Looking good USA!

This is what the Chinese media is publishing these days.

When my eyes fall on this image, it appears President Bush goes jogging with some guy who was duped into losing his legs in Iraq. The smile on Bush's face is priceless!

God help us!

The body's amazing resilience

So I'm on my way this morning to hopefully participate in an event that will help the local design community here in SF. When out of the corner of my eye approaches a groggy eyed driver from a side street.

WHAMMMMMMMMMMM!

Screeching tires, metal crunching, brute force trauma and then quiet. I've been telling myself lately that it is only a matter of time until I go down on my motorcylce. Well...this morning the odds ran out on me and it happened.

I was extremely fortunate that the impact occurred just in front of my right knee. A few inches or degrees of difference and my knee would have found itself as the fulcrum of such impact between the front bumper and my motorcycles frame. I am cringing here just imagining such different circumstances. Brrrrrrrrrrr!

It was one of those moments that takes forever to occur, and in an instant it is over with. You know when you have exceeded your ability to evade collision and then your body automatically braces for the worst.

Amazingly enough, I walked away with some minor bruises to my knee and heavy cosmetic damage to my bike's farings. Immediately after the impact a local guy out for a walk and some guys in a restaurant came out to help and remove my bike from the scene. I called SFPD in order to report the incident, but learned that they only will come to the scene if there is an injury.

The woman driving the car and I exchanged information and then I limped over to start up my bike which it did surprisingly. I thought about canceling my date with the design group, but decided that I could not afford to miss such a meeting. So I slowly and carefully rode across town to Pier 40. Afterwards I dropped my motorcycle off at the shop to get a damage estimate.
I'm still shook up this afternoon as I imagine how fortunate I was to escape without serious injury.

I ride my motorcycle because it is easy on the petrol, better for the environment than a car, and its fun. But as I surmised, the odds do run out even if you are the most careful driver on the road. It is usually the other person that you have to look out for.

So please! Be careful out there!!

On being "Net Limited"

In today's world of mass internet activity, more and more of our lives and who we are as individuals are residing on the web. This comes as a distinct disadvantage to our social skills that we are used to using when interacting with others.

Banking, shopping, entertainment, communication, creativity, social relationships and yes... even sex are now managed online. So it is this new phenomenon or state of being that is indeed making itself known to me.

Being "Net Limited" is the narrow view of knowing only how to interact with others via the web. Gone are the skills to introduce oneself face to face and generate an opinion about someone based on "live" in the flesh back and forth conversation.

An example of this played itself out the other night. I was attending an industry cocktail party where I was sipping wine and meeting new people. Some I knew from past project collaborations and many I was able to introduce myself to and gather information the old fashion way. Many I observed had the distinct pretense of asking my name and then referring to their database of online experiences to see if that bit of data "pinged" within their sphere of information. If they had not seen my name online and read about my work or endeavors then they were at a disadvantage to come up with conversation items that made them appear intelligent or knowledgeable. For it is the questions we ask that make us appear intelligent and well informed.

This is a growing phenomenon where people are getting to know one another via the internet and then are losing the skills to glean information and present themselves in live real time. Everything "live" is being verified based on internet intelligence gathering beforehand. In short it is limiting the ways in which we as humans interact and exchange information with one another.

Having a "net limited" outlook is indeed dangerous and will only expose oneself to whom you interact with on the web. Interpersonal exchanges with grocery clerks, police officers, land lords, coffee barristas, sales people, repair technicians and other assorted people that are necessary to interact with in order to not only run but grow our lives are necessary for successful living.

On the flip side, if you have done nothing to educate yourself and keep up with internet technology, then you are doomed to using just cash to transact your business, selling your labour to make a living, limiting your pool of new relationships that can enrich your life as well as heaping enormous amounts of frustration on yourself as a result.

Being "Net Limited" has a darkside if not balanced with skills that allow communication with the rest of the world...Banging a keyboard will never replace pressing the flesh.

Lately...German culture is about saying "No"

So much of German culture these days is all about saying "No".

No, to a German means "Uncompromising"' and is reserved only for those who can afford to say such words in a world of billions of people that each have their own opinion. It is an exclusivity that one can only be German to truly appreciate its value in order to impose upon others who are not....German.

