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2012/06/18

Neatorama

Neatorama

Hanging 20 With the Surfing Dogs of San Diego

Posted: 18 Jun 2012 05:06 AM PDT

You might think the idea of a dog surfing contest is kind of silly, and you’re right, but it’s just that sort of silliness that makes the Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition so much darn fun! It’s a great way to spend a day at the beach with a bunch of dogs and support a good cause in the process. While this was the 7th annual contest, I regret that it was my first attendance at the contest -mostly because I only heard about it on the news after it already ended. That’s why when I found out about the event ahead of time this year, I marked every calendar I have to make sure I made it.

Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, I still missed the small dog part of the competition, which also meant that I missed a few world records being made -namely most dogs surfing on one board at one time, most dogs surfing on a board at one time with a human and most dogs surfing on a board at one time with two humans. While I can’t find any Creative Commons images of the little dog surfers, I was able to get a hold of this video that features a few of them along with interviews with some participants.

(Video Link)

I was also able to find a few images of the world record attempts on the Flickr stream of the always wonderful San Diego Shooter, aka Nathan Rupert. Here you can see all the human and pups working to get things lined up for the most dogs surfing on one board record -apparently they managed to get 20 dogs on this custom-made board!

And in case you were wondering, yes, they actually did get going.

If you think that’s impressive though, check out this image Nathan captured of the world record attempt featuring two humans, Scott Chandler and his daughter Tyler, and seven dogs.

Despite missing the world record attempts and the small dogs category, there was still a whole lot of action going on when we did get there -and tons of precious pups. In fact, there were dozens of non-competing dogs that still came decked out in their best beach attire.

For those that didn’t think to bring sunglasses for their dogs, there was even a booth selling them so your puppy wouldn’t feel left out.

If you’re wondering how the competition worked, well, it was broken into three categories: small dogs (under 40 pounds), big dogs (over 40 pounds) and tandem rides featuring one or more dogs or at least one dog and one human. Each of these categories was then broken into smaller groups (called heats) so the dogs wouldn’t risk bumping into one another. There were usually around four contestants per heat although the last one only had one participant.

The dogs would line up on the sand before their heat, then the announcer would introduce each one to the crowd before indicating the start of the heat. Don’t worry, everyone had to put on a life jacket before hitting the waves.

Each heat lasted 10 minutes and each dog was allowed to catch a maximum of five waves. They would then be judged on their top two waves.

Of course, before each pup could actually catch a wave, they had to be pushed out on their board because despite the fact that they’re surprisingly good at surfers, they aren’t great at paddling their board out or getting on to it once they’re in the water.

Of course, this also means the handlers had to help the dogs go over some pretty decent breakers before they were actually ready to catch a wave. That’s why every competitor had at least two people helping them out.

Once the boards were out far enough, the handlers would hold on to the board and steady it until the right wave came to catch the board.

Once the waves came, you’d be amazed how fast some of those dogs went and how well some of them managed to balance on the boards. In fact, many of them would turn in circles while surfing so they could check out all the action.

While I know some people would immediately claim that the dogs must be miserable or terrified, most of them seemed to love it. In fact, some, like Louie here, seemed to hardly be able to wait for their turn to hit the waves.

And once they caught a wave, many of them looked like they couldn’t be happier skimming along the surface of the water.

Some of them even looked like they knew what they were doing and were planning ahead.

While the event was really silly, it still wasn’t taken too lightly. In fact, one dog, Blondie, had her own cheering section.

Plus, the press seemed to take their coverage of the event very seriously, working to not only get every possible shot of the surfers, but also interviews with the owners of the pets who did well.

All participants earned medals for their participation to celebrate their dedication to the sport of dog surfing. (Like I said, it’s pretty silly, but also adorable).

While none of the participants were overly competitive, there were still winners for each category. In fact, little Kona here won third place in the small dogs contest, thereby earning her owners brunch at the Loews Resort (which is a pretty nice place for those of you who don’t live in San Diego). Second place winners got free dinner at a really expensive restaurant. As for first place, they won 2 free nights at the Loews Resort, room service for their dog, a 40 pound bag of dog food and more.

Of course, all of this didn’t come free, entry fees were upwards of $50, although that did also include a nice gift basket. Don’t feel like people were being exploited though, all of the money went to the ASPCA to help less fortunate animals who don’t have owners who love them enough to take them surfing.

There were no abused or neglected animals here though, in fact, some owners really babied their critters like this woman who was holding her giant pit bull as though it were a baby.

