Stick 'Em Up Phone Stand - $7.95
Are you looking for the perfect gift for your favorite Westerns lover? Get them the Stick 'Em Up Phone Stand from the NeatoShop. This great mobile phone stand looks like a revolver. The suction cup allows it to easily attach to most smooth surfaces. This little gadget is a real hoot!
Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more great Mobile Phone & Tablet Gadgets.
Some of these scary dog costumes aren't really that bad, but others really are the things nightmares are made of -take this human mask for example. Yikes!
Kayt Hester was a commercial photographer until she began experimenting with darkroom tape. Now from her studio in Jersey City, New Jersey, she creates images of people and scenes from movies using masking tape that she tears by hand.
Louis Ortiz was unemployed for a year when a bartender told him that if he shaved, he'd look like the president. Ortiz ran with the idea, and now appears at events, in movies, and on the streets of New York. A short documentary at the New York Times follows Ortiz through his transformation. Don't miss the Romney lookalike that appears toward the end. Link -via Breakfast Links
This is a cute and simple idea for entertaining guests. Use a squirrel cookie cutter--or any other shape that has a hook built into the design--to make cookies that hang from tea cups. Serena's cookies are made with maple syrup. You can find her recipe at the link.
Link (Google Translate) -via Tasteologie
LUDO is a famous French street artist, and while vandalism is illegal that doesn’t stop it from being cool.
LUDO was in London for the Moniker Art Fair (something I may or may not be a fanboy of) when he decided to do a few late night paste-ups. The folks over at Hooked Blog thought it might be a good idea to tag around for that, and boy am I glad they did. Check out more of his midnight mischief over at Hooked Blog.
If you like the skull imagery like I do, look to our Neatoshop.
Image: Senckenberg Research Institute
Now that's a daddy longlegs! Arachnologist Peter Jäger of the Senckenberg Research Institute in Frankfurt, Germany, discovered a new species of harvestmen with a leg span of about 13 inches in the caves of Laos.
Surprisingly, it's actually not the record holder of its species. That distinction belongs to a species of harvestmen from South America: Link
Too many decisions to make! This Twaggie was illustrated by David Barneda from a Tweet by SlayerSays. Check out all the illustrated Tweets (and you may find one you want on a t-shirt) at Twaggies! Link
Isn’t it every girls dream to be swept away on a magic carpet ride, under the sea, with a glass slipper- into a TARDIS? I mean that is how I pick up girls... ...because I just happen to have a spare time and dimension traveling device laying around.
Some fan art of Ducktor Who Doctor Who is here to help that happen. Created by Karen Hallion of Society6, these whovian prints are available at her store.
-Via The Monica Bird
They pay close attention and learn well until they decide it's time to eat the experiment! Next up: the lesson on Schroedinger's Cat. -via Buzzfeed
Adventure Time Finn Plush Backpack - $24.95 (front and back shown)
Attention Adventure Time fanatics! Behold the super adorable Adventure Time Finn Backpack from the NeatoShop. This bombtastic plush bag features a zippered main compartment that you can stuff with all your favorite things. It is the perfect bag for your next crazy adventure.
Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more great Bags & Backpacks.
Today's firearms oddity is the Baylè palm pistol. Patented by Frenchman Charles Baylè in 1879, this double action handgun fired 6 centerfire 5mm rounds. The rod screwed into the handle was used for loading.
It looks like a staple gun, doesn't it?
Link | Photo: Horstheld
Growing up, I loved pretty much anything that was remote controlled. I would race cars, play this video game where you pretended to have a remote control airplane, even tried to turn my model boat into a r/c racing ship (alas, she sunk within seconds of launch). So excuse me for loving this video.
Bonus points if you can spot Christopher Boykin from Rob & Big.
-Via Tastefully Offensive
Photo: Bioluminescence 2009 Expedition, NOAA/OER
Some animals spew black ink to escape predators, whereas others squirt blood from their eyes or hack off their own body parts. The deep-sea Parapandalus shrimp has got its own unusual defense mechanism to help it escape from predators: bioluminescent vomit.
Ig Nobel Achievements distilled into limerick form
by Martin Eiger, Improbable Research Limerick Laureate
The Ig Nobel Prizes honor achievements that first make people laugh, then make them think. For details of all the Ig Nobel Prize–winning achievements, see each year’s special Ig Nobel issue of the magazine, and also see the website.
