Oct 18 2009 You People Are So Skilled!: Geekologie Reader Makes Piranha Plant B-Day Cake
Young Geekologie Reader Chris helped design and build a Super Mario Piranha Plant birthday cake for his younger brother's 10th birthday. I call the head!
My mom, her name is Kathrine if you care to know, has always been big into making splendiferous cakes for me and my brother on our birthdays. This year for my brother's 10th, she went all out and learned how to use fondant and whatnot and we made him a Piranha Plant cake. I had to help out, as she had little knowledge of the reference material, and me, her and my grandmother put it together for him. He was so happy he didn't even notice his presents.
I've been a longtime reader, as has been my mother (she got me started reading) and it would be awesome to see you put this up, or even to just have you tell me what you think.
Did you just read that? It said Chris's mother got him started reading Geekologie. Is that not the most beautiful thing ever? It is. And if you even think about calling child services and costing me a reader I WILL MURDER YOU. Happy Sunday! Seriously, I will murder you.
Hit the jump for one more shot of the birthday boy and cake and a link to the Flickr gallery with some build shots.
Continue Reading " You People Are So Skilled!: Geekologie Reader Makes Piranha Plant B-Day Cake "
Aug 24 2009 Finally!: Heart And Star Shaped Cucumbers
In Japan's unending quest to grow edibles shaped like other things comes these heart and star shaped cucumbers.
These cucumbers represent the cumulative efforts of an agricultural coop determined to make food preparation a little bit more exciting. Comprised of nine women in Chiba, a suburb of Tokyo, this grass roots organization cleverly uses plastic molds affixed to the stem of the plant, with which they can create heart and star shapes when the cucumber is sliced cross-wise.
These romantic cucumbers are selling at fancy supermarkets in Tokyo and as specially ordered wedding gifts at ceremonies throughout Japan. They cost 300 yen each (about $2.50).
Nice try, growers, but Lucky Charms has been growing marshmallows in different shapes for years. Anybody ever picked through a whole box to make a bowl of nothing but marshmallows? Well I hope you washed your hands first.
Hit the jump for what the vegetables look like ON A SALAD.
Continue Reading " Finally!: Heart And Star Shaped Cucumbers "
Jun 15 2009 Blocky: Tetris Pots For Growing Grass
These are planters in the form of tetrads. They are equally suited for growing shit or use as cereal bowls. And, because I'm a complete slaya', I've even come up with another use: decoration. Did I just blow your mind? No? THEN WHOSE WAS THAT? Quick -- the lights!
Tetris Goes to Pot [kotaku]
Thanks to Julian, who grows his 'grass' in old milk jugs like a normal person.
May 31 2009 Sweet!: Plant Some Trees, Grow A Chair
The Growing Chair is a clear plastic frame in which you grow trees to form a seat shape so that, in your old age, you can sit around drinking moonshine and reminiscing on the days when you had to use power tools to make a chair (or were Amish). Personally, I love the idea BECAUSE I AM ONE WITH GAIA. And by one with Gaia I mean a nudist. Except I wear jean shorts.
Hit the jump for another picture.
May 2 2009 Weed Copter Spots The Pot, Alerts The Cops
The 'Canna Chopper' is an unmanned miniature helicopter fitted with "odor and video detection instruments" that locates your field of (pipe) dreams in the Netherlands and notifies authorities. Needless to say, it's the polar opposite of a ROFLCOPTER.
On its maiden voyage it managed to locate a cannabis farm and officers arrested seven growers and recovered several kilos of the outlawed weed. Now all it needs is a gun attached to its underside and it could make its own arrests.
Robot, kill it. And also, stay the hell away from my basement, nothing to see down there. Smell -- what smell? Well, can't say I didn't warn you. *pew pew*
Dutch 'Canna Chopper' sniffs out cannabis fields from the air [dvice]
Thanks to twellve and Mr. Fancy, who are both smart enough to know that drugs your screw up brain real bad.
