Neatorama

---

• Norwegian Diplomat Says Role Playing Can Save The World
• The Turntable Spirograph Machine
• Fantastic Gypsy Wagon Designs
• Alternate Mad Men Intro Sequences
• So Much Pizza…
• Painted Needlepoint By Caroline Larsen
• When Movie Posters Go 8-Bit
• Renaissance Justice League
• If Classic Movies Had Morality Choices Like Mass Effect
• Bloom Utensil Set
• Let Us Test This Salad for You
• 6 Delicious Adult Milkshakes Based on Girl Scout Cookies
• A Truly Terrifying Cyclopean Hairdo
• An App That Turns Photos Into Animated GIFs
• Custom Gears Of War Digger Launcher
• Peter The Elephant Plays With A Smartphone
• Death Star Dog
• Per Capita Distribution of Heavy Metal Bands Worldwide
• Mechawhales Have Come To Save The Day
• Fake Science Fair Project: Teddy Bear Birth Defects
• Deviled Egg Chicks
• Unusual Unicorn Stompeez Slippers
• 86-Year Old Gymnast Puts You to Shame
• Parakeets Say The Darndest Things
• Categorization of Baked Goods and Pancakes in English and Chinese
• Wind Map of the United States
• 12-Year-Old’s Public Punishment for Theft: Tough Love or Child Abuse?
• Moon Glass
• A Tabby Cat in Tinseltown
• Art and Personality Venn Diagram
• Lamborghini Batman is a Real Super Hero
• Art with Salt: Ice Age
• 54 Artists Create A Unique Set Of Playing Cards
• Eyeball Lunch Bag
• Giant Rats the Size of Cats Attacking Florida
• Slow Motion Ballet
• Rejected Dilbert Comics
• The Dolphin Mafia
• Love with a Side of Fries
• Nanoputians
• The Dilemma
• A Well Educated Vandal
• Most Extensive Face Transplant Yet
• The Treniers
• Short People
• Getting into a Different Frame of Mind
• Zombie Mount Rushmore Letter and Key Holder
• Electronic Abacus
• Draw Bridge
• Humongous Conservation Area Created in Africa

Norwegian Diplomat Says Role Playing Can Save The World Posted: 29 Mar 2012 04:45 AM PDT Newly appointed Norwegian minister of international development Heikki Holmas feels that role playing games can be beneficial to society, and could even help foster peace in the world by creating realistic conflict in a fictional setting. Here’s what he has to say about roleplaying: "RPGs can be extremely relevant in putting people in situations they're unfamiliar with, Save the Children have their refugee games. I have friends in Bergen who've run human-rights RPGs. But you have to be professional. You create real emotions when you play role-playing games, real emotions that stick." "That's kind of the slightly scary aspect of role-playing games, which has to be considered. At the same time, it's what makes it possible for RPGs to change the world. LARP can change the world, because it lets people understand that humans under pressure may act differently than in the normal life, when you're safe." Heikki’s opinion was formed by his experience as an avid tabletop and live action gamer, and the founder of Norway’s roleplaying game convention RegnCon. I like where Heikki is going with his strategy to use RPGs as a form of conflict resolution, but when you have all that Mountain Dew and Hot Pocket grease coursing through your veins things can get ugly, even if the conflict is only on paper. Link

The Turntable Spirograph Machine Posted: 29 Mar 2012 03:50 AM PDT (YouTube Link) Retired DJs take note-there’s a use for your old turntables after all! Just attach some arms like you see in the video, lock a sharpie in place, then trip out on the spirographic artwork that the turntables create-all by themselves! It looks all geometrical and neat, and the soothing sound of the pen dancing across the paper is enough to calm even the most rabid raver. Just don’t try scratching when the tables are doing there thing, or you’ll end up with a big old mess! –via Booooooom!

