Love this competition by architects and designers for housing solutions for surviving the Zombapocalypse. Cause let’s face it, design will probably be the thing that saves us when the undead rise (Ok, ingenuity then… or possibly the ability to outrun the shamblers… and katanas. Yeah… definitely katanas.).
Run by the visionary (and preparing early!) Architects Southwest amongst others. Inspired. Also, lurv the award names… Golden Shovel, Silver Machete etc…
With the #occupy movements still going strong around the world, I’ve found a lot of the arguments have become dogma and philosophy and split people along the lines of their beliefs about work and reward versus society. It’s gotten so bad I’ve actually heard some Gordon Gecko-esque “Greed is good” comments and had one person forward me an old Milton Friedman TV interview by Donahue spruiking greed and power.
There is now a wide body of literature, however, that states unequivocally that large income inequalities hurt societies. Great TEDTalk on the subject.
Not sure how the hell I missed this, but NPR, proprietors of such awesomeness as Ira Glass’ This American Life and other brain food, solicited their erudite and obviously attractive listenership for a top 100 works of scifi and fantasy books list. 5000 entries, 100 toppers.
NPR’s Top 100 SciFi and Fantasy Books
Besides the scary fact of how many of them I’ve read, I still though it was an interesting list especially in light of Neal Stephenson’s amazing article in World Policy on Innovation Starvation about how SF was failing the world now (but really a diatribe against loss of grit and big risk taking in doing Big Things™). Seriously, read it, it’s a fantastic article. Cause even though we’re living in the future, we don’t seem to be doing much about it.
OK, have to admit I thought this was pretty clever actually.
And, I’m probably not spending enough time on the internet when my Mom scoops me by sending me this. Thanks Mom!
While not wild about the music, absolutely lurv the animation style on this video.
Inflation adjusted housing prices. In the US. Since 1890. As… a rollercoaster (for reference, years running in lower right).
This is more than a little frightening for the vast majority of people whose dream is to own a home and those who believe its an investment vehicle. Check out the last 20 years and tell me there isn’t a very big problem. 2D graph at very end to put it all in perspective.
Love this ad from Greenpeace celebrating all their victories on their 40th. All the corporate overlords they’ve upset in their history. Very cool.
(disclaimer: Once upon a time, I worked for Greenpeace HQ in Amsterdam. That doesn’t make this any less great though.)
Loved this idea so much. Wish I’d thought of it for my 40th. Awesome, awesome thing to do.
And yes, this is the same guy who moved from Barcelona and said goodbye to the people there in an similar feat of coolness.
I’m a huge fan of Kiva and loan pretty regularly through them, mostly to SE Asia (and particularly Cambodia after my visit there last year). This is a stunning visualization of the microloans passing back and forth globally (ie. loans going out and then being repaid) over the five years Kiva has been in existence. Mind-blowing, though personally other music and a running total of loans to let people grok magnitude would have made it even better. Still, astounding to watch.