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2015/11/03

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Plucked from Obscurity: Anti-Hijack Device

Posted: 03 Nov 2015 05:00 AM PST

The following is an article from The Annals of Improbable Research.

An inventive, yet under-publicized device
by Marina Tsipis, Improbable Research staff

Zoltan Egeresi of Santa Cruz, California, has invented a kind of anti-hijack contraption that is novel in the commercial airline world. It is less novel in the worlds of novels and movie comedies.

Based on an Uplifting Principle

U.S. patent #7,014,147, granted to Mr. Egeresi on March 21, 2006, gives details in clear, evocative language:

This low cost non lethal Anti Hijacking System is... a last line of defense against a single or team of would be hijackers...

When one or more person is trying to over power the pilots, this anti hijacking system can provide a non-lethal last line of defense. Doors on the cockpit may not be penetration proof. When pilot or flight attendant is confronted with a situation where the pilot’s door is about to be penetrated, a concealed stainless steel net from below the carpet will hoist up all people to the ceiling or simulations side by side winch activation will hold the trapped people by the wall immobilizing them.

See Mr. Egeresi’s Figures 1–5, reproduced here, for a rough idea of how and where the apparatus is meant to be installed in a commercial airliner. The details are instructive. The system includes:

plural winches concealed within the walls of a passenger area of said aircraft, a flexible high strength net located within said passenger area under a floor covering thereof, said net is connected at plural locations by cables concealed in the walls of said passenger area, said cables are connected to said winches and when said winches are activated, the cables pop out of the walls and pull the net from beneath the floor covering to capture and control designated passengers, and these cables have an extreme stop activator to stop winches at least one foot from ceiling when the cables are winched up by the winches.

That’s not all. There are also:

switches for said winches are located in plural locations in a cockpit and in said passenger area of said aircraft, said switches have three positions, up, down and stop, manually controllable by the crew or pilot as they can see when and how to activate said winches.

There are additional features:

said switches individually control respective winches behind the cockpit and when all are activated said net will lift up all people in the net, with selective actuation of fewer winches said net will be lifted up on only one side to trap the people by a wall or keep them further away from the cockpit, or a single winch can lift up said net to separate an area in case several people try to lunge forward at the same time.
 

Hsieh’s Pioneering Trap

Mr. Egeresi was partly inspired by the work of Kuo Cheng Hsieh, of Taichung, Taiwan. Mr. Hsieh was granted U.S. patent #6,219,959, on April 24, 2001, for what he calls a “net trapping system for capturing a robber immediately.”

A net trapping system for capturing a robber immediately is used in a place of business such as a bank. The device looks like a storing box and is installed above the entrance of the business. When a robbery takes place and the system is activated, an infrared detecting device determines if a robber is in a zone beneath the storing box. A net, a curtain, and a plurality of barriers will drop down immediately and simultaneously. After a lifting motor is activated, the system traps the robber and suspends him above the floor.

The system in its entirety is complex. Here is a portion of the technical description (they refer to Mr. Hsieh’s Figure 5, which is reproduced here together with a descriptive set of labels):

Once the system is started, the infrared detecting devices (25) are activated and the entrance is automatically closed. If a robber moves to a zone beneath the storing box (10), he is detected by the infrared detecting devices (25). The electromagnetic controller (20) makes the pushing rod (22) move so that the positioning rope (15) drops down. Meanwhile, the net (40), steel rings (43), and curtain (30) break a cover plate (80) so that they are all dropped down. Also, due to the movement of stopping block (23), the barriers (17) will fall down. After which, the lifting motor (70) is started to lift the main hanging rope (55) so as to make the closing ropes (50) encircle the robber and hang the robber in an upside down position (shown in FIG. 5).

Scholars who desire further details may obtain them from the U.S. Patent Office, where they also may obtain a copy of Mr. Egeresi’s patent.