BMW is saying "No" in a new ad campaign.

One of Germany's widely published graphic designers is saying "No" to the world cup logo.

German product design had always said "No" to warmth and has chosen to take the path of "minimalistic" and "cold" to express their culture from railway transport to coffee makers.

A close friend of mine who was educated in the German style, and attended several German private schools recently lost yet another job due to his "uncompromising german style" business acumen. He can rarely retain his clients and customers due to his impudence, and is happy to talk badly of them after ruining yet another relationship.

There is something about all things German, that the world both loves and despises at the same time. We love their precision and exactingness. Beauty to a German means following a very methodical plan without deviating one iota all the way through to the end. If you are not German, then forget about being able to appreciate or even utilize or create German ideas to your benefit. One must block outside stimuli that seeks to invade the progress of German ideas and culture.

To this end, it is fair to say that German style "things" are trending towards the negative as they seek out an exclusive position in this new globalised world. There is no room for individual interpretation when it comes to things "German." It is either the way it is supposed to be intended by Germans, or it is wrong and must be corrected with a curt, "No!"

From Siemens to SAP. BMW to Krupps. Bayer to Bosch. These German brands reflect the rigid philosophy of the German style.

It will be interesting to see if the German style can prevail in the next 20 years. Such a trajectory of negativity and use of the word "No" will certainly leave some without any sense of satisfaction, but rather a sense of marginalization as they try to include "Germanness" into their lives.

Buying German products or employing German style acumen is sure to leave you with more enemies than friends I predict. The "Weltanschauung" of Germans remains a narrow and judgemental view of the world which if not allowed to change and adapt, will leave you without any one to hang around with.

Unless of course you like to hang around Germans...

Where does your revenue stream come from...?

The New York times is running a series of articles regarding the issue of executives who use the US government to benefit their firms they work for.

I am interested to know when US business schools will offer strategy courses on extracting revenue for the firm you are employed by from the US government exclusively.

This tactic of growing your firm from US tax paying citizens is a dirty little secret that few know and exploit to their benefit.

It is a complex web of lobbyists, politicians, CEOs and the firms that supply goods and services to the US government. It is time honored strategy to get the right person into a special government position or office in order to build a rolodex or make the right connections, and then leave that position to leverage and secure a big contract with the US government.

It can be argued that this is where the line is drawn between the left and the right or the democrats and the republicans of the two party system that is what the US government is built upon. The democratic left is interested in the idealism of what government is responsible in doing for the citizenry. The republican right views the government as a big opportunity to build more business opportunities at the expense of the US tax payers without the prevailing idealism of what governments are supposed to do. Sometimes this is considered "pork" by "right" thinking republicans. So it becomes a matter of priority.

For instance, a defense contractor that makes machine screws for aircraft carriers is going to come down politically on the side of the government that is interested in making war in order to secure its position and growth potential in order to stay in business in an industry that is rife with competition in a relatively low tech area of the economy. They are in business to extract revenue from the US government in order to make a product that will in the end aid in the defense or offence of the USA. In a sense, making war is good for business growth.

Currently, we are mired in such a situation where we have American citizens "jacking" the government in search of no bid high paying contracts in the national security area. These guys are serious when it comes to seeking out high dollar contracts that suck the marrow out of the tax base in order to pad the accounts of the executives that run these firms. All in the name of creating perpetual war for the US in order to secure their employment.

Tom Ridge former Homeland Security Secretary does it, Adm. James M. Loy does it and the former under secretary, Asa Hutchinson does it. These guys do their time in the US government and then go profit from their service to a nation that ultimately serves their raison d'etre....war and pestilence.

Will this be a new class offered at the Haas school of business or Northwestern or the Stern school at Columbia? Perhaps Harvard or the Stanford school for business will adopt this model for gleaning profits. One thing is for sure...as we let this go in the name of patriotism, the US will continue to create war in order to line the pockets of executives who are in the business of high jacking governments in order to benefit their firms.

Pelosi and Feinstein....time to get it on!

Two of our most widely quoted representatives are on the hill battling it out over the latest bubble to burst in the fakewar on terror.

