Neatorama

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• Neatorama Christmas Special
• What You Don't Know About Poinsettias Won't Kill You
• Mouse Click
• VCR Toaster
• Pictures From Research
• Scientists to Breed Sheep that Burp Less
• How To Make Health Care Affordable: Medical Tourism!
• Bearded Superheroes
• Meet Icee: Tale of a Frozen Cat That Will Warm Your Heart
• Duckmaster and Other Weird Hotel Jobs
• A Magic Trick by Maru
• Not-Right Nativities
• This Artist Uses Only a Cigarette Lighter
• The Ceramic Cameras of Steve Irvine
• Humans on Display at the Zoo

Neatorama Christmas Special Posted: 29 Nov 2009 11:18 PM PST This Christmas, skip the long lines and hassles of going to the mall. Neatorama’s got your covered: you’ll get a free Mystery Bonus with every purchase of select items in our Christmas Special (while supplies last, no rainchecks). New items are added regularly ’til Christmas, so check back often! Your purchase helps support the blog. Thank you! Link

What You Don't Know About Poinsettias Won't Kill You Posted: 29 Nov 2009 09:07 PM PST Both Christmas and National Poinsettia Day (December 12) are coming up soon, which brings up some interesting questions you may never have considered before. For example, why is a flower indigenous to Mexico commonly recognized as an international symbol of Christmas? Or why is it so darn hard to keep your poinsettias alive and blooming once you've bought them at the store? You may have never thought too hard about the most popular potted plant in America, but here’s your chance to learn about these fascinating blossoms. Those Flowers, They Aren't Really Flowers Most people consider the bright red (or occasionally pale green, white, orange, cream, pink or marbled) areas on the plants to be the blooms, but in reality, these are just groupings of colored leaves called bracts. The actual flowers are those tiny little buds inside of the bracts (seen above) and these are called cyathias. While we're at it, most people think of poinsettias as red flowers, but as mentioned above, they can come in all the colors listed above. Still, over 74% of Americans prefer their poinsettias red, while 8% prefer white and 6% prefer pink. Image Via Martin Heigan [Flickr] What's In A Name? In Aztec times though, it was called "Cuetlaxochitl," which means skin flower. In Chile and the Andes, it was known as the "Crown of the Andes." According to legend, King Montezuma would have the flowers carried up to Mexico City because the flowers would not grow in such a high altitude. Later on, German botanist Wilenow gave the plant its Latin name, Euphorbia pulcherrima, meaning “very beautiful.” Soon after, it was introduced into the U.S. in 1828 by the first U.S. Minister to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett. Years later, historian and horticulturalist William Prescott was asked to give the plant a new name. Having just written a book about Mexican history, he recalled Poinsett's role in bringing the flowers into America. Prescott named the plant in Poinsett’s honor. In modern Egypt, they still call the plant "Bent El Consul," meaning "the consul's daughter" after Mr. Poinsett. In Spain, the flower is known as "flor de Pascua" or Easter flower. In Mexico and Guatemala, it is commonly called "Noche Buena" or "Christmas' Eve." The Tropical Christmas Plant? Speaking of Christmas, it seems rather strange that these New World plants would become synonymous with a holiday celebrating the birth of a Middle Eastern carpenter. Still, they are in fact the most popular holiday plant around, representing over 85% of all potted plant sales in the holiday season. The reasons go all the way back to the 16th century, where a Mexican legend began spreading about a young girl who couldn't afford a gift for Jesus’ birthday. She was said to be told by an angel to gather weeds from the roadside and place them in front of the church altar. Soon after, crimson blossoms sprouted from the weeds and became poinsettias. Starting in the 17th century, Franciscan friars in Mexico began to include the plants in the Christmas celebrations. Image Via Southern Pixel [Flickr] Genetics, Marketing and Monopolies Fast forward into America during the sixties and this Mexican tradition  started spreading across the U.S. thanks to Paul Ecke Jr. This young man was a marketing genius who started sending television networks free poinsettias for display on air between Thanksgiving and Christmas. He also appeared on programs like “The Tonight Show” and Bob Hope's Christmas specials to help promote the plant. His efforts were highly successful and largely responsible for the association of poinsettias with Christmas outside of Mexico. Lest you think Paul was simply an overly enthusiastic supporter of the flower, his intentions were mostly monetary. Paul was an heir of the Ecke family, owners of a virtual monopoly on our modern day idea of poinsettia flowers. His German immigrant grandfather, Albert Ecke, started selling the plants from street stands after 1900. Paul Ecke the first, Albert's son, developed a grafting method that resulted in a fuller, more compact plant than the wild plants (seen to the left). He additionally discovered a phytoplasma infection to the plant would induce it to produce far more flowers than its natural, weed-like cousin. The family held the secret to these techniques up until the 1990's, giving them a monopoly on the poinsettia market up to that point. In the nineties, a researcher discovered the Ecke's method and published it, allowing for competitors to the company. These days, many companies in Latin America sell the flowers all over the world, but the Ecke's family (who now exclusively uses farms outside the U.S.) still controls about 50% of the worldwide market. Image Via Jiggs Images [Flickr] Myths About Poison In 1919, a completely unfounded story began to circulate that a two year-old child died after she ate a poinsettia leaf. Researchers who looked into the story found that it is all hearsay and about as truthful as the razors in candy apple stories that circulate around Halloween. Ohio State University researchers found that a 50 pound child would have to eat 500 bracts to even get a sore tummy. Despite this, the rumor continues to circulate that poinsettias are poisonous and should not be kept around pets or children. On the other hand, the sap from poinsettias can cause temporary blindness when introduced directly in the eye and some people with latex allergies will have an allergic reaction to the plants. So the only people who need to be wary of the plants are those that have a latex allergy or anyone with a habit of putting things in their eyes for no reason. Image Via distopiandreamgirl [Flickr] Why Are They So Hard to Grow? If you've ever bought poinsettias during the holiday season, you may have noticed just how finicky these beautiful plants can be. Even if you live in an area with a warmer climate that is suitable for the tropical buds, you still may not be able to get your plants to reflower the way they did when you bought them. The reason for this is encoded in the plant's genes. In order to produce the vibrant, thick blooms the plant is known for, the plant needs to have two months of completely dark nights in the autumn. Even minor exposure to houselights can hamper flower production. If you really want your plants to reflower, you need to cover the plant with a light-proof bag between 5 pm and 8 am starting early October and stopping when the bracts begin to show colors –usually around mid-December. To make gardening the plant even more complex, you also have to be sure the nighttime temperatures are below 75 degrees Fahrenheit, but also not too cold. Failure to keep the plant in the right temperature can also result in decay or lack of flowers. Personally, I love gardening and I love poinsettias, but the effort involved with trying to keep them reflowering is just way too much for me. Have any of you had better luck? Image Via Property#1 [Flickr] Source #1, #2

