Tildes Video Thread

Of course Olive Garden cannot compete with real Italian cuisine but that's a pretty good video anyway.

The Invention that Accidentally Made McMansions

How did a humble piece of metal quietly reshape the American suburbs—and with them, our expectations for modern homes? This video explores the history and impact of the gang-nail plate, a simple yet revolutionary invention that transformed residential construction and accelerated suburban growth.

Originally devised to combat hurricane damage in places like mid-century Miami, the gang-nail plate allowed builders to quickly and securely connect multiple pieces of lumber at virtually any angle. By enabling the mass production of roof trusses in off-site factories, it led to stronger, cheaper, and more efficient construction. This efficiency opened the door to spacious open floor plans, complex rooflines, cathedral ceilings, and the sprawling McMansion aesthetic, all of which have come to define much of American suburban architecture.

Yet, the influence of this unassuming invention isn’t entirely positive. While it helped streamline building processes and cut costs, it also encouraged rapid housing expansion and larger, more resource-intensive homes. The result was an architectural shift that contributed to suburban sprawl, increased energy demands, and homes increasingly treated as commodities rather than unique, handcrafted spaces. These changes reverberated through building codes, real estate markets, and even family life, influencing how we interact with our homes and one another.

The Story of the Mediterranean Sky Cruise Ship

After seeing photos of a rusting cruise liner partially capsized and half submerged, i've always wondered what the story was behind it. It's a striking sight to see with this massive vessel long forgotten with much of it still in tact. Today i'm on a mission to discover that story! So join me today as we go over the illustrious career of this sleek ocean liner turned cruise ship and find out how it got here and was subsequently left completely abandoned.

Why "The Ocean" Sucks | Smartypants Presentation

So many good laughs in this one, but around 8:19 there is a section that had me in tears. Zach Reino is just so funny.