Neatorama

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• It's a Zoo out There
• The Best Books Assigned in High School
• These Black-Footed Ferret Babies Are Absolute Charmers
• Cleverly Designed Olive Oil Bottles
• Breaking the Fourth Wall
• The First Quadriplegic to Complete the Tough Mudder
• Amazing Cosplay From Japan's Comiket 2015
• Argument: Food Is the New Music
• CTHOOKIE MONSTER - Chewing With The Power Of Cthulhu
• Furry Friend Purr Generator
• The Top 50 Destination Wedding Photos of 2015 Are Something Out of a Dream
• Talking Heads Have a Problem with Deez Nuts
• Happy Tenth Blogiversary to Our Own Miss Cellania
• Anthony Michael Hall Could Have Played Ferris and Other Facts About<i> Ferris Bueller’s Day Off</i>
• Email Etiquette
• Border Collie Puppy Teaches Wolf Pup Tug of War
• U.S. Counties, Ranked by Scenery and Climate

It's a Zoo out There Posted: 24 Aug 2015 04:00 AM PDT (Lunarbaboon) That's the terrible thing about dating in a small circle of people. If you break up you still have to see each other every day. This bear's best option is to break out of the zoo and not let anyone get in his way. Head out into the woods and sign up for Tindursus.

The Best Books Assigned in High School Posted: 24 Aug 2015 03:00 AM PDT Ernest Hemmingway is a great author, one of the handful of writers commonly assigned to high schoolers that I actually enjoyed reading. I'm sure many of you other heavy readers feel the same -books are great, but assigned reading isn't always so good. That's why I love this great list of the best books assigned in high school. I personally would add Catcher in the Rye, but as all these things are subjective, I know not everyone agrees. That's why I'm curious to know what you guys think -what's the best book you were assigned to read in high school?

These Black-Footed Ferret Babies Are Absolute Charmers Posted: 24 Aug 2015 02:00 AM PDT Image: Mehgan Murphy, Smithsonian's National Zoo The black-footed ferret litter shown above isn't just cute and cuddly; it also represents great strides in bringing the species back from extinction. Black-footed ferret populations drastically diminished in the 20th century due to the Great Plains being converted for agricultural purposes. At that time, prairie dogs – the ferrets’ primary food source – were eradicated.  Black-footed ferrets were considered extinct until a small population of nine was discovered in South Dakota in 1964. The last ferret in captivity died in 1979, and the species was again thought to be wiped out until a group of 18 black-footed ferrets was discovered living in Wyoming in 1981. At that point, the species was labeled "critically endangered." Since then, however, wildlife conservationists have increased the numbers of the species to more than 2,600 in the wild. This summer, a breakthrough by the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute involving artificial insemination from cryopreserved samples further increased and will continue to grow the number of black-footed ferrets. Don't miss the adorable video below, and see additional photos and read specifics about the process of artificial insemination to increase the numbers in the species at Zooborns.   YouTube Link

Cleverly Designed Olive Oil Bottles Posted: 24 Aug 2015 01:00 AM PDT Gino Haddad operates Gino's Garden, a brand of gourmet olive oil. In a mere six hours, he picks Lebanese olives, presses them, and bottles the perfect oil that results. His product is very fresh, so he wanted a package that expresses how close diners are to the original olive groves. Designer Marios Karystios responded with these flasks, reminiscent of olives as well as the ancient amphorae that transported olive oil across the Mediterranean thousands of years ago. You can see more photos at Design Boom.

