Recently, I've been trying to re-program my brain back in to my thesis work. It has come time to seriously combine all of my readings, discussions and experiments in to one large, coherent mass. I've always had the feeling that my research in to the area of design methods and how designers actually think and work has been too light. I feel like I've taken for granted that how they are doing it is wrong and that I need to forge ahead with a new way. But then at the same time I've known that really isn't true and that might eventually come to weaken the overall argument of my work. I decided that I aught to re-investigate the area of design methods by starting back with Chris Jones, the father of the subject, so to speak.
I've been pursuing a quick review of 'Essays in Design' to get me thinking. On page 47 we find a very interesting quote (in Jones' unique style):
"sometimes I have a dream...
its so annoying that most of the people you meet
they don't know about any of the new things
so you can't talk about them with them
It's irritating if you're keen on new things.
But then I go to a place where there are
where there are people who ONLY think of new things
and there's something missing
the ordinary life life isn't there
what they call the real world's gone.
And then I walk down the street
I see all sorts of people who've never heard of any ideas
and its much much more stimulating to me
in a way
because that is the real thing happening
you know
So if we go to the ordinary life
which we all live
even avant guardists are ordinary people
we look at our own ordinary life
that's the true inspiration
I think
and that's always there."
This is one of the problems I face with the practical application of my research. I feel as though the University provides a 'new idea' friendly environment for me, but lacks a type of stimulating legitimacy that is found in practise.
Just something to think about for now - until I get figure out how to reconcile this caveat.
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
Summer
I thought I'd better take a moment before we leave North America to pop up a small blog post.
We've been here since June, it's now September and we'll be leaving next week. I'm torn between wanting to stay and wanting to get back to Dundee, but such is life.
I've been meaning to post this little recipe for a while, it's become a standard in our house, especially over summer when I felt the hot cereal was a bit much. It's from 'Everyday Food', published by Martha Stewart, who also brought me my favourite waffle recipe. It's from the May 2010 issue, page 76.
Tropical Muesli
In a small bowl stir together:
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup yoghurt
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp chopped dried pineapple
1 Tbsp golden raisins
1 Tbsp chopped natural almonds
1 Tbsp lemon juice [we used orange or sometimes skipped it altogether]
Cover and let sit overnight or at least an hour. The next morning add 1/2 cup of yoghurt and mix in well and divide between two bowls. Top each bowl with:
1-1/2 tsp of chopped dried pineapple
1-1/2 tsp of golden raisins
1 Tbsp of chopped natural almonds
This is, of course, one of those recipes that you can easily make without exact measurements, but it is a good place to start. It makes just enough for a large Steve-sized bowl and a small Mary Beth-sized bowl. I eventually got in the habit of making up a larger batch and just leaving it in the fridge for the next day of a later snack. I think the only health warning I'd add is that you should make sure to use a good PLAIN yoghurt and don't use salted or roasted almonds. Mary Beth doesn't fancy 'normal' raisins, so this works well for us - I also like the light flavour of the golden ones.
We've been here since June, it's now September and we'll be leaving next week. I'm torn between wanting to stay and wanting to get back to Dundee, but such is life.
I've been meaning to post this little recipe for a while, it's become a standard in our house, especially over summer when I felt the hot cereal was a bit much. It's from 'Everyday Food', published by Martha Stewart, who also brought me my favourite waffle recipe. It's from the May 2010 issue, page 76.
Tropical Muesli
In a small bowl stir together:
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup yoghurt
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp chopped dried pineapple
1 Tbsp golden raisins
1 Tbsp chopped natural almonds
1 Tbsp lemon juice [we used orange or sometimes skipped it altogether]
Cover and let sit overnight or at least an hour. The next morning add 1/2 cup of yoghurt and mix in well and divide between two bowls. Top each bowl with:
1-1/2 tsp of chopped dried pineapple
1-1/2 tsp of golden raisins
1 Tbsp of chopped natural almonds
This is, of course, one of those recipes that you can easily make without exact measurements, but it is a good place to start. It makes just enough for a large Steve-sized bowl and a small Mary Beth-sized bowl. I eventually got in the habit of making up a larger batch and just leaving it in the fridge for the next day of a later snack. I think the only health warning I'd add is that you should make sure to use a good PLAIN yoghurt and don't use salted or roasted almonds. Mary Beth doesn't fancy 'normal' raisins, so this works well for us - I also like the light flavour of the golden ones.
