Hello, everyone! Neatorama is having its much anticipated Mystery Sale. For just $9.95, you'll get ... well, I won't tell you: that's the whole point of the sale - it's a mystery!
What I can tell you is this: you'll get something worth at least $9.95. It will be a physical product. It will be new and fun. If you buy more than one, you'll get different items. You can even get it gift-wrapped (it'll be a fun thing to do for Christmas) and better yet, it's the easiest way to get all your Christmas shopping done!
As with the last Mystery Sale, you snooze you lose. It's for a limited time only (the last one lasted less than 24 hours), so get yours today: Link Time's Up! Didn't get yours? Remember that the Mystery Sale is never announced beforehand, so visit the blog every day!
The following is reprinted from Uncle John's Unsinkable Bathroom Reader Botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (Botox) - Lacy, D.B., Tepp, W., Cohen, A.C., DasGupta, B.R., Stevens, R.C. (1998) Crystal structure of botulinum neurotoxin type A and implications for toxicity. Nat.Struct.Biol. 5: 898-902 - via WikipediaYou have probably heard of Botox - but did you know that it is actually a toxin that's so deadly that one pound of it is enough to kill all humans on Earth? Did you know that botulism got its name from ... sausage poisoning? Here's a few facts about the toxin that has the power to kill you and to eliminate your wrinkles ... 1. Botulism is a rare and serious disease caused by the toxin botulin, which is produced by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. The Center for Disease Control says that about 145 cases are reported in the United States each year, although modern medicine makes deaths rare. 2. Symptoms of botulinum poisoning can begin between six hours and two weeks after eating. They include: double vision, blurred vision, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness that starts in the upper body, descends down the arms, down the torso, and then down the legs. Breathing muscles can become paralyzed, and death can occur if emergency medical treatment is not given. 3. C. botulinum occurs naturally in soils around the world. Its main activity is the consumption of dead organic material - and the toxin is its "poop." The bacteria and their waste can also contaminate plants, and from there, or from the soil itself, can contaminate birds, fish, and mammals. 4. Bacteria are single-celled organisms and some of the most primitive life forms on Earth. C. botulinum has probably been making animals and humans sick for as long as it has existed - and by doing so, it has helped shape their eating habits. 5. In times of stress (such as a very cold or very hot weather that cause food shortages), C. botulinum, like other bacteria species, can produce an endospore - a protective structure in which it can survive in a dormant state until conditions improve. How long can it stay in that state? Microbiologists have found dormant bacterial spores that were hundreds of millions of years old. These ancient spores were able to "wake up" and start eating again. 6. Botulism timeline:
In the 10th century, Emperor Leo VI of Byzantium bans the manufacture of blood sausage. Historians believe this, as well as many other food regulations passed throughout history, could have been due to botulism outbreaks. (Raw and undercooked meats are common botulism poisoning culprits.)
In 1735 the first authenticated case of the mysterious disease is recorded in southern Germany, again linked to contaminated sausage.
Between 1817 and 1822, German doctor Justinus Kerner publishes the first accurate description of botulism and calls the illness "sausage poison." This later led to its scientific name: botulus is Latin for "sausage."
In 1895 the cause of a botulism outbreak in the small Belgian village of Ellezelles is identified: a smoked ham eaten at a funeral dinner. Emile Pierre van Ermengem, professor of bacteriology at the University of Ghent, studies the victims and becomes the first person to isolate and identify C. botulinum bacterium.
In 1944 American Dr. Edward Schantz becomes the first to identify the toxin botulin. 7. There are three main types of botulism:
Foodborne botulism makes up about 15% of all cases and occurs when a person ingests food that has already-formed botulin toxin in it.
Infant botulism makes up approximately 65% of cases and occurs when spores are ingested by infants. The bacteria colonize the intestines, release the toxin, and poison the child.
Wound botulism makes up the remaining 20% and occurs when wounds are infected with the bacteria and secrete the toxin.
8. Why is honey sold with the warning label, "Do not feed to infants under one year of age"? Botulism. Bees naturally collect the spores when they gather nectar, and they mix the bacteria in with their honey. Most adults have strong enough immune system to handle it, but babies don't, making honey a common cause of infant botulism. 9. C. botulinum is anaerobic: Oxygen kills it. That's why, if the spores are already in the food, home-canned foods can be particularly dangerous. The canning process depletes oxygen, and if a high-enough temperature is not maintained for long enough during the cooking and canning process, the spores can survive, and they'll feed on the food until it's eaten ... by humans. 10. Those bacteria also prefer alkaline environments, so the most common canned-food culprits are low-acid foods such as asparagus, lima beans, green beans, corn, meats, fish, and poultry. 11. Ever seen "swollen" cans of food? Hopefully you threw them away. C. botulinum creates gases when it eats, and swollen cans are a sign that the food inside might be infected. (The FDA recommends double-plastic-bagging such cans before disposal.) 12. How toxic is it? A little over a pound of botulin is enough to kill every human on Earth. 13. You've probably heard of Botox. That's the brand name for the drug BTX-A. What's that stand for? "Botulin Toxin Type A." The popular cosmetic treatment is actually made form the bacterial toxin: It paralyzes the face muscles, making them flatten out and appear to be less wrinkled. (It's also used for medical purposes, including treating muscle spasms, clubfoot, and crossed eyes.)
