(YouTube Link)

One of the great things about this hi-tech world we live in is the fact that most software applications have a multitude of other uses that have yet to be discovered, and even the programmers that created the software don't know the full extent of what their software can do.

Case in point-this mod of SwapNote, a Nintendo 3DS chatting program that was modded by game design student Ben Gray and turned into a fully customizable text based roleplaying game.

Ben's hacked version is so cool that each session can be custom created, and Ben even created a Dungeon Master template, to help with encounters and map creation. Dungeons and Dragons for the portable gaming crowd, now that's an innovation I can get behind!

--via Destructoid

It's hard to make heads or tails of these photos, because photographer Philippe Ramette has manipulated them to create an uneasy sense of gravity defiance.

They provoke a feeling of vertigo in some viewers, and your mind will race to separate the elements of the photo and make sense of which way is up.

I really enjoy the clever way in which the people are worked into each scene, and how they often seem to be hanging out on the edge of nowhere.

Link --via DesignTAXI

(YouTube Link)

When the proud father of 8 year old twins Eloy and Oraibi wanted a new tattoo, he didn't get all liquored up and head to a parlor down by the docks. Instead, he let his kids take a crack at inking up their old man, and from the looks of it they had a blast!

Isaiah Toothtaker has been a professional tattoo artist for around 10 years, and he's apparently decided to pass the tradition on to his little ones.

The results, as expected, are a bit shaky and very painful. I just hope his kids don't take to covering themselves up with ink at such an early age.

(NSFW for one moment, when Isaiah curses due to the pain).

--via AnimalNY

The folks over at ComicsAlliance have come up with a fun way to celebrate the coming of 2012-superhero inspired cocktails! So, if you're looking for ways to spice up your New Years party, check out these delicious sounding recipes and decide who's side you're on.

Note: these cocktails will not give the drinker super powers, nor will they make you invulnerable in any way, so enjoy them in moderation and get home safely! Happy New Years Neatoramanauts!

Link

(YouTube Link)

Do not attempt to adjust your computer screens, Katy Perry did not recently become a huge World Of Warcraft nerd and convert her song E.T. into an homage to the rocky race known as the Draenei.

Rather, this video was created by YouTube user taintedlore to show some love to WoW and Katy Perry at the same time! MMO nerds-here's a new track to add to your gaming playlist!

--via The Mary Sue

Man, I used to love me some Buck Rogers In The 25th Century when I was a kid, and not just because I had a serious crush on co-star Erin Gray! The sci-fi was just far out enough to hold your attention without making you learn an encyclopaedic amount of factoids, and the fashion was dy-no-mite!

All kidding aside, as a kid growing up in the 80s Buck Rogers and Battlestar Galactica fed my geeky addiction to sci-fi like no other show could, and kept me firmly planted in front of the television, my mind racing at the possibilities presented in each episode.

Head to the link to find a bunch of sci-fi elements Buck Rogers predicted would become a part of mankind's future. They're hilarious and mostly outdated, although if any of them do come true the future will be a scary place indeed!

Link

In an effort to pull the old "I'm not up to no good! See, I can prove it!" routine, North Korea has released a FAQ page to answer all your questions about the dark and mysterious country, and alleviate any global concerns at the same time.

This fun, informative and easy to read page includes the following hits:

24. Is it true that all citizens of the DPRK work for the government?

Government and people are one. There is no distinction of them.

8. Can I travel to North Korea as a backpacker?

No. You must travel as a group only, even if you are the only participant you must be with Korean guides at all times.

...and many more hilarious answers to seemingly simple questions. Will it make you trust North Korea more?

Probably not, but you're guaranteed to enjoy the circular logic and evasive answers, all while cracking up at the very thought of a country like North Korea having a FAQ page!

Link

These images aren't of pop culture statues being erected to spruce up city street corners in Ecuador, they're giant effigies known as "años viejos", many of which feature fan fav characters, that are burned to celebrate the coming of the new year.

Ricardo Bohorquez has taken some amazing pics of the effigies being built, many with people in the frame to show their massive scale, and I only wish there was a part 2 to this article showing them all going up in flames!

