7 Wonders

Image: Mark Witton/Darren Naish

What do you get when you combine a bird with a giraffe? The largest flying creatures that have ever existed on Earth:

With wingspans of 40 to 50 ft, the Azhdarchids were pterosaurs as big as some modern aircraft, with incredibly lop-sided bodies. Hugely long legs, beaks and necks adorned unusually small torsos with wings that were, surprisingly, proportionately short. It is thought that they were not able to hunt in flight, but needed to land and scrabble awkwardly for anything that they could swallow whole. Since one of these terrifying monsters stood as much as 20ft tall, it is easy to imagine that man might well have been a prey animal for them, had they lived alongside each other.

Environmental Graffiti has a feature of more less well known, but equally savage prehistoric predators: Link

Nomskulls Skull Cupcake Mold – $11.95

Om nom nom nom … who doesn’t like yummy brain cupcake? Make your own ghoulish cupcakes with the Nomskulls Skull Cupcake Mold from the NeatoShop. Nomskulls are ready to fill with your favorite grey batter (get it?) and bake into perfect cupcake craniums. One bite and you’ll be head over heels, because there’s no doubt about it – this skull bone’s connected to the YUM bone!

Link | More Cupcake Items | More Fun Party Supplies

Mini Cthulhu Plush – $9.95

On the shelf of the NeatoShop, cute plushy Cthulhu waits dreaming. Here’s the perfect gift for your fellow H.P. Lovecraft lovers: Link | Cthulhu stuff | More Plush Toys

What did your elementary school teacher do as punishments when you did something bad? Did she make you sit in a corner? Rap your knuckles? Well, whatever it was, it’s probably not the Sexual Harassment Dice.

The 59-year-old teacher at Ogi Elementary School in Iruma, Saitama Prefecture, apparently had three dice, one with sides marked with the words “hug” and ” forgiven,” another marked with “kiss,” “snot” and “forgiven” among others, and the third marked with “snot” and “forgiven.” Students who forgot to bring something to class were forced to roll one of the dice. The teacher has apparently admitted to kissing one boy and acting as if he would put snot on one girl. He nicknamed the dice the “sexual harassment dice.” (source)

Link – via Fark

Yoda 9" Talking Plush – $25.95

Judge him by cuteness, do you? Why, actually, if you do, you’ll find that the Yoda talking plush from the NeatoShop is incredibly cute. Push his belly and hear his pearls of wisdoms, you will: Link | More fun Star Wars stuff | More Plush Toys

Photo: Julian Robinson [Flickr]

The term “Boxing kangaroo” brought to my mind a cartoon image of a kangaroo with boxing gloves, but in the wild, these roo fights are less like boxing and more like brutal knife fights. Photographer Julian Robinson (aaardvaark on Flickr) observed:

Bouncing nimbly on powerful hind legs, sizing each other up, the two opponents launch sudden combinations, jabbing and grappling with lightning forelegs to gain the advantage, then lashing out with raking kicks – haymakers far more devastating than any man’s. Each razorsharp hind claw has the potential to disembowel the other animal. [...] Although far from unfamiliar with Australia’s Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Julian Robinson was quite unprepared for the spectacle that was to unravel before his eyes. He stumbled upon the slugfest in 2006 [...]

The dangerous forepaw claws are clearly visible in the first two shots above. “They keep their heads out of range as far as they can, with good reason,” explains Julian, adding: “You don’t see many roos standing up tall. These guys sure got as high as they could get.”

Environmental Graffiti has more: Link

Coot & Toilet and Coot & Beer Salt and Pepper Shakers – $11.95

Got a loveable old coot in the family? Here’s the perfect little gift for those Over-the-Hill birthday parties: Coot & Toilet and Coot & Beer salt and pepper shakers from the NeatoShop. Now, get off his lawn.

See also: our newly expanded neat and unusual Salt & Pepper Shakers category

Photo: Kevin H. [Flickr]

I’m sure most of you are aware of the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, as hosted by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. I’ll leave the political pontifications to other sites, and focus on the very, very funny posters pool at Flickr.