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2016/10/03

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Fake Food

Posted: 03 Oct 2016 04:00 AM PDT

The following article is from the book Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Attack of the Factoids.

SCIENCE WILL SAVE US!

The decades during and after World War II were an exciting time to be a food chemist. The field was wide open for big, scientific improvements: new artificial colors and flavors to invent, longer shelf lives, and, in some cases, if a natural disaster wiped out an entire crop, a scientist could just invent a substitute. It was an exuberantly naive time, when the slogan might well have been “If life hands you chemicals, make lemonade anyway.” Up and down the food chain, the old way of doing things— growing food on farms with manure and crop rotation— gave way to a brave new world of synthetic fertilizers and miracle pesticides like DDT. Pigs, cows, and chickens that once ran wild were now safely contained inside a food factory where they could be managed efficiently, with no wasted feed or space. Today it all sounds a little like a dystopian nightmare, but back then, food chemists thought they were using science to solve big problems like world hunger, malnutrition, and too much waste.

Into that environment strode a superman of creativity: William A. Mitchell, who received 70 patents for fake foods between 1941 and 1976. Here are four of his biggest contributions to American cuisine:

1. ARTIFICIAL TAPIOCA

Shortly after Mitchell was hired at General Foods in 1941, he received his first assignment: save tapioca pudding. During the Great Depression, tapioca became a popular dessert, a lumpy, sweet comfort food that was cheap and easy to make. The problem was that cassava, the starchy root that was its main ingredient, came from Java, Indonesia. When the Japanese invaded the island, the supply was cut off. Mitchell saved the day by figuring out that a combination of food starches mixed with gelatin made a pretty convincing substitute.

2. POP ROCKS

Not all of Mitchell’s inventions were soft and squishy; some were granular and full of carbon dioxide. Pop Rocks were a wonderful mistake— they were originally designed to be mixed with water to make a carbonated soft drink.

3. TANG

Contrary to popular opinion (which was helped along by a misleading ad campaign), the powdered artificial orange drink Tang wasn’t developed for the space program. Mitchell created it, General Foods introduced it in 1959, and… it flopped. Tang limped along for a few years, until NASA, looking for something to mask the unpleasant flavor of space capsule water, selected it for John Glenn’s 1962 space mission. That did it. With a “breakfast of astronauts” advertising campaign, Tang zoomed to success.

4. COOL WHIP

Although it now contains (a little) milk and cream, Mitchell’s original 1967 Cool Whip recipe was made up of water, hydrogenated vegetable oil, sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and colors, and a bunch of other chemical stuff. It didn’t taste like whipped cream, but it also didn’t require as much refrigeration as the real stuff, making it ideal for picnics and church potlucks.

_______________________________

The article above is reprinted with permission from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Attack of the Factoids. Weighing in at over 400 pages, it's a fact-a-palooza of obscure information.

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!

Adventure Time with Nathan and Wade - Taco Flavored Dreams

Posted: 03 Oct 2016 02:00 AM PDT


Adventure Time with Nathan and Wade by jimmydrawstuff

Wade Wilson likes nothing more than to shout and flail about when things get weird, but one day he had a rather disturbing dream after falling asleep watching cartoons. He dreamt his arms were like wet noodles, so they wouldn't stop flapping around, and he was best friends with a rubbery dog who had a similar noodle-limb problem. He lived in a land full of living candies which he was sworn to protect, meaning he wasn't allowed to eat any of them, and he was in love with a princess made of fire who melted his face even more whenever they kissed. Normally this dream would have made Wade say "ooo", but three missing elements made him wish he were back home- there were no tacos, no chimichangas, and no lovely ladies in that dream world...

Share DP's cartoon dreams with the world by wearing this Adventure Time with Nathan and Wade t-shirt by jimmydrawstuff, it's mathematically superheroic!

Visit jimmydrawstuff's Facebook fan page, then head on over to his NeatoShop for more ridiculously geeky designs:

Arkham City Harley Quinn's Base Ball TeamMy Stranger TotoroThree Days In ClockTownMr Freeze Ice-Cream

View more designs by jimmydrawstuff | 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!

How To Look At Art

Posted: 03 Oct 2016 02:00 AM PDT

There's no science to viewing art, and there are no real rules about how to see art or what you're supposed to feel while you're looking at art.

But pretentious art snobs love to make us feel like they know something we don't, like they're part of some secret club we can't join because we don't know how to art like they do.

Cartoonist Lynda Barry knows the struggle to properly look art is real, but she also knows that you shouldn't worry about it- because you're a walking work of art!

See How to Look at Art: A Short Visual Guide by Cartoonist Lynda Barry here

The Ghost Farms Of Colorado

Posted: 03 Oct 2016 12:00 AM PDT

Water rights is a complicated subject in places where water is not plentiful. Does anyone have the right to unlimited water? Cities have more people to serve, but farms grow crops for many people to consume. In Colorado, the water falls on the mountains as snow, then flows down the Colorado River. Meanwhile, the desert east of the Rockies is where more people live, in Denver and other towns.