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Maker's Bill of Rights
A little blog post which articulates something that I've felt for a very long time.
I really don't like any piece of technology which assumes that you are an idiot. It assumes that you have no idea what goes on behind the 'magic curtain'. It does not want you to repair, modify or improve it in any way.
I could list many examples, but I will expand one that is quite familiar to me: cars. In North America there is a large community of 'hot rodders' who enjoy tinkering and modifying their old cars. At the very core of this technology you have the Small Block Chevrolet or SBC engine. This is the Lego of the hot rod world. You can put it in just about any rear wheel drive car made between 1930 through 1990. It is simply because General Motors had a sort of design inertia when it came to engines. They made one and kept making it for over 40 years.
Or is it?
The way in which a SBC interfaces with the rest of the car is very basic and clear - two motor mounts, simple transmission bolt pattern. You can even drop it in to a Ford or Dodge with an adaptor plate and a bit of welding the mounts. I don't suspect this was ever intentional, but it becomes possible by virtue of its adaptability. The systems are compatiable.
I can only think of one other engine with such a long lifespan - the horizontally opposed VW air-cooled engine of VW Bug fame. This was a bit of a different case, as its native application was a little more restrictive. However, it found it's way in to the VW Bus, early Porche, test plot combines, dune buggies, and numerous other small-power applications.
What would happen if all 4 cylinder engines had the same mounts, the same rear main bolt pattern, and the same electrics hookup? Might be a good inducement to competition and innovation with today's small cars.
Anyway, this is all a very elaborate preamble to what I wanted to post, from Make:
Owner's Manifesto
from MAKE: 04: Music and Kits for the Holidays, Page 154.
If you can't open it, you don't own it: a Maker's Bill of Rights to accessible, extensive, and repairable hardware.
By Mister Jalopy
The Maker's Bill of Rights
* Meaningful and specific parts lists shall be included.
* Cases shall be easy to open.
* Batteries should be replaceable.
* Special tools are allowed only for darn good reasons.
* Profiting by selling expensive special tools is wrong and not making special tools available is even worse.
* Torx is OK; tamperproof is rarely OK.
* Components, not entire sub-assemblies, shall be replaceable.
* Consumables, like fuses and filters, shall be easy to access.
* Circuit boards shall be commented.
* Power from USB is good; power from proprietary power adapters is bad.
* Standard connecters shall have pinouts defined.
* If it snaps shut, it shall snap open.
* Screws better than glues.
* Docs and drivers shall have permalinks and shall reside for all perpetuity at archive.org.
* Ease of repair shall be a design ideal, not an afterthought.
* Metric or standard, not both.
* Schematics shall be included.
I love this... When do you think we can get this passed as law?
I really don't like any piece of technology which assumes that you are an idiot. It assumes that you have no idea what goes on behind the 'magic curtain'. It does not want you to repair, modify or improve it in any way.
I could list many examples, but I will expand one that is quite familiar to me: cars. In North America there is a large community of 'hot rodders' who enjoy tinkering and modifying their old cars. At the very core of this technology you have the Small Block Chevrolet or SBC engine. This is the Lego of the hot rod world. You can put it in just about any rear wheel drive car made between 1930 through 1990. It is simply because General Motors had a sort of design inertia when it came to engines. They made one and kept making it for over 40 years.
Or is it?
The way in which a SBC interfaces with the rest of the car is very basic and clear - two motor mounts, simple transmission bolt pattern. You can even drop it in to a Ford or Dodge with an adaptor plate and a bit of welding the mounts. I don't suspect this was ever intentional, but it becomes possible by virtue of its adaptability. The systems are compatiable.
