Me

"Is there anything more embarrassing than only realizing there's a slight wrinkle in your tie once you get to work? What will your co-workers think, that you actually wear your clothing? Oh, the horror. Thankfully, you can avoid that nightmare with this compact pocket-sized iron that eradicates wrinkles like a hair straightener." - Me from Bookmarklet

The bane of owning linen anything. I want this! - Janet:#TeamMonique from FFHound!

"sciencehabit writes "If you are one of the 20% of healthy adults who struggle with basic arithmetic, simple tasks like splitting the dinner bill can be excruciating. Now, a new study suggests that a gentle, painless electrical current applied to the brain can boost math performance for up to 6 months. Researchers don't fully understand how it works, however, and there could be side effects." We've covered various other potential benefits to having your brain shocked." - Me from Bookmarklet

"When we last saw master bladesmith Tony Swatton, he made a fully functional axe modeled after Gimli's from The Lord of the Rings. Most recently, he created a battle-ready version of the bat'leth, a sword from Star Trek. Qapla'! His tempered steel sword is ready to sever Jem'Hadar heads. At the link, you can watch a video of Mr. Swatton making the sword. Be sure to watch until the end, which shows his assistants attacking targets with the bat'leth." - Me from Bookmarklet

"Face it, some days you feel like a kind and gentle Dorothy and some days you feel like the mean wicked witch. Now you can have an accessory that quietly expresses the darker side of your split personality with the Don't Make Me Release the Flying Monkeys Bangle from the NeatoShop. This beautiful bracelet is hand carved, inked, and polished. It is inscribed with the text "Don't make me release the flying monkeys." The bangle comes with a handsome embroidered gift pouch. Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more great Jewelry and fantastic Wizard Of Oz items." - Me from Bookmarklet

"This seems a bit counter-intuitive, but a new study has shown that marijuana protects people from the emotional pain of being socially excluded. Previous studies have shown that over-the-counter medications like Tylenol (acetaminophen) reduce both physical and social pain. Because Tylenol affects cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptors in the brain, a research team led by Timothy Deckman conducted a four-part study to find out if marijuana does the same." - Me from Bookmarklet

"The diet can wait until...well, let's not kid ourselves. Sarah J. Gim used already made glazed donuts and slow churn ice cream to make the sandwiches. She froze them, then dipped them in melted chocolate and served them to undoubtedly thankful people. You can find process photos and her recipe at the link." - Me from Bookmarklet

"Kristen sez, "The DoomBuggies website has released a version of the Haunted Mansion Corridor of Doors wallpaper in fabric, wallpaper and gift wrap, and according to the DoomBuggies facebook page, it's the same graphic that has been used by Disney. 'This is created from the same artwork that we created for Disney's official Haunted Mansion 40th Anniversary CD box set and CD insert,' according to Jeff Baham, the owner of DoomBuggies.com."" - Me from Bookmarklet

"Is Yahoo trying to acquire Tumblr? Earlier today, All Things D reported that the two companies were in "serious" talks about some kind of deal, and now Adweek is saying that Yahoo is looking to do a straight-up acquisition. The deal could reach as high as $1 billion, say Adweek’s sources, putting it in the same league as Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram last year. Yahoo has been working to capture younger users — the same 18- to 24-year-olds that make up Tumblr’s core user base. Yahoo CFO Ken Goldman recently noted that one of the company’s challenges has been its aging demographic, writes All Things D. Since taking control of Yahoo, CEO Marissa Mayer has pursued a string of acquisitions, including Summly, Astrid, Jybe, and others. In addition to the failed Dailymotion acquisition, the company has also been rumored to be looking at Hulu, although Mayer has previously said that the company is shopping for smaller targets valued in the $100 million range." - Me from Bookmarklet

NOOOOOOOOOOO... Oh, wait. John said that already. KHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNN!!! - Steven Perez from Android

"The revocation means that CCI’s articles of organization are void, most likely because the company forgot to file the proper paperwork or pay its fees. “If entity’s status is revoked then articles of incorporation / organization shall be void and all powers conferred upon such entity are declared inoperative, and, in the case of a foreign entity, the certificate of foreign registration shall be revoked and all powers conferred hereunder shall be inoperative,” the DCRA explains. Unfortunately for the CCI, the DCRA doesn’t have a strike based system and the company is now facing civil penalties and fines. It appears that company status was revoked last year which means that other businesses now have the option to take over the name. That would be quite an embarrassment, to say the least, and also presents an opportunity to scammers. “When a Washington DC corporation is revoked by the DCRA, its name is reserved and protected until December 31st of the year the corporation is revoked. After December 31st, other business entities may use the corporations name,” the DCRA explains on its website." - Me from Bookmarklet

