Neatorama

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• Octopurse
• Slinky Walking on a Treadmill
• Dysfunctional Erection: the Washington Monument
• Pixelated Prince Of Persia In The Real World
• A Where’s Waldo Style Panoramic Shot Of Mos Eisley
• John Cleese Carefully Considers Your Useless Comments
• Drivable R2-D2 Built For Make-A-Wish Kid To Enjoy
• Radiohead ‘OK Computer’ 3.5 Inch Floppy From 1997
• A New Twist in the Sad Saga of Little Albert
• The Blue Family
• Stained Glass Twenty-Sided Dice
• Garfield Cupcakes
• Blindfolded Boxing
• Pokémon in the Little Golden Books Style
• Sisyphus Gets a Snowthrower
• A Visit to Point Roberts, Washington
• Burglar Unwisely Shoots 90-Year Old Man in the Head
• The Forgetting Pill

Octopurse Posted: 20 Feb 2012 05:15 AM PST GalaFilc’s felted coin purses are adorable! This purple one has a matching brown friend. GalaFilc also felts scarves, stoles and collars. GalaFilc’s Photostream and Etsy Shop -via Geek Crafts

Slinky Walking on a Treadmill Posted: 20 Feb 2012 05:03 AM PST (Video Link) It’s hypnotic. If were put into a continuous loop, like the Enterprise ambient engine noise video, I could watch this all day. -via Blame It on the Voices

Dysfunctional Erection: the Washington Monument Posted: 20 Feb 2012 04:51 AM PST This Presidents Day article is from the book Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges Into the Presidency. What weighs 40,000 tons, towers 555 feet 5 1/8 inches high over the nation’s capital, has 897 steps to the top, is made of 36,491 stones, and can boast with certainty that George Washington never slept there? The Washington Monument! Today surrounded by 50 flags at the base, symbolizing each of the 50 states, the white marble obelisk is the jewel in the crown of the National Mall -but it took a surprisingly long time for the nation to get around to building it. DESIGN DEBATES Immediately after the War for Independence, the Continental Congress made plans to honor General George Washington. As far back as 1783, there was a plan for an equestrian statue of Washington to be placed near the Capitol building -once they figured out where the capital city was going to be. But the new nation was busy, and the capital moved several times, making it difficult to find a good spot for a tribute. After Washington died in 1799, Congress again made noises about erecting a monument in his honor, and they settled on creating a tomb in the Capitol building. But they forgot to ask his family’s opinion. Washington’s heirs did not want to move his remains, which stayed firmly planted in his tomb on the grounds of his home, Mount Vernon, in Alexandria, Virginia. As the 100th anniversary of Washington’s birth approached, there was again a push to memorialize the first president. Congress coughed up $5,000 in 1832 for a marble statue intended for the Capitol Rotunda. However artist Horatio Greenhough’s creation -a 20-ton seated seminude figure- was not exactly what most folks had in mind. This statue ended up at the Smithsonian Institution in 1908. In 1833 George Watterson (a former Librarian of Congress) formed the Washington National Monument Society, whose purpose was to finally erect a fitting memorial. The society held a design competition that architect Robert Mills won. His original plan was a much more elaborate design than the current simple obelisk seen today. Mills wanted an even bigger obelisk surrounded by a colonnade, which was to be interspersed with statues of other Revolutionary War heroes and capped by a classically-inspired statue of a toga-clad Washington driving a chariot. There were even plans to entomb the remains of these heroes in underground catacombs. But money -and enthusiasm- were short-lived. In 1848, the society decided to just build the obelisk and worry about the colonnade later. Excavation was begun later that year, and the cornerstone was laid on the Fourth of July. BUILDING BLOCKS AND STUMBLING BLOCKS The society encouraged all states and territories to donate memorial stones to be used in the interior walls of the monument. Donations poured in from other sources as well, including blocks from Native American tribes, businesses, and even foreign countries. Perhaps the most well-known memorial stone came in the early 1850s from Pope Pius IX: a marble stone that had been part of the Temple of Concord in Rome. In March 1854, however, members of the Know-Nothings (an aptly named anti-Catholic, anti-immigration political party) stole the stone and allegedly threw it into the Potomac River. Donations to the society began to dry up in 1854, and Congress was reluctant to step in and help. The nation was embroiled in controversy over the spread and existence of slavery; a monument to honor the Father of the United States seemed a folly to build when that very nation was in danger of being torn apart. Social turmoil and economic uncertainty stalled the plans. The monument would stand unfinished for more than twenty years as the country went to war with itself and then struggled to put itself back together again. MONUMENTAL MAKEOVERS After the Civil War ended Congress appropriated $200,000 to resume construction on the Washington Monument. Plans for the colonnade were finally scrapped, and the size of the obelisk was changed to make it conform more to classical Egyptian proportions. Construction finally began again in 1879, The new architect, Thomas L. Casey of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, incorporated the original donated memorial stones in the interior walls. The first memorial stone to be placed was the Alabama stone. The last two stones to be placed were installed in 1982: the Alaska stone, which is made of solid jade, and another stone donated by the Vatican to replace the original that was pilfered. The monument was opened to the public on October 9, 1888, and it typically has more than 800,000 visitors each year. Beginning in 1997 the Washington Monument closed down to undergo a huge restoration effort. Scaffolding enfolded the exterior so the outside could be cleaned and repaired. On the inside, the masonry and historic donated stones were restored. On the practical side, the elevators, heating, and cooling systems were upgraded, too! The new elevator cab features glass panels so riders can view the commemorative stones on the 180-, 170-, 140-, and 130-foot levels. The elevator takes viewers to the top in only 70 seconds, but the ride down takes 138 seconds so people can really see the stones. The monument grounds underwent upgrades in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. But the monument itself remained open to visitors, who could still ride the elevator to the top and enjoy sweeping views of the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, the Jefferson Memorial, the Capitol, and the city beyond. [Ed. note: the monument was closed after sustaining damage during the Virginia earthquake of August 23, 2011, and remains closed until repairs are completed.] DID’JA EVER NOTICE? Because the monument was left unfinished (at about 150 feet tall) for so long, it is actually two colors. Even though the same type of stone was used after construction resumed, it had to be mined from a different quarry, and the white shade could not be matched exactly. If you look closely, you can see the change in color about a third of the way up. ___________________ The article above was reprinted with permission from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges Into the Presidency. Since 1988, the Bathroom Reader Institute had published a series of popular books containing irresistible bits of trivia and obscure yet fascinating facts. If you like Neatorama, you’ll love the Bathroom Reader Institute’s books – go ahead and check ‘em out!