Fantastic Gypsy Wagon Designs Posted: 29 Mar 2012 02:49 AM PDT Gypsies are known for being very colorful people, and their traveling wagon homes reflect their flare for style, and help them stand out from the rest of the caravan. It’s like Pimp My Ride from the old country, and most of them look like they come straight out of a fairy tale, except for the creepy shirtless guys hanging around everywhere. Head over to Flavorwire and check out these gilded mobile homes for yourself, it may make you want to hit the road and live the life of a nomad. Link  –image credit: Lenora Genovese

Alternate Mad Men Intro Sequences Posted: 29 Mar 2012 01:52 AM PDT (YouTube Link) The hit show Mad Men has become the victim of parody across the interwebs, and Don Draper isn’t going to sign off on these alternate versions of the intro sequence. It’s a cute little way to waste some time as you wait for next Sunday’s episode of Mad Men to air. Scotch and soda, anyone? (NSFW due to language) –via DesignTAXI

So Much Pizza… Posted: 29 Mar 2012 01:05 AM PDT (Video Link) The poor little guy is just so, so full. Let’s just hope there’s a good game on TV for him to chill out to. Via I Can Has Cheezburger

Painted Needlepoint By Caroline Larsen Posted: 29 Mar 2012 12:50 AM PDT Caroline Larsen creates her interesting, and colorful, needlepoint style images entirely out of paint, using a most peculiar technique of her own invention. Here’s how it’s done: Over several years she has developed a unique technique for applying paint: her works are created by squeezing undiluted oil paint through a bag outfitted with a serrated stainless steel tip resulting in an exceedingly thick, intricately woven oil painting. Using this piping process she is able to apply ribbons of paint that weave up and over themselves to create images. Her works have such a uniquely textured look that it’s natural to wonder how she does it, so now you know-she creates them with some custom formulated awesomeness. Link  –via Beautiful/Decay

When Movie Posters Go 8-Bit Posted: 29 Mar 2012 12:00 AM PDT If you love movies and classic video games, then you’ll certainly appreciate these great posters combining the two. Link Via BuzzFeed

Renaissance Justice League Posted: 28 Mar 2012 11:53 PM PDT Jousting against Superman? Better get a lance made out of kryptonite first. I don’t know about you guys, but I’d love to see these guys turned into a movie. Link Via Geeks Are Sexy

If Classic Movies Had Morality Choices Like Mass Effect Posted: 28 Mar 2012 11:52 PM PDT It’s funny to think how movies would play out if characters had to choose between multiple morality choices, like you do in the Mass Effect video game franchise. Things would have turned out quite differently if Ray had sat there discussing religion with Gozer in Ghostbusters, or if Jules had nicer conversational options to choose from as he shook down Brett in Pulp Fiction. Movie studios should take note, because this would be a fun bonus feature to add to some DVDs, and a really good way to use outtake footage at the same time. Link

Bloom Utensil Set Posted: 28 Mar 2012 11:15 PM PDT Bloom Utensil Set – $29.95 Spring has sprung. Are you still looking for a way to add a little sunshine to your dreary kitchen? You need the Bloom Utensil Set from the NeatoShop. This fantastic set includes a vase and 5 utensils shaped like brightly colored flowers: Whisk Spatula Slotted turner Solid spoon Slotted spoon and Solid Spoon Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more delightful Kitchen Stuff! Link

Let Us Test This Salad for You Posted: 28 Mar 2012 10:52 PM PDT Toby, Jenny and Terri are rehabbed squirrels who are apparently all too eager to make sure your food is safe for consumption. Link

6 Delicious Adult Milkshakes Based on Girl Scout Cookies Posted: 28 Mar 2012 10:44 PM PDT Ever dream of getting drunk on Tagalogs or Trefoils? Then you’d better check out this delicious slideshow over at Serious Eats. All I can say is yummy! Link

A Truly Terrifying Cyclopean Hairdo Posted: 28 Mar 2012 10:25 PM PDT Want a new hairdo that will also watch your back? Then check out this cyclops inspired hair creation, which comes to you courtesy of Biglilkim. She really knows how to make an entrance and an exit, and I pity the fool who tries to sneak up on her from behind, because the eyeball on the back of her head has been known to shoot purple laser beams at bad guys. Link  –via Obvious Winner

