The Black Seeds

Here at SuperForest we love seeds…a lot. And with the Millennium Seed Bank Coalition in full swing, I thought it would be an appropriate time to drop some crazy seed knowledge while at the same time sharing a family secret. Here it goes!!!

I proudly present to you, Black Caraway Seeds (or as we simply call them in my family…black seeds).



The seeds appear pretty normal but the reality behind their meager appearance is that they are actually very powerful. To commence our Black Seed Informative Tour we are going to go back in time. Here are a few facts...

1.Black seeds were discovered in Tutankhamen's tomb. This implies that it may have played an important role in ancient Egyptian practices or at the very least, was important enough for them to take with them to the afterlife.

2. Dioscoredes, a Greek physician of the 1st century, recorded that black seeds were taken to treat headaches, nasal congestion, toothache, and intestinal worms.

3. The many uses of black seed has earned for this medicinal herb the Arabic approbation habbatul barakah, meaning "the seed of blessing."

So history is trying to tell us that these little guys were important and that they can be used to treat wide variety of ailments. How amazing! Nature is so kind to provide us with such incredible gifts. A lot of scientific studies have been conducted and also validate the awesome power of the black caraway seed. Studies show that the black seeds help strengthen the immune system, inhibits histamine release, contains anti-tumor properties, fights bacteria, and works as an anti-inflammatory. Now I know what you’re thinking;this sounds too good to be true, does it work? I can only respond to this by saying I cannot remember the last time I had a cold (knock on wood).



So here comes the family secret: next time you are feeling a little under the weather, try this.

1. Go to your local market and buy a bag of these black seeds, if you know of a Mediterranean foods store try them, there is a much higher chance they carry these seeds.

2. Take a pinch of these seeds, just a pinch is all you will be eating (trust me, the seeds pack quite a punch, you won’t want to eat too much)

3. Place the seeds in your mouth and chew the seeds up really well. (This is the part where things get to get a little gross, you see, black caraway seeds are notoriously bitter. They don’t taste really good but hey, neither does medicine. You wanna get better don’t you?)

4. Swallow (probably the hardest part but trust me, it will all be worth it)

That’s it! Easy as that, take it a couple times a day and you’ll start to feel better straight away. The one thing that is important to keep in mind is that you must take the seeds right when you start to feel you’re coming down with something, if you take it when you are in the thick of symptoms, well, you might be a little too late.

And there you have it; a potential cure for the common cold. You read it here on SuperForest. In celebration, here is a lovely jam by a little band from New Zealand called…The Black Seeds (surely these lads knew the power of the black seeds when choosing their band name).

SuperForest wishes you all a very healthy 2009! Go on with your bad selves.

-C

(Here's some more info on the black caraway seed.)

The Importance of Brain Hydration

I had never heard of the British 1960s television series Thunderbirds and I can't even remember the last time I heard Snap's "Rhythm is a Dancer" but I have known for quite a while about how important it is to keep our brains hydrated. It was always a fact that would float around in the back of my head but after watching this drench water advertisement, it was snapped back to my consciousness.

Thanks Brains for that excellent demonstration. I can only wish to someday have dance moves that slightly resemble yours. Maybe I'll start drinking more water.

Chad VanGaalen Love!

I’ve recently discovered the sweet sweet tunes of Chad VanGaalen and can’t get enough of them! Here are a few tracks for you to start your week out in style.

Hot Red Drops

Clinically Dead

The music itself is splendid but I totally flipped when I learned VanGaalen is responsible for creating those lovely animations and their surrealist vibes too.

To learn more of the groovy VanGaalen, check out his website here!

Love to all,

C

First 3-D Fly-Through of a Supernova Remnant

Ever wanted to see what a 3-D flight through a star that exploded around 330 years ago looks like? Well now you can.

The combined technologies of three of NASA’s observatories have provided us with this little beauty.

Her name is Cassiopeia A, and a turquoise dot in the middle of the orb is the only remnant of this now dead star. The outer shell represents the rest of the scattered remains. 3-D imaging technology has now provided astronomers and dreamers a fantastic trip through the supernova remnant. Take a look!

