Haft2Know

For two thousand years, people throughout the world have chosen a Springtime day to honour motherhood. It wasn't until 1870 however, that American writer Julia Ward Howe called on mothers to come together in protest against the American Civil War and what she saw as the futility of sons of mothers killing other sons of mothers. Mother's Day as we know it, was born.

Since then, Mother's Day has turned into a $14 billion USD industry. Restaurants often claim it to be the busiest day of the year. Flower and jewelery sales skyrocket. And the collective and loving energy generated by millions of children penning "Roses are red" poems can be felt throughout the universe.

However you choose to celebrate Mother's Day - it's May 10 this year, by the way - we hope you have a great one. And wherever or whoever your mother is, close your eyes and think of her, and thank her. You're here because of her. We love you, Moms.

Here are lots of ways to show Mom how much you love her.

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Absolutely anyone who's ever played the most famous board game in the world will love this new print ad campaign. Monopoly's new "Own It All" campaign aims to reawaken the world to the pleasures, and pains of investing a Sunday afternoon in playing a simple board game. Each of the four photographs depicts the interior of either a hotel (the red ones) or a house (the green ones) on one of four famed Atlantic City streets, all featured in the game. The more luxurious a property in the game, the swankier it looks. So smart. Developed by JWT Frankfurt.

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Artists, designers, writers, poets, hermits, actors, spokespersons and creatives everywhere, take heed! American artist Catherine Massaro has a solution for what everyone suffers now and again - imaginative drought, and it's called The Creative Stimulus Package. For a fee, anyone can order this custom made, one-of-a-kind, eclectic, "what's-going-on-here?" box, absolutely (and quite literally) brimming with - well, with whatever Ms. Massaro has selected for your respective Creative Stimulus Package. Images, and letters, and notes, and small toys, and mementos, and keepsakes, and souvenirs, as well as an occasional, and original art piece by the artist herself are just some of what may (or may not) be found in this thoughtfully and beautifully put-together package that you'll be happy to give, and even moreso to receive. Can be ordered as a one-time deal, or a year-long subscription of four packages. Everyone needs to feel like an eight-year-old at Christmas now and again.

http://www.studiomassaro.com

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Reality television is making everyone (and anyone) a star. Sites like Youtube and Twitter are making filmmakers and writers out of all of us. Well here's an idea that strives to make artists out of the anonymous. Igotanenvelope is a collaborative project in which you leave an open, self-addressed, stamped envelope somewhere in the world - on the streetcar, in a store, at the bank. A message you've written on the back of it invites the finder to put something personal and artistic inside and return it to you. When you receive it back, you photograph what was sent to you and email the image to the people at igotanenvelope, who'll post it to their site. The range of items already received is vast, and will only get better. How we love the inspiration of the everyday...

Read about this very cool project at igotanenvelope.blogspot.com.

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From France comes Le Whif - the zero-calorie solution to overcoming your craving for chocolate - by inhaling it! Le Whif is available in four flavours, will be purse and pocket friendly on a hot day, and comes in boxes of 24. Aerosol technology is at the heart of this little olfactory delicacy, and almost certainly promises to appear again to advance nutritional and medicinal benefits, as well as those of the indulgent kind.

Here's the sniffable link.

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As we search for cleaner ways to make us go faster, it's nice to be reminded of the basics once in a while. British engineer Richard Jenkins just broke the speed record for a vehicle powered solely by wind, clocking in at almost 203 km/h. This little bird's design enables it to travel at between three and five times the speed of the wind propelling it. The team who made it worked for ten years on it, and describes the craft as a "very high performance sailboat", but with a smaller, solid wing, as opposed to a sail to harvest the wind. Standing still, Green Bird weighs only 600kg.

Read more about the Green Bird.

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