Pixelated Prince Of Persia In The Real World Posted: 20 Feb 2012 12:05 AM PST (YouTube Link) The Prince of Persia may have been all slick and nimble in the classic video game, but when he tries to make the transition into real life he finds that the world isn’t a very pixel friendly place. Man, I need to get my own Keyboard guy! –via Obvious Winner

A Where’s Waldo Style Panoramic Shot Of Mos Eisley Posted: 19 Feb 2012 11:59 PM PST This panoramic shot of Mos Eisley by illustrator Ulises Farinas is full of characters and props from the Star Wars universe, some from another universe altogether, and some funny little Where’s Waldo style surprises to discover as you scan over the detail crammed scene. This amazing illustration definitely warrants a closer look, so make sure you hit the link to see it in all of it’s full-sized glory. I never realized there were so many cats lurking around Tatooine, or that they have their own version of Batman lurking about in the back alleys! Link  –via i09

John Cleese Carefully Considers Your Useless Comments Posted: 19 Feb 2012 11:54 PM PST (YouTube Link) As a hilarious comedian, gentleman, scholar, and founding member of the seminal sketch comedy troupe Monty Python, John Cleese hasn’t lost a bit of his prize winning wit, even after over 40 years in the business. Now, he’s come back to answer to the worst kind of modern critic-the YouTube commenter. Sit back and have a laugh as John Cleese carefully considers your useless comments. –via The Mary Sue

Drivable R2-D2 Built For Make-A-Wish Kid To Enjoy Posted: 19 Feb 2012 11:47 PM PST Matthew Grammer, a 7 year old who is being treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, asked for one of the coolest things ever as his Make-A Wish Foundation request–a giant, drivable R2-D2 so he can roll around school pretending to be R2 in style. Here’s a bit of info from the makers, Little Mountain Productions: R2D2 was a fun challenge to build. R2 was fabricated with a simple joystick with massive on/off buttons inside. We also placed a large (kill it) button on the outside for parents. The computer is powered by 2 rechargeable gel batteries and guided by our proprietary software that is enclosed under the cushioned driver’s seat. After test-driving R2, popping wheelies and leaving tire marks in our shop, we decided it would be best if we slowed down the oversized torquey electric motors. If you’re interested, you can see a video of one of the coolest R2-D2 replicas ever in action at the link below. It looks like a lot of fun to drive! Here’s hoping Matthew the best of health, and a long life full of fun. The Force is strong with this one! Link  –via Geekologie