An App That Turns Photos Into Animated GIFs Posted: 28 Mar 2012 09:03 PM PDT If you’ve ever wanted to create GIFs on the fly with your smartphone, but found complexity of existing GIF creation programs like Cinemagraphs daunting, then you have to check out Flixel. Flixel lets you decide which portion of the frame you want to be animated, then it records frames to play back as a GIF, while the rest of the photo remains still. The result is a pretty cool bit of motion applied to your photos, and makes for some interesting, albeit twitchy, imagery. You can see a short video of Flixel in action, and many more GIFs created with the app, at the links below. Link  –via DesignTAXI

Custom Gears Of War Digger Launcher Posted: 28 Mar 2012 09:01 PM PDT This incredible prop looks like it’s been through a hundred years of intergalactic conflict, and appears to weigh a ton, just like the one carried by Boomers in the video game franchise Gears of War. Created from scratch by Ryan and Dena Palser of Kronos Props, it’s the perfect way to launch some nasty little Diggers at the Gears and take over the planet, one emergence hole at a time. I’ve seen some Gears of War cosplay, mainly Gears in COG armor, but have any of you seen Locust cosplay on the interwebs? If you have, please share! Link  –via Rampaged Reality

Peter The Elephant Plays With A Smartphone Posted: 28 Mar 2012 08:56 PM PDT (YouTube Link) Companies make it hard to tell if videos like this one, which shows Peter the Elephant using a Samsung Galaxy smartphone with the help of his lovely assistant, are advertisements or just genuinely cool animal videos. This particular example is a commercial and an adorable animal video, and even though a few scenes are faked I still love watching Peter play with the smartphone. Yay for animal approved technology! –via The Daily What

Death Star Dog Posted: 28 Mar 2012 08:28 PM PDT That’s no moon. It’s a dog. Musha had to wear a cone of shame, so his human decorated it to make it more impressive to other dogs in the neighborhood. I’d make one for my dog, but he’s more of a Whovian. Link -via Nerd Approved

Per Capita Distribution of Heavy Metal Bands Worldwide Posted: 28 Mar 2012 08:11 PM PDT Greedy Scandinavians are hogging most of the world’s metal bands to themselves. How should we resolve this gross injustice? Link -via Nag on the Lake | Image: unknown

Mechawhales Have Come To Save The Day Posted: 28 Mar 2012 08:02 PM PDT (YouTube Link) This animated short by Hauke Scheer has it all-action, aliens, and whales in mecha armor powered  by their minds. The one thing this short doesn’t have is the music rights to AC/DC’s classic song “Back In Black”, so Hauke came up with his own version, which sounds pretty close to the original. This short left me with one nagging question-why didn’t they give the whale a helmet? –via Geekosystem

Fake Science Fair Project: Teddy Bear Birth Defects Posted: 28 Mar 2012 07:51 PM PDT What happens when Pure Evil contaminates the drinking water of pregnant teddy bears? Dr. Allison Lonsdale of the Institute for Dangerous Research decided to find out. These were her procedures: 1. A sample of Pure Evil was obtained from the ruins o f an exploded toaster in the south of England. 2. Pure Evil was administered, via drinking water, to pregnant laboratory teddy bears for the duration of their pregnancy (4 months). 3. Dosage varied from 0 parts per million (ppm) to 1000ppm, titrating upwards by steps of 100pm. 4. Offspring were euthanized and mounted for display. As you can see from the picture above, Pure Evil has serious teratogenic effects on teddy bears. Link -via Boing Boing | Lonsdale’s Blog | Photo: Jerry Abuan

Deviled Egg Chicks Posted: 28 Mar 2012 07:44 PM PDT Susan of Savoring Time in the Kitchen made these adorable deviled eggs that look like chicks wearing spectacles. The feet and noses are made from carrots and the eyes from olives and pimentos. She says that they’re ideal to prepare for children and grandchildren, but I want to eat them! Link -via Stacy Julian

