Advertisement For today’s look back through the Wimp archives, we are taking a special trip down under. That’s right, we are heading to Australia, everyone’s favorite continent and least favorite Nicole Kidman movie. Between beautiful natural landscapes and fun-loving people, no place on earth offers quite the same experience as the Land Down Under. Australia possesses some of the world’s most bizarre animal life. Once you get past all the spiders, snakes, and scorpions, Australia’s wildlife is a wonder to behold and we are celebrating it all. So sharpen your knife and order another Bloomin’ Onion as we get ready to look back on our favorite animal moments from the Outback. Feeding A Massive Kangaroo – April 17, 2012 There’s no more appropriate place to start then with the king of the Outback, the kangaroo. Native only to Australia, these guys are some of the most curious creatures you’ll ever run across. Male kangaroos can grow upwards of six-feet tall and be awfully adorable while they’re at it. Although feeding a wild one like this couple is doing might not be the best idea. Advertisement Weatherman Attacked By A Pelican – February 23, 2010 Not all creatures are adorable. This pelican has an obvious gripe with Australian weatherman Steve Jacobs. Whatever weather Steve was predicting didn’t sit too well with this bird and it decided to take some action. If you’re ever in the Sydney Zoo and walking past the pelican exhibit, it may be best to keep your opinions to yourself. Playing With A Platypus – July 12, 2012 Advertisement The platypus is one of life’s greatest gifts. Is it a duck? An otter? Alien? Probably all three. It’s best to not ask any questions and just enjoy this strange creature for what it is. Do you have a favorite video from the past? Let us know in the comments and make sure to join us every Thursday as we continue to dig deeper into our archives and explore the world of Wimp. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/throwback-thursday-australias-animals/
Listening to a good song can make any job go by faster. For this joyful crepe man, hearing “Love Is In The Air” gets the groove going and puts a little extra spring in his pancake game. Once he starts whistling, you know whoever ordered this crepe is in for a treat. Love is in the air, and it’s going right into this preparation. You’re a master of crepes sir. We salute you. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/crepe-man-loves-making-crepes/
The relationship between a person and their dog is a wonderful thing. They provide emotional support, exercise, and companionship. A good dog can keep your feet and your heart warm, but in Madeline Sharafian’s lovely short “Omelette” a good dog can do much more. He can save your dinner from being ruined after a long hard day. Sharafian has worked for both Pixar and Cartoon Network, and her bright sense of storytelling shines throughout the wonderfully absurd world of “Omelette.” In a perfect world, we’d all have a dog like this. It’s not a perfect world, but it’s a little bit brighter knowing “Omelette” is around to bring a little light to the day. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/omelette-good-dog/
The sand mandala is a very important part of Tibetan Buddhist tradition. The custom involves the meticulous creation of a sand mandala followed soon after by its deconstruction. It is meant to symbolize the transitory nature of life according to Buddhist beliefs. This sand mandala was created at the Urban Dharma in Asheville, North Carolina. Each mandala has a mantra associated with it, the mantra for the one being constructed in this video is “Om Mani Padme Hum.” It is a mantra of compassion. If you watch the video carefully you can see the mantra pop up subliminally at many points through the video. In total it shows up 108 times. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/sand-mandala-time-lapse/
With March just around the corner, winter is slowly drawing to an end. While most of us are probably glad to see an end to the cold and the snow, one man who probably wants the snow to stick around is British artist Simon Beck. He’s created a brand new style of art by creating giant, stunningly gorgeous geometric designs in the snow using nothing but his feet. Beck graduated from the prestigious Oxford University, but left his office job in order to become a cartographer. He’s also an avid outdoorsman and an expert at orienteering, a sport which involves using a map and compass to quickly navigate point-to-point in unfamiliar terrain. He got the idea of drawing a design in the snow after a day of skiing in 2004. He’s had a fascination with geometric designs since childhood, and the hobby became a way for him to indulge that interest while also getting plenty of exercise – all that walking in circles totals up to nearly 20-25 miles per drawing! Since the first one in 2004, he makes around 30 of these gorgeous designs every winter, usually somewhere in the Alps. He says that the challenge comes from having to start. Although his method technically only requires a compass and some step counting (and some snow shoes), his skills as a former mapmaker and orienteer definitely help. His works are truly stunning endeavors, from both an artistic and an athletic standpoint. H/T: Great Big Story Read more: http://www.wimp.com/artist-draws-huge-murals-in-snow-with-just-feet/