Given that the dog’s style accounted for part of the judge’s decision, many of the competitors decided to get all decked out in their best beach duds. It certainly helped, after all, Kaluni there on the right scored second place in the large dogs category and Ricochet one the left won first place in the large dogs category and second (along with Good Morning America Correspondent Cameron Mathison ) in the tandem contest.

Of course, it wasn’t based completely on looks. You can tell that Ricochet had some good skills when it came to riding tandem. With their low center of gravity, all of the dogs were able to stay on the boards better than their human riders.

Of course, first place in the tandem event went to Scott Chandler, who also helped set the record for most dogs surfing with a human. When it was just him and his dog Zoey though, things went really well.

While I was bummed to have missed the small dogs part of the contest, the tandem was definitely the highlight anyway. In fact, until then, I had no idea the two pups sitting in front of me (one with her own chair even) were going to be adorable little surfing stars pretty soon. Look how unassuming little TJ was.

While I wasn’t able to get a good picture of TJ and her friend Ellie May on their board, once again Nathan Rupert saved the day. The two were so good that Ellie even won third place in the tandem event.

Of course, even those that didn’t do so well in the tandem group were still a blast to watch. Just look at these three giant, shaggy siblings try to squeeze together on one board to catch a wave. They did eventually go about five feet before two of them fell off.

If you couldn’t tell already, the event was a lot of fun and I’d definitely recommend attending a dog surfing event if you ever get the chance and if you have a friendly dog, bring him with you. For those that just can’t get enough photos of the event head over to my Flickr or San Diego Shooter’s to get more dog surfing goodness.

Turning the Streets Into Geodes

Posted: 18 Jun 2012 04:16 AM PDT

If natural geodes are formed inside of natural rock formations, then why shouldn’t man made items develop man made geodes? It makes sense right? Ok, maybe not really, but still, it looks neat and it makes you think -if only of who created these urban geodes and why.

Link

16 Funny Lip Paintings

Posted: 18 Jun 2012 03:10 AM PDT

We’ve seen Pikachu lips, but never troll lips or most of the other weird and wacky lipstick paintings over on Oddee and I assure you, they’re certainly worth checking out -even if you’d never actually want to wear these looks yourself.

Link

A Super Mario Mushroom Pizza

Posted: 18 Jun 2012 02:00 AM PDT

This pizza looks delicious, but I must say that it seems kind of wrong to have a mushroom pizza without mushrooms on it. Of course, ideally it should make you grow twice as tall when you eat it, but that’s just nitpicking.

Link Via That’s Nerdalicious

Loca, The Pug Who Couldn’t Run

Posted: 18 Jun 2012 12:59 AM PDT

(Video Link)

When we hear about those who can’t do the the basic things the rest of us take for granted, we tend to feel sorry for them. But even though Loca can’t run right, she’s still precious and lives a happy and wonderful life with her owners and other dog friends.

Via I Can Has Cheezburger

George Harrison As A Plushie

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 11:51 PM PDT

George Harrison’s huggable plushie alter ego looks like it just stepped off the Yellow Submarine and into a Strawberry Field…forever.

Created by Felt Mistress for an upcoming Beatles themed art show, this is the soft and cuddly, sitar jamming George we all know and love, and the only thing he’s missing is a voice box so he can chant a Hare Krishna mantra.

Link  –via Super Punch

Fancy Dresses Inspired By The Avengers

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 10:50 PM PDT

These Avengers inspired dresses, which were designed by Kelsey Michele, are bringing a touch of couture to comic book culture, and they look like a fun way to show the world you’re a geek with loads of class!

Sadly, they’re still at the conceptual drawing phase, but I’ll smile my face off if I ever see someone wearing one of these super powered ensembles to an awards show or fancy folks party.

Link  –via i09

Stop Motion Short – Perfect Holiday

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 09:42 PM PDT

(YouTube Link)

Perfect Holiday is the kind of surf video that your toys will enjoy, a stop motion surfstravaganza and a fun way to kick off the summer.

You can sit down and watch this fun animated short with your kids while you’re planning your summer vacation, and it might inspire them to find fun new ways to play with their toys and let their imaginations run wild.

I hope all the dads out there had a perfect holiday weekend!

