World’s Largest (pre-chewed) Gumball
We’ve talked before about world records you can break, and this one certainly qualifies, but would you really want to?
Enough nicotine to kill a horse.
This is Barry Chappell and his 175lb, 62 inch diameter ball of pre-chewed Nicorette gum. Barry’s been adding to it for six years, starting with a single piece he wasn’t able to throw away on a European flight. Barry’s ball has even been recognized by Ripley’s Believe It Or Not as the world’s largest medicated gumball.
Hopefully 175lbs of Nicorette was enough to get Barry to quit smoking, but he still has a nasty habit…
Via.
The Nose Hair Notification Service
Everybody knows that one person, be it a coworker, friend, or significant other (I hope not) that has a literal forest growing out of their nose. It used to be that the only way to inform someone of this grievous grooming oversight was to actually tell them yourself, and endure their resulting cold shoulder treatment for the rest of the day because you had to open your mouth in a crowded elevator.
You dick.
Thankfully, now there’s Chololi, a Japanese nose hair notification service that allows you to anonymously inform someone that it’s time for a trim.
It’s quite simple; you just head over to their website and fill out a simple form with the person’s name, email address, and a description of the offending nose hair. Chololi then sends Chewbacca a message in the tone of your choosing, from “mild” to “scornful”, yikes.
100mph Slot Cars
Think slot cars are just toys? Okay, well maybe you’re right, but enthusiasts in Finland take it pretty seriously, racing modified cars on giant tracks at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour.
For a similar experience, try watching a tennis match on fast-forward.
Via.
Pothole Gardens
Drive around just about any major city and you’re bound to get jostled by a few potholes. The city of London is no exception, and artist Steve Wheen decided to highlight this growing problem by turning bits of broken road into miniature gardens and nature scenes.
The project was originally started as part of his college coursework, but has since grown into a labor of love, injecting a little bit of beauty into the most unlikely places.
Link.
World’s Largest Nintendo Controller
Even if you haven’t played a video game in years there’s a good chance a lot of you have fond memories of playing Super Mario Brothers, Contra, or Tecmo Bowl (HUT! HUT! HUT!…) back in simpler times.
British engineering student Ben Allen took his love of nostalgia to a new level by creating a functional ten foot long NES controller that weighs a whopping 252lbs!
The controller was built for the Guinness World Records 2012 Gamers Edition and requires two people to operate. Up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-B-A-select-start doesn’t sound so simple now, does it?
Via.
Dalton Ghetti’s Pencil Art
Brazilian-born artist Dalton Ghetti has an amazingly intricate hobby; he “sharpens” ordinary pencils into incredibly detailed works of art.
Ghetti usually uses discarded pencils and carves them using a sewing needle or tiny blade. He works when he feels inspired and can spend months or even years working on a single piece.
All pictures property of Sloan Howard Photography. To see more of the artist’s work please visit his website.
Beer for Dogs
Most of us have known (or been) that person who feeds a little beer to their canine companion from time to time. However, carbonation and alcohol aren’t the best things to give to dogs, and hops can actually be toxic to them. So what to do when you want to treat your best friend to an after-walk cocktail? Perhaps Bowser Beer is the answer.
"Here's to you, Mr. Barks While I'm on the Phone Guy."
While it doesn’t contain alcohol or hops, Bowser Beer does have malt barley, glucosamine for joint health, and comes in beef and chicken flavor. It’s also safe for human consumption if that’s your thing or maybe as soup stock if you’re in a pinch…
That’s Mr. Zopittybop-Bop-Bop to You!
It’s well within your right to legally change your name to pretty much anything you please. However, if you decide to do so don’t be surprised when news of your arrest is featured pretty much everywhere.
It's a family name.
E.T. Comes Home
Nobody expects to see a body floating in the water when they visit the beach, especially if that body resembles a certain famous extraterrestrial.
Last Thursday in southern England the police and coast guard were alerted by a beachgoer of a floating body just off the coast. After a short search it was determined that the corpse wasn’t actually a human, but E.T. himself, or at least a very detailed replica of the movie star alien.
Sadly, ALF is still missing.
As it turns out, the replica had been stolen from nearby resident Margaret Wells’ home in September, and had originally been created by her daughter some nine years earlier. Thankfully, E.T. is the resilient type and is now back at home with Mrs. Wells instead of scaring the crap out of local swimmers.
Touch Screen World
Touch screens are pretty much everywhere now, and we’ve all gotten used to controlling our phones and tablets without a mouse or keyboard. But what if you didn’t even need to touch the screen? Bruno Zamborlin and Norbert Schnell are exploring that possibility with a contact microphone that transforms any rigid object into a touch interface. In this demonstration video, the microphone is connected to a computer that can recognize the vibrations caused by touching or scratching whatever object it’s connected to; it can then translate the vibrations into sounds.
Other than this being really cool, it might end up as less-expensive alternative to electronic interfaces for controlling some objects. Tree solo!