Radiohead ‘OK Computer’ 3.5 Inch Floppy From 1997 Posted: 19 Feb 2012 11:36 PM PST This rather unique piece of Radiohead memorabilia was given out in 1997 as a promotional item, and it contains an ‘OK Computer’ screensaver for Windows 3.1 or 95 on 3.5 inch floppy. Rather appropriate advertising technique, wouldn’t you say? It’s funny how quickly these promo disks became obsolete after the ’90s, and now they get thrown in the trash, or the donation pile, more often than they’re kept as a collectible. But, like any music memorabilia, they’ll continue to go up in value, and will always be sought after by collectors. Link  –via Best Week Ever

A New Twist in the Sad Saga of Little Albert Posted: 19 Feb 2012 05:52 PM PST A few years ago we linked to the sad story of Little Albert, an infant who was a psychological test subject in John B. Watson’s experiment on fear. He conditioned the child to be afraid of rats, a fear which generalized to all furry animals. At the time, we said no one knew what happened to Little Albert, only that the fear conditioning was never reversed. The entire project was an ethicist’s nightmare. But further investigation hints it may have been much worse than we thought. One of the longstanding mysteries about the experiment, the identity of Little Albert, was apparently solved in 2010 by Hall P. Beck, a psychologist at Appalachian State University. He and his co-authors argued that Little Albert was Douglas Merritte, the son of a wet-nurse who worked at the Johns Hopkins University, where the experiment was carried out. Merritte died in 1925 at age six from convulsions brought on by hydrocephalus (also known as "water on the brain"). There is some evidence that the baby was neurologically impaired. Experts who have seen the films Watson kept of his experiment tend to think so -even those who are not aware of what the film was. If Watson tried to generalize his theories about fear based on data from one test subject who was ill and most likely suffering from a mental disability, then his conclusions are useless. If he knew the child was disabled, then they are a scientific fraud. And the cruelty of the process was for nothing at all. The authors write about the baby's mother, Arvilla, who was a wet nurse at the hospital. Because wet nurses were of low social status, and because she worked for the institution itself, she may have felt unable to turn down a request for her baby to be used in Watson's experiment. "Voluntary consent, as we understand the term today, was not possible to give or to withhold," they write. Presumably, most parents, if given a choice, would not allow their babies to participate in an experiment in which researchers terrify them. But Arvilla found herself in a bind. She was dependent on her employer both for her job and for the medical care of her sick baby. Read the rest of the story (oh yes, there’s more besides what we’ve told you) at The Chronicle of Higher Education. Link -via Metafilter

The Blue Family Posted: 19 Feb 2012 05:33 PM PST For more than two centuries, the Fugate family has lived near Troublesome Creek in eastern Kentucky. Many of them, in the past, were blue. Yes, blue. As a result of inbreeding, the combination of a recessive trait caused them to be born with methemoglobinemia, a rare genetic disorder that turns the skin blue. Read more about this unique family known as “the blue Fugates” at Now I Know. Link | Image: unknown

Stained Glass Twenty-Sided Dice Posted: 19 Feb 2012 04:00 PM PST You can’t afford a critical fumble when you’re playing with these dice. Instructables user Casey Borders provides instructions on how to make your own stained glass d20s at the link. You’ll need an icosahedron jig, a interesting tool that I never heard of before. Link -via Technabob Previously: Stained Glass d20

Garfield Cupcakes Posted: 19 Feb 2012 03:49 PM PST Bakerella, a fan of Garfield comics for decades, made these fondant wonders. I suspect that turning into a cupcake would be Garfield’s worst nightmare. Link -via Flavorwire

Blindfolded Boxing Posted: 19 Feb 2012 01:23 PM PST (YouTube link) Billed as the “new sport of 1949,” this newsreel shows us what seems to be an experiment in comedy. At least it’s safer than regular boxing! And it reminds me of the Japanese TV show that staged a soccer game in which all the players wore binoculars. -via Nag on the Lake

