Up in Smoke

We all know that cigarette smoking is bad for us. In my lifetime I have definitely seen the acceptance levels surrounding smoking change. As a small child my grandparents smoked like chimneys in the house with everyone around. They smoked in the malls as they took us shopping. Now I don't know anyone that smokes in their home, even my friends that are dedicated smokers. The laws have changed and you can no longer smoke in public places, not even bars. I started smoking as a teenager. In a small town with not much to do one of the most rebellious things to do was smoke. I became a full time smoker around 18 steady until 21. After 21 I reduced it to social smoking, only really smoking as I was having cocktails. In my head that's gotta be better than full time smoking right? It's got to have some sort of benefit. A University of Georgia report today published it's findings in a journal, the findings of which were feature in a New York Times article today. Guess what? Doesn't look like social smoking really has any less effect than smoking. The scariest part of the article for me states, "The researchers said the lasting effect of occasional smoking on artery health was surprising. “Most people know that if they have a cigarette or two over the weekend that it’s not good for their arteries,” said study co-author Kevin McCully, a professor of kinesiology in the University of Georgia College of Education. “But what they may not be aware of is that the decrease in function persists into the next week, if not longer.” I haven't had any alcohol or cigarettes in almost two months as a part of some personal goals I am putting myself through. Yet I know some day I will have a drink again. When I think about I have wondered wether or not I will have the urge to smoke again. I thought if I did it would be no big deal. Occasionaly imbibing in alchohol doesn't have ill effects on the body, what harm could the truly occasional cigarette have? I think after reading this article I am going to have eliminate that as an option.

You are my oyster

I love oysters. I love them raw or Rockefeller. I love them in Oyster shooters!! I love that they are a local delicacy and the stories I read as a child tie into the oyster industry in Maryland. Then going to Ocean City, Assateague or Chicoteague and being able to see the things I read about. This morning the Baltimore Sun talked about a study conducted to seed the effects of introducing Asian oysters to our bay population and what the effects may be. I don't think I am on board with this idea. I understand that the decreasing oyster population is having an effect on the incomes of local fisherman, my greater concern though is the effects on the bay. Everything about our society is so money driven. I think we need to learn some patience and focus our efforts on bringing our local oysters back. Eons of natural selection have made them work for our area. We need to give them some time and attention and a break from over harvesting. If then they don't come back then we can talk about importing other oysters. To the local oyster man, I'm sorry, but I think this is natures way of firing you, or at least a lay off. I know it's harsh but these are the times. Ever think about writing a book?

Presidential Debates Tonight.

The New York Times headlines today proclaim that the candidates campaigns have shifted to attack mode on the eve of the debate. The race turns personal. I think in a way this is a good thing. I don't promote mud slinging or slander but I think part of what will influence me in my decision making this year will be character. Candidates can say anything they want to to get then elected. Even flat out lie. Then once they are in office things change. What they can't change is what they have already done. Something about a little cliche'- actions speak louder then words. What they have done up until this point is indications of their character. We need a really good president this time. We need to come out of the next four years and be like wow, that man did really good and noble things. A Winston Churchill type. While I think I may be stretching it a bit because morals are far from what they were in the past, we will see what this brings. So debate away and break out the dirty laundry. If your laundry got dirty because you were playing around on the job, well that tells me something about your character. Let's see what they throw at each other and how they defend it. Debate away gentlemen, debate away. I'm watching.

Social Design Problem II Status Report and Creative Caffeine

For my second social design problem the issue that interested me that I wanted to focus on was obesity and/or nutrition. I decided to narrow the field to the American issue of obesity and nutrition. For my creative caffeine I surfed the web checking out facts as well as just observing the general public. I google'd "American Obesity Epidemic" I found a great sight with lots of information such as the percentages of the population that is obese and what areas obesity is most prevalent (the south). Check it out www.obesityinamerica.org

Once I had some facts I began to think about design. I got a little bogged down in what I have the ability to create in relation to the field because I don't have a lot of of science or technical background. So I kept googling. Wikipedia's entry about industrial design is what set my mind at ease and got me on the right path. The entry stated, "Products design was about asthetics and usability and not so much about the technical, that is for the engineers." Whew.

