Neatorama

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• Krampus Stocking
• L'Umbracle
• Startled Red Panda
• Stylish and Functional Snowsuit
• Shaken Up Puppy
• Cushioned Chair Made of Nothing But Wood
• Welcome Back Nick Gentry
• Deadpooh
• The Fox and the Tomb
• Scientist: Humans Have Been Getting Stupider for Thousands of Years
• Hobbit Terrarium
• Burger Plush Earmuffs
• Are You Living the Ironic Life?
• Martian Radiation Low Enough for Humans to Survive
• The Flash Mob Experience
• Clockwork Bugs
• The World's Poorest President
• The Downside of Social Media
• Workout
• A Twinkie Recipe
• Within Two Worlds
• Mobile Office
• Ninja BBQ Set
• The WKRP Turkey Drop
• A Family of Bank Robbers
• How To Draw A Cartoon Turkey
• This is How a Rapper's Brain Works
• PhantomX Hexapod
• Great Game of Thrones Rings
• Tokyoflash Treasure Hunt #22

Krampus Stocking Posted: 20 Nov 2012 04:00 AM PST Krampus Stocking - $11.95 The threat of no toys Christmas morning not enough to keep your children on their best behavior? Maybe it's time to incorporate a little Krampus into your holiday story telling with the Krampus Stocking from the NeatoShop. Bad children beware. The Krampus is looking for a particularly naughty child to stuff in his sack and eat for dinner.   Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more great Christmas items.  Link

L'Umbracle Posted: 20 Nov 2012 04:00 AM PST The Umbracle is a covered walkway and garden next to the Turia River in Valencia, Spain. Visitors can stroll under 54 arches 18 meters high and through carefully selected plants: Planted with native species, palms, orange trees, rock roses, mastic trees, rosemary, bougainvillea, that change shape and colour with every season, create different ambiences over the course of the walk. Inside the structure is an outdoor art gallery, called the ‘Stroll of the Sculptures’ with nine sculptures from contemporary authors. Link -via Twisted Sifter | Photo: David Iliff

Startled Red Panda Posted: 20 Nov 2012 03:00 AM PST (YouTube link) Red pandas are the cutest little wild fur balls on earth. But if you startle one unexpectedly, you're treated to a few seconds of adorable comedy gold. This was recorded at the Maruyama Zoo in Hokkaido, Japan. -via The Daily What

Stylish and Functional Snowsuit Posted: 20 Nov 2012 02:00 AM PST It's winter and you've got to trudge through the snow. But harsh weather is no excuse for looking like a slob. You can still attain what American Digest commenter Mike James calls the "sexy sea cucumber" look, thanks to Dutch designer Femke Agema. Link and Designer's Website -via American Digest

Shaken Up Puppy Posted: 20 Nov 2012 01:00 AM PST She is shaking so much you'd think there was something on her butt she is trying to get off! No matter how bad my day gets I think happy puppies will always cheer me up. If there comes a day where I become such a cynic that they no long do the trick- then I don't want to live in this world anymore. -Via Hyper Vocal

Cushioned Chair Made of Nothing But Wood Posted: 20 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST Mary Dickerson cut away thin layers inside wood columns. When combined, these columns form a lightly cushioned surface that is responsive to the touch. Link -via NotCot

Welcome Back Nick Gentry Posted: 19 Nov 2012 11:00 PM PST Welcome back Nick Gentry. Gentry creates art on floppy disks. I think there is something to be said about his idea of beauty in this piece and the medium in which Gentry chooses to portray it. Clearly no one uses floppy disks anymore, they are out of date as time has passed them by. How does that Socrates quote go? Beauty is a short-lived tyranny. Time touches us all and even beauty will fade through time. As the digital age has taken over this idea could easily work on CDs as well, but aesthetically might not hold the same power. What are your thoughts? -Via Holy Puns, Batman!

Deadpooh Posted: 19 Nov 2012 10:00 PM PST “Well," said Deadpooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although Killing People as a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to kill them which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. Tom Beste inked this image by Rodney Fyke on the body of Fashionably Geek reader Becky Cousineau. Link

The Fox and the Tomb Posted: 19 Nov 2012 09:00 PM PST Foxes are about the coolest feral animal imaginable. I wish there were more foxes in the world. Less coyotes and more foxes- that's what I say. I can safely conclude my connection to the animal all started withThe Fox And the Hound. I am tearing up just thinking about it, poor Tod and poor Copper. Both put into a situation where they are supposed to be enemies but all they want to do is be is the best of friends. Ugh, damn you Disney. How do you still have a hold over me some 20 years later? -Via The Monica Bird

