The Civil War has become sort of an abstract event for me.  It’s one of those things that I’ve read about, learned about, researched, etc. – but it doesn’t quite seem real.  It’s too difficult to imagine a time when people in America owned other people, a time when a war was fought in my own country.  I’ve developed a somewhat sterilized, distant notion of the Civil War.

These photos, however, are sobering (and much needed) reminders of just how real it was.  They provide faces, emotions, and settings for all of the facts and figures I’ve read in history books.  They also illustrate what a brutal time it was, and how much violence and suffering occurred.

*Some of the photos below are a bit gruesome, as there are images of fallen soldiers at battles such as Gettysburg and Antietam – but they’re not overly graphic.  For that reason, I think they’re safe for work.

[via TheAtlantic, 2]

This series features photos of the American West in the 1860s and 70s.  It’s basically exactly how I pictured it in my head – vast, dusty, and beautiful.

There is one especially cool photo of a Spanish inscription from 1726 carved into sandstone.  The inscription, for those who care, reads:  By this place passed Ensign Don Joseph de Payba Basconzelos, in the year in which he held the Council of the Kingdom at his expense, on the 18th of February, in the year 1726

[via TheAtlantic]

Basically, the guy shapes a ginormous jawbreaker into a cup by way of a lathe.  It’s not worth watching for the whole 13 minutes, but it’s worth a skim.  The way the colored layers are revealed is kind of cool.

No ink was used in the making of this atlas, as the content is created by way of embossing so the blind could feel their way around.  It was made for children at the New England Institute for the Education of the Blind in Boston, and is pretty awesome.

It’s wild that this is from 1837, I suppose I assumed they didn’t make books for the blind back then.  Let alone atlases.  Perhaps some further reading is in order.

[via DavidRumseyHistoricalMapCollection]

I would’ve never looked at a kitchen strainer and thought “I bet I could use that to make shadow faces.”  But I’m glad Mr. Cordal did, because they’re a good reminder to try and look at things around you in a new and interesting light.  Or in this case, dark.

[via MyModernMet]

I check this guy’s Youtube account from time to time, mainly to see if he’s still alive, and have to admit that there is a part of me that loves all of the homemade weapons he makes.  Understand, though, that this is the same part of me that, as a 7 year old, thought I would have a chance in a street fight against Hulk Hogan if I was just able to get off a couple of strategically placed rabbit punches before he knew what hit him.

Either way, the – err, device – is worth a look.  If nothing else, it will leave you thankful that he isn’t your neighbor.

So this video is sort of what I imagine hanging out with Bill Murray would be like.  It’s funny, although you can never tell if it’s meant to be.

I’m sort of undecided about Wes Anderson overall.  I usually enjoy his work well enough, but to borrow a line from Family Guy, “it insists upon itself.”  Let’s put it this way:  if he didn’t always have Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Hugh Jackman, and the likes in his movies, I’m not so sure I’d watch them as often as I do.  I’ll give Moonrise Kingdom a shot, though.

The trailer for the film is posted below the first video.

This is such a heartwarming project, especially in a world where artists and designers are increasingly concerned with Facebook likes and website page-views, and sometimes they….okay….I lose sight of just how powerful art and design really can be.  The works below are inspiring on so many levels, and have reinvigorated my zeal for all things art and design.

I hope they do the same for you.

[via MyModernMet]

It’s a pretty hilarious concept and photo series, and perhaps the most unflattering (and probably most uncomfortable) way to have your portrait taken.  Though, I sort of feel like anytime I take a picture I look as awkward as these people do, and I don’t have hurricane-force winds hitting me in the face.

The series is called Blow Job, and you can check out more here – but be warned, the page title might be NSFW.

These images manage to make me feel helpless and empowered at the same time, if that’s possible.  Helpless because I realize how little I’m actually able to control about the world around me, but empowered because they remind me that I live in a time where I can access images and information from all over the world without even leaving the (relative) comfort of the chair in my living room.   They also remind me that I need to get to work on building my pinhole camera.

[via Buzzfeed]