CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-25 06:35:17 (16 comments, 3 reshares, 29 +1s)

Happy birthday, dear +Melissa Bryan

Well all know Melissa as our resident gamer, ginger and tech geek. But, did you know, that she is also a Mutant and it is her birthday?

It's true. Gingers do have special powers and abilities due to some rare genetic mutations. Much like the X-Men, gingers are genetically different to "normal people". Hey. wait, "much like the X-Men"

Redheads have a mutated MC1R gene, which produces a mutated MC1R receptor, also known as the melanocortin-1 receptor. This mutation leads to the special hair colouration, the paler skin and freckles that we know and love - but scientists have found that it also leads to the super-ability to withstand much greater levels of pain than non gingers, mostly by devouring our souls <_< and we damn well like it ! 

But.. I think I saw this image somewhere, let me... more »

2013-05-24 20:17:46 (52 comments, 3 reshares, 69 +1s)

Gruyere Gratinated Mushroom and Ham pane filone a la Betragne

Tonight called for a quick dish, something fresh, savoury and delicious. I had some mushrooms left, onions and lean bacon. After a quick shopping trip, this is what I came up with. Enjoy the slight tartness of lemon marinated mushrooms, combined with the savoury yet smooth taste of the Gruyere and topped with the rich taste of creme fraiche with ham and garlic. 

Serves 1-2

Ingredients

1 pane filone (you can use a French baguette but I find these are too narrow)
4-5 large swiss brown mushrooms, cut into slices
2-3 tablespoons of lean smoked ham / bacon, finely cubed
1/2 medium sized onion, finely minced
5 tablespoons of creme fraiche, seasoned with salt and pepper and mixed with herbs
3-4 slices of savoury cheese, Gruyere 
1 medium sized lemon, juicedmore »

2013-05-24 10:15:14 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 16 +1s)

Abercrombie & Fitch Becomes Attractive & Fat | An Open Letter to Mike Jeffries

2013-05-24 10:07:40 (21 comments, 2 reshares, 36 +1s)

Red Band Trailer - NSFW
I looks like a standard formula comedy at first, but I laughed a couple of times quite hard ;)

2013-05-24 06:21:32 (16 comments, 0 reshares, 38 +1s)

Happy birthday dear +Anna Robertson Davis

my dear friend, Anna celebrates her birthday today and there is a lot about Anna, that makes her special and rather lovable. Anna is among the most kind-hearted persons I know, she is generous, wicked smart, creative, engaging and a huge nerd! (well, actually she is tiny but I am probably not supposed to mention that). Anna is also a wonderful artist with a very unique style that continues to blow me away everytime I see another piece of her art (In fact, I own a piece, my precious)  Ahem, where was I? Right, here, so go on, take a look: http://annardart.com/

But, there is another side to Anna, one the revels in debauchery, high tea, frilly clothing, cakes and cookies, tasty morsels. The side, that lets her ascent the skies in her airship, dressed up in the most shockingly frivolous attire and assuming a different name, Admiral SelmaKi... more »

2013-05-23 16:25:31 (13 comments, 2 reshares, 23 +1s)

American Red Cross for OKC

The +American Red Cross is still accepting blood, platelet and monetary donations at this time for the people affected by the recent tornado in Oklahoma and has offered some fantastic incentives.

To show our appreciation for your lifesaving efforts, donors who present to give during the time periods below will be entered into a raffle to win an American Express gift card *

Memorial Day — May 23 to May 31 — Win 1 of 5 $1,000 gift cards!
Independence Day — July1 to July 15 — Win 1 of 5 $3,000 gift cards!
Labor Day — August 26 to September 9 — Win 1 of 5 $1,000 gift cards!

*Promotional rules apply. For full rules and regulations visit: redcrossblood.org/summerrulesandregs

If you recently made a blood donation, or if you have already scheduled an appointmentto donate bl... more »

2013-05-23 14:55:37 (21 comments, 8 reshares, 41 +1s)

Woe is me - in many, many different forms

For the lovers of obscure lingo, you will find this to be a delightful source of information. 




Via +Jyoti Dahiya and found by Kiril Minanov (whom I cannot tag) in a private share, hence the public new post. 

