Inflation is a Good Thing
April 14, 2008 9:38 PM Subscribe
An Airdancer is an advertising gimmick that consists of a fabric tube inflated by a high power fan. Airdancers come in a huge variety of shapes and styles, and lend themselves to parody. Taking the concept more seriously though is the Tubie, and innovative ironing system whose website includes unique instructional videos.
=( I wish the shirt version came with a wacky inflatable arm flailing tube man head.
Also, seems like it's almost as much work to set the damn thing up as it is to just iron the shirt/pants (trousers, for our non-US friends).
posted by agress at 9:54 PM on April 14, 2008
Also, seems like it's almost as much work to set the damn thing up as it is to just iron the shirt/pants (trousers, for our non-US friends).
posted by agress at 9:54 PM on April 14, 2008
Stupid annoying ARB (Australian Rugby Board) uses these for just about every Wallabies test, and every try up they go. Gah.
posted by wilful at 9:56 PM on April 14, 2008
posted by wilful at 9:56 PM on April 14, 2008
I donna, that tubie looks like more of a pain in the ass than anything.
posted by puke & cry at 10:00 PM on April 14, 2008
posted by puke & cry at 10:00 PM on April 14, 2008
epo-freaking-nysterical.
posted by YoBananaBoy at 10:01 PM on April 14, 2008
posted by YoBananaBoy at 10:01 PM on April 14, 2008
I dunno
posted by puke & cry at 10:02 PM on April 14, 2008
posted by puke & cry at 10:02 PM on April 14, 2008
I've mentioned this before, but I'm reminded of it again and again. John Kenneth Galbraith wrote an essay decades ago where he pointed out that the advent of the home appliance had the dual effect of eliminating the economic independence of many women (by eliminating their outside-the-home service jobs) and turning the housewife into a servant, where historically it had been largely a supervisory role. It was all sold as modernity and convenience, too.
posted by dhartung at 10:05 PM on April 14, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by dhartung at 10:05 PM on April 14, 2008 [2 favorites]
I'm not one to brag, but goddamn if I don't iron a shirt faster than that lady takes to make a creepy balloon friend she can talk to when she's lonely.
posted by stresstwig at 10:23 PM on April 14, 2008
posted by stresstwig at 10:23 PM on April 14, 2008
Airdancers? Seriously, Airdancers? No, they are Convulsing Air Socks.
Seriously though, who the hell calls them Airdancers?
posted by lekvar at 10:37 PM on April 14, 2008
Seriously though, who the hell calls them Airdancers?
posted by lekvar at 10:37 PM on April 14, 2008
There goes the knife edge crease on the trousers then. I didn't see how they dealt with a pleated skirt either.
posted by tellurian at 10:56 PM on April 14, 2008
posted by tellurian at 10:56 PM on April 14, 2008
http://www.wackywavinginflatablearmflailingtubeman.com/
I LOL'd....
This post is much more informative than Family Guy..
posted by sir_rubixalot at 11:18 PM on April 14, 2008
I LOL'd....
This post is much more informative than Family Guy..
posted by sir_rubixalot at 11:18 PM on April 14, 2008
This post confuses my lizard hindbrain and therefore it must be destroyed.
posted by loquacious at 12:40 AM on April 15, 2008
posted by loquacious at 12:40 AM on April 15, 2008
I've mentioned this before, but I'm reminded of it again and again. John Kenneth Galbraith wrote an essay decades ago where he pointed out that the advent of the home appliance had the dual effect of eliminating the economic independence of many women (by eliminating their outside-the-home service jobs) and turning the housewife into a servant, where historically it had been largely a supervisory role. It was all sold as modernity and convenience, too.
We get it dhartung, you're enlightened and progressive and sensitive to the plight of women in 2008...
But what does your post have to do with Wacky Inflatable Arm Men?
Or are you just That Guy who needs to insert some Socially Relevant® platitudes into a throwaway fun thread to overcompensate for your own beliefs?
posted by Hiding From Goro at 1:02 AM on April 15, 2008
We get it dhartung, you're enlightened and progressive and sensitive to the plight of women in 2008...
But what does your post have to do with Wacky Inflatable Arm Men?
Or are you just That Guy who needs to insert some Socially Relevant® platitudes into a throwaway fun thread to overcompensate for your own beliefs?
posted by Hiding From Goro at 1:02 AM on April 15, 2008
Those things drive my dogs absolutely stone bugfuck batshit insane. Just driving past one is enough: two hefty wolfhound-cross mutts desperately trying to punch every window out of the back of the stationwagon. God knows what they would do if they ever got a chance to go toe to toe with wacky inflatable flailing arm man.
posted by tim_in_oz at 2:45 AM on April 15, 2008
posted by tim_in_oz at 2:45 AM on April 15, 2008
I hate those things.