Unusual Unicorn Stompeez Slippers Posted: 28 Mar 2012 07:38 PM PDT Unusual Unicorn Stompeez Slippers – $29.95 Stomp, stomp, stomp Easter is on the way. Are you still looking for the perfect Easter basket stuffer for your favorite little monster? You need the Unusual Unicorn Stompeez Slippers from the NeatoShop. The unicorn’s eyes pop up when you walk, stomp, and jump around. Stompeez Slippers also available in: One Eyed Monster Perky Puppy and Growlin’ Dragon Limited quantities available. Stomp on over to NeatoShop and get your pair today. Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more Slipper fun! Link

86-Year Old Gymnast Puts You to Shame Posted: 28 Mar 2012 07:30 PM PDT (Video Link) Allegedly, this video shows Johanna Quaas performing a gymnastics routine in Cottbus, Germany. When eighty-six years old you reach, look as good, you will not. She can also work the parallel bars. -via reddit

Parakeets Say The Darndest Things Posted: 28 Mar 2012 07:25 PM PDT While visiting the Birds of Eden sanctuary in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa, a tourist captured this video clip of two parakeets having a cute conversation. (My favorite is 0:14 "I wanna poop.") Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] - via Feingut

Categorization of Baked Goods and Pancakes in English and Chinese Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:27 PM PDT J.M. Errington of Haonowshaokao blog is an Englishman who studied linguistsics and is currently teaching English in Beijing, China, so he'd know about this: how to categorize baked goods in three countries. Link

Wind Map of the United States Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:11 PM PDT Boy, it sure is windy in the United States! Fernanda Viegas and Martin Wattenberg collaborated to create Wind Map, a visualization of the current wind flowing over the country right now, using data from the National Digital Forecast Database: Link - via Metafilter Previously on Neatorama: Perpetual Ocean

12-Year-Old’s Public Punishment for Theft: Tough Love or Child Abuse? Posted: 28 Mar 2012 05:55 PM PDT When Joseph Gonzalez found out that his 12-year-old son Jose stole $100 from a family member's wallet, the father decided to punish him in this unusual way: Jose's punishment is spending many hours of his spring break standing on the corner of 22nd and Larimer streets in downtown Denver with a bright yellow sign announcing: "I am a thief. I took money from a family member." [...] Jose put in five hours of curbside confession Tuesday, standing across from his father's pawnshop, where Gonzalez could keep an eye on him — and take him pizza slices. He figures Jose, with drinks and bathroom breaks, should be able to put in 10 hours Thursday. This was Jose's first theft - and his father hopes, with this punishment, there won't be a second. But what about the kid's reputation? The father wasn't concerned: "Nah, he's only 12 years old," he said. "Everybody makes mistakes at that time in their life. It's about being corrected." Denver Post's Electa Draper has the story: Link (Photo: Joe Amon/The Denver Post) What do you think Neatoramanauts? Tough love or child abuse?

Moon Glass Posted: 28 Mar 2012 05:24 PM PDT Korean design studio Tale Co. created this clever sake cup that displays the different phases of the Moon as you drink: Link - via The Fox is Black

A Tabby Cat in Tinseltown Posted: 28 Mar 2012 04:37 PM PDT An aspiring actor moving to Los Angeles to become famous is a dime a dozen, but the story of Vito Vincent is a bit unusual: you see, Vito's a cat. Poor Vito Vincent, who came to Hollywood chasing a dream. He's been in L.A. for nearly a year without landing a single acting gig. Once he was homeless in New York. But before he came West last May, Vito was living a Cinderella story there. His career was taking off. He'd appeared in print and TV ads. He'd been on a pilot, guest-starred on "The Colbert Report" and scored a small spot on "30 Rock." Even now, emails arrive with offers on the other coast. But here, nothing — and not for lack of trying. [...] When shoppers at The Grove spy him sitting on a patio or going up the glass steps at the Apple store, they inevitably stop what they're doing to gaze, snap cellphone photos, try to touch him. Still, Vito Vincent doesn't have an agent. He can't even get an audition. What exactly does a talented tabby cat have to do to catch a break in this town? Nita Lelyveld of the Los Angeles Times wrote the trials and tribulations of the aspiring feline actor: Link

Art and Personality Venn Diagram Posted: 28 Mar 2012 04:24 PM PDT Where do you fall in this Art and Personality Venn Diagram? Link - Via I Love Charts

