pedophilia.


Having eyes: Saudi Arabia's Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice sought the right to ban women from possessing "suggestive" eyes. What are suggestive eyes? According to one Saudi journalist, any woman whose eyes have a "nice shape" could be in deep trouble.

December
Skinny jeans: At Brigham Young University-Idaho, students are getting turned away from their exams on the grounds that their jeans are far too form-fitting.

Happy meals: In San Francisco, fast food joints can no longer bribe kids with toys. (Unless their parents want to spend an extra 10 cents.)

Happy couples: A Kentucky church actually voted to ban interracial marriages and prevent mixed-race couples from becoming members. Can you believe this really happened in the year 2011? Here's to a few more welcome signs in 2012.

Will Ferrell as a over-sized, hyperactive, sugar-devouring Elf just seems all too natural in this movie. While his consumption of sweets makes us ill (spaghetti with chocolate syrup?) we love it when he confuses maple syrup with liquor.

The Ref (1994)
15 years ago, Denis Leary made this film about a dysfunctional Connecticut couple and their bat-shit crazy family, which will definitely make you feel better about your own. It's the funniest he's ever been, but he still gets upstaged by Judy Davis, Christine Baranski and some really mean old lady.

Trading Places (1983)
We could all use a little Wall-Street-revenge fantasy right now! Might as well be hilarious!

Scrooged (1988)
By far one of the best adaptations of the classic Charles Dickens story, featuring Bill Murray as Scrooge. Who doesn't like to see smarmy, evil TV executives learn how to be nice?

Bad Santa (2003)
Billy Bob Thornton does the most twisted version of Santa you've ever seen, complete with a foul-mouthed, criminal midget sidekick. A lot of the funny can be attributed to Thurman, the 8-year-old whose adorable naivete makes bad Santa seem so much worse.

Santa's Slay (2005)
Christmas films that earn top spots on annual lists of Best Holiday Films usually feature some brilliantly-executed synthesis of humor, sentimentality, originally, and tradition--but none of these things are what earned "Santa's Slay" the top stop on UGO's list of Funniest Christmas Movies. No, this nonpareil holiday film instead combines the murder, Satan, and the horror tactics of Santa as played by professional wrestler Bill Golberg. But don't worry--it's all in campy good fun. What's not to like?

A Christmas Story (1983)
Perhaps one of the only films given an annual 24-hour marathon, "A Christmas Story" is still fresh even on hour 20. Did you know they now actually make the leg lamp?

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Gonzo (as Charles Dickens) narrates this Muppet version of "A Christmas Carol," with Michael Cain as Scrooge. It's cruel of him to make Bob Cratchit work on Christmas, but what do you expect from someone who hires a frog as an accountant?

MST3K: Santa Claus Conquers The Martians
The geniuses of Mystery Science Theater 3000 did an episode with great riffs on this terrible/amazing Christmas movie. Watch the MST3K version, or if you can get it, watch the original and observe the ridiculousness for yourself.

Santa Claus The Movie (1985)
Yeah, this movie is awesome. Dudley Moore + evil John Lithgow + a sled that runs on candy canes and hope = unintentionally hilarious. You must rent this-so-bad-it's-fabulous film.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
This holiday comedy classic proves the Griswolds don't need to leave home to have a disastrous time. It has all the quirky mishaps only Chevy Chase could pull off, and like all good Christmas movies, ends with a SWAT team raid!

Christmas In Connecticut (1945)
Arnold Schwarzenneger was so enamored with Christmas In Connecticut that he adapted the 1945 "snowball comedy" into his own film in 1992, but as with any attempt to remake the classics--especially one starring the hilarious Barbara Stanwyck as an impostor food critic--the original is far superior than its successor. Sure, the film lacks the special effects and gross-out gags of newer comedy classics, but the sharp dialogue and screwball scenarios should earn this one a spot among the funniest holiday films.

Jingle All The Way (1996)
This 90s action/Christmas comedy only gets better with time. First of all, any movie starring both now-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and now-nobody Sinbad wins our kitsch-loving hearts. Secondly, Phil Hartman plays a snooty, neighbor's wife-coveting yuppie, which makes us miss him dearly. Third of all, just look at the photo. Just look at it. Now laugh.

Comfort And Joy (1984)
They may not gorge themselves on Thanksgiving food or flatten themselves for sales items on Black Friday, but lets not forget that our friends across the pond have holiday spirit too. If you feel like doing a little celebrating UK-style, make sure to check out "Comfort and Joy," the 1984 comedy directed by Bill Forsyth which follows the Christmas crusades of a DJ just dumped by his girlfriend. Plus there are rival ice cream gangs--enough said.

