Behold, The Fantastical Anti-Water Device

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What if? What if there were a technology that repelled water, similar to magnets with like poles? And, what if there were a talented 3D animator who attempted to visualize the fantasy applications for such a thing?

We don’t have this technology, but we do have the mind-bending visualization via Roy Prol. Though the “Anti-Water Device” is imaginary, the visual “what if” is still stunning and breathtaking. Water towers, dams, umbrellas, underwater tunnels, even weapons of war are re-engineered and rendered in the beautiful fantasy sequence.

As is common in the land of YouTube, the comments can be as entertaining as the video. Of course, it did not take long for armchair scientists to jump into the fray:

  • “Wouldn’t such a device also reject humans and other animals, since we are made out of 60% water? Cool animation tho.”
  • “what powers it? what if there would be a power failure in the tunnel, or if someone used a EMP on a dam over a city, then the city would be destroyed xP”
  • “what if a bird shits in the water tower? ;)”
  • “If it was possible, it would be a solution to the tsunami.”
  • “Nonsense and completely against known physical laws. As per Newton’s third law, every action has a reaction – so the force with which this device repels water would be also applied against it. That would crush the device in the underwater tunnel due to the force of several tonnes of water. And it would make the ‘bomb’ go straight up because it repels water and water repels it, but it has a much smaller mass.”

Leading the creator to emphasize and remind everyone that,

  • I know action-reaction principle very well, and I know lot of physics too….. But this is just imagination!!!

It might be bad science, but it’s good creative ingenuity and a great escape!

What’s a Fountain Without Water?

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That’s the subject of a personal photo project I’ve been working on this past month. In Kansas City, Missouri (the urban counterpart to my suburban Shangri-la) 47 public fountains will be turned on April 6th, the city’s annual “Fountain Day.”

kansas city mo dry muse of missouri fountain

In Kansas City, MO: The Muse of Missouri, dry.

In 2009, severe budget problems drove city officials to threaten that that the fountains would remain dry due to lack of funds. Political grandstanding, maybe, but the citizenry greeted the proposal harshly and vocally. This year there were no such attacks on the fountains, although other basic city services will see budget cuts and/or rate increases (including water).

What’s a fountain without water? It’s not like a wallet without money; it’s more like a soul without joy.

(If you can’t view the slideshow below (Internet Explorer users, probably talkin’ about YOU) visit the full set on my Flickr page.)


Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Reverse Caption Contest: Wastewater Overflow!

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Not the usual “write a caption for this photo! Instead, let’s find a photo for this caption! I saw this headline yesterday on Water Technology Online and was immediately driven to pair it with a photo:

Equipment Malfunction Causes Wastewater Overflow

Equipment Malfunction Causes Wastewater Overflow

I think this is the perfect one! (Via blogs.momtourage.com)

Provocative Poster Gallery: 40 Days of Water

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tap water forty days of water posterBrowse this neat poster set created by Flickr user pope saint victor tied to the 40 Days of Water effort from Blood:Water Mission. This initiative is encouraging groups and individuals to drink water as their only beverage for the 40 Days between February 17th and April 3rd. Water for thirst and food for thought, too!

40 days of water facts. fact #20., originally uploaded by pope saint victor.

Shocking Water Revelations via Google Auto-Suggest

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I’m not sure if Google’s auto-suggest feature is miraculous, intuitive, creepy, or all three! How’s it work? From Google Support we get this uncomfortably vague explanation:

As you type, Google Suggest communicates with Google and comes back with the suggestions we show. If you’re signed in to your Google Account and have Web History enabled, suggestions are drawn from searches you’ve done, searches done by users all over the world, sites in our search index, and ads in our advertising network.

Even if we don’t understand how the miraculous/intuitive/creepy process works, we can still have a rousing snickerfest just seeing what it will come up with.

For example, we all want water, but has anyone ever been thoughtful enough to ask water what IT wants? And how do we know if it desires a tropical storm or a fruity rum drink?)

Educators, see below: no wonder our young people are so ignorant of water matters. They’re not being properly taught with thirst analysis methods!

While the smell of water may vary, it apparently smells universally BAD.

Water, the gold-standard of vomit chasers?

And despite the frenetic World Water Week info blitz, not a WORD about bears! And what about the turtles and whales, huh? What about THEM!?

Ugh, too much of a good thing! If you’ll pardon me, I’m not feeling quite myself.

