hlntv.com

Berndnaut Smilde can control the weather. The Dutch artist can turn a clear sky cloudy — indoors. In his latest project, he’s installed real Nimbus clouds in empty gallery spaces in Amsterdam.

Smilde’s godlike powers come from simple science — he carefully regulates the temperature and humidity of the space, ensuring that conditions are perfect. Then, he sprays a short burst from a fog machine to create a cottony cloud suspended in the middle of the room for just an instant before it collapses.

“I’m interested in the ephemeral aspect of the work,” Smilde said in an e-mail. “It’s there for a brief moment and then the cloud falls apart. It’s about the potential of the idea, but in the end it will never function.”

Smilde’s clouds dissipate so quickly that they exist mainly in photographs. He chooses surreal spaces, such as empty churches or galleries, as his setting. One photo, taken in a room with bright blue walls, is evocative of the painter Rene Magritte’s azure skies and puffy clouds.

“I wanted to make a very clear image, an almost cliché and cartoon like visualisation of having bad luck,” writes Smilde in his artist’s statement.

However, the rare audience that got to see Smilde’s work in person — captured on video for a Dutch Web site, was all smiles.

washingtonpost.com

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip -- There is an afterlife for animals at the Khan Younis zoo in the impoverished Gaza Strip.

Animals who die in the dilapidated park return to be displayed as stuffed creatures, giving visitors the unusual zoo experience of petting a lion, tiger or crocodile. But because taxidermy in the largely isolated Palestinian territory is not advanced and expertise and materials are in short supply, the experience can be grim.



Flies swarm around some of the 10 animals that have been embalmed so far. The makeshift cages housing the exhibits - fashioned from fencing salvaged from Jewish settlements that Israel dismantled in 2005 - are littered with empty soda cans and other trash.

An emaciated-looking stuffed lion, its coat patchy and mangy, lies on an exhibit cobbled together from crates and shipping pallets. A monkey had missing limbs. A porcupine had a hole in its head.



The zoo's 65 live animals, which include ostriches, monkeys, turtles, deer, a llama, a lion and a tiger, don't fare much better. During a recent visit, children poked chocolate, potato chips and bread through the wire. There's no zookeeper on the premises. Gaza has no government body that oversees zoos, and medical treatment is done by consulting over the phone with zoo veterinarians in Egypt.

Still, the zoo is one of the few places of entertainment here in Khan Younis, a city of 200,000 people at the southern end of the Gaza Strip. It's one of five zoos in the Gaza Strip, a densely populated coastal enclave of 1.7 million people ruled by Islamic Hamas militants.

Owner Mohammed Awaida said he opened the "South Forest Park" in 2007, only to lose a number of animals during Israel's military offensive against Hamas that began in December 2008. During the three-week offensive, launched in response to rocket attacks on Israel, Awaida said he could not reach the zoo, and many animals died of neglect and starvation.

Read more at heraldonline.com

The world needs more luxurious gaming furniture and less of those gaudy leather gamer chairs with built-in speakers.

Gaming decor goes to the next level with this coffee table that actually works as a fully functional Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) controller. Talented woodworker Charles Lushear sells the massive controller table on Etsy for $3,500 (plus shipping). The exotic item's 42 inches long, 18.25 inches wide, and 18 inches high, and you might want to seek permission from your significant other before purchasing it.

We truly admire how accurate the table appears compared with the original NES controller. Lushear assembled the coffee table with "maple, mahogany, and walnut with dovetail joinery and mid-century modern legs," according to the description. The glass top removes easily for gameplay, and it features a retractable cord so nobody trips up after a marathon Mario session.

news.cnet.com

Oui Oui Paree! You'll fall in love with this romantic city more and more the longer you stay to explore its sights and take in the French culture. Paris simply has a certain je ne sais quoi - that special something that you can't quite put your finger on, but whatever it is, it makes you want to linger in Paris for as long as possible.

