This Japanese chef's slicing skills are impressive. He cuts an already thin cucumber into several shapes, and shaves off the skin so precisely it ends up paper thin. It's lucky I have an excellent sushi place around here, because this video made me crave sushi rolls with those delicate cuts of cucumber inside. My dinner for this evening is is allll planned. Via Viral Viral Videos.
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Andre Costa is a biologist from São Caetano do Sul, Brazil who has experience as an animal handler and works for an environmental education company. Andrew shot this footage of his cat and owl, Cleo and Forbi, who he says have been lifelong friends. He posted the video to his Facebook page and it received a huge response, with over 13,000 shares. It's interesting to see the cat touch the owl so gently. What a sweet pair! Via Twenty-two Words.
Images Credit: Andre Costa
Cleo with Forbi as an owlet
Cleo and Forbi today
Mental Floss presents this priceless list of products that are popular today yet had dubious beginnings as products of a different type. Some of these are hilarious — including the abovementioned use of Lysol as an agent of feminine hygiene. It's "a concentrated germ killer" dontcha know? Why not slap it all over the place? After all, it's "non-caustic and will not harm delicate tissue." So go crazy, ladies!
Read original usage suggestions for other products including bubble wrap, Kleenex and Listerine at Mental Floss.
Image Credit: mrbill, Flickr
Robert Lincoln
Robert Lincoln was the oldest of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln's four sons. Edwin Booth was the brother of Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth. The Booths were a family of actors; father Junius was considered to be one of the top Shakespearean actors of the day. Although John Wilkes was a decent actor, his brother Edwin was far more well known and highly acclaimed. Edwin was famous for playing Hamlet, a role he played in more performances than any other actor since.
Edwin (with his daughter in the photo at left) and John Wilkes were estranged, as they did not see eye-to-eye, especially on political matters. Edwin was a Unionist who supported president Lincoln, and John was an extremist in favor of secession.
In 1864, Edwin Booth and Robert Lincoln were both at a train station in Jersey City, New Jersey. Robert, on break from Harvard University, was traveling to Washington, D.C. The following is Lincoln's account of an incident that occurred at the train station:
"A group of passengers were late at night purchasing their sleeping car places from the conductor who stood on the station platform at the entrance of the car. The platform was about the height of the car floor, and there was of course a narrow space between the platform and the car body.
There was some crowding, and I happened to be pressed by it against the car body while waiting my turn. In this situation the train began to move, and by the motion I was twisted off my feet, and had dropped somewhat, with feet downward, into the open space, and was personally helpless, when my coat collar was vigorously seized and I was quickly pulled up and out to a secure footing on the platform. Upon turning to thank my rescuer I saw it was Edwin Booth, whose face was of course well known to me, and I expressed my gratitude to him, and in doing so, called him by name."
Thus, that day at the train station, Edwin Booth saved Robert Lincoln from bodily harm or possibly death. A year later, John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Lincoln at Ford's Theatre.
Read about eight additional incredible historical coincidences here.
Images: Wikipedia
CineFix Film School'D series takes viewers back to the cinematic days of old to trace the history of film censorship from its inception. From an overview of the X rating to first amendment protection, the video briefly touches on man's attempts to preserve "human decency" in the realm of cinema. (NSFW due to frank discussion of sexual situations.)
A beautiful calico cat named Honeybee has lost her vision but not her sense of adventure and wonder. Honeybee's owner adopted her from Animals Fiji, who rescued her, saving her life. Now Honeybee has human companions who help her to lead a full life by taking her on excursions such as this hike near Mason Lake, a lovely, heavily wooded area in the mountains outside of Seattle, Washington.
Follow the adventures of Honeybee and her caretakers at her YouTube channel or Facebook page. Via Laughing Squid.
Andy Kluthe and Andrew Bridgman from Dorkly illustrate what they label as "mildly convenient mutant powers." The only argument I'd have with this is that the powers are merely mildly convenient. Selective social network invisibility is downright essential, if you ask me. Streaming video availability manipulation can be a life-changer as well. The comment-ignoring power would be wonderful too, particularly on political articles (but of course, *never* on Neatorama)! Via Laughing Squid.