May 1 2009 Sure, Why Not?: Growing Plants On The Moon
Paragon Space Development Corporation, a NASA subcontractor, has decided to take a stab at growing plants in a specially designed greenhouse on the moon. THE MOON! The attempt will take place in 2012, so we may or may not get to see if it works before the world ends.
In order to successfully grow a plant on the moon, Paragon has developed a very specialized greenhouse that can safely contain a plant and provide it with all elements it needs to survive. The greenhouse will need to protect the plant from the sun's intense rays while providing it with enough water, balanced soil, and carbon dioxide while removing its waste oxygen.
Paragon has chosen a species within Brassica (the mustard family), due to their quick growth and the abundance of knowledge about the plant. A typical Brassica needs 14 days of light in order to grow, flower and then set seed. A lunar day is 14 Earth days long, so if the landing is timed perfectly, it will allow just enough time for the plant to grow to maturity and possibly re-seed.
Nice, but you really think anyone cares about growing mustard on the moon? No, I'm convinced there's a much more diabolical motive behind this experiment. Namely, government space weed.
First Gardens on the Moon by 2012! [inhabitat]
Thanks to Chuck Nunchuck and toast king, who once got high on Mars and thought they saw an alien. It was a rock.
Jan 28 2009 It's Like Bathing In The Forest!: The Moss Mat
Moss is like nature's carpet that never has to be vacuumed. So why not bring a little of the outdoors in with a mossy bathmat?
Nguyen La Chanh's ingenious design is made from a decay-free foam called plastazote, and populated with three varieties of moss: ball, island, and forest. Maintenance required for this little patch of green is limited, as the moss thrives off of the humidity released from daily bathroom rituals.
I want one. I just question how much traffic the mat can stand. Granted, that wouldn't be a problem for me -- I only shower bi-weekly. It's called cologne, folks, and I'm saving the planet one less shower at a time.
Hit the jump for a couple more pictures.
Continue Reading " It's Like Bathing In The Forest!: The Moss Mat "
Oct 30 2008 Great, Now Even Our Plants Are Twittering
That's right folks, thanks to ThinkGeek's $100 DIY Plant Twitter Kit, now even your houseplants can Twitter their little photosynthesizing hearts out.
Once the kit is assembled, connect it to the Internet through the built-in ethernet jack, jam the leads into the plant's soil, and subscribe to the plant's twitter feed. It will tell you when it needs watering, or scold you if you've overwatered it, and report its status in between.
Finally, Twittering plants! Technology is amazing, isn't it? And in other Twitter news, Geekologie tipster Vanessa just informed me Britney Spears has signed up. So, yeah.
GeekologieWriter: @ the world. Well played. Goodbye you cruel bastard.
Thanks to Sarah and Vanessa, whose Twitter feeds I read religiously.
Jul 30 2008 Sure, Why Not: Trees As Artists
British artist Tim Knowles ties markers and brushes to tree limbs and makes the helpless botanical bastards create art.
In collaboration with the wind and local weather conditions, calligraphic gestures and automatic drawing readings are recorded on paper. The amazing thing about Knowles' Tree Drawings is the unmistakable signatures that each drawing reveals as an indication of the unique characteristics and even genus/species of a specific tree.
Interesting. Ooooh, nice work Mr. Pine, another, um, turd. While I find the actual art of questionable merit (my maple could do so much better), I do love the photos of the trees painting. Regardless of my personal feelings, I do hope this style of art sells. Tell me I didn't just staple a Sharpie to my penis for nothing.
Hit the jump for several more pictures.
Jul 8 2008 Garden Zombies Add An Undead Touch To Your Flowerbed, Hopefully Scare Solicitors
Tired of staring at the same damn group of garden gnomes in your flowerbed? Well how about (un)livening things up a bit with a Garden Zombie? Garden Zombies cost $90 and the 32"W x 20"D x 8"H sculptures look like they're climbing out of the ground and ready to gnaw on some headfruit.
Not for the faint of heart, the life-sized, gray-toned zombie will claw his way out of your garden plot or family room corner, pleading for assistance with the most lifelike eyes you've ever seen. His macabre expression is captured in such great detail in quality designer resin and finished so realistically that you'll swear you can hear him breathing!
