Neatorama

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• An Odd Map Of American State Nicknames From 1884
• Would You Believe… the <i>Get Smart</i> Story
• Here, You Hold These For a While
• Yoshi Eated The Cookie - He Just Can't Get Enough
• A Majestic Chair Made Out Of AK-47 Assault Rifles
• Pictures to Make You Uncomfortable
• How To Avoid Awkward Hot Tub Moments In Iceland
• Would You Drink Oreo Beer?
• Watch A Wild Orangutan Use A Handsaw To Cut A Branch
• Avengergram's Illustrations of Superhero Life
• Secrets Of Blarney Castle
• Hogwarts Underoos for Adults
• Fascinating Facts About Mexico
• Two Goats, One Pot
• Trying To Do Gym - I Think You're Looking For The "Gym" Down The Street, Kid...
• Forget Snakes on a Plane, Here Are Falcons on a Plane!

An Odd Map Of American State Nicknames From 1884 Posted: 02 Feb 2017 03:59 AM PST (Image Link) The states of America are more divided now than they've been in a really long time, and people have been representing their state and talking trash about other states on social media since the election. But these generalizations, misconceptions and stereotypes about the states (and the people who live in each state) are nothing new, as you can see on this Nicknames of the States map from 1884. This colorful map was created by the livestock supply company H.W. Hill & Co. as a promotional item, hence the pigs representing each state, and some of the nicknames on the map are not very pleasant. Something tells me H.W. Hill didn't do much business in states like "puke" (Missouri) or "corn cracker", a less than affectionate nickname for Kentucky that was later shortened to "cracker". See enlarged map here Read more about An Odd And Obsolete 19th-Century Nickname Map Of The American States here