Mr. Egeresi analyzed Mr. Hsieh’s bank-robber-trap technology, and spotted what he considers to be serious limitations. With an economy of words, Mr. Egeresi describes them:

This invention as it is described, is an unattended system triggered by infrared beams. Barriers would fall from above immediately, not exactly an ideal solution in a confined area in the sky. This invention has no mention of the kind or type of net being used, most type of nets could be cut with knife. It is easy to see, that most of the prior art systems (using net) has no place on today’s flight deck for being too expensive, unworkable, or just for being totally unsuitable for the intended job.

The Blocker

Zoltan Egeresi is no novice at innovation, nor is he a monomaniac. His interests are diverse, or at least dual. He invented an exciting bathroom accessory—a “Toilet Odor Blocking System”—for which he obtained US patent #20040064884, on April 8, 2004. The patent is an almost textbook example of how to apply basic engineering principles to solve a simple problem (see Mr. Egeresi’s Figures 1 and 2, reproduced here):

The object of this invention is to block any odor from escaping the toilet before it contaminates the whole bath room.... Air pump creates bubbles in the tank, bubbles flow through the hose guiding bubbles into the toilet tank. By covering the human waste with scented soap bubbles it blocks any odor from escaping into the surrounding area.... The object of this invention is to cover the excrement with bubbles (or foam) as fast as possible.

Acknowledgement
Thanks to Martin Gardiner for bringing the anti-hijacking system to our attention.

_____________________

The article above is from the January-February 2007 issue of the Annals of Improbable Research. You can download or purchase back issues of the magazine, or subscribe to receive future issues. Or get a subscription for someone as a gift!

Visit their website for more research that makes people LAUGH and then THINK.

Cows Run with Joy When Meeting New Friends

Posted: 03 Nov 2015 04:00 AM PST


(Video Link)

"Cows, like dogs and humans, experience joy." We are thus informed by Animal Place, an animal rescue sanctuary in Vacaville, California. On this 600-acre facility, neglected farm animals can find new and joyful lives.

In this video, Panda (black and white) and Jazzy (brown) arrive and immediately make new friends. Everyone in the herd, both old members and new, is happy at the new arrivals. They run and romp in the fields together.

-via Tastefully Offensive

12 Feathered Facts About <i>Charlie's Angels</i>

Posted: 03 Nov 2015 03:00 AM PST

A trio of crime fighting females was a strange and different concept for a TV show back in 1976, and TV executives didn't think it would fly. But the audience took to Charlie’s Angels quickly, and the original cast, Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson, and Jaclyn Smith, became stars. I bet you didn’t know what the original title of the show was.

2. THE ORIGINAL TITLE WAS THE ALLEY CATS.

The 1970s were a crucial decade for feminism, with women successfully putting forward the idea of gender equality. Which made it a bad time for a network to consider calling a female-led series The Alley Cats, which is what Spelling and Goldberg had originally proposed. Kate Jackson, who had more acting experience than any of the other leads and was initially designated the “star,” preferred it be called Harry’s Angels, after the original name of their unseen benefactor. When his name was changed to avoid confusion over the detective show Harry-O, the series settled on Charlie’s Angels.   

3. THE ORIGINAL CHARLIE GOT FIRED FOR BEING DRUNK.

Producers decided on the novel concept of Charlie Townsend giving the Angels their case information via a Western Electric Speakerphone and never showing up in person. Spelling hired veteran actor Gig Young for what amounted to a voiceover role, but when Young showed up to record his lines, he was drunk. A frantic Spelling called John Forsythe (Dynasty) at 12:30 a.m. and begged him to perform the part before he had to turn in the pilot to ABC executives. Forsythe drove to the 20th Century Fox lot in his bedroom slippers to do Spelling the favor; he wound up on the show for its entire five-year run.

There are quite a few other secrets behind Charlie’s Angels that you can read at mental_floss.

Couple Announces Pregnancy with Baby Bump Landscapes

Posted: 03 Nov 2015 02:00 AM PST

Simon Schaffrath and his wife Saskia Repp live in Frankfurt, Germany. They’re expecting their first baby in November—a son that they’ve named Theo.

Schaffrath is a photographer, so he put his skills to use to let people know about their joyful news. He turned Repp’s bulging belly into a landscape and Photoshopped himself into the scene. He golfs during the summer, skis during the winter, and takes full advantage of the terrain that his wife offers.

