Neatorama

Pac-Man Sun: Om Nom Nom Nom … Posted: 31 Jan 2009 11:10 PM PST Armando Lee of the Astronomical League of the Philippines, F. Naelga Jr., and 100 Hours of Astronomy took this fantastic photo of a partial eclipse of the Sun over Manila Bay, which was showcased on APOD. I couldn’t resist putting on the obvious googly eyes … Come on, you know you’re thinking it too!

Octuplets’ Mom Obsessed with Having Babies Posted: 31 Jan 2009 11:08 PM PST We posted about the surprising news that the octuplets’ mother already having 6 children. Today, more disturbing details are emerging about the woman: The woman who gave birth to octuplets this week conceived all 14 of her children through in vitro fertilization, is not married and has been obsessed with having children since she was a teenager, her mother said. [...] Little psychological research has been conducted on the reasons some mothers seem hooked on repeated pregnancies. David Diamond, a co-director for the Center for Reproductive Psychology in San Diego, said mothers can be drawn to repeat pregnancies for a number of reasons, with some finding the experience so satisfying they choose to become surrogates. Diane G. Sanford, a psychologist and author specializing in women’s reproductive mental health, said while she doesn’t know much about Nadya Suleman’s background, women that have obsessive-compulsive disorder can become fixated on different obsessions. "Her obsession centers around children, having children and being a mother," she said. "To what degree are her esteem and identity based on being a mom and why has this from a young age been such a preoccupation of hers?" Link

Rain Forests Rising? Posted: 31 Jan 2009 10:34 PM PST Biologists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama are suggesting that the rain forests may not be doing so badly after all. While it’s certainly true that original rain forest is being destroyed at an unprecedented rate, until recently biologists have ignored the effect of secondary forests, which are growing on land that was once farmed, logged, or destroyed by natural disaster.  According to the New York Times, "By one estimate, for every acre of rain forest cut down each year, more than 50 acres of new forest are growing in the tropics."  Environmentalists argue that this secondary forest is not as valuable as the original rain forest, but scientists at the Smithsonian and the United Nations point out that the new forests could blunt the effects of rain forest destruction by absorbing carbon dioxide, the leading heat-trapping gas linked to global warming. Farming lands have been abandoned as previously agricultural people seek higher-paying jobs in cities, and more efficient farming techniques that require less acreage to produce food means that more land can revert to its natural state. The United Nations is undertaking the first global catalog of the new forests, which vary greatly in their stage of growth. Photo by Tito Herrera for the New York Times Link - via pajamasmedia From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Marilyn Terrell.

Italy Bans Foreign Food: Italians Must Eat Italian Food … Posted: 31 Jan 2009 10:32 PM PST It started in Lucca this week, when the town council banned any new ethnic food outlets from opening within the walls of the medieval city. And it quickly spread to Milan: a ban on ethnic foods, meaning foods that are not Italian.  The Northern League party wants to protect regional specialties from the encroaching popularity of ethnic cuisines, like egg rolls and kebabs. The Italian Minister of Agriculture, Luca Zaia, applauded the restrictions, saying ethnic restaurants should "stop importing container loads of meat and fish from who knows where" and use only Italian ingredients. Asked if he had ever tried a kebab, Mr. Zaia said no: "I prefer the dishes of my native Veneto.  I even refuse to eat pineapple." Is it gastronomic racism, or a legitimate attempt to preserve authentic Italian cuisine? Link - via coldmud From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Marilyn Terrell.

Mexican Bomb Hammer Party Posted: 31 Jan 2009 10:29 PM PST [YouTube - Link] Strap explosives to the business end of a long hammer and bang it hard on the ground. That’s the basic idea of this strange celebration in the town of San Juan de la Vega in Guanajuato, Mexico. Metafilter user aetg explains what’s going on: OK, so the reasons for doing so may be a little vague, but in any case, they’re exploding ‘artisanal’ explosives of a potassium chloride and sulphur base with big hammers. Apparently 17 people had minor wounds seen to by medics in 2007, and 50 in 2008, mostly due to being hit by explosive fragments, etc. That’s not so bad given that there are 10-20 thousand people that come for the celebration. There are actually authorities supervising everything that’s going on. Explosives on a hammer? What can go wrong? - via ask From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Christophe.

Weirdest accidents Posted: 31 Jan 2009 10:23 PM PST Google Maps out of control?  See more funny and peculiar photos of vehicle accidents on Dark Roasted Blend’s 5th installment of "Accidents Big and Small". Link - via b3ta From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Marilyn Terrell.

