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- 10 Fun Ways to Ring In The New Year
- Civil Unrest LEGO Collection
- Spot the Difference
- The Geekiest Musical Instrument Ever Made
- An Offical Timeline For The Legend Of Zelda Games
- Psychedelic Paper Sculptures By Jen Stark
- Christmas Fight Club for Priests
- How To Cook a Big Mac Value Meal in a Rice Cooker
- Sunglasses Inspired By H.R. Giger Artwork
- Meet Matt Stutzman, Archer
- A Christmas Card By Charles Addams
- How To Make Your Own Butterbeer
- Eagles and Kitty Cats BFF
- Comet Lovejoy, As Seen From Space
- MIT Researchers Develop Suit That Lets You Feel Like You're 75 Years Old
- Beyonce's "All the Trekkie Ladies"
- Colombian Slum with Giant Outdoor Escalator
- There Will Be No Friday This Week In Samoa
- The Facebook Bed
- 6 Bizarre Endings For Historical Treasures
- The Ultimate Geek Girl Fashion Accessory
- Scientists Who Experimented On Themselves
- Where Christmas Lights Go To Die
- Tabitha the Pig and Susie the Dog, BFF
- Father Taped His Children Coming Down the Stairs on Christmas Morning For The Past 25 Years
- Party Hat Cats
- Replica Race Car Opens to Reveal Slot Car Set
- Tents with the Class Clown in Mind
- Where to Find Penguins
- Exploding Churros
- Happy New Year
- Klerksdorp Spheres
10 Fun Ways to Ring In The New Year Posted: 29 Dec 2011 05:15 AM PST Even if you don't live in America, you're probably familiar with our New Year's Eve traditions, being as how they're played on TV stations across the globe and portrayed in countless movies. That being said, there are tons more celebrations out there that don't involve kissing at midnight, watching a ball drop and staring at fireworks in awe. Here are a few New Year's Eve traditions from around the world. Image Via asterix611 [Flickr] Bring Gifts to NeighborsIt's always nice to get a gift from a neighbor, friend or family member, but in some countries, visitors bearing gifts are practically guaranteed on the first day of the year. The tradition is commonly known as First-Footing and while it's practiced everywhere from Russia to Wales to parts of the U.S., it is most common in Scotland. While the gifts brought for the occasion are important as they represent the type of luck the recipient will receive, it is also important who brings the gift. Ideally, the first person to enter a home at this period will be a tall, dark man, as this will bring the most luck. Swing a Fireball Above Your HeadScotland's New Year's Eve celebrations are known as Hogmanay and the celebration is responsible for introducing the “Auld Lang Syne” song to the world. But the festivities vary from place to place and while some areas celebrate by singing and linking arms at the appropriate point in the song, other celebrations are much more dangerous. In Stonehaven, locals make up balls of chicken wire filled with newspapers, sticks and rags that sometimes measure up to two feet wide. Each ball is attached to a chain or nonflammable rope about three feet long. At midnight, the balls are then set on fire and swung around the heads of their creators as other revelers watch the spectacle. Eventually, the fireballs are put out or thrown into the harbor. Despite the dangers, the event has drawn in many tourists and the small town now sees around 12,000 people standing in the city streets to watch the fire balls spin. If you want to see the action without risking life and limb, the celebration is now streamed on the internet. Image Via MrPurple [Wikipedia] Burn EffigiesIf you just can't get enough burning out of your New Year's experience and you've already visited Stonehaven, then perhaps it's time to purchase a ticket to Ecuador. That's because on New Year's Eve, locals line the streets with effigies of people who have made a negative impact on the last year, most commonly, unpopular politicians. Thousands of dummies are lit up at the stroke of midnight in an effort to prevent the negative events associate with those people from impacting the new year. Image Via lowfill [Flickr] Munch Some Grapes
