Here it is, our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog! Tell us what this object is, if you know. If you don’t, make a wild guess!

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. We’ll have two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

There are more pictures of this thing at the What Is It? Blog. Have fun and good luck!

Update: the exact purpose for the item in question was never actually verified, but Rob at the What Is It? blog thinks it might be “a form for a medicine ball.” Since we don’t know for sure, we are awarding t-shirts for the TWO funniest answers this week. One came from meiao, who said it’s the ball for Mortal Tetherball. Another good one was from Steve Pauk, who said it was a Rubik’s globe! Those are both worth a t-shirt from the NeatoShop. See the results for all the mystery items of the week at the What Is It? blog.

It’s once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what the pictured item is? Or can you make up something interesting?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many guesses as you’d like in separate comments. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

See all this week’s mystery objects at the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: these strange-looking goggles are Masonic Hoodwink Goggles, they were used as a blindfold in rituals of initiation. Edward K knew that, and wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop!  Pismonque came up with a great funny answer: “These are Fear Goggles, the companion to Beer Goggles. When you wake up mostly sober at 5 AM and stumble to the loo, they act as blinders against the horror of discovering your newest intimate acquaintance. The flip-down lids protect against the increasing light of morning and prolong the denial.” That wins a t-shirt! Find out the answers for all the mystery items at the What Is It? Blog.

Once again, it’s time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog! Do you know what the object in this picture is? You can win even if you don’t know!

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will each win a T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

Check out the What Is It? Blog for more pictures of the details of this mystery thing. Good luck!

Update: the pictured item is a meat cleaver with an attached combination tool, which is for sale at eBay. The first person to identify it was Michael S. Gatlin, who wins a t-shirt for his efforts! Chuck Farkley came up with the funniest answer:

Chicken
Pablo Picasso
1934

mixed media with cleaver

So Chuck wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop, too! Thanks to everyone who played this week. See the answers to all this week’s mystery items at the What Is It? blog.

Comic artist Stephen McCranie has been very busy the past few months, and the result is a new book called Mal and Chad: Food Fight! featuring boy genius Mal and his talking dog Chad. To publicize the book, Stephen is running a special Fill in the Bubble Contest at his website. Your caption could win you a personalized comic portrait and the book! Link

Here it is, time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Tell us what this thing is, if you know. If you don’t, make a wild guess!

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For another, closer view, check out the What Is It? Blog. Have fun and good luck!

Update: the object in question is a wolf collar for protecting a dog from attack by wolves, used mostly in Europe. Rastercat was the first with the right answer, but did not select a shirt. Cricket had the funniest answer: it’s the Dugger family’s marshmallow roaster! That one deserves a t-shirt from the NeatoShop. You’ll find the answers for all of this week’s mystery items at the What Is It? blog.

It’s once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what these things are? Or maybe you can amuse us with an entertaining wild guess!

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many guesses as you’d like in separate comments. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: Berhard was the first in and had the right answer, too! These are caulking chisels used on a ship, specifically “the Great Lakes schooner Mary A. Gregory, c. 1900.” They are now in a museum display. The funniest answer came from Straight Flush, the first of several who mentioned Wolverine, who said “They are cancerous tissue growth removed from Wolverine’s thoracic cavity, not to mention adamantium tissues .. duh!” Both win a t-shirt from the NeatoShop! See the answers to all the mystery items this week at the What Is It? blog.

It is once again time for our collaboration with the ever-amusing What Is It? Blog! Do you know what this object is? If not, can you fake it?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will each win a T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

Check out the What Is It? Blog for more clues, and more mystery items. Put your thinking cap on, and good luck!

Update: the very first answer was correct -it’s a form for baking bread (or a “bread mold” which sounds like a fungus). Anker wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop for knowing that! The funniest answer came from The Professor, who said, “It’s a good old-fashioned can of whoop-ass!” he wins a t-shirt, too! See the answers to all the mystery items of the week at the What Is It? blog.

