Japan does weird shut-ins like no other nation on Earth.

Colin: What an eloquent confirmation of point #1.

I imagine the approaching wall of lava helped their bowels out tremendously.

I read something once to the effect that each generation's work clothes are the next generation's formal wear, and similarly one generation's casual wear is the next's work wear.

So, in the 50s, a tuxedo was formal wear, a three-piece suit was something that even non-management wore to work, and a polo shirt and slacks were for the weekend. A few decades later, a tailored suit is considered formal, with tuxes largely relegated to wedding rentals and the Oscars, polos and slacks are "business casual", and jeans and tshirt are what you wear the rest of the time. Jeans making the transition to work wear doesn't seem out of line with this progression.

Me, I'm looking forward to the absurdly expensive blue denim formal wear of the 2030s.

This looks very promising. Like Johnny Cat said, the early days of any new field of technology will involve a shotgun approach to new ideas. That said, lets' face it, corn-based ethanol has more to do with farm subsidies and pork than it does with the environment.

Wasn't mentioned in the article, but the planes were put out all chopped up like that as part of a Cold War era disarmament treaty. Each side would chop up bombers that were to be destroyed under the treaty and then leave the pieces out for several months so that the other side could confirm their destruction with spy satellites.

Looks like prime Bachelor Chow to me.

I'm having a hard time not imagining that that's a Lego London Bridge behind it.

Tellurian Eclipse would also be acceptable.

Seems like an ideal time to link to this film version of the short story "They're Made Out of Meat".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaFZTAOb7IE

I think these houses have been mentioned here before. Either way, I would like to point out that the larger designs are beautiful and wouldn't look at all out of place anywhere in northern New England.

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/houses/enesti/

Won't anybody think of the gold diggers?

Anyone?

When I read that write-up, all I can hear is Jeremy Clarkson.

Is it me, or does the tower look like it's made of Lego?

I believe that is an old Fiat.