From the Editors
Cellphones Are Great for Sharing Photos - and Bacteria
We love our smart phones and tablets - a lot. But the next time you take your phone to lunch, hand it to a coworker to share photos, or bring it to the gym, consider this: Bacteria from a phone can cause flu, pinkeye or diarrhea. Yuck. And people are just as likely to get sick from their phones as from handles of the bathroom. That's according to a physician interviewed by the Wall Street Journal about the hazards of taking your cell phone everywhere - and then passing it to friends to share an image or message. You don't have to be a germophobe to dread that bit of news. A lab tested eight randomly selected phones from a Chicago office and all phones showed abnormally high numbers of coliforms, a bacteria that indicates fecal contamination. Of the eight phones tested, there were between about 2,700 and 4,200 units of coliform bacteria. In drinking water, the limit is less than 1 unit per 100 ml of water. The tricky part?
Continue Reading Story »Best in Blogs: Debate Aftermath and Adding Up Celebrity Political Videos
To everything there is a season, and every four years near the end of baseball season comes presidential voting season - which makes it open season for political jabbering, viral videos and passionate blogging about the candidates. First, let's recap this week's thrilling (yawn) debate. The consensus from both sides is that Mitt Romney did better than expected in the candidates' first televised contest to say things that may or may not have any relation to real-life action. Asks New Mexico Politics with Joe Monahan: "Is Obama bored and wants to make a race of it? How else to explain a debate performance that one post-debate analysis correctly called listless, flat and uninspired?" "Romney was on the offensive, Obama mostly on the defensive," says The Moderate Voice in its roundup of post-debate news and blog reports. Even Obama partisans are giving their opponent one point. Mediaite says Chris Matthews on MSNBC had an epic meltdown about Obama's performance, saying "I don't know what he was doing out there." Concludes The Daily Kos: "It's clear that the president got spanked. It's one thing to play prevent defense, which is what he was doing, and it was another to completely ignore Mitt Romney and let lie after lie stand unchallenged. It was another thing to refuse to defend Social Security." On those points and others...
Continue Reading Story »Guest Top Ten List
Top 10 Stylish Home Design & Shelter Blogs
Ikea Hackers
Sure, you bought an Akurum wall cabinet from IKEA that thousands of others did—but this site shows you how to cut ventilation holes in it, install a fan, and turn it into an exceptionally good-looking router-and-phone-service hub. This blog has plenty of similarly accessible plans for customizing your off-the-shelf Scandinavian furniture.
Recent Posts: SNIGLAR into red truck bed • Double Decker Shoe Rack • Bespoke AV Cabinet
Inhabitat
Green living through the lenses of architecture and engineering. Not so much about homes as they are but homes (and other structures) as they ought to be: lower impact, more efficient, more creative.
Recent Posts: Stunning Ice Castles Dazzle Visitors at the 2013 Harbin Ice Festival in China • Destino: Bob Lutz Unveils Fisker Karma with Gas-Chugging 698 Horsepower ZR1 Engine in Detroit • NAIAS 2013: Mercedes-Benz Debuts New Hybrid Version of 2014 E Class Sedan
Remodelista daily
Whether you're just moving in or doing a remodel, this is a great idea book for all things home. Need a bar stool? Lights? Tables? Remodelista lets you shop by room, by category – or just gives you beautiful ideas to get inspired.
Recent Posts: Malatesta Maison: Farmhouse Chic in Italy • Classic Italian Lighting from Venice • DIY: Burlap Headboard
Retro Renovation
Mid-century Modern renovation and interiors, nicely geared toward doing things on a budget.
Recent Posts: Make your old wall-hung or pedestal bathroom sink pretty — with a “sink skirt” • Rare 1962 Marx metal dollhouse — with a fallout bomb shelter • 5 retro house bloggers hard at work
DigsDigs
Ideas for building exteriors and interiors, with an emphasis on modern buildings. Also covers topics such as 17 cool teen-room ideas, 15 inspiration photos of living-room storage organization, and 13 luxury-bathroom design ideas.
Recent Posts: Maison Boisset With Larch Panels Interior • 24 Valentine’s Day Bathroom Décor Ideas • Stylish And Practical Step Basin By Note Design Studio
Freshome
World architecture that's modern—but interior design that's all over the map. Ranges from creating shelves whose pillars are children's wooden blocks to installing an iPad on your kitchen cabinets.
Recent Posts: Highly Modern Studio Extension To Historic Church in USA • Cypress Clad Waterfront Residence With Exceptional Views in Connecticut • Modern Architecture & Storytelling: Giraffe Childcare Center in Paris
Kitchen Designer
How others are re-doing their kitchens, with a focus on what celebrities are doing with their cooking and eating spaces. Inspiration from remodels currently under way for Lance Armstrong, Oprah Winfrey and others.
Recent Posts: Kohler Karbon Faucet • My Appearance on Martha Stewart Radio - Holiday Kitchen Decorating! • The Kitchen Countertop - Where To Put The Philips Saeco Espresso Maker!
Decoist
Modern architecture and interior design in the country and the city. Emphasizes lighting, furniture and superb photography.
Recent Posts: Tree Wall Decals Add Style & Sophistication to Your Home • Under Cabinet Lighting Adds Style and Function to Your Kitchen • 27 Floating Sink Cabinets and Bathroom Vanity Ideas
Home Design Find
Ecologically friendly homes and interiors. Explores European "earth houses" that are partly buried for insulation; Australian homes made from salvaged materials; and how to make the best use of those tall ceilings (hint: don't fear the ladder).
Recent Posts: A Spare Room that Floats on a Lake • Design Dilemma: Five Simple Questions for Clutter-Busting • UNStudio Loft for Manhattan Art Collectors
Shelter
Architect Jack Barnes and wife and co-conspirator Stephanie write an accessible blog about home design and remodeling from their base in Portland, Oregon. Photos of Jack's works-in-progress highlight the idea that good architecture is doable.
Recent Posts: Free tour of passivhaus projects this weekend • Watch a passivhaus documentary, via 475 • progress on gorge house