I can only think of one other engine with such a long lifespan - the horizontally opposed VW air-cooled engine of VW Bug fame. This was a bit of a different case, as its native application was a little more restrictive. However, it found it's way in to the VW Bus, early Porche, test plot combines, dune buggies, and numerous other small-power applications.
What would happen if all 4 cylinder engines had the same mounts, the same rear main bolt pattern, and the same electrics hookup? Might be a good inducement to competition and innovation with today's small cars.
Anyway, this is all a very elaborate preamble to what I wanted to post, from Make:
Owner's Manifesto
from MAKE: 04: Music and Kits for the Holidays, Page 154.
If you can't open it, you don't own it: a Maker's Bill of Rights to accessible, extensive, and repairable hardware.
By Mister Jalopy
The Maker's Bill of Rights
* Meaningful and specific parts lists shall be included.
* Cases shall be easy to open.
* Batteries should be replaceable.
* Special tools are allowed only for darn good reasons.
* Profiting by selling expensive special tools is wrong and not making special tools available is even worse.
* Torx is OK; tamperproof is rarely OK.
* Components, not entire sub-assemblies, shall be replaceable.
* Consumables, like fuses and filters, shall be easy to access.
* Circuit boards shall be commented.
* Power from USB is good; power from proprietary power adapters is bad.
* Standard connecters shall have pinouts defined.
* If it snaps shut, it shall snap open.
* Screws better than glues.
* Docs and drivers shall have permalinks and shall reside for all perpetuity at archive.org.
* Ease of repair shall be a design ideal, not an afterthought.
* Metric or standard, not both.
* Schematics shall be included.
I love this... When do you think we can get this passed as law?
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
composting, as requested
So, since we got the allotment, I have had to dig out my composting knowledge. The previous lot holder has left us with a small mountain of biosolids in various states of decay.
It's a good thing that I have a degree in Ag/Bio Engineering and have studied composting intensively, thanks to a certain Terry Fonstad. Also, I might add here, just to continue the name dropping that I know Joy Agnew, discoverer of the Agnew Coefficient - of much use if you need to calculate the bulk density of a large pile of 'who know's what'. So yes, composting is something I know about.
Anyway, here's the science bit: Everything that was once living can be composted, from bones to soild waste to phone books. There are millions of wee creatures from several animal and plant kingdoms that will eagerly help this process along. Fungi, molds, bacterium and even small mites. The good news is that they are pretty much everywhere and there is NO NEED to add any sort of 'innoculant' - eg: magic potion from the garden centre to 'start' your compost.
This little army of microorganisms is all set and ready - they just need the right conditions to grow and work. There are three biggies - air, water and nutrients, and one smallie - temperature (although that usually sorts it self out).
Let's look at each of them:
1. Air - most of these bugs need to breathe, so they need air. This means no completely sealed buckets and the pile must be porous enough to let air in. Alternatively, and this is often the case with your home compost, you must turn it. Your compost will still break down without air, that's called anaerobic digestion, but it will stink like rotten eggs or various other nastiness.
2. Water - Your compost needs to be damp. How damp? Probably damper than you think it aught to be. It should have enough water than when you squeeze it, a tiny bit of water comes out, but not so much that when you pick it up, it drips. Think - wet sponge. This is very often a problem if you live in a dry climate - such as the Canadian praries, so you will need to add water, and keep adding it as it will dry out. Remember, some things come with water in them already - manures and a lot of food wates. Getting this right is really key.
3. Nutrients - These little guys need Nitrogen, but not too much. Ideally you want 30 parts of Carbon to 1 part of Nitrogen. Pretty much everything you put in the pile will have Nitrogen in it, but not often at the ideal 30:1 ratio. You can fix this by adding a bit of high Nitrogen things in - grass clippings or pine needles being common things. If you are really stuck, you can cheat by putting a tiny bit of Nitrogen fertiliser in. Too much nitrogen is also bad and will slow the bugs down.
4. Temperature - The great thing about these little bugs is that when they work they make their own heat. When they are working very hard, they get very hot. If your pile is smoking (literally) hot that's means they are working. Some of the bugs will not like insane heat levels, the normal temp is between 50 and 60 degrees C. In the summer, turning will help keep it from getting too hot. In the winter/spring/fall, not turning it as much might help - usually just keeping the right balance going of nutrients and water will be enough.
