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2013/05/31

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Sloths Even Look Chill While Eating

Posted: 31 May 2013 04:00 AM PDT

(Video Link)

If the sloth motto is "live slow, die whenever," then Chewbacca here (yes, that really is his name) is an ideal sloth in every way. After all, why bother getting up to find and grab your food when you can just reach over and much away while laying back?

Via Cute Overload

11 of the Weirdest Fads Through History

Posted: 31 May 2013 03:00 AM PDT

If you think planking, condom snorting, the cinnamon challenge and other modern trends are a statement about the stupidity of modern man, then you need a history lesson. Amongst some of the stupidest trends in history are purposefully making teeth look terrible, arsenic medical treatments, and year-long dance marathons.

The photo above features a few young, hip guys hunkering together, which at least wasn't a dangerous past time like many of the others on this list.

Warning: Some of the language is NSFW.

Link

Mmmm Hop Dap A Doo Hop

Posted: 31 May 2013 02:00 AM PDT

Beer is great and all, but don't you ever wish it could better remind you of your favorite pop group of the nineties made up of three brothers? Well, now you can have it all with Mmmhops, a beer crafted by the boys of Hanson with a name based on their one big, extremely catchy hit.You can catch a viewof the new product in the upcoming Hangover 3 film.

On the upside, at least part of the profits will be going to victims of the recent Oklahoma tornado.

Link Via Food Beast

The Saddest City in America according to Twitter

Posted: 31 May 2013 01:00 AM PDT

If you're sad and you know it, don't cry a tear. Tweet instead!

A new study by researchers at the Vermont Complex Systems Center analyzed 80 million words from more than 10 million geotagged tweets in 2011 to find America's saddest city: Beaumont, Texas.

Using that list, researchers then collected tweets from more than 300 separate cities and towns across the United States and created an algorithm to assess how frequently "happy" words occurred vs. how frequently "sad" words occurred in different places. For example, people in Napa were much more likely to tweet the word "hope" than were their counterparts living along the Gulf Coast.

"The differences in the words people used told us a lot about the cities themselves," saysLewis Mitchell, a mathematician and the study's lead author. "Essentially we were able to create a geography of happiness." [...]

"The people at the bottom of our list live in states that are more socioeconomically depressed and where more natural disasters occur," he says. "There are higher rates of poverty, and the median incomes are lower."

This might explain why places like Beaumont and Shreveport, Louisiana, have sadder tweets.

Melody Kramer of National Geographic has the post: Link

Kindergartener Read All the Books In Her School Library

Posted: 31 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

Love to read? You ain't got nothing on 5-year-old kindergartener Sophia Moss. She has read so many of her school library's books that the librarian is going to have to order more just for her:

"A lot of the days I read books. It's just a couple days I don't read," Sophia said. "I just like reading!"

Sophia read so much, she finished reading most of the books in the kindergarten and first grade section of the T.S. Cooley Elementary library.

"I told Sophia, I said we're going to have to order more books for T.S. Cooley Library because she's read so many of them and enjoys so many of them," said Librarian Mary Lanier. 

Link

Eggs with Eyes and Other Weird Terms of Endearment

Posted: 30 May 2013 10:00 PM PDT


Photo: Yury Smelov/Shutterstock

"I love you, egg with eyes." Those six little words would melt just about any woman's heart ... if you live in Japan.

What? "Egg with eyes" doesn't convey the same meaning to you as "baby," "sweet pea," or "cutie pie"? How about "my flea" or "little cabbage"?

Here are some of the world's most interesting terms of endearment from language coach Paul Noble:

 Egg with eyes (Japanese)
Tamago gata no kao

In Japan, women are frequently called "an egg with eyes" by those who love them. This is a great compliment, as having an oval, egg-shaped face is considered very attractive in Japanese culture - you can see this in Japanese paintings through the ages.

Little cabbage (French)
Petit chou

"Chou" (cabbage) is the French equivalent of "sweetheart". "Chou" conveys the idea of being small and round and is used to describe French puff pastry, often enjoyed as "chou a la creme". "Chou" is said to resemble a baby's or child's head too. Over the years, many French children have been told that boys were born in cabbages and girls in roses. You can double it too - "chouchou" is a standard translation for "darling".