#1 Open Double Decker Bus Tour


A bus tour is a MUST for all first time visitors to Paris. Do it your first day to get oriented to the city and to decide which things you'd like to go back and see on subsequent vacation days. I highly recommend the L'Open Tour which is an open deck tour so you can get an unobstructed view of the city. You can buy either a one or two day pass which allows you unlimited bus access to their 4 tour routes over the given time period. It is great because you can tour at your own pace hopping on and off as you desire. When you purchase tickets they supply a cheap set of headphones that can be plugged into jacks near the seats throughout the bus. The headphones carry commentaries about the various Paris sites along the tour routes in 8 different languages (French, English, Spanish, Japanese, German, Russian, Chinese and Italian basket). The buses drive by just about all of the major sites in Paris including Montemarte, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe and 50 other sites.

#2 Top of the Eiffel Tower


What would Paris be without the Eiffel Tower? Taking a ride on an elevator to one of the viewing platforms at the top of the tower is a must do for anyone visiting Paris. This iron icon was built in 1889 for a World's Fair that marked the 100 year celebration of the French Revolution. It was named after its builder, Gustave Eiffel.

Over 6 million people visit the Eiffel tower every year. Ticket booths at the base of the tower sell tickets for access to either the stairs or the elevator (lift) up and the three platforms at the top of the tower. The views from the highest platform are breathtaking. You can descend back down from the 2nd platform either via the lift or 340 steps. For specific ticket information and hours of operation, visit the Official Eiffel Tower Website.

#3 Sunset River Cruise on the Seine


What better way to see the City of Lights (La Ville-lumière), than by cruising down the Seine River as the sun is setting over the Eiffel Tower and all the other sites of Paris?

Bateaux Parisien offers a Night Sightseeing cruise that departs right across the street from the Eiffel Tower and lasts approximately one hour. They cruise from the Eiffel past many of the major sights along the river to a bit past the Notre Dame Cathedral where they turn around and return to the departure point. This is the most affordable sunset cruise option, but there are also other dinner cruises available. For more information, visit the Bateaux Parisiens website.

#4 Notre Dame Cathedral


One of the most enduring symbols of Paris, the Notre Dame Cathedral sits on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité (one of the natural islands in the Seine River). Begun in 1163 and finished in 1345, this cathedral is a sight to behold with its French Gothic Architecture. It features flying buttresses, portals surrounded by ornate carvings and many gargoyles on the roof.

Taking a walk around the entire cathedral, touring the interior, and walking up the 387 steps to the top of the towers should be on the list of things to do for every Parisian tourist. The climb to the top of the towers can be exhausting, but is well worth the effort to get a panoramic view of the area and see all those famous gargoyles up close (enter through a separate door to the left of the facade as you face it). For detailed information about touring the Cathedral, visit their official website.

#5 Champs Elysees & Arc de Triomphe


Taking a walk down the city's most famous avenue (the Champs Elysees) to Napoleon's most notable legacy to Paris (the Arc de Triomphe) is a grand walk for anyone visiting the city. Unfortunately, the cobblestones and click clacks of horse drawn fairy tale carriages have been replaced by screeching cars and a line of chain restaurants along the Champs Elysees. Nevertheless, this famous street which extends from the Jardin de Tuileries to the Arc de Triomphe is worth a walk. The colossal arch itself was planned by Napoleon to commemorate all of his military successes (the names of generals are carved in the top and inside of the arch) and was completed in 1836. The arch stands a whopping 164 feet tall and holds the tomb of France's unknown soldier from WWI. You can access the arch via an underground passage and then climb to the platform via 284 steps or take a lift (and a few steps too).

#6 Sainte Chapelle Church


Near the Notre Dame Cathedral on the Île de la Cité island is a little Gothic gem known as Sainte Chapelle (Holy Church). Consisting of a plain lower chapel for servants and an ornate stained glass laden upper chapel (reserved for the king and court member), Sainte Chapelle was built around 1248. Nearly two-thirds of the stained-glass windows are authentic because they were removed during WWII. Much of the rest of the chapel had to be reconstructed due to damage during the French Revolution and WWII. Nevertheless, it is a stunning display of Gothic Architecture. For more information, visit the National Monuments Center's Website.

