Clarion Content

Time for a new sampling of the fantabulous, magically amazing, interesting links. If you are interested in looking at our old interesting links posts click here. Many of these links were compiled from reader submissions, so if you have cool links, send'em our way...

Without further adieu, our first link is to some nearly Hiro Protagonist style living---while not quite the storage unit Hiro lived in (allegedly,) these are converted shipping containers that have been turned into domiciles, guest quarters and the like. Bad ass. Three pages of photos from Tree Hugger.com This link was submitted by one of our wonderful North Jersey readers.

Next up, when we tell you this site, miscellaneous pics blogspot, has insanely cool pictures, we are not yanking your chain.

This fascinating link was forwarded to us by a local, Durham, Clarion Content reader. The upshot is seized drug money and assets are quite the sticky wicket. For while it might incentivize local law enforcement to go forth and enforce drug laws to let them keep what they can seize from the criminals, but, it still might not be a great idea. Read about the unintended consequences and other issues that can arise in this excellent NPR piece.

This is a link is of an entirely different nature. It is to an article detailing a service that allows users to figure out who is googling them. Now most of us have googled a few names out of the past, it is easy to imagine how one might be curious to see who was googling you. But beyond the most obvious personal reasons to subscribe to this service called, Ziggs, are the business applications. Imagine the possibilities in terms of learning who is looking at your firm or looking your business up. Also seems like it would have wonderful for political applications where one contacts supporters and potential supporters by knowing about who looked you up. Of course, the whole thing sounds quite big brotherish, too. Always the conundrum with the internet, the good and the awful tend to run contiguously.

Next up a smashing idea forwarded to us by one of our northern most New Jersey readers. This service offered currently in San Diego, California is sure to catch on elsewhere. The story fits perfectly in a modern American context. American society, modern society, can often be frustrating, vexing, aggravating, but the appropriate outlets for that anger and emotion in this society are very limited. Enter an American entrepreneur, Sarah Lavely, founder of Sarah's Smash Shack, where customers pay to smash dinner plates, glasses, cups, mugs, vases and a variety of other breakables. Ms. Lavely insures this takes place in a much safer environment than breaking things around one's own house. The smashing is done in soundproof "breaking rooms" where customers - outfitted in coveralls, boots, gloves and helmets - crouch behind a wall and whip dishes, glasses and other breakables at a stainless steel barrier. Smashy, smashy. Lavely told CNN that the breaking of the taboo by breaking something makes for a great outlet for anger and angst. And the broken glass is donated to art programs throughout the region.

Finally we are going to wrap it up with links to two excellent local artists. The first one is a Durham resident by way of New Orleans. He works in modern visual mediums, from sculpture to painting. See his work here.

The second one is an amazing photographer and photo journalist out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina by way of Charlotte. She is an insightful reader of people. Her skills bring light and life to her subjects, causing all of us here at the Clarion Content to reflect deeply on the importance of Art in society. See her latest photo essay here.

Labels: Economy, interesting links, Pop Culture, technology