What Is It? game 315

Now it's time for our collaboration with the awesome What Is It? Blog! What is this thing? You don't have to know to win!

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you'd like. You might know the true answer, but we're going to select two winners who come up with the funniest, most outlandish guesses to win a T-shirt from the NeatoShop. However...

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?

Don't forget to check out the other mystery items at the What Is It? Blog. Good luck!

Update: this thing is a reaction propulsion pistol; it was tested in zero gravity aircraft flights as a means of individual maneuvering in free fall, photographed at National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. Did anyone come up with a stranger answer? Yes, many folks did! Richard Palmer said it was a “bidirectional flamethrower. Unfortunately the first tester was also the last tester.” And Jaguarfeather described its use thusly: “Put a Tater Tot in each end, open mouths, pull the trigger, and share a romantic, starchy meal with your girlfriend.” Both of those are good for a t-shirt from the NeatoShop! See the answers to all this week’s items at the What Is It? blog.


Comments (23)

Newest 5
Newest 5 Comments

It is proof Han shot first. Greedo's gun was supposed to be connected to a compressor. He should not have bought a weapon from Jawas.

"It also travels by balloon" in a XXL please.
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One CRUCIAL factor is not included in this $100 comparison by state -- personal income tax. BLS and the Tax Foundation have no way to calculate that in the formula, because the tax differs dramatically depending on what level of income you have.

For instance, while 7 states have zero income tax, uber-progressive (well progressive EXCEPT about Uber) California has a personal income tax that's, well, uber progressive -- varying from NEGATIVE (cash credits) to 13.3% -- by FAR the highest in the nation -- impossible to calculate in the formula.

Also ignored as impossible to calculate are fees, fines, and other state and local "non-purchase" levies by government. Fee-crazy California again "excels" in this area.

Hence the hypothetical $100 is AFTER-tax dollars. Other taxes included in a purchase (sales, excise, etc) ARE included in the comparison, but income tax is not. The REAL total difference between the states is often significantly higher as a result, but not included in this study.
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