Then looking for inspiration from great designs I google'd famous product designers designs and flipped through the images. I found the egg chair and lots of great designs that in my head said, keep it simple, just get some ideas flowing and let it go from there. I found two great quotes in some more reading. "If you want to build a better mousetrap, what can you do on the first night to make sure the world needs one?" If I am going to make something I need to make sure the world needs it. That it is going to have an impact and do something good. For me to be able to do something like that seems like a pipe dream then I came across the second quote that struck me. "It's tempting to sit on a bench and dream of a better world, but better worlds don't come to those who are unwilling or afraid to put their dreams to the test. They come to those who are willing to ask the questions and do the work." Check out this guys blog to read more:http://andrewhargadon.typepad.com/ there is alot about desing and entreprenuership on his site.

Another great blog that helped me more when thinking about the attitudes that surround obesity : thegreatfitnessexperiment.blogspot.com
The author makes a great point in the past it was difficult to be round because food was scare, so round was beauty. In the present it is a feat to be thin when food is found in plenty. It got me thinking. It's not about fat or thin. It's about fit. Because when the apocolypse or the epedemic comes it will be the fittest that survive. I guess that's just the way I think about it. From there I started to brainstorm. Because I brainstormed in pencil it wouldn't really scan from my scanner but below are a couple of the things that sort of came through. I got a little stuck so I am hoping the group brainstorm tomorrow will help hone me into my goal.

Iconic design

Wikipedia defines and icon as: icon is also used, particularly in modern culture, in the general sense of symbol — i.e. a name, face, picture, edifice or even a person readily recognized as having some well-known significance or embodying certain qualities: one thing, an image or depiction, that represents something else of greater significance through literal or figurative meaning, usually associated with religious, cultural, political, or economic standing. Iconic design would then be defined by the design process that generates these icon's. There are many examples of 3-D icons. The first ones that come to mind for me are most attached to historical religious culture such as Michelangelo's David or even the cross symbol many people wear as a pendant. There are cultural symbols today that can be three dimensional or two dimensional a lot of time relating to business icons such as the golden arches of McDonalds or the apple of IBM. People can also be icons such as the way Andy Warhol used Marylin Monroe in his work. We definitely have icon's all around us, we just don't really see them because we are so used to them.

Social Design Problem I Review.

My first social design project addressed the issue of increasing local recycling. One of the main reasons people don't recycle is laziness. I wanted to make it even harder for them to be lazy about this issue. I came up with a way to make at home containers for holding recyclables with items you probably had at home. I created a website with step by step instructions on how to make the boxes. I also emailed the county asking them to add a link to my website from their website. I feel like the most successful part about my project is that it met my goal of being an easy to do, fun, family project. It was brainstorming and discussing my failed ideas with the people around me that ultimately led to my success in this area. The area where I felt I could improve the most was in the decoration of the boxes. I wanted them to appear simple so people would be encouraged to try to make them at home but I feel I may have over simplified. If I had it to do over again I would have done some more experimentation with construction paper cut outs, rubber glue and other products to make the boxes slightly more aesthetically pleasing. For instance creating a pattern that may go with the decor of the room the box would occupy. I also like the suggestion of the use of vinyl table cloths someone made in class. Overall the project for me was a success, I like the box I painted the best, given more time I would have tried more decorating ideas .

It's Debatable.

I watched the Vice Presidential debates the other night and a little bit of the after coverage. Everyone always questions at the end who won the debate and who did better. I never really think there is a winner and a loser in most of the debates I watch. I feel this way mainly because I never feel like the candidates give straight answers to the questions. I watch to gain information and all I felt like I heard was the same cliche's over and over again. When Palin was asked how her platforms plans were going to be different than the previous administrations I want to hear specific answers. I want details. Not generalizations and off topic pats on the back. I also don't want to feel like it is a contest to see how many times you can say Maverick in a two hour period. I am still on the fence about my voting choice. I watched the debates for answers. Something to sway me. I got nothing. Either way voting in this election will be voting for a change in leadership. What I really want in order to make my decision is some straight forward answers. Own up to your past decisions and justify them. Everyone is entitled to change their mind for the right reasons. If you can stand up and give me answers, wether I like them or not, you've got my vote.