And it’s not just for show guys, people actually live in it! Ever since he was a little boy, Simon Dale dreamed of having a house in the countryside. And even though he’s no architect, or even a construction worker, together with his father-in-law and the help of passers-by, Simon managed to build this amazing Hobbit House in just 4 months. Believe it or not this baby only cost around 3,000 pounds to build. Though it looks absolutely incredible, aesthetics were not Mr. Dale’s primary concerns. He tried to make his dream home as environment-friendly as he possibly could and hopes he set an example for others. Simon Dale and his family actually moved into the Hobbit House, but they are not stopping here. Their next project involves building nine other similar houses in Pembrokeshire, Britain. For more info check Simon Dale’s official website Here are a few specifications of the Hobbit House: ”

• Dug into hillside for low visual impact and shelter
• Stone and mud from diggings used for retaining walls, foundations etc.
• Frame of oak thinnings (spare wood) from surrounding woodland
• Reciprocal roof rafters are structurally and aesthaetically fantastic and very easy to do
• Straw bales in floor, walls and roof for super-insulation and easy building
• Plastic sheet and mud/turf roof for low impact and ease
• Lime plaster on walls is breathable and low energy to manufacture (compared to cement)
• Reclaimed (scrap) wood for floors and fittings
• Anything you could possibly want is in a rubbish pile somewhere (windows, burner, plumbing, wiring…)
• Woodburner for heating – renewable and locally plentiful
• Flue goes through big stone/plaster lump to retain and slowly release heat
• Fridge is cooled by air coming underground through foundations
• Skylight in roof lets in natural feeling light
• Solar panels for lighting, music and computing
• Water by gravity from nearby spring
• Compost toilet
• Roof water collects in pond for garden etc.”

A pride of rare white lions was released into the South African wilds, in an attempt to re-establish the species in their natural habitat. This was the second pride released in the last three years. The white lions were fitted with radio tracking devices, used to monitor their hunting behavior and growth. They may look like albinos, but their unusual color is the result of a unique gene. They are seen as the most sacred animals by many tribes, but, because of poaching, only three white lion prides roam free today. Photos by BARCROFT Media via Telegraph.co.uk

Everybody loves a good food fight. But there’s no food fight like a pie fight. 251 children gathered at the Kidz Stuff Festival, in Horsham, southern England, to stage the biggest custard pie fight ever. The event took place on May 31 2009 with the clear goal of setting a new record for the largest custard pie fight. The current record stands at 120, but it will surely fall once the Guinness Book of Records finishes its verification. Photos by Xinhua/Reuters via Xinhuanet.com

Seemed like a catchy title, but there’s really nothing hilarious about it, just tragic and bizarre. These photos were taken at the Fairview Cemetery, in Springfield, where 79-year-old Norman Thompson, member of the Antioch Shrine Funster Clown Unit, was buried, on May 29. His clown-friends dressed up for the occasion and honored Norman, for the last time. It looks bizarre, I know, but I was reading about this on the web, and found out that this is a tradition for clowns and magicians. Apparently this is the way they show their respect to their fallen colleagues. via Springfield News Sun

The CarGo Concept may not be the best-looking car out there, but with the ever-worsening traffic, it’s just what we needed. CarGo is a battery-powered vehicle with three different configurations. It can go into Compact Mode, Narrow Mode (reduced width and better maneuverability) and Pick-up Truck Mode, which allows you to transport heavier stuff. The storage pod, at the back, can be removed to make the vehicle even smaller in size. It’s a brilliant prototype that just might make its way to the market some day. God knows we need something like a 3 in 1 vehicle, during these tough times. via Yanko Design

If you’re into Transformers and jewelry, you’re going to love this custom made Optimus Prime Ring. Artist Dans-Magic, from Deviant Art, spent 50 hours working on this one of a kind 14k piece of jewelry. He had originally carved the triangle eye sockets, but the client wanted rubies, so he had to comply. Dans-Magic also created an Optimus Prime pendant that you can see in the photo at the bottom. via Deviant Art

make your photos look like they’re from Google Streetview with just a little tape, cardboard and acrylic. That’s how these Japanese dudes did it and it looks kick-ass. Those of you familiar with Streetview will see the photos these boys made look just like the real thing. Head over to the original source if you want to learn exactly how they did it. via Daily Portal