2013-05-23 09:15:06 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 7 +1s)

This Cooking & Foodie circle is a new one! If you want to be added, follow the simple steps!
add this circle (I can't include you otherwise)
plus this post
share this post publicly
leave a comment you want to be added!

#katherinevucicevicsharedcircle #foodies #sharedcircles #circleshare  

2013-05-22 17:29:01 (20 comments, 7 reshares, 63 +1s)

Love Hurts First Aid

Melanie Chernock, created this nifty set of first response essentials for a broken heart ( I do not have have to insert a wink here, right?) Too bad it is not for sale. 

_Love Hurts was created based on an assignment to make an activity book. I thought it would be more interesting to make a sort of activity kit instead. From there, I came up with the concept of Love Hurts: A first aid kit for a broken heart. Initially, I knew that I did not want to make a kit of sadness and wanted to approach the product with a sense of humor. Love Hurts contains all of the essentials for going through a rough breakup such as dark chocolate, vodka, bubble bath soap, a candle with matches, candy hearts, a mix CD, and, if all else fails, tissues. All of the products come neatly packaged in a compact kit. Unfortunately, the kit is not yet available to purchase. If anyone is... more »

2013-05-22 15:23:50 (34 comments, 4 reshares, 58 +1s)

Blackadder - why you should start

Do you enjoy black humour, sarcasm, witty dialogue or utter nonsense? Brilliant  welcome to the world of Blackadder. What truly made Rowan Atkinson famous, was surely this show. Not the rather, well, simpler Mr. Bean. You will also see a lot of familiar faces throughout the seasons;  Hugh Laurie (Dr. House) or Stephen Fry to name but two.  That said, grab a servant to rest your feet, a potato and if I may say so, Sir Your Moustache Is Lovely.

You ride a horse rather less well than another horse would. Your brain would make a grain of sand look large and ungainly and the part of you that can't be mentioned, I am reliably informed by women around the court, wouldn't be worth mentioning even if it could be.

Watch all episodes. online, on Dailymotion: http://goo.gl/qhurm

#H201306220700   

2013-05-22 05:41:36 (99 comments, 3 reshares, 76 +1s)

I mean, really.
It makes it so fun to chase a comment box.

2013-05-21 10:34:29 (33 comments, 1 reshares, 18 +1s)

Did Google Plus Search change its algorithm for looking up posts by hashtags?

Just before, as I looked up posts associated with the #sundayclassics tag, posts without that hashtag showed up also. Although subject related (in this case 'classical music'), that's not what I expected (nor hoped for), actually. Searches with other hashtags confirmed this behaviour.

Not having noticed this before, I guess this might've been introduced along with the most recent #googleplusupdate .

Edit: Excellent tip from +Dirk Reul added:
Remove the leading hash character from your seach term may do the trick!

2013-05-21 09:51:23 (34 comments, 2 reshares, 38 +1s)

For my slightly OCD friends

Have a moment of Zen :)

via +Lucia Segura in a limited post (hence the new share)

2013-05-21 07:46:08 (30 comments, 6 reshares, 54 +1s)

Ballroom Luminoso

I adore these pieces, form and light combined with skill and an eye for beauty on multiple layers. 

is a series of six brilliantly lit, color changing chandeliers. Drawing from the formal elegance of the freeway underpass and the cultural currents of the surrounding neighborhoods, the piece transforms a forgotten space into one that connects the community.

Each globe contains a custom-designed LED light fixture, which casts sharply detailed overlapping shadows. The chandeliers paint the underpass with complex color patterns and ethereal lighting thereby refashioning the space into a majestic ballroom-cum-shadow theater. Melding grandeur with a sense of neighborhood rejuvenation, the sculptures weld recycled bike parts into refined forms.

The installation can currently be seen in  San Antonio, Texas. 

Find out more about theins... more »

2013-05-19 15:45:45 (30 comments, 7 reshares, 50 +1s)

Having a serious Spock boner right now.

h/t +Rugger Ducky 

2013-05-19 14:48:27 (9 comments, 9 reshares, 55 +1s)

2013-05-19 14:40:19 (79 comments, 2 reshares, 80 +1s)

Coq au Vin on Roasted Garlic Potato Mash - Doing it French Style

Classic dishes are a favourite of mine. Some of the classics have been perfected over time and I enjoy the old time flavour this brings. This time, I went for a classic of the French cuisine; Coq au Vin, I did change it a bit to suit my own tastes and to use available ingredients, but the seemingly simple, yet complex layered flavours of dry red wine, vegetables and herbs, combined with garlic and the savoury bacon are just wonderful.