Etch-A-Sketch With Your Voice Posted: 31 Jan 2009 10:20 PM PST Here’s an early test of a new computer drawing tool by Ze Frank, in which you use your voice to create pictures on your computer screeen.  You’ll need a computer with a microphone to try this.  You vary your voice volume to create different kinds of lines. For example, high volume makes the line turn clockwise, low volume makes it go counterclockwise, and medium volume makes it go straight.  The drawing begins at the center. Ze Frank would love to hear back from you with the results of this tool, which is still in beta. Link - via etre From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Marilyn Terrell.

X-Ray Lamps Posted: 31 Jan 2009 10:17 PM PST Got an old X-ray film from a medical visit laying around your house gathering dust?  You can make something fun out of it, just like what Sture Pallarp, Elin Hedlund and Emmelie Karlström of the Beckmans College of Design did. They took X-ray films and turn them into beautiful lamps! Link From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by zeo.

Kusudama and the Wonderful Art of Modular Origami Posted: 31 Jan 2009 10:10 PM PST Kusudama is an ancient Japanese form of paper folding which is still practiced today.  As time passed the form evolved in to something that looks similar to origami but has a very different set of rules. Quazen has some great pictures of both Kusudama and modular origami, into which it evolved: The form of Kusudama goes back to before written history. The general consensus is that they were used to hold bunches of herbs or flowers as urban culture took hold. With urbanization the desire for objects with both utility and beauty took greater hold. Before this the plants would have been hung on their own and the kusudama evolved as an aesthetically pleasing receptacle for both potpourri and incense. Link - via webphemera From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by taliesyn30.

Best Complaint Letter Ever Posted: 31 Jan 2009 10:05 PM PST Whether its bad service or you just are not pleased with the product, you want to vent. A passenger on a Virgin Airlines flight not only wrote Sir Richard Branson, she also sent photographs just for good measure. The full letter is hilarious and can be found below. “I’ll try and explain how this felt. Imagine being a twelve year old boy Richard. Now imagine it’s Christmas morning and you’re sat their with your final present to open. It’s a big one, and you know what it is. It’s that Goodmans stereo you picked out the catalogue and wrote to Santa about. Only you open the present and it’s not in there. It’s your hamster Richard. It’s your hamster in the box and it’s not breathing. That’s how I felt when I peeled back the foil and saw this.” Link - via suburbanfood From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by stevesteve8383.

Underwater Hockey Posted: 31 Jan 2009 09:13 PM PST I’ve wondered about this sport ever since we had an intern in our office who was selected for the U.S. national team.  There are very few places you can actually watch underwater hockey being played, so I liked finding this article about it via Dark Roasted Blend.  The game was invented in Great Britain in the 1950s by divers who wanted to stay in shape during the winter. You play underwater hockey without air tanks, only a snorkel, so you have to be good at holding your breath for a long time.  The puck weighs over one kilogram, and you hit it with tiny sticks that sends it zooming along the bottom of the pool into your opponent’s goal.  This video of the Singapore Underwater Hockey Club helps you see what’s going on from the players’ point of view. Link - via darkroastedblend From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Marilyn Terrell.

Image Printing on a Guinness Posted: 31 Jan 2009 08:48 PM PST Printing an image on your latte is so 2008. Here’s what OnLatte decided to do with their Latte Art Printer: make images on a Guinness! Link From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Lee.

Watch a master make pasta by hand Posted: 31 Jan 2009 07:38 PM PST Today’s shocking news that Kung Fu Panda had won 15 “Annie” Awards and shut out WALL-E led me to explore the DVD. The extras include a bonus video of Danny Yip, executive pasta chef at Mr. Chow making pasta by hand. I’ve never seen that done before, and it is magical. *Previously: A pasta you can’t refuse.

Female Merit Badges Posted: 31 Jan 2009 02:27 PM PST There’s something delightfully fun about these semi-retro and slightly-sexist female merit badges created by Artist Mary Yeager. My female merit badges illustrate female “rites of passage” as well as the myriad physical manipulations women undergo to achieve cultural ideals of beauty, such as weight watching, whether or not to shave or wear makeup, etc. I’ve created tiny replicas of female products, such as a birth control pill pack and a pregnancy test. The miniature scale and meticulous, hand-embroidered surfaces convey my impressions of growing up female in our culture. Link