Kittens aren’t always the best roommates. They claw up the furniture, make odd smells, and leave you gifts in the form of dead bugs. One energetic kitten has figured out how to help around the house and his incredible skills should get him noticed by the NBA. As its owner tosses laundry into the hamper this furry little Dikembe Mutombo wanna-be launches into the air, grasping each piece in its claws and bringing them back to earth. This sort of passionate defense stands as an inspiration to all future players. The wall jump :38 seconds in should make the Sports Center Top 10 Plays, but since this is a kitten they probably won’t give it a mention. We’ll do it for them. Good job kitten. Protect the basket. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/kitten-laundry-defense/
Jordan Smith perfectly captures why The Voice has quickly become America’s go-to source for impressive vocal performances. He’s already wowed the judges during his blind audition with an ambitious cover of Sia’s “Chandelier” and is quickly becoming this season’s fan favorite. With ringing endorsements from all four judges who know their stuff, there’s no reason not to tune in for Smith’s performances. This past Monday, during one of the program’s “Knockout” rounds, the 21-year-old from Kentucky delivered a masterful cover of “Set Fire to the Rain” by Adele. With all the buzz surrounding her new single, there was a lot of pressure to do the song justice. By the time he’s finished singing, not only did he do the song justice, but there’s no doubt that Jordan Smith could go on to win the entire season. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/jordan-smith-voice-knockout-performance/
Over 7.6 million animals are surrendered to animal shelters in America each year. It’s a startling statistic to come to terms with, and many don’t understand how dire the situation is for these animals. Many of them are the victims of abuse, but many more are given up by their owners when they are no longer wanted. Sadly, only a small minority eventually go on to find forever homes. This is why it’s so strongly encouraged that everyone looking to add a pet to their family considers adopting rather than buying from a pet store. The Marin Humane Society in Novato, California recently received two dogs that were extremely frightened of everyone they came into contact with. It was only after some examination that they discovered that the female, thought to be a Chihuahua mix, had recently given birth and was cowering due to being separated from her pups. Refusing to move away from the corner of her room, workers feared for the mental well-being of this mother, and the safety of her pups. Knowing that the puppies were too young to be separated from their mom, employees managed to track down the previous owner and convince them to surrender the puppies as well. Once they are old enough, the Marin Humane Society plans to find a caring home for each of these puppies and their parents. In the meantime, just look at the reaction of this frightened mother when she is reunited with her puppies. H/T: Marin Humane Society Read more: http://www.wimp.com/mom-pup-wont-trust-until-reunited-with-puppies-humane-society/
What’s your favorite part of a song? Is it the final note or the journey you take to reach that note? Thinker Alan Watts views life like music. Rather than going through existence only looking forward to an end goal, he suggests that maybe we should slow down and enjoy the music of life that surrounds us every day. After all, wouldn’t you hate to discover when your life’s song has reached its end that you rushed through the piece and never took the time to appreciate what was happening around you while it played? Give Alan Watts a listen and make some time to reflect on the music of your life. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/living-life-like-music/
The introduction of the Internet revolutionized the home cooking experience. Everyone, no matter what skill level, can now find basic step by step instructions that will allow them to cook a full meal if they can commit the time and energy. Ikea is looking towards the future for the next great kitchen innovation, and this concept for a “smart table” has all the makings of a big leap forward. Utilizing light, a smart camera, and pressure sensors within the table itself, the device/eating surface aims to be your all in one kitchen experience. The camera recognizes the ingredients you put on the surface while the pressure sensors use weight to help you make precise measurements when filling cups of ingredients. This information is then projected onto the table’s surface via a smart light projector that tracks your hand movements. While this concept is still many years off from being a reality, it’s interesting to see where the technologies today are being reimagined into the household helpers of tomorrow. Ikea says this is a concept for a table in 2025. If that’s the case, the future can’t come soon enough. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/ikea-future-kitchen-table/