–via Videogum

Duck Run

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 08:00 PM PDT


(YouTube link)

He went for a walk with his duckling Charlie. Charlie’s legs aren’t as long, so he had to run as fast as he could to keep up! Result: Charlie is the cutest thing you’ve seen in a while. -via reddit

1d6 Ring

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 07:00 PM PDT

This sterling silver ring by Individual Icons would be a great engagement ring for a gamer. The recipient should roll a 4 or higher to accept a proposal.

Link -via NotCot

The Final Night at Snow White’s Scary Adventures

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 06:00 PM PDT

Alan Philipson wrote about the final night that the public was able to enjoy the Snow White’s Scary Adventures ride at Walt Disney World before it closed to make way for new construction. His son Ben, who is 18 and has autism, had ridden the ride 3,451 times prior to that night. In fact, SWSA was Ben’s favorite place on earth. The family, who had moved across the country ten years ago to be closer to the park, was primed for the final night to be sad, but the people at WDW went above and beyond the call of duty to make it special for Ben. He was escorted by Snow White herself, as you can see, who knew all about Ben and his love of the ride. But the night got even better from there, as events led to Ben being the very last person ever to ride Snow White’s Scary Adventures. This is a six-part story, starting with the credits. Link -via mental_floss

The Heavy Metal Quilts Of Ben Venom

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 05:40 PM PDT

These aren’t your grandma’s quilts, although I’m sure she would respect the skill and originality it took to create these comfy works of fabric art.

Created by Ben Venom, a man with a name so metal that his soft rock friends stopped calling him, these heavy metal quilts bring the love of snuggling together with head banging imagery, and they’re sure to make the Dreamlands a much more treacherous place.

If you’re in San Francisco why not check out these softly screaming works for yourself at the Guerrero Gallery, now through July 7th.

Link  –via Beautiful/Decay

Nature’s Umbrella

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Spotted at @TwistedSifter

Sculptures Made Out Of Photographs

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 04:35 PM PDT

Susy Oliveira isn’t content with letting photographs lay around looking all flat and boring, so she shapes them into three dimensional sculptures that put the gee in geometrical.

What would be considered dead wrong in the world of texturing CGI models looks rather fantastic on the surface of a humanoid shaped paper sculpture, sprawled out on the floor and covered in polygonal planes like he just escaped from the Matrix.

Through this technique you can find out exactly what a person is made out of, and you’ll know just where they’ve been…

Link  –via Juxtapoz

The Great Wave off Kanagawa Papercraft by Andrea Russo

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 04:00 PM PDT


Photo: AndreaRusso/Flickr

Andrea Russo was inspired by the early 19th century Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai's iconic The Great Wave off Kanagawa to create this marvelous paper version: Link - via all things paper

The Barbecue Grill Briefcase

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 03:38 PM PDT

This barbecue briefcase is perfect for the griller on the go, the charcoal chef who doesn’t want to be strapped down to a stationary grill.

Perfect for those who enjoy barbecuing while travelling, running from the police, or hiding from those attracted by the sweet smell of charred meat.

The Darwin Triangular BBQ is sure to make you the life of any party, and your friends will appreciate the forethought and planning that went in to you bringing along your own source of flesh searing heat, especially when their tummies get all rumbly.

Link  –via Gizmodo

The Ulysses Map

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 03:00 PM PDT

It took Rachel Kerr three years to create, but it's worth the wait: Leopold's Day is a map of Dublin that features the city as it was described in James Joyce's masterpiece Ulysses. Rachel also made a directory featuring 400 real people and premises that were mentioned in the book.

Link - via Broadsheet

See also: Ulysses - Postertext

“The money went flying in the air. I saw all these young lads started grabbing the notes and I thought I’ve got no chance here”

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 02:00 PM PDT

Barry Eastwood went to the bank to withdraw £1000 to pay for his car insurance when he tripped and fell. The money blew out of his hand and he managed to hold on to only £60.

A bunch of teenagers and young people rushed for the money ... and then this happened:

The grandfather of 13, said: 'The money went flying in the air. I saw all these young lads started grabbing the notes and I thought I’ve got no chance here.

'But they brought it all back back - I couldn’t believe it! They were jumping up and catching the notes - it’s a shame no one had a camera.

'There must have been about 20 lads - they were all young lads. I ended up with all the money back bar £20.'

Pamela Owen of The Daily Mail has the story that will reaffirm your belief in humanity: Link (Photo: Paul Lewis)

Walking Table

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 01:00 PM PDT

We've posted about the Walking Table before on Neatorama a while ago, but the clever contraption by Walter Scheublin never fails to amaze me. Incredible Things have got the video clip of the Walking Table in action that you should see: Link [embedded YouTube]

Lake Pepto-Bismol

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 12:00 PM PDT

Those two dots are actually boats on Lake Retba in Senegal. The pink water, which made it look like the boats are floating on a Pepto-Bismol lake, got its color from the extremely high levels of salt.

