Neatorama

Glass Botany Posted: 31 Mar 2009 01:45 AM PDT Preserved plants don’t look much like their living counterparts after they are flattened and dried. The Harvard Museum of Natural History instead has displays of plants made of glass! Leopold Blaschka and his son Rudolf came from a long line of talented glassmakers. As a hobby, Leopold began making glass flowers from illustrations in natural history books. So beautiful, accurate and delicate were these models, a buzz began to generate in his hometown in Germany, and a local aristocrat commissioned 100 glass orchids. Leopold's son, Rudolf joined him in the painstakingly intricate work. Thus began a prolific career in natural history glassmaking, ending in the largest commission of their lives; an order from Harvard college for over 3000 plant and flower models for their botany students. Leopold didn't live to see the completion of the project, but Rudolf continued on without him, working alone from 1895 - 1936, three years before his own death. Link to story. Link to more photographs at Flickr. (image credit: Curious Expeditions)

Blackbeard Relics Found Posted: 31 Mar 2009 01:43 AM PDT A ship discovered off the coast of North Carolina in 1997 has been identified by experts as the Queen Mary’s Revenge, a ship used by the pirate Blackbeard. The ship was originally named Le Concorde before the pirate seized it from its French crew in 1717. Artifacts, such as this apothecary weight featuring two fleurs-de-lis, helped to identify the ship as Blackbeard’s. Le Concorde’s surgeon, who was forced to serve briefly in Blackbeard’s crew, may have owned the weights, designed for pharmaceuticals. Pirates could have also used the weights to measure gold dust, experts say. See more pictures at National Geographic. Link (image credit: Wendy M. Welsh, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources)

Peacock Feather Wedding Dress Posted: 31 Mar 2009 01:39 AM PDT This wedding dress valued at 1.5 million dollars is made from 2009 peacock tail feathers! It was unveiled at a recent wedding expo in Nanjing, China. Link -via J-Walk Blog

Invent Dunkin’ Donuts’ Next Donut Posted: 30 Mar 2009 07:11 PM PDT Dunkin’ Donuts is inviting website users to create their next donut using a five-step selection process. Mine is a chocolate butter filled donut with peanut butter frosting and chocolate sprinkles. What’s yours? Link via Radley Balko

Clever See-Through Kayak and Canoe Designs Posted: 30 Mar 2009 06:00 PM PDT Someone told me there was a canoe in this picture … but I have to admit I got distracted and did not see it right away. Regardless, the canoes are great but the kayaks are even better: they are light-weight, easy-to-collapse and therefore not only entertaining in the water but highly manageable on the shore compared to their conventional and opaque counterparts. The only question is: what do you do when it gets dirty? Hopefully each dunk back in the water cleans it off. OK, one other question: what else can we make transparent? Cars, maybe even planes, or are the skies the limit in this case? Glass-bottom boats are nothing new on scenic tours, but with a see-through canoe you can go wherever you want and have a personal up-close view of whatever is below you. Lighter than a wood or aluminum canoe, tough as bullet-proof glass and entirely transparent on the bottom, these designs provide a completely new way to experience water life around you. link

Yes … Now Even Your Houseplants can Twitter Posted: 30 Mar 2009 04:04 PM PDT Pothos has thousands of followers and gives regular updates. Pothos … is also a plant. A built-in moisture meter relays messages about the plant’s current state in order to remind its owner when it needs watering. This is, one has to admit, a potentially wonderful innovation for those of us with thumbs that are anything but green. Still, Twitter is all the rage these days, sure, but plants Twittering? Has this fad gone too far? Are you slowly killing your houseplants? Is it because you’re too busy Twittering? THEN HAS THE INTERNET GOT THE SOLUTION FOR YOU! link -via huffingtonpost

Diaper-Free Baby Posted: 30 Mar 2009 03:52 PM PDT There’s plenty of things I don’t like about diapers - they’re expensive, they often leak, and they cause bum rash because babies sit in their poo for too long - but I can’t imagine taking care of babies without diapers (my parents told me that they raised me without disposable diapers not because they didn’t want to - but because they didn’t have disposable diapers back then when I was growing up. So they used cloth diapers, which leaked but it wasn’t as bad as wearing no diaper at all they said). Anyways, apparently there is a movement of sort of promoting a "natural approach" (i.e. diaper-less) to this whole baby poo business: Elimination Communication, Infant Potty Training, Natural Infant Hygiene, Potty Whispering…whatever you choose to call it, it all refers to the modern adaption of an ancient method of childcare. Traditionally this method was seen and practiced by the whole community, learned naturally over a lifetime. This aspect has largely been lost, yet you can rediscover it on the Practicing EC pages. Think of these as the wisdom of your grandmother, the support of your aunt, the encouragement of your best friend. Celebrate undertaking a journey where caregivers and babies learn and discover together. Shenanigans or not, to learn more about "potty whispering" (I just love that term!), check out DiaperFreeBaby - via The Zeray Gazette