Little Theo is participating in the process--though not always helpfully. At one point, he kicked so hard that the plaster on his mommy's belly cracked.

You can see more photos in the series at Bored Panda.

-via My Modern Met

Cheeky Message On Chipotle Cup Causes Controversy

Posted: 03 Nov 2015 01:00 AM PST

When people visit a Chipotle restaurant they expect to find mediocre quality Mexican food, middle of the road pricing and a mild atmosphere.

What they don't expect to find are sexual references printed on their soda cups, and when one mom discovered the words "Reproductive Sex" written on her kid's cup she had to share her discovery.

(Image Link)

The cup is part of Chipotle's "Cultivating Thought" author series, which is the fast food chain's way of "presenting the words and whimsy of thought-leaders, authors and comedians through unique, you’ll-only-find-them-here essays, each illustrated by a different artist."

So what's the "reproductive sex" on the cup all about? The illustration is based on a passage by author Anthony Doerr, which reads:

"Tattoo Earth's 4.5-billion-year timeline on your arm, shoulder to fingertip, and your upper arm will get nothing but geologic mayhem,"

"Life won't begin until your bicep ... Reproductive sex won't show up until your wristwatch."

So Chipotle is assuming customers will go to the "Culviating Thought" website and read these passages while they stare at the artwork on their cups, nice try Chipotle!

-Via Mashable

Rod Serling on Censorship

Posted: 03 Nov 2015 12:00 AM PST

Poor Lassie can have no more puppies because it made someone think about sex. Rod Serling talked to Mike Wallace about censorship on TV in 1959. Not much has changed -you can still lose sponsors if someone complains.

(YouTube link)

A commenter pointed out how Serling was a genius at getting around such censorship, and how it contributed to the art of television.

The irony here is that the format of "The Twilight Zone" was created as a way to get around censorship. If social commentary was disguised as tales about aliens and monsters then it was easier to get past execs and sponsors; we might not have "The Twilight Zone" if not for Serling having to find a way to work around them.

-via Boing Boing

Molded Mischief - Where Does The Clay End And The Man Begin?

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 11:00 PM PST


Molded Mischief by Poopsmoothie

The Bat has faced his fair share of strange villains, from super intelligent gorillas to that guy who carves symbols in his skin to prepare for a fight, but there's one face old Bats can't seem to figure out. Clayface is his name, and like a living sculpture he's constantly shifting his appearance to fit his mood, or shaping his body into a living weapon when he's ready to fight the Dark Knight. Once famous for his acting skills, Clay is now famous for his habit of wreaking havoc and leaving a mess wherever he goes.

Add one of Gotham's grittiest faces to your geeky wardrobe with this Molded Mischief t-shirt by Poopsmoothie, it's a real knockout!

Visit Poopsmoothie's Facebook fan page, official website and Twitter, then head on over to his NeatoShop for more mighty geeky designs:

Be PreparedBit The BoltInfinity WormAmerican Hunter Dean

View more designs by Poopsmoothie | More Comic 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!

Opening of All-Decaf Coffee Shop Met with Horror, Outrage

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 11:00 PM PST

(Photo: Swiss Water)

Swiss Water is a company that, in 1933, developed a means to remove 99.9% of caffeine from coffee beans and 100% of joy from life. Taking pride in his unholy achievement, the company has opened a pop-up "coffee" house in Manhattan. In the midst of the moral decay of American civilization, customers to the Art of Coffee Without Caffeine can partake of the product until November 8, provided that the upstanding people of New York City do not put a stop to this deviancy before then.

-via Glenn Reynolds

Sir David Attenborough Narrates Adele's “Hello”

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 10:00 PM PST

The first time I played the video  to Adele’s new song “Hello,” I was frustrated by the intro, because I wanted to hear how the song sounded. That frustration is completely assuaged by Sir David Attenborough's golden voice and soothing pacing as he narrates the intro of the song, in the manner of his famous wildlife videos.