Would You Believe… the <i>Get Smart</i> Story Posted: 02 Feb 2017 02:00 AM PST Neatorama presents a guest post from actor, comedian, and voiceover artist Eddie Deezen. Visit Eddie at his website or at Facebook. "There had never been a show about an idiot before. I wanted to be the first" -Mel Brooks The original idea for Get Smart came from Patrick Melnick, a member of the show's production company Talent Associates. He wanted to capitalize on "the two biggest things in the entertainment world today," James Bond and Inspector Clouseau. The show's co-creator Mel Brooks (who created Get Smart along with Buck Henry) described the series as "an insane combination of James Bond and Mel Brooks comedy."   The original pilot for Get Smart featured Tom Poston as the show's protagonist, an inept, bumbling (but successful) secret agent Maxwell Smart. It was offered first to ABC, who turned down the show, calling it "un-American." They suggested the show feature "a lovable dog" as Max's pet and they wanted Max to have a mother, who he would routinely report to. Mel Brooks bristled at the suggestion of a mother: "They wanted to put a print housecoat on the show. Max has to come home to his mother and explain everything. I hate mothers on shows. Max has no mother. He never had one." After ABC's rejection, the pilot was offered to NBC, who accepted, with the understanding that Don Adams (who they had under contract) be given the lead role of Maxwell Smart. Don Adams had already played a very similar character on NBC's The Bill Dana Show- an inept hotel detective named Byron Glick. Glick had a catchphrase which Don Adams was to carry over into his Get Smart role and make world famous- "Would you believe…?" Don Adams would later relate how huge the phrase would later become, as whenever he checked into a hotel, he would always be told at the check-in desk some variation of- "Mr. Adams, we have a palatial presidential suite all ready for you... would you believe a pup tent and four wooden stakes?" Adams said he based the distinctive clipped voice of Max on William Powell in The Thin Man movies of the 1930's. The pilot episode of Get Smart was the show's only episode filmed in black and white and featured little person Michael Dunn as the villain "Mr. Big." The pilot was picked up and Get Smart was given a Saturday night time slot on NBC. Interestingly, another legendary cult show I Dream of Jeannie premiered right before Get Smart on that same night, September 18, 1965. Each show was to run from 1965 to mid-1970, with I Dream of Jeannie producing 139 original episodes and Get Smart one behind, with 138. For Max's partner, fellow CONTROL agent and love interest, a sexy young actress named Barbara Feldon was cast as Agent 99 (Max was Agent 86). Barbara says 99 was originally supposed to be Agent 100 (because she was 100 percent), but Buck Henry decided 99 "sounded more feminine." According to Barbara, the story that Agent 99 was originally supposed to be Agent 69 is an urban myth. 99 never was given a real name on the show. Fans often mistakenly assume her name was Susan Hilton because this was the name she used in the 1967 Get Smart episode "99 Loses CONTROL." But 99 makes it clear later in this episode that Susan Hilton" is not her real name and was just an alias she'd used. 99's name would never be spoken throughout the show's five year run, even in the show's highly rated wedding episode. Barbara basically was to play Max's straight woman over the show's five-year run. Buck Henry tried to add funny lines for 99 by season three, but later told Barbara: "They didn't want you to be 'joke funny,' they wanted you to be glamorous and interesting." Barbara confessed she spent much of the show slouching, leaning or sitting. This was because she was slightly taller than her co-star (she was 5' 9" and Adams was 5' 8 1/2"). Adams also would often stand on small platforms when the two filmed two-shot close ups together. The third of the show's three main characters was Ed Platt, who played "the chief" of CONTROL, the "good guy" spy agency where Max and 99 were employed. CONTROL was not an acronym.  Platt was a journeyman actor in both films and TV; his most famous pre-Get Smart role was probably as the kindly police officer who tries to befriend James Dean in 1955's Rebel Without a Cause. The chief's real name was revealed to be Thaddeus; his undercover name was Harold Clark. Ed Platt, like Barbara Feldon, spent a lot of his camera time on Get Smart sitting down, albeit for a different reason. Platt had a very bad back, the pain from it was sometimes so severe that he was written out of entire Get Smart episodes. Max and the chief had a father-son relationship, although Max's incompetence definitely often tried his patience. A hilarious running gag in the show was Max's insistence on using "the cone of silence" (an always malfunctioning set of glass globes which Max loved and chief always resisted.) In the show's first two seasons, the old ABC idea of "Max having a dog" was employed and a mangy mutt called Agent K-13 was introduced. The dog shtick never quite gave many returns in the laughter department and "Fang" (k-13's real name) was unceremoniously written out. Max's main nemesis was the KAOS agent (KAOS was not an acronym either) Siegfried, played by Bernie Kopell, who was later to play Doc in the '70's hit show The Love Boat. Siegfried was assisted by his main henchman Shtarker, played by King Moody. Other popular recurring Get Smart characters include Dick Gautier as Max's robot pal Hymie, who is all powerful, albeit all-too-literal ("kill the light, Hymie"= Hymie shoots the light bulb with a pistol).   William Schallert would often appear as "the Admiral," a 90-something old fossil, who was the original chief of CONTROL. Dave Ketchum also made frequent appearances as Agent 13, a luckless CONTROL agent who got all the worst undercover assignments (in a garbage can, in a mail box, inside a bowling alley ball return mechanism, where the bowling  balls keeps hitting his head). But probably the single funniest recurring character was Larabee, an assistant to the chief, played with dead pan hilarity by Robert Karvelas. Karvelas was actually Don Adams' cousin. Larabee seemed to have been created to be the one person on earth dumber and more inept than Max himself. Get Smart also had dozens of guest appearances by major celebrities, including Bob Hope, Milton Berle, Steve Allen, Johnny Carson, Don Rickles, Larry Storch and Ernest Borgnine. Get Smart's hilarious combination of verbal humor and visual sight gags made it a big hit for NBC. Kids (and adults) all over America were asking each other "Would you believe…?" or saying "Missed it by that much" or "I asked you not to tell me that." Possibly until The Simpsons came along in the 1990's, no TV show ever spawned as many classic catchphrases as Get Smart. Like so many TV shows, a sexual chemistry (and tension) was obvious between the series two lead stars. On November 16, 1968, Max and 99 were married in the episode "With Love and Twitches." Although the episode drew huge ratings, it also may have been the show's death knell, as many Get Smart fans feel this was when the series "jumped the shark." Mel Brooks had left the show after season one to concentrate on films. His career as a film director, writer and performer would soon put him in the category of "comic legend." Buck Henry would stay on until 1967, in the capacity of story editor, before he too, would switch his sights to film. In 1969, in the two-part episode "And Baby Makes Four," Max and 99 had twins. Like their mother, the twins never were given names. As the ratings grew smaller, NBC dropped Get Smart after four seasons, after the 1968-69 season. The show was picked up by CBS for its swan song season of 1969-70. Finally, on May 15, 1970, the final original Get Smart episode "I am Curiously Yellow" aired on CBS. Get Smart was to earn Don Adams three Emmy awards for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Comedy. In 1969, Get Smart was awarded an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. Before Get Smart ever aired, Don Adams was given the choice of a higher weekly salary or part ownership of the show. He chose the latter. He was never to regret his decision. Reruns of Get Smart over the next several decades were to leave Adams very well-off financially. Get Smart is still shown around the world and is now regarded as one of television's comedy classics. Several Get Smart movies were made after the series' original run. Don Adams appeared in The Nude Bomb in 1980, sans Barbara Feldon (Ed Platt died in 1974). In 1989, Adams and Feldon were reunited in the TV movie Get Smart Again! In 1995, a brief remake of Get Smart (7 episodes) aired on Fox TV, featuring Don Adams returning (now chief of CONTROL) and Barbara Feldon (now a congresswoman). Andy dick played their son, Zach,  and Elaine Hendrix played Agent 66. In 2008, Steve Carrell and Anne Hathaway took on the Max and 99 roles (with Alan Arkin playing the chief) in a successful Get Smart reboot film. It garnering $130 million at the box office. Get Smart remains a hugely popular cult TV series in reruns and is watched all over the world. The series can be viewed (including audio commentary by Barbara Feldon, Mel Brooks, Buck Henry and other Get Smart personnel) on a full set (all five seasons) of DVDs.

