Dead End Fire Exits
Hong Kong: These photos were sent in by 'DickStock' from Hong Kong (thanks!). They show a dead-end door at the International Finance Centre that is labeled as a fire exit. The door literally opens into what is essentially a closet...... [read on...]
Posted at 11:49 PM | Please feel free to comment (3)
Impossible Packaging
The Shop: The amount of packaging one often gets with a small item (such as this memory-stick) is often absurd, weighing many times more than the actual product. What's worse is that certain plastic packaging is practically impossible to rip... [read on...]
Posted at 09:47 PM | Please feel free to comment (2)
Forced Power Cord Evolution
Laptops: I've generally been a big fan of Dell computers, but having just purchased my third Dell laptop, I can help but be infuriated by a small detail. Dell's insistence on changing the shape of the AC power cord with... [read on...]
Posted at 09:37 AM | Please feel free to comment (3)
Two Faucet Sinks
The Loo: Old buildings (including many I've lived in) often feature sinks with a hot faucet and a cold faucet. The problem is, the hot is scalding and cold is cold and they don't mix. This makes washing things incredibly... [read on...]
Posted at 12:58 PM | Please feel free to comment (8)
The Blue Shirt Controversy
Milwaukee: Provinciality has it's benefits and it most certainly has it's drawbacks. Milwaukee's "Blue Shirt" controversy showcases the latter. The county commissioned a work of art to adorn an otherwise featureless parking structure at Mitchell Airport. The chosen piece was... [read on...]
Posted at 10:14 AM | Please feel free to comment (1)
Elevated Tunnels
Heathrow, Terminal 1: The outlying gates here are connected by very long tubes with no windows. The lack of glass would make sense if they were underground, but they're actually elevated quite high in the air. Even if you're not... [read on...]
Silly Switches
London: Why do electrical outlets have on/off switches on them in the UK? As a fairly clueless foreigner it only occurs to me to switch them on after several minutes of wondering why the appliance I just plugged in isn't... [read on...]
Posted at 12:48 PM | Please feel free to comment (3)
Poor Oven Design
The Kitchen: Am I becoming a practical person? Compare the Delonghi Toaster oven with the Black and Decker. The Delonghi is trendy and stylish and costs $65. Plus it's Italian, which automatically makes it cool, right? Well, unfortunately, it stinks.... [read on...]