Breaking the Fourth Wall Posted: 24 Aug 2015 12:00 AM PDT The cinematic term “breaking the fourth wall” is when an actor turns and addresses the audience directly. That “fourth wall” is the one between the character and the viewer. It violates the suspension of disbelief momentarily and shows the character as one who is aware of their place in a theatrical work. It’s been used in theater before film, and throughout the history of movies and television. (YouTube link) In this video by Now You See It, we get the history of the technique, its various uses, and a great many examples from movies you know and love. -via Digg

The First Quadriplegic to Complete the Tough Mudder Posted: 23 Aug 2015 10:00 PM PDT (Photo: PA) It's the toughest race on Earth. Oh, it's shorter than a marathon. The Tough Mudder is only 5 miles long. But along that race, contestants are dunked in freezing cold water and electrically shocked. They have to crawl through mud and climb over high and slippery obstacles. And once they finish the course, they do it again. And again. Whoever completes the most number of laps in 24 hours wins. 21-year old Rob Camm of Breadstone, Gloucester, UK, wanted to do the Tough Mudder. But 2 years ago, he was in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down. That didn't stop him, though. Camm just completed the race in an off-road wheelchair that he controls with his chin. The Daily Telegraph reports: His specially-made Extreme X8 electric wheelchair can reach speeds of 10km per hour - and Rob has even been able to clear tree branches and tow his dad's 4x4 with it. It took him through a course which is made up of Britain's "deepest, darkest mud and soul-crushing terrain", according to Tough Mudder organisers. Rob added: "I do nowhere near as many physical outdoor challenges as I used to do and it is a huge thing for me to have that challenge again."

Amazing Cosplay From Japan's Comiket 2015 Posted: 23 Aug 2015 08:00 PM PDT (Image Link) The Japanese have elevated cosplay to the level of fabrication artistry and attention to detail we know and love today, and even though the rest of the world is now on board Japanese cosplay is still a cut above the rest. (Image Link) Cosplay is everywhere in Japan, and it seems like every town and corporation has their own amazing looking mascot in Japan these days. But if you want to see the heart of Japanese cosplay you have to hit a fandom convention like Tokyo's Comiket (Comic Market). (Image Link) The cosplayers at this year's Comiket didn't disappoint, and it's interesting to note how much more “mascoty” their cosplay is when compared to the rest of the world. See more of Japan's Best Cosplay Of Summer 2015 at Kotaku

Argument: Food Is the New Music Posted: 23 Aug 2015 06:00 PM PDT (Photo: Tomwsulcer) What music do you listen to? What bands are on your playlist? Who have you seen live? In a way, these common conversation starters are asking "What is your identity?" That's because in the US, for many years, music has been a major center of popular cultural discourse. Contrast this with, say, dance or sculpture. These art forms are well-developed, but are not as deeply embedded in the daily lives of Americans. In a fascinating blog post, Eugene Wei argues that the role of music in popular culture is being replaced by food: Food has replaced music at the heart of the cultural conversation for so many, and I wonder if it's because food and dining still offer true scarcity whereas music is so freely available everywhere that it's become a poor signaling mechanism for status and taste. If you've eaten at Noma, you've had an experience a very tiny fraction of the world will be lucky enough to experience, whereas if you name any musical artist, I can likely find their music and be listening to it within a few mouse clicks. Legally, too, which removes even more of the caché that came with illicit downloading, the thrill of being a digital bootlegger. Once, it felt like watching music videos on MTV was a form of rebellion in plain sight. Nowadays, the channel doesn't play any music videos. Instead, we have dozens of food and cooking shows, even entire channels like The Food Network dedicated to the topic. Chefs have become elevated to the status of master craftsmen, with names that have risen above the status of their restaurants, and diners revere someone like Jiro of Jiro Dreams of Sushi fame the way a previous generation worshipped the guitar sound of a rock god like Jimi Hendrix. The conspicious consumption and discussion of food is a way of signaling your identity: It's not just the scarcity of the actual food that offers such signaling opportunities. You can generate your own scarcity just by having a broad palate. When it comes to dining, many people still have narrow bands of taste, so if you're from the Jonathan Gold school of adventurous dining, you can easily set yourself apart by ingesting something exotic, like tripe stew, or some part of an animal that most people didn't even know was edible and certainly wouldn't dream of consuming. -via Marginal Revolution

