I don't suppose many needles go missing if they're all the flexible plastic round needles shown in the photo. Thanks Alex for an encouraging post!

Reminds me of Marshie, the Fluffy Puff spokesmarshmallow on Homestar Runner: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b532gvpHd3k&feature=fvwrel

My towel is in a file cabinet drawer in my office, along with teabags, Bandaids and Cup O' Noodles soup. I'm ready!

Dear Big Joe, Thanks for the warning on Vernazza jellyfish! I think this really is Manarola, though; here's another photo: http://travel-and-photography.blogspot.com/2008/05/beautiful-manarola-at-night-cinque.html

Here are photos of both Vernazza and Manarola, for comparison:
http://mikeputnamphoto.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/italian-expedition/

Thanks for the poignant photos. Very sad. Last month National Geographic ran a story about Afghan women and how some of them are trying to improve their lives. Photos by Lynsey Addario: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/12/afghan-women/addario-photography

One of my daughters is a level 82 Blood Elf Hunter in the I Hate This Guild, with 70 mounts and 83 vanity pets, and she LOVED this post. I'm glad I was able to send her a link to something she thought was "freakin' brilliant." Thanks, John!

At least wombats don't look like this anymore:
http://io9.com/5641469/where-once-the-giant-wombat-roamed-only-footprints-remain/gallery/

Thanks Jill for this comprehensive post. I don't like the rides either and now you've given me a good reason to avoid them. Thanks for the fried foods report too - you spared me some bellyaches.

Garrison Keillor wrote a fun story for National Geographic last summer about state fairs:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/07/state-fairs/keillor-text

The state fair photos are pretty cool too:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/07/state-fairs/sartore-photography

Photos are by Joel Sartore, who did the RARE book featured in Neatorama's Spotlight recently:
http://www.neatorama.com/spotlight/2010/05/17/rare-portraits-of-americas-endangered-species-by-joel-sartore/

w00t!

A tower for pizza!

For a few more take-charge animal dads, here's a photo gallery from National Geographic:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/photos/animal-fathers-gallery/#mountain-gorilla_636_600x450.jpg

This must be where the Trash People live:
http://www.neatorama.com/2008/06/05/ha-schults-trash-people-and-other-art-from-trash/

Sweet!!

That's one beautiful newborn. Congratulations!

I'm glad you posted this-- it got only 2 votes when I submitted it to the Upcoming Queue last week!:
http://www.neatorama.com/upcoming/post/Time-Lapse-Shuttle-Prep