(YouTube link)

I don’t think Adele will be cross with him at all. You can hear the whole song here if you like. -via Tastefully Offensive

Chaz Hutton's Simple Cartoons Explain Life

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 09:00 PM PST

Give Chaz Hutton a pen and a sticky note and he'll explain how to make adult decisions and why they're not working. He draw simple graphs, flow charts, and decision trees that illustrate frustrations with everyday life. Yes, I could make work easier if I just spent 3 minutes tying down computer cables beneath my desk. But that would mean not sitting down. And my body isn't built for that kind of punishment anymore.

-via Khool

Irish Cafe Owners Start Facebook Fight By Declaring War On Vegans

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 08:00 PM PST

The Vegan diet is so restrictive that chefs and restaurant owners tend to shy away from including Vegan options on their menu, which can result in bad reviews and Vegans spitting venom online.

(Image Via The White Moose Cafe Facebook page)

Paul Stenson from The White Moose Cafe in Dublin, Ireland, posted this supposedly satirical note to Vegans on his restaurant's Facebook page, but the Vegan community didn't see it as a joke.

Offended Vegans started writing bad reviews, even though they'd never eaten at Paul's restaurant, and some even took to sending death threats, so Paul fired back.

The Facebook fight went so far over the edge that the Vegan complaints were soon drowned out by silly positive reviews posted by pretend customers. And in the end The White Moose Cafe had more positive reviews

And in the end The White Moose Cafe had received 15,000+ reviews in a week's time, making them (according to Paulie) "the first restaurant in the world to officially become immune to negative reviews."

Read more about Irish Cafe Declares War On Vegans, Hilarity Ensues here

This Is Goalball, A Sport Played by Blind Athletes

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 07:00 PM PST

This is goalball, a sport designed for people who can't see. It was invented in 1946 to help blinded war veterans. But even people who aren't visually impaired can play because everyone wears goggles that completely block out their sight. This puts everyone on a level playing field.

Goalball players can't see the ball, but they can hear it because it has bells inside. 3 competitors on each team line themselves up along tape-covered ropes that serve as tactile markers for the court. The object of the game is to get the ball inside the opposing side's goal.


(Video Link)

This video shows a 2011 competition between the national teams of Germany and Japan.

-via reddit

The Economics Behind Grandma's Tuna Casseroles

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 06:00 PM PST

We’ve had plenty of posts on the unfortunate cookbooks and magazine recipes of the mid-20th century. Many of those Jell-o/Miracle Whip/Campbell’s Soup concoctions were developed to sell those brands, but some of them became staples of the suburban kitchen. You have to wonder why. Megan McArdle gives us six answers that make sense to those of us who grew up in mid-20th century America. For example:

5. There were a lot of bad cooks around. These days, people who don’t like to cook, or aren’t good at it, mostly don’t. They can serve a rich variety of prepared foods, and enjoy takeout and restaurants. Why would you labor over something you hate, when someone else will sell you something better for only slightly more than it would cost you to make something bad?

In 1950, the answer was “because we’re not made of money.” A restaurant meal was a special treat, not a nightly event, and prepared foods were not so widely available, in part because women tended not to work, but also because food processing technology was [not] so advanced. So women had to cook whether they liked it or not. Many of them didn’t like it, so they looked for ways to reduce the labor involved. And it’s far from obvious that what they did with those shortcuts was worse than what they would have done without them.

My mother was a pretty good cook by the time I was old enough to mourn the change from homemade white sauce to Campbell’s cream of whatever soup. But my dad told me a secret: she only became good with practice, and only because she had to. She’s now an excellent cook. And so am I, but I still made an easy tuna casserole while reading this article because I’m alone and I’m tired of sandwiches. Read the rest of the rationales behind the recipes we now make fun of, at BloombergView. 

Nerds Totally Winning On Tinder

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 05:00 PM PST

Some people assume all nerds suffer from social awkwardness, and it's hard for these close-minded people to imagine nerds using a dating app like Tinder.