It’s once again time for our collaboration with the always interesting What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what the pictured item is? Or can you make up something amusing?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many guesses as you’d like in separate comments. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For another picture from a different angle, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: the object in question is a Holmes Steering Gear Clamp for towing automobiles (an antique). Aaron Rosen was the first commenter who knew what it was for, but he did not select a shirt. TDM had the funniest answer: A clothespin for chain-mail! For that, TDM wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop. You’ll find the answers to all this week’s mystery items posted at the What Is It? blog.

Once again, it’s time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog! Do you know what the object in this picture is?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will each win a T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

Check out the What Is It? Blog for an additional picture. Good luck!

Update: the mystery object is a A Yankee Cork Press, for compressing corks to the proper size to fit into a bottle. Just a Guess? had the right answer before anyone else, and so wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop! Kevin George had the funniest answer: “That’s the famous scuplture “Desert Cowskull” by the steampunk impressionist Nemo Remington.” That deserves a t-shirt, too! You can see the answers to all this week’s mystery items at the What Is It? blog.

…this app will give you a daily dose of the best of what Uncle John has to offer. You never know what’ll pop up: One day it might be a dumb crook, the next day, a popular myth from history debunked. With one click you can share your favorite Uncle John’s facts via email, Twitter, and Facebook. You can even enable push notifications to get daily facts or the weekly article sent directly to your home screen without having to open the app. And when you need a bit of bathroom humor, go ahead and squeeze the little yellow ducky—he’ll fart. (How many other apps can make you smarter and make fart noises?)

But that’s not all -Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader books are available now in ebook format, starting with nine of the most popular titles!

In honor of these new products, Uncle John is giving away free apps and books to Neatorama readers! We have five Bathroom Reader Mobile Apps for iPad or iPhone* to give away and five paperback copies of Uncle John’s newest book, Uncle John’s 24-Karat Bathroom Reader.

There are two ways to enter. You can leave a comment here, and tell us whether you prefer the app or the book. Or you can Tweet to your friends about the contest, directing them to this post and using the hashtag #neatUJ, and you’ll be entered as well! We will draw ten winners, five from those who choose each prize, on Friday evening.

Meanwhile, how many of your friends and family members would like an Uncle John’s Mobile App for Christmas? Get them while they’re hot! And check out Uncle John’s new ebookstore, too!

*(The Android version of the app is not yet available for giveaway.)

Update: Congratulations to the five who won the apps: iain, Akik P, anonymous coward, TohAtin, and Ben Ratner! And congratulations to the five who won paperback copies of Uncle John’s 24-Karat Bathroom Reader: e kolter, Miles G,  Shae, Dougert, and Brad!

Here it is, time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Tell us what this thing is, if you know. If you don’t, make a wild guess!

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For a second picture of the mystery item, check out the What Is It? Blog. Have fun and good luck!

Update: the item is a barbed wire salesman’s cane, made of barbed wire from patent number 184,486. No doubt he was selling barbed wire. The answer must have been too simple, because no one guessed it. We did have a lot of strange and amusing answers, though. The prize for the funniest one goes to ladybuggs, who said this is a dipstick for the Munstermobile! That clever thought wins him a t-shirt from the NeatoShop. See the answers to all this weeks mystery items revealed at the What Is It? blog.

It’s once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what the pictured item is? Can you make up something interesting?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many guesses as you’d like in separate comments. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: the mystery item is is a check protector, it’s a security device that marks the check when it’s paid so it can’t be cashed a second time and also prevents attempts at altering numbers. The first commenter who knew that was cbellamy, who did not select a prize t-shirt. The funniest answer came from Elim, who guessed it to be an antique squid ink extractor. Doesn’t that draw a picture? For that, he wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop! Thanks to the What Is It? Blog, where you’ll find this and several other mystery items this week, all now revealed.

It’s time to play a game in collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog! Do you know what this thing is?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will each win a T-shirt from the NeatoShop!

