finding cain

This massive artwork in Sao Paulo has to be one of the most striking murals I've seen in quite a while. The 1,000-square-meter painting by Mundano was created using 200 kilograms of ashes. According to Reuters , the Brazilian street artist travelled thousands of miles across the country to collect ashes from the Amazon fires. "I'm using evidence of the crime," said Mundano, calling the giant fresco an act of "artivism". "This mural is a protest, a cry for help," he added. "I support fire brigades and also for this fire culture to stop, it's leading us to self-destruction." Great job, Mr. Mundano. We hope this will call the attention to the crisis before our forests are gone.

This is the 82-feet-tall sculpture named The Gesture by Lebanese artist Nadim Karam . It was created using scrap metal from the wreckage following last year's explosion at the Beirut Port, which killed more than 200 people and wounded 6,500 others. The 35-ton statue depicts a giant made of ashes holding out a flower with water flowing from it. It will serve as a memorial to the victims of the blast that devastated the city exactly a year ago today. But, while the massive art piece has been commended for its message, not everyone is happy about it. WATCH: 

With people afraid of taking public transit, cycling is eyed to be the primary mode of transportation for this "new normal." Biking to work makes a lot of sense, but many Filipinos wouldn't do it. The heat is a big deterrent. Air quality is another factor. Bicycle lanes are too narrow. National roads can be truly dangerous. Think about it: even if one survives the heat, pollution, and man-made obstacles, the idea of having to work stinky all day just doesn't sound appealing. Given these situations, how do you promote of a cycling culture in the Philippines? Party-list Representative Ronnie Ong proposed giving incentives for Filipinos biking to work. He said that the government should provide working cyclists with tax perks, extra pay credits, or food vouchers, which should be included in a proposed Bicycle Law that's being pushed in the House of Representatives. Ong cited countries like The Netherlands, which pays their citizens $0.22 for every kilometer cycled f...

Next time you visit your grandmother, be sure to help her clean her house because you never know what kind of treasure you'll find. In this case, the treasure found was a rare Renaissance artwork by Florentine painter Cimabue and it turns out it may be worth up to $6.6 million. Th 13th-century piece, titled The Mocking of Christ , was discovered hanging above a hot plate in a 90-year-old woman's kitchen in France. It is believed to be part of a polyptych—a larger work of painted scenes divided into several panels—which also included the Flagellation of Christ and the Madonna and Child Enthroned Between Two Angels . The painting will go on sale on October 27 at the Actéon auction house in Senlis.

American conservatives are not happy with this picture, which shows Obama in front of a massive Che Guevara mural. The US president was blasted on Twitter and critics have questioned his decision to attend a ceremony staged in front of a Cuban ministry building featuring a five-story representation of the famous Marxist leader. Talking Points Memo has some good stuff .

Everyone loves LEGO . But we know full well that LEGO's products are made of one of the most environmentally unfriendly materials – plastic. Now the Danish company has decided to go green, and has pledged to invest $150 million to find a more sustainable and eco-friendly material for its toys.    "Our mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow. We believe that our main contribution to this is through the creative play experiences we provide to children," LEGO Group owner Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen said in a statement . "The investment announced is a testament to our continued ambition to leave a positive impact on the planet, which future generations will inherit."    Last year alone, more than 60 billion LEGO pieces were made, and every year the company uses approximately 6,000 tons of plastic made from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), the same material used since 1963.    LEGO plans to recruit more than 100 specialists in the c...

I know nothing about Kazakhstan except its pretty volleyball player named Sabina Altynbekova. However, my interest with the post-Soviet state was recently stirred when I saw these interesting photos:    These are images of what appear to be cannabis plants growing in flower beds across Astana City, though everyone seems baffled as to where they have come from.     The herbs were first noticed by a resident who was attracted by the unusual smell and appearance of the lush green plants. The specimens are now thriving at the corner of Auezov and Dzhangeldina. There have also been sightings in front of the city's famous Tree of Life monument. How symbolic!    Unfortunately marijuana is still illegal in Kazakhstan, and, according to Metro , the government has launched an investigation to find out whether or not it was a mistake that they made or if it was an act of guerrilla gardening from local activists.    Will t...