If you don’t want to put your fluids in a little baggie to make it through airport security, the good folks at Jaunted have spotted Paper Shampoo “an invention similar to breath strips that involves wetting a rectangular sheet of paper impregnated with shampoo and rubbing it on your head.”

Thankfully, I usually stay at hotels that provide shampoo of the liquid variety so if I forget to BYOS, I don’t have to resort to this, but what the heck.

I wasn’t going to go here, but I can’t resist: Fish pedicures. Yup, for just a few bucks, you too could have carp nibbling on your toes. From the AP report:

He said he wanted to come up with something unique while finding a replacement for pedicures that use razors to scrape off dead skin. The razors have fallen out of favor with state regulators because of concerns about whether they’re sanitary.

Ho was skeptical at first about the fish, which are called garra rufa but typically known as doctor fish. They were first used in Turkey and have become popular in some Asian countries.

But Ho doubted they would thrive in the warm water needed for a comfortable footbath. And he didn’t know if customers would like the idea.

“I know people were a little intimidated at first,” Ho said. “But I just said, ‘Let’s give it a shot.’ ”

Customers were quickly hooked.

Somehow, I don’t think this will catch on as a group activity, but then again, stranger things have been known to happen. For those who want to see the fishies in action, here’s the video.

This may sound counterintuitive, but if you want to increase attendance at your next meeting, consider changing your bylaws. This tip brought to you by Ryan Tucholski, a really fun-to-read new association blogger I just found via Cindy, the AE on the Verge.

This is so cool: Some artists created artwork made out of grass for the 2008 Wimbledon tennis championship. From CR Blog (click the link to see a picture of the Wimbledon artworks):

The artists essentially use grass as a form of photographic paper, projecting a black-and-white negative image onto a patch of grass as it grows in a dark room, and using the natural photosensitive properties of the grass to reproduce photographs.

I don’t see why you couldn’t use a similar process to make signage for your conference, particularly if your organization has something to do with horticulture (or has some kind of growth theme). It would get my attention, that’s for sure.

Oh, why not? These floating logos made of soap-based foams and lighter-than-air gases could make a fairly big impression at an outdoor function, and they say they don’t harm the environment, and planes can fly right through them. I thought these were cute, anyway. Read more about them here.

Here’s an interesting risk management scenario: What would you do if one of your general session speakers was stabbed by an attendee after his presentation? That’s what happened at the 10th International Conference on Science and Consciousness held earlier this month in Santa Fe. Read more about it here.

I don’t think there’s much a planner could do to keep this from happening. Fortunately, it sounds like there were plenty of medical folks in the audience, and the paramedics showed up quickly, but sheez.

If you ever need a reason to be glad we don’t do business on a handshake anymore, this cautionary tale ought to do it: Wal-Mart’s former video-production company now is selling footage from its meetings. Including some things its execs, former execs, and even a presidential candidate would rather not see in the public eye–but because there never was anything in writing, the company seems to be getting away with it. At least for now. From the article:

For nearly 30 years, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. employed a video-production company here to capture footage of its top executives, sometimes in unguarded moments. Two years ago, the retailing giant stopped using the tiny company.

At first, the decision threw Flagler Productions Inc. into a panic. Now it’s Wal-Mart that’s squirming.

In recent months, Flagler has opened its trove of some 15,000 Wal-Mart tapes to the outside world, with an eye toward selling clips. The material is proving irresistible to everyone from business historians and documentary filmmakers to plaintiffs lawyers and union organizers.

Just in case you needed any other excuse to quadruple-check your contract.

And then there’s entertainment that is the luncheon. Behold, the Vegetable Orchestra!

It doesn’t look like they’re available for events, but you never know.

This sounds like a bad Mainer joke, but it’s true according to this article: Lobster serves as role model for new x-ray device. From the article:

The lobster is at the forefront of the next new weapon in the war on terror: a handheld device that could help Homeland Security agents see through wood, concrete and steel.

Technology based on the crustacean’s uncanny ability to see through dark, cloudy, deep sea water is guiding scientists funded by the government in the early stages of developing a ray that one day could be used by border agents, airport screeners and the Coast Guard.

Phew. When I first ran across this one, I had a horrible image of TSA agents waving lobster claws to hand-scan air passengers…

I know planners are always looking for interesting venues for off-site events, like museums and mansions. But car dealerships?

Hey, why not? Especially if they’re dealerships like the Herb Chambers Lexus dealership I read about in the Boston Globe this morning. I’ve never heard of such a thing: marble and cherry wood bathrooms with plasma tvs, a lounge with a fireplace, an espresso bar, a playroom for the kids, and a business center complete with eight computers. From the Globe:

The Lexus dealership, with its huge portico - fountain to come - has been likened to a Vegas casino, a luxury hotel, or even an art museum with its lofty space and natural light. All the furniture came from the Boston Design Center.

In fact, New England Cable News is hosting its “TV Diner” Platinum Plate Gala not at a tony restaurant or hotel but at the dealership. Next Saturday, 20 celebrity chefs will bring signature dishes to the Lexus showroom in a $100-a-head benefit for Community Servings. There will be live music, an auction hosted by “TV Diner” ’s Billy Costa and comedian Lenny Clarke, and lots of bold-faced names among the 1,000 guests.

“Herb Chambers opened the platinum plate of dealerships,” says Costa, who awards “platinum plate” honors to the best restaurants reviewed on his show. “It’s an over-the-top place. When I went there, I said, ‘Wow!’ It just seemed like the perfect place.”

I wonder if they had to go check with the manager before settling on the final fee?

And, by the way, if you aren’t familiar with UniqueVenues.com, check it out. I don’t know if they list car dealerships, but they do have info on pretty much every other type of non-hotel venue you can think of.