The Space Race became an important part of the
cultural and technological rivalry between the USSR and the United
States during the1960's and the early part of the 70's. Aside
from a few fuzzy photographs taken by the Mars rovers, the final
frontier has since yielded very little excitement. To date, only
3 civilians have been able to finance their multi-million dollar voyage
to the International Space Station. Yet, with the recent advent of the
Ansari X Prize (formerly known as the X-Prize), the solar system got a
lot more interesting with the possibility of affordable suborbital
voyages for the rest of us. Space Adventures has
just announced the construction of two earth-based Spaceports that will
offer suborbital spaceflights, as well as astronaut training
facilities. The first facility will be located in Ras Al-Khaimah
in the United Arab Emirates, while Singapore's Changi Airport will
grow to accommodate the second Spaceport. The main attraction at
both facilities will be suborbital voyages, that will "take passengers
to an altitude of 100 kilometers, allowing them to experience up to
five minutes of continuous weightlessness, all the while gazing at the
blackness of space set against the horizon of Earth". Space
Adventures has yet to announce how much these voyages will cost
tourists, but they are adamant that they will be affordable. by Harold C
There's nothing like a picture of an earless dog drawn in crayon on your 85 dollar a meter wallpaper. Well this little gem of an idea will keep those little artists off your walls and on to paper, where they belong.
It is not only a clever idea, the children's paper chair also makes a statement about the amount of paper we use. As the paper is used, the front end roll becomes larger and grows with the child. The paper size is roughly 500 meters. That's a lot of earless dogs. by Billy T
If any of you remember MAD Magazines crazy fold up covers then you will love this advert. The Wonderbra could not be better demonstrated other than on a real pair of breasts. This ad features a cute draw string which brings the boobs together in a very flattering way. It's simple in its design and its interactivity is witty whilst effective.
From Homer to Batman right through to Mario Brothers, Iconz iPod video cases
are as durable as they are funky. This range of pop icon inspired iPod
covers, have a translucent back which allows your iPod to play peek
aboo whilst being totally protected from the iPod's arch enemy, 'the
scratch mark'. The front side of the case features a play through
control for the old click wheel and a crack proof, built in screen
protector. If you'd rather see the Simpson's and friends on your ipod
rather than filth, dents and scratches then Iconz is calling! by Billy T
With a hurricane of music blog sites floating around, it's often hard to settle on one that is consistently brilliant. Well, we found it. Bigstereo, is an amazingly refreshing resource site dedicated to not only bringing you the latest on the greatest but unearthing rare gems as well. The musicologist on bigstereo break music news, updates as well as the latest tour dates from bands ranging from The Ark through to Blondie. Bigstereo is what MTV should be but isn’t. Updated daily, its going to take the top spot in your favorite columns. by Billy T
What is white, 1500m high and loves to entertain. No, not Evana Trump on a penthouse rooftop, but rather Whitepod,
the ultimate in Swiss Alps high tech camping. Designed for a cozy
twelve guests, the eco camp offers the ultimate in luxury
accommodation. The exclusivity of Whitepod means limited access,
with not a street or hotel within site. Its just you, your companions
and the grandeur of the Swiss alps. Designed by local creative,
Sofia de Meyer, Whitepod offers more than just it's tranquil setting.
Meals are prepared by a traditional Swedish chef whilst activities
include mountain hikes with authentic guides. This is the Swiss alps,
up close, personal and unspoiled. By Billy T
Nail biting - It just aint pretty. World renown anti nail biting product "Stop'n'Grow" have released a fantastic marketing and advertising campaign in the form of plastic carry bag. The bag is ingeniously printed so that its message is delivered as you carry it. Lets just hope a hemorrhoid cream company does not launch their own version. by Billy T viaadhunt
Illuminated dance floors are
nothing new. In the seventies they where all the rage, the problem was
that dancers flared hot pants would cover the floor panels and kill the
effect. Now, flares or not, the illuminated dance floor is back, this
time in LED form. Using the latest in pressure sensitive LED
technology, these panels are designed to interact with club goers
moves as well as D.J's sets. Special plug ins can be downloaded into
the D.Js computer equipment allowing an entire set to be pre programmed
where the music and lights work together. The panels are not restricted
to work only on dance floors and can be fitted to walls, bar tops and
Lionel Ritchie's favorite place to dance, ceilings. by Billy T
Lets
face it, the only thing good about a Laundromat is the prospect of
meeting someone cute as you sort through your underwear, otherwise the
concept is a drag. Well picking up aside, the Whirlpool Bodybox
is about to change all of that. The body box is an all rounder
technological clothes care wonder. By integrating daily clothes care
functions such as washing, conditioning, sorting, collecting and
tumbling, the body box makes laundry an automated process. The clever
system tags individual clothing in order of fabric type and collects,
separates and cleans the clothes accordingly. The programming is
accessed by both internet and an 18 inch touch panel screen. With the
laundry dealt with, one can move over to the personal care side of the
Bodybox and utilize the luxury of the adjacent sink, shower and steam
bath cabin, making less about laundry and more about you! by Andy G
They were great for those tacky pictures of busty
babes on the cover, but the age old postcard may soon be extinct
thanks to a revolutionary digital postcard designed by Aussie designer,
Stuart Calvery. Calvery's "Snap + Send" postcard (pictured left)
is a disposable digital camera in the shape of a postcard. The back of
the postcard hosts a flat screen, whilst the front is a flash and
lens. After snap happily shooting your holiday pics, simply
address the digi-card and pop a stamp on the front. The receiver
simply snaps off the lower half of the postcard and views the shots
from the screen on the back. Although the camera has no zoom
functions, its designer says its all about the fast end disposability
of his one off use invention. The Mvura (pictured right) is a household
water purifier targeted at rural Africa. It is intended to be
distributed through aid organizations already operating with communites
in need. It utilizers the simple technique of pasteurization using
solar heat. 15 litres of water is heated to 65c within 2 hours, whick
kills all harmful bacteria. Both of these cool designs are part of the University of New South Wales (Australia) Bachelor of Industrial design 2005 graduand exhibition. by Billy T
In the world of shopping carts, the new
markitcart is the Volkswagen Beetle of carts. It's smooth flowing
design, makes regular carts look like bird cages on wheels. The new Markitcart
is set to revolutionize the way we shop, replacing the age old hard to
steer cart, with a glide like motion that will have you zipping between
isles. Equipped with RIFD scanning equipment which will enable an
entire cart full of shopping to be scanned almost instantly at
checkout, in the cart. Handy, sexy, smart! The main attraction of
the cart is the advertising opportunities which exist on the side
panels of the unit. With big sponsors backing the cart, the markitcart
will be at your service at a supermarket near you very soon. by Billy T
A pick up
is not inevitably something square, you can choose one green or one red
in cold foam for your home. It will become the most entertaining
rolling seat - on which you can drink and drive. Your guests won't stop
playing with that piece of cutting edge design .The man behind the pick
up is Alfredo H‰berli. He's an innovator and inventor through and
through. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he came to Switzerland aged
13 where he still has his own studio. There's a brand behind the pick
up : OFFECCT, one of the most creative Swedish furniture editor. Seat'n'roll. by Yvan Rodic
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