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

Check out the What Is It? Blog for an additional picture of this item, and more mystery items. Good luck!

Update: the object in question is indeed a set of manual hedge trimmers. Berhard was the first of many with the correct answer. The funniest answer cam from SisterMerryHellish, who declared this is a wookiee toenail clipper! Congratulations to both for winning t-shirts from the NeatoShop!

Once again, it’s time for our collaboration with the always fascinating What Is It? Blog. Do you know what the pictured item is? Or can you make an amusing wild guess?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

See another picture of this item at the What Is It? Blog.

Update: the mystery object is an inkwell. Congratulations to Anker, who had the correct answer right off. The funny answer award goes to Straight_Flush, who declared this to be a small hadron collider! Both win t-shirts from the NeatoShop. We had a lot of imaginative answers this week, some x-rated, so you should go read them all!

It’s once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what the pictured item is? Or can you make up something interesting?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many guesses as you’d like in separate comments. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: Rob at the What Is It? blog admitted that he doesn’t know what this tool is for. It’s an enduring mystery. Since we don’t know who is right (if any one is), we selected TWO winners with the funniest answers! Galen said this was a specialized whisk for making wavy gravy. That’s funny! And Augie explained:

After a horrible zipper accident Stan “Soprano Singer” Stevens spent 20 years and his family fortune designing and developing this tool to remove stray body parts from pant zippers.

Stevens patented the device, but allowed other companies to freely manufacture, distribute and sell them for the common good (i.e. pro boner).

Both will get t-shirts from the NeatoShop!

It’s once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog, and this one is special: it’s our 200th such contest! Can you guess what this item is? Can you make up something interesting?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For another picture, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: no one knew what the mystery item was (although quite a few came somewhat close). It’s a saw oiler. Pulling the trigger released some oil to lubricate the saw. You can see the patent application sketch at the What Is It? blog. The funniest answer submitted was one of those close-but-no-cigar answers, from Randall.

It is a saw handle, useful for handling saws. Before its invention, using saws was very dangerous to the fingers, so people used trained beavers. This little invention put hundreds of beaver trainers out of work, and they congregated in Wisconson, drinking from dusk to midnight, then going out on ‘Beaver-runs,’ causing untold destruction. Finally, the Wisconson National Guard was called out and the hooliganism ended. Wisconsin is now known for its calmness and cheese.

So Randall wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop!

Once again, it’s time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Do you know what the pictured item is? Can you make a wild guess?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: No one guessed the correct answer for this one! According to the What Is It? blog, this is a raisin seeder. How effective it was in real use, I do not know. Most raisins these days are made from seedless grapes. As for the funniest answer, Thomas said this is a pair of salad tongs designed by M.C. Escher for his ‘Relativity’ salad. If you noticed the odd way the ends of this thing would match up, you’d think that, too! So Thomas wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop.

It’s once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what the pictured item is? Can you make up something interesting?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck -you’re going to need it!

Update: the pictured item is a “beer growler.” It’s a container used to carry draft beer home before the use of bottles. See a picture of them being filled at the What Is It? blog. Red Neptune was the first commenter who knew the answer, but did not select a shirt. The funniest answer? Oscar the Grouch’s starter home, you know, when he was little. Cristal was the first of several to suggest this one, so she wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop!

It’s time for our collaboration with the always fascinating What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what the pictured item is?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many guesses as you’d like in separate comments. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: The mystery item is, indeed, a boat anchor. Maybe the background image of a ship helped! From the What Is It? blog: “A killick type anchor that was used on a small river freight boat in the 1800s, rocks were placed in the center of it to weigh it down.” David Kirkpatrick had the correct answer before many other people did. Sarah Reede had an intriguing funny-but-wrong answer: “It’s a 17th Century tic-tac-toe placer. (Fits in the X’s and the O’s!) Used for sanitary purposes.” Both win t-shirts from the NeatoShop!

