Congratulations

Congrats
to Bruce Mau for receiving the AIGA Medal for 2007.

You, like Buckminster Fuller and John Cage, are an inspiration to me and my colleagues. If I ever decide to run my own show, I would definitely model it on your principles and vision. Design in a big picture way. In short, you rule. Hey, any chance you need a designer in Toronto? I'd rather work in asphalt, canvas, and oil paint than a computer. Have room for me?

My So-Called Second Life

So my buddy Ron sends me a message a month ago telling me to get a second life. So I finally did. Second Life is a really, really cool virtual world that allows you to chat and interact with people who may be on the other side of the world. Now, I'm a big proponent of staying in the real world and I try to avoid depending on computers. But this is super cool. It's great to interact with people across the country, when you normally would have to rely on e-mail and myspace. Here's the thing: It's gotten HUGE. There is an economy, a currency exchange between Linden dollars and real dollars (US and otherwise), companies, corporate meetings, political headquarters of Hillary, Barack, John Edwards. Hell, one French presidential hopeful had his headquarters destroyed by virtual protesters hurling pig grenades. sweeet. You can buy land, build a store, sell virtual clothes, surfboards, whatever. I smell a new economy brewing. I might get into building spaceships. You can even teleport into low orbit and make a jump to mars! Check out the International Spaceflight Museum they have built. Get a second life. If nothing else just to explore it for 10 minutes. Fascinating.

Solar Update

Power Spar has a novel new solar cell product that puts a twist on energy conversion:

Using patented technology, the Power-Spar® panels reflect and concentrate solar rays onto an absorber that runs the length of the spar units. Within the absorber, there are channels containing a heat transfer fluid (typically propylene glycol). The fluid is heated by the sun's energy and is then pumped to the building.

The heated fluid is either used directly (for process heat or steam) or passed through one or more heat exchangers to transfer energy from the fluid to space heating applications, domestic hot water pre-heat, etc. This system can supply up to 70% of your heating energy requirements from free solar energy.

Surplus heat energy is transferred to a thermal storage tank. The mass of water in this tank allows for effective retention and distribution of energy even during prolonged 'non-solar' periods (i.e., at night or on cloudy days).

Micromansion

This might be all I need. Buy some land near a lake or stream in remote Wisconsin or Michigan. Instant cool. put them together for a little retreat, colony, what have you. Microcompact rules!

Fast Food Nation

My kid loves cheeseburgers. Really loves them. I know about meat processing. It's crazy. I watched Fast Food Nation last night. A little sloppy, a little self-righteous, but effective. The last 10 minutes are all they needed to show. I'm buying local as much as I can, because I don't need my son to be a passive consumer. Until he's old enough to be educated about it, It's my responsibility to make sure he's healthy mentally and physically. As a consumer and parent, why would I take the risk?

Smoking 2.0.1

What's cooler than smoking? Well, I'd say it's smoking with this pimperish ashtray from Finding Cheska. Nothing like dirtying up your lungs while dirtying up your lungs. Also of interest is the uncommonly awesome "Smokes Like a Chimney" ashtray by Andersson Frida & James Steiner via Industreal of Italy. Rest your ciggy in the receptacle and the smoke rises out of the bronchial tubes.


















Thanks to Danielle (dfddesign) for the links.

5 Words I Hate for Friday:

"Help is on the Way."