Lions, and Tigers and… Hippos – Oh My!

 
Image source People

“Man Swallowed by Hippo.” When I saw this headline, I thought, either this is from The Onion or there’s going to be some sort of belated April Fool’s joke at the bottom of the article, making me feel like an idiot for reading the whole thing.

But no, this legitimately happened, and the man lived to tell the tale. Sure, he wasn’t actually swallowed whole in some sort of Pinocchio and the whale scenario, but the guy was definitely almost digested. The “huge tusks and slicing incisors” also didn’t make things easier for his escape – nor did the sliminess and the “sulfurous smell, like rotten eggs” of the hippo’s belly make it any more pleasant.

It made me think about the sweet little wooden hippo that sits on my coffee table – a wedding present brought back from Africa by a friend. That thing is so cute, but apparently misleads me into thinking hippos are harmless. What next – do pandas and puppies have violent, people-eating tendencies too? Needless to say, this only further confirms that I am not a safari-vacation kind of girl… I’ll stick to the beach where the biggest threat is a rogue seagull.

Posted by Amanda

Dogs for Equality

Image source TheLeagueofCorgis.tumblr.com

Gay rights and dogs. Two things I’m a big fan of. So I was delighted at how many pooches turned out to rally for gay marriage rights during last week’s Supreme Court DOMA Hearings. From Washington D.C. to San Francisco, protesters from both sides continue to gather daily to make their voice (or bark!) heard. Some of the best dogs-for-equality photos (IMHO) from last week, for your viewing pleasure:

Image source The Washington Post

In Washington D.C., a supportive pooch is the perfect Supreme Court rally accessory.

Image source The Atlantic Wire

Around the corner, one pup boldly sits to protest DOMA.

Image source GettyImages

This San Francisco dog’s exhausted by how long it’s taking to legalize gay marriage.

Image source AP via TheCabin.net

A fierce looking Sacramento pup stands tall for equality.

Image source AFP via StraitsTimes.com

New York City’s gay marriage rights are on this golden retriever’s mind.

Posted by Michelle

The Future of Vending Machines

A little while ago a new crop of vending machines started popping up everywhere. Suddenly, everything was available at your fingertips, without any human interaction. If you forgot to pack headphones in your carry on, don’t worry – the Best Buy vending machine at the airport has some for you! Need some Miansai jewelry at 3:00AM on vacation in Miami? This 24-hour hotel vending machine has you covered. Though these non-food vending machines are becoming more and more prominent, a post on Eater National got me thinking about where the future of vending machines could be going.

Image source Eater

Introducing a 24-hour juice machine in Los Angeles. Yes, all things trendy happen on the West Coast first, so I shouldn’t be surprised by this concept. Kreation Juicery, who has six regular stores, a juice truck, two juice cars and a juice bike, is the creator of this new “juice ATM” in Beverly Hills. The major benefit of this, as opposed to Kreation’s other locations, is that nobody has to work at this location and it can be open 24/7. I’m not sure who needs wheat grass shots around the clock, but hey, what do I know about wheat grass?

The news of a juice ATM caused me to consider what I would want to see in vending machine form someday. Seems like the possibilities are endless; there’s already a caviar ATM, how much more luxurious could we get?! That said, here’s a quick list of what I would like to see coming out of ATMs sometime in the future:

• A pedicure
  Yes I want to stick my foot in a machine for about a minute and have my toes get magically painted and my feet moisturized.

• An iron/steamer
  I would like to be able to walk into a steaming ATM and have all my clothes magically be wrinkle-free.

• Starbucks
  I know there are instant coffee and espresso machines, but what everyone really wants is a Starbucks non-fat iced-chai made to order from a machine

• J Crew clothing
  Because how many times do I spill on myself at work and desperately need a shirt to change into…

What do you want to see, ATM-style? For even more inspiration, just take a look at these!

Posted by Nina

Titanic the Sequel?

Image source Wikipedia

All aboard once again…if you dare. Just when we got over the Carnival Triumph debacle, an Australian billionaire continues with his plans to recreate an exact replica (how exact?) of the famously doomed ship by 2016. The ship will duplicate its original course from Southampton, England to New York.

Creator Clive Palmer isn’t messing around with these plans. He expects passengers to dress in traditional period garb (costumes are provided), dine on selections from the original menu, and sail with four decorative smoke stacks mimicking the original. Amenities will strictly follow the original with Turkish baths, a squash court, a swimming pool, and a gymnasium with 19^th century equipment. Palmer seems so invested in the recreation that I can’t help but wonder if he will plop Leo and Kate on the ship or maybe devise a plan for it to reach an untimely demise.

Is this ship jinxed from the start? I have a feeling this is just the tip of the iceberg in Palmer’s plans (pun intended). Let’s just hope Rose realizes that there’s plenty of room for two on that board this time around.

Posted by Jen

Out With The Old, In With The New

Image source AP via The Huffington Post

Our days of re-reading Lolcats and feverishly searching YouTube for the most recent clip of sleeping kittens has begun to impede into family game night. Yep, last week Monopoly’s “Save Your Token” contest ended as fans voted to replace the iconic Iron game piece, with a Cat.

Personally, I am torn. I always had a strong affinity towards the Iron. It’s a stealthy choice in the way it swiftly slides across the board with ease. The Racecar and Sack of Money seem to boast overconfidence and big egos. The Iron, on the other hand, was the perfect way to flatten out your opponents.

I can’t say that I am shocked with the decision though. After all, I can be entertained for a good ten minutes watching two cats play patty cake.  What child is now going to choose the Top Hat, or the coveted Thimble, when there is a sleek robotic-looking Cat in play? The classic Monopoly has been changed and I can’t help but feel pity for those poor old pieces. But let’s be real…couldn’t we have at least scrapped the shoe?

Posted by Jen