Grammar.net is holding a contest to determine the Best Grammar Blog of 2011. How many grammar blogs could there be? More than you think …there are 75 different blogs in the running! Although you shouldn’t vote for blogs you haven’t visited, there are links for each entered grammar blog so you can check them out. You might find a regular source of grammar help -or maybe even entertainment! Link -via TYWKIWDBI

Once again, it’s time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Can you tell us what this thing is? Or make a wild guess?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog.

Update: the pictured object is, indeed, an early TV remote control. This one is really neat in that it doesn’t need batteries! Read more about it and see a video at the What It It? Blog. Yes, it was an easy one this week, and our first commenter, Benjamin Abbitt, had the right answer (but did not select a t-shirt). Most people guessed TV remote, but a few went for the funny answer. A t-shirt goes to Ceri for this one: “It’s Captain Kirk’s first phaser, an early version, before the design was more refined. The buttons are for tickle, shake, stun and kill”

It’s time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Put on your thinking cap and figure out what the pictured items are -or make up something that will make us laugh!

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many guesses as you’d like in separate comments. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: The What Is It? blog tells us these are mortsafes, used in the 1800s to protect the dead from graverobbers who would sell them to medical schools, although according to urban legends they were designed to keep vampires and zombies from escaping their graves. Congratulations to Alan Ball, who was the first of several with the correct answer. However, he did not select a t-shirt. The funniest answer this week comes from theonewhoistheone13, who said, “Well we have to put those evil garden gnomes somewhere now don’t we?” For that, she wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop!

Once again, it’s time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog! Do you know what the object in this picture is?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will each win a T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

There are several additional pictures at the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: the mystery object is a corn sheller. There’s more information about it at the What Is It? Blog. Berhard was the first in with the correct answer. The funniest answer came from sandyra, who said:

It’s an Amish ‘electric’ razor for taking off the moustaches on the men (and some women, if you know what I mean). Since the Amish don’t use ‘electricity’ they get it to rotate by hooking it up to a giant waterwheel.

*note: The older versions tended to rip off the upper lip. This ‘newer’ model has a wood safety bar to prevent such mishaps.”

Both win t-shirts from the NeatoShop!

Sunny Wieler’s GPS led him on a mysterious detour in which he saw 150 scarecrows doing the things townspeople normally do. They were busy competing for the title of best scarecrow! The All Ireland Scarecrow Championship is part of the annual ‘Howya’ Festival in the town of Durrow, Ireland. See more scarecrows at Stone Art Blog. Link -via the Presurfer

(Image credit: Andy Walsh)

Here it is, our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Tell us what this object is, if you know. If you don’t, make a wild guess!

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. We’ll have two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Have fun and good luck!

Update: the mystery object is a Civil War spar torpedo that was designed to be rammed into the hull of an enemy ship, and then detonated by a line from the torpedo to the submarine. The What Is It? blog has more about the origin of this particular torpedo, which is a replica of that used on Confederate submarine the H. L. Hunley. Berhard knew the correct answer right off! The funniest answer came from Richard, who went out into left field and said, “ummm, not sure what all these people are talking about, its is clearly just a metal chain, obviously keeping people from getting to that weird metal thing beyond the chain.” Both win a t-shirt from the NeatoShop!

The puns, the insulting, giggly tones, and the over-used euphemisms for fat that were scattered throughout the campaign’s solicitation began to crystalize an opinion in my mind. How offensive the campaign was. How it spoke to plus-sized women like they were starry-eyed 16 year olds from Kansas whose dream, obviously, was to hop a bus to L.A. to make it big in fashion. How apparently there were no words in existence to accurately describe the way American Apparel felt about a sexy, large woman, and so phrases like “booty-ful” and “XLent” would need to be invented for us—not only to fill this void in American vocabulary, but also make the company seem like a relatable, sassy friend to fat chicks.

