+1 WTF but FYI the Tesla comic was posted about 20 posts back.

If only they had a gun.

Dammit, how does one vote "funsightful"?

For a moment I thought it was a UFO picture.

Untethered 'Flatable Object?

Untethered Floating Object instead.

wanted for questioning...

So how does the inflatable jumping house business work? Who invented it? Do you buy one from the inventor, then go around looking for kiddie venues to inflate one? Have people caught on yet that they are not actually very fun? Has anyone suffered any serious spine injuries from one? What are the liability insurance rates? Can you make serious money from one (assuming you tie it down properly)?

So many questions.

Not very fun for who? My nieces and nephews will jump around in them until their leg muscles can barely support themselves. Perhaps one is just of an age where such activities lack dignity? Hmmm?

Hah! Yes. Just 1 minute in there and I am done.

Uncle Nate made his niece's birthday party by dragging a big mattress into the living room and letting kids bounce themselves crazy until they started lining up to be thrown. Parents picking up their kids were surprised they didn't want to leave, then saw me all sweaty and breathing hard, and understood.

"then saw me all sweaty and breathing hard, and understood"

*wink*

I also think they are fun. My ex wife and I used to jump on them as soon the kiddies got too tired to keep going and left them for us. The advantages of being so tiny as we are is that you can still sneak into fun places.

Two answers:
1) There are definitely companies that buy variations on the "inflatable castle" theme, store them, and rent them out to people for events, like birthday parties, team building, carnivals, etc. Same trade group if you will that rents those awful "sumo suits" and foam jousting equipment, etc. And Clowns. So basically Carnies, ya.
2) The cost to own has come down such that private folks can buy a pay set like the one pictured in the article, which is less a "castle" or "house" as it is a slide / playset. No doubt you can hook a sprinkler on this and use it as a waterslide for the 3-6yr old range. I have also seen a growing trend in inflatable character / lawn ornaments for both Halloween and Christmas. I was a bit surprised to not see an inflatable Easter Bunny yet (or Inflatable Jesus On The Cross, for that matter) .

And that's a vote for approximately 15 days being considered "old." Does anyone second this motion?

Why are you still talking about something that happened last month?

Maybe we need a +1 Historic mod.

Also, +1 Cromulent.

Though I do recommend people explain their down votes unless obvious troll is obvious.

I modded this down, as it was covered in the news at the time, including in Australia. I was surprised to see a news story appear here two weeks late, that was all.