The article above is reprinted with permission from Uncle John's Unsinkable Bathroom Reader. The Bathroom Readers' Institute has sailed the seas of science, history, pop culture, humor, and more to bring you Uncle John's Unsinkable Bathroom Reader. Our all-new 21st edition is overflowing with over 500 pages of material that is sure to keep you fully absorbed. Since 1988, the Bathroom Reader Institute has published a series of popular books containing irresistible bits of trivia and obscure yet fascinating facts. Check out their website here: Bathroom Reader Institute.
Ah, wedding - the holy matrimony where two souls are united as one till death, trial separation or divorce do 'em part.
Weddings are usually formal occasions where brides can often spend beaucoup bucks on the perfect wedding dress to make themselves beautiful and refined.
But not these women. No, sirree! They seem to belong to the if-you-got-'em-flaunt-'em school of thought.
Here's the 10 trashiest wedding dresses, as listed in Rue the Day blog: Link
Astronomy Picture of the Day has yet another fantastic photo - this one is of anticrepuscular rays over Colorado:
What's happening over the horizon? Although the scene may appear somehow supernatural, nothing more unusual is occurring than a setting Sun and some well placed clouds. Pictured above are anticrepuscular rays.
To understand them, start by picturing common crepuscular rays that are seen any time that sunlight pours though scattered clouds. Now although sunlight indeed travels along straight lines, the projections of these lines onto the spherical sky are great circles. Therefore, the crepuscular rays from a setting (or rising) sun will appear to re-converge on the other side of the sky.
At the anti-solar point 180 degrees around from the Sun, they are referred to as anticrepuscular rays. Pictured above is a particularly striking set of anticrepuscular rays photographed in 2001 from a moving car just outside of Boulder, Colorado, USA.
Link
FYI, here's a pic of crepuscular ray they're talking about above:
When Bodybuilding.com forum user imprsv Joshua Horton of Perth, Australia, heard the buzzings of bees under the cover of his BBQ grill, he decided to unleash his weapon of buzz destruction. Here's what happened next: LinkUpdated Link - via Fazed
Update 11/16/08 - Post updated with original story - Thanks Teri Solow!
Afghanistan Waterfall of Rocks
Danish soldiers stationed in Afghanistan filmed this crazy rockslide
where boulders the size of cars were tossed around like they were
nothing.
Venti Does NOT Mean Large
Or how to be a douchebag in Starbucks. But seriously, folks, am
I the only one who (when I do rarely visit the overpriced coffee
establishment) order a "large" coffee?
Kid vs. Mom
All right: first, watch the clip. Then tell me if this is a display
of poor parenting skills or a justifiable Hulk smash action by the
mom. Oh dear!
Cannot ... get ... comfortuhbuhls ...
Okay, let's end today's VideoSift picks with something funny (I
promise, no cats): a cute little dog can't get comfy enough in its
lil' bed.
W00t! It's time for the much anticipated Tokyoflash Treasure Hunt on Neatorama!
For those of you who don't know how to play (how could you!), here's what it's all about: it's an online treasure hunt where you can win a free Tokyoflash watch of your choosing, courtesy of our friends at Tokyoflash.
Here's how to play:
We'll give you 3 questions, for example:
1. What color is the "O" pebble in the Neatorama logo? 2. How many posts are on Neatorama’s homepage? (in numbers) 3. What’s the first insulting word in Neatorama’s article 10 Insulting Words You Should Know?
The answer (black, 30, frenchify) make a URL on Neatorama, like this: http://www.neatorama.com/black-30-frenchify (go ahead, copy and paste this URL in your browser's address bar).
Got that? Let's get on with the Tokyoflash Treasure Hunt #6 questions:
What is the name of the Tokyoflash watch pictured above? Go to Tokyoflash to find out.
Go to Neatorama's Online Shop and look for the I Love Science T-Shirt Category. On the shirt with the computer design on it (I Love CompSci), what is the color of the heart?
One of Tokyoflash's many wonderful watches has a set of 4 icons on top of the display. What is the second icon from the left? (Technically, there are two watches, but the answer is the same ...)
Visit Tokyoflash and Neatorama's Online Shop to find the answers, then string 'em together to make the URL (all words are lower case, separated by dash). Follow the direction you'll find there ...
Woohoo! You've got the answers right! Congratulations, this is the answer page for the Tokyoflash Treasure Hunt #6.
You're just one step away from winning the prize: one lucky commenter, chosen at random, will win a free watch of his or her choosing. You can choose from any available watches from Tokyoflash, except Independent and Seiko brands.
This contest is open to all registered users of the blog. Please login and use your Neatorama username (if you don't have one, please register). Please write your choice of watch (and color) in the comment section. One entry per person, please (duplicate entries will disqualify you on this and future games).