"Many were disappointed by Google’s decision to forgo hardware announcements—there was a developer Galaxy S4—at its I/O conference this week. But that doesn’t mean something significant isn’t coming. According to a new DigiTimes report, the search giant is aiming for a July release for its Nexus 7 refresh, corroborating a report from last month. Rumors as recently as last week suggested the device would arrive with a faster processor, and earlier reports claimed the device would come with a sharper screen. DigiTimes doesn’t share any details regarding specs, or price, but the publication’s report gives us an idea of when to expect the tablet to hit. Not that the current Nexus 7 is bad. But a refresh, especially with the impending iPad mini 2 inbound, would certainly be nice. Further outing the imminent arrival of a Nexus 7 successor is a quick—maybe accidental—glimpse in Google’s own Hangouts video. In the video, the camera very quickly shows what appears to be a Nexus 7, only it has... more... - Me from Bookmarklet

The one thing I was looking forward to yesterday, was the next Nexus 7 update. :( Well at least it is sooner than the apple hardware updates. - Me

"The problem with driving the same route, day after day, is that it becomes easy for commuters to stop paying attention. They know the route so well that they subconsciously tune out, ignoring signage both static and electronic, even when the latter is flashing danger warnings in big, orange letters. Needless to say this can have deadly consequences, and the authorities in charge of Australia's Sydney Harbor Tunnel decided to do something about it after the following incident: "We had a fire in the tunnel," explains Harbor Tunnel GM Bob Allen, "motorists ignored the warning lights and signs and continued driving towards the fire. These drivers exposed themselves to smoke and toxic fumes from the fire and then to compound the situation they turned around (in a one way tunnel) and drove back out of the tunnel against incoming traffic." Through a government-led R&D program, Tunnel administrators were able to contact Laservision, a creative technology firm that designs architectural... more... - Me from Bookmarklet

Love the simplicity of this idea. - Me

Still... Water from the roof in a tunnel under a harbour makes me jumpy :) - Johnny from iPhone

"Dear Myles - I am sorry it took me so very long to respond to your letter. I really like your idea. If we had guns that shot chocolate, not only would our country be safer, it would be happier. People love chocolate. You are a good boy, Joe Biden" - Me from Bookmarklet

"Proving once and for all that there is no Kickstarter project so silly that people won't throw money at it, funny New Yorker Kurt Braunohler was able to successfully raise nearly $7,000 for his campaign to write funny words in the sky." - Me from Bookmarklet

"While no where near as physically exhausting as the Canoe boat races, the ‘it’s a small world’ rubber duck race has gained its own cast member allure in the 5 years its been running. Cast members sponsor and decorate their ducks and then race them for a good cause. The event takes place early in the morning while the park is still closed to guests. The 2013 edition raised more than $1800 for Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire. The winning ‘duck design’ is a very impressive take on Maleficent dragon." - Me from Bookmarklet

"Back in October, Alexis wrote a piece asking what rights do we have with regard to the air above our property. Walk onto someone's lawn and you're trespassing; fly over it in a helicopter and you're in the clear -- "the air is a public highway," the Supreme Court declared in 1946. But what about the in-between space? Does the availability of unmanned aerial vehicles (aka drones, aka UAVs) throw a wrench in the old legal understandings? Well, here's where the rubber meets the road for this abstract line of questioning. The Capitol Hill Seattle Blog is reporting a complaint it received from a resident in the Miller Park neighborhood." - Me from Bookmarklet

Janet, they might be right, but the privacy laws are so all over the place. I know that here, at least, up until a few years ago, taking upskirt video in public was considered marginally legal. It isn't anymore, but it took a criminal case to bring that to light. - Jennifer Dittrich

"Men’s brawn may be an indicator of their attitudes on economic redistribution, a new study finds. Research published Wednesday in Psychological Science finds that men with strong upper-bodies tend to be more opposed to economic redistribution than their weak armed counter parts." - Me from Bookmarklet

"A deadly new strain of Coronavirus, a SARS-like respiratory virus, has now spread to France, where it has infected at least two people. But it gets even more exciting. After the French health ministry's confirmation of the second infection, the World Health Organization announced that it's likely that the virus can be passed person-to-person." - Me from Bookmarklet

Oh crap! I assume airborne precautions as in fly with facial masks? - Janet:#TeamMonique from FFHound!

"It's the "Arrested Development" trailer you've been waiting for! Above, check out the first look at the upcoming fourth season, premiering on Netflix on Sunday, May 26. The "Arrested Development" trailer features more than one bird, awkward cousin romantic tension, illusions (not magic tricks), Buster (Tony Hale) enjoying juice and of course Lucille (Jessica Walter) yelling. All 15 episodes of the revived series will be available to stream at once. In addition to Hale and Walter, "Arrested Development" Season 4 features the rest of the main cast -- Jason Bateman, Alia Shawkat, Will Arnett, Portia de Rossi, David Cross, Michael Cera and Jeffrey Tambor -- as well as many returning guest stars, including Mae Whitman, Judy Greer, Liza Minnelli and Carl Weathers." - Me from Bookmarklet

