The silver tongue of Sir David Attenborogh, naturalist and broadcaster, has laid narration over many a cool project. But, I will never forget seeing the PBS Nova special on bowerbirds, “Flying Cassanovas” because the plain, brown males of Papua New Guinea and Austraila engage in a seriously compelling mating ritual.

First, they build their nests or “bowers” elaborate twig huts on the ground, supported by a center beam. Next, they fly around and search for brightly colored or unusual objects and lay elaborate carpets in their bower doorway to attract mates.

Mushrooms, orange peels, blossoms, decorative glass from cemeteries and little girls’ hair ties were just some of the objects the males chose to adorn their bowers. Objects moved by researchers are quickly replaced by the male birds who refine the composition over and over in hopes of attracting a mate.

I didn’t realize how exceptional the footage in the documentary was until I started searching the internet for photo examples. These photos here do not compare to the bower arrangements filmed for the PBS piece, so I really recommend finding it.

At the time, the idea of birds who create aesthetic arrangements really blew my mind. I thought that the “arts” were human talents that separated us from other species?!

First Mr. Ed, now this.

I have never liked refrigerators. Refrigeration, yes. People talk about stainless steel as a solution to the hulking obtrusiveness of the modern American refrigerator like they talk about high definition as some sort of salve for the ubiquitousness of the television in the home.

These stacked mini-fridges offer a tasteful, concise solution.

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wheatpaste via Urban Prankster

How can anyone deny the branding coup that is Kool-Aid? It began with engaging packaging and stormed through the imaginations of children everywhere with ways to pimp the old lemonade stand, Marvel comics and atari games — both of which you could acquire with devout attention to Kool-Aid rebates.

With the ever popular animated pitcher crashing around, Kool-Aid has managed to become at once a timeless representation of youthful summer fun, mindless devotion and the mind exploding LSD-25.

Vintage Kool-Aid jam via Old Man Musings

Inside Beijing’s 2008 Olympic swimming complex.

Appropriately, some of the building’s most innovative features are its systems for handling water. Unlike most swimming pools, which send filter backwash water to the municipal wastewater systems, the Water Cube collects such gray water for treatment and returns it to the pool. The system substitutes rainwater collected from the roof for the small amount of gray water lost in the treatment process. The strategy lessens the burden of the building on Beijing’s wastewater infrastructure and makes it less dependent on the city’s already constrained fresh-water supply. “The idea was to make it as self-sufficient as possible,” says Carfrae.

Read more about this fascinating building’s passive heat systems, bubble physics and rad ventilation systems.

fred flare sherbert color block headphones.

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It took me awhile to appreciate the ornate and intricate nature of Rococo design; I tend to be very why draw two lines if you can draw one well? But, you know, slowly, slowly I go along.

Often confused with Baroque design, Rococo pieces intended a move away from the solemnity and reflection Baroque art and architecture meant to evoke.

It seems to me that the Rococo notion of design for designs’ sake is itself a philosophical notion that leads directly to reflection. But, I’ll leave these matters to the professionals.

There is an excellent book called The Fold by Giles Deleuze. This work examines the notion of straight and curved lines as Deleuze theorizes the foundations for Baroque philosophy by examining Baroque artifacts of architecture, literature and mathematics. At just over 100 pages, it’s probably some of the most enjoyable (if dense) modern philosophy out there as it weaves contemporary aesthetics into the concept of, “a body of infinite folds and surfaces that twist and weave through compressed time and space.”

If you believe the San Francisco Guardian, “the scope of Deleuze’s understanding makes this book pertinent to artists, writers, architects or anyone generally interested in ideas.”

Oh yeah, and visit here to view more fantastic Rococo objects.

photos Matt Flynn.

If you are of the less is more philosophy, you might enjoy blogLESS - meditations on restraint and design from the guys behind design less better.

Put this in your electronic shopping cart next to the alarm clock that rolls away from you in the morning.

design by art lebedev

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Because, almost certainly, these tips would gum up the works in all sorts of unpleasant ways.

And yet, we find ourselves compelled.

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Playmobil has thrown their hat into the world of classic children’s toys with their Security Checkpoint set.

Quick, Billy, you pretend to have a bottle of lotion over 4 ounces and I’ll make like I’m going to toss it in the bin! Hahahaha!

Now, Tommy - complain loudly about having to take off your shoes. Yes!

Susie, forget to take off your bracelets and go through security 7 times before remembering them! Perrfect!

Oh, the fun! Oh, the hysteria!

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