Please note that this does involved quite a few steps one day in advance, but I enjoy the meticulous approach to this dish :)


Ingredients

Coq au Vin
10-15 Shallots
3-4 chicken thighs and legs, or 1 or a whole chicken, cut into pieces
200g / 7 ounces of thick bacon, cubed
4 tablespoons water
500g / 18 ounces of Swiss... more »

2013-05-19 06:41:36 (19 comments, 7 reshares, 29 +1s)

The Dark Game of Hobbit Knight Thrones

A violinist's brilliant tribute to the best film scores of this decade. This'll give you goosebumps. Plug-in your headphones and enjoy the ride.

#thedarkknight   #thehobbit   #gameofthrones  

2013-05-18 18:24:40 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 10 +1s)

Circles Everywhere!

Over the past couple of days I have been shared in some really awesome circles.  It reminded me how long it's been since I shared one of my own.  And with all the new people around, I figured it might be helpful.  

These 200 lovely plussers were chosen by google's magic as being the most relevant to me (minus a few pages and the people who don't use G+).  I went through them and can assure you that these are all top notch characters (well, mostly :p).  They definitely make google+ the amazing place that it is.  Just, be prepared for shenanigans.  

If you were notified, you are in the circle.  I don't ever notify, so hopefully you guys don't mind this one.

2013-05-18 08:37:20 (37 comments, 6 reshares, 44 +1s)

Trek Wars

I love these Star Wars and Trek mashup cookies :) 

Tribble-Chewbacca is genius! 

via 
http://www.klickitatstreet.com/2013/05/boldly-go-and-may-fourth-be-with-you.html

2013-05-17 15:31:36 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

Star Stuff Circle
"We are all connected: To each other, biologically; To the earth, chemically; To the rest of the Universe, atomically."  - Neil Degrasse Tyson

...And through G+, algorithmically. Thanks for the relevance. If you're new to G+, this is a pretty good circle if you want to liven up your stream or you're in the mood to pop a blood vessel or two. IJS. Have a happy Friday.

#sharedcircles   #publicsharedcircles   

2013-05-17 15:01:17 (8 comments, 2 reshares, 42 +1s)

Korean Sticky, Sweet, and Spicy Chicken Legs

http://chowdivine.com/korean-sticky-sweet-and-spicy-chicken-legs

One of my favorite dishes of all time :)

#recipe   #dairyfree   #korean   #chicken   

#foodfriday curated by +Natty Netsuwan +D. DeMonteverde +Jenn Oliver and +Moon Lee

2013-05-13 20:13:09 (2 comments, 3 reshares, 21 +1s)

Clear, Unambiguous Statement About the Missing Posts
+Yonatan Zunger has stepped in and made this clear and unambiguous statement about the issue with missing posts that so many of us have been experiencing in recent weeks.

(Source: plus.google.com/103697368260407276883/posts/bDj7QsPEurA)

2013-05-13 17:40:06 (100 comments, 7 reshares, 80 +1s)

Rosemary Potato Pizza with sweet Onions and Feta - Earthy delights

Because I have to atone for my food-fail of the weekend, I wanted to make something quick and easy that I can also eat tomorrow. A pizza dough can be made many way, I went for the really easy one described here: http://goo.gl/kktwG enough for about 1 baking try if rolled out thinly.

The topping is catering to my personal tastes, I love feta, red onions, Rosemary and potatoes. Combining them with a bit of Ricotta, freshly ground black pepper and extra virgin olive oil, creates a simple yet delightful dish bringing the mediterranean into my dreary and overcast German day.

This will easily feed 3 grownups :)

Ingredients

(without pizza dough)
150 g / 2/3 cup of Ricotta cheese
3-4 waxy potatoes
300 g / 2 cups of feta cheese
3-4 red onions or a mix of... more »

2013-05-13 17:01:34 (41 comments, 1 reshares, 23 +1s)

Good morning, all!

