US folk singer and activist Pete Seeger has died at the age of 94.

He died at a New York hospital after a short illness, his grandson said. Seeger gained fame in The Weavers, formed in 1948, and continued to perform in his own right in a career spanning six decades. Renowned for his protest songs, Seeger was blacklisted by the US Government in the 1950s for his leftist stance. Denied broadcast exposure, Seeger toured US college campuses spreading his music and ethos, later calling this the "most important job of my career". He was quizzed by the Un-American Activities Committee in 1955 over whether he had sung for Communists, replying that he "greatly resented" the implication that his work made him any less American. Seeger was charged with contempt of Congress, but the sentence was overturned on appeal. He returned to TV in the late 1960s but had a protest song about the Vietnam War cut from broadcast. The lofty, bearded banjo-playing musician became a standard bearer for political causes from nuclear disarmament to the Occupy Wall Street movement in 2011. In 2009, he was at a gala concert in the US capital ahead of Barack Obama's inauguration as president. His predecessor Bill Clinton hailed him as "an inconvenient artist who dared to sing things as he saw them.'' Other songs that he co-wrote included Where Have All The Flowers Gone, while he was credited with making We Shall Overcome an anthem of resistance. continue

 

Charlie Chaplin and the Tramp

A centenary is more than excuse enough for a party, even if the birthday boy is a work of fiction – a beggar, even, with ill-fitting shoes, a violent streak and bow legs. This is the year of the Tramp. Twenty-fourteen marks 100 years since Charlie Chaplin first appeared on a movie screen as an eccentric fellow with a toothbrush moustache and a derby hat, walking with splayed feet and carrying a cane. Due to the global reach of Chaplin's fame, there will be events to mark the anniversary around the world all year, but this weekend, the corks were popped in Bristol. The city's Slapstick festival, itself celebrating a decade on the job, kicked up its heels with a sumptuous gala screening of Chaplin's late silent masterpiece City Lights, and some searching questions about who exactly we were celebrating.

 

Husky pup..possibly world's smallest?

Late Night Political Humor

“Health officials are now warning that pot smoking can cause apathy. In fact, a recent poll shows that most pot smokers couldn’t care less.” – Jay Leno
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Groundhog Hot Dogs

Groundhog day is on February 2. Or, if you're Bill Murray, it's right now and forever. Fortunately, Sandra Denneler doesn't have that problem. She puts a lot of work into Groundhog Day.

 

Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

Why leeks are good for you

Leeks contain significant amounts of the flavonoid kaempferol. Many studies suggest it reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases – cancer in particular. It also appears to support our cardiovascular system by protecting our blood vessel linings. Leeks are an excellent source of vitamin A, which aids vision and supports the immune system, and bone-building vitamin K and manganese. They also contain vitamin B6, which appears to reduce homocysteine in the blood; elevated levels of this amino acid are associated with a greater risk of heart disease, blood clots and strokes. continue

 

Grammys 2014 in pictures

Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr reunited on stage for a special performance at the Grammy Awards ceremony at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

 

Psst, you awake? I think I heard something.

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Bunny happy returns

There’s a reason why two-year-old Daisy Young is cuddling Bunny the rabbit very tightly – and it’s not just because she loves her more than any other toy. Bunny, Daisy’s constant companion since she was just ten months, vanished from her side on a family shopping trip to the January sales.
 Daisy’s mother Hayley Sworn only noticed Bunny was missing when they got home. Just how would she break the news to Daisy that the precious gift from her grandma was gone forever?
In a different age the family might have appealed for help by putting up posters around the shopping centre where Bunny was last seen, or on lamp-posts along the route home near Redhill in Surrey. Instead, the power of 21st century social media - and the efforts of tens of thousands of strangers - got there first to bring
Bunny and Daisy back together.

 

Cuteness Up the Yin-Yang

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Watch the weather forecast

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Winter has arrived in Croatia

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Their Forbidden Love Was Just Too Strong

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Fearless man plays with grizzly bears like you play with your dog

Oh, nothing to see here. Just a guy playing wrestle with a grizzly bear and letting it fake swallow his head. Wait, what? Mmhmm. Bear trainer Doug Seus plays around with an 8 foot tall behemoth of a beast the same way you would mess around with your dog. It's stunning to see.

 

Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

At 30, The Original Mac Is Still An Archetype Of Innovation

Thirty years ago this week, Apple aired what is widely considered one of most iconic commercials in Super Bowl history. The ad boldly claimed that "1984 won't be like 1984" — the George Orwell dystopian novel — because of the imminent arrival of the Macintosh computer.Two days later, on Jan. 24, a young Steve Jobs officially introduced the computer that would change not just the company but the world of personal computing. Its '1984' ad set up Apple as the undisputed rival to IBM in the personal computer market. It created an image of a company that was fighting for individuals in the face of terrifyingly powerful corporation. Actually, at the time that commercial ran, the most popular personal computer wasn't an IBM, it was a Commodore 64. But the Mac marketing campaign created a narrative about a rivalry in personal computing: a plucky company fighting for individual creativity. It's a narrative that has helped sustain the brand. The Mac had selling points of its own. It was a computer that a middle-class family might be able to afford. Its graphics were state of the art for the time. And it fundamentally changed the way people interacted with computers: You didn't have to enter DOS prompts anymore. Using a computer became more intuitive — and it was a design that Bill Gates and Microsoft took note of.
Since then, Apple has continued to innovate the way people use computing.

 

If

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Meet the Coolest 84-Year-Old on the Internet

Photographers don’t need exotic locations, expensive gear or professional models to make good pictures. As Zoe Spawton demonstrates each day with her blog What Ali Wore.

 

Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

How Much Are Those Kitties in the Window ?

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The Urban Green House Is Really Green

So how is it green? Well, it is designed to be narrow, letting air flow through naturally during the summer while the wide roof and porch prevents excess sun from entering your home. The design, by Eric Odor with Chris Meyer of SALA Architects, also features passive solar heating, bamboo floors, composite fiber-cement siding and other eco-friendly elements. more

 

Deep Dark Fears

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A glass frog on a skeletonized, caterpillar-eaten, piper leaf in a cloud forest in Costa Rica.

This stunning image was taken by wildlife photographer Gregory Basco who shot it at night in the rainforest.

 

Dark side of the zoo - captive animals in black and white

Alex Teuscher photographs captive animals in black and white, producing dark, atmospheric portraits.