Midlife me @3nickg - Tumblr Blog

"My name is Blue Canary, one note spelled L.I.T.E."

Suddenly it makes a lot more sense

I don't know about turning you to stone, isn't she gorgeous? Yes, this is an original model in a wonderful exhibition in Dagenham of all places.

#medusa #Gorgon #model #myth #greek mythology #ray harryhausen #clash of the titans #stop motion #movies #films #classic

After a long break away from the City I finally got to Liverpool Street station today. There I found the last police post on my list in central London. And isn't it a beauty? I suspect that ongoing redevelopment in the area means that it gets quite well looked after.

#police #police post #London #history #quest #TARDIS #not a TARDIS #blue

Lost bear on the tracks at Brighton station

#bear #train #transport #public transport #loss #toys #children #childhood

An unexpected discovery! I didn't know about this one, but it greeted me on a work trip to West London. Suited just outside a very large Metropolitan Police office, I doubt it was originally sited here. Notably this is a Met Police box, rather than City of London Police like most of the other survivors

#TARDIS #police #police box #London #history

I walked past the old New Scotland Yard (head office for the Metropolitan Police) the other day which is now being dismantled for redevelopment. The new New Scotland Yard is now pretty much on the site of the original Scotland Yard and is still called New Scotland Yard. It's a bit confusing.

#architecture #london #police #new scotland yard #symmetry #construction #reflection

discardingimages

snailchicken

book of hours, Bruges ca. 1500

Baltimore, Walters Art Museum, Ms. W.427, fol. 56v

I finally had an excuse to visit Grosvenor Square today to find this police post. It's unloved and has clearly seen better days. It sits just outside the American Embassy. Unusually it still has its original signage, and hosts what was until recently probably a working phone (the receiver is now missing).

#tardis #london #notatardis #police #policepost #telephone #landmark

The British Airways i360 in Brighton, UK. Seen with the gondola on it's descent.

#british airways #i360 #british airways i360 #brighton #reflection #tower #sun #shadow

retrosci-fi

“Portable communications technology in 2001 (by Honeywell!)” ~retro-futurism

3nickg

"Hey, let's stuff some things in a briefcase, they'll never remember this in 2001." Still not a bad guess though

judgeanon

Sure, your church may be cool, but does it have an actual xenomorph gargoyle? ‘cause Paisley Abbey in Scotland does.

Underpass

#underpass #subway #children #tunnel #white #lights #perspective

georgetakei

I’m Indiana Jonesing for this mashup.

Source: Nerdgasm

3nickg

One of a kind BB astromech chases one of a kind 1942 Ford

London winter evening, one day after the solstice

#london #river #river thames #moon #shard #walkie talkie #tower bridge

archiemcphee

Please don’t panic, the Xenomorphs haven’t reached Earth (yet). Today the Department of Awesome Natural Wonders is checking out a fantastically freaky fungus that just happens to look like a freshly hatched alien egg. This otherworldly fungus has an equally awesome name too. Octopus Stinkorn (Clathrus archeri). Native to Australia and New Zealand and also called the Devil’s Finger Fungus, it begins its lifecycle as a sinister gelatinous white orb.

Next the fruiting body bursts forth in the form of four to eight fleshy blood-red arms. These tentacular limbs stretch out to release their facehugger spores as a dark olive-colored mass called a gleba.

This time-lapse video shows the devil’s fingers emerging from their ominous orb:

As its name implies, the mature flesh of the Octopus Stinkhorn is incredibly smelly. It reeks of putrid flesh, which attracts flies and other insects, whose tiny feet end up coated in sticky spores, enabling the fungus to spread and start its nightmarish lifecycle all over again.

A few hours after releasing its spores the fungus will being to disintegrate. But it’s epic rotting odor will linger in the minds of anyone who came near it.

You might be surprised to learn that the Devil’s Finger fungus is completely safe to eat. But safe doesn’t necessarily mean tasty. Considered as a food of last resort by Aborigines, according to Kuriositas the flesh tastes like rancid radish. Yum!

Photos by Dan Hoare, Jose Delgar, CountryMouse13, Steveb68, and the Wikimedia Commons respectively.

[via Nerdist and Kuriositas]

3nickg

I still don't trust it...