Why Cats Love Boxes, Perfect Morning Podcasts, and Robot Sausage Grilling
At Brain Buffet this week, we’ll explore why cats love to curl up in boxes or other small spaces, showcase a vending machine that gives out books, watch a few podcasts to start their day, and more.
Biblio-Mat, random book vending machine
When bookstores put shelves in front of or on the sides of their stores that advertise books for a dollar or two, people walk past them and don’t even think about it. When you put those same books into a vending machine that you can put a couple of coins in and get a random book with a lucky draw, well, suddenly this playful aspect of it all makes people flock to it and turn it into an interesting gambling game that is fun. play – and fun to watch. [via YouTube ]
How to get the most out of your convention experience
Summer is here, Comic-Con kicks off this weekend, and other big conventions aren’t far behind! Whether you’re heading to one or going to another major exit of any lane, you’ll need a few tips to help you make the most of the experience. Sure, we have some great tips to help you survive and stay healthy while you’re there , but this article from Forces of Geek is also full of tips to help you make the most of your experience, not just survive while you’re there. For example, they highlight the 5-2-1 Rule, which requires five hours of sleep a night, two full meals a day, and one shower a day — all of which seem pretty damn important to me.
They also include some tips on how to avoid the terrible Concrude, as well as some great tips on how to survive in the dealer’s room:
The tricky part of the dealer room is not breaking your conference budget. Believe it or not, most dealers are also fans and know what you are going through. It is rare to see a dealer aggressively trying to sell his wares. Most are just happy to see you. As a dealer, even at conventions where my sales are low, I always see a sharp jump in online sales after the event, because I know that not everyone can buy something this weekend, but because I have a good product. and I am not persistent, people appreciate it and do not forget to see what I have in stock after the event, when they really have money to spend.
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What is the best day to shop? It depends. If price is your number one problem, shop on Sunday (or any other day on the last day). The closer you get to the dealership’s last hour at the event, the more likely you are to find special sales and offers. Dealers don’t want to carry all these things home (or worse … send them), so many are going to lower prices. Now, that being said … it’s kind of a game. If you see something that you want on Saturday, there is no guarantee that it will still be there on Sunday, so you are at risk. And if you bought something at full price on Friday and saw it at almost half price on Sunday, it may sound unfair, but there was always the chance that nothing would be left by Sunday. This is a bit of a gamble.
All in all, if you’re leading a large gathering – whether it’s a comic book, science fiction, anime, or another event this summer or fall, it’s worth reading to help you get ready. [ via Forces of Geek ]
The most freaky export around the world
I usually don’t include infographics in these reviews, but I love this one – mainly because some of the exports are truly unique and others make sense. For example, the UK is exporting lemon curd to Kenya (which makes sense because Kenya is not really famous for its lemons and lemon curd is delicious), which is really interesting, but also China is exporting pandas to Canada, which is also really interesting. Almost as interesting as the US exporting beer (Brooklyn Brewery in particular) to Sweden and wolf urine to Japan. [ via Exporta Global , thanks to Mental Floss ! ]
What are your favorite podcasts in the morning?
We’ve talked a lot about great podcasts and which ones you should listen to , but this thread on Quora is full of recommendations if you’re looking for something to spice up your morning commute or want to try something a little different. …
There are over a hundred answers, tons of links, and some great podcasts on topics all over the map. Here’s one good answer with a selection of podcasts on a variety of topics:
- BBC’s From Our Own Correspondent (An in-depth look at the stories behind the headlines around the world, told by BBC correspondents, journalists and writers in a compelling storytelling format; hosted by Keith Adi)
- Optimize with Brian Johnson (Collected great ideas from the best books on optimal living and micro-classes on how to apply those ideas; this is where I get a lot of book recommendations, including Seneca’s recent book, On The Brevity of Life )
- Invisibilia (show about invisible forces that influence and control human behavior: our ideas, beliefs and emotions)
- Intelligence Squared (the world’s leading forum for debate and intellectual debate; I like the variety of topics covered, including Brexit, Democracy, Foreign Intervention, Capitalism, Art Market, Contemporary Literature, Feminism, Middle East Events)
- Palace of Remembrance (podcast about events from the past)
- Middle East Analysis (Middle East and North Africa podcast; main contributor is international lawyer and policy advisor Dr. Harry Akopian)
- This is your life with Michael Hyatt (a podcast dedicated to living more passionately, focused work, and achieving goals that give meaning and meaning to our lives)
Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and only a few of them deserve attention. Seriously, scroll through the entire thread – you might find some bugs, but in general there are at least a few that you can either vouch for because you’re listening to them, or a few that you’ll want to subscribe to. [ via Quora ]
Why cats love boxes so much
Another Mental Floss article, but I could not resist this topic. After all, we all know cats love boxes, but why? They also like small spaces like sinks and other small containers, but the reasons why they are all poorly understood, however, you may have foreseen the reason why:
Cats, according to Wilborn, feel comfortable in cramped quarters because it makes them feel more protected and dominant. “I think part of this goes back to the time when they were kittens and were in the womb, when they felt safe and comforted. There is a feeling of coziness, the ability to do what they want, and just a sense of untouchability. “
Science was able to confirm this theory. Animal behavior specialists studied the stress levels of newly arrived cats from the shelter and found that cats with access to boxes had lower stress levels and adaptation periods were faster than cats without [ PDF ]. Even if they are not as secure as they think – you can do with a cat in a crate, whatever you can do with a cat outside of a crate – their perception may be that they are isolating themselves. from harm.
Another good theory is that small spaces help cats retain body heat, which explains well things like shells in the summer and cardboard boxes any other time. [ via Mental Floss ]
Bratwurst Bot
You might not think that a robot can do something that requires finesse, such as making the perfect sausage sausage, but you are wrong. Not only does he handle the meat professionally, he also flips the sausages to make sure they get tasty charcoal from all sides, avoids overcooking them entirely (which is more than some people might say), and even serves them up and lets you enjoy your meal.
I, for one, welcome our new robot sausage grinders master. [via YouTube ]
Everyone this week! If you have thought-provoking stories, interesting podcasts, eye-opening videos, or anything else that you think is perfect for Brain Buffet, share it with us! Email me , leave it as a comment below or send it in any way convenient for you.