Lamborghini Batman is a Real Super Hero Posted: 28 Mar 2012 03:24 PM PDT Last week we told you about Batman being pulled over by the police in Montgomery County, Maryland for driving his black Lamborghini without proper plates. There turns out to be much more to the story. This Caped Crusader’s alter ego is businessman Lenny B. Robinson, who spends his money and his spare time encouraging sick children in hospitals. And he’s serious about his mission. Washington Post journalist Michael S. Rosenwald, who is a friend of Robinson, accompanied him on a trip to the cancer ward at Children's National Medical Center in Northwest Washington. It took Batman approximately 20 minutes to reach the elevators. He stopped to hand out Batman toys to every child he saw, picking them up for pictures, asking them how they were feeling. LaTon Dicks snapped a photo of Batman standing behind her son DeLeon in his wheelchair. She'd recognized the Batmobile on her way in to the hospital. Like everyone else, she'd seen a TV report on him being stopped for speeding and protested, "You can't pull over Batman." When Batman finally reached the elevator for the slow ride up to the cancer ward, I could see his face already sweating behind the mask. He told me he loses 5 to 6 pounds in water weight when he wears the superhero uniform. He paid $5,000 for it. He spends $25,000 a year of his own money on Batman toys and memorabilia. He signs every book, hat, T-shirt and backpack he hands out — Batman. Batman is 48. He is a self-made success and has the bank account to prove it. He recently sold, for a pile of cash, a commercial cleaning business that he started as a teenager. He became interested in Batman through his son Brandon, who was obsessed with the caped crusader when he was little. "I used to call him Batman," he told me. "His obsession became my obsession." Batman began visiting Baltimore area hospitals in 2001, sometimes with his now teenage son Brandon playing Robin. Once other hospitals and charities heard about his car and his cape, Batman was put on superhero speed dial for children's causes around the region. He visits sick kids at least couple times a month, sometimes more often. He visits schools, too, to talk about bullying. He does not do birthday parties. The article describes some of Robinson’s Batman’s interactions with the kids, so you should have a hanky ready. Link -via Metafilter (Image credit: Allen Goldberg)

Art with Salt: Ice Age Posted: 28 Mar 2012 03:21 PM PDT Jill posted about Bashir Sultani's awesome artwork made entirely with salt, a while ago on Neatorama, but I couldn't resist this new one, where he drew Scrat from Ice Age. I mean who doesn't like a saber-toothed squirrel (who may actually be real)? Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] | More at Bashir's Art with Salt YouTube channel

54 Artists Create A Unique Set Of Playing Cards Posted: 28 Mar 2012 03:17 PM PDT Digital Abstracts, an online design resource, has brought together 54 artists to create an extremely unique deck of playing cards, with an image from each artist on their own card. With some really cool designs, some of which correspond to the card that the image is on, this is one deck of cards you won’t get tired of staring at as you plunk down your kid’s lunch money during a few quick hands of Texas Hold ‘Em. But these cool cards come at a price-$54 to be exact, so I’m not sure if they’re meant to be played with, or admired under glass… Link   –via DesignTAXI

Eyeball Lunch Bag Posted: 28 Mar 2012 02:30 PM PDT Eyeball Lunch Bag – $15.95 Do you have the feeling that someone is eying your tasty treat? Keep a watchful eye on your meal with the Eyeball Lunch Bag from the NeatoShop. This creepy bloodshot eye lunch box is insulated and perfect for scaring away would be lunch thieves. Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more Lunch Bag fun! Link

Giant Rats the Size of Cats Attacking Florida Posted: 28 Mar 2012 02:20 PM PDT As if hurricanes, alligators and mosquitoes aren't enough, add this to Florida's problems: giant rats the size of cats. The 9-pound Gambian pouched rats are invading the Florida Keys. Link

Slow Motion Ballet Posted: 28 Mar 2012 01:19 PM PDT This one is wonderful: the grace and beauty of ballet, captured in slow mo. Take a look and appreciate the graceful movements of Marina Kanno and Giacomo Bevilaqua from Staatsballett Berlin at 1,000 frames per second. Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] - via Devour

