Last week, a chandelier made of Gummi Bears made the rounds on the "˜net. I was inspired to look up the history of the Gummi Bear. Did you know Gummi Bears were first produced in 1922?! Candymaker Hans Riegel called them "dancing bears". It wasn't until 1981 that they became widely available in the United States. Besides appealing to kids' tastes, Gummi Bears turned out to be useful in many other ways. Scientific Experiments Make your Gummi Bear grow by soaking him... READ ON

The other evening I was sitting with some of my students (I teach a novel writing class at Mediabistro) and the subject of Poire William came up. Poire, of course, is pear in French, and Pear William is an old-fashioned liqueur, sweet and fruity, wonderful for cleansing the palate after a meal, and goes well with cheese and grapes and... READ ON

What we call Southern Ingenuity is a tradition of using what you already have to get the job done. My father would warm his coffee with a propane torch in his workshop to save a trip into the house for a warmup. He wasn't above stirring it with a screwdriver. I also remember him holding a can of beans over a campfire with a pair of pliers. You can do amazing things with tools, including cooking your food. Drilled Chilli... READ ON

Tired of the same old toast, boringly burned a uniform golden-brown? You need The Pirate Toaster, which emblazons a skull-and-crossbones design on each slice. If you don't like pirates, The Breakfast Art Toaster offers the user a choice of toast designs, including a smiley face. Need something weirder? Try The Love Toaster, which burns "I LOVE YOU" on your toast. (Recommended for those who need daily affirmations from their breakfast.) Other interesting toasting technologies include: The Sunrise... READ ON