Neatorama

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• What Your Egg Preference Says about You
• Steampunk AT-ST
• The Indian Bullfrog
• Crazy Action Contraptions
• The Little Free Library
• Canadian High School Creates All-Hockey Curriculum
• George Costanza Dress
• Slang for Human Body Parts, German Style
• Damn the Ribbits! Females Mate with Closest Frog
• 2 Slow 2 Curious
• Turning Cement into Metal
• Mysteries of the Cereal Box
• Does Canada's New Banknote Smell Like Maple Syrup?
• Ladder to be Installed at Mount Everest
• Dry Erase Board Wall Clock
• Brainteaser: Princess Porcelain
• Slow Time Cafe
• High Jump in Kenya
• Daft Nuts
• Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman's Daughter!
• Finding Vivian Maier
• Crocheted Teenage Mutant Ninja Snails
• Ferrero Rocher Brownies
• Flower Nanostructures
• Why is a Face called a "Mug"?

What Your Egg Preference Says about You Posted: 30 May 2013 04:00 AM PDT "You like things predictable and are slowly turning into a curmudgeon." Wow, this chart is surprisingly accurate! Another alternative for boiled is that you cook eggs by the dozen on your day off so that you don't have to cook in the morning. That's efficiency! Link -via Daily of the Day

Steampunk AT-ST Posted: 30 May 2013 03:00 AM PDT You may remember Captain Bayley's Infernal Mechano-Perambulator (AT-AT). He's back with another one of his devilish machines. This is the Infernal Dichoto-Velocipod, a steampunk marvel destined to bring glory to the Empire. Link and More Photos -via When Geeks Wed

The Indian Bullfrog Posted: 30 May 2013 01:00 AM PDT Guys, if you need some help attracting the ladies, this suave gentleman can offer you a few tips. Just turn yellow and start bellowing your vocal sacs. Then just wait. Soon enough, the females will come your way. Well, maybe. Link (Video Link)

Crazy Action Contraptions Posted: 30 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT Crazy Action Contraptions Summer is coming. Are you looking for a fun way to keep your favorite LEGO fantastic occupied? Get them the Crazy Action Contraptions book from the NeatoShop. This fantastic set will teach them how to build 16 high-performance LEGO contraptions. The best part, the kit includes all the bricks, gear, and axles they will need to build.   Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more Books.  Link

The Little Free Library Posted: 30 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT The Venezuelan design firm Stereotank brought their little library to the Nolita neighborhood of New York City. The cover protects books from the elements while holes provide illumination for patrons. Link -via Design Boom

Canadian High School Creates All-Hockey Curriculum Posted: 29 May 2013 11:00 PM PDT Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia loves its native son, Sidney Crosby, who is a highly accomplished hockey player. The residents also love that sport so much that their high school now teaches all subjects in reference to it: A Nova Scotia high school has created a curriculum where every subject — from physics to design technology to dance — centres on hockey. Cole Harbour District High School, in Sidney Crosby's hometown, received special recognition from Hockey Canada this week for its special project, which encompasses all subjects in all grades. You can watch a video at the link. Link -via Dave Barry (Image: CBC)

George Costanza Dress Posted: 29 May 2013 10:00 PM PDT Look sexy tonight in this dress featuring Seinfeld's Jason Alexander. Erin Peace's dress is made of organic cotton sateen and is perfect for both awkward, professional situations and awkward, romantic scenes. Link -via Landa Calrissian

Slang for Human Body Parts, German Style Posted: 29 May 2013 09:00 PM PDT The Germans, who brought us linguistic gem like schadenfreude - a word meaning to derive pleasure from the misfortunes of others (I mean, come on, only Germans can invent such a word), have a few interesting slangs for human bodyparts. See if you can figure these four out: Pornobalken - literally "porn beam" Show Answer Mustache Bacon Sandwich via Bacon Today Kummerspeck - lit. "misery bacon" Show Answer Layer of fat a person puts on from comfort eating Photo via Yid With Lid, with apologies to the Prince of Wales Segelohren - lit. "sailing ears" I guess you have alrady guessed it from the pic and the literal translation. Photo: Party City Nackentapete - lit. "Neck carpet" Show Answer The mullet. Like that? See the rest over at The Local: Link

