Dogs Rule the Pool in Colorado

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Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer in the U.S. so let’s close this one out with a major dose of the cuteness “Awwwwwws!” At Scott Carpenter Pool in Boulder, Colorado the annual Dog Dayz event gives the rules a pause (paws?) to let the canines swim, dive and rule the pool on a select few days at the end of the summer.

It seems the pups really are like people, as you’ll recognize all the familiar people pool personalities in dog form–including show-offs, chickens, the overly-cautious, and quite possibly, pool pee-ers!

The Boss is a Visionary

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From May, 2008, Dilbert’s boss solves the water-energy conundrum.

Dilbert.com

h2o mp3: Its All About the Water – Jimmy Buffett

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Did you know that Jimmy Buffett tried his hand at musical theater? No? That’s because the effort made little more than a ripple! The 1998 stage play Don’t Stop the Carnival, based on Herman Wouk’s 1965 novel of the same name, played only briefly in Miami but hooray! The studio album of 20 original compositions by Buffett lives on.

It’s All About the Water and Champagne Si, Agua No are both from this album. The play’s plot involves a New Yorker with dreams of escaping his high-pressure life; he abandons everything to buy an old hotel on a tiny, primitive, lush Caribbean island.

I can’t find many details past that, but judging by the songs, water is a scarce and revered resource on the island and a broken water pump plays a role in the plot line. Both tracks are classic Buffett tropical goodness.

Lyrics – It’s All About the Water

It’s all about da water, don’t you know
Kinja needs da water, da h2o
It’s all about da water, it ain’t no lie
Widout de water we shrivel up and die

De main cistern go down to zero
De new bossman, he be a hero
Solve de problem, so give a cheer-o
He turn on de water!

H2 h2 0 h2 h2 0

Play the track – It’s All About the Water

[audio:http://thirstyinsuburbia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/10-its-all-about-the-water.mp3]

Lyrics – Champagne Si, Agua No

Folks, Gull Reef regrets the water shortage.
Wild night out there!
Water in the sea, water from the sky, no water in the Club,
but while the pump gets repaired, let’s live!
If the water can’t flow, the wine can!
Champagne party in the lobby!

Champagne si, agua no
Let it rain, let it blow
To hell with the H2O
Champagne si, agua no

The Gull Reef Club’s not too ship shape
Time for a party time for a break
Tonight all our troubles will soon disappear
Cause champagne is cheaper than water down here

Play the track – Champagne Si, Agua No

[audio:http://thirstyinsuburbia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/11-champagne-si-agua-no.mp3]

Download It’s All About the Water
Download Champagne Si, Agua No
Low-fi 64 kbps mp3 files for sampling.

Like it? Support the people who make music. Buy these tracks at iTunes or Amazon.com.

Artfrastructure! Cover My World

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São Paulo, Brazil artists Anderson Augusto (aka SÃO) and Leonardo Delafuente (aka Delafuente) are taking it to the streets with the “6emeia Project” with the goal to change and transform some of the more mundane objects in the urban landscape.

From the 6emeia website (where you can see many more examples):

The duo’s objective is to modify the means within which we all live, proposing a new way to view things by reflecting upon themes generated through creative and unusual works. Such modifications are made by painting storm drains, light posts, manhole covers and any other object which makes up the urban scenario.

And should you be in the neighborhood and want to experience any of these works first-hand, check out the map with specific locations. Lots to see! Sounds like a day trip that could be rather draining!

If I Could Place Ads on a Bottle

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With demand dropping and prices with it, the bottled water industry needs new business models, and UK-based Soak Media is promoting one tried-and-true idea. Borrowing a page from ad-supported free media, Soak is passing out free ad-laden bottled water to Londoners this summer.

Soak Media friendly staffer

Soak Media friendly staffer

Billing itself as “the refreshing way to talk to Londoners”, the site urges advertisers to…

Get hot and bothered London commuters to engage with your brand by advertising on one of the deliciously cold bottles of mineral water we’ll be handing out across the London commuter network this summer. And don’t forget: this summer’s going to be an absolute scorcher!

Soak Media’s video details their right-time, right-place strategy during “London’s hottest months of July and August.” The company will also do “leaflet tip-ons and bottles moulded to any shape.” And don’t forget, the water is “handed out by our very friendly staff” and enjoys “50 minutes in-hand time.” (And an eternity in a landfill after that?)

Oddly the video ends with the cryptic and vague statement, “all our profits go to charitable causes.” Guess I’ll let that one soak in for a moment.

Flying Water Catcher for the Futuristic Home

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I hope I live long enough to own one of these! The fanciful Water Catcher, conceptualized by Penghao Shan from Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, China, is a finalist in the Electrolux Design Lab ’09.

It is a robotic “birdie” that flies about, returning home with a bounty of water gathered from rain or humidity. The idea seems a bit silly initially, but watch the video; you’ll likely be won over with the “wants” for the little hydro-whirlybird like I did. Even the Jetsons didn’t have it this good!  (NOTE: the public can vote on the entries! Send Penghao Shan some ballot-box love in the poll on the right sidebar.)

From electroluxdesignlab.com:

Flying in the rain
Penghao Shan has created a product that addresses water shortage. His solution is “Water Catcher”, a flying rain catcher and water purifier. This automated device dispatches small flying balls in the air to catch raindrops. After the raindrops are collected, the balls return to a homing tray that purifies the water for drinking. Once purified, the balls take the drinking water directly to a person to be drunk. The homing tray also reads fingerprints to determine what additives should be added to the water to ensure the drinker optimizes their health.