AKA the countdown until I finally sign up for Netflix. - Andrew C (✓)

"Last December, astronaut Chris Hadfield recorded the first song in space aboard the International Space Station, and he's back today with the first music video from space: a cover of David Bowie's "Space Oddity." Hadfield is set to return home to Earth in a Soyuz craft on the morning of May 14th, after a prolific mission in space filled with science, singing, and sharing on Twitter. The video features Hadfield moving throughout the ISS with his guitar, with some impressive vocals to boot — between the setting and the sound, it's a performance that does Bowie justice." - Me from Bookmarklet

but it's cold up in space, Bowie. - Hieronymous Boob

WOW! - Me

"Mr. Meyers, the longtime head writer on “Saturday Night Live” and host of its “Weekend Update” segment, will succeed Jimmy Fallon, who is moving up one hour to take over NBC’s “Tonight Show.” NBC made the appointment, which had been widely expected, one day before Mr. Meyers was to be introduced to advertisers at NBC’s presentation of its new programming lineup at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan. The assignment will keep Mr. Meyers under the production leadership of Lorne Michaels, who will continue to serve as executive producer of “Late Night” as well as serving in the same position on Mr. Fallon’s “Tonight Show” as it moves to New York. (And of course, he will remain in charge of “SNL.”)" - Me from Bookmarklet

Wow, Meyers isn't gonna move to LA. "The "Late Night" show will remain in New York even with "Tonight" moving back to the city. With "SNL," all three shows will be housed in studios in NBC's headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. That will keep them all close to Mr. Michaels, who will now be in charge of all of NBC's important late-night franchises. " - Andrew C (✓)

"Oakland is a world-class city with world-class terrible crime and a forever scandalized police force that often does more harm than good. Meet new OPD Chief Anthony Toribio and then say good-bye, because he's out after two days on the job." - Me from Bookmarklet

"Twitter, even more than many other social media tools, can feel disconnected from the real world. But a group of students and professors at research site Floating Sheep have built a comprehensive map of some of Twitter's most distasteful content: the racist, homophobic, or ableist slurs that can proliferate online. Called Geography of Hate, the interactive map charts ten relatively common slurs across the continental US, either by general category or individually. Looking at the whole country, you'll often see a mass of red or what the map's creators call a "blue smog of hate." Zooming in, however, patches appear over individual regions or cities; some may be predictable, while others are not. The map builds on an earlier Floating Sheep project that showed where President Obama was referenced with racial slurs, but it's far more comprehensive and well-constructed. Unlike many other studies, for example, the tweets weren't collected and analyzed algorithmically — a method that could... more... - Me from Bookmarklet

I thought the Inland Empire, PNW and the Bay Area would be a lot more red than it is. Everything else is very predictable. The racist label drill down really proves that racism against black people is the norm and acceptable. - Anika

Looks like a thermal heat map of a dog to me. - Eric - seven eleven from iPhone

"It's like art imitating Fight Club. Miami-based artist Orestes de la Paz not only put his heart and soul into his latest artistic endeavor, but also his fat. Literally: Orestes de la Paz underwent a liposuction procedure in December of last year, and decided to turn the removed fat into soap to prevent it from going rancid. He came up with the idea for his art thesis after realizing that “clients are willing to try anything to feel and look beautiful, even to the extent of buying products with human elements in them (stem cells, placenta, semen; you name it, it’s out there.)” [...] Apart from coconut oil, organic vegetable shortening, lavender and tree tea oils, as well as other cosmetics ingredients, his unique soap bars are 25% human fat, which apparently leaves the user’s hands soft after washing. “There’s always a certain amount of blood, sweat, and tears that goes into any artwork. I just make it more explicit,” the artist said about his bizarre project." - Me from Bookmarklet

"Adventure Time's flashback on Ice King and Marceline to their Simon and Marcy days was one of our favorite reveals of the series, and this cosplay by Twinzik Cosplay perfectly captures the bittersweetness of their backstory. The top photo was taken by Chou-wa Photography and Cosplay and the one below by Mineralblu Photography. Oh, and Marcy's stuffed toy Hambo is available from Scope's Item Shop—just don't let him near any thieving exes. See more cosplay photos, including grown-up Marceline cosplay, at Twinzik Cosplay." - Me from Bookmarklet

"We first heard from the makers of one of the world’s first marijuana vending machines, Medbox, back in January. Back then we could only imagine what such a thing could look like, how it would work or what exactly, it would hold. And now due to the ever-churning news cycle, we’re getting a glimpse of what could be the future in states like Colorado and Washington. The result? Kind of like a DVD dispenser from say, Redbox, but it’s black, refrigerated, and armored, notes Businessweek. The company’s founder (who told possible investors that his company is “planning to literally dominate the industry”) doesn’t like the term vending machine, however. It’s not like you’ll be able to stick cash in, press A1 and leave with an ounce of marijuana." - Me from Bookmarklet