Ever since the state became a state, its government and our federal one have grappled with how to redistribute the bounty—bankrolling dams, reservoirs, and massive transmountain diversion tunnels, up to 23 miles long. In Colorado, water itself is treated like private equity. Due to the particulars of an antiquated law, the first people to put water to “beneficial use” get dibs. And because pioneers predate almost everybody else, today’s farmers and ranchers control 85 percent of the available water supply. Sustained droughts, depleted aquifers, global warming, and a rapidly growing population have made scarcity the norm. As a result, farmers find themselves sitting on a commodity worth far more than their crops or land.

During the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s, nearly all of the farmers in Crowley County, southeast of Colorado Springs, participated in what are known as “buy and dry” deals, selling their water rights to growing municipalities and retaining the land, albeit unirrigated and unable to support crops. Once farming tapered off, production at the local cannery ground to a halt. Feedlots closed. Mills shuttered.

You could say, tough, you sold those water rights. But unused farmland is not the best use of land. The failure of farms affects the economy of nearby towns. Together, they affect the overall health of the state. Learn about the water rights dilemma in Colorado at Modern Farmer. -via Digg

(Image credit: Matt Nager)

Awesome Carved Pumpkin Displays From The Great Jack-O'-Lantern Blaze

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 10:00 PM PDT

Tis the season to carve pumpkins, aka Fall-la-la-la-la, but chances are whatever you're planning to carve up won't look anything like the stuff they're carving up at The Great Jack-O'-Lantern Blaze in Hudson Valley, New York.

Every year thousands of people head to Van Cortland Manor in Croton-on Hudson, New York to behold the over 7,000 hand-carved pumpkins that go into the Great Blaze's spooktacular displays.

If you're looking for pumpkin-spiration, or a new way to display carved squash, then you'll find lots to love at The Great Jack-O'-Lantern Blaze, but only the truly dedicated will attempt to replicate this Pumpkin Planetarium.

See 19 Insane Jack-o'-Lantern Displays That Take Pumpkin Carving To The Next Level here

Toad Stacking

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 08:00 PM PDT

It’s amazing the skills people will develop when they are bored. In Australia, you can learn toad stacking. Here, a fellow from Swamp Garage shows us how to stack three toads.

(YouTube link)

He says,

Safety tip: Toads are poisonous! Do not accidentally eat them whilst performing this experiment! Also, you can't use things like glue or a toothpick. That's cheating. And cruel. Happy toad stacking!

We assumed they were dangerous, because this is in Australia. And the toads say,

ɹǝ˙˙˙˙˙˙˙sıǝʍ˙˙˙˙˙˙˙pnq

-via reddit

NASA "Fixed" Astrology By Adding A 13th Sign To The Zodiac

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 06:00 PM PDT

Believe it or not some people actually live their lives according to the Zodiac, consulting the stars on a daily basis to see what's coming and using their birth sign as a guideline for how to live their lives.

These astrologically minded folks think star stuff dictates our fate, and they've been living under the assumption they were born under one of twelve signs, one for every month in a year.

But the scientific minded folks at NASA wondered why the Babylonians gave the Zodiac 12 signs when the sun actually moves through 13 constellations.

They discovered the Babylonians had a 13th sign named Ophiuchus which they decided to throw it out to make the Zodiac fit in better with the 12-month calendar.

Three thousand years later the lives of those who believe in astrology have been changed forever- because they've been living a Zodiac-based lie:

-Via Meme Base

11 Sweet Facts About Rosh Hashanah

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 04:00 PM PDT

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown today (October 2) and lasts until sundown on Tuesday. If you celebrate the first of the High Holy Days, you already know that. If you don’t, then you might want to learn something about it.

7. THE SOUNDING OF THE SHOFAR IS THE MOST ICONIC IMAGE OF THIS HOLIDAY.

The shofar is a ram’s horn that is curved and bent. It is hollowed out and blown during religious ceremonies to make three different sounds. Hearing it is meant to call you to repent.

8. WHILE SOME JEWISH HOLIDAYS INVOLVE FASTING, ROSH HASHANAH INVOLVES A FEAST.

It is traditional to eat apples dipped in honey to represent having a sweet year ahead. A round challah bread symbolizes the cycle of the year (another interpretation is that it represents a crown and thus God’s sovereignty). Sometimes a fish, or just its head, is included, possibly to represent that as fish cannot survive without water, Jews cannot survive without the Torah. Pomegranates contain many seeds, which have long been associated with the commandments that Jews follow, so by eating them they remind themselves to be good in the coming year. Other common foods include dates, leeks, gourds, and black-eyed peas, all of which are mentioned in the Talmud as foods to eat on New Year’s.

