Water in a Bag: Crazy Convenient!

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What’s more ridiculous that water in a disposable bottle? How about ultra-convenient “Water in a Bag?”

A hysterical parody on breathless infomercials and pointless products, the Water in a Bag comedy sketch (from the long-running Canadian show This Hour Has 22 Minutes) serves up such gems as:

“Just grab the appropriate size bag, snip the corner, and away you go!”

Are you tired of unpredictable kitchen faucets? Sick of  the never-ending battle with measuring cups? Wish there was an easier way to get the water you need?
The people who brought you Salad in a Bag… Steamed Vegetables in a Bag… and Slow Cooker Meals in a Bag… bring you the ultimate in food preparation convenience: Water in a Bag!

Embedding is disabled, so to view the entire clip on YouTube, go here.

(Somber, serious moment: Water in a Bag is indeed a real and un-funny product in some parts of the world.)

Thanks to Environmental Reporter Christopher Dunagan; I first saw this on his  excellent Watching Our Water Ways blog (from the Kitsap Sun, serving the Puget Sound, Washington state area.)

Step Right Up and Get Your DIY Spring Water Here

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So, what if you’re really SOLD on natural spring water but it’s getting a bit embarrassing and un-green to be purchasing those premium disposable hydration modules? Why not get down with Mother Earth and collect your own spring water? Hop on over to www.findaspring.com, which is a “community and user created database of natural springs around the world” where you can find a real freshwater spring near you! (As shown here, looks like I’ll be sticking with tap water for the time being.)

Oh, and don’t overlook the FAQ page as it contains some important information on how to ascertain just what the frack might be lurking in your self-collected natural spring water, pathogen- and chemical-wise.

Old postcard of biloxi, mississippi

The End of Typical in Biloxi, Mississippi

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I found this vintage postcard buried in a shoebox at my local junk bazaar last week; it’s titled “A Typical View of the Shrimp and Oyster Industry, Biloxi, Mississippi.” As the oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill washes onto the beaches of this Mississippi resort town for the first time, we’re all waxing nostalgic for the good old typical days. (This is also posted on my Flickr page, here.)

Old postcard of biloxi, mississippi

Cute swag drops a subtle hint?

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At this time last week, I was in Chicago at an annual techy hobnob for water folks, the American Water Works Association’s ACE10. (I was a presenter at a workshop on social media for utilities–a great day and some great people! More on that soon.)

My impression, mega-condensed: lotsa pipes, lotsa pumps and lotsa water geekery. All–and I mean ALL–displays were blue. At my lunch table the conversation was about algae, and everyone seemed to think that was a perfectly awesome subject to pair with dining. Now, this didn’t seem to be a swag-heavy event but I did manage to pick up a few things. (Good thing…those little Snickers bars turned out to be my lunch several days later!)

And the magnifying glass was handy, as I needed to get a closer look…

What’s this? WHAT!? Is this adorable little  droplet giving me the one-finger wave? Is there such a thing as subliminal swag? I guess they somehow knew I wasn’t a purchasing decision-maker for pipes and pumps!

Aqua Building Chicago Illinois

Aqua in Chicago: 82 Stories of Inspiration

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Aqua Building Chicago Illinois

Aqua Building, Chicago, Illinois

While visiting Chicago recently, my hotel was right next door to the much-praised new Aqua building…and really, I just couldn’t get enough of staring up at it’s unusual form.

The 82-story, mixed-used building was designed by Jeanne Gang, principal and founder of Studio Gang Architects. It is her first skyscraper project and the largest project ever awarded to an American firm headed by a woman. Good start, Jeanne! Gang has cited the striated limestone outcroppings that are a common topographic feature of the Great Lakes region as inspiration for the sculptural, undulating slabs that give the building its exciting, water-inspired design.

