The Planting and Harvesting of Cupcakes, from the Archives

Originally posted 5.29.2007

Kickstarter, RooftopFilms and Park Slope Brooklyn last night

A great event took place last night on a rooftop overlooking Brooklyn, put on by my Lower East Side neighbors Kickstarter (very cool funding group for amazing projects! check them out!) and RooftopFilms.. nice for the combined reason it let me watch great film and eat Cowgirl vegan cupcakes! (These were so good btw!! Their Kickstarter campaign is still underway so check it out :))

I watched great artist's work on an amazing rooftop of an old factory,

and wandered my old neighborhood earlier in the eve!

I had not been back to in ages and it has greatly changed, but that's the way it goes. A great time was had by all :)
More pix on Twitpic and Flickr!

Cake is Calorie Free Today!

It is!!!! ;)





Its my b-day (no joke!) and I say so that's why! No joke! ;) Have a Great April Fool's Day!

Red Velvet

A Colorful World

Happy Birthday Amy!

Spidey

Town of Mysterious Spaces

Look again.. what do you think you see?




Slobo MG_9957
Originally uploaded by Astrologue63.


Check out his whole beautiful set here

Stray Pet's Birthday Celebration Sept 1!

Happy Birthday Pixel
Originally uploaded by pia+alfeinar.

A birthday for stray pets, Cathy Nilbett

LIFE without a family means stray cats and dogs don't get much attention.
But the Lort Smith Animal Hospital, which re-homes thousands of stray animals each year, and the Animal Welfare League are hoping to change this with a Strays Birthday event.
The North Melbourne hospital is encouraging people to celebrate the birthday of stray pets on September 1 and hopes to raise $200,000 to help them continue re-homing and caring for stray pets.

"People who re-home strays don't have a birthday for their pet, but now they do," said Lort Smith Animal Hospital chief executive officer Ric Holland.
Mr Holland said pets improved the quality of life of their owners.

"Pets are vital to the community. We know pet owners live longer, are healthier and kids with pets do better at school," he said.
Photo: Lort Smith's animal management officer, Penny Meye, with two Jack Russell terriers seeking homes. PICTURE: Glenn Daniels

Read the article here. If you'd like to help, register at the Stray's Birthday Home Page!
And remember it's Cupcake Day for the Rutherford RSPCA! I love these ideas to help animals around the world and in your neighborhood :)

ellie and the cupcake
Originally uploaded by chromatophobe.

Hairy Insects Use Bubble "Lungs" to Stay Underwater

Hundreds of insect species, including the water boatman seen above, use a thin layer of air trapped around their bodies to breathe underwater.

LOL Spooky and wild but why can't we humans do this? We think we are so advanced but have to hold our breath or wear big bulky tanks to go underwater. Would be cute to travel underwater in a bubble, just keep the sharp pointy shark teeth away! :)


Of the hundreds of insect species that rely on air bubbles to dive underwater, some can use the bubbles like external lungs to stay submerged for long periods, according to new research that describes how insects manage the feat.
Scientists have known since the 19th century that when aquatic insects dive underwater, they trap an air layer similar to a thin bubble around their bodies and use this air supply to breathe.
The new study is the first to describe exactly how the insects' air layers work, said Steven Vogel, a biology professor at Duke University who was not involved with the paper.

"You might say, with only mild hyperbole, that our understanding [of the bubbles] is now complete," Vogel said.
When aquatic insects dive, the layer of air forms between their waxy body surfaces and their rough covering of hairs.

The bubble is held to their hairs by surface tension, the same force that allows a leaf to float on a pool of water.
Air pressure inside the bubble is less than that of the surrounding water, allowing oxygen to flow into the air layer and then into the insect's body via spiracles—small openings that ultimately connect to its bloodstream.
For some insects, gases are exchanged across the bubble's surface, with oxygen being absorbed from the surrounding water while carbon dioxide is expelled.
Such a system allows the bugs to submerge indefinitely, said study co-author Morris Flynn of the University of Alberta.
Read the whole article here

Soft Sweets

I would probably be halfway through a box before realizing... :)

soft sweets
Originally uploaded by Willowpoppy.

Cupcake Day for the RSPCA, Australia 8/18

What a great idea! It's something that would be fun to do all over the world to help the pets who need help and homes. If you are in the area bake up a few cupcakes to help and check out the fun ones others have already made here.

The RSPCA Rutherford staff are grabbing cupcake ingredients, dusting off their chef’s hats and starting their mix masters, all for the sake of the animals.
Cupcakes represent yummy treats to most people and therefore the RSPCA Rutherford has decided to create its first cupcake day to support the valuable work at the shelters.
All over the State people will be baking up a storm to support the RSPCA’s shelters.
Schools, businesses and neighbourhoods are being urged to get together to bake cupcakes, sell them and donate the proceeds to the RSPCA shelters.

Rutherford RSPCA shelter cupcake day is on Monday August 18, 2008 from 9.30am to 12.30pm.

Tea, coffee and cupcakes will be available to buy at the shelter and all proceeds will go towards the RSPCA.

“It is the first time we will hold the event so it should be really good,” leading hand and behaviourist Ms Sharon Morris said.

The RSPCA receives less than two per cent of its funding from the Government, the rest is donations, grants and the generosity of local supporters.
Donations to the RSPCA go towards the treatment and care of sick animals, the operation of the shelters, and the work of the RSPCA inspectors, community education programs and increasing animal welfare legislation and standards.
For more information or to register for cupcake day, fill in the entry form at www.rspcacupcakeday.com.au

Spooky Saturday, Ring Around

Click the last two pix, one for a beautiful art book and the other for a very spooky news story.

With Sugar On Top