Spark Plug LED Torch & Pen

$12.50 from Everythingcarz

OS X Safari Help

On Wednesday, I wanted to establish a direct link to the "Moving Staircase" Flash movie from the blog post. At first I only knew how to link to the page where the movies are listed.
Then I read Chris James Martin:

1) Using Safari, navigate to the page that contains the video.
2) Open the Activity window from the Safari Window menu.
3) In the Activity window, find the link to the video.

The instructions go on to explain how to download the Flash Movie, but I'll stop here.

Thanks CJM
Categories:Gadgets Movies

Toio Floor Lamp (1962)

The Toio floor lamp uses a 300W(!) car headlight on a height-adjustable stem, and an industrial transformer to convert AC to 12v DC, and for stability at the base. The wires from the transformer to the light are guided through rings from a fishing rod.

Designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni. Made by Flos lighting.

Photos from DWR and MOMA
Categories:Design

Blue Dot News Letter

Blu Dot ($$$) furniture looks to me like Ikea($).
I must be completely wrong about that. After all, stores like Zinc Details feature their wares. I should make a trip to Zinc to check out Blu Dot in person.

Anyway, I enjoy receiving the Blu Dot News by email, and the "Good Design is Good" section of their website is cool.

Here's a nice little escalator vid from the site:

Nanjing Begins Production of MG in China

Chinese state-owned Nanjing Automobile Group Corp (NAC), bought the assets of the financially collapsed MG Rover group in July 2005.

They have just started building the MG7 saloon, and the MG TF mid-engined sports car. Their new plant in Nanjing can produce 200,000 MG Rovers a year.

Last year BMW sold the Rover name to Ford, which wants to protect its Land Rover brand name. As a result, Nanjing can not use the Rover name, and have renamed the Rover 75 as the MG7.

Nanjing's Longbridge plant in Birmingham, England will resume production of MG-TF sports cars in May or June. Its annual production is expected to be 50,000 units.

NAC plans to start assembling MGs for the US market in Ardmore, Oklahoma, next year.

Thanks BBC News
Categories:Cars

Bulb Bulb

This 30W novelty light bulb is designed by Hironao Tsubo and sold by Unica.
Funny and functional.

de Young Museum in the Fog

Categories:San Francisco

Furniture History Lesson

Modern Artifacts on Market near 12th has an interesting collection of original mid-century Modern furniture.

It was a challenge for me to identify the real from the fake. At first I thought most of what I was seeing were period fakes. Further investigation when I got home revealed that I'd been looking at original furniture by lesser known designers.

But don't these look like the Wishbone chair and the Panton chair?



Categories:Furniture

MPI from the White Dot

Today I tried the Sheaffer Prelude MPI pen (Multi Purpose Instrument) at Flax, the art supply store at Market and Valencia. The pen is comfortable and the highlighter leaves a nice broad band. Mechanically it's a very good design. I recommend it to anyone needing a pen and highlighter

The Chrome version retails for $50. The street price is $35.

Inner Sunset Burger King Closed

The Inner Sunset Burger King has been "Closed for Renovations" since December. In January I watched the deep fryer, grill and prep tables being loaded onto a flat bed truck. The signs came down too, so I hoped that it was closing for good. It is!

Today I saw this Good Earth Cuisine menu in the window. I don't know anything about this new restaurant. The important thing is that the BK is gone, and Harry Pariser and his neighbours can now enjoy a better quality of life.


Categories:San Francisco