In Mexico, Spain and a number of other Latin countries, it is popular tradition to make a wish and eat one grape for each bell that chimes the sound of midnight. That means you must be a really fast eater or you're bound to be stuck with a dozen grapes in your mouth all at once. If you are able to swallow them all, then your dreams are said to come true. This tradition is actually fairly new, starting in 1909 when grape growers in Alicante thought up the idea as a way to help get rid of some of their extensive grape surplus from the year's harvest. It quickly took off though and now people across the globe think of grapes as a must have for New Year's Eve. As quickly as the tradition swept through Latin cultures, it wouldn't be entirely surprising to see Americans adopting the tradition in the future. Wear Colored PantiesIn many countries, including Spain, Italy, Bolivia, and a variety of other countries, it is also traditional to wear certain colors of underwear on New Year's Eve in order to bring good luck in the next year. While red is the traditional color in Spain and Italy, colors vary from country to country. In Bolivia, red is for love and yellow is for money…presumably that means you're in for both if you wear red and yellow polka dots. Image Via PinkLens [Flickr] Chase Away DevilsFor many cultures, the New Year is a time to wash away the old year and prepare for good fortune in the upcoming year, but in Puerto Rico and the Philippines, it's a time to chase away the demons that have been haunting you and your home. Revelers honk car horns, blast boat whistles, bang drums and ring church bells all in an effort to chase away evil spirits and demons. In some areas of Puerto Rico, they also throw pails of water from the windows in order to chase away further evil. In Puerto Rico, those that aren't on land throwing water from their windows or making noise instead fall backwards into the ocean waves as the clock strikes midnight in an effort to bring in good luck for the upcoming year. In the Philippines, it is tradition to wear clothes bearing circular patterns, as they should attract wealth, as will throwing coins in the air at midnight and serving circular fruits with dinner. Those who wish to be taller should jump as the clock turns to twelve. Eat a TonWhile many cultures have a traditional feast on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day, Estonians take it to a whole new level. It is considered good luck to eat seven, nine, even twelve times on New Year's Eve and for each meal eaten, the diner is said to gain the strength of that many men in the following year. It's not totally gluttonous though. The meals are never supposed to be finished entirely, as the leftovers are to be provided for the spirits who visit that night. Image Via Raasiel [Flickr] Predict the FutureMany people like to set goals for the upcoming year, but some people take it a step further and actually try to predict what the year will bring. In Germany, fortunes are sometimes told by dropping molten lead into water and then evaluating the shapes of the drops. In Romania, fortune tellers take to peeling, salting and reading the skins of 12 onions. It is said that someone who is particularly good at this skill can evaluate the weather of the upcoming year. Image Via OnTheBorderLand [Flickr] Excessively Clean and Cook, Then RelaxIn Japan, New Year's Day is one of the biggest holidays of the year, so locals spend the majority of the day cleaning their home to prepare for the first day of the year. They then have the largest feast of the year, featuring noodles that represent the crossing over from one year to the next. Traditionally, New Year’s Eve would require extensive cooking, not only to prepare the meal for that night, but also three days worth of non-perishable dishes, as the local shops would be closed. But this tradition is less common now that refrigeration is widely available and more shops are open in the days following the holiday. At midnight, many people visit a local Buddhist temple, where monks ring bells 108 times, representing the different defilements people have in their head. The ringing of the bells is meant as a means of repentance for these naughty thoughts. Finally, on New Year's Day, residents are expected to rest and no work is to be done that day. Children often receive small gifts of money in celebration and hard working adults get the day off from the office –it's a win/win. Copy Times SquareWhile most of China doesn't celebrate New Year's Eve because locals still base their holidays on the