Friday, September 25, 2009

The House of Plastic Bottles
7 images...

Apart from the breathtaking Iguazu Falls, one of the most important tourist attractions in the Iguazu area is the House of Plastic Bottles, built out of plastic bottles and other recyclable materials.

Alfredo Alberto Santa Cruz got the idea of building a house from plastic bottles while he was creating a playhouse for his little daughter. After he finished it, he noticed the plastic the structure was pretty sturdy and realized he was on to something. That’s when he decided to build a one-bedroom cottage out of plastic bottles, for him and his family.

Mr. Santa Cruz’s bottle house features a bed, chairs, shelves and even a fake hanging plant, all made out of PET bottles. Practically everything inside the house is recyclable, apart from the wood framing and a few metal bolts. The walls are made from 2-liter plastic bottles, while the roof consists of hundreds of tetrapak cartons (the boxes you drink juice from). Alfredo has flattened them into shingles and turn them aluminum side up, to reflect the sun and keep the place cool. They would only last for 4-5 years, due to rains, but he covered them up with a layer of plastic, cut from bottles and says this combo could last even 20 years.

The House of Plastic Bottles

An American woman was forced to make a snappy retreat after an 11-foot alligator took up residence on her doorstep.Concerned neighbours phoned Belinda Donaldson to warn her not to leave her house when they spotted the giant reptile.
But the Florida woman got the surprise of her life earlier when she realised they weren't joking.She was forced to phone 911 after the animal refused to budge.Ms Donaldson, who lives in Westchase, Hillsborough County, was ordered to stay inside while wildlife rescue crews moved the animal.
A wildlife expert arrived to catch the unexpected visitor, but it wasn't giving up its new home easily.Witnesses said it took the trapper at least an hour to move the alligator, which was then loaded into the back of a truck and taken a distance away.Alligator sightings are not uncommon in the southern American state as the creatures flourish in the warm environment.Wildlife experts predict there are an estimated five million of the creatures scattered across the country.


Snap goes the alligator: What one woman saw when she opened her front door

Lasers can be dangerous! Never point them at any living object! Do not look at the beam! This is not a toy, and this should not be used like a conventional laser pointer. In other words, don't use it in presentations, or to play with pets, or allow children to use it. It should only be operated by responsible persons who understand and respect the potential laser safety hazards.

New 007 Laser Weapon

A grenade-style pin removes the safety, and the flashlight fires a .410 shotgun round out the back when a button is pressed. A Mini-Mag size fires a .380 round