Man Made DIY

A few years ago, I discovered the amazing tradition of graphic and painted manhole covers in Japan. 

Over the weekend, I found the mother lode.   … read more

If you're going to take the time and effort to learn to use classic shaving equipment like a safety razor and lather brush, then you need an equally classic box and storage system.

So thought Zorwick, a maker from the Netherlands, who whipped up this hardwood, brass, and copper shaving kit using materials from the hobby shop, and an old thermometer, copper bowl, leather… read more

Four Toronto chefs embraced the challenge to turn McDonald's most famous dish into high-end haute cuisine. They were given a combo meal: Big Mac, french fries, Coke, and plenty of free condiments, and could add no extra ingredients other than oil and water.

   … read more

Earlier this month, the New Jersey Nets moved to the new Barclays Center arena in Brooklyn, New York, and got a brand new logo by partial owner, Jay-Z. The logo is a basic black-and-white treatment, with the shield motif, basketball, and team name from the previous incarnation reduced to a two-dimensional plane inspired by old public transporation signs. It wasn't super well-recieved by professional designers, who explain, "the logo family is technically worthless and embarrassing. … read more

Fun fact of the day: the term "gale-force" refers to winds scoring betwen 8 and 10 on the Beaufort windspeed scale, or about 40-65 miles an hour. That's tree-uprooting strength.

Lithuanian photographer Tadao Cern has gathered more than one hundred individuals, blown these gale-force winds in their faces, and snapped a still photo of their visages going all wacky.

And it's awesome.  

The work of Guatemalan photographer Luis Gonzalez Palma explores his mixed Latin and Mayan heritage. In his latest series, Ara Solis, he explores the relationship of colonialism and the draw towards exploration and adventure. "The photographer retains his center of attention on his cultural background through these figurative representations. It appears to be symbolic of the European migration to the west and settlement in the Americas with a dream.

   … read more

By some estimates, there are around 170,000 words in current use in the English language. The latest, twenty-volume edition of the Oxford English Dictionary records 171,476 words in current use, with 47,156 outdated words, and countless techinal terms, neologisms, and common words borrowed from other languages.

And yet, there are still those ideas that you wanna express, and simply can't find the right term...cause it doesn't exist. In English, at least.

But other languages have all kinds of interesting concepts and vocab words for things you just need to descibe. These terms don't have an English equivalent, but after reading this list, you'll sure wish they did.  … read more

A lovely illustrated… read more

Each Wednesday, I post some of my favorite can't-miss links, images, and otherwise mindblowing goodies from across the web.

Dutch design firm Elroy Klee built these handmade LEGO "wigs" out of monochromatic bricks, customizing each piece to the models head, who then had to balance the work… read more

Sometimes I worry that writing too many posts about skull art will make me seem like a…morbid weirdo…but I couldn't help it this time. This skull chandelier by Kelly Lamb was just too cool to pass up… read more