One of the nice features of Google+ is that you can sort relationships into different categories that you can name anything you want. Happy Place had some fun with this idea and offered suggestions about how you can categorize your contacts. Link -via Swiss Miss

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Lara, a musician in Sydney, has made videos reproducing the theme music from popular video games and TV shows on a violin and a piano. She often dresses the part, as she did with this video, the Xena theme, and the Sailor Moon theme. YouTube Channel -via Geekologie

deviantART user Tommervik paints in a style somewhat similar to Pablo Picasso or Marcel Duchamp. The results are quite striking, particularly in his series of Star Wars-themed works. Skeletor, Batman, and Spock are also featured in his gallery. Star Wars Images and General Gallery -via The Mary Sue

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In general, everything is better with (1) violins and (2) Nyan Cat. So when the two are combined, as Blake Robinson has done, a special level of awesomeness is achieved. As far as I can tell, this music was created digitally, but surely it is only a matter of time before a major symphony orchestra plays Nyan Cat. -via Uniblog | Robinson's Website

If you really want to light up the sky, nothing will do it quite like a nuke. London-based designer Luca Veneri has the same approach for illuminating a single room. Link -via Technabob | Designer's Website | Photo: Yanko Design

Steven Zezulak developed an application that will create the impression that you've updated your Facebook status from a variety of different technologies, food products, or dubious anatomical locations. See if you can trip up your friends. Link and reddit Thread -via Geekosystem

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Two apples lie on the bed. Filius the Cat finds himself trapped in this nightmare, dramatically scored with music from Jerry Goldsmith and Elliot Goldenthal. -via The Breda Fallacy

If you can easily travel through time and space, why not use that ability to save on vacation expenses? Andrew Le made three travel posters that feature the TARDIS discreetly in the background. Link -via Super Punch

Previously by Andrew Le: Why Love Is Like Pi

Etsy seller Nathaniel Baker crochets hats for his pug, including ones that transform the dog into Shrek, a Purple People Eater, a Viking warrior, and a lop-eared bunny. Now your pooch can impress all the other dogs at the dogpark. Link -via Uniblog

On a brisk day on Hoth, you might enjoy an ice cream treat -- if the ice cream truck can make it to your Wampa cave. LEGO artist Louis K. has the right idea about what sort of transportation would be necessary. Link -via reddit

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This clever piece of video editing by Abandoned Rugs shows eight people playing "Paint it Black" by The Rolling Stones. Each player is on a different piano and is responsible for only one note. The shots flick back and forth between the different players as each note of the song is played. -via The Mary Sue

Even Hogwarts isn't immune from rising education costs. Centives, an economics blog hosted by Lehigh University, ran some calculations and figured out how much it costs for a student to attend:

The total cost for the first year at Hogwarts comes out to £26,816 or US$42,752 at today’s exchange rates. This of course is the bare minimum and doesn’t consider the cost of pets, Quidditch robes and other incidentals that every student invariably faces. Nor does this analysis account for the premium paid for magical items.

Link -via Marginal Revolution | Image credit unknown, via Diary of a Death Starlette

Get it? A steampunk pug. Robin Latkovich made this picture. He's considering turning it into a t-shirt design.

Question: are people born steampunk, or is it a lifestyle choice?

Link -via Uniblog

I will admit that I feel quite envious whenever I see the human brain in a jar of formaldehyde that Alex keeps on his desk here at the office. But this huge fluorite skull, weighing 145 pounds and measuring 16.9 inches across, may compensate for it. Even better: the advertising for the company (which seems to specialize in skull manufacturing) indicates that if I purchase one of their products, beautiful women will find me attractive. http://www.obviouswinner.com/obvwin/2011/7/14/giant-iridescent-titan-skull-made-from-rainbow-fluorite-crys.html -via Geekosystem | Company Website

At the worst moments, the hyperdrive on your YT-1300 can go out, so you'd better be ready. Haynes, the UK publisher of hundreds of shop manuals, now offers this 104-page color maintenance and repair guide. Link -via OhGizmo!