But nerds come in all shapes, sizes, denominations and degrees of gregariousness, and even though their geeky passions keeps them from fitting in with the Joneses they still enjoy a full social life.

(Image Link)

When people with similarly geeky tastes meet on Tinder the sparks fly right away, and nothing casts a spell on a fellow nerd like some witty wordplay related to their favorite pop culture franchise.

(Image Link)

See 15 Times Nerds Won Tinder here

Optical Illusion Cube Lamp Sinks into the Table

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 04:00 PM PST

It's a real lamp, not the result of a transporter accident from Star Trek. Cédric Dequidt's Urbicande lamp is designed to rest on a flat surface, but appears to be partially embedded in it. You can see more photos at Fubiz (translation).

The Real Story of The Secret Space Station

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 03:00 PM PST

The main goal of America’s space program in the 1960s was to keep up with, and eventually outdo, the Soviet Union. Space exploration and technical advances were the gravy that came with the race. But one classified project had a different goal- to spy on the USSR. As satellites were developed, both sides started using them for reconnaissance. The U.S. military wanted to step things up with the Manned Orbital Laboratory, essentially a space station orbiting the earth with two astronauts aboard whose 40-day missions would be to take photographs of sensitive targets in the Soviet Union. The program began in 1963.

The MOL design quickly took shape. Essentially a 10-foot-diameter pressurized tube with solar and fuel cells for power, the lab would launch into low orbit atop a Titan rocket. After more than a month circling the planet, their supplies running low, the two-man crew would pack up their film and pile into a reentry capsule for the fiery journey back to Earth. The MOL’s main section would tumble down separately. “Upon mission completion or ascent abort, the laboratory vehicle shall be disposed of in the ocean to avoid compromise of intelligence information,” the Air Force’s MOL operating manual explained.

The Air Force portrayed the program as a giant science project, downplaying the MOL’s military missions. “Experiments related to reconnaissance will attempt to determine man’s capability, with appropriate aids, to point an instrument with accuracy better than 1/2 mile, to adjust for image motion to better than 0.2 percent and to focus precisely (if this is necessary),” Brockway McMillan, Under Secretary of the Air Force, wrote in a letter to one of his generals in March 1964. “These objectives will be classified under normal military security as SECRET.”

The MOL itself wasn’t a secret, but its true purpose was classified until this year. The program was discontinued in 1969, just a year before the first MOL was scheduled to launch. While there were concerns about the project destabilizing relations with the Soviets, that wasn’t the reason it was cancelled. Read the real details about the project at The Daily Beast. -via Digg

These Chicken Breeds Were Born To Be Goth

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 02:00 PM PST

Nobody knows what it's like to be a dark and brooding Goth forced to live among the brightly colored masses, but these chicken know all about life on the dark side.

They were born to be full-blown Goths, with feathers as black as midnight and foppish hairdos that would make Robert Smith green with envy.

The Black Silkie and the Ayam Cemani are prized for their unusual jet black coloration, and while both have black skin under their feathers the Ayam Cemani also have black muscles and organs, which makes them the most Goth animals on the planet.

(YouTube Link)

-Via Dangerous Minds

The Cartridge Family - Still Groovin' After All These Years

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 01:00 PM PST

The Cartridge Family by NindjaGear

Everybody said they'd become outdated, that their sound was passe and that they'd end up in the pile of electronic junk like every other piece of old tech. But the Cartridge Family proved them wrong, and they're still digging grooves to this day! Vinyl has fought to stay alive, and those of us who found our heads spinning by the possibilities presented by two turntables and a microphone still dig in the vaults and scratch wax, just like the good old DJ days!

Show your allegiance to vinyl with this The Cartridge Family t-shirt by NindjaGear, it's the grooviest way to say "I'm all about my record collection!"

Visit NindjaGear's Facebook fan page, official website and Twitter, then head on over to his NeatoShop for more musically massive designs:

Kings Of Hip HopVinyl DJBrooklyn Kuts BlackIslander DJ

View more designs by NindjaGear | More Music 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!