Scientist: Humans Have Been Getting Stupider for Thousands of Years Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:00 PM PST Idiocracy wasn't a movie, but a documentary. Gerald Crabtree, the leader of a genetics laboratory at Stanford University, argues that humans evolved to be hunter/gatherers--a high risk occupation that tended to keep the gene pool tidy. We have departed from that self-correcting lifestyle: Life as a hunter-gatherer was probably more intellectually demanding than widely supposed, he says. “A hunter-gatherer who did not correctly conceive a solution to providing food or shelter probably died, along with his or her progeny, whereas a modern Wall Street executive that made a similar conceptual mistake would receive a substantial bonus and be a more attractive mate,” Professor Crabtree says. But are there any data to back this up? A comparison of the genomes of parents and children has revealed that on average there are between 25 and 65 new mutations occurring in the DNA of each generation. Professor Crabtree says that this analysis predicts about 5,000 new mutations in the past 120 generations, which covers a span of about 3,000 years. Other scholars are skeptical of Crabtree's hypothesis. Steve Jones of University College London thinks that trying to tie intelligence to mutation count is a stretch: “I could just as well argue that mutations have reduced our aggression, our depression and our penis length but no journal would publish that. Why do they publish this?” Professor Jones said. Link -via Ace of Spades HQ | Image: 20th Century Fox

Hobbit Terrarium Posted: 19 Nov 2012 07:00 PM PST You know how when you were growing up, you were just waiting for the day when those McFly hoverboards were finally reality? Well, while you were doing that I was waiting for the ability to animate miniatures in real life - probably though holograms. Sort of like the movie The Indian in the Cupboard. Sadly, neither of those things have become reality quite yet. That sad fact doesn't change my excitement for this miniature Hobbit terrarium though. By the same artist that brought us the Beetlejuice terrarium. This beauty can be yours for only $400. Great, anyone have $400.00 they want to lend me? Check out this list of other awesome terrariums as well. -Via Etsy | Geeksugar

Burger Plush Earmuffs Posted: 19 Nov 2012 06:00 PM PST Burger Plush Earmuffs - $9.95 Are you hungry for a more savory winter accessory? You need the Burger Plush Earmuffs from the NeatoShop. This deliciously fun item is sure to provide you with all the warmth and style you crave.  Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more yummy Apparel & Accessories.  Link

Are You Living the Ironic Life? Posted: 19 Nov 2012 06:00 PM PST That's the question that Princeton professor Christy Wampole asked. She noted that, "if irony is the ethos of our age - and it is - then the hipster is our archetype of ironic living." But before you dismiss this as just another one of my rants against hipsters, Wampole's article is a bit deeper than that. She prodded us to inspect our lives to see if we're just one step away from becoming hipsters ourselves and whether it's possible to be true to one self. Basically, to live a non-ironic life: Where can we find other examples of nonironic living? What does it look like? Nonironic models include very young children, elderly people, deeply religious people, people with severe mental or physical disabilities, people who have suffered, and those from economically or politically challenged places where seriousness is the governing state of mind. My friend Robert Pogue Harrison put it this way in a recent conversation: “Wherever the real imposes itself, it tends to dissipate the fogs of irony.” Observe a 4-year-old child going through her daily life. You will not find the slightest bit of irony in her behavior. She has not, so to speak, taken on the veil of irony. She likes what she likes and declares it without dissimulation. She is not particularly conscious of the scrutiny of others. She does not hide behind indirect language. The most pure nonironic models in life, however, are to be found in nature: animals and plants are exempt from irony, which exists only where the human dwells. Read more over at The New York Time's The Opinion Pages: Link (Illustration: Leif Parsons)

Martian Radiation Low Enough for Humans to Survive Posted: 19 Nov 2012 05:00 PM PST One of the challenges of living beyond the Earth's atmosphere for long periods of time is the danger of cosmic radiation. But discoveries made by the scientists running the Curiosity rover indicate that this won't be a problem on Mars: "The astronauts can live in this environment," Don Hassler, principal investigator on Curiosity's Radiation Assessment Detector instrument (RAD), told a news conference. "Basically, we're finding that the Mars atmosphere is acting as a shield for the radiation on the surface and as the atmosphere gets thicker, that provides more of a shield and therefore we see a dip in our radiation dose," Hassler said. The findings mark the first time that cosmic rays have been measured on the surface of another planet, and come 100 years after Victor Hess discovered cosmic rays on Earth by using a hot-air balloon. Link -via Glenn Reynolds | Image: Los Alamos National Laboratory

The Flash Mob Experience Posted: 19 Nov 2012 04:00 PM PST Doghouse Diaries illustrates what we all think these days. Link -via Blame It On The Voices

