Friday Finds 3.18.11

Diana: Caricaturing Qaddafi

Just clicked through a great slideshow on the NYT Lens Blog of Qaddafi-themed street art in Libya. "Like many dictators, Qaddafi carefully controlled how his image was used, often portraying himself as a deity or beloved leader," writes photojournalist Finbarr O'Reilly. I really love how any blank surface can become an instant forum for public opinion. It's also great to see grafitti in places other than the usual suspects (that's you, Brooklyn).

Miyoko: Spanish Castellers by Mike Randolph

I stumbled upon this amazing video by Mike Randolph posted on Architizer that features an old Spanish tradition of teams of "Castellers" (Castle-ers) coming together in Tarragona, Spain, to create not only the tallest human tower of sell-supported individuals but the one that is built then unbuilt most gracefully (that means no falling from the top). Check out the video as well as this set of images on Kuriositas.

Jordan: Cosmonaut Crashed Into Earth 'Crying in Rage'

This is, admittedly, not a Friday afternoon picker-upper. But, it's a fascinating and heartwrenching tale of two friends—Vladimir Komarov and first-man-in-space Yuri Gagarin—a faulty spacecraft, and a terrifying plunge from the cosmos back to earth. Read the rest here, with more in the book Starman: The Truth Behind the Legend of Yuri Gagarin. via @pruned, @marklamster

Aaron: Tree of Life Trailer

Rare is the film director who has the sense and smarts to make only a few movies. And only really good ones. Terrence Malick (Badlands, Days of Heaven, the Thin Red Line, the New World) is one of them and I cannot wait until his fifth movie, Tree of Life, hits theaters. In the meantime I'll just have to keep watching the trailer over and over again.

Jaime: Teddy Bear Skin Rugs by Agustina Woodgate

Amazing: rugs pieced together from the hides of discarded teddy bears. I originally spotted them here, I then found my way over to the artist's website, where she explains: "The rugs not only reference the personal histories of the toy's owners, but investigate the rug as an object organizing and displaying memories and lineages. In Eastern Cultures, the oriental rug centralizes the living space in pattern, operating beyond utility to depict the spiritual and mental world in woven form." They are also super-fun, funny, and colorful.

Meigan: Brilliant Real Estate find in the greater Chicago area

"Ladies and gentlemen, you are such a wonderful crowd, we'd like to play a little tune for you. It's one of my personal favorites and I'd like to dedicate it to a young man who doesn't think he's seen anything good today - Cameron Frye, this one's for you."
-Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

Amanda: Emerson the Baby and the Case of the Frightful Nose Blow

In this Internetly age, funny stuff is seen and digested by the consuming masses almost immediately. So perhaps you've seen this video already and perhaps you are unmoved by its inherent hilariousness. And maybe you just have a cold, dead heart. But I have watched it at least ten times, and I laugh out loud every time. And I continue to be amused.

Dakota: Modern Cat Scratch Letters

It's my cat's birthday this week! It seems like yesterday she was just a tiny little kitten. To celebrate her 1st birthday, I'd love to get her one of these brightly colored modern cat scratch letters from Catworks. It would be a significant aesthetic upgrade from the cardboard post she has now. O for Olive! via design-milk.com