STUFF THAT MAKES ME HAPPY

Here’s a really great set of vintage illustrations showing the numerous ways electricity can and will kill you. They are really nicely done, and oddly compelling. Kind of like that butter knife is to that wall socket…

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See more of Pierre Javelle and Akiko Ida’s Minimiam Universe  HERE.

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My autograph from “the” American Idol William Hung makes me so happy. Got this one from the toy show a few years back. It’s a keeper. Probably be worth like a million dollars some day.

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If I could be a kid again…

with all the cool stuff kids have at their disposal today, it’s hard to find stuff NOT to play with. If I were a kid again, I would so be into this new room at the amazing San Diego Children’s Museum. It’s video-game free fun, packed with tire-shaped pillows, mattress-lined walls and punching bags. If I get to be a kid again, I’m there. I’m just bringing an icepack just in case.

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I’m a huge fan of old pulp art. I’m pretty wowed with what Thomas Allen is doing with it too. Here’s a gallery of some of his work.

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No idea where these stamps are all about, but I love ‘em.

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This never fails to crack me up.

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I’m a huge fan of googly eyes. They just seem to make everything better. Here’s a really funny photo set from Brock Davis.

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Happy Easter.

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Christian Northeast’s work always makes me happy. Be sure to check out his blog too.

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Rusty the narcoleptic dog. A bummer to take to the park.

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Slow-motion punches to the face. Amazing.

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An incredibly great idea from Sebastian Errazuriz via DesignBoom.

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Abbey Ryan has completed one small oil painting every day since September of ‘07. They are simple still life studies, but are some of the nicest work I’ve seen. I can paint, but she makes it look easy. There’s a neat time-lapse video of her working on HER SITE.

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This guy has definitely got a future. Yemii

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The South Florida Sun Sentinel posts a yearly collection of horrified children sitting on, (and running from) Santa’s lap. It’s a laugh riot. See all 216 not-so happy children HERE.

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“Dumped” is a fun collection of portraits by Meg Wachter, taken at the second food is dumped onto their heads. Some great expressions in this series. A great stop-motion video of the process can be seen HERE.

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This collection of real Olin Mills photos has been around the internet for a while now, but it never ceases to make me laugh. See them all HERE.

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Bansky in NY

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A classic video of Rev. Jesse Jackson reading Green Eggs and Ham on SNL back in 1991. Pretty darn funny.

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The Society in Decline Project has an inspiring set of vintage signage from the days when stuff just looked cooler.

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Hasegawa Yousuke creates some amazing moneygami. So great. Now if the experts in Washington could be as creative with our money…

Link via Whorange.

Here is some more “origamoney” awesomeness HERE.

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Swindle Magazine issue 14 has an interview with the great Barry Mcgee.

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Completely weird, but really wonderful.

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I love a surprise when opening a package. Maybe that’s why I love the rebus puzzles that used to hide under my soda and beer bottle caps. Here’s an amazing collection of cap puzzles (and thankfully their solutions). This one says “Your heading for trouble”. View the huge collection of puzzles HERE.

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If you don’t know Freaks and Geeks, you should. It was the best show that never was. One season, and it was over before it began. I can never get into multi-season shows, so a single box set is a beautiful thing.

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I love these great garbage bags from Japan. As with so many great Japanese products, this is so simple and so understated. A printed graphic transforms them into rabbits when tied. I assume that the bag is less likely to be casually thrown away if it’s given some character. If nothing else, they do get noticed. See them HERE.

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I recently found out about a very funny guy named Mike Sacks. He’s an author and contributor to Equire, Vanity Fair, McSweeney’s and many other publications. His essays and articles are definitely worth a read. My favorite is one called Whoops. He also has a collection of photos on his site that were taken from tv news programs. You can’t write this kind of comedy. It’s too good. See the photo set HERE.

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This wonderful contraption is called a mowercycle of course. Via Inhabitat.

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This little guy is made of marzipan, and is the wonderful creation of Eugene and Louise Bakery in Belgium. Check out their site for some of the most creative edible designs around, all in super-sweet packaging.