Clockwork Bugs Posted: 19 Nov 2012 03:00 PM PST Remember the jeweler who made that awesome scorpion out of watch parts? His name is Jason Gershenson-Gates, a Chicago-based jeweler, and he is making more awesome bugs.   The son of a “gearhead”, and the grandson of a railroad man, he used to always take apart his toys to see how they worked, but never seemed to be able to put them back together again. Nowadays, he takes apart old watches collected from all over the world and rearranges their parts into fantastic designs. Although his Mechanical Mind jewelry series is nothing short of awe-inspiring, in both size and design, it’s his latest series of mechanical insects that caught my eye. The idea of making miniature arthropods and insects out of watch parts and dead automotive light bulbs apparently came to him recently, after a jewelry show this past summer. He was experimenting with watch part anatomy when he decided to create fragile spider and insect legs. One thing led to another, and now Jason has an entire menagerie of incredibly detailed mechanical creepy crawlers. You can check out more pictures of his awesome creations here. -Via Oddity Central

The World's Poorest President Posted: 19 Nov 2012 02:00 PM PST If you think that politicians are all glamorous and such, you haven't met Jose Mujica, the president of Uruguay who lives in a ramshackle farm and donates almost all of his pay. He's the world's poorest president: Laundry is strung outside the house. The water comes from a well in a yard, overgrown with weeds. Only two police officers and Manuela, a three-legged dog, keep watch outside. This is the residence of the president of Uruguay, Jose Mujica, whose lifestyle clearly differs sharply from that of most other world leaders. President Mujica has shunned the luxurious house that the Uruguayan state provides for its leaders and opted to stay at his wife's farmhouse, off a dirt road outside the capital, Montevideo. The president and his wife work the land themselves, growing flowers. This austere lifestyle - and the fact that Mujica donates about 90% of his monthly salary, equivalent to $12,000 (£7,500), to charity - has led him to be labelled the poorest president in the world. Vladimir Hernandez of BBC Mundo/Montevideo has the story: Link

The Downside of Social Media Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:30 PM PST I feel like I have had this exact conversation a few too many times. A friend of mine was visiting from across the country, staying on our couch for a couple weeks, and I wanted to tell him all about my Los Angeles exploits over the last few months. Unfortunately, he already knew everything- saw my Facebook photos and followed my on my sparsely used Twitter account. The excitement of telling him my stories was lost thanks to Social Media. Has anyone else experienced this situation? -Via Blame It On The Voices | Chuck & Beans

Workout Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:00 PM PST Even if this doesn't describe what I've done "lately," it may be a prediction of what will happen with a holiday feast and its leftovers around! This Twaggie is a Tweet from Laughing Lesbian, illustrated by Wobbly Goggy. See a new illustrated Tweet every day at Twaggies! Link

A Twinkie Recipe Posted: 19 Nov 2012 12:30 PM PST Hostess may be broke, but that doesn't mean you have to take Twinkies out of your diet. Well, hopefully if you were dieting Twinkies were not included in your diet, but you get what I mean. Instructables member Scoochmaroo has made a Twinkie recipe. While normally I would not indulge in such things, as I clearly treat my body as a temple, I think I might try this a home. With ingredients such as golden pound cake mix and coconut oil, these treats are most definitely delectable. -Via Foodiggity

Within Two Worlds Posted: 19 Nov 2012 12:00 PM PST If you love time-lapse video of the night's sky like I do, you can't miss this one titled Within Two Worlds by Brad Goldpaint (previously on Neatorama), who wrote: "Within Two Worlds depicts an alternate perspective by giving us the illusion of times movement, signifying a beginning and end within a world of constant contradiction. It appears you are traveling in the midst of a dream, half-sleeping, half-waking, and touching the arch connecting heaven and earth." It's simply stellar! Take a look: Hit play or go to Link [Vimeo] - via Wired

Mobile Office Posted: 19 Nov 2012 11:30 AM PST A man in Saarbrucken, Germany was pulled over for doing 130kph (about 80mph) in a 100kph (62mph) zone. When police approached his car, they discovered that the 35-year-old motorist had turned his car into a mobile office- equipped with laptop, printer, two phones, sat-nav, and a GPS signal receiver with a wide-screen. You can see from the image above, it was quite a chaotic office space. The officers wrote him a ticket and told him to pack up all his equipment. To me, this is a terrible idea. I have always had a fear of dying in a car crash ever since I saw the film Big Fish. In the movie this kid is shown how and when he is gong to die, from then on he isn't truly scared of anything because he knows he dies much later on. Well that worked in reverse for me, I have a repeating nightmare in which I die in a car crash and so every time I get into a car I think - well boy'o, this could be it. Traffic is crazy enough where I don't need more distractions, so typing some TPS reports while cruising down I-5 at 80mphs does not seem like something I would like to do. -Via Arbroath

Ninja BBQ Set Posted: 19 Nov 2012 11:00 AM PST Ninja BBQ Set - $27.95 Do you know someone whose unorthodox ways make him a real killer at the grill. This holiday season give him the perfect secret weapon in the war against dinner. Get him the Ninja BBQ Set from the NeatoShop. The handles of this fantastic pair look like bottom of a sword and the carrying case turns into a heavy duty pocketed apron.  Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more great Kitchen Stuff.  Link

