For many years Ralf Metztenmacher earned good money as chief designer at Puma [in Herzogenaurach]. Now he has ventured into the world of the independent artist and is bringing the technique of the old masters into the 21st century.

His Retro-Art pictures narrate stories of today using up to date symbols that young people can relate to. With the modernisied painting technique from old master pieces, with special colors and frames which were especially designed for the subject matter, he makes the [evolutional] move into the 21st century.

For a year his studio has been on the idyllic Leintritt in Bamberg, 50 kilometres away. Right next to the Regnitz. “For me there is something of the Mediterranean here. I’ve come to rest here quite simply because life here is good.” And Ralf Metzenmacher hopes that through his contributions he will be able to add something to the lives of as many people as possible.

The Arizona Highway Patrol were mystified when they came upon a pile of smoldering wreckage embedded in the side of a cliff rising above the road at the apex of a curve. The metal debris resembled the site of an airplane crash, but it turned out to be the vaporized remains of an automobile. The make of the vehicle was unidentifiable at the scene…

This Darwin Award is the most popular of all time. Considered true for years, it was later debunked as an Urban Legend by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The story fooled the judges in 1995, so JATO has been grandfathered in as a Darwin Award Winner.

I’m glad the above JATO classic made it into the movie trailer.

August 7-13, 2006. The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has grown to become one of the oldest, largest and greatest motorcycle events. Enthusiasts are drawn to the unique combination of scenic riding, entertainment, camaraderie with fellow bikers and a Main Street atmosphere like no other.

More than a half-million motorcycle enthusiasts traveled to the Black Hills of South Dakota for the rally last summer, nearly doubling the population of the state.

Sturgis Pro Hill Climb
Sturgis Motorcycle Museum

The source of the Russian diamond industry is the giant mines centred on the city of Mirny, in eastern Siberia.

Mirny is a Russian small town located in the middle of a great plain. But instead of single family houses it has mostly tall six story apartment houses built on concrete stilts to keep them from sinking in the permafrost.

Pics: http://public.fotki.com/YL/other_places/mirny_russia/

Buy a Diamond (3.81 carat octahedral crystal) from Mirny.

These planets – or “planemos” – just orbit each other. Their discovery challenges the current theory that planets are thought to form out of the disks of gas and dust that surround newborn stars.

Now that we’ve discovered these planetary mass objects with their own little infant planetary systems, the definition of the word ‘planet’ has blurred even more.

By using the term planemo, the researchers are purposely avoiding the debate over whether [they] should be called planets.

The Blastolene Indy Special has a loud 1790 cu. in. V-12 Tankmotor with an Allison Transmission.

Jay Leno has a Blastolene Special that started with an M47 Patton Tank V12 engine – (1950-1955) 1800 cu. inches all aluminum – 1000 h.p. – 1500 ft. lbs. of torque.

Tank Engines tend to run a little loud until you have Gail Banks work on them.

Manufacturing Quality Dissent Since 1989

Shepard Fairey’s career began when he jokingly created a sticker of wrestler Andre the Giant.

You’ve seen them: ‘Andre the Giant has a Posse‘ stickers, Obey Giant posters, Andre’s face covering entire sides of buildings… You’ve seen them and you’ve wondered what it was all about. And once you found out, perhaps you wondered why.

The visual codes used by Shepard Fairey, aka Obey Giant, are worthy of those of Stalinist propaganda, but here they highlight the mechanisms of advertising propaganda which invade public space.

“Some people look at my work and go: “Oh, it’s condemning capitalism“. No, not at all, I’m a capitalist. I believe in capitalism, I believe it motivates people, that competition is good. I believe it can be ruthless; there should be good checks and balances for it, but the best checks and balances are the consumers themselves, not some sort of government regulations”.

My advice is do not get discouraged because it takes awhile but it will definitely happen faster if you make something that stands out from the crowd. A lot of people just copy each others styles when a style is hot and that’s definitely not the way to get anywhere because you’ll always be following. You want to be leading. You want to carve out a niche for yourself that no one else is doing, is filling. So, really it’s whatever you enjoy the most as an artist is what you are going to be best at.

Fender Shepard Fairey 50’s Relic Strat
Squier OBEY Graphic Series

This Is Your God

Studio Number One

Supply And Demand

Can you pass this Third Grade Quiz?

More

Global Sea Level: An Enigma The rate of global sea level rise and its causes has been debated for a century. Despite 100 years of scientific scrutiny, no definitive conclusion has been reached. Join Dr. Walter Munk as he describes why 20th century sea level rise remains an enigma, and why scientists still grapple with whether seawater warming or continental ice melting had the greatest influence.

According to the data, Global Sea Levels started rising at an increased rate well before the industrial revolution started, and it’s been rising at that same rate ever since. This video is from 2004.