My flea (French)
Ma puce

"Ma puce" is roughly equivalent to "sweetie" in English. One theory suggests that it could be linked to the historic relationship shared by humans and fleas - in times past, removing fleas from one another became a one-to-one grooming activity, and is alleged to have been a pleasant and sometimes intimate process.

Diving fish swooping geese (Chinese)
Chen yu luo yan

There is a story surrounding the greatest beauty in Chinese history, a woman named Xi Shi. It's said that she was so beautiful that when she looked at fish in a pond, the fish were so dazzled by her beauty that they forgot to swim and gradually dived to the bottom. Likewise, it was said that when geese flew over a woman called Wang Zhaojun, they were so struck by her beauty that they would forget to flap their wings and would end up swooping to the ground. Because of this, to this day, when a young Chinese man is in love with a Chinese woman, he may indicate that, to him, she is as beautiful as Xi Shi or Wang Zhaojun. To do this, he will say just four words: "Diving fish, swooping geese".

Read the rest over at BBC: Link

Mr. & Mrs. Salt & Pepper Shakers

Posted: 30 May 2013 09:00 PM PDT

Mr. & Mrs. Salt & Pepper Shakers 

Are you looking for the perfect pair of salt and pepper shakers for your favorite happy couple? Get ready to commit to the Mr. & Mrs. Salt & Pepper Shakers from the NeatoShop. This adorable set of is a wonderful way to celebrate the union between salt and pepper.   

March down the aisles of the NeatoShop for more great Salt & Pepper Shakers. 

Link

Iron Out, Monopoly?

Posted: 30 May 2013 09:00 PM PDT

In 1936, Parker Brothers introduced Monopoly after purchasing the rights from the person they thought had invented the game. However, despite what the flimsy pamphlet in most Monopoly sets has always maintained, the board game was not, in fact, birthed during the Depression by a down-on-his-luck, unemployed heating engineer named Charles Darrow, ideating out on his kitchen table a game that would enable him to recall happier days in Atlantic City.

Numerous variations had been in existence for years prior. For example, in 1931, a guy called Louis Thun produced an incipient version of the game. In his flimsy four-page pamphlet that came with the game, the rules were set out containing this ironic quote: "Monopoly is designed to show the evils resulting from the institution of private property." If the irony is lost on you, that's because you haven't been following the decades-long lawsuitsflying around, trying to decide what person, persons or company actually has the Monopoly on Monopoly.

Meantime, Hasbro, who produces Monopoly presently, was busy some months ago rewriting the history of the game in its own way. In an attempt to spark fresh interest in an old game, the company created two polls on the Internet to help decide the future of some of the game's playing pieces. (Ah, marketing driving product... after Mustafa trotted in shirtless on a horse, every ancient brand thinks they're going to be the Old Spice of X.)

The first poll that appeared on Hasbro's Web site asked people to vote for a brand new playing piece. Of the five choices (robot, helicopter, ring, guitar and cat), it was--surprise, surprise--the feline for the win. Alex wrote about that, if you recall. Then, over on Monopoly's Facebook page, in a quasi-reality-show format, fans were asked to vote one of the classic playing pieces "off the island" via a special contest called Save Your Token. The fate of the car, the thimble, the boot, Scottie the dog, the battleship, the hat, the iron and the wheelbarrow hung on every click.

Ultimately, it wasn't the boot that got the boot, rather the iron. Daily Show writer Daniel Radosh had this to tweet upon hearing the news:

So what do you think of this, er, move? Would you have rather they left well enough alone? Are you looking forward to buying the new set with the new piece? Let us know in the comments below...

Would You Like to Have a Dolphin Assisted Birth?

Posted: 30 May 2013 08:00 PM PDT

dolphin

Adam and Heather Barringer of Charlotte, North Carolina have traveled to the Sirius Institute in Pohoa, Hawaii. In July, Heather should be ready to give birth to their child, Bodhi. They will do so in the presence of dolphins:

At the institute, the couple will spend time in the water, forming a connection with a dolphin pod they hope will bond with them and ultimately their newborn.