Here, You Hold These For a While Posted: 01 Feb 2017 11:59 PM PST Rescue Rovers Dog Adoptions took in a pregnant pit bull and placed her with foster mother Stevoni Wells. Grayce gave birth to eleven puppies! When they were just two days old, she took them in her mouth one by one and placed them all in Wells' lap.   Wells and her husband seem to think that Grayce wants to be petted but doesn't want to leave the puppies unsupervised. It's also possible that Grayce wants some help from an experienced mother. Or maybe it's just a gesture to show how much she loves and trusts her foster mom. -via Metafilter

Yoshi Eated The Cookie - He Just Can't Get Enough Posted: 01 Feb 2017 09:59 PM PST Yoshi Eated the Cookie by AzaleaAngel Yoshi is really loveable and affectionate, but he sucks at giving gifts because he always ends up eating them before they can be delivered. He's also an excellent baker, darn good at spit roasting mushrooms and he makes a mean Koopa soup, but Yoshi never gets to share his creations with anyone because he gobbles them up as soon as they're prepared! Poor Yoshi- everyone thinks you're greedy, cold and cheap, but you're really just one of the biggest gluttons in the Mushroom Kingdom! Show some love for Mario's dinosaur buddy with this Yoshi Eated the Cookie t-shirt by AzaleaAngel, it's super cute and sure to make all your fellow meme fans LOL with delight! Visit AzaleaAngel's Twitter, then head on over to her NeatoShop for more hilariously geeky designs: Such Growlithe Pokepuff Girls Keep Calm I'm A Doctor Pikmin Pocket Tee View more designs by AzaleaAngel | More Video Game 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!

A Majestic Chair Made Out Of AK-47 Assault Rifles Posted: 01 Feb 2017 09:59 PM PST (Image Link) Believe it or not wars actually come to an end every once in a while, and when they do the forces at war are left holding a whole bunch of surplus weapons and gear they no longer need. That's where the artists and craftspeople of the world come in and give the tools of death a new life by turning them into functional items or poignant works of art for people to enjoy. Artist and furniture designer Rainier Weber was reading a book about Michail Kalashnikov when he was inspired to make functional pieces of furniture out of AK-47 assault rifles. The guns were "formally still in service" before the Austrian artist gold plated them all and welded them together to form the frame of the chair and torchère. All this militaristic luxury can be yours for a mere $127k. Eh, it's pretty, but it doesn't blow me away... -Via design you trust