First of all my apologies for having notified you. Let me explain:

I have been noticing for a while now that I don't see as many posts as I should see, given that I have 415 people in my circles. I checked this this morning. I saw the same ol' posts that I had plussed hours ago after maybe 5 new posts. Given that G+ is the home of people from all over the world where in every hour at least someone is awake and posting on G+, there should be a high influx of new posts every minute or so.

I went to the profiles of some of you and noticed there that, depending on how prolific a poster you are, I only saw every 3rd to 5th post of you, and as the circles are sorted by relevancy (not mine obviously), the profiles I have checked out so far are only the ones of the people on the top of my biggest circle. I will continue to visit your profiles, each... more »

2013-05-12 07:45:13 (48 comments, 0 reshares, 54 +1s)

No food post this weekend due to own stupidity

Checking not only once, but twice that you have all the ingredients. Only to realise that in fact you are missing other vital ingredients that you cannot substitute and you just cannot buy on a Sunday in Germany because shops are closed and those cannot be had at a gas station makes me just want to.. gah! 

I will make a food post this week to make up for it. Now, I will go and pout. 
I feel like there should be a series of pictures with signs like for the dog shaming, only .. for cooking. <_<

#sosorry   #yesIshouldknowbetter   #sorryrosenocaketoday  

2013-05-11 15:57:48 (2 comments, 5 reshares, 37 +1s)

Love this idea!

h/t +Gloria Bass 

2013-05-10 22:02:24 (11 comments, 4 reshares, 31 +1s)

Happy birthday dear +Mara Mascaro

Let it be known, that today is the day of happy returns for 
+Mara Mascaro. Join me in wishing Mara a happy birthday. 

So, why exactly, is Mara such a wonderful friend? Well, why not start with her big heart? Her generosity when it comes to bringing a smile to others. Mara goes out of her way, to spread love all over the world. Touches so many hearts and always manages to surprise me. We can talk about movies, shows, wine, games, photography and all kinds of things. But what I most like about Mara, is the she is simply who she is, she does not pretend to be anything but herself and that, is all of what Mara is, is wonderful. 

Happy birthday my dear friend, this is but a prelude, the real gift may still take a while as the little house elfs are not really up to speed and it takes a while to travel to Milan from the UK. Havea won... more »

2013-05-10 08:19:54 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 9 +1s)

Here is the edited video of the Hangout with Jim Butcher.

We spend a half-hour discussing his Dresden Files series. I made it through most of the questions submitted by the community. If you have time to watch it, please feel free to let me know what you think.

Next week: Chuck Wendig!

2013-05-09 09:01:23 (26 comments, 5 reshares, 81 +1s)

The largest ice-caves in the world

I showed these yesterday to +Andrea Evans because she will be going to Austria soon, I figured why not share this with all of you. If you are in Austria near Salzburg, I truly consider this to a place you have to visit to see the wonders of this formation: 

Cave formation:

The Eisriesenwelt is a labyrinth of caves with a total length of over 40 km. As is the case with all caves, their formation spans a long period of time. The first cracks and crevices in the limestone appeared during the elevation of the mountains approx. 100 million years ago and over the course of thousands of years became more developed and extended as a result of chemical reactions and water erosion. Caves in the alps are still developing, although in many cases the process of drying out has limited their development.

Ice in the caves:
more »

2013-05-09 07:44:50 (14 comments, 2 reshares, 15 +1s)

Yes, this was the 80s, this is also the trailer to the Far Cry 3 expansion: Blood Dragon

the sheer epic level of 80's tropes in this is beyond belief. Watch in 240p full screen for the full 80's experience. Well, or 720p because it will hurt slightly less. Also, also, Flying sharks with laser eyes !!! 

2013-05-09 07:27:26 (8 comments, 3 reshares, 27 +1s)

Oscillate

This, is beautiful. Simply stunning, watch it in the dark, possibly with headphones. I could have watched for quite a while longer. 

 Daniel Sierra created this piece for this thesis. 

"Oscillate" is the title of my thesis animation done at the MFA Computer Art program in the School of Visual Arts located in New York City.

