Happy birthday to Miley Cyrus! Here’s to not only to making it to 18 years old—she also had a fabulous cake designed by Sweet and Saucy. The giant cake and dessert spread took inspiration from Miley’s affection for Bohemian style and dream catchers. Here are just a few pictures: Full story at Sweet and Saucy. …

Green energy gets a bad rap in America thanks to an avalanche of fossil fuel lobbyists, but what if solar was playing on a level playing field in term of subsidies? The answers are illuminating. Full story at Breakfast Links. Giving green a fighting chance.

With tensions being what they are in the world today, it’s a small wonder that some segment of the population hasn’t tried to rename America’s favorite bird the “freedom chicken.” The question still remains: How did the runner-up for our national bird get named for a country across the globe? The answer harkens back to …

I could write a post a day about people and things that I am thankful for, but this one is dedicated to the team at Portfolio, an imprint of Penguin, who are helping me publish my latest book, Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions. Here are photographs from my recent visit to …

If by some miracle humans manage to avoid wiping each other out in the next 50 million years, how would the humble homo sapiens evolve? Anyone else hoping for wings, impossibly long legs, and no more body hair? No? Moving on… An io9 reader dug up a 1982 issue of Omni magazine in which zoologist …

The concept of revenge is as old as history. Almost since the dawn of the written word, humans have had the desire to exact vengeance on others who have wronged us. The Code of Hammurabi, the code of law from the sixth king of Babylon, was implemented about 1760 B.C., making it the oldest recorded …

Print ads present a noggin-scratching problem for graphic designers—how can a message be creatively delivered in limited space without the jazz and pizazz of television commercials? Visual imagery goes a long way, but truly creative designers know that the added element of typography can be the key to creating an eye-catching ad sure to please …

Now that the trend of abstinence-only sex education programs is easing a bit, perhaps IKEA could step in and lend a hand to the public education system. What is the little screwdriver for, though? Wait, don’t answer that. Full story at Popped Culture. IKEA humor.

The downside of National Unfriend Day is that you might miss out on some real doozies when it comes to status updates, especially if you can count one of these folks among your acquaintance. (It’s not as though you have to admit it.) After all, laughter is the best medicine. Full story at Oddee. Facebook …

Swiss design firm Bread and Butter takes a trip down gaming memory lane with the “Gamepads Complete Collection 1979-2009” poster featuring illustrations of 42 video game console controllers that have hit the market since 1979. Full story at GameSetWatch. All about gaming.

Technologies collide with the DIY floppy disk USB flash drive. Charles Mangin used two 3.5 inch floppies, glue, and a bit of ingenuity to create the clever flash drive. Now you have a use for any old floppy disks laying around besides coasters, wobbly chair fixers and weapons to chuck at intruders or unruly children. …

Nothing completes a winter scene like deer wandering through a sea of white, yet those peaceful animals are a nightmare for gardeners and growers of winter’s hallmark, the Christmas tree. According to Fraser fir growers, a hefty deer population, “…can eat young trees down to a pencil-sized stem. Damage can be so extensive that growers …