The Webb girls -- Demi, Dreux, and Dylan -- need their morning bottles. The WEBBlets scramble for their seats to receive breakfast as parents Terry and Kelli deliver. Service at this restaurant is prompt, but you have to know the protocols.
-via Bohemian Dorksody
In 1967, Paul Grisham, a meteorologist in the US Navy, was unwillingly sent to Antarctica for a 13-month tour of duty. He found life at McMurdo Station to be tedious. Losing his wallet there was a notable event, although now, at the age of 91 and living in southern California, he can't remember doing so.
When a building at McMurdo Station was torn down, Grisham's wallet was found behind a locker. The San Diego Union-Tribune describes its contents:
Inside the recovered wallet was Grisham’s Navy ID, his driver’s license, a tax withholding statement, a recipe for homemade Kahlua and several items other so-called “ice rats” who worked at the station might recognize. There was a beer ration punch card, receipts for money orders sent to his wife for his poker winnings at the station, and a pocket reference card with instructions for what to do in the event of an atomic, biological or chemical weapons attack. There was never any cash, as there was nothing to buy at the station.
A team affiliated with Indiana Spirit of '45, an organization that honors and helps veterans, came across the wallet and tracked down Grisham. He was delighted to receive it:
“I was just blown away,” said Grisham, who lives in San Carlos with his wife of 18 years, Carole Salazar. “There was a long series of people involved who tracked me down and ran me to ground.
-via Debby Witt | Photo: Nelvin C. Cepeda/San Diego Union-Tribune
I want to run down this pic.twitter.com/gwC0r4bPnE
— Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) February 6, 2021
This looks like an amazing experience! Run over the wavy bridge until it's time to leap into the sea.
Many replies to the tweet point out annoyances like shattered noses and ankles. Well, YOLO. You can't make an omelet without breaking a few fibulas.
-via Super Punch
Shall we take a trip to Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauo tamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronuku pokaiwhenuakitanatahu? That's a hill on the North Island of New Zealand named after a Moari hero. There are various spellings, the shortest of which is 85 characters and the longest is 105 characters. Atlas Obscura reports that the name translates as follows:
the hill of the nose-flute playing by Tamatea - who was blown hither from afar, had a slit penis, grazed his knees climbing mountains, fell on the earth, and encircled the land - to his beloved
Ouch! That sounds painful.
I hate it when I skin my knees.
Photo: Archives of New Zealand
A razor has a blade and thus can be turned into a weapon. So how do you make a razor that can't be turned into a shank? You make it bright orange so that it's very visible and build in 8 fragile points which break apart if you apply pressure. It can't be opened, so there's no way to hide contraband inside.
Rain Noe of Core77 perused the online store of Bob Barker, a company that sells products made specifically for prison and jail environments. There are many adaptations that you might never think of, such as soft silicone chess pieces (so they can't be used as weapons), transparent toothpaste tubes, and transparent wind-up radios.
Cheryl Lee Myers, an artist in Cape Coral, Florida, makes a variety of uniquely surreal sculptures. I'm especially taken with her dioramas set inside split coconuts. What does this mysterious apothecary offer you from his laboratory?
-via So Super Awesome
Kitty wants to join you at work, but your office furniture isn't always designed with cats' needs in mind. That's where designer Dan Devine comes in. His Ascend Desk makes it easy for cats to climb up to your level and lounge around.
To make the desk more comfortable, you can add carpeting. And there's even a built-in cat bed! The only feature that is missing is a litter pan.
-via Toxel
Just in case the purpose of helicopter skids is unclear, this HH-60G Pave Hawk in the US Air National Guard has footprints painted on its feet. This chopper is engaged in search and rescue training. Let us hope that the feet make it more visible to people in need of rescue.
-via Super Punch | Photo: Senior Airman Kelly Willett
Redditor Ranzant7 made these amazing dumplings that look like they're ready to swim happily in your stomach. Another redditor correctly comments:
I made standard round dumplings for the first time on Thursday and I realized dumpling making is an art and I am no artist. You my friend are an artist.
Indeed. Getting a dumpling correctly shaped even before steaming is tricky work that requires a lot of practice.
It's cold and snowy in Washington, D.C., with all of the advantages and disadvantages such weather brings. If you have to go out of your home, it's a nuisance. But these pandas at the National Zoo are telecommuting, so it's nothing but good times for them. The Smithsonian reports that Mei Xiang and Tian Tian spent time joyfully playing in the snow that fell inside their habitat.
-via Laughing Squid
Nike has developed the GO FlyEase, a new shoe that permits someone to put them on without using hands. The premise of this novel design is the hinge in front of the ankle that snaps in and out of place with a flexible strap that wraps around the outside of the shoe.
The design team originally focused on the needs of people with physical limitations, but realized that many people could enjoy shoes that don't require handling.
-via Gizmodo | Image: Nike
Sienna is 18 years old. That's very elderly for a dog. She's blind, but still eager to move around. How did owner Chad Lalande prevent Sienna from bumping her head into things? He designed and 3D printed this hoop.
Yes, there are headhoops for blind dogs on the market. But they're far too big for the little Pomeranian and Sienna is intolerant of anything that mounts on her head. So Lalande designed one that fits Sienna's little size and rests on a harness. Gizmodo reports:
In his design, your pet’s head goes through the center hoop, which is surrounded by a larger hoop held in place by an arm that goes over the top. The rest of the device fits over the back of your pet and has three slots to slide harness straps through to attach it.
Sienna mostly approves, too:
The finished product successfully protects her from bumping into things while still allowing her to prance about as she pleases. The only downside is that it works a little too well—she can’t get to her food or water bowl with the safety hoop on, so it needs to be periodically taken off throughout the day, Lalande said. Oh, and the jury is still out as far as Sienna herself is concerned.
“Sienna is still getting used to wearing it, but she complains less about it now,” Lalande said. “She’s 18 years old so she may not be around much longer, but if I can make her more comfortable in the time she has, all the better.”
Photos: Chad Lalande
Korakuen is a chain of ramen restaurants in Japan. Last year, the company offered customers bowls of chocolatey ramen noodles for Valentine's Day. It plans to do so again this year. In addition to traditional chocolate, it will also offer a white chocolate ramen, both of which are from the famous Lotte candy company. Sora News 24 reports that each bowl will cost about $6.20 and broth refills will cost about $0.96.
Photo: PR Times
Tim Storms holds Guinness World Records for the lowest vocal note by a man and the greatest vocal range of a man. That's 10 octaves from G -7 to G/G#5!
His singing voice is unearthly beautiful. In this recording, he sings the Gospel classic "I've Got to Walk that Lonesome Road" by J.D. Summer.
This interview about Storms's work demonstrates how that low singing voice plays into conversation. Storms also does voiceover work, in which he offers renditions of Tony the Tiger, Tigger, Winnie the Pooh, and Darth Vader.
-via Twisted Sifter
Johann David Steingruber (1702-1787) was an architect in what is now Germany. In 1773, he published this alphabet book which used letters as outlines for building shapes. Although some letters, such as T, turn into buildings very easily, others, such as P, R, and Z, look delightfully eccentric.
A more fanciful architectural alphabet from 1753 can be found here. Perhaps the two approaches could be combined into single buildings.
-via Kottke