The World’s First Openly Gay Prime Minister Posted: 31 Jan 2009 01:56 PM PST Johanna Sigurdardottir, an Icelandic MP, was elected Prime Minister of Iceland this week. She is the first openly gay prime minister in world history. The 66-year-old politician lives with her partner, Jonina Leosdottir, a journalist and playwright. The couple were joined in a civil ceremony in 2002. Don’t expect them to show up togetherfor photocalls, however – that’s not the Icelandic way. Though she is famous across the island, having been a top politician for years, her lesbian union was no big deal in this calmly progressive nation of only 300,000 people. “Johanna is a very private person,” said an Icelandic government source. “A lot of people didn’t even know she was gay. When they learn about it people tend to shrug and say, ‘Oh’. That’s not to say they are not interested; they are interested in who she’s living with – but no more so than if she was a man living with a woman.” Link

How’s 2009 Been Treating You So Far? Posted: 31 Jan 2009 10:28 AM PST So, the first month of 2009 is almost over and it seems that so far the new year has been nothing but bad economic news after bad economic news. Last week, the folks at the US watched as big companies cut more than 100,000 jobs (with over 70,000 jobs lost on Monday alone), the stock market tumbled, and home prices continued its freefall. Congress played politics over the stimulus package (it passed the House strictly on party line votes) and - surprise - Wall Street continued giving billions in bonuses and perks ($87,784 for a rug, anyone?) And you know the economy is bad when more people are searching Google for coupons than Britney Spears (via Bo Cowgill). How’s 2009 been treating you? Did you lose your job? Have trouble making ends meet? What do you think needs to be done to fix the economy? Can the economy be fixed? I’d love to hear from you.

What Do Locusts Want? Posted: 31 Jan 2009 09:42 AM PST Most of the time, desert locusts live a solitary existence.  But when they experience a sudden spike in serotonin, a neurotransmitter found in all animals, it’s time to swarm! Scientists at the University of Oxford recently found a close connection between the levels of serotonin in the insects’ bodies and how sociable they became. "Locusts switch into swarm behavior based on two cues: when they see and smell other locusts for an extended period or when their hind legs are constantly jostled." Just  so you know: when locusts are green (above) they are feeling  mellow, when dark-colored they are ready to party. Photo by Tim Fayle Link - via news From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Marilyn Terrell.

Dog or Seal? Posted: 31 Jan 2009 09:37 AM PST [YouTube - Link] This dog must think that it’s a seal - here’s a YouTube clip of the dog skillfully juggling a basketball on its nose. (According to its owner, the dog was never taught to do this - it learned to juggle on its own) From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Christophe.

The Artwork of Sarah King Posted: 31 Jan 2009 09:31 AM PST Writers may use words to weave a work of literary art, but Sarah King did something else with them: she shapes them into wonderful illustrations! Don’t Panic Magazine has a nifty interview with Sarah: Inspired by science, space, animals and myths, Sarah’s illustrations are intricately beautiful and bursting with words. Link From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by JJA.

Six Things You Should Know About Minnesota Posted: 31 Jan 2009 09:20 AM PST Think you know Minnesota? The Coen Brothers movie Fargo may make it seem that Minnesotans are yokels, but the truth is, Minnesota is far, far weirder. Joshua Post Lee of The Black Table explains the things you should know about the Land of 10,000 Lakes - for example: #1. Minnesota is Trannie Town. Things seemed to going well that night at the bar. That tall, svelte gal flirting with you has just invited you home. Seems like it’s your night until calloused man hands caress you and that Adam’s apple suddenly just pops out. This happens a lot in our state. It’s estimated that The Center for Sexual Health at the University of Minnesota (Go U!) does more than half the surgeries nationwide and plenty stick around our Twin Cities. Minnesota is also home of the International Drag King Extravaganza, which celebrated its fifth anniversary in October 2003 and features many of proud transgender graduates parading around in all of their newfound glory. In August 2003, a court case, Hare v. State of Minnesota, ruled that gender reassignment surgery is covered under the U Care Minnesota health plan. Link From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by uncleputts.

Spin-Offs Spinning Out of Control Posted: 31 Jan 2009 09:12 AM PST These days, TV, music and book spin-offs are a pretty slick business - but it wasn’t always like that! Here’s a list of some pretty badly thought out spin-offs from the mists of time: So Neil Simon writes a successful play, that then becomes an even more successful movie, and then becomes a long-running sitcom spin-off with Jack "Quincy" Klugman and Tony "proto-Niles" Randall. Surely that's enough juice to be going on with. A couple more squeezes? You got it. Exhibit A - The Odd Couple Sings, an endeavour that could most generously be described as misjudged, particularly as Klugman's pipes aren't exactly what you call fit for purpose. You can download the full horror at the link above, particularly the awesome version of You're So Vain. The indignities don't stop there for ol' Felix and Oscar. Oh no, after 114 hit episodes, the concept was later revived in 1982 as The New Old Couple. New, I hear you say? So, new scripts right? Not exactly. The same scripts, in fact. Then how is it new? Well, er Felix and Oscar, well, they're er, now they're black. So why don't we call it The Black Odd Couple? Dude, that's not cool. Link From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by ochmonek.