Damn the Ribbits! Females Mate with Closest Frog Posted: 29 May 2013 08:00 PM PDT Poor male strawberry poison frog (Oophaga pumilio). It worked hard to woo the females with loud - and probably tiring - ribbits, but turns out, all that effort mattered not one bit: Researchers have found that despite the male's best efforts to impress, females simply mate with the closest frog to them. By choosing a neighbor, females minimize the risk of not mating at all, as receptive females abound and they have only a short time to fertilize their eggs. [...] Females can simply choose the closest frog as, after their fighting, all victorious males with an established territory are of an acceptable standard to mate. Why go further afield, when the guy next door is just as good? Link (Image: Ivonne Meuche) Previously on Neatorama: 30 Strangest Animal Mating Habits

2 Slow 2 Curious Posted: 29 May 2013 07:00 PM PDT Was Fast & Furious 6 too fast and too furious for you? You need this: Via Cubiclebot

Turning Cement into Metal Posted: 29 May 2013 06:00 PM PDT Forget the sleek aluminum case of the iPhone or the magnesium alloy used in HTC's smartphone. The new hot thing is metal made out of cement. That's right, cement: In a move that would make the Alchemists of King Arthur's time green with envy, scientists have unraveled the formula for turning liquid cement into liquid metal. This makes cement a semi-conductor and opens up its use in the profitable consumer electronics marketplace for thin films, protective coatings, and computer chips. [...] This change demonstrates a unique way to make metallic-glass material, which has positive attributes including better resistance to corrosion than traditional metal, less brittleness than traditional glass, conductivity, low energy loss in magnetic fields, and fluidity for ease of processing and molding. Previously only metals have been able to transition to a metallic-glass form. Cement does this by a process called electron trapping, a phenomena only previously seen in ammonia solutions. Understanding how cement joined this exclusive club opens the possibility of turning other solid normally insulating materials into room-temperature semiconductors. [...] The team of scientists studied mayenite, a component of alumina cement made of calcium and aluminum oxides. They melted it at temperatures of 2,000 degrees Celsius using an aerodynamic levitator with carbon dioxide laser beam heating. The material was processed in different atmospheres to control the way that oxygen bonds in the resulting glass. Link

Mysteries of the Cereal Box Posted: 29 May 2013 05:00 PM PDT Take a look at your cereal box and you'll find that they have either one of the two closure methods shown above, slotted or slotless. But why? And which one is better? Paul Lukas is coo-coo for cereal closures and told us everything we wanted to know about cereal boxes but were afraid to ask: As for which format is best, every source agreed that the slotted style's tendency to rip and tear is highly annoying. Not only that, but several of the experts identified another important distinction: The slotless style requires less male/female overlap, so the flaps can be shorter. That saves cardboard — sorry, paperboard — which translates to lower costs, greater sustainability, lighter shipping loads, and so on. So with the slotless design appearing to offer superior functionality and greater efficiencies, why would anyone stick with the slotted format? "Some people think the slotless version feels less secure, because there's less overlap and less of a lock," said Pat Shields, Director of Structural Design at the box manufacturer Rock Tenn. (He also added, "When the slot rips, at least it gives you an outlet for expletives. Hey, we're there to serve.") And Lisa McTigue Pierce, Executive Editor of the trade magazine Packaging Digest, said, "For flour-based products, maybe the larger overlap could help prevent insect infestation." So that's what the slotted style has going for it: It offers a false sense of security, gives you an excuse to cuss, and maybe keeps the bugs out. Read the rest over at New Republic: Link