Super Punch Blogging Secrets Posted: 30 Mar 2009 03:51 PM PDT Our very own John Struan, who blogs at Super Punch, wrote a very neat article summarizing the secrets of his blogging success. 3. Give more than you expect to receive Every selfish move I made failed. As I’ve explained, I tried posting spammy comments and begging for links. It got me nowhere. But what worked extremely well was trying to help other people. I recommended countless tips to other sites. Now, this didn’t help me directly or quickly. Many sites would post my suggestion and thank me, but not even offer a link. Other sites would credit me with a "via," but I’ve learned over the years that "vias" drive no traffic at all, even when they come from the biggest websites. However, "vias" helped in two ways. First, they improved my site’s status in Google’s eyes, and thus increased the chance someone would find me accidentally via a web search. Second, vias directed a few visitors to my site, typically other bloggers who were looking for new sources. Those bloggers then started linking to me with more vias, further improving my site’s status. Also, every once in a long while, a site I’d helped would drive traffic to me in thanks. I stuck with it, and it all started to snowball. As you probably know, John is a blogger here on Neatorama (as he mentioned in the article), so let me add three additional things that I think contributed greatly to his success: 1) John has a keen eye in finding neat stuff in his area of expertise (custom toys, pop culture); 2) he has integrity; and 3) he blogs about what he’s passionate about (it shows in his blogging style). I know that he’s an authority on the subject, and if I have a question about custom toy, he’ll be the first guy I’ll ask. Link Previously on Neatorama: The Secret of Neatorama’s Success

Fake Names on Television Posted: 30 Mar 2009 03:50 PM PDT Miss Cellania wrote a very funny post over at YesButNoButYes blog about people who submit fake names to TV stations … and got ‘em broadcasted! This one above is a classic: Dixie Normous is the fictional female lead in the movie-within-the-movie entitled Austinpussy featured in Austin Powers in Goldmember. Now a proud (and sweepstakes-winning) resident of Byron, Minnesota. Link Previously on Neatorama: 10 Strangest Names EVAR!

The Boneyard: Where Military Aircraft Go to Die Posted: 30 Mar 2009 03:48 PM PDT AMARC, photo via Artificial Owl Our pal WebEcoist has a very neat post about the graveyards of "stuff" after they’re no longer wanted. This one above is the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center or AMARC ("The Boneyard") in Tucson, Arizona, where military airplanes go to die: When U.S. military airplanes need to be repaired or are just too old to fly, many of them end up in the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center, or AMARC, in Tucson, Arizona. Some of these planes are restored to operational status while others are broken down for parts. Seen from above, the planes make beautiful patterns in blue and white against the earthy brown backdrop. Link | The AMARC Experience website Previously on Neatorama: Shipbreaking Yard: Where Ships Go to Die

100 Ways to Kill a Peep Posted: 30 Mar 2009 03:46 PM PDT Like its name said, 100 Ways to Kill a Peep blog is dedicated to documenting the creative ways to kill the marshmallow candies. So far they’ve got about a dozen and a half or so, but I have no doubt they’ll reach 100 soon. Link - via Rue The Day!

Man Sitting on a Pool of Mercury Posted: 30 Mar 2009 01:43 PM PDT Remember the video clip of a guy tossing a cannonball into a pool of mercury? Well, here’s something even more amazing: a 1972 photo from the National Geographic magazine showing a man sitting on a pool of mercury. Link - Thanks Rob! (Photo: National Geographic)

A Book of Tweets Posted: 30 Mar 2009 01:30 PM PDT "Thursday Jan. 1, 2009  18:20 Rousing from torpor to go to shops then come back and cook good things. Fried things, in all likelihood." James Bridle decided to collect all his Twitter messages from the past two years and print them up in a hardcover book.  He will make one for you, "if you ask nicely and pay me a lot of money." Why do such a thing?  Bridle explains, "When Twitter is inevitably replaced by something else, I don’t wan to lose those incidentals, the casual asides, the remarks and responses.  That’s all really.  This seems like a nice way to do it, and I’ll probably do it again in a couple of years." Link - via izreloaded From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Marilyn Terrell.