Some other notes - mix well and make sure you don't have bits that are too huge. I've composted whole chickens before and they will go right down to nothing, but that was a BIG pile. For household piles, keep it smallish. Another thing is meat - they always say not to, but this isn't because you can't, it's just because rotting meat tends to attract rats, cats, dogs and bears. Use your own discretion there.
As for commercially available composters - I pick the rotary composter. I like that fact you don't have to dig and move all the compost. It also keeps things neat and tidy and pest free. The round black ones work okay, but the idea that you just pull 'finished' compost from the bottom... I've never seen that work super well. There are always bits that need more time.
Anyway, that's all really. Enjoy.
It's a good thing that I have a degree in Ag/Bio Engineering and have studied composting intensively, thanks to a certain Terry Fonstad. Also, I might add here, just to continue the name dropping that I know Joy Agnew, discoverer of the Agnew Coefficient - of much use if you need to calculate the bulk density of a large pile of 'who know's what'. So yes, composting is something I know about.
Anyway, here's the science bit: Everything that was once living can be composted, from bones to soild waste to phone books. There are millions of wee creatures from several animal and plant kingdoms that will eagerly help this process along. Fungi, molds, bacterium and even small mites. The good news is that they are pretty much everywhere and there is NO NEED to add any sort of 'innoculant' - eg: magic potion from the garden centre to 'start' your compost.
This little army of microorganisms is all set and ready - they just need the right conditions to grow and work. There are three biggies - air, water and nutrients, and one smallie - temperature (although that usually sorts it self out).
Let's look at each of them:
1. Air - most of these bugs need to breathe, so they need air. This means no completely sealed buckets and the pile must be porous enough to let air in. Alternatively, and this is often the case with your home compost, you must turn it. Your compost will still break down without air, that's called anaerobic digestion, but it will stink like rotten eggs or various other nastiness.
2. Water - Your compost needs to be damp. How damp? Probably damper than you think it aught to be. It should have enough water than when you squeeze it, a tiny bit of water comes out, but not so much that when you pick it up, it drips. Think - wet sponge. This is very often a problem if you live in a dry climate - such as the Canadian praries, so you will need to add water, and keep adding it as it will dry out. Remember, some things come with water in them already - manures and a lot of food wates. Getting this right is really key.
3. Nutrients - These little guys need Nitrogen, but not too much. Ideally you want 30 parts of Carbon to 1 part of Nitrogen. Pretty much everything you put in the pile will have Nitrogen in it, but not often at the ideal 30:1 ratio. You can fix this by adding a bit of high Nitrogen things in - grass clippings or pine needles being common things. If you are really stuck, you can cheat by putting a tiny bit of Nitrogen fertiliser in. Too much nitrogen is also bad and will slow the bugs down.
4. Temperature - The great thing about these little bugs is that when they work they make their own heat. When they are working very hard, they get very hot. If your pile is smoking (literally) hot that's means they are working. Some of the bugs will not like insane heat levels, the normal temp is between 50 and 60 degrees C. In the summer, turning will help keep it from getting too hot. In the winter/spring/fall, not turning it as much might help - usually just keeping the right balance going of nutrients and water will be enough.
Some other notes - mix well and make sure you don't have bits that are too huge. I've composted whole chickens before and they will go right down to nothing, but that was a BIG pile. For household piles, keep it smallish. Another thing is meat - they always say not to, but this isn't because you can't, it's just because rotting meat tends to attract rats, cats, dogs and bears. Use your own discretion there.
As for commercially available composters - I pick the rotary composter. I like that fact you don't have to dig and move all the compost. It also keeps things neat and tidy and pest free. The round black ones work okay, but the idea that you just pull 'finished' compost from the bottom... I've never seen that work super well. There are always bits that need more time.
Anyway, that's all really. Enjoy.
Friday, 19 March 2010
Flock and Zotero
So....
One of the many perks of being married to a fully qualified librarian is access to knowledge. I love knowledge.