Lunar calendar, Hong Kong is a notable exception. What makes their celebration different from the rest of the world's is their replica of the Time's Square ball dropping ceremony in the Times Square shopping mall. While it might not be as big of a deal as the original event, it's certain to have less crowds and will probably be at least a little warmer than the celebration in New York. Image Via ellesil [Flickr] Do any of you celebrate less common New Year's Eve traditions? What was the strangest holiday tradition you ever witnessed? I want to start doing the grape thing myself, although it certainly sounds like a challenge –especially if I still want my New Year's kiss and a sip of champagne when the clock finishes chiming. Sources: Wikipedia #1, #2, #3, Mental Floss #1, #2, Infoplease |
Posted: 29 Dec 2011 04:30 AM PST Slate V imagines LEGO sets that reflect what is going on in the world, in your choice of Occupy Wall Street or Arab Spring versions. If these really existed, I would be in line to get one! Then it would be easy to illustrate the events of the past year in LEGO. Link -via I Am Bored |
Posted: 29 Dec 2011 04:25 AM PST These two photographs of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il’s funeral procession were taken only seconds apart, but the top photo was taken by Japanese press outlet Kyodo News, and the bottom one was provided to journalists by North Korea's state news agency. North Korea is no stranger to photo manipulation; in this case it serves only the purpose of making the procession look more “perfect.” The details are at the New York Times photography blog. Link -via Metafilter (Image credits: Associated Press, via Kyodo News; Korean Central News Agency, via European Pressphoto Agency) |
The Geekiest Musical Instrument Ever Made Posted: 28 Dec 2011 11:45 PM PST This epic musical geek creation is called the gAtari-a musical instrument which uses the extremely limited sound capabilities of the Atari 2600 to make the kind of music hardcore gamers will love, and parents will classify as noise. I don’t fully understand how the device works, but here the creator cTrix attempts to explain how, and why, he came up with it: The "gAtari" was my excuse to do something a little silly after I discovered that the Atari 2600 was more limiting than I realized! (31 pitches, minimal waveforms and only 2 channels!) I needed an EQ which could take a high voltage and drop it down to line level (Boss bass EQ) plus a way to hold loops between tracks and parts (Boss delay). So rather than have it "DJ" style config, I thought I make something a little more creative. I hope the gAtari sparks a new trend in club music, doesn’t the sweet sounds coming out of this thing make you wanna get up and shake your rump? –via GeeksAreSexy |
An Offical Timeline For The Legend Of Zelda Games Posted: 28 Dec 2011 11:32 PM PST If you’ve ever wondered how the events that take place in all of the Legend of Zelda video games fit together in the history of Hyrule, you need to check out this official timeline. Part of a new Zelda art book entitled Hyrule Historia, this timeline proves that there is a cohesive plot unfolding in the games, a plot which is following a set path, and which sometimes strays off into the multiverse zone, depending on the outcome of certain scenarios and whether Link is defeated or victorious in his battle against dark forces. If you’re interested, you can see more of this comprehensive timeline at the link below, as well as a 23 minute long video which shows the art book in all it’s beautifully illustrated glory. It’s good to know that someone can make sense of all that has happened to Link since his early days on the NES! |
Psychedelic Paper Sculptures By Jen Stark Posted: 28 Dec 2011 09:24 PM PST These vibrant, rainbow colored artworks are by Jen Stark, and they’re made entirely of paper! Some of them look like a portal to another dimension, while others are like a rainbow colored coating for an otherwise drab world. You can see works from her latest show here, and here’s a link to a previous Neatorama post on Jen’s awesome paper artworks. I feel a flashback coming on! Link –via Super Punch |