Upton submitted a set of photographs of herself (mostly with food) taken by her friend Shannon Skloss. After the photos were approved for the contest and posted, Upton received more votes from the public than any of the other entrants! Upton writes about her feelings on winning the contest at The Daily Beast. Link -via Metafiter

More pictures and links about the project can be found at Upton’s blog (some are NSFW): Link

(Image credit: Shannon Skloss)

It’s once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what the pictured item is? Can you make up something interesting?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many guesses as you’d like in separate comments. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: the object pictured is a cobbler’s tool for stretching and holding leather when making a shoe. Quite a few people guessed it was a clamp, but Winslow was the first to mention shoes, so he wins a t-shirt! Amanderpanderer had the funniest answer, amirite? “All ladies know this…it’s a speculum. Gynocologists seem to think it works best when it’s put in the freezer for a few minutes first.” For that, she also wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Once again, it’s time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog! Do you know what the object in this picture is?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will each win a T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

Check out the What Is It? Blog for additional pictures. Good luck!

Update: The object pictured is an ice chipper. Craig Clayton was the first of many with the correct answer, so he wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop. The funniest answer came from Maxx McIlhargey, who said it was a toothpick for crocodiles, used by wildlife conservationists to get the drug runner bones from between the crocodile’s teeth from a distance. He did not select a shirt.

Here it is, time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Tell us what this thing is, if you know. If you don’t, make a wild guess!

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Have fun and good luck!

Update: the picture indeed shows us the inside of a Red Box DVD vending machine. The What Is It? Blog posted the video this picture was taken from. Marty McGuire knew the answer right off, but didn’t select a t-shirt. The funniest answer came from Muno, who said this is one of the droids we were looking for! He wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Where’s Wall-E? is a step beyond Where’s Waldo?! This poster, created by Richard Sargent, features a crowd of robots that should be familiar to you from movies and TV. Can you find Wall-E among the many? Hopewell Studios is giving away a print to the person who can name the most of the robots. You can see a larger version, and get a numbered key for the contest, at their website.  Link -via The Daily What Geek

It’s once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what the pictured item is? Can you make up something interesting?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many guesses as you’d like in separate comments. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: the object pictured is indeed a fireman’s sand bucket, with a round bottom to keep anyone from borrowing it. The earliest correct answer came from Bill, but due to a technical glitch on my part, it was not posted. The first correct answer posted came from Berhard, so we are awarding t-shirts to both of them. There were a lot of wonderfully funny answers! A t-shirt goes to Edward for the suggestion that this is Pa Kettle’s bowling bag.

(If you don’t know who Pa Kettle is, see this video.)

It is once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog! Do you know what this object is?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will each win a T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

Check out the What Is It? Blog for more clues, and more mystery items. Good luck!

Update: The thing in the picture this week is a portable hand pump fog horn for use on a boat. Berhard guessed it correctly in the very first comment. Then iago guessed it to be the ultimate size pepper grinder for an Italian restaurant! That was good enough to win the funniest answer prize. Both win t-shirts from the Neatoshop!

Once again, it’s time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Do you know what the pictured item is? Can you make a wild guess?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog.

Update: The item in question is a tool that was used to make cavities in bullet molds during the Civil War, sometimes called a bullet mold cherry. Electronix and Winslow both knew the answer. One was a little earlier; the other was more specific, so we are giving t-shirts to both of them! The funniest answer came from rob, who said,”It happens to be part of an ancient game. Originally called Paleolithic Roulette, it’s played much like today’s version of Russian Roulette. It is spinned (like a dreidel) and whoever it lands on gets the pointed side rammed into their temporal lobe.” For that, he also wins a t-shirt!

It’s once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what the pictured item is? Can you make up something interesting?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many guesses as you’d like in separate comments. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: The mystery object is an anti-theft pocket watch attachment! When pulled by the chain the spikes would catch in the fabric of the pocket. You can see an explanatory graphic from the patent application at the What Is It? blog. The first commenter to give us the correct answer was kremer333, so he wins a t-shirt! The funniest answer was from The Professor, who wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop with this poem:

On Neato a picture that shows
A thingy that nobody knows
But this handy device
While it looks not so nice
Is great for just cleaning your nose!