Does Canada's New Banknote Smell Like Maple Syrup? Posted: 29 May 2013 04:00 PM PDT Canada's new 100 dollar banknote, made of polymer, is indestructible and nearly impossible to duplicate. But that's not the best thing about it: according to many people, it smells like maple syrup! Dozens of people who contacted the bank in the months after the polymer notes first appeared asked about a secret scratch-and-sniff patch that apparently smells like maple syrup. “I would like to know … once and for all if these bills are in fact scented, as I do detect a hint of maple when smelling the bill,” says a typical email from a perplexed citizen. Said another: “They all have a scent which I’d say smells like maple? Please advise if this is normal?” The Bank of Canada denied the whole thing, of course, but I think that's a great feature. Let's petition the US Federal Reserve to release bacon-scented banknotes! Link (Image: CTVVI)

Ladder to be Installed at Mount Everest Posted: 29 May 2013 03:00 PM PDT Well, climbing Mount Everest ain't what it used to be. Sixty years after Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Sir George's mountain, there are so many people waiting in line to reach the top that there's now a plan to install a ladder there: "We are now discussing putting a ladder on the Hillary Step but it is obviously controversial," said Dawa Steven Sherpa, who runs commercial expeditions on Everest and is a senior member of the Expedition Operators Association in Nepal. This year, 520 climbers have reached the summit of Everest. On 19 May, around 150 climbed the last 3,000ft of the peak from Camp IV within hours of each other, causing lengthy delays as mountaineers queued to descend or ascend harder sections. "Most of the traffic jams are at the Hillary Step because only one person can go up or down. If you have people waiting two, three or even four hours that means lots of exposure [to risk]. To make the climbing easier, that would be wrong. But this is a safety feature," said Sherpa ... I think I'll wait till they install an escalator. Jason Burke of The Guardian has the story: Link

Dry Erase Board Wall Clock Posted: 29 May 2013 02:00 PM PDT Dry Erase Board Wall Clock What time is it? It's time to get creative with the Dry Erase Board Wall Clock from the NeatoShop. The Dry Erase Board Wall Clock comes blank so that you can customize your clock to reflect your ever changing moods.   Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more great Clocks & Timers.  Link

Brainteaser: Princess Porcelain Posted: 29 May 2013 02:00 PM PDT A long time ago in a faraway land, there lived a queen called Bubbles and her gorgeous daughter, Princess Porcelain. The princess wished to be married, but Queen Bubbles would not allow it -she never wanted Porcelain to leave the throne room. So Bubbles devised a scheme to rid the palace of suitors. All a suitor had to do to win Porcelain's hand was to draw a piece of paper from a golden bowl. But there was a catch: there were two pieces of paper in the bowl. One said, "My Child," resulting in marriage to the princess. The other said "The Snakes," which meant the suitor would be thrown into a pit of venomous snakes, never to be seen again. Somehow, the suitors always seemed to end up in the snake pit. One day a handsome knight named Sir Flushalot came along and Porcelain fell head over heels for him. The princess pulled him aside and whispered, "I think my mother is a cheat. I believe both pieces of paper says 'The Snakes.'" Flushalot assessed the situation and said, "Fear not -I've got a plan." Aware that he cannot expose the queen as a cheater, how does Sir Flushalot win Princess Porcelain's hand in marriage? Continue reading to find out the answer. Show Answer When Sir Flushalot pulled a slip of paper from the bowl, he read it, exclaimed, "I've won!" and then quickly ate the paper. The witnesses were astonished by his actions, and demanded to see the remaining piece of paper to see if he was lying. The remaining piece of paper said, "The Snakes," and the queen's trickery was never revealed. ___________________ This brainteaser was reprinted with permission from Uncle John's Unstoppable Bathroom Reader. 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!