Garden? Maybe. Inside the apartment? F*** no. The last thing I need to see while stumbling my way to a midnight snack is a zombie climbing out of the floor. I'd decimate my tighty-offwhities (if I was wearing any) and cry like a baby. Eventually I'd come to, grab one of my zombie-survival kits, and proceed to kill the poor sap that lives in the apartment below mine.
Jun 20 2008 Wow: Man Attempts Robbery With Palm Frond
Gelando Olivieri was a man with a plan. A plan of robbing V&F Discount Beverage on Voorhis Avenus in Deland, Florida with a palm frond sword and sandal shield. However the plan was foiled when a brave patron pushed Olivieri from the store with a little wooden stool. Gelando -- you're a freaking idiot. A palm frond? Really? Jesus, you could have at least used a rose bush.
Robber brandishes palm frond [cnn]
Thanks Isabel, I've never been less scared of a robber in my life
Apr 21 2008 Sweet: We Can Now Grow Plants In Moondust
I've been itching to live on the moon for as long as I can remember (~ last Wednesday). So boy was I excited when I learned that scientists have figured out how to grow plants in moondust. All it took was some special bacteria that helps transfer nutrients from the soil (if you can call it that) to the plants. As you can see from the picture, those flowers weeds are really thriving in the stuff. Well, except for pot 3, that one isn't doing so hot. Reminds me of the rose bush I planted for my wife in the cat's litterbox.
Scientists figure out how to grow plants in moondust [dvice]
Apr 2 2008 Problem Solved?: Tree Produces Diesel Fuel
The Brazilian tree Copaifera langsdorfii (aka the diesel tree or kerosene tree) produces a natural diesel fuel that requires very little filtering (one pass through a coffee filter) before it's ready for use. Just kidding about the coffee filter thing, I don't know what it takes. You stab the tree and presto, delicious, natural diesel. Unfortunately the fuel only has a shelf-life of 3 months. I was still excited at this point, until I started doing a little further research (being the intrepid reporter than I am) and found a source (wikipedia) that states "despite its vigorous production of oil the tree does not grow well outside of the tropics and does not show promise as a reliable source of biodiesel." So yeah, shit. But who knows, maybe with a little genetic modification we can have them walking around and talking like the Ents in Lord Of The Rings. Then we won't need cars, we'll just ride those leafy bastards.
Gasoline Grows On Trees [gizmodo]
Thanks to Bigjerm, who doesn't need gas to run because he's a solar powered sex machine, for the tip
Mar 31 2008 Treepees: Ground-Dwelling Tents Are Lame
Treepees are tents that hang from trees. They kind of remind me of the dangling blue-balls of survival we saw awhile ago. They come in green, brown, or pink and cost $600. You just hang it from a sturdy branch, stake the four corners (if you want), and you're good to go. I want one, because I hate the ground. It's just so...beneath me. All the time. I don't even like touching it. So the treepee is right up my alley. Besides, I've always wanted to know what it's like to be a bear's punching bag. Bring it you sissy-ass grizzly, you hit like a cub!
One more picture of a pink one after the jump.
Continue Reading " Treepees: Ground-Dwelling Tents Are Lame "
Mar 3 2008 Apartment Building With Hydroponic Gardens
There's a new apartment complex going up in Wuhan, China. Big deal you say? Well what if I told you that each apartment includes a 100-square-foot trellised hydroponic garden? Now I know what you're thinking -- "Yes, weed!" And you are correct. Indeed, all the weed you need. No but seriously, you're supposed to grow vegetables and stuff like that. Although that girl in the picture does look kind of high. And kind of like a ghost. So you can count me out. No number of hydroponic gardens is enough to get into a haunted apartment complex. Am I right? High five!