Mouse Click Posted: 29 Nov 2009 08:08 PM PST Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) affects many computer users, and can be frequently associated with conventional mouse usage.  Now there is a new version of Mouse Click available for those who may need the relief. MouseClick waits until the mouse stops moving and sends a click. The application supports left, right and double clicks and when Smart Drag is selected MouseClick can drag windows, scrollbars and other elements. MouseClick supports Linux, Windows and Mac OS X. Click the screenshot to enlarge them. I assume it’s equipped to discern between a Link, and a link with a hover option.  via Minimal.  (Photo from jen_gingerich’s Photobucket  album.)

VCR Toaster Posted: 29 Nov 2009 12:46 PM PST Inspired by this scene from the BBC show The Young Ones, the how-to blog Instructables turned an old VCR into a functional toaster. It even prints “VHS” on the face of every piece of bread toasted. Video at the link. Link via Geek Crafts | Image: Instructables

Pictures From Research Posted: 29 Nov 2009 12:03 PM PST Photo: Igor Siwanowicz Focus Magazine has held a photography contest for the last four years featuring pics from various research projects.  Second place (in Captivating Research) this year went to Igor Simanowicz for this shot of a praying mantis’ threat display.  The rest of the selections over at SpiegelOnline are also impressive. Siwanowicz’s praying mantis finds herself in good company, among a coral-like vascular system, a robotic seal bringing comfort to dementia patients and an explosion of activity in a neuron cell. The collection presents a fascinating look at the work being done in laboratories around the world. The picture doesn’t have to be taken by a pro like Siwanowicz, just as long as it makes research more accessible to the non-scientific community. Link | via Twisted Sifter

Scientists to Breed Sheep that Burp Less Posted: 29 Nov 2009 11:05 AM PST Sixteen percent of Australia’s greenhouse emissions come from agriculture, so scientists there are busy trying to solve the problem of … burping sheep? "Ninety per cent of the methane that sheep and cattle and goats produce comes from the rumen, and that’s burped out," John Goopy from the New South Wales Department of Industry and Investment told ABC. "Not much goes behind – that’s horses." The scientists in New South Wales have been conducting experiments in specially designed pens where they measure how much gas sheep emit by burping. They have found, from tests on 200 sheep so far, that the more they eat, the more they belch. The scientists’ goal is to breed sheep that burp less: Link

How To Make Health Care Affordable: Medical Tourism! Posted: 29 Nov 2009 11:04 AM PST With all the debate going on with health care, you’d be forgiven if you want to skip this post. But I think I’ve found the solution to making health care affordable for Americans: just outsource it to Thailand. Eric Wahlgren of AOL’s Daily Finance has the story of medical tourism: Like some 47 million other Americans, Nancy Sowa (pictured) doesn’t have health insurance. So when her doctors last year told her she needed a total hip replacement, the office manager for a non-profit did what a growing number of U.S. citizens are doing: She headed abroad. At Wockhardt Hospital in Bangalore, India, the 56-year-old was put up in a hospital "suite" far swankier than what she would typically find in the U.S., with a computer, fridge, cable TV, sitting area and an extra bed for her travel companion. More to the point, the two-hour surgery in July, performed by an orthopedic surgeon trained in the U.S. and Australia, was a success. Four months later, the Durham, N.C. resident is feeling like her old self again, going for long hikes and planning her next vacation. The final tab for the procedure, including rehabilitative therapy and round-trip airfare for two? $12,000. That’s a fraction of the $45,000 to $90,000 she had been told the surgery would cost at home. "I wouldn’t have been able to do the surgery in the United States," says Sowa. "I didn’t have to explore taking out a second mortgage or tapping family members because I had this other option." Link