Thank you for playing and good luck! If you like the T-shirt, please buy one. Your purchase helps support the blog.
Update 11/24/08 - We have a winner! The winner was picked at random (using the algorithm of random.org) Congratulations to felo who won this round!
In our recent post about the Plier Store, Neatorama reader Pudifoot mentioned Spatula City, a famous skit from "Weird Al" Yankovic's UHF. Since I actually have a friend who sells spatulas (lots of it - he's a spatula salesman), I had to find the the clip:
This one's for you, Joe! Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] - Thanks Pudifoot!
Hooray! It's time for our weekly collaboration with the What is it? blog. Today's mystery object is shown to the left. Can you guess what it is for?
Place your guess in the comment section. No prize this week, so you're playing for bragging rights only.
For more clues and larger pic, check out the What is it? blog. Good luck!
Update 11/14/08 - the answer is:
A raising fork for telegraph poles, this lineman's tool was used to support one end of a pole during up-ending. Although it does resemble a Japanese Sasumata, which is used by firefighters and police, patent number 781,973 shows a similar fork that was invented in 1904. The bottom of this page has a photo of larger versions of this tool in use.
Arvo, the LEGO brothers/artists extraordinaire who made the awesome LEGO Iron Man we featured before on Neatorama also made this: the most realistic Alien ever built with LEGOs! http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=284681
Hello everyone! It's been a few months since our last "State
of the Blog" post here on Neatorama - so I figure I'd take a
few minutes to update you on the status of the blog.
Neatorama got a new look a few days ago - it's still the good ol' boring
gray theme (the focus, after all, should be on the posts), but we'd like
to think that it's a more, um ... sophisticated and cleaner boring gray.
There are minor tweaks here and there, and some of you may notice that
Neatorama loads a little bit faster (those of you still browsing with
IE, you'd be surprised how much faster Neatorama loads on Firefox).
We put in a new "We Recommend" section in the right-hand navigation
(under the Don't Miss these Neatomonkey; click to see the list)
- these are links to past articles that we think are pretty cool. I'll
keep these updated on a weekly basis or so, so please check it out.
If you have a hankering for mental_floss, Bathroom Reader and exclusive
Neatorama articles, please check out the Archives
- click on the year links to see all of the articles posted on Neatorama
(for example, this year
alone we have close to 150 articles so far).
We had the pleasure of being featured on Yahoo! front page back in August
(it was Stacy's Five
Hoaxes That Fooled the World). The valiant Neatorama servers fought
hard against the unleashed horde of Yahoo! visitors but they finally knuckled
under after 3 hours. In that short time, we got over 300,000 visitors
(that's about 280 visitors per second!). We thought we had good
servers but the experience led us to completely revamp the hardware (which
took a lot of our time and caused a few hiccups then). It's been a costly
adventure, but I think we're now much better positioned for growth and
traffic spikes.
We had our first Mystery
Sale on Neatorama's Online Store
in September and it was a blast!
We'll have one again soon (yes that's a hint) but it's not going to be
announced beforehand, so you have to visit Neatorama daily to find out
...
In October, I got an email from Mitch Wilson of Hungry
Hollow Art about how he discovered Neatorama one day and decided to
read the entire blog. That's nearly 16,400 posts (at the time - we're
now closer to 17,000 posts). When I posted
about his story, it turns out that a lot of you have done the Neatorama
pilgrimage! I'm impressed :)
And
lastly, a surprise to three of our top
commenters on Neatorama for October 2008 (see screenshot above) You
guys each got a free Apple iPod Shuffle as an early Christmas gift. It's our
way to say thank you for participating and making the blog better by commenting.
We've done this a couple
of times
before and we'll surely do it again, but we won't tell you when. Like
last time, you do have to be a registered user of the blog (Register
here - it's fast and easy)
Every time we did this, there was a brief spike in people commenting,
which then leveled off. Note that you wont' be rewarded for swamping the
blog with stupid comments (someone did try this in the past). And yes,
everyone has an equal chance of winning - the top commenter list is reset
on a monthly basis.
Thank you for reading Neatorama and please tell your friends about the
blog!
Yum yum yum! It's time for this week's Neatorama and Hobotopia's Caption Monkey game. But first, the story: that's an uninvited guest that joined Bonnie Marsh for dessert during her Hawaiian vacation. The gecko scampered down the restaurant wall, took a lick, and then ran off! The photograph was voted one of National Geographic Magazine's Top Shots of 2008.
Now on to the game: your task, should you choose to accept it, is to caption the photo. The funniest caption will win an original Laugh-Out-Loud Cat comic by Adam Koford. One caption per comment, please, but you can enter as many times as you like.
And don't forget to check out Adam's blog (and upcoming book). Good luck!
Update 11/12/08 - Adam has picked the winner! Congrats to ikillhobos who won with this caption:
"Yes Mr. Waiter, while I do admit this did technically solve the problem of the fly in my soup, I think we've moved on to an entirely different situation here. I'm gonna need to see the manager."