My goal with "Oscillate" was to visualize waveform patterns that evolve from the fundamental sine wave to more complex patterns, creating a mesmerizing audio-visual experience in which sight and sound work in unison to capture the viewer's attention."


Read more about it on: 
http://dbsierra.com/Work/Oscillate/

2013-05-08 15:46:02 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 15 +1s)

The Vein / Magma
Direction & Art Direction by Dvein
Full credits on the videos page:
https://vimeo.com/64542506

Humanity and paint as one grand landscape. This is a sensationally well executed music video. If you're looking for a little kick of inspiration for a day of drawing and painting… watch. :)

Check out the making of: https://vimeo.com/65546038

2013-05-04 09:33:07 (28 comments, 8 reshares, 62 +1s)

I might hand these out to people as awards at work.

2013-05-04 08:19:00 (6 comments, 3 reshares, 18 +1s)

Saturday morning feels

Oh my god, this makes to much sense now.. and is actually a really good song. 
But, who did let the dogs out? What happened to them? I am so conflicted and torn apart now. 

2013-05-04 08:17:09 (83 comments, 0 reshares, 35 +1s)

musings on a Saturday morning

Just how gullible am I? Did I really just buy crisps just because the women are carrying pigs? Will I actually try these ? Should I? 

2013-05-04 07:54:21 (13 comments, 6 reshares, 29 +1s)

Brigands, Nerds and Dread Pirates

+Chet Phillips created these beautiful pieces based on the quotes of beloved characters from movies and tv. 

+Scott Cramer shared the one about one of my all time favourite movies, The Princess Bride  (go read the novel as well!), yet, there is more! 

You can find the entire set on Chet's blog: http://chetart.com/blog/
and you can actually buy these and more, in his shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChetArt

2013-05-04 07:25:57 (44 comments, 0 reshares, 14 +1s)

For those of you who don't know, I run another community called Urban Fantasy Fans. That community is not a writing community. It's for fans. That being said, I did want to let all of you folks know about some upcoming interviews I'll be doing for that community.

Upcoming Interviews for Urban Fantasy Fans Community

Thursday May 9th at 9 PM (Eastern) we will be talking to Jim Butcher.

Thursday May 16th at 9 PM (Eastern) we will be talking to Chuck Wendig.

Thursday June 6th at 7 PM (Eastern) we will be talking to Kevin Hearne.

If you're not a member of the Urban Fantasy Fans community, you can still join. Here's a link to the community page: http://goo.gl/ouudw

Also, I do want to let you folks know that I'm going to try to get some of these folks to do interviews for this community too.

2013-05-03 14:32:29 (93 comments, 3 reshares, 95 +1s)

Sunken Apple Cake

It doesn't really get a lot simpler than this. Then again, some of the best things in life, are simple things. I craved cake today, I had apples so I made a quick and simple cake I enjoyed when I was a wee lad back in the days.

It is wonderful warm or cold, with coffee or tee, with a dash of whipped cream or like I enjoy it, with a bit of icing sugar on top. I have greatly reduced the sugar compared to the old recipe I got from my grandma.

Ingredients

2-3 Elstar apples (tart and suited for baking)
150g / 2/3 cup of caster sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
120g / 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
3 medium eggs, separated
250 g / 2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
150 ml /  3/4 whole fat milk
Icing sugar

Make sure the ingredients are... more »

2013-05-01 17:57:10 (39 comments, 21 reshares, 69 +1s)

The Rocky Horror Big Bang Show

The cast of The Big Bang Theory at a Alzheimer's benefit as the cast of the Rocky Horror Picture Show

FTW!

2013-05-01 14:14:24 (5 comments, 2 reshares, 12 +1s)

2013 BEARMAN CHARITY CHALLENGE STARTS TODAY

For every new G+ follower I net till the end of May, I will donate $1 to charity.

Click the link for additional ways to get me to donate money: http://beartoons.com/2013/04/30/bearman-cartoons-charity-challenge-2013/

I donate money for your actions This is the fourth year I have done this. I will donate MY money (up to $1500) when people do different things including following me on G+, Blogging about the challenge, cartoonists including me in their regular strip, adding me to your blog roll, etc.

