Jan 20 2009 Fire Hazards: $5,000 Paper Houses
The Wall AG is a Swiss company out to solve the problem of homelessness, particularly in third-world countries, with the Universal World House -- a $5,000 paper house.
This isn't mere papercraft--the Universal World House is a $5,000, 390-square-foot modular home, outfitted with plumbing and boarding facilities to support up to eight (eight!) residents each. The secret of its construction is its "paper" shell; the resin-soaked cellulose, made from recycled paper, is shaped into honeycomb walls, which provide structural integrity and insulation to the houses.
Concerned about your ability to slaughter an animal in your new abode? Worry not!
It has been designed so that a family can slaughter an animal on the veranda, wash it in the shower and hang it, along with fish, on an integrated washing line.
Sweet! The only problem is the, uh, the paper. Remember The Three Little Pigs. Even the dumbest one used straw. Just saying.
$5,000 Paper House is the World's Swankiest Hobo Pad [gizmodo]
Thanks to kristy, who was smart enough to build with Styrofoam.
Dec 16 2008 Scientists Find World's Oldest Spider Web (Until Another, Much Older One Is Found)
Scientists have found what they believe to be the world's oldest and least circular spider web, encased in a piece of amber. It's allegedly 140 million years-old.
"It's not a striking, perfect web," Braddy said. "(But) this seems to confirm that spiders were building orb webs back in the early Cretaceous" -- the geological term for the period of time between 145.5 and 65.5 million years ago when dinosaurs and small mammals shared the earth.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking? If it's, "let's clone whatever that spider bit and have sex with it", then you are. High five for being on the same page.
Oldest Spider Web Found, Scientist Says [aolnews]
Thanks to Pat, who doesn't get bitten by spiders because he bites them. That's pretty freaking sick, Pat.
Aug 21 2008 Windows 3.1 Windows Not Vista Compatible
John Nouanesing, the same designer behind the drippy paint table and Geekini has come up with a clever window treatment -- Fenêtres 3.1 (Windows 3.1). As you can see, they make your windows look like Windows 3.1 windows. And, if it's particularly crappy looking outside, you can pull down the blue screen of death shade (seen partially pulled in the right photo). You just better hope the neighbor's kids don't accidentally throw a ball through them, because then you'd have broken Windows! Or, if they're not sealed properly, you could get -- wait for it, wait for it -- bug-filled Windows! Haha, I am so freaking wanting to kill myself right now.
Brilliant window design looks just like Windows 3.1 [dvice]
Thanks to Andrew, king of harvest. And broken windows.
Aug 11 2008 Paint Drip Table Is Neat, Drippy, Trippy
This is a table from designer John Nouanesing. It's called Paint or die but Love Me. If you can't tell because pictures don't work on your fancy electronic typewriter or something, the table looks like it's made of dripping paint. Neat idea, John, but I think it's missing something like, oh I don't know -- legs. You designed a table and forgot the legs. You're a maroon!
NOTE: Please don't email or comment to let me know that the drips are, in fact, the legs. I think you and I both know that's bullshit and you're a witch or sorcerer for even insinuating.
Awesome liquid table [qbn]
Thanks to Melissa, who actually made a table out of paint. Which, by mathematical theorem, makes her mad cooler.
Jul 8 2008 Garden Zombies Add An Undead Touch To Your Flowerbed, Hopefully Scare Solicitors
Tired of staring at the same damn group of garden gnomes in your flowerbed? Well how about (un)livening things up a bit with a Garden Zombie? Garden Zombies cost $90 and the 32"W x 20"D x 8"H sculptures look like they're climbing out of the ground and ready to gnaw on some headfruit.
Not for the faint of heart, the life-sized, gray-toned zombie will claw his way out of your garden plot or family room corner, pleading for assistance with the most lifelike eyes you've ever seen. His macabre expression is captured in such great detail in quality designer resin and finished so realistically that you'll swear you can hear him breathing!
Garden? Maybe. Inside the apartment? F*** no. The last thing I need to see while stumbling my way to a midnight snack is a zombie climbing out of the floor. I'd decimate my tighty-offwhities (if I was wearing any) and cry like a baby. Eventually I'd come to, grab one of my zombie-survival kits, and proceed to kill the poor sap that lives in the apartment below mine.
Jun 27 2008 Cassette Lamps: Cooler Than 8-Track Lamps
Some designers over at Transparent House have come up with a pretty clever way of recycling old cassette tapes. Not as clever as shooting them off your fence from the back porch, but still pretty clever. They're making lamps. That's right, lamps. You know, illumination devices. As you can see from the picture, they cast pretty cool shadows on the walls. But I don't think they're for sale, so if you're interested you'll have to make one yourself. But please, don't be a dipshit and use opaque tapes like I did.
Hit the jump for several more pictures.
Continue Reading " Cassette Lamps: Cooler Than 8-Track Lamps "
Apr 15 2008 Tetris Decals Add Blocky Flair To Your Abode
Seller "Fame" is selling sets of these Tetris Wall Decals for on Etsy for $42. You get two tetrads each of seven different colors and can arrange them however you please. They'd go great alongside your Tetris shelves, Tetris mirrors, breakfast (with iced orange juice), or furniture. I recommend buying several sets, since this "Fame" character on Etsy is actually me trying to make a quick buck off Tetris lovers. And don't go getting the idea that you can make these yourself, my house nearly blew up twice during the manufacturing process. Just kidding, that was the meth lab.
One more picture of what you get after the jump.
Continue Reading " Tetris Decals Add Blocky Flair To Your Abode "
Jan 9 2008 Hide Unsightly Wires With Unsightly Brick
I'm just kidding, the Powerblock is kind of growing on me. As you can see it's a powerstrip that's hidden inside a, um, I'm just going to call it a geometric figure. When implemented, you no longer have to see your damn cords sprawled out all over the place. Lets face it -- nobody likes a bunch of wires everywhere. And nobody likes a bunch of clowns everywhere either, because those guys are freaking scary. Hence Anticlown Media.
UPDATE: Turns out the thing costs 115€ (~$168!), making it the piece of crap I thought it was from the beginning. I'm holding out for a knock-off.
Say Goodbye To Messy Cables [yankodesign]