The universe is awesome…awe some!

(Read about it on National Geographic. Image found here.)

Forever Young: Bob Dylan

Paul Rogers is an illustrator, and oh what an illustrator he is! Here are a few examples of his work.

And one of my personal favorites…

This past October, a children’s book by the incredible Bob Dylan was released featuring the illustrations of Mr. Rogers. It is a book based off of Dylan’s 1974 classic “Forever Young” and the combination of the heart felt lyrics and the amazing illustrations make for a jaw dropping book.

In his blog, Paul Rogers describes the challenge in illustrating a book that takes on one of Dylan’s most loved songs. He explains that he attempted to bring elements from Dylan’s personal life background and his other songs in order to create a book that children, adults, and Bob Dylan fans in general, would enjoy.

I’d say he was very successful in doing just that.

Thanks Paul for such wonderful images and a big thank you to Mr. Dylan for such wonderful words. Words that will never cease to uplift and inspire me.

May you stay forever young,
Carla

Lego Anatomy

An image by Jason Freeny that made me giggle...

Very useful in case you were wondering what our plastic friends look like on the inside.

(found it on nerdcore via ffffound)

Street Art: Roadsworth!

This is Peter Gibson:

And this is some of his artwork:

That’s right SuperForest; we’ve got another street artist for you! This one is coming to us straight from Montreal and his thought provoking artwork over in Canada has caused quite a stir. He began his work with one simple goal in mind, create more bike lanes. This goal would later evolve into somewhat of a movement. Gibson explains,

“As my personal artistic process evolved, political concerns were eclipsed by artistic ones and I often felt more inspired by the process than I did by the message I was trying to convey. Marshall Mcluhans famous quote "the medium is the message" is significant in this regard. The ubiquitousness of the asphalt road and the utilitarian sterility of the "language" of road markings provided fertile ground for a form of subversion that I found irresistible. I was provoked by a desire to jolt the driver from his impassive and linear gaze and give the more slow-moving pedestrian pause for reflection. The humourlessness of the language of the road not to mention what I consider an absurd reverence for the road and "car culture" in general made for an easy form of satire. In the spirit of Marcel Duchamps, all I had to do was paint a mustache on the Mona Lisa so to speak, to introduce a glitch in the matrix. A matrix made up in part by a worldwide network of roads and an ever-growing fleet of humans encased in steel carapaces, hurrying about like molecules in the body of an insatiable machine.”

Exciting! Some smart cats decided that his artwork was so astonishing, it had to be shared with a wider audience and as a result, they made a documentary about him. This documentary has been floating around several film festivals. Here’s a little demo.

What a mind blowing artist! Now of course much of what Peter Gibson was doing was quite illegal (he received quite a bit of heat from the law) but a lot of his artwork brings to mind simple yet important questions; questions on freedom of expression and to what extent that freedom holds true in public space. Gibson writes,

Although we thankfully don’t live in a totalitarian society (some would argue this point) there is nevertheless an underlying assumption that to have a voice in the public realm requires money, property or political influence. Some would say that relinquishing barriers to public expression is to invite anarchy but I would argue that a certain form of anarchy already exists: corporate anarchy. Not that I think that marketing or advertising is wrong. The exchange of goods and services is obviously an essential facet of the human experience but not the only one and I feel the common space should reflect a greater diversity of expression.

Interesting, do you have any thoughts on this or on street art in general? We’d love to hear them!

Have a great weekend!


(Learned about Roadsworth on Drawn! Peter Gibson photograph found here.)

Architects of a New Dawn

On December 31, 2008, guitarist and world renown musician Carlos Santana launched a new website called "Architects of a New Dawn". Snazzy title no? This incredible website was designed to create "a global network featuring uplifting and positive media". Sounds very SuperForesty if you ask me! I'll let Mr. Santana explain:

"…there is definitely enough love and resources to go around. I have wondered over the years when this could be realized and who would be the ones to do it. Today, I am convinced more than ever that this is the time and that we are the ones we have been waiting for – generations of conscious beings from all walks of life with the courage, communications, and know how to change the world for the better.

We are the Architects of A New Dawn and this is what we came here to do."