Plus anyone that donates money in honor of Bearman Cartoons to http://crayons2computers.org, I will match that donation up to $500.

I don't usually ask people to share my posts, but this one will help spread the word on some great causes I am supporting including:

Cincinnati FreeStore Foodbank:... more »

2013-05-01 08:14:38 (84 comments, 6 reshares, 43 +1s)

Oh. my. god. This made me laugh so hard!

Sexy Pool Party

2013-04-30 18:31:03 (17 comments, 2 reshares, 27 +1s)

Happy Birthday +Lacerant Plainer

I'm not saying it's aliens, but it's aliens!


Okay probably not, but this was just too much fun to pass up on.
Have a great day, my friend!



#HappyAlienDayLacerantPlainer

#lpsamazinganimalfacts

2013-04-30 18:30:04 (19 comments, 1 reshares, 45 +1s)

Happy Birthday +Lacerant Plainer

It has been coming for a while now.

our dear friend, +Lacerant Plainer celebrates his birthday today. We know him as the writer of really good flash fiction, (http://www.lacerantplainer.com/) and as one of the people here on Google+, that loves to bring science and news thereof to all of us. Always a gentle fellow and a good sport, a connoisseur of all things geeky and always supportive, fun and in general, just a good alien.

 Please help us and wish him a wonderful birthday, with lots of brilliant new ideas, inspirations and laughter on this joyous day.

 Have a great day, do not let yourself be overwhelmed by the number of birthday wishes (just kidding, I hope you will be totally overwhelmed and that you will love every second of it).

 Especially in his capacity as a writer of fiction, I find myselfreminded of ... more »

2013-04-29 11:27:47 (10 comments, 0 reshares, 33 +1s)

Here we are, you are trending my friend :) 
Happy birthday again , +Chris Mallory ! 

#HappyBugsDayChrisMallory  

2013-04-29 07:00:02 (19 comments, 0 reshares, 39 +1s)

Happy Birthday +Chris Mallory

Let it be known that today is the birthday of Chris, photographer of all things insectoid and general super nice person extraordinaire! If you don't know Chris, get to know him! As him about Llamas and Cheese! Take a look at the beautiful creatures he so diligently photographs and passionately talks about.

 I hope you will have a wonderful day, Chris. May you always find yourself in the place you want to be in your life. Oh and you might also meet the Beetles in the next days.. if you have not already :D

#HappyBugsDayChrisMallory

2013-04-28 09:58:25 (117 comments, 11 reshares, 111 +1s)

Ménage à trois of Fruity Delights - three kinds of Sorbet

Warm and beautiful weather this week prompted me to dust off my ice cream maker and during a conversation with +Carrie Canup, Raspberry and Champagne sorbet came up, so why not? But why stop there? I enjoy all kinds of berries, so I selected complementary yet distinct flavours to create a delightful mix of tangy, fresh, sweet and creamy sorbets. You can easily adjust amounts to make as little or as much as you want. I only created equal amounts for two kinds of sorbet, the blueberry one was only a small portion because I could not find enough high quality blueberries (or frozen ones) when I was shopping, but I will include the full recipe I came up with. I also used Crémant instead of Champagne, frankly there is little difference in my book other than it being a name that can only be used when it is created in the Champagne. Ago... more »

2013-04-27 08:38:31 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 8 +1s)

Attention, Peoples of the Internet!

A question came up about work visas for the US, recently, and we would like to know, for those of you who have gone through the visa process personally:
How easy/difficult was it?
Were there any particular snags that you could give guidance for avoiding?
Any hints and tips?

Thank you for your help!

Also, if you have experience with visas for countries OTHER than the US, I'd most likely be interested in hearing your experiences as well, though it won't be as immediately relevant.

2013-04-26 15:44:56 (17 comments, 2 reshares, 24 +1s)

Craig Turner as finally released a sequel to how to get rid of cats peeing in your yard!!!

Brilliant stuff - worth the watch to the hysterical laughing by viewer at the end.

Mwhahahaha

2013-04-24 17:31:06 (123 comments, 4 reshares, 79 +1s)

I see your bacon +Carrie Canup and I raise you fresh strawberries with whipped cream

#dirkwhipshisfluffyearsbackansforth