Pictures to Make You Uncomfortable Posted: 01 Feb 2017 07:59 PM PST (Image source: hulagalula)  Bored Panda has one of their photo compilations up containing pictures that may well make you uncomfortable, ranging from illusion art to people who don't care about their behavior. There are a lot of baffling architectural details. (Image source: ven0mz) At the original reddit thread, a commenter stated this is probably not an elevator in a restroom, but something scary anyway. Italian here, I could be wrong about this specific picture since I have no proof, but 99% of the time this is a instamatic-potty configuration, pretty common in train stations and public places in my country, so you put money in, press a button to open the sliding door and do your business, also scary is the fact that if you do not exit in 15 minutes the door will open itself, exposing you to the people outside!!! . So not an elevator. The post is called 10+ Photos That Are So Uncomfortable You Probably Won’t Finish Scrolling. The real reason you won't finish is that there are so many. I got to 130 and stopped scrolling because that's a lot of images, arranged by votes. -via Metafilter

How To Avoid Awkward Hot Tub Moments In Iceland Posted: 01 Feb 2017 05:59 PM PST People do a lot of hot tubbing in Iceland, and there are many spas and hot springs all over the country where tourists and locals can meet up and take a dip. But many tourists are unaware they're supposed to shower before they get into a hot tub, so Inspired By Iceland created this Iceland Academy video to show them how to avoid hot tub awkwardness. (YouTube Link) Great, now I'm gonna have that "heads, armpits, crotch and toes" song stuck in my head all day! -Via mental_floss

Would You Drink Oreo Beer? Posted: 01 Feb 2017 03:59 PM PST The Veil Brewing takes dessert beer to the next level. 'Hornswoggler' Choco milk stout, aged on Oreo cookies. There's even icing chunks pic.twitter.com/z9FOqjRsQW — Beer Street Journal (@BeerSTJournal) January 30, 2017 The Veil Brewing Co. of Richmond, Virginia, has unveiled a new brew called Hornswoggler Chocolate Milk Stout with Oreos. Head brewer Matt Tarpey says it's selling like hotcakes. “We made 64 cases and quickly sold out within a few hours last week,” Tarpey said. The Scott’s Addition brewery, located at 1301 Roseneath Road, has a small amount left on draft which will be available for the next few days or until it runs out. I dunno, when you think of "two great tastes that taste great together," beer and Oreos are not the first things that comes to mind. -Thanks, John Farrier!

Watch A Wild Orangutan Use A Handsaw To Cut A Branch Posted: 01 Feb 2017 01:59 PM PST We all know how smart primates are, and how they have learned to use certain tools both with a little help from humans and on their own, but knowing about their craftiness cannot compare to seeing it in action. So here's a video showing an orangutan from Southeast Asia using a handsaw to cut a branch in two, using her feet to hold the branch steady and clearing the sawdust from the cut as she works. (YouTube Link) This wild orangutan with a knack for sawing stuff is featured on the BBC nature documentary series Spy In The Wild, which features: animatronic animals fitted with high-definition cameras, revealing never-before-seen footage of wildlife, up close and personal. -Via IFL Science

Avengergram's Illustrations of Superhero Life Posted: 01 Feb 2017 11:59 AM PST A comic artist who goes by the name Avengergram imagines what superheroes do in their off hours. He uses 1/6 scale model action figures to illustrate these scenarios that give us a good look at our favorite comic book characters' sense of humor. Here, Black Panther reveals that he really does have the instincts of a cat. And here's an illustration of the differences between superheroes from different countries. You can follow Avengergram at Facebook or Instagram.  -via Geeks Are Sexy

