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China Censorship

If viewed on a computer screen that resides in China, this image actually has a gaping, country-shaped hole. [Information is Beautiful]

Time for Toys

I present to you: The Westminster Chiming Grandfather clock.

It is an monolith of my childhood. Standing at a hefty 2.2 meters, it is a functioning timepiece of imposing stature.

A lot of work went into this one, I'm sure. Coated in high gloss polyurethane white paint, you can even see a Hulk and Buzz Lightyear there (though the latter is a bit after my time...)

The designer Ryan Mc Elhinney, says that there are other variations, with the toys used symbolizing the client's childhood memories.

I just hope you had a happy childhood... or this fun clock could very easily become very, very scary...

Villa in Vals - Switzerland

Villa in Vals - Switzerland
by SeARCH Architects

Abitare 499, January 2010
MARK Magazine December 2009

FOR MORE, GOTO: Iwan Baan - photography

Eko STOP-light

Have you ever had some green, and then had to go out for food only to find yourself waiting for what seems like an eternity at a stoplight? Well... maybe not. In any ways I'm sure this traffic light has other uses too...

The Eko Stoplight from designer Damjan Stankovic is a traffic light that features a built in timer, which is displayed around the light and then counts down till the light changes.

I do think though that this might encourage impatient drivers to jump across before the last to lines have run out..

Again.. maybe that's just me...

HOMOPHOBIA: Corduroy Skirts are a Sin

An angry loser (right) came to Syracuse University to make a fool of herself by spreading pathetic hatred and was treated to a happy mutant style stunt by this smiling student, named Chris Pesto (left).

"I decided that because this woman thought it was okay to make me feel uncomfortable in my home, I would retaliate and make her feel just as uncomfortable, if not more.

This woman was wearing a ankle-length corduroy skirt, which, as we all know, is a fashion nono. So, in order to make her feel uncomfortable, I stood next to her and held a sign that said Corduroy skirts are a sin! I don't think I have ever drawn so much attention in my life. SO many people asked to take a picture with me, I got laughs, high fives and there were the few that even cursed off the woman standing behind me.

As I drew interest to what was going on with myself and the woman with the hateful sign, I started to draw a crowd that stood with me in support. Before I knew it I had 100+ people holding signs for gay rights asking people to honk their horns to support. I was interviewed by a news station, and more than 5 student organization papers, and the post standard of syracuse.

I never expected anybody to come stand by me and support and I appreciate it so much that everyone came! It meant so much and it proved to those ignorant people that we aren't afraid, and we will put up a fight.

I'm proud that Syracuse has such a homosexual friendly community." 

- Chris Pesto

taken from [BOING-BOING] Thanks for: MELCAM28 on Twitter for this.

Evolution of Storage

Beware: Wet Pixels

50-years of Space Travel

[CLICK ABOVE FOR THE FULL INFOGRAPHIC]

This infographic chronicles 50 years of space travel, But if you are more interested in Mars, there are infographics for that too.

Alest Rukov - Wooden Mouse

I present to you: The “AlestRukov” wooden mouse!

First let me tell you this: five year warrantee. A wooden mouse with a warrantee – finally! Then, look at this: made from types of wood cultivated specifically for industrial use, safe for the environment to manufacture and to use.

The parts that aren’t wooden are made of the least amount of material possible, the wood itself covered with natural linseed oil and carnauba wax for protection from wear.

All wooden components made from a single piece of solid wood.

Mouse works on Mac/PC & *Nix without new software or drivers.

The unique mouse cord is a “stay” cord that allows you the space you need in the situation you’re in.

Designer: Alest Rukov

Who's Your Daddy

8-bit Invaders - Autopsy T-shirt

Space Invaders are really grotesque aliens, nothing like us, flying spaceships in a war they plan to win at all cost. I hope at least we can learn their weakness.. (SPOILER: It's a scalpel & latex gloves... but then again, who doesn't have a weakness for latex. I know I do!)

T-Shirt is available for $18 from [Threadless]

8-Bit Space Invaders - T-shirt

All these years, we pegged the Space Invaders for grotesque aliens. Really, they're men and women just like us, flying spaceships in a war they neither want nor understand. Retails for:$18. [Threadless via FashionablyGeek]

Hi-Def Data - from shrimp

 In the marvelously sensitive eyes of mantis shrimps, scientists have found cells that could inspire an overhaul of humanity’s comparatively clumsy communications hardware. [wired]

Mantis Shrimp can see 100,000 colors, 10x the number we can, and are the only animals to see circular polarized light. Scientists think that mantis shrimp eye tech could lead to a new age of telecom and optical devices.

Let me explain. The same biological structures used in the mantis shrimp—a strange creature with 500m years of lineage—to see circular polarized light are used in modern satellite communications and the laser/lens setup in DVD and CD players. The fundamental hardware in our tech are called quarter-wave plates. They both do a 90 degree shift to wave patterns, and quarter waves are ideal for our tech because they are part of high compression, lossless data signals. But mantis shrimp eyes can work this magic on a broad array of light spectrum with their tightly packed tube shaped cells, while our clumsy human tech can only do it to a few frequencies. The potential for new higher bandwidth devices is there. [Gizmodo]

For more info: goto:

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/10/mantis-shrimp-eyes/

http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/3ylqE5dcyzQ/shrimp-eye-tech-could-improve-gadgets

A-TEAM - comeback movie (fresh faces)

A-Team, the movie based on Stephen J. Cannell's famed TV series, is being directed by Joe Carnahan. Liam Neeson will be Hannibal, Sharlto Copley as Murdock, Quinton Rampage Jackson as B.A. Baracus (Mr. T), and Bradley Cooper as Face.

I just hope it doesn't ruin my childhood memories..

Clown's Last Supper

This may very well be the scaryest thing ever!

iMac Remote gets Shaft'd

New iMacs come with an (optional) Apple Remote that comes in a light ray and black. It's $19 whether you buy the iMac or not.

Now, Jeff Li has transformed the iMac remote into a persona, that, to me, resembles a cartoon version of Shaft, with various hairstyles for the 21st Century.

“Perpetual Storytelling Apparatus”

The “Perpetual Storytelling Apparatus” is a drawing machine illustrating a never-ending story by the use of patent drawings.

 

The machine translates words of a text into patent drawings. Seven million patents — linked by over 22 million references — form the vocabulary. By using references to earlier patents, it is possible to find paths between arbitrary patents. They form a kind of subtext.

Over time a serendipitidious narrative is created.

I think it's beautiful! Reminds me of those old-school plotters that still used pens, before the days of laser plotters and inkjet.

Click here for more of the project.

Wire Lamp

Amazing re-issued table lamp by Verner Panton for Louis Poulsen. Originally launched in 1972 the lamp has a cylindrical wire framework that widens into a hemisphere at the top with a hemispherical plastic shade.


Materials:
Chrome wire, plastic shade.

Dimensions:
Height: 540mm Diameter: 400mm


Price: £760.00 !!! WTF