“It is about reconnecting as humans with the dolphins so we can coexist in this world together and learn from one another,” says Heather.

The couple hopes to find this connection during prenatal and postnatal swims with the dolphins.

“Having that connection with the pod of dolphins anytime – even if the birth doesn’t happen in the water – still brings peace, comfort and strength to the mother and baby during labor,” says Heather.

They believe a dolphin-assisted birth will be calming experience and beneficial.

“It’s total relaxation for the mother,” says Adam. “Dolphins are very intelligent and healing which in turn calms mother and baby for the whole process,” adds Heather.

If the birthing process doesn’t happen in the water, Heather will be accompanied by midwife, Mala, on a family/community farm in Akaka Falls, about 35 miles from Pahoa.

Traveling and living in harmony with the earth is a way of life for this couple. They’ve traveled across the country, staying with friends, living in and out of their car and picking up odd jobs or doing trades when they need money, food or supplies.

“We are all about living off the earth,” says Adam. The couple has been together 11 years and married for four.

Link and Official Website -via Ace of Spades HQ

(Photo: Gordon Wrigley)

Why So Big Mac?

Posted: 30 May 2013 07:00 PM PDT

I wouldn't trust this guy in my fast food kitchen. In fact, he makes the Hamburglar seem like the good guy.

Link Via That's Nerdalicious

The Highlight of the Phoenix Comic Con

Posted: 30 May 2013 06:00 PM PDT

I don't know that this version of Link would really be able to save Princess Zelda, but he sure could melt even the coldest heart with his cuteness. Of course, it's dangerous to go alone, so I'd like to take him.

Link

A Good Day To Die Hard...The Game

Posted: 30 May 2013 05:00 PM PDT

This image would be great enough if it were just a goofy Photoshop, but the fact that it's actually a screen capture from a real Die Hard 16-bit video game you can play online for free just makes it that much more awesome.

Link Via Geeks Are Sexy

Bike Tricks by Tim Knoll

Posted: 30 May 2013 04:00 PM PDT

My repertoire of bike tricks from my misspent youth was limited to popping a wheelie and then falling flat on my butt. So please excuse me while I pick my jaw up from the floor after watching these incredible bike tricks by Tim Knoll.

Hit play or go to Link [YouTube]

Stop Letting Your Life Distract You From Your Gaming

Posted: 30 May 2013 03:00 PM PDT

Yes, for only $2500, you too can own your own personal gaming chamber so you can escape all those distractions like friends, family, bathroom trips, etc. Hey, at least it has A/C and heat so you can feel comfortable in your own filth.

Link Via Geekologie

When Harajuku Meets Jersey

Posted: 30 May 2013 02:00 PM PDT

What happens when the older Ganguro Harajuku style evolves into something that looks like Jersey Shore and Nicki Minaj? The newest Japanese fashion trend, of course, which is known as gal. Apparently, the girls who wear the style are known as Black Diamond.

Personally, I like how they still can't stop from using Hello Kitty in their outfits.

Link

Sonar Anomaly May Be Wreckage of Amelia Earhart's Plane

Posted: 30 May 2013 01:00 PM PDT

The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR), which has long been investigating the disappearance of legendary aviator Amelia Earhart, may have discovered the wreckage of her plane:

... the images show an "anomaly" resting at the depth of about 600 feet in the waters off Nikumaroro island, some 350 miles southeast of Earhart's target destination, Howland Island.

According to TIGHAR researchers, the sonar image shows a strong return from a narrow object roughly 22 feet long oriented southwest/northeast on the slope near the base of an underwater cliff. Shadows indicate that the object is higher on the southwest (downhill side). A lesser return extends northeastward for about 131 feet.

"What initially got our attention is that there is no other sonar return like it in the entire body of data collected," Ric Gillespie, executive director of TIGHAR, told Discovery News.

"It is truly an anomaly, and when you're looking for man-made objects against a natural background, anomalies are good," he added.

