"Moist" is assuredly the worst word in the English language, a conclusion backed by science. And now you can have it inscribed in delightful mock gold on this handsome 16-oz unisex mug from Amazon.
"I absolutely love this mug, the flowers and gold leafed 'Moist" are kind of amazing, if not really weird and slightly creepy," wrotes verified Amazon customer Eric Byers, "but that's kind of the point." Read the rest
With Father's Day around the corner, the folks behind A.1. Sauce have rolled out (what they consider to be) the greatest gift for dad's ever: meat-scented candles.
The three "meat scents" are Burger, Backyard BBQ, and Original Meat (which they write, "pairs well with dad jokes"). Each candle costs $14.99.
Most of us are pretty good at wrapping a cube or cuboid box, but this handy video shows how to wrap a bunch of weird shapes, including pyramids, cylinders, and those annoying cardboard-backed blister packs for things like tools and action figures.
I needed to wrap a popcorn tin the other day, and this was very handy. It looked way better than my gifts usually do! And as for opening the package itself, that's another matter.
• How to Wrap 10 Challenging Shapes! (YouTube / Paper Guru) Read the rest
Lucky Shot's .308 Real Bullet hand-blown Shot Glass (Amazon), we are assured, "does not contain gunpowder or lead residue," making them safe to drink from. Described as the "ultimate gift," not without unnerving connotation. They also make tumblers and pint glasses, but, come now... shot glass.
More Christmas fun with the British middle class!
Previously: When gifts are for the giver. Read the rest
This video encapsulates every British middle-class family's Christmas since at least the 1960s. Read the rest
This holiday season give the gift of history.
My friend Kevin Segall runs the greatest movie and TV memorabilia shop around, Collector's Shangri-La.
Kevin has some amazing additions to his collection of signed movie posters, as well as scads of collectables from all our favorite shows.
Check out Collector's Shangri-La! Read the rest
In the age of omnipresent keyboards and computers and the internet lurking behind all of them, the idea of a handwritten journal might seem quaint or pointless. But there are good reasons to keep one, writes Alan Henry.
Writing can do wonders for your health. Beyond keeping your creative juices flowing—a separate topic we'll get to shortly—regular writing can give you a safe, cathartic release valve for the stresses of your daily life. We've discussed some of those mental and emotional benefits of writing before, from the angle of creative writing—but you don't have to write fiction to get them. For example, we've mentioned that keeping an awesomeness journal can do wonders for your self-esteem. Not only does regular writing make you feel good, it helps you re-live the events you experienced in a safe environment where you can process them without fear or stress.
Using a brightly-lit, internetworked, general-purpose consumer computer for everything puts everything you do just a single decision away from being in the same place as everything else.
So I strongly recommend a paper journal over an app, at least for those looking at journaling as a way to shake free of the spell of life spent constantly reading and writing online.
Skip Moleskines, at least the expensive ones, if you're just starting out. Cheap is the freedom to experiment. You can buy a box of 25 notebooks for about $30 shipped at Amazon.com, and they're just fine. Heres a box of ruled ones. Upgrade to a nice hardbound A4 journal as a reward for getting through the first set! Read the rest
If an entire 3x3 Rubik's Cube is too much, but a 2x2 one too plainly insulting, try this 2x3 one that you can get for about a fiver at Amazon. That's four ninths of a real Rubik's Cube for nine tenths of the price!
The product page assures you in its first bullet point that this puzzle contains "no fabrics." SOLD. Read the rest
This charming line of sneaker-shaped candles and soap by Russian company What the Shape was surely created for "the sneakerhead who has everything."
Each one measures a little over 5 inches long and costs $15.
Some are even dyed and scented like fruit.
Check out their Instagram for more styles/colors.
The British Half Pint Beer Glass [Amazon] is the perfect all-purpose drinking glass, and a set of 12 should immediately replace all other small- to medium-sized glasses in your cupboards.
It's like a traditional nonik pint glass, complete with elegant bulge for gripping and safe stacking, but miniaturized to contain only half a pint. It's adorable and is the perfect measure for just about any drink other than weak beer: wine, mixed drinks and decent ale are only the beginning, as they're an excellent vessel for nonalcoholic beverages and even hot drinks. (The wide, accessible character makes them good for experimenting with cocktails, too.)
Since I got a set, they've become my daily driver for my favorite sawbuck reds, both expanding their influence on my palate even as they moderate my consumption. Yes, Orwell would be displeased, but such is life, and life is not much for the opinions of the dead.
There are a few cheaper sets you can find, but most are trash, either merch for Britishy franchises or cheap, thin glass that's liable to chip or crack quickly. Get the high-quality tempered-glass set here. You won't regret it.
British Half Pint Beer Glass [Amazon]
Though it looks like a normal sponge, the Gonzo Pet Hair Lifter – a brick of latex mattress material – has a peculiar tacky texture. It's easy to mistake for other "clever" sponge products, such as those covered in suede, cellulose or microfiber or whatever, but it's much better for dealing with fuzz. It's the most effective thing for dealing with dog hair I've ever tried, in fact, and I'll never go back to adhesive lint rollers or static brushes after risking $6 on it. Read the rest
I've tried all sorts of bacon-preserving polyhedra, but this one's especially great as you can hang it in a sunny spot and see your bacon being preserved, day in and day out. I put one just outside my office window and have enjoyed watching all the little bacon angels come and dance flavor into it.
Amazon suggests the alternate uses of "planter" and "tea light candle holder" but frankly the notion that plants would grow in it strikes me as nonsensical pseudoscience, and the latter purpose is clearly unsanitary.
Hanging Clear Glass Pyramid [Amazon Link]
Read the restA contemporary terrarium art piece made of pieces of clear glass arranged on a pyramid-shaped metal frame. Perfect for bacon, prociutto, and pancetta as well as turkey and other meats you would like to preserve. Also great as a store or restaurant display for merchandise or decorations. Features one open side for perfect airflow and easy access to the bacon and other items within. **Official MyGift® product** Bacon not included. Approximate Dimensions: 6" W X 7.75" H X 6" D.
According to the product description at Amazon, these fluorescent unicorn stickers will apply to any flat surface, can be removed and replaced, and "need to absorb light in daytime" if they are to glow in darkness. So be warned: just as fans left on at night slowly remove all the oxygen from the air, throttling the life from young and old alike, too many unicorns may result in Dyatlov-like irradiated corpses strewn around the bedroom.
Each unicorn is 7cm x 10cm and you get 10 for $6.15. Read the rest
William Turton took note of the bizarre ads for inexplicable items — mysterious geometric forms, molded plastic thingies, confusing wooden components — and investigated. Thankfully, his investigation goes no-where, leaving us in the speculative realm of data-driven and maybe AI-curated advertising.
I would have bet the item above was one of those marbled salt slabs you cook food on instead of a baking tray, but it turns out to be a foam mattress topper.
P.S. I'm quite sure that the "bare image" aesthetic is part of the Amazon Interesting Finds thing, a frequently-updated grid of tchotchkes and oddities such as this $4 USB drive in the shape of a chocolate bar and these soup ladles in the shape of the Loch Ness Monster. Read the rest
Sadly, it's already sold out, but Trump tweets toilet paper is perhaps the gift of 2017. While you're waiting for stock to replenish, you can instead wipe your arse on his face. Read the rest