Link --via ComicsAlliance

(YouTube Link)

Here's a moldy old slice of cheese for your entertainment, courtesy of the 1987 sci-fi kids TV show Captain Power. Watch as the Narrator explains humanity's predicament via reggae-styled rap, all while the heroes battle to keep humans from being turned into machines.

This video is the perfect example of why rapping should be left to the professionals, unless of course you need to quickly come up with a theme song in order to rally the troops against an android invasion.

TV sure has come a long way since the 80s, but have rappers learned from Captain Power's mistakes?

--via Comics Alliance

(YouTube Link)

This adorable 8-bit style animation comes to us fresh from some walls in Lecco, Italy, where pixel penguins stroll the day away, dodging the occasional Space Invader and *ahem* helping the flowers grow.

I really like how they freeze the animation at the end and pan across to show you the rest of the amazing graffiti art that adorns this city wall. Now that's what I call fresh!

--via WoosterCollective

The blokes in these pics aren't characters from a Guy Ritchie movie, they're real-life British gangsters, captured in intimate moments by Jocelyn Bain Hogg, presumably between heists.

These photos show us a rare, intimate glimpse into their lives-relaxing, cutting loose at a disco, or acting out physically like their usual, maniacal selves.

There's an energy in these photos, an edginess that makes you want to look away, but then you'd be missing out on a moment you might not have the chance to witness ever again.

Link --image credit: Jocelyn Bain Hogg, The Firm

It was recently discovered that if you use Google Earth to view the Salford Lads Club in the UK you will find an image of the Mozster hanging out in front of the club, just like in this iconic photo of the Smiths from their The Queen Is Dead LP.

Now that's what I call a dedicated Morrissey fan! I wonder who will have their image hacked into Google Earth next? My prediction- Elvis at Graceland.

Link

Scientists recently discovered that the shiny bits embedded in the shell of the Diamond Weevil is more than just stylish bling- they're actually small diamonds grown for protection. Here's what they discovered, and what they plan to do with this discovery:

A new high-tech investigation reveals the diamonds are just that: chitin in a diamond-type arrangement that's optimized to throw off brilliant greens, yellows and oranges. What most people call diamonds are made of carbon, but other materials can take on the same crystal structure, called diamond cubic.

“Materials scientists could look to these scales to inspire new materials, but we don’t yet know how they are made,” said biophysicist Bodo Wilts of the University of Groningen, co-author of a Dec. 21 study of the scales in Journal of the Royal Society Interface.

“We’ve got some catching up to do,” Wilts said. “The nature-produced tiny structures are far beyond any human designs.”

The scales are a type of three-dimensional crystal, called a photonic crystal, which is much like an opal. Each kind of photonic crystal reflects a specific wavelength of light at a specific orientation. Other crystals lacking a regular 3-D structure, meanwhile, aren’t as brilliant or iridescent.

It seems that no matter how high tech our society becomes, we can always learn a thing or two from the natural world.

--via Wired --image via Bodo Wilts/Journal of the Royal Society Interface

(YouTube Link)

Watch this programmed robot arm, complete with creepy pink hand, scratch away on some vinyl like a true turntablist. I don't know whether to feel amazed by the programming, or deflated by how easy this robotic arm makes the rhythmic scratching of records look.

Either way, it can't compare until the robot arm is switching records, using a crossfader, and syncing songs on the fly. Until then, the DJs of the world are safe from their robotic overlords. And don't all robots have a tin ear?

--via AnimalNY

(YouTube Link)

These geektastic electronic musicians play the kind of songs that make you want to click your left mouse button excessively while nerding out online.

They have a style all their own, part electronic, part hip hop, with some nerdcore rapping thrown in. Their songs would make the ultimate soundtrack for nearly every video game ever made, plus you can dance to it!.

Speaking of video games, this time around the trio plays their own version of the song Earthquake by Labrinth using an app game called Grabatron.

It's catchy, rugged enough to appeal to the hip hop heads that might get an earful, and I would have played their tracks non-stop in my walkman back in the day, as I worked at getting my initials on the high score pages of my fav arcade games. Geeks up, schmucks down!

--via GeeksAreSexy

Have you ever wished for a way to filter through all the crap on YouTube and find the music videos you're craving in a world devoid of music television? (MTV is clearly no longer about the music, thanks guys).