I ask myself, "Why is it that democrats cannot rise to the occasion and out maneuver these madmen who are running our US government?" Their civilian tactics are no match for the Machiavellian and militaristic strategies that our current government employs. $ 9 billion a month is spent over in Iraq. So much money spent on such a vain glorious project! All I hear from these reps is responses to the other sides actions and rhetoric. There is no original action on the part of the Dems!

The reality is that the democrats will always be strong on defense. The trouble is that the right is even stronger on offense. What is the cliche? "The key to a good offence is a strong defense" The current government is wrapped in a bad sports analogy, and is holding the rest of the country hostage with their short sighted plan to topple the oldest civilization in history in the name of securing a natural resource that is quickly becoming obsolete. It is an addiction to a substance (oil) and behavior beyond what we know to be damaging.

So what is the solution?

I think it is about time for a new fashioned coup d'etat. The means will indeed justify the ends in this case. Trouble is that the dems are so civilized in their methods and tactics that they do not know how, nor want to get their hands dirty, playing the way necessary to win. They handcuff themselves with civilized behaviors in order to appear honorable and just.

Nancy and Diane are you listening??? Take a cue from what many American women have become in the past 6 years. Uncivilized, trash talking, war mongering, crazy insane, ludicrous and out of control. Take these traits and turn them against the neo-evil that plagues this nation.

ACTION! We as citizens want action! Start throwing punches on the floor of the Senate if that is what it takes!

Chinese relations and the word foreigner part 2

So this is the sign that greets you when arriving at Pudong airport in Shanghai, China.

Awhile back I wrote about the Chinese use of the word "foreigner."

In my recent trip to Shanghai, my position was further reinforced by the experience I received at the airport.

To me, this is the most offensive greeting you can offer someone from far away visiting your country. It immediately sets up a distinciton between people, and this should be avoided at all times. There is no welcoming sentiment contained in the word "foreigner."

Other international aiports use other forms of graphics to direct newly arrived travelers to the proper customs line. South Korea for example uses the words, "Non-Korean Passports" as an indication to travelers who are not Korean passport holders. To me this is so much more appropriate, seeing how you are now in Korea and the need to differentiate those holding passports from other nations is neccessary to maintain security and order.

In the game of "experience" design, China has a long way to go in improving their congeneality towards those who want to enter their contry, and do business there, including making foreign investments.

Everybody should....

Everybody should live in a large city for at least 2 years.

Everybody should learn a second language.

Everybody should shoot a firearm at least once.

Everybody should hike into nature once a year.

Everybody should swim in the sea.

Everybody should vote.

Everybody should read books about love making.

Everybody should listen to the music of Brazil.

Everybody should learn to appreciate and utilize both Mac and PC platforms.

Everybody should travel outside of their native country before turning 30.

Everybody should upgrade their mobile phone every 2 years.

Everybody should teach to others what they know.

Everybody should work hard and play harder.

Everybody should be able to clean their own bathhroom.

Everybody should know how much to tip.

Everybody should learn to manage debt.

Everybody should learn how to spend money.

Everybody should read from at least 4 news sources a day.

Everybody should recognize thier spirituality or lack there of.

Everybody should create a new relationship each year.

Everybody should keep thier parents upgraded with the latest communication gear.

Everybody should get some form of exercise each day.

Everybody should eat more fresh vegetables.

Everybody should sharpen their kitchen knives regularly.

Everybody should own and use a digital camera.

Everybody should learn to love more and better.

Everybody should work at forgiving more.

Everybody should....

Awards, fame, plagiarism

Many in the Art and Design worlds seek fame through their work, as this story from the BBC will attest to.

I have to wonder who benefits more from the awarding of such an artist. Is it the awarder or the awardee? Both are in the game to leverage attention and accolades to what it is they do. Whether it is creating art, or representing artists at the state level.

In the game of journalists, the press, profiling and self-promotion, the above story will prove a boon to both parties involved, as scandalous and salacious headlines will boost anyone's profile to any given audience. This calculated publishing of what appears to be facts is the engine that will vault both the career's of the Japanese artist as well as the statesman who questioned his award given by the government of Japan.

