Sparks in the wild – Page 8

The Cat in the Hat(s)

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Cate

A while back, I reported on the interesting range of knitted hats for pug dogs, available from an etsy shop (the post is here, if you missed it). The photos made me laugh, mostly because of the expressions on the poor dog model’s little face. I think he felt embarrassed, but soldiered on like a true professional. I now think I have found his feline equivalent – modelling for the etsy shop To Scarborough Fair. Here are some of the highlights…

This Native American inspired costume features a wig made of yarn, traditional headband and a real feather. Attached with a “comfortable elastic cord”, this costume is sure to impress even the coolest cats in the neighbourhood. And perhaps it will encourage a dialogue on the history of the Native American people (and cats) and promote a deeper understanding of their culture. Or perhaps it will just look totally awesome, and that will be enough.

Or you might like this artistic and slightly mysterious looking cat beret. For the sophisti-cat who enjoys a cafe au lait and croissant every now and again, whilst reading sad poetry and staring longingly into the distance. Ooh la la.

If your cat is more of a rule-following, early-rising, bossy-boots control freak, this Marine Captain hat might be just the ticket. Lesser cats (and possibly humans) will fall into line under the command of Cap’n Cat – just look at the expression of the cat in the photo: she means business. Aye aye, kitty.

And for the final image, I couldn’t decide between the Halloween themed witch’s hat or the beautiful spring hat. So here they are – whether your cat needs a scary costume for a party (or to stand up to that neighbourhood bullying dog) or a pretty spring hat to wear to the races or a garden party, this etsy shop will have a cap that fits.

If you now realise your cat is underdressed and needs to step it up a notch in the fashion stakes, or if you just want to look at more funny pictures of cats in hats, then you should definitely check out To Scarborough Fair here.

Sparks in the wild

The honeymoon is over…

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Cate

It is with sadness that I report on the separation of Bibi and Poldi. I didn’t know who they were either, until I saw their story on the news and went searching for more info. Bibi and Poldi are two giant tortoises, living at an Austrian zoo – they are both 115 years old and apparently grew up together in Switzerland before becoming “an item”.

But their love has recently soured and they are no longer able to share a cage. The keepers noticed that all was not well when Bibi (Mrs Tortoise) started attacking Poldi (Mr Tortoise) – BITING OFF PART OF HIS SHELL. And then she kept attacking him until the zoo officials moved Poldi out of the marital cage.

I know that no one ever really knows what goes on between a couple (sometimes not even the two people actually in that couple), but I’m curious to know what ticked Bibi off enough to attack her hubby and bite off part of his shell. Especially since the shell must have been pretty tough to get through. Although, according to the Austrian Times, “each of the 100 kilo animals has the ability to kill the other if they wanted.” So, when you look at it that way, Poldi actually got away lightly.

According to The Daily Telegraph (source of the photo), the boss of the zoo, Helga Happ, said, “For no reason that anyone can discover, they seem to have fallen out. They just can’t stand each other”. But maybe they just need a break – after all, 115 years is quite a long time…even for a giant tortoise. And according to Wikipedia, there are giant tortoises who have lived to the ripe old age of 176, 188 and even 255 (a giant tortoise in India). So maybe it’s a mid-life crisis for Bibi and she’s on the lookout for a younger tortoise to accompany her in her final century. You go, girlfriend.

You can read the article in The Daily Telegraph here. And the Wikipedia entry here.

Sparks in the wild, WWWhat?

Ticket to Mars

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Cate

I first heard about this ambitious plan on werd.com. The short post was accompanied by this picture. So I did some more research for us, because I knew that you would want to know about it too. Behold, the Mars One mission. What’s it all about, I hear you cry? Oh, nothing much – only a plan to establish THE FIRST HUMAN SETTLEMENT ON MARS IN 2023. Yes, that’s right – according to the website, a habitable settlement will be waiting for the settlers when they land. The settlement will support them while they live and work on Mars the rest of their lives. Every two years after 2023 an additional crew will arrive, such that there is a real living, growing community on Mars.

Apparently, the good people at Mars One have a “technical plan” for the mission and have “identified at least one supplier” for every part of the process between now (empty Mars, as far as we know) and 2023 (thriving metropolis Mars). There is even a section on the website for anyone who might be sceptical – it’s called: Is this really possible? (The answer is basically ‘yes, sure, why not’ in case you don’t want to read it yourself.) Another FAQ is, understandably: Is this for real? To which the answer is: Yes it is! Mars One has been working on this project in secret since January of 2011. It has taken us ’til now to expose it publically because we are now certain of its feasibility and means of finance.

Alrighty then, friends, let’s start packing! Oh, hang on, I have now read the FAQ entitled: Can I apply to become an astronaut? Sadly, the answer seems to be NO. Or at least, NOT YET. Apparently the team at Mars One have received lots of emails from people asking to be part of the mission, but they’re not yet in a position to start selecting the first astronauts. I guess they’ll have to be pretty picky, since these people will be the founders of the settlement up there. You don’t want people who are going to give dumb names to the towns and streets and national parks.

I include this image from NASA/Wikipedia to help inform your decision on emigrating to Mars, when that option becomes available. It’s clearly a lot smaller than good ol’ Earth, but according to Wikipedia, Mars has surface features reminiscent both of the impact craters of the Moon and the volcanoes, valleys, deserts, and polar ice caps of Earth. So, you know, great if you like hiking, nature, extreme adventure and that sort of thing. Oh, and Mars can be seen from Earth without a telescope, so your old friends and neighbours will still be able to keep an eye on you.

Anyways, now you know a little more, you are probably keen to read more of the fine print and perhaps even sign up for the Mars One Monthly Newsmail. You can do so on the Mars One website here.

Musical sparks, Sparks in the wild

Jedward and the Olympic Torch

Posted on June 9, 2012 by Cate

So, I don’t normally post on the weekends, but this week I saw some big news that needed sharing. Jedward (the real winners of Eurovision in my eyes) carried the Olympic Torch through Dublin. How they got so close without the product in their hair catching fire is a modern day miracle. Here’s a pic and a quote to get the weekend off to a great start.

“Thank you, guys, so much for all coming out and being so Jepic and so Jedicated to the Olympics. Last year we had Barack Obama and this year we have the Olympic torch.”

Totally Jepic, boys. This pic is from the UK MTV website, which featured the story here. But you can read about it pretty much anywhere that covers big news stories. If only these two could actually compete in the Olympics…that would be even better…Keepin’ the dream alive, Jedward!

Sparks in the wild, Sparky gifts, WWWhat?

Whale of a time

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Cate

Struggling to find a gift for that man or woman who has everything? Searched all the usual gift shops and online retailers? Want something unique, that will impress and make you stand out from the crowd? Then allow me to introduce The Killer Whale Submarine. For a lazy $100k, your friends (well, two of them at a time) can hop on board this “watercraft that breaches and submerges just like the Orcinus orca after which it is designed”.

The pilot (let’s call him Cap’n Ahab) pulls the levers to roll and dive, apparently “enabling realistic behaviors such as porpoising or skyhopping”. This “whale” can hydroplane up to 50 miles per hour over the water’s surface and cruise up to 25 miles per hour while submerged. The “dorsal fin” includes a snorkel that ensures air supply (to a limited depth) and also features a built-in camera, whose images are displayed on the LSD screen in Cap’n Ahab’s cockpit.

I am still not sure that this isn’t a cruel April Fool’s joke from the good people at Hammacher Schlemmer, but if you have $100k spare and have always wanted either a whale or a submarine, you can investigate further here.