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:52 AM on April 15, 2008
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:52 AM on April 15, 2008
nightmarish air-powered seizure-man-simulators
The very idea of wavy waving inflatable arm-flailing seizure robots arouses me.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:19 AM on April 15, 2008
The very idea of wavy waving inflatable arm-flailing seizure robots arouses me.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:19 AM on April 15, 2008
Is that website actually selling any ironing machines? It's one thing when there's no price listed (so, it's automatically $1000+) but it's another when it doesn't even tell you clearly and plainly how to get one.
posted by crapmatic at 5:41 AM on April 15, 2008
posted by crapmatic at 5:41 AM on April 15, 2008
Unrelated, but, good for your brain on a tuesday morning.
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 5:49 AM on April 15, 2008
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 5:49 AM on April 15, 2008
Imagine being stuck on an elevator for 41 hours with an air-dancer named Galbraith.
The horror.
posted by Dizzy at 6:29 AM on April 15, 2008
The horror.
posted by Dizzy at 6:29 AM on April 15, 2008
An NYC artist creates Air Bears that spring to life every time a subway train passes underneath. (inspired by Marilyn Monroe?)
posted by vronsky at 8:58 AM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by vronsky at 8:58 AM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
The very idea of wavy waving inflatable arm-flailing seizure robots arouses me.
Well, you know, rule 34 and all....
No I am not looking that up for you. You have to find it yourself.
posted by louche mustachio at 10:00 AM on April 15, 2008
I think what dhartung is saying is that housewives can be replaced with WACKY WAVING INFLATIBLE ARM FLAILING TUBE MEN as well.
Sort of like The Stepford Wives.
posted by louche mustachio at 10:04 AM on April 15, 2008
Sort of like The Stepford Wives.
posted by louche mustachio at 10:04 AM on April 15, 2008
vronsky, that Air Bear video is a) incredible b) horrifying c) cute d) all of the above.
posted by lekvar at 10:23 AM on April 15, 2008
posted by lekvar at 10:23 AM on April 15, 2008
I hate the tubes - they're creepy as hell and not only that, they're totally stupid as ads. Why would flailing giant skinny creatures who might attack at any moment make me want to go to the cel phone store? I generally try to avoid wildly agitated red demons if possible. But those air bears, vronsky - those things are genius.
posted by mygothlaundry at 11:43 AM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by mygothlaundry at 11:43 AM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
I have a little game I like to play with loved ones: I pretend these things don't exist. Once my wife commented that there was a giant purple ape on top of a car dealership. Though, because we were well past it, I replied that I didn't see it, and because I'm a bastard, I also strongly implied that I doubted that she had seen what she claimed.
This went on for months, whenever we went by, she would remember just a moment too late to tell me to look and then I could play the "no, you are crazy" card. The best was making sure we went past when storms were imminent and they had pulled it down, "What giant ape, honey? Are you sure you aren't going crazy?"
She knows I'm fucking with her, but she can't prove it.
And that's why I love giant inflatable advertising gimmicks.
posted by quin at 12:22 PM on April 15, 2008
This went on for months, whenever we went by, she would remember just a moment too late to tell me to look and then I could play the "no, you are crazy" card. The best was making sure we went past when storms were imminent and they had pulled it down, "What giant ape, honey? Are you sure you aren't going crazy?"
She knows I'm fucking with her, but she can't prove it.
And that's why I love giant inflatable advertising gimmicks.
posted by quin at 12:22 PM on April 15, 2008
Another yell of delight for vronsky's air bears from another hater of the wiggling tube horrors! Terrific link!
(Wonder how many Bloombergian laws pertaining to subways grilles/pedestrian safety/ non licensed public art etc etc the bears break?!!)
posted by Jody Tresidder at 12:55 PM on April 15, 2008
(Wonder how many Bloombergian laws pertaining to subways grilles/pedestrian safety/ non licensed public art etc etc the bears break?!!)
posted by Jody Tresidder at 12:55 PM on April 15, 2008
Quin: well, MAYBE she's the one fooling you and you really seeing ghosts of dead inflatable creatures from the past of this planet.
posted by darkripper at 12:59 PM on April 15, 2008
posted by darkripper at 12:59 PM on April 15, 2008
We wish you a lot of enjoyment and a facile work with the ironing-machine TUBIE®.
I think they need to go a little easier on the 'ol thesaurus.
I'm pretty sure I've seen a device like the 'Tubie' before, in the back of a commercial dry-cleaner; it had the blower on top rather than on the bottom, though, and the clothes hung down loosely and were inflated. Seems like that would require a lot less pressure out of the blower than if you mount it at the bottom.
posted by Kadin2048 at 1:28 PM on April 15, 2008
I think they need to go a little easier on the 'ol thesaurus.
I'm pretty sure I've seen a device like the 'Tubie' before, in the back of a commercial dry-cleaner; it had the blower on top rather than on the bottom, though, and the clothes hung down loosely and were inflated. Seems like that would require a lot less pressure out of the blower than if you mount it at the bottom.
posted by Kadin2048 at 1:28 PM on April 15, 2008
Intergalactic Proton-Powered Electrical Tentacled Advertising Droid
posted by Frasermoo at 6:01 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Frasermoo at 6:01 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
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I occasionally warn my co-workers that they can be replaced by WACKY WAVING INFLATABLE ARM FLAILING TUBE MEN.
posted by louche mustachio at 9:48 PM on April 14, 2008 [3 favorites]