If you haven’t been to the International Toothpaste Museum, today is the day.
Good Friday
Jesus died so that we can live.
Bad juxtapositions
The architect meant well. He was seeking to combine classical elements with a modern twist. I would suggest that he failed. The gold-and-maroon dome does not sync well with the rest of the building. And where in classic architecture do you see a 360-degree clear glass balcony?
It is very possible to combine classic design with modern style – but that is a difficult task. All the more pity when millions of dollars have been spent in the exercise.
The beauty of graphic design is that the stakes are usually much lower. One exception would be when a corporation rolls out a new logo. If they failed, it’s hard to roll back in the red carpet.
Hot Wiring Your Creative Process
Hot Wiring Your Creative Process is a book by Curt Cloniger. I skimmed it recently. (I read parts. Non-fiction is hard to read all the way through these days, unless the content is exceptional.)
One of the useful parts suggests making little cards with concepts on them to stimulate your thinking. The ideas can be actions or thoughts. The idea is to pull out a few when you are facing a creative block.
My friend Ed made some little notes – without even reading the book. (I’m guessing on that point.) Some of his ideas: “Sort out 3 things to go to a charity shop” and “Scan in a pattern”.
I hope to make some little notes for myself, along those lines. Maybe I’ll make them digitally rather than on paper. I have too much paper in my life right now.
By the way, that book is a bit expensive. I’d recommend checking it out from your library, rather than buying it. Help your tax money go to good use!
Kindle Review
You already know about Kindle. It’s the most widely-used mobile book device out there. (Maybe I’m wrong on that, now that Amazon has released Kindle software for the iPhone.)
I’m not going to review the device here. Time magazine gave a good tech review. Josh Marshall (PhD) gave a great reflection on the future of paper books. So I don’t want to go over old ground. I just wanted to suggest a totally new approach to the whole area of mobile reading devices…
Do you remember Polaroid cameras? They were really cheap, but the film (print-film) was very expensive. That model worked fine until digital cameras sadly killed off Polaroids. (Yes, there is a new Polaroid printer, the PoGo that is really cool, but that’s another story.) And mobile phones? Cheap or free (except smart phones, of course) because money is made in connection fees or monthly rates.
I’d propose that Amazon sell the Kindle for $49 and increase the price of mobile content for it. They would sell far more content, the authors would get more royalties, and people like me could have a Kindle! ($359 is about $310 too much for me.) I am sure they would make more money in the long run.
Apologies to the image copyright holder – I couldn’t even find out who it was from the source.
Update: The Kindle DX is a bigger reader – but also bigger priced ($489).
Small change
Here’s a way you can help the environment in a small way… say no to a cup insulator sleeve the next time you get coffee-to-go.
You will:
– save that much addition to the landfill
– save the coffee shop the cost of the insulator
– save the transport costs for that insulator sleeve to the shop and to the landfill
– prevent trees from having to be chopped down
You say, “I don’t want to burn my hands!” Well, take a moment at the shop to let the coffee cool. You can’t drink it that hot, anyhow! Use the extra time to pray, to enjoy looking at the people in the line or to read the newspaper.
If everyone would do this, thing of the cumulative difference it would make!
Ironically, this sleeve says, “Do as little as possible.” I would add, “…to the environment.”
Now 13
Yes, 13 is a big deal too.
Today Ben, our English child (born in Oxford), turned the big 1-3. So we have two teenagers.
Happy birthday, Ben!!
Great transport idea
Sometimes you just have to get there in a car. But buying a car is hugely expensive. Even if you get an ancient beast, the repair costs can break your bank.
There’s a way around this. It’s the Occasional Car Club. You pay an hourly rate and 24c a mile, which includes gas and insurance. It’s a great thing if you just need a car for a few hours and aren’t going far. This spreads car ownership across more people than just you. If this caught on, fewer cars would have to be made.
This concept is already working in Europe. My buddy Rob, who lives in Stuttgart, Germany, is part of such a plan.
It’s not for everybody (and obviously you have to live where something like this is offered) – but it would be a great thing for some people!
By the way, the cool car shown in the above pic – and on their website – is not available for rental.
Check out 300
Social media doing what it’s supposed to
You can follow them here.
I also contacted them via their website and got this reply: “We appreciate your interest in the iQ and apologize this vehicle is not available in the U.S. Your comments and interest in this vehicle have been documented at our National Headquarters, where they remain available for review from the appropriate departments.” Sounds kind of form-letter-ish, but if it’s at all possible that some Toyota bureaucrat will actually read my message, I’m encouraged.
My message: “You should: a) Bring the iQ to the USA; b) Do a Fiestamovement thing; and c) Let me be a test driver. Thanks.”
