Mortuary Coin-Op Automaton

"St. Dennistoun Mortuary" Coin-Operated Automaton, Attributed to Leonard Lee, c. 1900, Skinner Auctioneers, June 2, 2012"

I bet I could make something like this...lovely.

Humans: Carnivores or Herbivores?

Are human beings anatomically more similar to natural carnivores or to natural herbivores? Let’s find out….

Intestinal tract length. Carnivorous animals have intestinal tracts that are 3-6x their body length, while herbivores have intestinal tracts 10-12x their body length. Human beings have the same intestinal tract ratio as herbivores.
Stomach acidity. Carnivores’ stomachs are 20x more acidic than the stomachs of herbivores. Human stomach acidity matches that of herbivores.

Saliva. The saliva of carnivores is acidic. The saliva of herbivores is alkaline, which helps pre-digest plant foods. Human saliva is alkaline.

Shape of intestines. Carnivore bowels are smooth, shaped like a pipe, so meat passes through quickly — they don’t have bumps or pockets. Herbivore bowels are bumpy and pouch-like with lots of pockets, like a windy mountain road, so plant foods pass through slowly for optimal nutrient absorption. Human bowels have the same characteristics as those of herbivores.

Fiber. Carnivores don’t require fiber to help move food through their short and smooth digestive tracts. Herbivores require dietary fiber to move food through their long and bumpy digestive tracts, to prevent the bowels from becoming clogged with rotting food. Humans have the same requirement as herbivores.

Cholesterol. Cholesterol is not a problem for a carnivore’s digestive system. A carnivore such as a cat can handle a high-cholesterol diet without negative health consequences. A human cannot. Humans have zero dietary need for cholesterol because our bodies manufacture all we need. Cholesterol is only found in animal foods, never in plant foods. A plant-based diet is by definition cholesterol-free.

Claws and teeth. Carnivores have claws, sharp front teeth capable of subduing prey, and no flat molars for chewing. Herbivores have no claws or sharp front teeth capable of subduing prey, but they have flat molars for chewing. Humans have the same characteristics as herbivores.

Are we omnivores? It doesn't look like when you look at the evidence HERE

Need A Long Leash For Your Pet? Why Not Use Your Intestines?

We love Hine Mizushima's. dolls. Here are a few of them she created for The Unnatural History Museum art exhibit.
Thanks American Chickens for the heads up.

Why Did The Sloth Cross The Road?

Find out HERE.

This Little Piggy

Another lovely photo post thanks to E Stephen Curator.

This little piggy went to market.
This little piggy stayed at home.
This little piggy had breast milk,
This little piggy had none.
And this little piggy went "Wee! Wee! Wee!" all the way home.

Here's a photo of the lovely and talented Tori Amos breast-feeding a piglet. Read on...there's more about this pig photo in THIS wonderful blog post.

Tra La La La La Blah Blah Blah - iMovie Experiments

I have been playing around with iMovie for the first time. Here is my first experiment. I used a silly video of my recent happy dance at The Cooper Square Hotel.

Tra La La La La Blah Blah Blah Conjoined Version



Tra La La La La Blah Blah Blah Original Version

The Buyer at Hammacher Schlemmer Has Lost Her Mind

...and I love it! If anyone wants to buy me a present...The 20 Foot Animatronic Triceratops, $350,000
The Gigantic Inflatable Climbing Iceberg, $6,000
The Inspiration Archipod, $40,000
The Transparent Canoe Kayak, $1,600The Floating Sofa, $189Alas, all I can afford right now is the floating sofa.