Photojournalist Prakash Hatvalne of Bhopal, India took this shot that won the Grand Prize in the 8th annual Smithsonian Photo Contest. You can see the winners in all the different categories, and find out how you can enter the 9th annual contest at Smithsonian. Link

This photograph was taken by Rick Sheremeta, who tells us about the shot.

On a recent photo trip to Alaska’s McNeil River, I spent four days observing and photographing Brown Bears. The bears routine became pretty obvious – they’d fish for a while until their bellies were full, then they’d wander off into the grass for a little nap. This ole gal never quite got that far – after snaring this salmon, she wandered into a shallow pool at the side of the river, cradled the fish under her arm, and promptly nodded off. It was really comical to see her just sitting there sound asleep.

It’s an entry in the 2011 National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest, which is still open for entries, but only through July 11th! Find out all about the contest at National Geographic Traveler. Link -Thanks, Marilyn!

It’s once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what the pictured item is? Can you make up something interesting?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: This an anvil for hand forming sheet metal with a hammer, for making armor or other curved metal parts, also called sinking or doming. Berhard knew that, and said so in the very first comment! For that, he wins a t-shirt. As for the funniest answer, greg urbano said, “it is a discarded reflecting dish used by aliens to gauge their distance from the earth as they approach for landing, similar to the reflectors we placed on the moon to bouce laser beams back, im almost certain of this because i have seen this on other planets during my travels.” However, he did not select a shirt. You can see more picture of this anvil in use at the What Is It? blog.

We always get a kick out of announcing the winner of the British contest Shed of the Year, but this year, the winning shed is quite interesting in its own right. Jon Earl of Clevedon, Somerset won £1000 and a “shedload” of the sponsor’s products. His shed is more than just a place to store things -it’s also a place for musicians to film videos!

Originally a First World War billet hut, music fan and regular festival goer Jon decided in 2009 to turn his ramshackle shed into a venue to video acoustic music sessions. He began inviting musicians from all over the world into the 12ft by 10ft shed to video the sessions. The humble looking shed has hosted sessions for musicians ranging from the Fairport Convention to Steve Harley and has even been the setting for a video for US band the Water Tower Bucket Boys.

You can see those videos on the website Songs from the Shed. Earl plans to use the prize money to fix up his shed. Link -via Breakfast Links

Once again, it’s time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Do you know what the pictured item is? Can you make a wild guess?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. There’s another picture of this item at a slightly different angle there. Good luck!

Update: the object in question is a mailing machine for putting addresses on newspapers and magazines. Villaridge knew that, and won a t-shirt from the NeatoShop. Meanwhile, DocKami said, “it’s a …. IT’S A TRAP !” which made me laugh, so he wins a t-shirt for the funniest answer. It does kind of resemble a trap, doesn’t it?

I also want to remind you of the “one guess per comment” rule, because we had a lot of people with multiple guesses this week, and that’s not really fair to everyone else. Of course, you are welcome to leave as many comments as you want.

If you loved From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler as a kid, you’re probably going to be applying for this position before you even finish reading the post. For the second time, Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry is inviting one lucky person to be a 24/7 guest at the museum for an entire month. Kate McGroarty did it last year and had a blast. The chosen person will receive $10,000 to eat, live and breathe the exhibits. Last year, Kate helped paranormal investigators document unexplained happenings on a German submarine in the building, got to read the books in the Colleen Moore Fairy Castle tiny book collection, played in a tornado and helped hatch some chicks, among many other things. It seems like a pretty amazing experience. If you’re interested, you need to have your application in by midnight on July 22. Be sure to let us know if you apply.

Even if you don’t apply, you should check out Kate’s blog from last year’s Month at the Museum. I just lost half of my evening there.