#7 Les Invalides (Napoleon's Tomb)


Les Invalides (built in 1679) is a complex of buildings that house the military museums and monuments, a hospital and a retirement home for war veterans. The must see attraction at Les Invalides is the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte who died in 1821. A huge marble sarcophagus sits directly under the ornate, hand-painted chapel dome (designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart and painted by Charles de La Fosse). Other members of Napoleon's family and many of France's war heroes are also buried here. For more information, visit Invalides.org.

#8 Musee d'Orsay


Art lovers, especially those that are fans of impressionist paintings and marble sculptures, will go weak in the knees at the mention of the Musee d'Orsay. Housed in a former railway station, the museum holds French art dating from 1848 to 1915 with an extensive collection of paintings from Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, Manet, Degas and so many more. The interior of the museum in and of itself is a work of art with breathtaking views from one end of the renovated Belle Epoque train station to the other. For more information about their collections, events, and visitor hours, go to the Orsay Museum's website.

#9 The Louvre


The Louvre and its pyramid are synonymous with Paris. It opened to the public way back in 1793. The world's largest art museum holds some of the greatest works mankind has seen - from Da Vinci's Mona Lisa to the Venus de Milo to the Winged Victory. The problem is that the museum is so big that it can take several hours to make your way through the maze of corridors just to see those few pieces of artwork. The Louvre displays well over 35,000 pieces of artwork in eight curatorial departments (antiquities, sculptures, paintings, decorative arts, etc) so even if you spent a solid week at the museum, you still wouldn't see everything. The key is to have a game plan. Most people go for the highlight tour and when you purchase tickets, you'll receive a visitors map with the major treasures pointed out. Just get your bearings and enjoy. For more detailed information, visit the Louvre's Official Website.

#10 Montmarte & Sacre Coeur Basilica


Montmarte is an 130 meter tall hill in the north of Paris and is the highest point in the city. Atop the hill is the famous Sacré-Coeur Basilica whose white domes can be seen from many vantage points in the city. The basilica features both Romanesque and Byzantine architecture and was consecrated in 1919. The interior is large, but a bit on the gloomy side. You can climb to the top of the dome for breathtaking views of Paris. Visit Wikipedia for more information about the Basilica.

You might think your partner has a beautiful smile but if you want to win her heart, compliment her on being thin.

The best way to please a woman is to mention her weight loss, research has revealed.

According to the study of 2,000 men and women, ladies love it best when their men say they look thinner than normal.

A spokesman for Dental Care Plus Implant Centres, which conducted the study, said: 'Women are complex creatures, and men would be mistaken to think they couldn’t go wrong with a compliment.

'Women appear to love any compliments which suggest they are beautiful, and have good features - such as fantastic natural teeth, lips, hair or legs.

'In particular they want to appear thin to everyone around them, so commenting on weight loss is a sure fire way to score brownie points.

'But you could get into hot water for saying that someone looks like they have eaten well, or that they look quite broad around the shoulder.'

The study suggests women like it when men say a dress or colour really suits them, and a third simply love to be told they look gorgeous.

n contrast, men get into trouble if they make mention of weight gain - and a quarter of women take great insult to being told they look like their mum or dad.

Other back-handed compliments include ‘you’re not as stupid as you look’ and ‘you don’t look as bad as I thought you would’.

Incredibly, only half of women actually take compliments well - and four in 10 prefer to have them from a partner than anyone else.

Unfortunately for men, 36 per cent of girls have ended up in a mood because they misunderstood something which was supposed to be admiration.

The spokesman for Dental Care Plus Implant Centres continues: 'The study suggests women only get one compliment from their partners each day - and it is easy to understand why.

'Most men probably live in fear of getting it wrong, and so don’t bother trying to be nice.