10 <i>Star Wars</i> Movie Scenes You've Never Seen

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 01:00 PM PST

Screen Rant introduces us to deleted scenes from the first six Star Wars films. You’ve seen the sequence about Biggs Darklighter, but most of these were new to me.

(YouTube link)

There, doesn’t that make you feel a little better about waiting another month for Star Wars: The Force Awakens? -via Tastefully Offensive

Parents Took Overdemanding To A Whole New Level This Halloween

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 12:00 PM PST

It's a Halloween tradition to hand out pounds of candy to young costume clad trick-or-treaters, which their parents are supposed to then sift through and dole out to the child as they see fit.

If a child is allergic to an ingredient in candy it's the parent's job to remove those candies and keep their kids safe, but as people become more socially conscious the over-demanding and self centered start to take advantage.

(See full sized image here)

One extremely pushy parent went around posting this list of demands around their neighborhood, and unsurprisingly forgot to include their name or address so their neighbors could properly thank them.

Asking your neighbors to hand out small toys instead of candy is one thing, but what kind of sadist hands out carrot sticks on Halloween?

-Via Boing Boing

New <i>Star Trek</i> TV Series

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 11:00 AM PST

CBS is planning on bringing back Star Trek, with a new series to be launched in January of 2017. Alex Kurtzman, who wrote that two latest Star Trek movies, will produce the show. It will air on CBS All Access, the network’s digital subscription service.

The new Star Trek will introduce new characters seeking imaginative new worlds and new civilizations, while exploring the dramatic contemporary themes that have been a signature of the franchise since its inception in 1966.

The cross-platform streaming service, which hosts thousands of episodes from CBS' roster (both past and present) is available for $5.99 per month. Included in the fee is the ability to stream the local network live. All previous Star Trek series are currently available on CBS All Access. CBS Studios International will distribute the series for TV and multiple platforms around the world.  

Fair enough. By 2017, I might be able to bother learning how to set up a digital streaming service for TV. Or they might just make it easy by then.  -via Metafilter

8 Things You Might Not Know about "Bohemian Rhapsody"

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 10:00 AM PST


(Video Link)

40 years ago this past weekend, the British rock band Queen released its famous song "Bohemian Rhapsody." This bizarre and majestic mixture of musical styles and stories has since become a cultural icon for multiple generations.

To mark the occasion, PBS NewsHour has rounded up 8 fascinating bits of trivia you might not know about the song. For example, the version of the song that appeared in the 1992 movie Wayne's World took longer to shoot than the original music video:

The original video, directed by Bruce Gowers – later of “American Idol” – took three hours to make and cost 3,500 pounds ($5,400).

In 1992, the unforgettable car singalong in “Wayne’s World” took about 10 hours to shoot, director Penelope Spheeris told the BBC. Afterward, there were complaints from the actors of sore necks and headaches from all the headbanging.

Mike Meyers, who played the film’s title role revealed to Vanity Fair in 2014 that the song was nearly replaced with a Guns N’ Roses track.

-via Althouse

Whodunit: Two Places at Once

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 09:00 AM PST

The following is a Whodunit by Hy Conrad.  These mysteries are from The Little Giant® Book of Whodunits by Hy Conrad and Matt LaFleur. Can you solve the mystery before you read the solution?

(Image credit: Keanu @ no:wp)

All evidence pointed to Frank Fortini. "He has motive," the homicide chief told his men. "Frank's Uncle Gregor, the victim, just won the state lottery. Frank and his brothers are Gregor's only relatives and would inherit the $14 million prize.

"Also, Frank had opportunity. Gregor was a paranoid guy living in an isolated cabin. He always kept his doors locked and hated strangers. Since there was no forced entry and no sign of a struggle, we know Gregor was attacked by someone he knew and trusted.

"To top it off, we found direct evidence at the cabin. There were fresh tire tracks, perfectly matching the tires from Frank's mountain bike. And ..." The chief was getting angry. "And we found a ticket from today's lottery near the scene—with Frank's prints on it.