The WKRP Turkey Drop Posted: 19 Nov 2012 11:00 AM PST The 1978 episode of WKRP in Cincinnati called "Turkeys Away," in which the radio station staged a Thanksgiving giveaway has become a classic holiday memory -and one of the funniest TV shows ever! It's also the subject of today's Lunchtime Quiz at mental_floss. How many details can you recall from that show? I scored 100%. I would have been ashamed to have scored any less on this one. Link

A Family of Bank Robbers Posted: 19 Nov 2012 10:30 AM PST Some families golf together, others go camping together. This family, however, is a bit unique: they rob the bank together. And you know what they say about a family that robs a bank together. They go to jail together: A father, son and daughter may be responsible for robbing as many as seven banks in two states, according to authorities. Ronald Scott Catt, 50, and his two children, 20-year-old Hayden and 18-year-old Abby were arrested last week on charges they robbed a credit union in Katy, Texas. Deputies with the Fort Bend Sheriff’s Office in Texas say the family, which recently moved to the area, could also be responsible for several other robberies in Texas and their native Oregon. Link

How To Draw A Cartoon Turkey Posted: 19 Nov 2012 10:00 AM PST Check out more Thanksgiving cartoons by Mark Anderson at Andertoons. Or you can draw your own! Spice up your Thanksgiving grocery shopping list with a cute little turkey! It will also look good on your last homework papers before the holiday, or a love note to someone you are thankful for. Andertoons has a tutorial to make drawing a turkey easy for you. Link

This is How a Rapper's Brain Works Posted: 19 Nov 2012 09:30 AM PST Oh my God, Becky Look at his brain It's so big He looks like one of those rap guys Who understands those rap guys They only rap like that because of improvisation-related correlations between medial prefrontal, cingulate motor, perisylvian cortices and amygdala I mean his brain It's just so big I can't believe it's so brainy It's just out there I mean, it's awesome I like big brains and I can not lie, you rap music fans can't deny ... that scientists have decoded how the brain of rappers work when they freestyle rap: The team also found a network of connections in the performers' brains during the freestyle raps, linking parts of the brain responsible for motivation, language, action and emotion. And raps that were rated as more innovative correlated with more activity in the region of the brain that stores words. It's not surprising, says Braun, "that the more creative the rap, the more they're tapping the lexicon." Next up, poets (really): Link | The study over at Nature

PhantomX Hexapod Posted: 19 Nov 2012 09:00 AM PST (YouTube link) The PhantomX robot has been around for a while. This demo shows its activities running Phoenix code, and features children who are not nearly as afraid of this creepy crawly thing as they should be. Now imagine this machine covered in battle armor with guns mounted above and below. Then imagine it covered in fur on toy shelves for Christmas. I'm not sure which is scarier! -via Metafilter

Great Game of Thrones Rings Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:30 AM PST Looking for something romantic and geeky to share with the love of your life? Then maybe you should check out these great couples rings inspired by Daenerys' & Drogo's nicknames for each other in Game of Thrones. Link Via Chasing At Starlight

Tokyoflash Treasure Hunt #22 Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:00 AM PST Howdy, Neatoramanauts! It's time for another fun round of the Tokyoflash Treasure Hunt! For those of you who haven't played before, the Tokyoflash Treasure Hunt is an easy and fun online scavenger game, with awesome prizes. You can win a Tokyoflash watch of your choice and neat stuff from the NeatoShop. Here's how to play: We'll give you a set of clues, for example: 1. What's the name of Neatorama's baby blog? 2. What is 2+1? 3. What is the name of the top grill listed in our post Top 10 Coolest BBQ Grills? Put the answers together to form this link: http://www.neatorama.com/neatobambino-3-lynx Go ahead and copy and paste that URL to your browser to get to the answer page. Easy, right? Let's get started, then! Here are the clues to today's Tokyoflash Treasure Hunt #22: 1. Head on over to Tokyoflash and check out the watch you see above. Fill in the blank: "features an _____ time display in mirrored LCD" 2. Visit the Zombie Shop on the NeatoShop. Find the messenger bag that will help you survive the Zombie apocalypse. Fill in the blank: "raw edge cotton canvas bag with ______ of storage capacity" 3. Head on back to Tokyoflash and find a really cool blue watch. There are several cool blue watches, but this one starts with the sentence: "Sense the atmosphere and feel the _____ as you step towards the decks." Visit Tokyoflash and the NeatoShop to find answers to these clues. Then string them together to form the URL: http://www.neatorama.com/answer1-answer2-answer3 (all one-word, lower case, separated by dash). This contest will end soon, so get going! Have fun, Neatoramanauts!

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