Rossella Lorenzi of Discovery News has the post: Link | TIGHAR's post

Soda Shaq Will Slam Dunk Your Thirst

Posted: 30 May 2013 12:00 PM PDT

Arizona Tea has partnered with Shaq to release a new line of cream sodas. They'll all come in 20 ounce "tall boy" cans because everything related to Shaq must be bigger...and because that's the standard size of Arizona teas I guess.

Personally, I'm going to get the strawberry because, let's face it, nothing makes you want to chug a beverage more than Shaq sticking his tongue out at you.

Link

Antique Clock Necklace

Posted: 30 May 2013 11:00 AM PDT

 

Antique Clock Necklace

Are you worried you will be late for a very important date? Keep time on your side with the Antique Clock Necklace from the NeatoShop. This fun necklace, with working watch pendant, has double dial faces. Who knew it could be so fashionable to be on time. 

Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more great Jewelry. 

Link

Prancercise

Posted: 30 May 2013 11:00 AM PDT

Think you have to hit the gym to lose weight? Neigh! Just prance like a horse.

Joanna Rohrback (see how skinny she is?) invented Prancercise back in the late 80s, and it's high time that it makes a comeback: Hit play or go to Link [YouTube]

Why, she has even written a book about it: Prancercise: The Art of Physical and Spiritual Excellence

Toddler Holds an Earthworm For the First Time

Posted: 30 May 2013 10:00 AM PDT

What happens when a toddler is introduced to an earthworm for the first time? Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] to find out! Via Arbroath

I'll Be There For You

Posted: 30 May 2013 09:00 AM PDT

(Video Link)

Friends are there to help you out when you need a hand and that doesn't just apply to human friends. Turtles are there for one another too -especially when one turtle is on its back.

Via Cute Overload

And You Thought Your Mother-In-Law Is Scary

Posted: 30 May 2013 08:00 AM PDT

This is why you always ask your guests about their dietary restrictions on the RSVP cards. You don't want someone to be livid because you failed to offer any gluten free options.

This image was taken and possibly manipulated by Quinn Miller of Baton Rouge, who specializes in both photography and graphic design -this wedding picture captures Miller's skills at both.

Link

What Is It? Game 278

Posted: 30 May 2013 07:00 AM PDT

'Tis Thursday, so you know what it means, Neatoramanauts: it's time for the What Is It? Game, brought to you by the always amusing What Is It? Blog.

What is the item above? Your guess can win you a free T-shirt of your choice from the NeatoShop. Here's how to play:

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, but you can enter as many guesses as you'd like in separate comments. Post no URLs or weblinks.

Let's change it up a bit: we'll pick two winners who submit funny (albeit ultimately incorrect) guesses. If you guessed right, then good for ya - but you don't win anything, mmkay? (As you can see, this is the 278th What Is It? game we have on the blog, and the majority of them are won by the same people over and over again who're just really, really good at guessing correctly). So, it's up to you, funny people: you have twice the chance of winning that T-shirt now.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don't include a selection, you forfeit the prize. We highly suggest you take a look at the NeatoShop's new selection of Funny T-shirts and Science T-Shirts.

Ready? Go for it! (Don't forget to visit the What Is It? Blog for more clues!)

1953 Volkswagen Turned into a Sphere

Posted: 30 May 2013 06:00 AM PDT

sphere

Bumblebee, roll out! Indonesian artist Ichwan Noor made this sphere that is 1.8 meters across out of an actual Volkswagen. He writes:

The sculpture’s visual form yields an impression of a sphere - the basis of all forms. The shape of a car is pressed onto the spherical form, producing a dynamic movement, a certain flexibility, but also fragility. It is a concept of “totems” that is embraced/believed by the people of today.

Link -via Colossal

(Photo: AFP-JIJI)

<i>Star Wars</i> Records

Posted: 30 May 2013 05:00 AM PDT

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CyclopticSpider paints watercolor scenes from the original Star Wars movies on the soundtracks of those movies. Why LP records? Because we're 80s kids.

Link -via Technabob
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