Well, the makers of Tubalr want to help, and their service will make cutting through the nonsense, and getting to those sweet music videos by your favorite bands, a snap. Here's a bit more about how it works:

Looking past the fact that Tubalr has a downright ridiculous name (is that supposed to be tubular? Tuba Lore? Two-baller? No idea), it’s quite great. You punch in an artist name, then pick either “only” (to play only that artist’s videos) or “similar” (to play videos from similar artists.) It queues up a big playlist, and you can go about your business as the tunes play on. Think Pandora’s concept, mashed up with Youtube’s music video archive.

I wonder if this will become popular enough to make stations like MTV reconsider their reality TV programming in favor of playing  music videos all the time like the good old days. Probably won't happen while there is still money to be made off the Jersey Shore phenomenon, but a guy can dream can't he?!

Link --via TechCrunch

The Interwebs are so full of goodies that every day is like Christmas day for those who are willing to dig around. One such gem is the Blade Runner sketchbook, chock full of production designs from the original movie by Syd Mead and Ridley Scott (among others), now in an embeddable format!

So, forget about shelling out hundreds of dollars to get your hands on a copy, follow the link to ComicsAlliance and check out this awesome book in its entirety for FREE! And, if you have a blog of your own, embed that sucker and pass it on. It's too good to keep to yourself.

Link

The inventions that make up this gallery are strange, unquestionably handmade, and many seem quite useful.

Like the one man paddle submarine pictured above, they look like clever and inventive ways to get around, and may not seem so strange when your town gets hit by a flood.

However, personal safety clearly wasn't a consideration when these inventions were built, and some of them look like they might explode right in your face!

Link

If you thought your Christmas tree was outlandish this year, take a gander at these wild and wacky trees, created by some of the world's top fashion designers.

There are trees designed by Gaultier (pictured above), Vuitton, Chanel, Trussardi and Christian Dior, among other fabulous fashion moguls.

They take conventional and turn it upside down, creating some of the most artistic and innovative designs for what is normally just another tree adorned with ornaments and lights. Check out the other 15 fab trees at the Flavorwire link below, before the trees get taken down for the new year.

Link

Want to tell people how you're really feeling about the coming of a new year? Then send out one of these hilarious Ecards from some ecards. They're guaranteed to make the recipient think twice about what is motivating them to act in an uncharacteristic manner due to the changing of the calendar year.

There are nearly 50 of these comical ecards for you to share and enjoy at the link below. Just don't expect drunk people to get it, so you'd better spring it on them when they're sober. Take that revelry!

Link --via Super Punch

Have you ever heard of a game called Takeshi's Challenge? Probably not, since this game from 1986 has only been available for the Famicon (Japan's NES), and all the in-game text is in Japanese, up until now.

Dedicated retro game enthusiast and ROM modder King Mike has finally cracked this bad boy wide open, translating the text to English and making the game available as a ROM for NES emulators.

Takeshi's Challenge is famous for featuring some of the most ridiculously hard challenges ever found in a video game, like a boss who is rumored to take over 20,000 hits to defeat, and is thought to be creator Takeshi Kitano's prank against gamers.

So, if you like your video games to be impossibly challenging, and you enjoy chucking game controllers against the wall in frustration, then Takeshi's Challenge is the game for you! Personally, I no longer have any controllers to spare, so I think I'll watch somebody else play this one.

Link --via Joystiq

(YouTube Link)

This trailer for the upcoming video game release Kiki Trick will have you wondering just WTF is going on. The game is from the makers of Wario Ware, which is full of crazy moments and utter nonsense, so the fact that this trailer is so off the wall is not surprising.

What is a surprise, however, is the fact that this trailer somehow represents actual gameplay footage! What in the world is this game going to make you do, cure a stomach ache by taking antacids, or telling a scary story while huddled around a candle?

The Kiki Trick team sure has stepped up the lunacy scale, and even Japanese gamers are scratching their heads on this one. Enjoy two minutes of madness, Japanese gamer style.

--via Joystiq

These incredibly detailed sculptures were made by UK artist David Mach, who uses thousands of matchsticks pressed into a clay mold to form the likeness of Chaplin, Marilyn and Ben Kingsley, among others.

