Record BowlsHomeWhen you decide to get rid of the record player that’s been gathering dust in the corner, know that your LPs might do more than just rot in the dump. Vinylux converts them into beautiful vinyl bowls that playfully remind you of the transience of technology. Start thinking about what you can make with your outmoded CDs, and you could make millions.$26,vinylux.net Dutch City BikeRecreationBikes: good for you and good for nature. Nobody knows this better than those free-pedaling fools from the Netherlands. Dutch company Jorg & Olif stylishly and thoughtfully designed the Dutch City bike specifically with American cities in mind (i.e. we have hills, but no legalized marijuana). While fulfilling all your biking needs, this elegant design will set you apart from the pedaling masses.$795-$1,295,jorgandolif.com Juxtaposed: ReligionLibraryIf you adhere to the maxim that one should never discuss religion or politics in polite company, this might not be the conversation piece for you. The reclaimed-wood shelf features a copy of religious texts of each of the world’s major religions, from the Bhagavad Gita to the Torah. It’s 5,360 pages of more than 5 billion people’s most important books. Get reading.$2,500,blankblank.net Organic BouquetDeliveryJust because it grows in the ground and smells nice doesn’t make it healthy. The sad truth: Many of the flowers you buy are covered in pesticides. It’s disgusting. Organic Bouquet has pioneered a new category of organic certification-organic floral-and encourages farm worker safety. So the next time you need to apologize for “working late,” buy your flowers here and know that your roses will be both guilt and DDT-free.from $45, organicbouquet.com NabaztagThe FutureNabaztag (phonetic Armenian for “bunny”) is a friendly electronic rabbit that turns the 1s and 0s of our digital lives into charming audio and visual communications. He connects to your computer via Wi-Fi and can read you the weather, stock prices, the text of websites, or even your emails. In addition, a series of lights on his belly and his motorized ears help make the daily exchange of information a little more personal.$180, nabaztag.com Terrorism Finger PuppetsFun and GamesAn epic hand-to-hand battle between President Bush and Osama Bin Laden might go a long way toward solving some of the world’s problems, but it’s unlikely to happen without your help. This set of macramé finger puppets features all your favorite figures in the war on terror-Bush, Bin Laden, Kim, Ahmadinejad, and Hussein-and sets the stage for just such a fight. (Sadly, the set has been rendered 20 percent out-of-date by current events.)$55, mossonline.com DutchtubOutdoorsFill this plastic, portable hot tub with 200 gallons of water, light a wood fire in the attached heating coils, and you’ve got yourself a party. Dutchtub can be hitched to the back of your car for camping trips, but also makes a stylish addition to your porch or your backyard. It comfortably fits four, but you can certainly jam more in-as the Dutchtub designers note, even if you’re not friends when you jump in, you will be friends by the time you get out.$6000, dutchtub.com Your Name on ToastPhilanthropyYourNameOnToast is hoping the bizarreness of their idea will help it gain visibility, all in the name of charity. You pay a fee (which goes to an organization like Oxfam-your votes will help them decide) to have text of your choosing written on a piece of toast, which they photograph and post on their site. Your toast image acts as a link to your own site. Paying more money moves your toast higher, driving more traffic to your site, and more dollars to charity. So stupid it just might work.From $30, yournameontoast.com

  • Man’s dog suddenly becomes protective of his wife, Internet clocks the reason right away
    Dogs have impressive observational powers.Photo credit: Canva

    Reddit user Girlfriendhatesmefor’s three-year-old pitbull, Otis, had recently become overprotective of his wife. So he asked the online community if they knew what might be wrong with the dog.

    “A week or two ago, my wife got some sort of stomach bug,” the Reddit user wrote under the subreddit /r/dogs. “She was really nauseous and ill for about a week. Otis is very in tune with her emotions (we once got in a fight and she was upset, I swear he was staring daggers at me lol) and during this time didn’t even want to leave her to go on walks. We thought it was adorable!”

    His wife soon felt better, butthe dog’s behavior didn’t change.

    pregnancy signs, dogs and pregnancy, pitbull behavior, pet intuition, dog overprotection, Reddit stories, viral Reddit, dog instincts, canine emotions, dog owner tips
    Otis knew before they did. Canva

    Girlfriendhatesmefor began to fear that Otis’ behavior may be an early sign of an aggression issue or an indication that the dog was hurt or sick.

    So he threw a question out to fellow Reddit users: “Has anyone else’s dog suddenly developed attachment/aggression issues? Any and all advice appreciated, even if it’s that we’re being paranoid!”

    The most popular response to his thread was by ZZBC.

    Any chance your wife is pregnant?

    ZZBC | Reddit

    The potential news hit Girlfriendhatesmefor like a ton of bricks. A few days later, Girlfriendhatesmefor posted an update and ZZBC was right!

    “The wifey is pregnant!” the father-to-be wrote. “Otis is still being overprotective but it all makes sense now! Thanks for all the advice and kind words! Sorry for the delayed reply, I didn’t check back until just now!”

    Redditors responded with similar experiences.

    Anecdotal I know but I swear my dog knew I was pregnant before I was. He was super clingy (more than normal) and was always resting his head on my belly.

    realityisworse | Reddit

    So why do dogs get overprotective when someone is pregnant?

    Jeff Werber, PhD, president and chief veterinarian of the Century Veterinary Group in Los Angeles, told Health.com that “dogs can also smell the hormonal changes going on in a woman’s body at that time.” He added the dog may “not understand that this new scent of your skin and breath is caused by a developing baby, but they will know that something is different with you—which might cause them to be more curious or attentive.”

    The big lesson here is to listen to your pets and to ask questions when their behavior abruptly changes. They may be trying to tell you something, and the news may be life-changing.

    This article originally appeared last year.

  • Throughout history, women have stood up and fought to break down barriers imposed on them from stereotypes and societal expectations. The trailblazers in these photos made history and redefined what a woman could be. In doing so, they paved the way for future generations to stand up and continue to fight for equality.

  • ,

    Why mass shootings spawn conspiracy theories

    Mass shootings and conspiracy theories have a long history.

    While conspiracy theories are not limited to any topic, there is one type of event that seems particularly likely to spark them: mass shootings, typically defined as attacks in which a shooter kills at least four other people.

    When one person kills many others in a single incident, particularly when it seems random, people naturally seek out answers for why the tragedy happened. After all, if a mass shooting is random, anyone can be a target.

    Pointing to some nefarious plan by a powerful group – such as the government – can be more comforting than the idea that the attack was the result of a disturbed or mentally ill individual who obtained a firearm legally.


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