"The only trouble is . . ." The chief pounded the table. "He has an alibi. On the night Gregor was killed, Frank was breaking into Avalon Hardware. Normally there'd be nothing to steal. But the store manager neglected to take the day's receipts to the bank. An alert patrolman looked through a window and saw Frank prying open the cash register. The coroner says Gregor was killed at the same time Frank was being read his rights."

"Frank's a petty robber," Jake Fortini later told the police in his brother's defense. "He'd steal the pennies from your loafers, you could count on it. But he'd never kill."

Frank's other brother was a teller at Avalon's only bank. "I saw Frank right after I got off work," said Emil Fortini. "We had a couple drinks. Frank seemed a little hard up for money, but that was normal."

Frank had little to say in his own defense. "I keep my bike in an unlocked garage. Anyone could have used it. As for my uncle, I haven't been up to his cabin in a week."

The homicide chief scratched his head. "I don't have any hard evidence. But I have a pretty good idea who did it and how the murder was committed."

What was the chief's theory?

Show Answer

The whodunit above was provided by American mystery fiction author Hy Conrad.

In addition to his work in mystery and crime puzzles, Hy was also one of the original writers for the groundbreaking TV series Monk.

Currently, Hy is working on mystery novel series "Abel Adventures" as well as the Monk series of novels, starting with Mr. Monk Helps Himself (published by Penguin, order from Amazon here)

Check out Hy's official website and Facebook page - and stay tuned for more whodunits puzzlers on Neatorama from the master of whodunit mysteries himself!

Instructables Hosts A Spectacular Failures Contest

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 08:00 AM PST

I love learning new things on Instructables, but I'm not a talented doer like the people making the tutorials. That being said, everyone has their failures, which is why the Instructables' Spectacular Failures Contest is so darn delightful. While the contest is still relatively new, the entries have already made me feel better about my own skills as a creator and it might just make you feel the same. And, of course, if you have any of your own epic fails documented, you can always enter it yourself.

Win a T-Shirt in NeatoShop's Free Shipping Sale Giveaway!

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 07:17 AM PST

W00t! We're having an awesome sale over at the NeatoShop: Get Free Shipping Worldwide (yes, we do mean worldwide) on all T-shirt orders. Shirts make for the perfect gift this winter and Christmas season, so skip the long lines at the mall and get your loved ones some tees they'll wear all year long!

Check out NeatoShop's wide selection of Science T-Shirts, Sci-Fi T-Shirts, Fantasy T-Shirts, Funny T-Shirts, Video Game T-Shirts and more!

And to add to the fun, win a Free T-shirt of your choice by entering the world's easiest T-shirt giveaway. But you better hurry - the sale and the giveaway ends soon!

Snake Costume

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 07:00 AM PST

This little girl became a snake for Halloween and freaked out everyone who saw her. Redditor beningo83’s wife made the costume for their daughter. The snake body is held up by a hoop skirt-type harness worn underneath the costume when she’s standing or walking.  The eyes are makeup on her eyelids. So how did trick-or-treat go?

She did pretty all right but we didn't get to as many houses as we could have since she was always being stopped to take pictures. Lines started to form behind her so not only did she get candy, she prevented other kids from getting some as well.  

Today, she will virtually freak out people around the world.

Kid Scrapes His Knee At The Beach, Brings Home Unwanted Hitchhiker

Posted: 02 Nov 2015 06:00 AM PST

It's getting to the point where you can't go to the beach without encountering something horrifying, from pollution to used hypos in the sand to critters lurking in the water waiting to take a bite out of you.

Beachgoers have experienced these same problems for decades, but the fact that people can easily share their experiences via the interwebs means we hear about a lot more gross stuff nowadays.

Rachel Franklin and her son Paul were at a beach in Orange County, California one day when Paul scraped his knee.

The wound became horribly infected, but doctors told Rachel to treat it with antibiotics and not to pop it, thinking it was just a common infection.

But then the wound turned black and started oozing, so Rachel decided to drain the wound herself and discovered that the cause of the infection was a sea snail hitching a ride inside the wound.

(YouTube Link)

Looks like I'll be wearing a full suit of heavy armor every time I go to the beach from now on!

-Via IFL Science
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