Picturing World Water Day: Seeing is Believing

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World Water Day? Overwhelming! I think it best that we spread all this buzz and information out over the other 364 so that we have a chance to process it all! If you’re feeling your head might burst with the explosion of water talk from every corner of medialand, kick back this evening and take in some photos instead. (The crisis will still be here tomorrow.)

But before you do, 2 quick and easy to-do’s: if you’re on Twitter hop over to water.org’s oneweekforwater.org and help spread the word by donating your status for the week (and get a waterrific blue cast over your profile photo, like yours truly.)

Also, you might be reluctant to be a “fan” of ITT of Facebook, but if you do ITT Watermark will give $1 to partners Mercy Corps, Water For People and China Women’s Development Foundation. So, I can be bought, how about you?

From boston.com’s Big Picture, this is just one of 43 breathtaking shots in their World Water Day gallery:

Four galleries are ready to browse at www.unwater.org, and two are galleries of photos submitted by the public.

h2o mp3: Fresh Water (Blockhead Remix) – Bisco Smith

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I suspect that this graphic artist/DJ/rapper is using “fresh water” as an analogy for art, music and creativity…more specifically, the struggle to create, keep one’s soul intact and be heard through economic, commercial and societal pressures.

But on the eve of World Water Day 2010, let’s don’t get carried away with analysis. It’s still a strong message taken literally. (Visit Bisco Smith on MySpace.)

Play the track

[audio:http://thirstyinsuburbia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/bisco_smith-freshwater_blockhead_remix.mp3]

Download Fresh Water – Bisco Smith (Blockhead Remix)
Support the people who make music! Buy the track on Amazon.com or iTunes.

Lyrics Snip

Sip it slow
Let it settle and bake
these are freshwater flows
Yea its safe for you to drink

this one goes out to all the young ones growin up in the world we know
where the hustle gets sold on radios and television shows
but what you chase most of the time you can’t hold
and most of these people ain’t real
but you still there
cause you chasin the next meal
well we got fresh water for you
somethin clean with nutrients and vitamins, brand new
so swallow it, sip it, feel good

Friday 5 UK Edition: Good Stuff You Missed This Week

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ONE: eBay Water Item of the Week:

A working water system…just perfect for tiny suburbia! This is a 1960s vintage toy sink, made by Casdon in the UK. Seller notes “The item is in very good condition and the box is OK but has lost one flap.” GBP 14.99

TWO: Weird Water News Item of the Week:

From UKPA: March 16, 2010: Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills has plumbed the depths with a torrent of filth – by trekking through a stinking sewer for a charity challenge.

The Radio 1 DJ was set the task of stomping through human waste in London’s Victorian sewer system for a mile by fellow radio host Chris Moyles.

Scott is being given a different “mile from hell” each day this week ahead of Sport Relief this weekend.

The afternoon presenter was kitted out with safety gear before descending underground with Thames Water’s chief sewer flusher Rob Smith, who has spent the last 20 years keeping London’s sewage moving. (screenshot from a hysterical video at bbc.co.uk/blogs)

THREE: Quotable Quote of the Week:

“That was one of the most bizarre two hours of my life – I’m sure I saw last night’s dinner floating past.”
Scott Mills, after his charity sewer trek.

FOUR: Water photo of the week:

Who Ya Gonna Call? by gazzat on Flickr (Taken in Budleigh Salterton, Devon, UK)

FIVE: Water Merch of the Week

Vintage Brit WWII propaganda on a modern Sigg water bottle, $28.00 from cafepress.com

Wild Recycling: Flush Away Cancer

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I’m always on the lookout for new ideas on how to recycle old toilets (like this and this) and “Flush Away Cancer” demonstrates wild and wonderful out-of-the-bowl thinking on creative loo reuse.

Traveling Toilet photo via www.wbng.com

Traveling Toilet photo via www.wbng.com

For the Tri-Town (New York) Relay for Life, one team has conceived the hysterical “Traveling Toilet.” to raise funds. For a $10 donation, the team will plant a brightly painted toilet on the lawn of your choice. The receiver of the “Traveling Toilet” either donates $10 to have it removed, or can send it to the next location of their choice for a $15 donation.

Sounds like a lot of fun, especially since all money benefits the American Cancer Society. And if you’re like me, you immediately began compiling a mental list of people that you WISH you could put on the receiving end!

Headlines that Make Me Say, “Huh?”

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South Haven officials, please get in touch. I believe I can help you unravel this perplexing mystery.

Which begs the question: are there environmental problems in heaven?

Lane County, how much of this is allocated for communications consultants? I know a good one and I’m pretty sure she can work within your budget.

As you might have noted by the image watermarks, all from failpost.com.