Miscellany
Like the names says: odds and ends - quirky things which cropped up in the search for useful stuff - and which seemed too good to throw away without sharing. The news section contains a more extensive collection of links.
Glass Microbiology
Luke Jerram turns the world’s deadliest diseases into works of art. The British artist’s glass sculptures — which go on display in London in January — depict old standbys (smallpox, E. coli), flashes in the pan (avian flu, SARS), and scourges of the day (H1N1, shown, and HIV). His goal: to explore the tension between the viruses’ devastating beauty and their devastating impact on humanity.
From http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/11/pl_playlist_1712/
If you like the toast? The Toast Bandages($5; Box), you may like. "Toast is much more than just a side order. Put one of these Toast Bandages on any minor wound to experience for yourself the incredible healing power of toast!
The Handpresso may be one of the coolest portable single serve espresso and coffee makers ever seen, and you can use it in your home or on the go. Combining a bicycle pump, and using an E.S.E. espresso pod, you simply pump up the Handpresso and pull a perfect shot.
Single Serve Espresso also revealed this week the Unboxing of Handpresso and their earlier article which features a rather interesting video on Handpresso.
If powering up your amp and monster Freesat TV leaves your neighbours in blackout misery, this new energy monitor could be for you. Dubbed the Wilting Flower, it's a visual reminder of how much electricity you're guzzling at any one moment. When you're using very little juice, it's a perky little flower with its petals open, but as you use more energy it goes red and -- if you maintain your prolifigate ways -- eventually wilts and closes up. Subtle? No. Quirky? Yes.
Designed by Carl Smith of Doncaster, the Wilting Flower is essentially a fancy-looking version of the Wattson, Efergy Meterand OWL. It works by chatting wirelessly to a clip that you DIY install onto your electricity meter (if its as easy as the Wattson, you won't electrocute yourself). We like Smith's graphic approach to reminding us of our energy use, since most of today's energy monitors employ a rather boring screen that shows how many watts or pounds you're burning.
Sadly the flower's just a prototype right now, but there are hopes for a production version that would sell for £60. Watch this space; Smith's portfolio has more details and photos. (from Crave UK)
The grenade soap ($8) by Etsy user stinkybomb. Available in many colors.
"Cast from an actual demilled WWII steel body Grenade The grenade was cast in a 2 part silicone mold so it holds all of the detail of the original."
Sucking a lemon and washing it down with a glass of vinegar makes about as
much sense as ordering a tripe milkshake with your tuna doughnut. But what if you could make wincingly sour flavours taste deliciously sweet? It's easy with Miracle Fruit Tablets.
The Miracle Berry: made from natural berries native to West Africa, these taste-twisting pills contain a rogue glycoprotein molecule (whatever that is) that binds to the tastebuds causing sour things to taste sweet. Simply pop one on your unsuspecting tongue, wait for the freeze-dried jungle juice to work its magic and prepare to be astounded. Lemons taste like toffee-ish lemonade, vinegar tastes treacly and Guinness tastes like a stouty, chocolately shake. Even sprouts seem fruity. Eat something sweet and it's like a sugar volcano erupting in your gob. Incredible! Each pill rewires the way your palate perceives flavours for up to two hours, so you've plenty of time to try tons of previously unpalatable things, from raw radishes to neat Tabasco. The possibilities are endless, the sensations amazing. Even foodie sceptics are going gaga over these taste-distorting tablets.
|
Miracle Fruit Tablets |
|
Lemons |
|
Tastes like toffee! |
Ideal at dinner do's, Miracle Fruit Tablets are causing a major stir across the pond.'Flavour tripping parties' - where daring epicures gather to pop pills and nosh on unlikely food - are all the rage in New York.
Apart from their 'look what I'm eating without wincing, putting my hands on my head and crossing my legs like Benny Hill used to' comedic value, Miracle Fruit Tablets can help satisfy sugar cravings without any calorific consequences. Indeed conspiracy theorists reckon the sugar industry tried to sabotage research into miracle berries back in the 70s. But they also reckon Elvis stacks shelves in the Co-Op in Luton, so we'll keep an open mind. Crazy theories aside, we really can't overstate how mind-blowing these strange little pills are. From: http://www.firebox.com/product/2167/Miracle-Fruit-Tablets
The Thanksgiving, you can do your Papercraft Turkey Dinner, check out this Papercraft Turkey Dinner (PDF). It looks so real.
[ link ] - the original site
[ link ] - Assembly Instructions.
I like classic swiss army knife, but this Swiss Chocolate Knife, Cool or not, If you love it? The only swiss army knife, you can take it to the airplane. This delectable Swiss Chocolate Knife($3.25) is made of the finest Swiss chocolate, and is filled with hazelnut praline. Featuring the Victorinox Swiss Army logo, this fine confection is modeled after the Swiss Army Spartan multitool. The Victorinox Swiss Army Spartan, Chocolate Edition is a Swiss Knife Shop exclusive. You can also buy a set from here. Designboom
Page 1 of 2