'Men just need to think more about how to deliver a compliment, so that it doesn’t get misunderstood.

'For example women would love to hear that they have beautiful natural looking teeth, or an awesome smile, but might not be so keen for people to acknowledge obvious dental work or teeth whitening.'

But the survey shows a whopping 87 per cent of men reckon they do regularly compliment their partners - offering up to three every day.

And when it comes to what men like to see on a woman, the biggest turn off for 38 per cent is food stuck in between in their teeth.

A further 37 per cent don’t like women to over-do it on the fake tan, while 37 per cent hate girls to wear too much make up.

A quarter of men polled don’t like gapped teeth as sported by celebrities such as Madonna and Vanessa Paradis.

Top Ten Nicest Compliments
1. You look like you’ve lost weight
2. You have a nice smile
3. You smell nice
4. Nice hair
5. That dress really suits you
6. That colour really suits you
7. Love what you’re wearing
8. Your eyes are pretty
9. You look slim
10. You look gorgeous

Top Ten Worst Compliments
1. You look tired
2. You look under the weather
3. You look well
4. You have put some weight on
5. You look just like your dad / mum
6. You don’t look as bad as I thought
7. You’re not as stupid as you look
8. You look less tired today
9. You have very large features
10. You’re quite broad aren’t you

Full article at dailymail.co.uk

Some unfortunate citizens are so absorbed in their little screens, or so oblivious to their surroundings, that their multitasking attempts result in calamity and/or hilarity.

1. The man who nearly ran into a bear
Vaz Terdandenyan of La Crescenta, Calif., was walking down the street, texting away, when he came within a snout's distance of a black bear on the loose. "Luckily, the man managed to look up from his LOLs and JKs and emojicons just in time to OMG and run away," says Neetzan Zimmerman at Gawker. The bear was eventually captured by wildlife authorities and returned to his natural habitat.

2. The woman who walked off a pier
Bonnie Miller was enjoying a nice stroll on a pier in Benton Harbor, Mich., while she sent a few texts, when she suddenly found herself in the river that links up with Lake Michigan. The pier was a good six feet above the water, so her husband dived in to help her. A helpful stranger also came to Miller's rescue. They were all eventually joined by the police, the fire department, and the U.S. Coast Guard, which finally hauled the trio up onto the pier.

3. The woman who fell onto the train tracks
A Washington, D.C., woman was riding an escalator down to the subway, texting, when she reached the bottom and kept walking, still texting, until she fell off the platform onto the tracks. Jonathan Dende, a 23-year-old visiting the capital from Pennsylvania, jumped down to help her, not realizing that they were both only feet away from the 750-volt electrified third rail. But they both managed to get back on the platform before a train arrived. Dende commiserated with the woman, telling her "he fell down some stairs while texting once," says Sherri Ly at MyFoxDC.com. But it turns out "he made the story up" just to make her feel better.

4. The woman who fell into the mall fountain
In easily the most famous walking-while-texting fiasco, Cathy Cruz Marrerro of Reading, Mass., was walking through the mall one day, texting, when she abruptly slipped headlong into a fountain. "I could see the pennies and nickels at the bottom of the fountain and then I was in it," she told the Reading Eagle. Dubbed the "Fountain Lady," Marrero said she was considering suing mall security for failing to help her. They can be heard laughing on the footage of the security video, which was quickly disseminated across the internet.

5. The woman who fell down the stairs
A news crew in Canada was filming a report that caught a woman walking in the background, texting, heedless of the short flight of steps in her path. Ouch!

6. The teenager who fell down a manhole
Alexa Longueira of Staten Island, N.Y., was walking down the street, texting, when "in classic Looney Toons style, she disappeared into an open manhole cover," says Warren Riddle at Switched. The 15-year-old fell into the hole just moments after workers had gone to fetch some cones to mark it off. She reportedly plunged five feet before "landing in a pile of muck." Luckily she emerged relatively unscathed.