Michael Danson, an expert in extremophile bacteria from Bath University, said: "The strawberry colour is produced by salt-loving organism Dunaliella salina.

"They produce a red pigment that absorbs and uses the energy of sunlight to create more energy, turning the water pink.

"Lakes like Retba and the Dead Sea, which have high salt concentrations, were once thought to be incompatible with life - hence the names. But they are very much alive."

Salt collectors can often be seen scouring the expanse to remove the valuable mineral - but first have to coat their skin with sheer butter.

Find out why the salt collectors have to coat their skin with butter over at The Huffington Post: Link /Photo: Barcroft - via Kyoko

Restaurant Delivers Dirty Cookware to Help You Pretend You Cooked

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 11:00 AM PDT

Countless of people who can't cook have been busted for trying to pass a restaurant-delivered meal for home-cooked meals. The tell-tale sign? No dirty pots and pans.

Well, no more. UK food delivery company Housebites is there to help: for an extra £5, it will also deliver dirty cookware to help you pretend that you cooked the meal!

Death and Taxes Mag has the story: Link

Ducks Step in To Ring Bell

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 10:30 AM PDT

For 800 years, it has been tradition that the swans in the moat at the Bishop's Palace in Somerset, England ring a bell to be fed. Tourists come to see the swans in action, and new swans are trained occasionally to carry on the tradition. However, the newest pair of swans are shy and have been slow to catch on to their job.

However the pair of ducks are more than happy to help out and grab some food for themselves.

Caretaker Paul Arblaster said: ‘The new pair of swans are a rehabilitated pair that were given to us to rehome.

‘We’ve tried to train them to ring the bell as usual but they seem very shy.

‘Instead there is a pair of Muscovy ducks which are ringing the bell all the time an getting all the food.’

Arblaster hopes to bring the swans up to speed to restore the traditional arrangement. Link

(Image credit: ATEX)

Currency Collage by Rodrigo Torres

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 10:00 AM PDT

Brazilian artist Rodrigo Torres meticulously cut collages out of bank notes from around the world, and then mixed and matched them to create some really nifty artwork. Take a look at his gallery over at Inhabitat: Link

Enterprise Mobile

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 09:30 AM PDT

Raymond Davidson, a skilled woodworker, made this mobile from scraps around his workshop. He doesn’t say which Enterprise it is, but I’d guess that it’s the NCC-1701 or the NCC-1701-C.

Link -via Walyou

Male Seahorse Giving Birth

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 09:22 AM PDT

Happy Father's Day, Neatoramanauts! To help you celebrate, here's a video clip of a male seahorse becoming a daddy by doing something that moms usually do: giving birth.

Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] - via The Guardian

Typographical Star Trek Intro

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 08:25 AM PDT


(Video Link)

The Quintek Group’s elegant alternate introduction to the original Star Trek smoothly blends William Shatner’s narration with graphic styles reminiscent of both classic Trek and The Next Generation. It’s just lovely.

-via Kuriositas

Raccoon Invasion

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 07:00 AM PDT


(YouTube link)

A mother raccoon teaches her growing litter how to scrounge a meal at photographer Brad Gillette’s house. -via reddit

My First Wolverine Claws

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 06:37 AM PDT

Wolverine Soft Claws – $12.95

Are you ready to introduce your little bundle of joy to the ways of Wolverine? You need Wolverine Soft Claws from the NeatoShop. This adorable fabric claw set instantly turns your child into your favorite comic book character.

Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more fantastic Wolverine items!

Link

Neatorama Haiku

Posted: 17 Jun 2012 06:00 AM PDT

Our What Is It? game ran a little longer than usual this week, but we finally announced the winners, Jared and Joe, in the contest post. Haiku Joe’s entry was a poem. Actually, two poems in haiku form, which I thought were worth an extra post to make sure everyone sees it.

Giant metal thing,
For folks that will not conform,
Puts holes in earlobes.

Swine Flu, XL, please.
I will wear it with much pride,
My new Neato shirt.

You can guess that we love this sort of thing. Creativity is wonderful, but creativity that flatters your favorite website will go a long way, maybe even to a post! Link

Get your own swine flu t-shirt at the NeatoShop. Link

 
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