British chainsaw tree sculptor Tommy Craggs has gotten a lot of attention lately for enchanting sculptures that he has left in a publicly-accessible forest in northern England. Because his identity was a mystery until recently, locals called him the "Yorkshire Banksy".

Link | Artist's Website

Ben Mayer's R2-D2 birdhouse comes with just a LED in its optical unit, but there's a vast number of other aftermarket accessories available for R2 units. And if you'd like to match him with a protocol droid birdhouse, you can find one at the link.

Link -via Technabob

In the first few weeks after the formal entry of the United States into World War II, many Americans on the west coast feared Japanese air and sea attacks, or even an amphibious invasion. On February 23, 1942, a Japanese submarine briefly surfaced off Ellwood, California and shelled an oil refinery there. Two days later, radar spotted an unidentified flying object approaching Los Angeles:

The varying reports of the morning’s events represent the mass confusion and paranoia of the time. Some reported there were just a few planes, while others claimed to have seen several dozen aircraft. There were even reports that planes were shot down, when in reality, nothing was hit by the AA guns—except three civilians killed and a few buildings damaged by friendly fire. Guns fired at the flying object for more than an hour between 3:15 and 4:15 a.m. on 25 February 1942.

To this day it is still uncertain what the flying object actually was, giving rise to many conspiracy theories of aliens, UFOs, and a subsequent government cover-up; but the most likely scenario is that the object was simply a rogue weather balloon.

Link -via Ace of Spades HQ | Photo (unrelated) via the National Park Service

P.S. Neatorama contributor Eddie Deezen starred in 1941, a movie about this period of World War II.

This simple but clever cupcake made me giggle. Kelly's overturned cupcake crushed the Wicked Witch of the East, just as Dorothy's house did in The Wizard of Oz.

Link -via Super Punch | Baker's Website

David Cranmer is an eccentric maker of sculptures and musical instruments, such as the Furby Gurdy. By combining the musical abilities of the badger and the aesthetic appeal of a theremin, he has created the future of music. Watch a video of a performance at the link.

Link -via Geekosystem

You'll have to change the bulb every 6,000 miles, but Etsy seller ZAL Creation's lamp is worth the cost. He also makes lamps out of beer bottles, beer cans, and orange safety cones.

Link -via Gizmodo

Allegedl, police in Wuhan, China seized 681 gas stoves that were defective. Many of them were branded as iPhone products. It's possible that these were not authentic Apple accessories.

Link -via DVICE | Photo: News 163

Get your Irish on with this recipe by Jasmin of 1 Fine Cookie. The brown liquid is gelatinized Guinness and the foam head is made from Bailey's Irish Cream. She also offers a recipe if you prefer American-style lager or light ale.

Link -via Tasteologie

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Some people don't like the sound of bagpipes. This is because they are weird. Everything is improved with bagpipes, including "We Will Rock You" by Queen. Here is The Bad Piper, a professional punk rock bagpiper, performing that song at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Official Website -via Blame It on the Voices

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Her service costs $80, but the skills of a professional cat catcher -- probably the only one in New York City -- are worth it. Jordana Serebrenik has a talent for safely capturing household cats. She's good enough at it that people hire her to come into their homes and get their unwilling felines into pet carriers.

Link -via Oddity Central | Business Website

The suspect certainly is a criminal mastermind. According to police, he barged into a motel room, pulled a gun on the two men inside, then tried to rob them. But his victims fought back:

The men began to fight. During the scuffle, Mitchell dropped his gun and one of the victims pepper-sprayed him in the face.

Mitchell ran away. But moments later, he was back at the motel room and begged the two men to buy his gun back for $40, Merriman said.

Mitchell was pepper-sprayed in the face again and ran away.

Police later caught the suspect and arrested him.

Link -via Say Uncle | Photo (unrelated) by Flickr user Westside Shooter

The US fast food chain White Castle, known for its tiny square hamburgers, is now offering wine pairings at selected locations. Here's one customer's experience at a restaurant in Lafayette, Indiana:

At the counter, Ms. Merritt ordered three cheeseburgers and the full complement of wines: four, in seven-ounce bottles. The burgers cost $2.49, the wine $18. A staffer carried the wine to a booth, twisted open the screw-tops and set out clear-plastic glasses. Table service enhances the ambience (and is required by state law).

Ms. Merritt began with the Merlot, from Barefoot Cellars, and deemed it "good." Of the Chardonnay, she said, "The fruit's there instead of the butter." The Moscato was "fun." Then came the "sweet red," a blend. "It's red," said Ms. Merritt. "It's sweet."

The Merlot, she decided, paired best with the burgers. She ate two. Eyeing the leftovers, she said, "At some point that was a cow, I guess."

Link -via The Agitator | Photo: Flickr user Like_the_Grand_Canyon

Slovakia is cleverly and inexpensively rendering its border with Austria completely impregnable. How? It's naming a bridge at a border crossing after action movie hero Chuck Norris:

The actor's work has become a popular source of kitschy fun among Slovaks and a mainstay for local jokes about macho strength and invincibility. [...]

The voting will run until April. As of Thursday, 1,157 votes have backed Norris, 74% of the total, leaving the runner-up "Maria Theresa Bridge" far behind with 8%.

In the comments, describe the properties of the Chuck Norris bridge.

Link -via Marginal Revolution | Image: Cannon Television

Katya Malakhova of St. Petersburg, Russia made these fine wooden nesting dolls. As a follow-up, I suggest a series showing the different Robins, from Dick Grayson to Damian Wayne.

Link (warning: main site has nudes) -via Nag on the Lake

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This video, courtesy of the Library of Congress, shows scenes from a game between Princeton and Yale. Skip to 2:00 to see the action.

The halftime show is scandalous. A woman "accidentally" reveals her ankle.

-via Kottke