There’s more about Rosh Hashanah in a list at mental_floss.

(Image credit: Flickr user Elias Punch)

Powerful Characters Who Have Beaten Up Superman

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 02:00 PM PDT

(Image Link)

Superman is generally thought of as the most powerful and least vulnerable character in the comics, an alien badass who apparently can't be killed or made to look less than drop dead gorgeous.

But there's one thing Superman himself hates to admit- he has been beaten to a pulp by an odd cast of characters, including a former lover, a chipmunk from the Green Lantern Corps and the Clown Prince of Crime.

(YouTube Link)

CBR put together this list of 10 Powerful Characters You Didn't Know Beat Up Superman which exposes some of the more embarrassing moments in the Man Of Steel's history.

Charming Paintings of Books and Their Hilarious Forgotten Titles

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 12:00 PM PDT

You remember a book you liked, but can’t recall the title. How do you find that book? Artist Marina Luz has been in that situation, and created a series of images she calls IF I DON’T FIND THIS BOOK I WILL DIE, or, How We Describe Books When We Can’t Remember the Title or Author. See more of them at Flavorwire.

Guy Uses Flashlight To Reveal All The Spiders Crawling Around In His Yard

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 10:00 AM PDT

If you are the least bit arachnophobic you might not want to watch this video, because it may make you feel like you're surrounded by creepy crawlies.

YouTuber UsefulWidget uncovered a terrifying number of spiders lurking in his yard by using a flashlight technique that makes their eyes sparkle in the dark, and now no yard feels safe from the spider horde.

(YouTube Link)

For some reason people didn't believe UsefulWidget's yard was really that densely packed with spiders, so he posted this even more terrifying second video as proof.

(YouTube Link)

Well, I guess that's one good thing about the California drought- we no longer have a lawn for spiders to hide in!

-Via Laughing Squid

Ellis Island Immigrants in Color

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 08:00 AM PDT

Augustus Frederick Sherman was a clerk at Ellis Island from 1892 to 1925. He was also a gifted amateur photographer. Beginning in 1904, he took portraits of some of the immigrants who were detained for further examination. Sherman would ask them to dress in the traditional clothing of their country, then he set them front of a plain background. The 250 or so portraits he took are a national treasure a hundred years later. The Ellis Island Immigration Museum has a selection of Sherman’s photographs at Flickr, and the New York Public Library has more. 

Jordan Lloyd of Dynamichrome colorized some of the original sepia portraits to show us what they would have looked like to observers of the day, in a collaboration with Retronaut that will eventually be a book. The caption for the 1906 photograph above says,

"Ruthenian woman." Historically inhabiting the kingdom of the Rus ranging from parts of modern day slavic speaking countries, this example of Ruthenian traditional dress consisted of a shirt and underskirt made from linen which was embroidered with traditional floral based patterns. The sleeveless jacket is constructed from panels of sheepskin.  

See the pictures in all their colorful glory at Retronaut. Even more can be seen in a slideshow at Time. And Buzzfeed has a gallery with sliders so that you can see the difference in colorization.

(Image credit: Augustus F. Sherman/New York Public Library/Jordan Lloyd/Dynamichrome)

Mr. Tikachu - Fools Are Born To Be Pitied

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 06:00 AM PDT


Mr. Tikachu by etcherSketch

Now that so many fools have become trainers thanks to GO the pocket monsters of the world are getting fed up with being pursued and having wanna-be trainers throw pokeballs at them. So they threw their money together and hired a special team of pocket monster operatives trained in the art of war. The squad is led by a cigar chompin' guy named Hannibayleef, a master tactician who has helped more than a few of his fellow critters break out of a pokeball, and with Jigglypuff "Face" Johnson and Psyduck by his side he's able to outwit and outmaneuver any foe. And when Hannibayleef inevitably needs someone to man the pokezooka, drive the pokevan or punch 'em all with brute strength he calls in Mr. Tikachu- the team's real muscle...

Show the world who you've got on your A-Team with this Mr. Tikachu t-shirt by etcherSketch, it's the perfect shirt to wear whether you're out on the GO or kicking back at home watching your favorite 80s TV show.

Visit etcherSketch's official website, then head on over to his NeatoShop for more delightfully geeky designs:

Midna's FarewellThe All Seeing EyeSkull Kid CrewPrincess of Wolves

View more designs by etcherSketch | 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!

You, Yes You, Can Be A Demogorgon This Halloween

Posted: 02 Oct 2016 06:00 AM PDT

The scariest thing we've seen this year has to be the demogorgon from Stranger Things. This year you can actually be the terrifying flower monster -that is, if you have the skill to follow this impressive makeup tutorial by ellimacs sfx makeup (previously at Neatorama).

(Video Link)

Of course, putting it together takes more than just talent, it also takes a lot of time and a lot of specialized materials, so be sure you go shopping before you start trying to put this look together.

Via Instructables
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