hand models
From a compendium of hand models — who they are, what they are famous for — the faces behind the hands:
During a photo shoot in 1983, Elizabeth Barbour says she “tilted her hand in such a way” that the photographers captured the perfect shot of her hand grazing a glass. The shot was the basis for the redesign of the Palmolive soap label, which is still around to this day. She was paid $650 for the shoot and calls the experience “one of the funniest things I’ve ever done.”
Two of the models talk about hand cream and constant gloves.
Matteo Cibic’s Hi-Fido
Matteo Cibic’s Hi-Fido is a ceramic speaker in the shape of a dog.
Edith Heath on Martha Stewart, 1989 — the materials should tell the story
I love Heath’s beautiful work. I’ll be linking to Florence Knoll and Eva Zeisel over the next few days.
We lose nothing by having closed systems
There is a complaint running around that the iPad is a closed system, that people aren’t free to customize it, that it’s not opened up so that we can all poke around inside it. Complaints are that the iPad is killing off an idea of computing that’s open and free for all.
To which I say: Good! Does anybody remember what using a computer is like? I spent a week after reinstalling my operating system picking out the right tweaks and gizmos and gadgets to make things more manageable. Weblogs exist that do nothing but teach you how you can make your experience on a computer less shitty. On a closed system, you can’t do that. You work with what you’ve got. Even if what you have is suboptimal — and guys? We live in the future; suboptimal for us is leagues beyond what the poor savages of 2008 had — when you’re using a device, you have to use it do do something, not just to fuck around.
Some of the biggest complaints come from programmers that say the closed system means people won’t be able to satisfy their computer curiosities. To which I again say: Good! Then they’ll have to satisfy their curiosities about emotional maturity and social interaction and possibly even thinking about making the world a better place.
I like this guy. Never heard of him until this but I can’t wait to dig through his archives, Amanda Mae-style.
PAPPELTALKS
Hubero Kororo designed this interactive CD cover for the band Uceroz. When you pull a tab on the side to open the CD, an ink cartridge leaks and fills the front cover with purple ink. (via)
the cat’s — out of the bag
Yeah, very exciting. Yes, they’ll make their announcement tomorrow on this one. We have worked with Apple for quite a while. And the Tablet is going to be based on the iPhone operating system and so it will be transferable. So what you are going to be able to do now is we have a consortium of e-books. And we have 95% of all our materials that are in e-book format on that one. So now with the tablet you’re going to open up the higher education market, the professional market. The tablet is going to be just really terrific.
This from the CEO of McGraw-Hill. Tomorrow should be interesting. Steve Jobs is pissed.
Bubble Wrap Turns 50
The product once envisioned as a new type of wallpaper turns 50 this month, and enthusiasts’ obsession with it has spawned more than 250 Facebook pages devoted to Bubble Wrap.
Ken Aurichio, communications director for Sealed Air, the Elmwood Park-based company that manufactures Bubble Wrap, thought he’d witnessed every form of Bubble Wrap mania until he received a wedding invitation last year from a woman in Ohio who said she would wear the product on her trip down the aisle.
Fuck it. I’m using it as wallpaper.
the first legal male prostitute
I think for a male, if you want to be successful in this type of venture, you’re not a prostitute. You’re a surrogate lover. You encompass everything that’s required of you—not only emotionally, physically—but psychologically. Because women are wired differently. They’re much more sensitive creatures. You actually have to enjoy what you do. You can’t necessarily say, “Oh, it’s just a job.” You actually have to say it’s a passion. I think it’s the same situation as with anything that happens when you break apart a social institution. There has to be some kind of change in terminology to describe persons like myself. And it’s more of a civil rights thing now. Basically this is the first time in the economy of the United States that a male has actually stood up and said, “I want to do this for a living.” And be protected under law to do it. It’s just the same as when Rosa Parks decided to sit at the front instead of the back. She was proclaiming her rights as a disadvantaged, African-American older woman. And I’m doing the same. I’m actually standing up now, and hopefully I can be supported by the male community and be understood as a person. This actually isn’t about selling my body. This is about changing social norms.
Congratulations.
(via marginal revolution)
This Feels Like a Misallocation of Resources
An Albuquerque-based religious group is sending solar-powered audible Bibles to Haiti:
These are solar-powered audible Bibles that can broadcast the holy scriptures in Haitian Creole to 300 people at a time.
Called the “Proclaimer,” the audio Bible delivers “digital quality” and is designed for “poor and illiterate people”, the Faith Comes By Hearing group said.
According to their website, the Proclaimer is “self-powered and can play the Bible in the jungle, desert or … even on the moon!”
I don’t even want to know what they cost.
the first good Apple mouse I’ve used
I downgraded my computer in order to buy some camera equipment and the new computer — a refurbished 21.5″ iMac — came with the new touch-sensitive Apple mouse. I’m loving the computer overall and would recommend it to anyone who needs a compact, all in one, snappy, (beautiful) inexpensive set-up. But what I really wanted to talk about is the mouse.
quote out of context
It’s a big iPhone, but it’s not just a big iPhone.
Synergetic Hybrid Bicycle
The Sanyo eneloop bike was just named “Best of Innovations” at CES.
