Gizmodo: toronto

Pixels for Pistols Trades Guns for Digital Cameras [Weaponry]

Mark Wilson — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:45:00 EDT

Pixels for Pistols is a Toronto-based effort by the Henry's camera chain allowing anyone to trade in a gun, no questions asked, for a Nikon Coolpix S52 or Coolpix P60 camera. That's it. You give a gun and get a camera in an effort to get rid of unused guns that could be stolen and misused for crime. Lasting for four weeks, the venture has been so successful that gun owners across Ontario have been calling in to donate, despite not being eligible since they aren't local. And hose folks have come up with some quirky solutions of their own. From The Star:

Among the callers was John Hope, who keeps a trigger lock on the 9-mm Beretta stowed in his Bracebridge home. He says he's eager to give up the gun so it doesn't land in the wrong hands – a criminal or suicidal teenager, say. Since he can't trade it for a camera, he now plans to throw it into the middle of a lake.

"There's no way someone's going to go down 200 feet to get a gun he doesn't know is there," he said.

Smart thinking.

It's a really great promotion, even though most people who own a gun can probably already acquire a digital camera for free...[The Star via UberReview]

Is This The Best Mantrap I've Ever Seen? [Art]

AddyDugdale — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:44:01 EST

For when a lasso won't do, may I recommend The Trap, an art installation by This Is Collective, a bunch of rather clever designers. The embroidered steaks on the bedspread, means it will only work on meat-eating sewing freaks, ladies. The Trap was on show at the Come Up To My Room installation in Toronto last week. [Gladstone Hotel via MoCo Loco]

Toronto Cops Don't Like Bicycle Cars [Clips]

Mark Wilson — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 09:53:33 EST

While Fred Flintstone may appreciate the added efficiency of a pedal-powered car, members of the Toronto police department certainly do not. The product of artist Michel de Broin, the 1986 Buick Regal was entirely gutted and equipped with four independently geared bike pedal systems. Surprisingly enough, the system works pretty well, though we might have started the project with a smaller, lighter car. The first third or so of the video is a bit dull, but things pick up when the vehicle hits the road...at a whopping 5mph.

Biggest BSOD of All Time? [Toronto]

Mark Wilson — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 09:03:39 EST

At one of Toronto's locations of The Bay department store, four giant screens have suffered from the infamous Blue Screen of Death for days. You'd think that someone would, I dunno, turn off the freakin' screens. Or, at minimum, there's gotta be some 2.4gHz nanny cam feed they could leech for at least a few days before anyone complained. Because after the first 24 hours or so of BSOD, we begin to think that they like the aesthetic. [freshdaily]