Secrets Of Blarney Castle Posted: 01 Feb 2017 09:59 AM PST (Image Link) Blarney Castle in Cork, Ireland has sadly become known for one thing- the Blarney Stone, which people from all over the world come to kiss in order to attain the gift of gab. But the Blarney Stone is just a block of limestone built into the castle's battlements, and the castle itself has such a rich history, and the most beautiful grounds and gardens, that it'd be a shame not to take it all in. (Image Link) The Blarney Stone legend began around 1314, when King Cormac McCarthy was given the stone by King Robert the Bruce of Scotland for helping him win the Battle of Bannockburn. A witch who lived in a nearby Druid rock garden told Cormac the stone had magical properties, and that kissing the stone would give him the gift of eloquence. (Image Link) According to another legend, Queen Elizabeth I tried to take the castle, but each time her troops showed up to storm the castle Dermot McCarthy, a descendant of Cormac, talked them out of attacking. Elizabeth referred to the failed siege as "blarney" so the name stuck, and by the 1700s "blarney" was an official entry in the Oxford English Dictionary, meaning "talk which aims to charm, flatter or persuade." Perhaps there's some truth to the Blarney Stone myth after all... Read Eight Secrets Of Blarney Castle here

Hogwarts Underoos for Adults Posted: 01 Feb 2017 08:59 AM PST Did you know that Underoos are still a thing? Not only that, but they are available in adult sizes. And if you are a Harry Potter fan, you can get Underoos with the coats of arms for each of the dormitories at Hogwarts. You can wear them and fantasize about being a Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin. Sorry guys, these are only available in women's sizes. Only $24.99 a set. Because there's no rule that says you have to outgrow Pottermania.

Fascinating Facts About Mexico Posted: 01 Feb 2017 07:59 AM PST Thanks to Trump's wall and anti-immigration policies, Mexico has been in the news a lot lately, but while people have been talking a lot about the country, few people actually know much about it. Thanks to TopTenz, now you can actually learn a little about America's Southern neighbor and the facts they chose are pretty fascinating. For example, did you know Mexico is home to the world's smallest volcano and the oldest university in America? And perhaps most surprising in our modern political climate -Mexico's net immigration to the US is negative, meaning more Mexicans are leaving the US to go back to Mexico than are coming to the US. Factors playing into this immigration trend are many, but include increased safety and more jobs in Mexico, as well as a desire to see friends and family members left behind.  So learn some new and interesting things about what was once the fifth largest country in the world here.

Two Goats, One Pot Posted: 01 Feb 2017 06:59 AM PST Two goats in Nepal got their heads stuck in the same jar. Whatever was in that container must have been really good, or else the critters are just insanely competitive. (YouTube link) It appears the farmer rescued them by brute force. Wouldn't it have been easier to shove one goat further into the pot while pulling the other out? -via Digg

Trying To Do Gym - I Think You're Looking For The "Gym" Down The Street, Kid... Posted: 01 Feb 2017 05:59 AM PST Trying to do Gym by EnaGrapher You don't have to be the very best to shine, all you have to do is give it your best and try until you don't have the energy to try any more! Just look at Pikachu- he's a little guy in a great big world full of scary pocket monsters, but does that little electric rat give up? No! He just musters his courage and tries again, and eventually he shocks the competition by doing something electrifying-winning. That's what makes Pika a poke-hero, and even though you may never become as legendary as Pika you'll be the champion of your own region as long as you never give up! Inspire people with the power of Pika with this Trying To Do Gym t-shirt by EnaGrapher, it's a great conversation starter and a surefire way to get people grinnin' at the gym! Visit EnaGrapher's Facebook fan page, then head on over to his NeatoShop for more mighty geeky designs: The Magizoologist Cute Sushi ¡A LA POKEBALL! First Generation View more designs by EnaGrapher | 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!

Forget Snakes on a Plane, Here Are Falcons on a Plane! Posted: 01 Feb 2017 05:59 AM PST Redditor lensoo posted this photo saying a friend of his sent him this image of a flight where a Saudi Prince bought tickets for 80 falcons (technically, he said they were hawks, but Business Insider points out that they were actually falcons as falconry is a popular pastime in the Middle East). It's also relatively common for them to travel on planes in that part of the world. According to Atlas Obscura, falcons can actually get their own passports for flying in the UAE. The regulations about falcons flying on planes are pretty strange, but also pretty interesting. You can read more about falcons on planes on Business Insider. Via PetsLady

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