Momentum had a full review:
I love the fully integrated “feel” of this bike. Many eBikes seem hacked together, with a motor, battery and other components tacked onto a basic bike design. Sanyo’s 15 years of experience selling eBikes in Japan results in a well designed whole bike laden with features but without the clutter. Cables and wires are routed internally through the frame for a clean look. Regenerative technology gives a claimed 18 percent increase in battery life for a range of up to 40 miles. Even slight pedal pressure is enough to engage the electric assist, quickly boosting the rider to the 250 watt motor’s 15 mph top speed.
Dear Clusterflock: Do you keep drugs that you no longer have a use for?
I do.
I have no idea why. I have an extensive range of anti-depressants that I have no use for and a pot of Valium® that were prescribed to the dog when she had the canine version of alzheimer’s. I also have a box full of potions, creams and pills that have long lost their power to heal and always get in the way of current stuff when I need it and yet, I keep it!
How about you?
Big Shot
Packaged as a kit of parts, Bigshot teaches scientific and engineering principles along the way to assembly. Not only do kids have the fun of building a useful object from scratch, but as they manipulate the lenses, gears and dynamo (the camera is powered with a hand crank), they learn about optics, mechanics and energy. A companion website designed by Nayar and several of his Columbia graduate students offers lucid tutorials in each concept.
bubbles and fog
The machine puts out lots of bubbles. The kids absolutely loved it. One word of caution. Be very careful if used indoors. There are so many bubbles a hard floor becomes very slick very fast. We had children falling left and right. Overall great product.
Decent product. Heats up quite a lot when turned on. I have installed this inside my mini-van (it is powered by an inverter,) still there is not enough density in the fog generated even in such a small space. also the fog has this slight burnt odor. I am hoping the odor will subside in time. The unit needs a good 5 min to heat up before use. Subsequent uses are much quicker once element inside is hot. Would i recommend it? If your on a budget then yes sure, else find a slightly larger unit.
I have had two WalMart fog machines. They both worked reasonably well, for the price, but neither machine lasted longer than two years. I used them at home, not commercially. I was tired of dealing with the WM machines and did research on machines built by companies that specailze in fog machines for commercial use. This one fit for me. It was priced just slightly higher than the retail store machines shipping was free! It arived in about a week and it kicks but in the fog department. Puts out plenty of fog, is very quiet and the fog juice tank even lights up. I used it a few times over the last few weeks and I really like it. I had no problem totally filling my whole living room up with fog so thick I literally could not see through it. Good customer support from Chauvet as I called with a few questions. So we will see how long this one lasts but if you want an economical fog machine at a reasonable price this is a good one to look into.
World View – lighter than air
The light source consists of 35 ultra strong diodes hanging on a helium balloon, with adjustable floating height. Available in two models, one with cord and one limited edition powered by rechargeable batteries. It’s available in white or metallic. After filling the balloon with helium it will last 2-3 weeks, after that it needs refilling.
Christmas Memory: bb guns
One Christmas, my brother and I got Daisy bb guns. We wanted them bad. We couldn’t wait to shoot them, but it was mid-winter in Rockford. Daddy set us up a stack of boxes packed with newspaper in the basement with a target stapled to the side. It wasn’t long before we bored of straight shootin’ and opted up for tricks. We went upstairs, stole Mom’s hand-mirror off her vanity, and commenced fancy-shootin’ backwards Annie Oakley style. My brother’s first shot riccocheted off the blocks of the basement wall and hit my brother in the back of his head. Didn’t hurt him. Didn’t break the skin. But how he howled. It stung! We could have put an eye out!
I invite all clusterflockers/readers near and far to tell us a Christmas story over the next few days. It would be the best gift we could give each other.
once more, with feeling
Microsoft employee gets fired for not saying Bing!.
Don’t know if it’s true, but it’s gorgeously entertaining.
dear clusterflock
I’m looking for a leather messenger bag that, with third party inserts, can double as a camera bag.
Sperm whale foreskin is supposedly the softest leather on earth
Warning: if reading the word “penis” over and over again makes you uncomfortable, you might want to avert your eyes.
The making of a David LaChapelle Maybach photo shoot
Kind of amusing.
How to buy on eBay
I am continually amazed at how many people incrementally bid up an item they want six days before an auction is over. It’s like watching someone walk around with a switch unknown to him flipped permanently to stupid. It’s easy, really. All it requires is patience, knowing what you want, what it is worth, what you are willing to pay for it, and then, again, and this is the important part — waiting.
Recetas de la familia de productos SPAM®
Deron, are you still in the mood for Mexican?
Disfruta la experiencia de saborear las recetas de la familia de productos SPAM®: Spaghetti Blanco con SPAM®, SPAM® Guisado con Arroz, Tortas SPAM®, Huevos SPAMCHEROS®, Enchiladas SPAM®, SPAMJITAS®, Taquitos SPAM®, SPAMTADS®, Burritos de desayuno SPAM®, Tacos de SPAM®, y Quesadillas SPAM®.
For Phil
Happy Thanksgiving from the colonies.
GoGirl