This article is one indication that it is indeed not about originality anymore, but the desperation of those who manipulate the press to their advantage in the most self-effacing of methods. Climbing on the shoulders of the truly great ones and calling it your own will get you fame and fortune it appears. Just make sure to plan all the way through the press barrage, the blowback, the public outcry, the damage control and the eventual contrived comeuppance that you will have to endure to continue to further your illustrious career.

Personally as a designer, the awards I have seen in my career have come and gone. They have not really done anything to boost my career. Of course the awards were all given for the right reasons and intended to acknowledge the creator for a job well done. Which is the perceived "right" way to give and accept an award. The reality of the situation though, is that so many are desperate to raise their profile in the world that they will pervert this process leaving the audience who reads the stories perplexed as to who really is deserving of the award. Is it the artist, the one presenting the award, the publisher of the story or is it the audience members who take the bait and generate public opinion that other decisions are based on.

This kind of cynicism cannot be measured as of yet with modern technology. One thing is for sure however, if you fail to recognize the purity in what it is that you do in life, then you will indeed end up on stage accepting an award someday not knowing full well why you are up there in the first place.

Fiction or Nonfiction

As product designers, are we creators of fiction or nonfiction? I would say both. Having the proper balance can take a lifetime to acheive. This is what can separate one design school from another in the way they tip one way or another to pay respect to pushing fiction farther into the fantasy future, or nonfiction into an effcient and speedy present.

Product Fiction is the creation of an imaginitive invention that does not actualy represent reality. It can be a sketch, a CAD model, a rendering, a mockup, an appearance model, a rapid prototype or a slick powerpoint show with all of the above represented. Product Nonfiction makes factual claims about reality. It can be a production prototype, a first article or a mid-run assembly. All of these models are intended to shipped to the market and sold to the customer that beleives the product will solve his/her problem or fulfull a need they may have with varying degrees of quality applied to the finished product. Nonfiction tends to the more expensive type of design work as there are more risks involved as well as more professionals and disciplines.

As a designer of tangible things, one must strive to master both worlds and understand how each is impacted by the other. Some designers begin their career making claims about reality from the start. They may work directly for a manufacturer making sure that the limitations of current reality are resepcted in the process of bringing a fictional design into production. Others might begin their career dreaming of a reality that does not exist yet, and will seemingly bypass much of what is real in life in order to get to a fictionalised reality that will some how inhance our lives. This approach is more on the propaganda side of the business and if one dwells in this rehlm for too long with out making real the claims they do, they are in danger of becoming another charlatan or PT Barnum. These fitional designs never make it past the magazine, internet article or television promotion and into production.

Recently, much of the nonfiction design work has been moved over to Asia. There products are designed for manufacturing in high volumes using cheap assembly labour that will allow a lower purchase price after it is exported out of the nation that is making the object. The fiction work continues in the west as computer aided models help the fictional designer mimic reality with just the right amount of accuracy and beleivability to allow progress to occur and the project to move forward with management approval. Marketing models can be planned, finacial models can be created and distribution and point of purchase retail decisions can be made based on the fiction created in the western mind of the designer.

On a recent trip to Korea and China, this reality was reinforced with the modern factories I saw making automive engines for GM, notebook computers for Dell and HP, elevator pullies for Otis, monitors for Samsung and cars for Hyundai and Cherry Motors. So much of the fiction that drives the market in the west, is made into nonfiction in Asia. From there the nonfiction is put onto a ship and then exported to the market where the behavior matches the fictional design specification that was approved to hopefully catch the interest of the consumer and thus drive sales and eventually profits.

Once the new product reaches the shores of the intended market, the fictional propaganda machine kicks in and begins to spread the word of the new products arrival in the marketplace. Television, print, radio, internet, point of purchase as well as other channels are alerted and the volume is cranked up to promote the new nonfiction products that are real. Competitive strategies are put into place and the race is on to sell the most inventory as fast as possible to impress the analysts on Wall Street who inturn will reinvest further in th work of fictional designers only to start the process all over again.

So if you are a young designer, get some real nonfiction work into your portfolio as soon as possible so you can exercise your ficitonal skills later on in your career. Attend a school that prepares you to work with other professionals that also work in the abstract as you do. Otherwise the only designs you produce will only make it as far as the book, magazine, website or newspaper and thus never make it past the fictional stage of design.