(Image credit: Flickr user Hairy Razor)
The prize was awarded to Jerald Bain of Mt. Sinai Hospital in Toronto and Kerry Siminoski of the University of Alberta for their carefully measured report, “The Relationship Among Height, Penile Length, and Foot Size.” [Published in Annals of Sex Research, vol. 6, no. 3, 1993, pp. 231-5.]
They looked at Moes, Curlys, and Larrys.
They studied some Toms, Dicks, and Harrys.
They measured the size
Of parts of these guys.
Two stay fixed over time, while one varies.
(Image credit: Flickr user zhouxuan12345678)
This article is republished with permission from the March-April 2012 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.
This amazingly detailed sculpture is just over an inch long. It was carved from an olive seed by Ch'en Tsu-chang, a Chinese artist, in 1737:
On the boat are eight figures, each of which is animated and expressive in an individual manner. What is most fascinating is that the entire text of Su Shih's "Latter Ode on the Red Cliff", including more than 300 characters and upon which this work is based, is engraved with exquisite detail on the bottom of the boat, testifying to the heavenly craftsmanship of the artist.
Link -via Oddment Emporium | Photo: National Palace Museum
In this short film by Christopher Kezelos, a rabbit-like creature channels Dr. Frankenstein. But there's a twist here that Mary Shelley's work did not have. -via the Presurfer
Image: ESO/L. Calcada/N.Risinger (skysurvey.org)
Good news, everyone! Astronomers have discovered that Alpha Centauri, the closest known star system to our own Sun and subject to many science fiction classics, actually has an Earth-like planet:
Alpha Centauri is one of the brightest stars in the southern skies and is the nearest stellar system to our Solar System — only 4.3 light-years away. It is actually a triple star — a system consisting of two stars similar to the Sun orbiting close to each other, designated Alpha Centauri A and B, and a more distant and faint red component known as Proxima Centauri [1]. Since the nineteenth century astronomers have speculated about planets orbiting these bodies, the closest possible abodes for life beyond the Solar System, but searches of increasing precision had revealed nothing. Until now.
“Our observations extended over more than four years using the HARPS instrument and have revealed a tiny, but real, signal from a planet orbiting Alpha Centauri B every 3.2 days,” says Xavier Dumusque (Geneva Observatory, Switzerland and Centro de Astrofisica da Universidade do Porto, Portugal), lead author of the paper. “It’s an extraordinary discovery and it has pushed our technique to the limit!”
In some Japanese convenience stores, you can find this wonder that combines the ubiquitous cat and the magical pork animal. Gigazine taste tested them. Where they, strictly speaking, edible? Yes!
Link (Translation) -via Kotaku
If you're already tired of the never-ending marathons of Halloween horror films on TV, maybe you'd like to celebrate the season by some reading. Flavorwire has some suggestions in a reading list that ranges from Hamlet (yes, it's a ghost story) to Aim For the Head: An Anthology of Zombie Poetry.
Maybe it’s just us, but we always consider poetry as a form (barring, you know, limericks) to be naturally a little more highbrow than prose. Which balances out the fact that zombies are probably the most lowbrow of popular monsters. So if you’re a poetry buff looking for a little excitement on a cold October night, or just someone who’s felt the incomprehensible urge to compose a poetic ode to The Walking Dead, we suggest this anthology, which takes itself seriously, but not too seriously.
You're sure to find something intriguing in the list of 10 books. Link
When Sampson the corgi has to go up stairs, he transforms into bunny mode and hops.
One thing that I learned from owning dogs and rabbits at the same time: dogs love the taste of rabbit poop. So much so that buying real dog food is almost a waste of money.
-via Daily of the Day
You'll Eat It and Like It Large Recycled Shopper Tote - $11.95
Having trouble finding a reusable grocery shopping bag that adequately reflects your personality. You need the You'll Eat It and Like It Large Recycled Shopper Tote from the NeatoShop. This delightful bag is perfect to use while shopping for your favorite picky eater.
Be sure to check out the Neatoshop for more great Bags & Totes.
Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear holds the Reliant Robin, a British subcompact car, in contempt. Faithful Robin fans cried out for vengeance. Their call was answered by Bernard Reeves, a car restoration expert. He modified a Robin into a heavily-armed offroading half-track:
The result is the ‘Rugged Robin’ - a go-anywhere Reliant complete with tank-like tracks and heavy artillery including a Browning 50 calibre machine gun.
It also has a Vickers machine gun and two sub-machine guns and Bernard claims it is capable of around 50mph over wet ground. [...]
The mean machine has its original 850cc engine but Bernard has borrowed a number of parts from other vehicles for the rest of the off-roader.