Home Alone (1990)
The movie that made all 90s children want a TalkBoy for Christmas (now they just want iPads) is still hilarious even 20 years later. From little Macaulay Cullkin's notorious yell to Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern being seemingly impossible to kill (seriously, how many concussions does it take?) there are plenty of genuine and ironic reasons to give this Christmas comedy a re-re-watch.

Brazilian condom company Olla has found a novel way of promoting its product while also scaring the stuffing out of young men: sending them Facebook friend requests from their potential progeny with the tag ”Avoid unexpected surprises like this. Use Olla condoms.”

Take a look at the video below which describes how Olla’s ad agency AGE Isobar created the campaign:



Now there is some debate about whether this is an intelligent tech-savvy approach to getting sexually active young men using condoms, or if it constitutes a violation of privacy (and, indeed, Facebook’s Terms and Conditions).

Indeed one YouTube user commented on the ad page:

That’s not advertising. It's spammish behaviour. No brand shall friend request me, without a life time hatred called upon them.

Others, though, think it’s a good idea:

You should appreciate the creative thinking and take it as humour. It's not spamming.

This isn’t the first time companies have sort to use social media beyond the usual banner ads we have become familiar with. For instance last year KLM Airlines began using passenger’s social networking profiles to tailor special free gifts and has since looked at other unique ways to use social media to engage with customers.

However, Olla condoms seems to be going one further here. It is specifically pushing its product through Facebook in a way that, by its nature, is hard to ignore.

care2.com

A fan of the festive season in Round Rock, Texas has rigged up a series of 25,000 Christmas lights - all set to an interpretation of the theme tune to popular smartphone game Angry Birds.

The impressive minute long display - seen here being tested in advance of Christmas - is set to a cover version of the theme song by artist Pomplamoose, and is just one of a number of musical spectacles arranged by the US household.

Using sequencing software, thousands of lights and many metres of wiring, John Storms is able to rig any song he chooses to the resplendent display.

However, the Angry Birds inspired tune is a slight departure for homeowner Mr Storms who normally lights up Christmas hits.

According to his website, listentoourlights.com, which contains a handy 'how-to' guide for those aspiring to emulate the festive flourish, Mr Storms says he chose the Angry Birds song because of his love for the novelty game.

As well as posting his creations on YouTube, passers-by are able to experience the full effect of Mr Storms yuletide arrangements; the music is transmitted on low-power FM so they can watch and listen from their cars.

Some online viewers are happy to remain just that however, one commentator jokingly remarking: "I would hate living near you".

Vienna, Austria is the new home to the World’s first international applied sex school, which claims to teach its students how to become better lovers.

The “hands on” syllabus will cost students a cool £1,400 per term and will see students living in mixed sex dormitories, where, they are expected to practice their homework. Hmmm, I wonder what type of applied sexuality homework that is!

Ylva-Maria Thompson, Swedish-born headmistress of the college says that their core education is not theoretical, but very practical.

“Sexual positions, caressing techniques, anatomical features. And we teach people hands on,” explains Thompson.

So let’s get this right, you pay to stay in a college where you have sex with other students and maybe even your instructors. This simply sounds like a legitimate orgy house or adults-only sex haven!

Would you enrol?

In 2010, Mark Zuckerberg went down in history as one of the youngest people ever to be deemed Times “Person of the Year” and is also one of the world’s youngest self made billionaire. This year, Sebastian Vettel went down in history as the youngest driver to ever win two consecutive Formula 1 titles alongside a large number of “world’s youngest” achievements he already has under his belt. All great stories, but when it comes to the world of business, these rich twenty-something year-old success stories have been rather outdone by the protagonist of this story. His name is Harli Jordean and he’s reached business success at just eight years of age.

Further more, saying Harli Jordean earned his title of tycoon in just 8 years doesn’t tell the full story. The man, pardon me, boy is not only the youngest ever person to have a successful business, he’s also the first to give his mother a proper job.

Harly Jordean, the young tycoon, hit his success by doing what ever good business should, identifying a market and then covering it to his best abilities. The market in question was marbles. We may live in a world where man has bettered everything from air-flight to games, but nostalgia still lives within us and everybody has at least considered playing with marbles beyond their infancy. Believe it or not, plenty still do, some even collect marbles and this is why Harly Jordean became the “Marble King” so quicly. After all, collectible sets do reach prices come in close to 1000 dollars.

Some prohibitively priced products are far from cramping the Marble King‘s business as even with most of his family (all older than him) employed, he’s still struggling to cope with the orders he’s getting. Apparently, the eight year old has Sir Alan Sugar for a role model which makes sense. The British billionaire is also a self-made man, only he started his first business venture at sixteen. Sure, it’s early, but the Marble King has nearly a decade jump on him.