This morning I set off to school to look after some dreadful thesis tasks. My plan for today was to start integrating my transfer report in to the outline I've developed for my thesis. It's a big step and fraught with technical problems. The main problem was trying to figure out how to migrate my references, which were all done in EndNote, over to some sort of system that would work with OpenOffice on the Ubuntu operating system I have on my laptop. I mentioned this to Mary Beth as I was leaving and shortly after arriving at school, she sent me an email suggesting I try Zotero.
Zotero is amazing. In under 10 minutes I transferred all of my old references and began adding more. It is such a good tool.
Being the person I am, I decided to watch all of the tutorial videos. I also did this with EndNote, it was painful and took over 90 minutes. These lovely little videos introduced me to Flock, a browser based on Firefox which bring together all sorts of our favourite Web 2.0 applications - YouTube, Blogger, Facebook and of course - Zotero.
Anyway, I'm trying this post out via Flock.
One of the many perks of being married to a fully qualified librarian is access to knowledge. I love knowledge.
This morning I set off to school to look after some dreadful thesis tasks. My plan for today was to start integrating my transfer report in to the outline I've developed for my thesis. It's a big step and fraught with technical problems. The main problem was trying to figure out how to migrate my references, which were all done in EndNote, over to some sort of system that would work with OpenOffice on the Ubuntu operating system I have on my laptop. I mentioned this to Mary Beth as I was leaving and shortly after arriving at school, she sent me an email suggesting I try Zotero.
Zotero is amazing. In under 10 minutes I transferred all of my old references and began adding more. It is such a good tool.
Being the person I am, I decided to watch all of the tutorial videos. I also did this with EndNote, it was painful and took over 90 minutes. These lovely little videos introduced me to Flock, a browser based on Firefox which bring together all sorts of our favourite Web 2.0 applications - YouTube, Blogger, Facebook and of course - Zotero.
Anyway, I'm trying this post out via Flock.
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Monday, 8 March 2010
an update
Blogging.
Blogging is one of a multitude of things I am not nearly as proficient at as my wife. You see, I looked at my blog today and realised that I haven't updated it since October, when I was single and not even engaged.
I shall refer you to my wife, MBC's blog:
www.librarianpants.blogspot.com
It contains all the information you might find interesting.
This morning I've found myself sitting in the office feeling that I should be at home with my new bride and coming to the realisation that work and school must go on. My task for today is to prepare a comprehensive outline for my thesis (MARK I). I feel like I probably should have done this some time ago, but have been dallying for whatever reason.
The title of my thesis is Design and Salutogenic Food Systems. I have decided to start with a series of questions which help refine my overall research question. I am going to prepare a mind-map, a la Tony Buzan, to help clarify my position and organise my argument. Tom once told me Tony Buzan owns a small island and presumably sips cocktails all day. I also presume his shoe laces are made from £20 notes.
Oh Tony Buzan, help me with just a sprinkle of your success...
Right, I'm off to make a mind map using this fab software I got from Davin called Smart Ideas, insert plug for Smart right here.
Right, off to work.
Blogging is one of a multitude of things I am not nearly as proficient at as my wife. You see, I looked at my blog today and realised that I haven't updated it since October, when I was single and not even engaged.
I shall refer you to my wife, MBC's blog:
www.librarianpants.blogspot.com
It contains all the information you might find interesting.
This morning I've found myself sitting in the office feeling that I should be at home with my new bride and coming to the realisation that work and school must go on. My task for today is to prepare a comprehensive outline for my thesis (MARK I). I feel like I probably should have done this some time ago, but have been dallying for whatever reason.
The title of my thesis is Design and Salutogenic Food Systems. I have decided to start with a series of questions which help refine my overall research question. I am going to prepare a mind-map, a la Tony Buzan, to help clarify my position and organise my argument. Tom once told me Tony Buzan owns a small island and presumably sips cocktails all day. I also presume his shoe laces are made from £20 notes.
Oh Tony Buzan, help me with just a sprinkle of your success...
Right, I'm off to make a mind map using this fab software I got from Davin called Smart Ideas, insert plug for Smart right here.
Right, off to work.
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