Slow Time Cafe Posted: 29 May 2013 01:00 PM PDT Sit down and relax. There's no hurry to finish your coffee at the Slow Time Cafe - you can stay as long as you'd like without the cafe staff glaring at you for taking up valuable seats. Heck, you can even bring your own food. The catch? You have to pay by the minute: Customers are charged €0.05 per minute, amounting to €3.00 an hour. When they come in the door, [cafe owner] Volkova gives them a wristband with the time marked on it. When they leave they hand it back and their bill is calculated to the minute. Link - via Arbroath POLL: Would you patronize such a pay-by-the-minute cafe? Yes No

High Jump in Kenya Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 PM PDT High jump mattress? What's that? THIS IS KENYA where high school ninjas jump over a bar set taller than a man's height like it was just a small hop. Hit play or go to Link [YouTube]

Daft Nuts Posted: 29 May 2013 11:00 AM PDT Daft Nuts by Baznet Musicians don't dance, but they do play a music harder, better, faster, stronger than the rest of us. T-shirt designer Baznet is doin' it right with this mash up tee. Check out his latest T-shirt design over at the NeatoShop and who knows, perhaps you'll get lucky and lose yourself to dance: Link Visit Baznet at his Tumblr for more neat-o T-shirt designs, then buy one for yourself or loved one over at his NeatoShop page. Super Daft Bros Rancor Pit Bat Country Super Doctor Who View more of Baznet's T-shirts | More Funny T-shirts Are you a professional illustrator or T-shirt designer? Let's chat! Sell your designs on the NeatoShop, earn generous royalties, and get featured in front of tons of potential new fans on Neatorama!

Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman's Daughter! Posted: 29 May 2013 10:00 AM PDT What's life like when your father is "The Smartest Man in the World" and has a Nobel Prize to prove it? Michelle Feynman, daughter of the famous physicist Richard Feyman, tells us: When I was very young, I thought my father knew everything. Indeed, a prominent magazine once declared him “The Smartest Man in the World.” Upon hearing this, his mother threw up her hands and exclaimed, “If Richard is the smartest man in the world, God help the world!” My father was the first one to laugh. [...] Despite his success, my father encouraged an irreverent attitude toward himself. Our dinner conversations were full of tales about mistakes he made during the day: losing his sweater, having conversations with people and not remembering their names. On Sunday mornings, he would often forgo reading the newspaper in favor of a wild hour of loud, often discordant music, drumming, and storytelling with my brother and me. When it was his turn to drive the car pool to elementary school, he would pretend to get lost. “No, not that way!” all the kids would scream. “Oh, all right. Is it this way?” and he would turn the wrong way again. “Nooooooo!” we would yell in utter panic. Read the rest over at Discover Magazine: Link

Finding Vivian Maier Posted: 29 May 2013 09:00 AM PDT In 2007, photographer John Maloof went to an auction house across the street from his Chicago home and bought a box of undeveloped film that had been abandoned in a storage locker. When he developed the negatives, he discovered that they contained a photographic gold mine left by a mysterious woman named Vivian Maier. Vivian Maier - completely unknown at the time - had left a body of work comprising of more than 2,000 rolls of film, 3,000 printed photographs and 150,000 negatives, representing the photos she took from the 40s through the 70s. She took candid pictures of people, street life, and buildings in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, the American Southwest, and places as fara way as Manila, Bangkok, Beijing, Egypt and Italy. But who was Vivian Maier? Maloof spent years reconstructing her work and life - and when he finally found her identity, Vivian died only days before he could reach her. But in death, the very private Vivian Maier (friends have likened her to Mary Poppins - Maier was a nanny) has found fame. Thanks to Maloof, her work has found new fans from published books and exhibitions across the United States - and finally, a documentary is in the works. Take a look at the trailer above, then view a selection of Maier's photographs over at the official website: Link | Finding Vivian Maier documentary official website A few of her photographs of New York: Undated, New York, NY September, 1953, New York, NY Armenian woman fighting, September, 1956, Lower East Side, NY Sept, 1953, New York, NY Undated, New York, NY ... Chicago: May 16, 1957 May 27, 1970, Chicago, IL August 22, 1956 ... from her travels: August, 1958, Churchill, Canada Untitled, Undated And finally, few self portraits: Self Portrait, 1955 Untitled, Self Portrait Untitled, Self Portrait View more over at Vivian Maier's afficial website | Vivian Maier: Street Photographer Book - via The Jealous Curator

