Hasta La Ideas

Corporate executives so often seem out of touch with the layperson’s experience of products, and I have long dreamed of trapping music company executives in a room where their sole task is to open CD packaging with their bare hands.

Daniel D. Friel is a rather atypical executive: After a 40-year career at DuPont, he turned to invention, motivated by a poor dining-table experience:

The origin of the EdgeCraft concept and our [knife] sharpeners grew out of frustration with my inability to carve well the Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey. In order to carve a turkey, you need to start with a sharp knife. My knife was really dull. I purchased all the sharpeners available on the market but soon concluded that none of them could put a really sharp factory-quality edge on a knife. So I bought a great new set of knives but had the same problem when I tried to sharpen those. That’s when I realized that what the world really needed was a good knife sharpener.

At the time, I knew that in three years I would be forced to retire from the DuPont Company. I did not want to spend my retirement years playing golf, so I went back to the idea of developing a good knife sharpener. In the evenings and on weekends, I would retire to the basement to research the best means to sharpen a knife. I used every tool–the stones and steels; and went through a large number of possible designs for the basic concept of a sharpener. After a few years, I discovered the design I needed….

I did spend a long time in my basement… It took about three years of researching and exploring different methodologies to obtain the best results.

Friel’s corporate experience then gave him insights above and beyond your average basement tinkerer, as he considered how to bring the product to market:

You have to ask yourself, “Would anyone want to buy this design? What is the economic value to the customer? Does it make a task easier, more enjoyable and more time-efficient?” Then you need to know how big the market is if you want to successfully launch a product. Is it realistically large enough? Is the market ready to accept your design? What is the price-volume curve likely to look like?

Read Gourmet Retailer’s full interview with the 88-year-old Friel here.

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The Offices of Kat Ran Press is the website of a book designers, typographers and printers Michael and Katherine Russem. They have been compiling a collection of stamps that were designed by typeface designers. Thanks to Kat Ran Press, you can view the various stamps along with brief biographical information and images of their prominent typeface designs.

Textile, fibreglass and light are combined to an amazing romantic object. Thin as textile and as bright as a star. One piece standing on it self or mo..

I’m not exactly sure how I survived my early days as a baby without the ever-expanding assortment of infant safety products. After browsing through an unsolicited baby product magazine that I received  in the mail, I am now aware of the slew of products that over-protective parents just can’t live without.

Here are some of the outrageous products that my parents never once considered buying for me, and that I did not consider buying for my little one’s safety:

• Snazzy Baby Knee Pads (pictured): My daughter learned to crawl on hardwood floors and she didn’t even have the luxury of knee pads. How will she ever forgive me?
• Walking Wings: According to this Pediatrician Recommended product, your baby can learn to walk without the fear of falling. I don’t know about you, but I think kids need to fall once in a while. (Also, I’d be afraid my kids arms would be ripped out of their sockets if I used this thing!)
• Mommy I’m Here Child Locator: Are you always misplacing your child? Now you can watch your stories without having to pay too much attention to your toddler. Since this teddy bear only works up to 150 feet and if your child is carrying it, this locator is pointless as a child Lo-Jack device.
• Video Monitor: This device is for the Big Brother in all of us. Why stop at simply listening to your child when you can watch their every move with this day and night video monitor? It even has night vision!

Yes, these items go overboard, but there is certainly a need for child safety in your home. Below are items that we actually use for our little explorer. They keep her safe, but they don’t make her feel like she can’t do anything on her own.

• Outlet Covers: Tiny holes in the walls are awfully inviting to little fingers.
• Door Knob Covers: Opening and closing doors is a favorite hobby of many toddlers. Door knob covers put a stop to this and make sure that little fingers aren’t caught in door jams.
• Cabinet Latches: These keep cleaning products and other dangerous household items cabinets and drawers inaccessible from your children.
• Baby Gate: If you have stairs in your home, gates help to keep your child from tumbling down.

If you are a first-time parent and are worried about the safety of your child, take a deep breathe and relax. Your child will definitely get sick and sustain a few bumps and bruises along the way — it is simply part of childhood. Do your best to protect them, but remember children also need to develop their independence.

Rappelant l’excellent travail vidéo autour du groupe Metronomy, voici le nouveau clip réalisé par Ace Norton à l’occasion du titre “Teen Lovers” des artistes de The Virgins. Une production Partizan ainsi qu’un travail de Claire Carré.