Boing Boing: Tokyo's Nakagin capsule tower
Now, that's what I call high-density living. Someday, will we all be living like this? Is this the ultimate condo? From our Mystery Reader and Contributor, a fascinating sight from Japan: a capsule building.

Built from 1970 and opened in 1972 the Nakagin Capsule Tower was a innovative masterpiece by architect Kisho Kurokawa. Kurokawa developed the technology to install the 2.3m x 3.8m x 2.1m sized capsule units into a concrete core with only 4 high-tension bolts, making the units detachable and replaceable. The capsules were designed to accommodate the individual as either an apartment or studio space, and by connecting units they could also accommodate a family. Complete with appliances and furniture, from audio system to telephone, the capsule interior was pre-assembled in a factory off-site and then hoisted by crane and fastened to the concrete core shaft.

Firefighter Is Among Those Charged in Md. Arson Case (washingtonpost.com)
This just gets stranger all the time. Read the whole thing--it's like a TV movie.

Law enforcement authorities arrested and charged three more people this morning in connection with the early-morning arson fire that engulfed a new housing subdivision in Charles County last week. Among them was a man listed as a member of a volunteer fire department that responded to the blaze...a picture emerged yesterday from documents and interviews of a man who was deeply troubled by the death of his infant son, frustrated in his effort to become a volunteer firefighter and unhappy with the security service that employed him.
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NEWS.com.au Agents fined for murder house (December 19, 2004)
This story is from Australia. Seems the real estate agents sold the house without mentioning that it was the scene of a murder. Oops. Here in the US state laws typically require sellers an agents to make detailed disclosure of known defects, and with HOAs and condos most states have additional disclosure obligations as well.