It doesn’t happen as often as it would if the fight was actually fair, but it’s nice to see the underdog win for a change. Israel Lancho had the misfortune of getting impaled by a bull, last Wednesday, in Madrid. The bull’s horn went in 8 inches and doctors said it was a miracle that it didn’t hit the matador’s heart. 30-year-old Israel is now recuperating. I wonder if he’s ever going to go into the bull-ring again. UPDATE:  One of our visitors left a comment saying the matador died of complications. That is not true, but, while he received medical attention, the bull did in fact die as a result of his wounds. Others said this is tradition and should be accepted as such…Well, the shearing of the beasts, donkey basketball, Grindadrap or Afghan dog-fights are also old traditions, but I refuse to respect them. Read More »

I could totally see Fred Flinstone riding one of these things. Not much is known about this weird multi-angle bicycle, only that it was invented by Guan Baihua, a Chinese man who thought he should give people ‘an alternative to the normal, boring bikes.’ It doesn’t look too fun to ride, with a polygonal wheel at the front and a triangular one at the back, but it must be a great way to lose weight. This is not the first weird  Chinese two-wheeled creation, the home-made chopper is also something you don’t see every day. If Guan wants some tips about designing an original, yet cool bike, he should have a look at Jason Battersby’s Tequila Sunrise and Eye Candy. via China.org.cn

Believe it or not, shoes can be a luxury item in poor countries. But we humans are resourceful creatures, so we rarely let lack of money stand in our way. Case and point, these guys in poor African and South-American countries use old tires to make their own slippers. Sure they may not make to a fashion presentation in Milan, but I’m sure they’re a lot more durable than what we buy from the shop.

What can you do with 1,000 Tivoli radios? That’s an easy one, build a 15-foot-high audio tower, of course. Nicknamed the “Tower of Babel” this technological oddity was presented at the Milan Design Week 2009, to promote the audio supplier’s collaboration with Italian designer Giulio Cappellini. The Audio Tower of Babel was very popular in Milan, so it will be reconstructed in Moscow, London and Paris. Be sure to check it out if you’re into audio stuff. You can watch the building process of Tivoli’s Tower of Babel, in the video at the bottom. via Dvice

I have a few Russian friends and i know for a fact they are party animals. In this case we’re talking about Russian border guards, who celebrated Russisan Border Guards Day on May 28. Both active and retired members of the guard partyed in Gorky Park, Moscow, with food, music and, of, course, plenty of vodka. They seem to have had a memorable time, being a Russian Border Guard must be fun. Photos by EPA via Telegraph.co.uk

The last thing I want happening to me in a public toilet is be seen by strangers while I handle my business, but people in Lausanne. Relax though, if you behave inside, everything will be ok. This glass and steel structure features a voir button on the inside. The toilet windows are transparent when it is vacant, but turn opaque when someone enters and presses the button. Now, to prevent a person overstaying their welcome, the transparent toilet also has a motion sensor, and if it doesn’t detect any movement, for a long period of time, OR if it detects too much movement, the window turn transparent. Talk about getting caught with your pants down, huh? via Pasta&Vinegar

These are some of the most realistic trompe l’oeil murals I have ever seen. John Pugh has to be one of the most talented trompe l’oeil painters in the world. He creates unbelievably realistic murals that trick the viewer’s eye into seeing a three-dimensional scene. Pugh’s works can be seen all across the world, from New Zealand to Hawaii. Photos by John Pugh/ BARCROFT via Telegraph.co.uk

Sweets keep getting weirder and weirder these days. After the bacon-flavored chocolate, I present to you the honey baked ham cupcakes. Stef, from the Cupcake Project blog, has baked what she says is the world’s first honey baked ham cupcake. Those who tried these weird delicacies said they couldn’t really taste the ham, if anything it just gives the cupcake a nice sweet-salty flavor. In fact, the ham only acts as an edible cupcake wrapping, through which you have to bite your way to the tasty cinnamon cream cheese frosting. If you want to try these at home, just visit Cupcake Project page and check the recipe.