Check out this oh so inspiring video!

What a wonderful project, click around the site, it holds many treasures worth discovering. Many thanks to Carlos Santana and friends for taking the initiative to spread such awe inspiring messages.

Keep it Fresh,

Carla

I need a seven letter word for AWESOME!

The lovely Ukrainian city of Lvov holds what can be argued as the world's most amazing crossword puzzle. Take a look!

This piece of work is around 30 meters (100 feet) tall and is located on the side of one of their residential buildings. But that's not all! The questions corresponding to this crossword are located all over the city (fountains, park benches, etc.). And then, when one has finished adventuring around the city and writing down their answers...

they can check those answers and watch them light up in the evening! Fun!

(Found it here through designboom)

Happy New Year From Electrabel

Wowza! A group of cool cats over at Famous created this awesome New Year greeting for the Electrabel Company.

It took 30,000 candles and 20 animators to make this baby. Here’s a video on how they did it!

Truly Awesome! Here's to a bright future! (Haha I bet you didn’t see THAT coming did ya?)

(Image found on flickr through Booooooom!)

How to Tell if Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You

Howdy SuperForesters!

Matthew Inman created this helpful “How to” guide on how to better understand the actions (and motivations behind those actions) of our furry friends. Check it out, here are some signs to look out for just in case you have always been wondering if your cat is plotting a treasonous plan to dispose of you. Apparently, this is something a lot of people out there stay up all night worrying about so I hope this helps.

Thanks Matthew, I don't have a cat but next time I encounter one I'll be sure to look out for these signs. You can never be too careful. The complete guide can be found here!

Have a Lovely Day!

-C

A Living Legend

SuperForester Maya and I just did a bit of research and have discovered the profound significance of the image displayed on the T-Shirt Julius posted earlier today. According to Islamic tradition, a “Buraq” is a miraculous steed that descends from the heavens to transport prophets. It is said that the biblical patriarch Abraham was carried from Syria to Mecca to visit his concubine Hagar and his son Ishmael. Later on, the Buraq also appeared to take Muhammad on his legendary night journey. During this journey, he traveled from Mecca to the “farthest mosque” in Jerusalem to pray. After this, he was carried up to the heavens where he met Allah and was given instructions on how to follow the Islamic faith. Today, the Buraq is seen as a mythological creature of great significance. So much so, that in countries such as Turkey, the name “Burak” or “Barack” is a common name given to male children.

Initially, we interpreted the T-Shirt Julius shared as a fantastical symbol of the mythological proportions that society has idealized Obama to be. He is depicted as a knight in a shining suit with a snazzy tie leading the country toward a brighter future.


Yes, Barack Obama may be the embodiment of a heroic knight, but we can propose that he is also the carrier (or the Buraq) of the legend itself. President-Elect Barack Obama has always made sure to give credit to his supporters for helping him achieve what some people believed would never happen in their lifetimes. He has even referred to them as “the wind beneath [his] wings”...how fitting!

Abraham Lincoln: Coolest President Ever?

The days before inauguration day are winding down (22 days!) and as the anticipation grows, people are increasingly talking about what President-Elect Obama will bring to the White House. Yes, we expect him to bring his wisdom, visions and plans for a better tomorrow, and his practical leadership skills, but we also expect him to bring that deep sense of “coolness” that we saw throughout the campaign season; a pervading sense of calmness that has deemed him the title of being a smooth operator.

Which brings up a simple question, surely President Obama cannot be the only cool president we’ve ever had…can he?

I went back a few years scoping the 43 presidents we’ve had so far and then I saw him…Abraham Lincoln! I’ve always considered Abraham Lincoln to be one of my favorite Presidents for many reasons but I never exactly thought of him as a cool person…that is, until I saw these…

As you can see, throughout his younger years, Abe rocked edgy long hair and a leather jacket before donning the top hat and a suit.

Also, Abraham Lincoln loved to crank some tunes.

President-Elect Obama, it looks like you’ve got some big shoes to fill. I can’t wait to see how your candidacy will “out-cool” Lincoln’s.

Have a Happy Monday!

(If anyone knows the original geniuses that conjured up these images, let us know because those people deserve mad props.)