Typo on water tower

Water Tower Typo Turns Heads

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Typo on water tower

We’ve all been embarrassed by a careless typo now and then, but rarely is the goof the talk of the town. As one commenter on this story noted, this job obviously went to the low bidder!

From nbc15.com:

A painter for the Illinois-based Neumann Company Contractors forgot the second T in Stoughton on the city’s new east side water tower.

A company spokesman says almost everybody in the profession makes a similar error at some point, but not all of them do it with a 6-foot tall letter on a 190 foot tower.

The spokesman says the painter had the correct spelling, but forgot the T when he blocked out the letters. He works right to left, so he starts at the end of the word and works backwards. After he painted in the N and the O he realized he was missing the T.

Neighbor Richard Budden says even little kids know how to spell Stoughton. “(He) told me that they spelled Stoughton wrong. I went out and looked. By God, you’re right. He’s only in third grade. If he can figure it out then the painter should be able to figure it out.”

Neumann Company Contractors says they will have to let the paint dry and then repaint the last three letters. It will not cost the city any extra money.

The spokesman says the painter is actually from Wisconsin and the Illinois company man joked that’s what he gets for hiring a cheesehead.

Clueless American Football Brutes Chug Crystal Geyser

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World Cup fever is everywhere, and excitement for this international marketing sports event is exploding… even in the USA where many don’t “get” the game itself or why it’s “erroneously” refered to as football. What a prime opportunity for non-US marketers to poke a little fun, as in this Hong Kong-produced ad for Crystal Geyser, “Wrong sport, right water.” (Notice the scoreboard: USA vs. Europe!? I think I missed that match!)

album cover art carney Music for Men Working

h2o mp3: The Song of the Sewer – Art Carney

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album cover art carney Music for Men WorkingToday we raise (or lower?) our glasses to the king of sewer workers, Ed Norton, as portrayed by Art Carney in the iconic fifties teevee classic The Honeymooners. The versatile Carney also recorded prolifically in the 1950s for Columbia Records, including the 1954 hit “The Song of the Sewer” sung in character as Norton.

Lyrics
Art Carney as Ed Norton, Sewer WorkerI work in the sewer,
It’s a very hard job.
You know they won’t hire
Just any old slob.
You don’t have to wear
A tie or a coat.
You just have to know
How to float.

Chorus:
We sing the song of the sewer
Of the sewer we sing this song.
Together we stand
With shovel in hand
To keep things rollin’ along.

I work down the manhole
With a guy named Bruce.
And we are in charge
Of all the refuse.
He lets me go first
While he holds the lid.
I’m telling you, sheesh…
What a sweet kid.
A funny thing happened
To Bruce yesterday.
The tide came along
He got carried away.
He come out in Jersey.
But it’s O.K. now.
Cause that’s where
He lives anyhow.
My father he worked
In the sewer Uptown.
I followed his footsteps
And worked my way down.
That’s how I began
In this here industry.
I just sort of fell into it.
Sheesh, lucky me.

Redneck Reuse: Toilet Tank Planter

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Hooray for redneck reuse! Isn’t it grand to live in an age in which you can park broken toilet parts in your garden  and be viewed as eco-aware rather than just trashy and tacky! (My family still claims this is decidedly more tacky than trendy!)

For “Fix a Leak Week” this year my pathetic DIY debacle cracked the toilet tank, necessitating a full toilet replacement. But that tank is now rejoicing in it’s more glamorous second life as a planter. (The bowl? Gone to the landfill; even I will admit that’s going too far!)

Plus…don’t forget to repurpose packing materials for planter drainage!

My Water Bill: The State of the Chart

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LOL! I haz cheezburger! Last week, I shared with you some witty water charts from graphjam.com*  and of course, that inspired me to create one of my own. Now, many charts are created at the site* but only a select few make it to the site’s feed…and mine did! (If I’m excited about this, does this mean I have little- to no life? Whatever!)

*update: now a dead site

Here’s my creation, titled “Factors Affecting My Water Bill.”