Bizarre Google Streetview findings

The 20 Most Beautiful Bookstores in the World [Editor’s note: In celebration of the holidays, we’re counting down the top 12 Flavorwire features of 2012. This post, at #1, was originally published January 31.] With Amazon slowly taking over the publishing world and bookstores closing left and right, things can sometimes seem a little grim for the brick and mortar booksellers of the world. After all, why would anyone leave the comfort of their couch to buy a book when with just a click of a button, they could have it delivered to their door? Well, here’s why: bookstores so beautiful they’re worth getting out of the house (or the country) to visit whether you need a new hardcover or not. We can’t overestimate the importance of bookstores — they’re community centers, places to browse and discover, and monuments to literature all at once — so we’ve put together a list of the most beautiful bookstores in the world, from Belgium to Japan to Slovakia.

Some Perfectly Timed Photos – Part II If the first set of Perfect Timed Photos and Funny Roller Coaster Moments wasn’t enough for you, then this set of perfectly timed photos might do it. I don’t know about you guys but this will surely help me get through the rest of the week. [Source: PerfectlyTimedPhotos] 15 ways to use vodka Keyboard: S - next A - previous R - random 15 ways to use vodka Share on FB 55920 Below Random Pics that horribly slippery slope

33 Perfectly Timed Photos You may be the best photographer in the world, but sometimes all it takes to take the best shot is being in the right place at the right moment. It doesn’t even matter if you take it with your cell or high-end DSLR. Often, you won’t even notice you made an incredible picture until you come home and transfer your photos to a computer. Meditation found to increase brain size Kris Snibbe/Harvard News Office Sara Lazar (center) talks to research assistant Michael Treadway and technologist Shruthi Chakrapami about the results of experiments showing that meditation can increase brain size. People who meditate grow bigger brains than those who don’t. Researchers at Harvard, Yale, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found the first evidence that meditation can alter the physical structure of our brains.

35 Funniest Someecards Ever Unless you are living in a cave (and no offense if you are), you’ve probably already seen some incredibly funny electronic greeting cards with “someecards” watermark floating around internet. Someecards.com is a free online e-cards service created by Brook Lundy and Duncan Mitchell to parody the sentiments found in the traditional Hallmark greeting card. Their website is full of humorous e-cards for just about any occasion, be it birthdays, weddings or even breakup. The best part is that you can create your own funny greeting cards using their e-card generator. But before you start, be sure to check out these 35 funniest someecards chosen from their most popular list with a couple of our picks from pinterest!

Street View for Google Maps – Street View – Google Maps Alright everyone. Despite my complete melt-down further up in this comments thread, I need to put something out there. Disclosure first: although I have access to certain sources, I (and my business) am independent of Google but have direct dealings with Google. I have NDAs that prohibit me from disclosing certain things. I will mind my manners and my NDAs in writing this. These are my words and should be taken as only that.

Save Food from the Fridge by Jihyun Ryou Although we seem to think and talk about food almost constantly, do we really know how best to preserve it or do we leave this responsibility to technology? Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Jihyun Ryou feels we no longer understand how to treat food. Her Save Food from the Fridge project involves placing certain foods on a group of "knowledge shelves" outside the fridge. Perhaps through a better relationship with our food we may be able to waste less and conserve more energy. The ethylene gas produced by apples keeps potatoes from sprouting. And by removing the apples from other produce, the other fruits and vegetables do not over-ripen quickly. 70 Amazing Examples of Street Art The attitude that art should be seen only in galleries is on its way out. This huge collection of creative street art will show you that city is probably the best canvas! Every wall, fence or column could be turned into an art piece. It brings smiles and raises eyebrows. It is closer to people than the best painting or installation shown in a art gallery. However, at the same time, bad street art can ruin a very nice downtown building making all neighborhoods seem run-down and uninviting.

- Simple Harmonic (and non-harmonic) Motion § Harvard Natural Sciences Lecture Demonstrations [S | t | ★★★★] keywords: simple harmonic motion, periodic motion, quantum revival, aliasing What it shows: Fifteen uncoupled simple pendulums of monotonically increasing lengths dance together to produce visual traveling waves, standing waves, beating, and random motion. One might call this kinetic art and the choreography of the dance of the pendulums is stunning! Aliasing and quantum revival can also be shown.