Angry Senator: Let’s Cap Wall Street Idiots’ Salaries Posted: 31 Jan 2009 07:51 AM PST Senator Claire McCaskill is angry at the Wall Street "idiots" who are giving out $18 billion in bonuses in 2008. So angry that she has just introduced a bill to cap their pay: An angry U.S. senator introduced legislation Friday to cap compensation for employees of any company that accepts federal bailout money. Under the terms of a bill introduced by Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, no employee would be allowed to make more than the president of the United States. Obama’s current annual salary is $400,000. "We have a bunch of idiots on Wall Street that are kicking sand in the face of the American taxpayer," an enraged McCaskill said on the floor of the Senate. "They don’t get it. These people are idiots. You can’t use taxpayer money to pay out $18 billion in bonuses." McCaskill’s proposed compensation limit would cover salaries, bonuses and stock options. Link Who thinks it’s a darned good idea?

Let’s Panic Like It’s 2009! Posted: 31 Jan 2009 07:50 AM PST Forget the Year of the Ox, according to Bruce Sterling of Seed Magazine, 2009 is the Year of the Panic. He lists 7 reasons why; for example, let’s take look at insurance: 4. Insurance and building codes. Every year, insurance rates soar from mounting "natural" catastrophes, obscuring the fact that the planet’s coasts are increasingly uninsurable. Insurance underlies the building and construction trades. If those rates skyrocket, that system must keel over. Once people lose faith in the institution of insurance?—?because insurance can’t be made to pay in climate-crisis conditions?—?we’ll find ourselves living in a Planet of Slums. Most people in this world have no insurance and ignore building codes. They live in "informal architecture," i.e., slum structures. Barrios. Favelas. Squats. Overcrowded districts of this world that look like a post-Katrina situation all the time. When people are thrown out of their too-expensive, too-coded homes, this is where they will go. Unless they’re American, in which case they’ll live in their cars. But how can dispossessed Americans pay for their car insurance when they have no fixed address? Besides, car companies are coming apart with the sudden savage ease of Enron’s collapse. Indeed, the year 2009 is shaping up as a planetary Enron. Enron was always the Banquo’s ghost at the banquet of Bushonomics. The moguls of Enron really were the princes of contemporary business innovation, and the harbingers of the present day. Link - via BuzzFeed

Cops vs. Krispy Kreme: Where’s My Free Donuts? Posted: 31 Jan 2009 07:49 AM PST A police officer in Brisbane, Australia, got into hot water for trying to claim … free donuts from a local Krispy Kreme: A Brisbane police officer got into a holey row with Krispy Kreme staff, demanding to be served free doughnuts. Shocked customers looked on as the officer argued with staff for several minutes in a bid to get his freebies, before finally storming off - empty handed and non-cinnamon-fingered. [...] As the icing on the cake, Krispy Kreme has now decided to stop supplying Brisbane police with leftover doughnuts. Turns out, it was a simple misunderstanding: Before the incident, officers had been regularly popping in to collect free boxes of leftover doughnuts at the store in nearby Albert St at the end of the day. Staff were unable to sell the doughnuts and were only too happy to oblige. A police source said the officer had become confused and thought the free doughnut arrangement applied at all times. "Everyone’s a bit annoyed because they were a nice treat at the end of the day with a coffee," he said. Link

Mrs. Bobbie Knows her Computers Posted: 31 Jan 2009 07:36 AM PST [YouTube - Link] Just watch this video to get an idea of how my husband’s mind works.  Here it is:Jonathan’s video with Mrs. Bobbie. - via thetowells From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Lori T.

Google May Harm Your Computer? Posted: 31 Jan 2009 07:13 AM PST What’s up with Google? Has anyone else seen this? Every single search I do on Google now returns "This site may harm your computer," even when I search for … Google! Update: Seems like this bug was fixed already! Phew!

You are subscribed to email updates from Neatorama To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Inbox too full? Subscribe to the feed version of Neatorama in a feed reader.
If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: Neatorama, c/o Google, 20 W Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610