In this video, Paul Mather films his attempts to get his adorable husky pup Dakota over her fear of going down the stairs. He uses treats to persuade Dakota, but while she is interested in those that are easily reached, she's not willing to try for any treat that necessitates descending past her comfort zone.
In the information on his YouTube video, Mather asks viewers to comment with any advice they have to help train Dakota on the stairs. While I don't make YouTube comments, I like Cesar Milan and other noted dog trainers' advice of gently, confidently and without hesitance leading the dog down the stairs on a short lead. I've done that with both my dogs and Milan is correct: if the trainer slowly but steadily leads the dog down the stairs once or twice, giving him treats and praise at the bottom, he's generally overcome his fear enough to try the stairs on his own next time.
Matt Bradley, 23, a chef from Warwickshire, England, asked his girlfriend Hannah to marry him. Hannah accepted, and the couple began to dream of their life together. When they visualized their future, Matt and Hannah realized that part of the picture included the two of them being fit and healthy. At the time, Matt weighed 258, and Hannah was overweight as well.
Together, the couple began carefully planning their meals, incorporating more servings of vegetables. Matt, who had become inactive in recent years, took up running, eventually working up to a 10K.
By the time their wedding date arrived, Matt had lost 92 pounds, and Hannah had dropped 41. Not only did they look stunning on their special day, but they worked together to achieve a goal that didn't come easily. It looks like Matt and Hannah have a great start on the teamwork required for a happy marriage.
Via Elite Daily. Images Credit: Chris Fossey (except where watermarked).
A 24-year-old woman from Shandong Province in China was recently admitted to a hospital after presenting with symptoms of dizziness and nausea. Once a brain scan was performed, it was discovered that she had no cerebellum, with the brain cavity that it normally fills instead replaced with cerebrospinal fluid. The patient is one of only nine people known to have lived with this condition.
The cerebellum is the area of the brain associated with motor control, timing, coordination and fine movement. The patient described a lifelong difficulty with balance, and her mother said she couldn't stand on her own until age four nor walk unassisted until age seven. Yet the woman was determined overall to have only "mild to moderate" symptoms and "slightly irregular" movement.
The woman's case is an important data set with regard to the study of neuroplasticity, in which one or more regions of the brain adapt to compensate for brain damage in another area. Learn more about this fascinating case at io9.
Brother and sister duo Priscilla and Poppleton may be pigs, but they are also clothes horses. These Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida residents are the perfect mix of genteel southern folk and bold fashion plates. They enjoy "eating, sleeping, rooting, walks on the beach, belly rubs, Cheerio baths, and trips to grandma/grandpa's farm," according to their human. "Hamming it up for the camera" should probably be added to that list. Being mini-pigs certainly isn't stopping Prissy and Pop from being larger than life. Keep up with Priscilla and Poppleton on Instagram and Facebook. Via Elite Daily.
The Auralnauts strip the great score by John Williams and add their own sound effects to the Throne Room scene in Star Wars. Chewbacca's mating call of a human homicidal maniac sound actually made one of my dogs race into the room from the next, perhaps checking on my welfare. Via Tastefully Offensive.
This compilation is so filled with cat content it's enough to put even a human at ease. The kitties become putty in the hands of their masseuses as they reach a level beyond bliss. Purrrr!
A Russian man backs his Toyota out of his garage, dashcam running, just in time to see nearly everything around him be hit by a destructive tornado. Once the storm passes, his garage, his home and most structures in the surrounding area have been severely damaged or leveled by the twister. The man is lucky to be able to walk away unscathed. Via Laughing Squid.
Lace Staircase
Designed by: Dust
Sometimes a beautiful architectural feature in a home, such as an artisan crafted fireplace, ceiling, door or window, can make such an impact on its aesthetic that the rest of the decor can be extremely minimal and still work. In fact, a minimal decor complements and calls attention to such grand details.
The fabulous staircases pictured here are perfect examples. Place one of these designs in the home and it becomes the architectural star. Take a look and see if you think any of them might be your stairway to heaven. See more examples here.
Timber Stripe Staircase
Designed by: Tetrarc
La Maison Unique Stairs
Designed by: Heatherwick studio
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