Pokémon in the Little Golden Books Style Posted: 19 Feb 2012 12:21 PM PST Imagine in a world in which Pokémon emerged in the 1940s instead of the 1990s, and in the United States instead of Japan. That’s what Becky Dreisdadt had in mind when she devised 151 Pokémon in the style of the Little Golden Books. Each Pokémon comes with a description of its savage combat abilities. Here’s what a Jumpalope can do in battle: Often sighted by weary travellers, the Jumpalope was once considered to be a mythical creature. This behorned lagamorph thrives in the desert as it can store a week's worth of water in its cactus tail. To provide camouflage, its ears change colour with the leaves of the seasons. Link -via io9

Sisyphus Gets a Snowthrower Posted: 19 Feb 2012 11:28 AM PST (YouTube link) In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was doomed to roll a boulder up a hill and watch it roll back down, so he could start his task all over again. The YouTube description (in Polish) says this guy with a snowblower kept it up for an hour and a half. You have to wonder if anyone ever explained to him that you could aim the snow out to the side. -via TYWKIWDBI

A Visit to Point Roberts, Washington Posted: 19 Feb 2012 10:01 AM PST Point Roberts is a promontory of the Tsawwassen Peninsula that sticks out just south of the 49th parallel that forms the US-Canadian border. It’s a little piece of America geographically attached to Canada. Nate Berg of The Atlantic visited the tiny community that lives there and learned about how it endures, politically and economically. Moving people and goods to Point Roberts can be a great struggle, but in some ways that’s beneficial: perhaps 50 of the town’s 1,300 residents are in the US Marshals’ witness protection program. Read more about Berg’s visit at the link, including why he describes Point Roberts as “the foreskin of America.” Link -via Glenn Reynolds | Image: Google

Burglar Unwisely Shoots 90-Year Old Man in the Head Posted: 19 Feb 2012 09:38 AM PST All this accomplished was to enrage the homeowner, 90-year old Jay Leone of Greenbrae, California. Leone then returned fire: “To tell you the truth, I never felt a thing,” said Leone, 90, of Greenbrae. “I said, ‘F—- you, you son of a bitch, now it’s my turn.’” Whereupon he shot five bullets at the suspect from his .38-caliber Smith & Wesson snubnose revolver, hitting the burglar three times in the abdomen. A scuffle ensued between the wounded men. The suspect then fled the scene. He eventually sought medical treatment for his wounds, leading to his arrest. Leone summoned the police and told them how he was able to get to one of his guns while the burglar ransacked his house: Leone said he concocted a plan: He said he needed to use the bathroom, which is where his five guns were hidden. When the burglar refused, Leone pulled his pants down and said he would defecate on the spot. The burglar let him leave for the bathroom but would not let him close the door, Leone said. “I said, ‘Do you like to watch people take a s—-?’” Leone testified. The burglar let him close the door, and Leone went for his Smith & Wesson snubnose. Link -via Sharp as a Marble | Photo: Marin Independent Journal

The Forgetting Pill Posted: 19 Feb 2012 08:09 AM PST Memories are not exact recordings of our experiences. Science finds that the act of remembering something changes that memory. This finding has led to the development of drugs that, when administered in conjunction with the act of recalling a specific memory, can modify or even erase that memory! The applications of this research could mean a cure for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PKMzeta is an enzyme that is produced around brain synapses when memories are recalled. An enzyme inhibitor called zeta-interacting protein, or ZIP, reduces the production of PKMzeta. Neuroscientists Karim Nader and Joseph LeDoux explain how this inhibitor can erase memories. Nader, LeDoux, and a neuroscientist named Jacek Debiec taught rats elaborate sequences of association, so that a series of sounds predicted the arrival of a painful shock to the foot. Nader calls this a "chain of memories"—the sounds lead to fear, and the animals freeze up. "We wanted to know if making you remember that painful event would also lead to the disruption of related memories," Nader says. "Or could we alter just that one association?" The answer was clear. By injecting a protein synthesis inhibitor before the rats were exposed to only one of the sounds—and therefore before they underwent memory reconsolidation—the rats could be "trained" to forget the fear associated with that particular tone. "Only the first link was gone," Nader says. The other associations remained perfectly intact. This is a profound result. While scientists have long wondered how to target specific memories in the brain, it turns out to be remarkably easy: All you have to do is ask people to remember them. In addition to PTSD, erasing certain memories could aid therapies for chronic pain, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and drug addiction. But is it right to erase memories? Medical ethicists are divided. Some say that the memory of pain is educational, and it’s wrong to mess with what makes us who we are. Others are excited about the possibility of helping those who suffer. And the rest of us wonder what happens when this technology falls into the wrong hands. Read the rest on this fascinating subject at Wired. Link -via Metafilter

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