CTHOOKIE MONSTER - Chewing With The Power Of Cthulhu Posted: 23 Aug 2015 04:00 PM PDT CTHOOKIE MONSTER by BeastPop Cookie was starting to lose his monstrous edge, and where before he was able to tear through ten packs of cookies in one sitting he was now having trouble finishing just one. He was scared, and didn't know what to do to get his mojo back, until he discovered a creepy book in Bert & Ernie's apartment. The book looked like it was made out of doughy skin, with a happy face on the front that wasn't fooling Sesame's hungriest monster, and when Cookie got safely back to the street and opened the book he wasn't disappointed with the secrets hidden inside. Reading the incarnation aloud Cookie felt his body transforming into something new, and as the power of Cthulhu began to course through his veins he felt like he could devour all the cookies in the world in one sitting... Add some tasty terror to your geeky wardrobe with this CTHOOKIE MONSTER t-shirt by BeastPop, it's a delicious design your fellow Sesame Street fans will simply die for! Visit BeastPop's Facebook fan page, Tumblr and Twitter, then head on over to his NeatoShop for more mighty geeky designs: BIG BORG SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONKEY MEASLEY MOUSE FRIDAY THE 13TH- FORCEFUL ENTRY View more designs by BeastPop | More Funny T-shirts | New T-Shirts Are you a professional illustrator or T-shirt designer? Let's chat! Sell your designs on the NeatoShop and get featured in front of tons of potential new fans on Neatorama!

Furry Friend Purr Generator Posted: 23 Aug 2015 04:00 PM PDT Furry Friend bills itself as a “frequency-shaped cat purr noise generator.” You can change the parameters on the generator to hear different purrs. You can also animate it to watch the sliders vibrate and change in time with the cat’s breathing. Neat! A cat's purr is generally within the range of 40 - 200 Hz. In sound therapy, these frequencies are believed to heal injuries and relieve pain. It is also told that injured cats often purr to help soothe and heal themselves... Whether you're not at home, can't have a pet, or just need your purr fix right this moment, this soundscape can help you relax and emulate the soothing experience of snuggling up with your furry friend - without the fleas and cat hair! Don’t blame me if you are tempted to leave this on all the time and somehow you find yourself more relaxed until you fall asleep at the computer. Your cats may or may not like it. Don’t like cats? These folks have a noise generator for every taste.  -via Metafilter

The Top 50 Destination Wedding Photos of 2015 Are Something Out of a Dream Posted: 23 Aug 2015 02:00 PM PDT Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | Image: Christophe Viseux Destination weddings are rare celebrations compared with traditional weddings in that the couple to be married decides that the location is one of the most important elements of the ceremony. They must be satisfied with leaving to chance how many of their invited guests are able to travel to the event. But one thing is certain: an exotic destination wedding makes for some incredible wedding photos, as these shots attest.  The photographs shown here are a small sample of "The 2015 Best of the Best Destination Photography Collection," as selected by Junebug Weddings. If you're interested in destination weddings or are a travel enthusiast, checking out all 50 of these gorgeous captures is well worth a few minutes of your time. Via My Modern Met Mission Beach, Australia | Image: Matthew Evans Himalayas, Nepal | Image: Charleton Churchill Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Image: Oscar Castro

Talking Heads Have a Problem with Deez Nuts Posted: 23 Aug 2015 12:00 PM PDT Move over, Limberbutt McCubbins, you’re not polling nearly as well as presidential candidate Deez Nuts. That’s the presidential pseudonym of 15-year-old Brady Olson from Louisville, Iowa, who filed papers to run for the office. He’s not eligible, because you have to be 35 years old. But since he’s filed, he managed to get on some polls, and of course that drew plenty of publicity, which led to higher poll ratings. Just like Donald Trump. The best part of all of this is watching serious television journalists try to announce those poll results with a straight face. (YouTube link) That cannot be easy. Nor easy to explain to your mom. -via Bits and Pieces