An apartment building with private hydroponic gardens [dvice]
Feb 15 2008 Fish Forest Fishtanks Are So Freaking Sweet
I love aquariums, they're so relaxing. I used to have one in my bedroom until the sound of it started making me piss the bed. However that may be worth it to have the beauty of an Adana Aqua Forest Aquariums bedside. They're amazing. However due the incredible plantlife contained in each, they're difficult to maintain. CO2 and fertilizer must be added to the tank, along with grow lights and a special filter system. I think this type of system might also limit the type of fish you can put in the tank, as I only saw tetras in the pictures (I could be wrong about this). All I know is that I want one yesterday. Unfortunately my cats would have a field day with the open top design. I learned this the hard way with the open top mouse cage I used to have.
RIP Professor Squeak, Squeakers, Cheddar, Cheerio, Mighty, Danger, Red Eyes, Mickey, Minnie, Pikachu, Stich, Whiskers, Jujube, Kitty Food, Rascal and Cheeky. You're missed dearly.
Hit the jump for a bunch more of the awesome aquariums, along with a link to their gallery that is a must see if you like there. And no, I've never actually had any pet mice. Those beady eyed bastards scare the shit out of me.
Continue Reading " Fish Forest Fishtanks Are So Freaking Sweet "
Dec 20 2007 It's About Time: Personal Nuclear Reactors
Similar to those used on nuclear submarines, the Toshiba-made Micro Nuclear Reactor is a personal power plant for your house/neighborhood. It's 20' x 6', about 100 times smaller than a typical reactor, making it a "fun-size" power generator -- like those little candy bars.
The 200 kilowatt Toshiba designed reactor is engineered to be fail-safe and totally automatic and will not overheat … The whole process is self sustaining and can last for up to 40 years, producing electricity for only 5 cents per kilowatt hour.
I dont' know if 5 cents per kilowatt hour is a good deal or not because I steal electricity from my elderly neighbors, but I imagine it is since they're bragging about it. The first unit is being installed in Japan in 2008 and if regulation allows (read: get freaking real) they'll be available in the U.S. in 2009. Just like the larger penis the drugs I take promise, I don't plan on seeing this in my lifetime.
Power your home with a mini nuclear reactor. No, really. [dvice]
Dec 3 2007 Air Purifier Cleans With The Power Of Plants
The Bel-Air indoor air filtration systems sucks in dirty air and runs it through a plant's leaves, roots, and a "humid bath" before releasing it back into your room, purified.
This patented principal has two advantages: Bel-Air is to the American and Asiatic common filter appliances what Dyson is to regular vacuum cleaners. Here, the noxious particles are captured, and transformed inside the system. No more filters to change, and no more clogs.
I really like the concept, but question how effective the device is. I mean those are pretty small plants, and the tenement I live in is pretty freaking disgusting. That plant would be a goner in a matter of hours. I mean I can actually see the air in here. It's brown.
Oct 15 2007 Rain Collector Collects Rain, Drowns Plants
The reLEAF Rain Collector is a rain collector for potted plants. Created by Swiss design team FULGURO, it's made of thermo lacquered aluminum and shaped to resemble a leaf. Water is funneled down the stem of the unit straight to the roots of your plant. It looks horrible and kind of detracts from the plant doesn't it? If you're too lazy to water your plants, you shouldn't have any. Children either. Definitely no children.
reLEAF Rain Collector [ohgizmo]
Aug 29 2007 Complaint Coconuts Not Edible
MIT Media Lab researcher Tad Hirsh has developed, um, these things. Coconuts with cell phones inside that call the San Jose Airport complaint line when they detect low flying aircraft noise. The following is a real message one of them leaves, believe it or not.
Uh… Hey. Um, yeah. So… Um, this is…. Yeah, no, like, I’m… Shut up, no, I’m talking. Okay, so, yeah. So, all these planes, man… It’s crazy. It’s like a roooaarrrrr. Dude, I need a pizza… Could you send me a pepperoni pizza? Dude, that would be great. Wait wait wait wait wait, put some mushrooms on that. Yeah, mushrooms. Sweet.
Now with messages like that, this project is going to accomplish nothing. Better to call it off and tell bums in the area there are trees that grow cell phones, then film the hilarity that ensues. Then pay two of them a dollar each to punch the hell out of each other.
Check out the official site to listen to the other painful messages.
Official Site [via ohgizmo]