Crocheted Teenage Mutant Ninja Snails Posted: 29 May 2013 08:00 AM PDT Laura Partridge's Snailonardo, Snailatello, Snailphael and Snailangelo are ready to battle crime, albeit at a snail's pace. But that really shouldn't be much slower than a turtle in action. Link

Ferrero Rocher Brownies Posted: 29 May 2013 07:00 AM PDT If there's something that you can't cook inside a brownie, I don't know it. Becca of Becca Bakes baked Ferro Rocher chocolate and hazelnut candies inside super rich brownies. You can find her recipe at the link. Link -via Foodbeast

Flower Nanostructures Posted: 29 May 2013 06:00 AM PDT By simply manipulating chemical gradients in a beaker of fluid, Wim L. Noorduin [...] has found that he can control the growth behavior of these crystals to create precisely tailored structures. [...] To create the flower structures, Noorduin and his colleagues dissolve barium chloride (a salt) and sodium silicate (also known as waterglass) into a beaker of water. Carbon dioxide from air naturally dissolves in the water, setting off a reaction which precipitates barium carbonate crystals. As a byproduct, it also lowers the pH of the solution immediately surrounding the crystals, which then triggers a reaction with the dissolved waterglass. This second reaction adds a layer of silica to the growing structures, uses up the acid from the solution, and allows the formation of barium carbonate crystals to continue.

Why is a Face called a "Mug"? Posted: 29 May 2013 05:00 AM PDT Neatorama presents a guest post from actor, comedian, and voiceover artist Eddie Deezen. Visit Eddie at his website. "Mug" is one of those terms that is rarely used anymore in normal conversation. Nowadays, the most common usage is in "mug shot," which is usually referring to athletes or Hollywood's bad boys, whose mug shots frequently appear on the nightly news. Still, most of us don't need newscast reminders that a mug is a face. And often an ugly one at that! We've watched the Three Stooges and Humphrey Bogart and Jimmy Cagney films and DVDs that seem to have their own vernacular. This is, of course, just the normal, ever-changing speech patterns, expressions, and nomenclature of each particular generation. For example, a normal person might say, "I had some competition getting the attention of a woman." But in old-time Movieland language, this is spoken as, "Say, I got into a scrape with a palooka over a dame. A real wise guy. Why, I socked him right in his ugly mug!" (These words are always spoken in a Brooklyn accent, regardless of whether the place is New York, Milwaukee, Chicago, L.A., Mexico City, or ancient Rome. In old-time Movieland, pretty much everybody sounds like Jimmy Cagney or Bugs Bunny.) "Mug" predates old-time Movieland, though. It has been used as a noun to describe the face and as a verb of the word "grimace" since the 17th century. It most likely derives from "mugg," a Scandinavian word for a drinking vessel. In the 17th and 18th centuries, mugs were often decorated with cartoonishly-drawn human faces. This may have led to the use of "mug" as a synonym for an ugly face. Although a bit archaic, "mug" is still used to describe a less-than-beautiful face. In the modern world, one would ordinarily talk about Mickey Rourke's mug or Keith Richards' mug, as opposed to Jennifer Anniston's or Brad Pitt's mug.   Keith Richards (left) and Brad Pitt (right). Can you tell the difference? Another theory is that "mug" comes from "mukha," the Sanskit word for face. They have yet to determine, however, whether Sanskit is ever spoken with a Brookyn accent. The term "mug shot," referring to a photo taken of a prisoner or someone in police custody in a jail or prison, is thought to haves derived from the "grimace" definition cited earlier. A person in police custody would after "mug," or grimace in order to change the shape or features of his face. This was done to make him less easily identifiable. Arrestees "mugging" for the camera. One last "mug" usage is, of course, the noun (often called a "mugging") or verb, the act or action of assaulting someone, almost always to rob them of money. This probably (I cannot locate its origin anywhere) is in referring to the perpetrator of the assault/robbery crime as a "mug," or an ugly-faced criminal.

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