Link via Gizmodo

It’s once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what the pictured item is? Can you make up something interesting?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: Ladybuggs knew this was a knife designed to be used in a life raft. Here’s the description from Rob at the What Is It? blog:

A US Navy life raft knife, part of the survival kit on a life raft, cork handle so it floats, holes make it lighter, rounded end so it won’t puncture the raft, painted orange so it can be seen if lost overboard, also a lanyard to tie it to the raft

The Professor had the funniest answer -a hedgehog quill-scraper! Both winners will receive a t-shirt from the NeatoShop!

It is once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Do you know what this object (not the quarter) is? Can you take a wild guess?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will each win a T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

Check out the What Is It? Blog for more pictures of this object. Let your imagination run wild, and good luck!

Update: the object in question is a salt pulverizer, for breaking up salt in a shaker. You can see the patent sketches for it at the What Is It? blog. Strangely, no one guessed the correct answer. But a t-shirt from the NeatoShop goes to theoneoneandonly, who posited that this was for hurting parents’ bare feet before Lego bricks were produced for the same purpose.

It is once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what the pictured item is? Do you know what it is?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: no one knew what these items were for, even hours after the What Is It? blog posted the answers. These are tools used in Europe for oyster farming! Galen won a t-shirt for the funniest answer: Early open heart surgery kit. Sternum crackers with built in chest cavity hooks. Or maybe that was supposed to be a serious answer… anyway, Galen is a winner!

It’s once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what the pictured item is? Can you make up something interesting?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: Steve Pauk was the first one to know these are sniper’s glasses; they were specifically made for the sharpshooters of the Civil War.  However, he did not select a t-shirt. The funniest answer came from Randall: “Eye training glasses, for G-men in the 30′s. They helped develop that penetrating gaze that made the two-bit punks squirm like a toad in a vice while they were getting ‘the treatment.’” Randall wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop!

It’s once again time for our collaboration with the ever-amusing What Is It? Blog. Do you know what this thing is?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirts, Funny T-Shirts and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

There’s more objects to guess posted at the What Is It? Blog. Do your best, and good luck!

Update: Berhard was the first of many with the correct answer; this is a trowel bayonet. Fafa had the funniest answer: a combination pizza server and zombie defense knife! Both win t-shirts from the NeatoShop.

It is once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Do you know what this thing is? Can you take a wild guess?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will each win a T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

Check out the What Is It? Blog for more pictures of this object. Let your imagination run wild, and good luck!

Update: Porkhurst was the first of many with the correct answer. This object is a lunar tong, designed for picking up moon rocks! However, he did not select a shirt. Swami won a t-shirt for the funniest answer:

If you are familiar with “Treasure Island”, you will recall the luau when John Silver is barbecuing ribs and he almost burned off his beard rearranging the fire, that’s what inspired him to invent the device pictured above: Long Tong Silvers.

Groan!

Another way for you to win a t-shirt from the NeatoShop -the Decipher the Doodle Contest at NeatoBambino! Check out the full drawing (only a portion is shown here) from a 3-year-old boy and try to figure out what it portrays. Both the closest-to-correct answer and the funniest wrong answer will win the commenter a shirt. Good luck! Link

It is once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Can you guess what the pictured item is? Do you know what it is?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more clues, check out the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: Timbering was the first with the correct answer: this is a grab maul or a rigging hammer. Jeffos won the award for the funniest answer: “It’s a training device for that game where they make you put your forehead on a bat, spin around, and then try to run a straight line. The spike keeps it in place.” Both win t-shirts from the NeatoShop!

It is once again time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Do you know what this thing is?

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you’d like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don’t include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirts, Funny T-Shirts and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

There’s more objects to guess posted at the What Is It? Blog. Take a deep breath, do your best, and good luck!

Update: Anirban was first with the correct answer (but didn’t select a shirt): this is a betel nut cutter. The funniest answer came from Chad Huskey, who said: According to Futurama robots celebrate “Robanukah” So in that vein my assumption is this is a device used when 8 days after rolling off the assembly line male robots have their robo-bris. For that, he wins a t-shirt!