Mach uses Japanese matchsticks because their heads come in all sorts of different colors, and color is definitely an important part of his works (note the crazy color combos of the Marilyn busts at the link).

Mach feels that a fun way to finish a show is to set one of these beauties ablaze and let it burn away, so he sets aside a few from every show to torch. Now that's what I call hot headed!

Link --via DesignTAXI

Oh, what joy to spend Christmas at the Addams Family house, hanging out braiding tinsel into Cousin Itt's hair,  and trying not to get blown up by Pugsley and Wednesday when they open their new presents. I wonder what the Addams Family does to carolers that appear on their doorstep?

Link

These vibrant, rainbow colored artworks are by Jen Stark, and they're made entirely of paper! Some of them look like a portal to another dimension, while others are like a rainbow colored coating for an otherwise drab world.

You can see works from her latest show here, and here's a link to a previous Neatorama post on Jen's awesome paper artworks. I feel a flashback coming on!

Link --via Super Punch

These sunglasses are sure to make you the talk of the town, but whether that talk is good or bad is a matter of opinion.

Inspired by the painting Illuminatus II by H.R. Giger, these sunglasses created by multimedia artist Doktor A make you look like you have a giant safety pin stuck through your nose, and would have been most stylish during the 80s.

Now, only the brave, or Lady Gaga, will attempt to match this unique accessory with their wardrobe. But if you consider yourself fashion forward, you can't get much more forward than wearing these bad boys!

(for the record, I couldn't find these sunglasses anywhere on Doktor A's site, but I've included the link to give the artist credit)

Link --via Super Punch

If you've ever wondered how the events that take place in all of the Legend of Zelda video games fit together in the history of Hyrule, you need to check out this official timeline.

Part of a new Zelda art book entitled Hyrule Historia, this timeline proves that there is a cohesive plot unfolding in the games, a plot which is following a set path, and which sometimes strays off into the multiverse zone, depending on the outcome of certain scenarios and whether Link is defeated or victorious in his battle against dark forces.

If you're interested, you can see more of this comprehensive timeline at the link below, as well as a 23 minute long video which shows the art book in all it's beautifully illustrated glory. It's good to know that someone can make sense of all that has happened to Link since his early days on the NES!

Link

(YouTube Link)

This epic musical geek creation is called the gAtari-a musical instrument which uses the extremely limited sound capabilities of the Atari 2600 to make the kind of music hardcore gamers will love, and parents will classify as noise.

I don't fully understand how the device works, but here the creator cTrix attempts to explain how, and why, he came up with it:

The “gAtari” was my excuse to do something a little silly after I discovered that the Atari 2600 was more limiting than I realized! (31 pitches, minimal waveforms and only 2 channels!) I needed an EQ which could take a high voltage and drop it down to line level (Boss bass EQ) plus a way to hold loops between tracks and parts (Boss delay). So rather than have it “DJ” style config, I thought I make something a little more creative.

I hope the gAtari sparks a new trend in club music, doesn't the sweet sounds coming out of this thing make you wanna get up and shake your rump?

--via GeeksAreSexy

(YouTube Link)

Most people born without arms would never dream of taking up archery, much less training to compete in the Paralympics, but then most people don't have the drive that Matt Stutzman has in abundance.

Matt has never let his physical impairment stop him from doing anything he's wanted to do, including playing guitar and learning to eat with his feet. He is an inspiration to us all, and should serve as a reminder that we can do anything we put our minds to, regardless of physical limitations.

Join me in wishing Matt luck as he gets ready for the 2012 Paralympic Games in London!

--via Super Punch

(YouTube Link)

Recently we brought you the first edition of the Feast of Fiction recipe series-a recipe for Sunshine Souffle from the video game Skyrim. That recipe looks delicious, and easy to make, but their newest recipe for Butterbeer looks utterly repulsive.

That's right, I said Butterbeer, but before all you Harry Potter fans get too excited, you need to know: this recipe contains neither beer nor butter, and it contains artificial butter flavoring, which makes any food (except movie theater popcorn, for some reason) gross and way too buttery.

Maybe this recipe is a dream come true for HP fanatics, but to me it sounds like a good idea gone terribly wrong. But what do you think: are you going to be trying out this recipe for yourself?

--via GeeksAreSexy