Rejected Dilbert Comics Posted: 28 Mar 2012 12:50 PM PDT Scott Adams of Dilbert comics wrote about this cartoon strip that got rejected for some reason. I wonder why ... Link - via Tastefully Offensive

The Dolphin Mafia Posted: 28 Mar 2012 12:19 PM PDT Think that Flipper is all cute and cuddly? Australian researchers have discovered the dark side of dolphin social structure: The male dolphins of Shark Bay, Australia, are known to marine biologists for their messy social entanglements. Their relationships with each other are so unusual—they're more like the intricate webs of the Mafia than the vertical hierarchies of chimpanzees—that, in a new paper, one team of scientists argues that the dolphins live in a social system that is "unique among mammals." At first glance, dolphins seem to have a somewhat similar social system [to chimpanzees']. Two or three adult males form a tight alliance and cooperate to herd a female for mating. (Female dolphins rarely form strong alliances.) Other male teams may try to spirit away the female—particularly if she is in estrus. To fight back, the first-level alliances form partnerships with other first-level alliances, thus creating a larger second-level alliance. Some of these second-level alliances have as many as 14 dolphins and can last 15 years or more. On some occasions, the second-level alliance can call in the troops from yet another group, "a third-order alliance," as the researchers call them—leading to huge battles with more than 20 dolphins biting and bashing each other with their heads and tails over the right to keep or steal a single female. Link

Love with a Side of Fries Posted: 28 Mar 2012 11:54 AM PDT Fifty years ago, then 16-year-old Steve Rydberg was working at a local McDonald’s. Since he worked at the grill, his co-workers developed a code to let him know whenever a cute girl walked in the restaurant. Here’s a wonderful story of how Steve met his true love back then and how he surprised his wife on her birthday fifty years later at the same McDonald’s: … back by the grill, Steve and his coworkers had a problem. How were they to know when a pretty girl was approaching the counter? Their solution: a code that could be passed between the boys working the counter and the boys manning the grill in the back. They chose the number "13" as the tip off, followed by the register number where the young lass was ordering. "’13 on six, 13 on five,’ and we mixed it in, like, ‘I need 12 burgers on a 13 on two,’" laughed Steve. Then, one day, in walked 16-year-old Kristine Hess, Steve’s perfect 13. "I thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world." Boyd Huppert of KARE11′s Land of 10,000 Stories reports: Link

Nanoputians Posted: 28 Mar 2012 11:16 AM PDT Chemists at Rice University synthesized the cutest little molecules you’ve ever seen, using chains of chemical reactions. If you have the credentials, you might be able to access the original paper and find out exactly what they did, but even if you don’t, you’ll enjoy a gallery of molecular diagrams following the Nanoputians through their life cycle, from the Nanotoddler phase through the entire family’s maturity. Link

The Dilemma Posted: 28 Mar 2012 10:17 AM PDT Where I shop for groceries, shopping carts require a 25 cent deposit, so everyone returns them! This Twaggie was illustrated from a Tweet by @hayeslady. See new Twaggies every day at GoComics! Link

A Well Educated Vandal Posted: 28 Mar 2012 10:16 AM PDT All those long hours in biology class finally paid off in this one glorious moment! Via Wooster Collective

Most Extensive Face Transplant Yet Posted: 28 Mar 2012 09:11 AM PDT Last week, in a 36-hour operation, Richard Lee Norris (shown here before his accident) received a full face transplant at the University of Maryland Medical Center. The transplant team was led by reconstructive specialist Dr. Eduardo D. Rodriguez. “We utilized innovative surgical practices and computerized techniques to precisely transplant the mid-face, maxilla and mandible including teeth, and a portion of the tongue. In addition, the transplant included all facial soft tissue from the scalp to the neck, including the underlying muscles to enable facial expression, and sensory and motor nerves to restore feeling and function,” explains Dr. Rodriquez. “Our goal is to restore function as well as have aesthetically pleasing results.” The face transplant recipient, 37-year-old Richard Lee Norris of Hillsville, Virginia, was injured in 1997 in a gun accident. Since that time, he has undergone multiple life-saving and reconstructive surgeries. Due to the accident, Mr. Norris lost his lips and nose and had limited movement of his mouth. Mr. Norris first came to the University of Maryland Medical Center in 2005 to discuss reconstructive options with Dr. Rodriguez. A set of photographs have been released that show how extensive the surgery was, and so far it seems to be quite successful. The pictures may be disturbing to some people, but in my opinion they are okay for all but the most squeamish, so go ahead and take a look at the amazing life-changing work. The surgery was funded by the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Link to story. Link to pictures.