It has the rear-axle from a Bedford van, Land Rover gearbox mountings, a front-wheel from a Hillman Imp and suspension coils from a Honda 90.
Scarecrows should, by definition, be scary, at least to birds. Encountering this one would give anyone the heebie-jeebies for a good week or so! It's described as what an Tolkien Orc would look like if it were struck by lightning. This is just one from the list of 13 Creepy Geeky Scarecrows you'll see at WebUrbanist. Link -via Maajak World
Update: The scarecrow shown here is a sculpture from 2005 called Roots, by Pumpkinrot. -Thanks, Linda H!
The British company Bodyform, which manufactures "towels," or what Americans now call maxi pads or mini pads, or sanitary napkins to those of an age to no longer need them. Richard Neill left a message on the firm's Facebook page, which is a basic retelling of an old joke.
Hi , as a man I must ask why you have lied to us for all these years . As a child I watched your advertisements with interest as to how at this wonderful time of the month that the female gets to enjoy so many things ,I felt a little jealous. I mean bike riding , rollercoasters, dancing, parachuting, why couldn't I get to enjoy this time of joy and 'blue water' and wings !! Dam my penis!! Then I got a girlfriend, was so happy and couldn't wait for this joyous adventurous time of the month to happen .....you lied !! There was no joy , no extreme sports , no blue water spilling over wings and no rocking soundtrack oh no no no. Instead I had to fight against every male urge I had to resist screaming wooaaahhhhh bodddyyyyyyfooorrrmmm bodyformed for youuuuuuu as my lady changed from the loving , gentle, normal skin coloured lady to the little girl from the exorcist with added venom and extra 360 degree head spin. Thanks for setting me up for a fall bodyform , you crafty bugger
Bodyform responded with a video featuring a statement from their "CEO." It may be NSFW if your employer is a real prude.
From the YouTube page:
We are always grateful for input from our users, but your comment was particularly poignant. If Facebook had a "love" button, we'd have clicked it. But it doesn't. So we've made you a video instead. Unfortunately Bodyform doesn't have a CEO. But if it did she'd be called Caroline Williams. And she'd say this.
-via Metafilter
Yesterday was Ada Lovelace Day, a day to honor Nineteenth Century mathematician Ada Lovelace and celebrate the contributions of women to the natural sciences. To mark the occasion, Tor asked artist Scott Brundage to show Lady Lovelace at work in the past, the present and the future.
The concept is simple -you pedal, the rotors turn, and air is displaced. But you need a lot of power to displace a lot of air and maintain control over the craft at the same time. Engineering student Graham Bowen-Davies is trying to work out the best design for a human-powered helicopter, which is no easy task.
Bowen-Davies and dozens of his fellow students from the University of Maryland are chasing one of aviation's last milestones: the Sikorsky Prize. The American Helicopter Society (AHS) has promised $250,000 to the team that can build a human-powered helicopter. All it has to do is hover for a minute, reach a height of 3 meters (about 10 feet), and stay in a 10-meter box.
Turns out, that's harder than it sounds. The prize has been unclaimed for more than three decades.
Making the craft very light is a shortcut to powering it, but that makes it harder to control. Recent designs are getting closer to fulfilling the Sikorsky Prize requirements. Read more and see a video of these crafts at NPR. Link -via Kottke
As I’m sure you already know, Halloween is rapidly approaching, which means it’s time to get your costume together. Me, I’ve already decided to go as Marceline from Adventure Time and Zeon’s going to be the Doctor. For those of you who still haven’t decided though, here are a few ideas to provide you with some very geeky inspiration.
Love Johnny Depp but have a hard time deciding between your favorite of his many great roles? Then consider combining them all into the Mega-Depp like this fellow, photographed by Flickr user greyloch. While I do enjoy the three films depicted in this costume, I do feel he missed out by not throwing in a little white powder under the nose, a cigarette in a cigarette holder and a fishing hat a la Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but maybe he was scared of a Depp overdose.
Alternatively, if you can’t decide between some of the most popular geek franchises out there, you can always chose to combine them like this gentleman did with Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who and Star Wars.
Image Via greyloch [Flickr]
For those who want to combine both geek men and nerdy women’s fantasies, this Jack Sparrow/Slave Leia mash up is a great way to turn on a handful of people while confusing and flustering the rest.
Image Via greyloch [Flickr]
The music video for "Time To Go" by Wax Tailor feat Aloe Blacc stars a crocheted "quadropus" swimming through the urban landscape as if it were the deep blue sea. The video was produced by Oh Yeah Wow. -via The Daily What
(Image credit: 
