Nov 11 2009 Japan Firm Makes Custom Barcode Art
D-Barcode is a Japanese firm that will design your barcode to look cooler than the standard bunch of lines. These are some examples of their work. But it doesn't come cheap! And, despite what you may have read above the urinal, neither do I.
It can be pretty pricey, though: $1,500 for a design, and $200 a year for licensing fees. If you want a code all your own, that can even cost as much as $4,000.
Now I know what you're thinking, "pfft, I could do that". But that's where you're wrong, because you and I both know you couldn't. Remember kindergarten? Remember how you couldn't keep the color inside the lines? Your parents thought you were retarded. Dad still does.
Jul 23 2009 Solar Powered Gadget Charging Wi-Fi Flowers
Toyota, in a ploy to sell more Priuses (Priusi?), is installing these solar-powered, gadget charging Wi-Fi stations in a select few U.S. cities (Boston, New York, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles). Unfortunately, I don't live in any of those cities so I'm going to continue stealing my neighbor's electricity. Isn't that right, Mr. Lendoff? I said your yard looks great!
Toyota Unleashes Giant Solar-Powered Flowers On Unsuspecting Cities [ecorazzi]
Thanks to Spikey DaPikey, who charges his gadgets the old fashioned way -- with unicorn tears.
Apr 27 2009 BA-BOOM: This Vase Is The Bomb, Son!
Can you believe that's actually the title I used? Me neither. Maybe I'll come back and change it later (read: I won't). So, A Peaceful Bomb Vase is a flower depository designed by Owen & Cloud to look like a bomb. It's supposed to serve as a statement about how not cool war is (despite what video games may have taught you).
Taiwanese design duo Owen and Cloud designed this piece as a statement against war, and the result is a one of a kind, striking piece.
I hate to break it to you, but that's not one of a kind -- I count like thirty of them. Still, I like. And they do carry a powerful message. One about how beautiful bombs can be. No? Make floral arrangements, not war? Okay, so maybe I don't get it. Fun fact: you could almost write a novella about the things I don't know. Almost.
A Peaceful Bomb Vase [likecool]
Thanks to Spikey DaPikey, who once dropped a bomb so powerful they had to close the bathroom for two whole days.
Nov 13 2008 Light Up And Wall Out: Fiber Optic Wallpaper
We've seen light-emitting wallpaper in the past, but that was just conceptual. This fiber optic wallpaper is actually available. Like today, if you have $231 to blow on a roll. There are several color options, but it looks like you're limited to flowers as far as the design goes. Not that anybody even uses wallpaper anymore. Except me. Now call me old fashioned but, WHAT THE....my typewriter screen just went out.
Hit the jump for another picture with blue/white light.
Continue Reading " Light Up And Wall Out: Fiber Optic Wallpaper "
Nov 6 2008 20 Years Of Research For This?: Scientists Develop Way To Grow Blue Roses, People With Incurable Diseases Do Not Rejoice
After much trial and tribulation, scientists have finally developed a safe way to grow blue roses. What was wrong with just putting white roses in a vase of water dyed blue with food coloring? Pfft, that's some unscientific bullshit, that's what.
The blooms are genetically modified and have been implanted with a gene that simulates the synthesis of blue pigment in pansies. "They are attracting lots of attention here because they are so unusual."The creation of blue roses - long thought to be impossible - was masterminded by an Australian-based subsidiary of Suntory, a Japanese company.
A blue rose has long been synonymous with the unattainable, from signifying unrequited love in Chinese folklore to its Victorian era connotations of symbolizing a quest for the impossible.
Well thank Jesus. Finally I'll be able to sleep at night knowing scientists may not have cured cancer, but, screw it, roses now come in blue. Your rose color lesson for the day:
Red: Love. Alternatively: I cheated on you.
Pink: Gratitude. Alternatively: I cheated on you with the secretary. Twice.
Orange: Desire. Alternatively: I want somebody else but they're not having it, so l'd like to continue doing you in the interim.
Yellow: Friendship. Alternatively: you have a butter face.
White: Purity. Alternatively: I know you're a filthy whore, but let's pretend anyways.
Lavander: Enchantment. Alternatively: you should be burned at the stake!
Blue: Mystery. Alternatively: f*** you.
World's first blue roses after 20 years of research [telegraph]
Thanks to Momboelitist, who only sends black roses. And then stabs you.
Jun 23 2008 Cool: Take A Bath Under The Stars Without Exposing Yourself To The Elderly Neighbors
The Homestar Spa by SEGA Toys turns your bathroom into a planetarium whenever you're taking a bath. You just fill up the tub, strip down to your birthday suit (or a towel if you're a prude like the chick in the photos), and hop on in. Then, with a flick of its switch, the $70 unit instantly fills your bathroom with hundreds of trillions of millions of "stars". Not feeling stars tonight? No problem, flip the unit over and hit the switch again to fill the bottom of your tub with a, uh, bloody mess.
Sega's Homestar Spa: Planetarium edition [engadget]
Thanks to Julian, who calls the model in the photos despite her obvious prudishness.
Dec 6 2007 Expensively Dim Lighting: The Dandelight
The Dandelight is a very cleverly named product. By combining the words 'dandelion' and 'light' you get 'dandelight', which, at no additional cost to you, contains the word 'delight'. I bet it took someone several sleepless nights to come up with that one. Anyway, each light consists of a 9v battery, some wire, a few LEDs, and a real dandelion head. They go for $99 a blow, so you may want to make this a little DIY project. While they do look neat, I just can't see having them around my apartment. Although I'm sure the girlfriend can. I'm sure she's thinking they'd go great next to the potpourri basket in the bathroom, or with the rose walls and floral bedspread in the bedroom. Oh god help me, I've grown a vagina.
Dandelights (Hold Your Breath) [ohgizmo]
Oct 24 2007 Flower Urinals: Pee On Something Beautiful
Flower Urinals, from Clark Sorenson, are flower shaped urinals. They sell for anywhere between $6,500 and $9,500, making them ridiculously expensive for a bunch of urine receptacles. Nice try Clark Sorenson, but I developed these things years ago. I had a line of Venus Penis Trap urinals that bit your pollinator off when you were done peeing. I only sold a single unit. Which kind of makes me the Van Gogh of urinal design.
Flower shaped urinals - Nature enters your bathroom for a price [bornrich]
