"The city of Stuttgart, Germany has officially opened a marvelous new media center, the Stuttgart City Library.  This cavernous white wonder is unobtrusive in design, where the books and visitors provide the color to an otherwise neutral environment.  The visual center of the Stuttgart City Library is its grand atrium, a five-story open chamber that feels like the work of a modernist MC Esher.  The interior is bright without direct lighting, it is warm without paint color and intimate yet Read more [...]

Our Jokes Aren't As Your Jokes: Here's  the video: Our Parties Aren't Like Your Parties: Here's the video: We  Did It: Here's the video: Shake: Here's the video: Mind Control: Here's the video: Our Rock Stars Aren't Like Your Rock Stars: Here's the video: Our Team Players Aren't Like Your Team Players: Here's the video: Read more [...]

Gadgets and cooking, sounds like the dream team and to be honest it really is, because these gadgets use some sophisticated technology to produce equipment that makes food that we already know of, it’s just that these gadgets make the food faster, cheaper and much more conveniently. With this Top Five, we are looking at some of the coolest gadgets designed for the kitchen, cook or both. Finally, it’s the AppleBoard This is a chopping board that requires no introduction at all, it’s Read more [...]

Above, an aerial photo of flooded factories in Pathum Thani Province outside Bangkok taken last month. The picture appeared in yesterday's New York Times. I was struck by by how much the pattern of buildings resembles that of computer chipsets on motherboards. Source: [Book Of Joe] Read more [...]

From the website: ................................. While it's not being prescribed as a cure for seasonal affective disorder just yet, the Bright Blind is sure to lighten one's spirit in dark, sad abodes and office spaces worldwide. Made of electroluminescent (EL) sheets, Makoto Hirahara's Bright Blind simulates a window where none exists. The artificial blind functions in exactly the way you might guess: turn the plastic stick and control the brightness. Wood, plastic, Read more [...]

Ice Straws Very cool. From the website: .............................. With this ice tray, you can make straws out of ice. We guess that's good for the environment, but more importantly it means you can drink a soda and leave NO EVIDENCE. Each silicone rubber mold will quickly make six 8" straws out of whatever easily frozen fluids tickle your fancy. $9.95. .............................. $9.95. Source [bookofjoe.com] Read more [...]

From My Modern Metropolis: "Flickr user Timo Arnall came upon this artistic gem on the streets of Brussels, Belgium. It's none other than the clever AZERTY keyboard. This layout is specifically designed for the characters of the Latin alphabet on a typewriter or keyboard." Source [bookofjoe.com] Read more [...]

From the website: ............................. We assume that a lot of tech stuff is spread around at your home. A couple mobile devices, laptops, iPads, iPhones and the like... right? OK — and you don't want the little ones to play with your brand new iPad... think: multi-gestures with little hands that just have arisen from the porridge plate... urgh. The i-Wood takes its design cues from Mr. [Jonathan] Ive's handiwork, but instead of a trackpad, the i-Wood offers the wee Read more [...]

"Visitors of the Place Vendome in Paris, France were treated to a stunning art installation last weekend during the FIAC 2011 conference.  The Ring Mirror Installation by Arnaud Lapierre, sponsored by Audi, is a reflective cylinder composed of mirrored blocks stacked in a variegated fashion.  About the Ring structure, Lapierre explained, “‘The Ring’ is an installation that takes into consideration the urban space networking: the rhythm, flow, organization and spatial hierarchy. The installation Read more [...]

Below, 30 examples of stunning color photography to inspire your entry. Children and Baby Bird by flickr user Pink Sherbet Photography Frutilla Lavada by flickr user Aldana Florencia Mourning for the Morning by flickr user notsogoodphotography Blue Poison Dart Frog by flickr user ucumari And Then I Will Send You the World in Green and Blue by flickr user Meredith_Farmer Golden Leaves by flickr user Shandi-lee Untitled by Read more [...]

Today's sewing machines are sophisticated embedded systems with exacting precision, automated stitch control, and touch-screen interfaces: Photo: Brother International SQUINT-FREE: When appliances go digital, some difficult tasks become easy. The Brother Quattro 6000D sewing machine shown here has a camera above the needle plate that shows the stitching area on a built-in LCD screen. My Aunt Yetta sewed quilts—and most of her family's clothes—on an antique treadle sewing Read more [...]

PaveGen slabs, a technology developed in part by Laurence Kemball-Cook, convert human traversal into electricity. While the tiles have been in testing for a while now, they are slated to make their first big commercial appearance between London’s Olympic stadium and theWestfield Stratford City mall during the 2012 Olympics. The twenty PaveGen tiles to be placed are expected to generate enough electricity to power at least half of the malls outdoor lighting needs, practically from nothing. The Read more [...]