Christmas Fight Club for Priests Posted: 28 Dec 2011 08:47 PM PST This Christmas, give you fellow priests a present they won’t soon forget: a smack to the face with brooms! That’s what about some priests did while preparing Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity for Orthodox Christmas on January 7:
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How To Cook a Big Mac Value Meal in a Rice Cooker Posted: 28 Dec 2011 07:49 PM PST It’s prepared on a bed of rice in a rice cooker, which magically makes everything healthier. Be sure to use all of food-like products included in the meal. Yes, even the Coke Zero. Pour it in. Cook for a few minutes and then serve with chopsticks. Read the step-by-step instructions provided by one brave culinary explorer at the link. Link -via Ace of Spades HQ | Photo: Rocket News 24 |
Sunglasses Inspired By H.R. Giger Artwork Posted: 28 Dec 2011 06:55 PM PST These sunglasses are sure to make you the talk of the town, but whether that talk is good or bad is a matter of opinion. Inspired by the painting Illuminatus II by H.R. Giger, these sunglasses created by multimedia artist Doktor A make you look like you have a giant safety pin stuck through your nose, and would have been most stylish during the 80s. Now, only the brave, or Lady Gaga, will attempt to match this unique accessory with their wardrobe. But if you consider yourself fashion forward, you can’t get much more forward than wearing these bad boys! (for the record, I couldn’t find these sunglasses anywhere on Doktor A’s site, but I’ve included the link to give the artist credit) Link –via Super Punch |
Posted: 28 Dec 2011 06:45 PM PST Most people born without arms would never dream of taking up archery, much less training to compete in the Paralympics, but then most people don’t have the drive that Matt Stutzman has in abundance. Matt has never let his physical impairment stop him from doing anything he’s wanted to do, including playing guitar and learning to eat with his feet. He is an inspiration to us all, and should serve as a reminder that we can do anything we put our minds to, regardless of physical limitations. Join me in wishing Matt luck as he gets ready for the 2012 Paralympic Games in London! –via Super Punch |
A Christmas Card By Charles Addams Posted: 28 Dec 2011 06:32 PM PST
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How To Make Your Own Butterbeer Posted: 28 Dec 2011 06:28 PM PST Recently we brought you the first edition of the Feast of Fiction recipe series-a recipe for Sunshine Souffle from the video game Skyrim. That recipe looks delicious, and easy to make, but their newest recipe for Butterbeer looks utterly repulsive. That’s right, I said Butterbeer, but before all you Harry Potter fans get too excited, you need to know: this recipe contains neither beer nor butter, and it contains artificial butter flavoring, which makes any food (except movie theater popcorn, for some reason) gross and way too buttery. Maybe this recipe is a dream come true for HP fanatics, but to me it sounds like a good idea gone terribly wrong. But what do you think: are you going to be trying out this recipe for yourself? –via GeeksAreSexy |
Posted: 28 Dec 2011 06:08 PM PST (Video Link) Eagles love to perch outside of YouTube user pla1554alaska’s home. So do her cats, Gizmo and Suitcase. They’ve all managed to get along, even hang out within inches of each other. -via Althouse |
Comet Lovejoy, As Seen From Space Posted: 28 Dec 2011 04:14 PM PST On December 21, 2011, International Space Station Commander Dan Burbank captured the spectacular sight of Comet Lovejoy as seen from 240 miles above the Earth. Take a look: Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] |
MIT Researchers Develop Suit That Lets You Feel Like You're 75 Years Old Posted: 28 Dec 2011 03:55 PM PST
Video at the link. Link -via Geekosystem | Project Website | Photo: MIT |
Beyonce's "All the Trekkie Ladies" Posted: 28 Dec 2011 03:43 PM PST (Video Link) Not sufficiently retro for you? Then you could try the Andy Griffith version of “Single Ladies.” As for me, I think that we should start an Internet movement to summon Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, and LeVar Burton together to present a real-life version of this video. -via The Mary Sue | Previously: Wrinkled Ladies |
Colombian Slum with Giant Outdoor Escalator Posted: 28 Dec 2011 03:34 PM PST
The only thing missing now is a giant slide to go down! Link (Photo: Luis Benavides/AP) |