The Treniers Posted: 28 Mar 2012 08:44 AM PDT (YouTube link) The song is “Rockin’ Is Our Business” by The Treniers on The Colgate Comedy Hour, hosted by Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. This was aired in May of 1954, and is considered to be the earliest rock ‘n’ roll performance on national television. A good time was had by all. Find out more about The Treniers at Metafilter. Link

Short People Posted: 28 Mar 2012 08:24 AM PDT Watch an adorable video of a class of 4-year-olds performing Randy Newman’s song “Short People” at the Sullivan School in Seoul, South Korea. They were supposed to sing this song with frowning faces, but they had a hard time keeping the smiles down! The video is at NeatoBambino. Link

Getting into a Different Frame of Mind Posted: 28 Mar 2012 08:19 AM PDT (Video Link) Frame of Mind is a short, clever music video by Ben Boutwell and Steven Allen. The pair play around with a magic picture frame that warps reality — presumably the work of special effects. The music is “Kick Drum Heart” by The Avett Brothers. -via The Presurfer Steven Alan’s Website | Ben Boutwell’s Website | The Avett Brothers’ Website

Zombie Mount Rushmore Letter and Key Holder Posted: 28 Mar 2012 08:03 AM PDT Zombie Mount Rushmore Letter and Key Holder – $34.95 Spring is finally here. Are you dying to find a way to spruce up and organize your living space? You need the Zombie Mount Rushmore Letter and Key Holder from the NeatoShop. Nothing screams homey like decorating with zombies. Let zombified  George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln hold onto your mail and keys today. Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more drop-dead funny Zombie items! Link

Electronic Abacus Posted: 28 Mar 2012 07:55 AM PDT The sorocal is a retro-cool Japanese marvel of current and ancient technology: a calculator combined with an abacus. Sharp made four models in the seventies and eighties, including the one that you see above. Math students used the manual system to verify the results of the electronic system. Link -via Retronaut | Photo: Partners & Spade

Draw Bridge Posted: 28 Mar 2012 07:15 AM PDT I’ve heard this joke before, but it was about the sign that said “Clean Restrooms.” This photo is from artist Alex Pardee. Note the river monster showing his tentacle. In the drawing. Link -via Laughing Squid

Humongous Conservation Area Created in Africa Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:44 AM PDT A new conservation area called KAZA has been established in Africa that unites five countries and dwarfs previous wildlife conservation programs. It symbolizes cooperation between nations as well as the fact that wildlife doesn’t share our concept of boundaries. Spanning an area of Africa almost the size of Italy, the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, or KAZA, will encompass 36 national parks, game reserves, wildlife-management areas, and tourism areas, according to WWF, a conservation organization offering both technical and financial support to the initiative. In 2011 presidents of five African nations—Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—signed a treaty establishing the huge protected region, which has been in the works for several years. (See “Five-Country Conservation Area Would Aid Africa’s Largest Elephant Herd.”) “It’s quite unique, in that you have five countries coming together with a shared vision, and it’s a vision based on conservation,” said Lisa Steel, director of WWF’s Namibia Program. “The intent is to make it a leading conservation area and tourist destination in the region … where communities are the main beneficiaries.” Government and non-government officials have varied opinions on the plan ranging from devil’s advocate to cautiously optimistic to enthusiastic fans. Read more about KAZA and see some awesome photographs at National Geographic News. Link -Thanks, Marilyn Terrell! (Image credit: Chris Johns, National Geographic)

You are subscribed to email updates from Neatorama To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610