Happy Tenth Blogiversary to Our Own Miss Cellania Posted: 23 Aug 2015 11:00 AM PDT She's been a mom, a radio disc jockey, a soldier of fortune, and a writer. She's our own Miss Cellania, the managing editor of Neatorama for the past 5 years. Today, she's been blogging for 10 solid years at her internet home base of operations. I've never met her in person, or even spoken with her on the phone. But I feel like I know her. She's easy to get along with and work with. And despite the sheer physical distance between the Neatorama authors scattered across the country, she brings us together with her resolute professionalism and good humor. Head on over to Miss Cellania's home blog and wish her a fine 10th anniversary celebration.

Anthony Michael Hall Could Have Played Ferris and Other Facts About<i> Ferris Bueller’s Day Off</i> Posted: 23 Aug 2015 10:00 AM PDT Cameron's father's Ferrari in Ferris Bueller's Day Off | Image: Paramount Pictures It's hard to believe that in 2016, the John Hughes classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off will be thirty years old! Now that I've hit you with that, I'll try to distract you from feeling ancient by presenting these fun facts about the film. For instance, it could have been quite the different animal if other actors reportedly considered for and/or offered roles in it had come to fruition: "Molly Ringwald really wanted the role of Sloan, but Hughes didn’t think that the role was big enough for her. Anthony Michael Hall is convinced that Hughes wrote the part of Ferris for him and that a falling out between the two affected that, despite Hughes saying that Matthew Broderick was his first choice for the role from the beginning. Emilio Estevez also turned down the role of Cameron." Read more Ferris Bueller's Day Off trivia here.

Email Etiquette Posted: 23 Aug 2015 08:00 AM PDT Conversely, if I have CCd other people and mentioned them in the body of the smoke signal, it is for a reason. Then you should hit Reply All. Dave Coverly of Speed Bump tries to explain this point of office communication practice.

Border Collie Puppy Teaches Wolf Pup Tug of War Posted: 23 Aug 2015 07:00 AM PDT YouTube Link Nikai, a wolf pup at the Wolf Conservation Center in Salem, New York, is seen here in this footage being taught by Faye the Border Collie in the ways of playing tug of war with squeaky toys. Though it appears that Nikai is a bit stronger than Faye and has some pretty large paws to grow into, this video seems to capture the pair's common traits more than their differences. Via Viral Nova

U.S. Counties, Ranked by Scenery and Climate Posted: 23 Aug 2015 06:00 AM PDT The USDA Economic Research Service crunched a lot of numbers to come up with a rather arguable measure of how pleasant the “natural amenities” are in 3,111 counties in the U.S. The results are available in an interactive map. …in the late 1990s the federal government devised a measure of the best and worst places to live in America, from the standpoint of scenery and climate. The "natural amenities index" is intended as "a measure of the physical characteristics of a county area that enhance the location as a place to live." The index combines "six measures of climate, topography, and water area that reflect environmental qualities most people prefer." Those qualities, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, include mild, sunny winters, temperate summers, low humidity, topographic variation, and access to a body of water. As you can imagine, these rankings have caused some indignity and hurt feelings. Red Lake County, Minnesota, came in last place of the 3,111 counties ranked (Alaska and Hawaii are not included). This has Minnesota crying foul. After all, the importance of temperature, humidity, and topographic variation to an area’s overall “pleasantness” is a matter of opinion. And you can’t put a number on “scenery.” Sometimes it’s hard to figure out what they were thinking. I live within spitting distance of a county line. One of the counties ranks in the top third, while the other is in the bottom third. As far as I can tell, the two counties have exactly the same climate and number of sunny days in winter. Click on your own county to see how it ranks at The Washington Post. -via Metafilter (Image credit: Christopher Ingraham/The Washington Post)

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