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Artist Joshua Allan Harris has been doing some really great public art with plastic bags and street vents. It’ll put a smile on your face, guaranteed. Original post from Wooster Collective.

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Here’s a great site with some very amusing passive aggressive notes. A post-it note can be so effective. And so psychotic. Enjoy the feuds HERE. If you enjoy the twisted lives of others as I do, another site to see is FOUND.

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I was at a show recently, and instead of holding up lighters for the sappy ballad number, everyone popped open their cell phones and waved them in the air. I didn’t really get it. I never really understood the whole lighter thing either for that matter. For those of you who do, I created an image of a lighter to put on your cell phone. Next time Freebird plays, you’ll be ready.You can download the image HERE.

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I was in NY for ICFF, and came upon this guy with a great marketing strategy. I gave him $2, and he gave me this great shot.

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I am so happy to have found the Fail Blog. It’s loaded with the funniest screw-ups, mishaps and blunders out there. I know it’s not nice to laugh at the misfortune of others, but it’s so much fun.

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A very funny Flickr set of defaced money. This one’s called “Lincoln Log”. See the set HERE.

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There’s nothing better than having a few minutes to lay back and look up at the clouds. Can’t remember the last time I had a few free minutes, but this guy sure does. He even had time to photograph them and create a very fun photo set. See it  Here.

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Here are some extremely funny Amazon reviews of the classic Bic stick pen and a gallon of milk. Build it , and they will come…

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An incredible video of an elephant painting his self portrait.

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Here’s a great Flickr set of post-it-note sketches by artist Marc Johns.

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We’re all aware that necessity breeds creativity. I am always amazed at the lengths people go to get the job done. Truly amazing and inspiring. Check out the photo collection HERE.

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I love street portrait photography, and the work of Richard Kalvar is some of the best. This one just kills me. Check out more of Kalvar’s work at IN-PUBLIC along with some other great photographers.

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This little guy is so darn funny. See his pathetic little photo shoot HERE.

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This shot is pretty great. I love the one little cup of ketchup. Check out the photography of Alex Brown

UPDATE: Check Out Alex’s New site HERE.

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Here’s a photo collection of forty-one actual science fair experiments. Some funny stuff.

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Gordon Bennett makes the coolest robot sculptures from a variety of found objects. They are all one of a kind, and super-sweet. Check out Bennett Robot Works.

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A fun Flickr set of photos of faces you’ll find in everyday objects. It might make you want to slow down and take a look around you once in awhile. See the series HERE and HERE.

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Ryan Heshka does some really great work. Inspired by the classic comics and horror films, with a surreal twist.

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This video made me laugh, and then cry laughing. It was even better than the real Beatles. I just hope Yoko never finds out about this kid.

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This interactive website lets you pop virtual bubblewrap till your mouse finger goes numb. Not quite as satisfying as the real thing, but it’s close. Pop away HERE.

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An amazing piece of performance art in Grand Central Station. I love messing with people, and this performance does it brilliantly.
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Photographer Ronald Hammega took this photo I found on a blank greeting card. It totally cracks me up every time I look at it. Someday I might send it for someone’s birthday. It may also be appropriate as a sympathy card.
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Here’s a great advertisement. I won’t spoil it by giving away any details.

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Film maker Jessica Yu has a great film called Sour Death Balls. I had originally seen it in the Wholphin video collections put out by McSweenys. It’s good stuff.

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I stumbled across a beautiful series of Czechoslovakian matchboxes from the 40’s or 50’s with a child-safety theme. They are disturbing, while also being oddly compelling. See the entire collection HERE.

On a similar theme is Edward Gorey’s famous Gashlycrumb Tinies. Poor Basil

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I’m a big fan of old weird advertising art and packaging. Plan59 has a pantload of it. View collections of creepiest children you’ve ever seen, as well as housewives way too happy over their floor wax.

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I’ve come onto the podcast scene a little late, but now, I’m completely hooked. My favorite is NPR’s This American Life. Funny, smart stories with a just enough snarky attitude.

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The painfully sarcastic essays of David Sedaris make me so very happy. His books on tape are my newest vice. Makes me almost look forward to the morning commute.

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