There Will Be No Friday This Week In Samoa Posted: 28 Dec 2011 03:19 PM PST
If this had happened in any part of the U.S., you can bet we’d skip Monday before messing with a Friday. Link -via reddit (Image credit: Wikipedia user Plenz) |
Posted: 28 Dec 2011 02:33 PM PST |
6 Bizarre Endings For Historical Treasures Posted: 28 Dec 2011 02:08 PM PST If you’re a regular Neatorama reader, than you probably already know that Egyptian mummies were regularly burned as firewood in the past, but you might not be aware of some of the other tragedies befalling historical artifacts featured in this great Cracked article. If you couldn’t tell by the image, you might not want to read it right after eating lunch. |
The Ultimate Geek Girl Fashion Accessory Posted: 28 Dec 2011 01:51 PM PST Ladies, if you ever found yourself watching Spaceballs and shouting “I NEED those” when Princess Vespa removes her bun headphones at the beginning of the movie, well here’s your chance. Etsy seller JacquieLongLegs sells these in a variety of hair colors so you can be sure to match your own locks. Anyone wanna get me a late Christmas present? Link Via The Mary Sue |
Scientists Who Experimented On Themselves Posted: 28 Dec 2011 01:38 PM PST Science is a field based largely on theory and experimentation, which is why you have to be pretty darn certain you are right if you’re willing to test your ideas on yourself. For example, in the picture above:
Learn about more dedicated, and brave, scientists over at Mental Floss. |
Where Christmas Lights Go To Die Posted: 28 Dec 2011 01:32 PM PST
Chances are, if it escapes being put in a landfill, it will end up in Shijao, China, where 20 million pounds of Christmas lights go to die every year: Adam Minter wrote this enlightening piece for The Atlantic: Link |
Tabitha the Pig and Susie the Dog, BFF Posted: 28 Dec 2011 12:31 PM PST
Your cute video of the day is brought to you by the Hillside Animal Sanctuary, where Tabitha the Pig plays with her best buddy Susie the Dog. Andrew Hough and Martin Coutts of The Telegraph has the story:
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Father Taped His Children Coming Down the Stairs on Christmas Morning For The Past 25 Years Posted: 28 Dec 2011 10:23 AM PST
What a wonderful Christmas morning tradition! Every year for the past 25 years, writer Nick Confalone's father taped him and his sister coming down the stairs:
Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] - via Oddity Central |
Posted: 28 Dec 2011 09:14 AM PST The cats from Kagonekoshiro (Basket Cat Blog) are ready for a holiday party! Which will keep their hat on the longest? My money is on Shiro -not only because he’s the most patient and balanced cat ever, but also because I’ve watched the video. -via Buzzfeed |
Replica Race Car Opens to Reveal Slot Car Set Posted: 28 Dec 2011 08:19 AM PST Slot cars, for those of you too young to remember, were among the greatest toys of the 1960s and 70s. This awesome 1:32 scale set by Slot Mods is built inside of a replica of the Porsche 917K that won the 12 Hours of Sebring race in 1971. Just push a button and you’re ready to race. |
Tents with the Class Clown in Mind Posted: 28 Dec 2011 08:00 AM PST The designers at FieldCandy think that tents should be more than functional. They should be funny, too! The firm offers dozens of different designs, including this one called “Get a Room!” Link -via Fubiz (Google Translate) |
Posted: 28 Dec 2011 07:45 AM PST You can see penguins in zoos all over the world, but to enjoy these birds in their natural habitat, you want to go to where they live. And you don’t have to go to Antarctica. Penguins thrive in twelve nations that are much easier to get to -as far north as Ecuador! Read about each of them and the penguins they have at The World Geography. Link -Thanks, Bosko! |
Posted: 28 Dec 2011 07:10 AM PST
(Image credit: Flickr user cherrypatter) |
Posted: 28 Dec 2011 06:25 AM PST Artist and musician Rhe De Ville had recorded a danceable update to her joyful holiday anthem “Happy New Year” for 2012, with a new video, too! Of course, the original is nice, too. -Thanks, Rhe! |
Posted: 28 Dec 2011 06:05 AM PST
Read more about Klerksdorp Spheres at Atlas Obscura. Link |
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