Laws of Physics Broken for Watersliding Fun Posted: 30 Mar 2009 10:59 AM PDT [YouTube - Link] So here’s the scoop: I’m about to turn 30 - this friday in fact. Also: I love waterslides. Then I found a competition which, if I get enough votes, will send me around the world to the biggest watersldies there are. Best Present. Ever. This is my entry. Did it in an hour. If you like it and fancy voting me into a state of splashy swooshy ecstasy, Vote for Slideyman in the Barclay Waterslide video competition. Just click the green thumbs up! Link  Love and Waterslides, Oscar From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Plinth.

8 Regional Foods You’re Embarrassed To Love Posted: 30 Mar 2009 10:59 AM PDT First lesson learned: Eskimo Ice Cream does not include cream. Fish, whipped fat, berries, sugar, but no cream.  And don’t you worry, Hawaiians, SPAM is included in this list. We took a culinary tour of the country to unearth some of America’s most bizarre—but beloved—regional delicacies. From salmon-based Eskimo Ice Cream to Hawaii's popular Spam musubi, the dishes below are sure to both satisfy your curiosity and test your gag reflex. Link From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by ahammel.

School Vehemently Denies Vampire Infestation Posted: 30 Mar 2009 09:40 AM PDT The Boston Latin School, a private prep school, issued a press release in the hopes of quashing rumors that the school is infested with vampires: “The headmaster believes that the outrageous rumors had reached a point where she had to say something to families to ensure that all students felt safe and respected,” said Chris Horan, School Department spokesman. In my experience, when an authority figure denies that there is a problem, the problem has become much, much worse than feared. Link via Hit & Run

Star Trek Character or Erectile Dysfunction Pill? Posted: 30 Mar 2009 07:37 AM PDT There are plenty of over-the-counter erectile dysfunction pills available now. Whether they work or not, they have names that could fit right in the Star Trek universe! In this mental_floss quiz, can you tell which of ten names are actual pills, and which are characters found on one or more of the various Star Trek series? I scored just 60%; surely you can do better. Link

Lacy Lingerie Helps Find North Pole Posted: 30 Mar 2009 07:33 AM PDT When you approach the North Pole, compasses don’t work properly because the difference between the geographic pole and the magnetic pole are more pronounced than elsewhere. So the Catlin Arctic Survey, currently en route to the pole to measure the Arctic Ice Cap, are having to use alternate methods of navigation. To measure wind direction, they are using a pair of lacy panties! The expedition is led by veteran explorer Pen Hadow. Mr Hadow, who was the first person to trek solo to the North Pole, said the knickers were kindly donated by a supporter of the expedition. Speaking from the Arctic via satellite phone, he said: “It an entirely genuine situation. If you can get gossamer thin material and attach it your ski pole it is particularly useful for this project because we can cannot use the compass as we are so close to magnetic north and it is too cold to use the GPS. This expedition is particularly difficult because they are taking a route that has never been traveled. They expect to reach the pole in May or June. Link -via Arbroath

12 Coolest Geeky Shoes Posted: 30 Mar 2009 07:31 AM PDT Shoe designers have been busy incorporating the latest technology into shoes. This list has shoes embedded with iPod transmitters, CDs, MP3 players, GPS trackers, and headlights. Others have springs or computer-enhanced fit. The shoe pictured was produced especially for the social media site Digg, with glow-in-the-dark logos! Link -via Digg

10 Excruciating Medical Treatments from the Middle Ages Posted: 30 Mar 2009 07:29 AM PDT Just reading this article can be painful. It has descriptions of the horrible treatments that were often the only thing available for what ailed you in the Middle Ages. It was not a pleasant time to be a patient, but if you valued your life, there was no choice. To relieve the pain, you submitted to more pain, and with any luck, you might get better. Surgeons in the early part of the Middle Ages were often monks because they had access to the best medical literature – often written by Arab scholars. But in 1215, the Pope said monks had to stop practicing surgery, so they instructed peasants to perform various forms of surgery. Farmers, who had little experience other than castrating animals, came into demand to perform anything from removing painful tooth abscesses to performing eye cataract surgery. Some of the medieval medical graphics may be NSFW. Link -via Gorilla Mask

Music from Sand Posted: 30 Mar 2009 05:41 AM PDT (Vimeo link) Sound designer Diego Stocco recorded different sounds made by sand, then turned them into music! I had some sandbags in the backyard that I used in November during a rainy day. I was moving them to a different spot when I heard the noise of the sand. I thought that maybe I could try a new sound design technique so I bought some piezo film transducers and started to experiment with them. The entire track is created only out of tuned sand tones. No additional sounds or waveforms. I emphasized the inner notes of the sand grains and mapped them on a sampler as a series of instruments. The grooves are all played live with various techniques, including taping two piezo films to my fingers. Link -Thanks, Diego!

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