Bearded Superheroes Posted: 29 Nov 2009 11:03 AM PST What would Robocop, Hellboy, Batman and other comic characters look like if they had beards? You don’t have to wonder anymore. Behold Croatian illustrator Vanja Mrgan’s series "Bearded": Link – via Laughing Squid

Meet Icee: Tale of a Frozen Cat That Will Warm Your Heart Posted: 29 Nov 2009 11:03 AM PST One frigid Friday morning, animal control got a call about a cat that may or may not be alive under a deck. When they got there, they found a cat so cold it was rigid. Its eyes were closed. There was no movement. And then … Here’s a heartwarming tale of how people at the Teller County Regional Animal Shelter fought to bring the cat (aptly named Icee) back from the brink of death: "Whatcha got there?" the shelter director, Mary Steinbeiser, asks when officer Cheri France arrives and puts the carrying crate on the counter. "A cat," France says. "I’m not sure if it’s still alive." Steinbeiser pulls the black and white cat, so cold it’s rigid, out of the carrier. The eyes are closed. There’s no movement. This is an awful moment for anyone who loves animals. She steels herself. And then hears the tiniest squeak. The women exchange glances. It looks really bad. But Steinbeiser thrusts the cat at France, who unzips her jacket and presses the cat close to her body, then zips back up … Sharon Peters of USA Today’s Paw Print Post has the story: Link

Duckmaster and Other Weird Hotel Jobs Posted: 29 Nov 2009 11:01 AM PST Quick, when you think about working in a hotel, what do you think about? Being a receptionist? Part of the cleaning crew? How about a coin polisher, a mud manager and … a duckmaster?! Judy Mandell of the Los Angeles Times writes about the more unusual behind-the-scenes hotel jobs. Take for instance, Jason Sensat’s job. He’s the Duckmaster at the Peabody hotel: At the Peabody hotel in Memphis, Tenn., five mallard ducks live in a penthouse on the roof. At 11 a.m. each day, they march to the lobby, where they splash in the fountain until 5 p.m., when the ceremony reverses. Duckmaster Jason Sensat feeds, cares for and trains the ducks. "Many think this is a fun and glamorous job, and quite often it is with media interviews, travel and celebrity honorary Duckmasters — but it’s also a dirty job, as cleaning up after the flock is part of the job too," Sensat says. Read the rest: Link | Jason’s official page at The Peabody

A Magic Trick by Maru Posted: 29 Nov 2009 10:56 AM PST YouTube Link Everyone’s favorite Scottish Fold Internet star would like to show you trickz.  Previously on Neatorama:  Maru, the Box Loving Cat, Maru Returns, Maru Gets a BIG Box, Maru Makes Faces.  -via Unique Daily.

Not-Right Nativities Posted: 29 Nov 2009 10:53 AM PST Photo: Podkayne Studios Etsy seller Podkayne Studios sells nativity sets that remember the Christmas story just a little bit differently. Dinosaur, Star Wars, Pokémon, Indiana Jones and other themes are available. Link via Geekologie

This Artist Uses Only a Cigarette Lighter Posted: 29 Nov 2009 10:44 AM PST Photo: Olivier Kosta-Théfaine Paris-based artist Olivier Kosta-Théfaine burns images into ceilings using only a cigarette lighter. His medium is an extension of a common form of street art in the neighborhood in which he grew up. Pictured above is an untitled piece created in Brussels in 2007. You can view more images and read an interview with the artist at the link. Link via DudeCraft | Artist’s Website | Video Interview with the Artist

The Ceramic Cameras of Steve Irvine Posted: 29 Nov 2009 10:31 AM PST Steve Irvine makes ceramic pinhole cameras. He writes “I like the organic look of these cameras which contrasts with our usual notions of cameras being machine-made, high tech devices.” The cameras are quite functional, as you can see from the photograph below, taken with the camera above. Link via Make | Photos: Steve Irvine

Humans on Display at the Zoo Posted: 29 Nov 2009 07:47 AM PST The zoo of Warsaw, Poland, has a pair of prehistoric humans (or actors depicting them) on display over the weekend: Organiser Maria Mastalerz says the weeklong “performance” aims to attract interest in a play, “Caveman,” showing in the Polish capital. But she says it also carries a message that humans today are not all that different from their prehistoric ancestors. Dressed in furs and animal skins, the young woman and man smoked a fish over a fire Friday, poking it with a stick, or stared from behind bars at startled zoo visitors. Video at the link. Link via Stuff | Photo: AP

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