DIY: Magic Rose Cube

In spirit of preparing to improve my SuperForest-ness in 2009, I decided to hand craft my mom’s birthday gifts this year. And a part of those gifts included one of these…

A Magic Rose Cube

Now I know what you’re thinking, “What’s so magical about it?” It’s a fair question, at a glance, this may look like an ordinary flower created out of paper but what makes this rose box special is the fact that it transforms!

Here are a couple videos that will help you make on of your own!

Gotta love that accent. Here are two friendly suggestions that will make your lives much easier if you decide to try this out.

1.) Make sure your folds and creases are perfect. I guess this is a given with any sort of origami art but for any beginners out there, it will definitely save you from possible problems.
2.) Don’t use construction paper like I did. The thick paper makes it difficult to fold toward the end.

And there you have it, a magical rose cube. Now, it took me a while and a whole lot of patience (being my first origami creation ever) but I was finally able to complete mine and if I can do it, you can definitely make one too.

(Here’s where you can find the videos and other how to guides that can kick start your own SuperForesty 2009)

Love to All,
Carla

Johnny Kelly's "The Seed"

An excerpt from “The Book of Changes and the Unchanging Truth” by Hua-Ching Ni:

“Long ago, before teachers of any cultural heritage existed, people relied on their own simple minds to develop a system of knowledge and solve the problems in their lives. Living close to nature provided them with their first teacher, great Nature herself. They learned that she provides for, supports and instructs all beings.”

When it comes to studying the laws of nature, you can’t get much more basic than a seed; the topic of Johnny Kelly’s latest animated short in which we follow the magical journey of a single seed. Take a look at the combination of both drawn and paper stop animation!

And if one amazing John Kelly animation wasn't enough for you, here’s another one of his videos titled “Procrastination”.

Amazing videos!! If you are interested in finding more information on the previously mentioned mind altering book, click here!

(videos found via BOOOOOOOM!)

Yoriyos!

A video to warm your winter chilled bones.

It’s called Pied Piper by Yoriyos and honestly, I don’t remember the chain of events that led me to find this video, but I am very glad I found it. Upon conducting some more research, I found his awesome website. Complete with a captivating bio, sample tracks of his album, and even some of his writings, I felt like a wide eyed child in a toy shop. How have I not heard of this guy?!

Here’s a link to his lovely website, take a look around, hope you find it as entrancing as I did. I’m off to the iTunes Music Store.

Modern Twists to the Traditional Menorah

Good Morning Fellow SuperForesters!

Chanukah is in full swing and in the thick of all of the Christmas blogging out there, it’s time we write a post on the Festival of Light, a holiday that’s also being referred to as “the most fuel efficient” (Eight days and one cruse of oil? Those are some serious conservation skills my friends). Yesterday, we learned of the modern twist those in Naples have given to their nativity scenes. In keeping with this theme, I noticed that designboom has recently posted a few modern takes on the traditional menorah. Here are a couple of my favorites.

Match Menorah

MIT’s Test Tube Menorah

It’s great to see what results when creativity and centuries of tradition collide. To see some of the other great menorahs I saw, click here.

With Love,
C

Christmas Nativity Scenes in Naples

Looks like our friends over in Italy know how to rock the holidays in style. Craftsmen in Naples have been creating figurines for Christmas nativity scenes for decades but if you walk through the markets today, you may be surprised to find a few more “modern” figures. This year, it’s all about the political figures. Figures such as Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni have all made a debut but none have matched the excitement over our president-elect Obama.

Fun!

SuperForester Jason Mraz Presents: Merry Holidays

Morning Peeps,

SuperForester Carla just sent me this gem of a video done by our buddy Jason Mraz.


Go out and spread some o' that holiday cheer.

Love,
Spoon

Freddy Wong: Bike Hero on Expert!

This is to go with Carla's Bike Hero post. Freddy Wong out there in youtubeland saw the original Bike Hero and this is his amazing response:

(Warning: The "d-word" is used in the first ten seconds of this vid. ((What's the "d-word"?
Rhymes with "ooshflag."))



Incredible. Go Freddy Wong!