The Beautiful Danish Designed Minimalist VIPP Shelter...

VIPP have been working with steel since
the 1930's when Holger Nielsen founded the company in the small town of Randers
with the sole purpose of producing
a beautiful rubbish bin.
Yes a rubbish bin. Rubbish bins were a very important item, a status symbol and certainly a way of keeping ahead of the Joneses back then, not that there were many Joneses in Denmark.
Holger was so successful with his venture, his iconic pedal bin that is used around the world  proudly takes it's place in New York's
Museum of Modern Art.
Now the design team headed by Morten Bo Jensen have taken the company's reputation to another level with this beautifully designed and manufactured prefabricated steel shelter that comes with everything except the new owners food, wine and a site for the minimalist 592 square foot home to sit on.
There's more here, here and here...

Abel Deandres. Argentina's Modern Day Che Guevara...

More of an apple picker than a revolutionary
but Abel on his 1988 Honda R600 bears more than a passing resemblance to the wonderful charismatic revolutionary Che Guevara, and when he turned up at The Department of Conservation's Uretiti campground the other day he could have been taken for Che's brother at least. Well, I liked to think so.
My new friend Abel from Argentina has some wonderful tales to tell, some similar to those of Che's in The Motorcycle Diaries and when he's finished his epic tour around the world
he'll have a lot more.
The last I saw of him he was heading off to Motueka near Nelson in New Zealand's
South Island to pick apples.
Latcho Drom Abel...

The World's Newest Mobile Phone Operator...

This is one of the newest kids on the telecommunications block and rumour has it that they're using the latest and greatest technology in their never ending quest to provide faster and and more convenient communications
for their customers.
The Horse And Cart Communications Company has done away with the overheads of an office building and wanders the streets with
the latest in mobile phones.
A prospective customer simply waves to them and they stop allowing the customer to climb aboard and use the phone.
A great idea in mobile communications.
It's sure to catch on...

A Japanese Styled Tiny House On Wheels...

The Japanese know well how to combine traditional style with simple modern pure minimalist design and have influenced many of the world's leading architects.
Here with this little house on wheels is a fusion of 'western' exterior styling with some of the Japanese philosophies one would see in a traditional Tea House such as Wabi-Sabi and the use of natural materials. We see the use of the wonderful Tatami mats too in this delightful one hundred and thirty four sq foot house.
There's more about living with less here...

Has Anyone Seen Carolina Butcher...

Carolina Butcher aka Carnufex Carolinensis
was last seen a couple of years ago, well two hundred and thirty one million years ago to be precise, somewhere in the US on a Tuesday afternoon during the Triassic Period.
You're sure to remember the Triassic Period.
These computer generated images will probably remind you, if you happen to come across the nine foot tall Carolina coming towards you on her hind legs, of a fear akin to abject terror, so keep your distance and make for the nearest tree.
And good luck...

New Zealander Lance Abernethy Uses A 3D Printer To Make The World's Smallest Electric Drill...

Auckland maintenance engineer Lance Abernethy who's been making tiny things since he was a small child drew up the plans using the computer design software package Onshape 3D and the Ultimake Two 3D printer to print out the drill body in two halves which took about twenty five minutes. And then it took another three hours to painstakingly get the wiring perfect. What could be the world's tiniest electric drill 
is powered by a hearing aid battery and
a miniature motor.
For his next trick Lance is hoping to drill
the world's smallest hole...

Anywhere's Better Than Here...

There will be many in today's world who'd much sooner be anyplace other than where they are but they won't have the freedom of choice this young traveling man has.
I'm thinking of those seeking political asylum and have ended up in grotesque refugee camps. The casualties of Iraq, Syria, Palestine and other war zones. The survivors of Cyclone Pam. The too many people on death row somewhere, or those incarcerated for crimes they are innocent of. Victims of family violence, political prisoners. Those behind bars for daring to speak their truths. They would give their all to be standing in this man's shoes and be able to go.
Anywhere...

Selfie Sticks, Handy Gadgets, Idiot Sticks Or Narcissus Sticks...

Time Magazine called the Selfie Stick
one of the great inventions of 2014 but they had forgotten all about Arnold Hogg of Rugby in England's Warwickshire who in 1926, fashioned what was probably the world's first Selfie Stick by somehow attaching a stick to a camera and made a photo of himself and his wife Helen. Much to the amusement of his family.
Some of us remember when, not so long ago, you were able to ask a complete stranger to make a photo of you without the fear of having your camera stolen.
And who knows maybe make a new friend.
But those days are gone and while there are many moments the stick is indeed a handy stick, we've become so insular this silly stick has taken away the need of human contact...

The Salvation Army Fight Domestic Violence With A Very Effective Weapon...

Apparently millions of people had trouble deciding whether this dress was gold and white or black and blue and it went viral as some things on the internet do.
The South African Salvation Army knowing full well that one in six women are victims of abuse in their own homes used the image and a very clever headline, Why Is It So Hard To See Black And Blue to promote their very good cause.
There's more about fighting the good fight here.
Violence against women and children
makes me see red...

New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key Isn't Planning Telling The Truth About Anything Anytime Soon...

New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key, say it quick and it sounds like Shonkey or Donkey,
told reporters when asked about how he denies any knowledge, fudges answers, tells half truths, has convenient memory lapses, avoids answering by sidestepping the questions, obfuscates and pulls the wool over the eyes of those he thinks came down in the last shower that he won't be changing his ways in this,
his third term in office.
Hell, I've got a winning formula here and it serves me right, I mean well. I can't see the point in changing my ways and telling the truth now at this time in my illustrious career.
What about the petition addressed
to you Mr Key urging you to get treatment for your pathological lying?
Ha! You know what I think about petitions.
There's people out there who actually believe what I say and one of my closest personal friends even calls me Honest John...

This Is A Beautifully Crafted Wooden Housetruck Of Exceptional Quality...

The House Of Seven Rivers
is a beautifully designed and crafted wooden housetruck of exceptional quality.
Built with traditional boatbuilding techniques,
this stunning yacht on wheels features a ceder interior, laminated arched beam ceiling, stained glass windows, a teak lined shower, counter tops of various exotic hardwoods, a gorgeous little fireplace and a curved copper sheet roof.
There's more details and specifications here...