and my heart will stop
Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech 2005 (by peestandingup
)
Connect the dots - believe in something.
New Music of the Day: The Strokes - “Under Cover of Darkness”
The 30-second snippet was nice, but it’s nothing compared to the full version of the first single off the band’s upcoming studio album, Angles.
Angles drops March 22.
[thestrokes.]
(Source: thedailywhat)
Shadowplay by Joy Division.
The Kinks - Strangers
Holiday
There’s a good story a friend of mine has a hard time telling. A few years ago she was asked to work on the website of a large, public institution, and they approached her to see if she could come up with something that would last the organization 2 to 3 years. The budget was $7,000 dollars. She scoffed at the budget, but saw the opportunity of the project, and managed to negotiate a higher price of $10,000. Fair enough. The work went as planned, the site launched on time to the delight of the client, and everyone was happy. The new site was revealed in correspondence with a fancy, black-tie event, which my friend was dutifully invited to attend as a thanks for her work.
Sitting in the middle of the banquet hall was a giant ice sculpture. Marveling, she walked up to get a closer look. “Amazing, isn’t it?” asked the man next to her. “It’s hard to believe they could spend $15,000 on an ice sculpture just for this little party for us. I wonder what they’ll do with it once it’s almost melted at the end of the night.”
The Ikea Jerker
The Jerker was a modern workstation sold by the home products retailer Ikea. Designed by Nicolas Cortolezzis, the Jerker’s expandable design allowed users to adjust it’s height and storage space. After 3 versions, the Jerker was discontinued and replaced in 2007. I purchased mine off of Craigslist in 2008.
I believe that great design is the marriage between exceptional aesthetics and functionality. I never acquired a top shelf for my desk, so the legs awkwardly extend 2 feet into the air. The swing shelves and various add-ons make the desk look cluttered and heavy. The Jerker is function over form.
What sets it apart is the ability to offer users multiple configurations and options. It’s a desk. It’s a bookshelf. It’s a TV stand. It’s a workbench. You can sit at it. You can stand at it. You can expand it. It only requires two tools to assemble. I can transport it using my Dodge Neon. It only cost $150 (when it was available).
This desk provides many more configurations and features than the Eames EDU Desk, yet cost so much less. I question why great design is frequently placed beyond the grasp of the masses. Why design a desk that no one can afford to sit at?
The Jerker was replaced by the Fredrik, which was also designed by Nicolas Cortolezzis. There is also a website dedicated to the Jerker.
