CAT

It has been on a steady climb lately but with a quick plunge of almost 3% today I think that it is a nice day to buy a few shares of CAT. I think it will be well over $60 by springtime.

More cool packaging

This is also a very fun and compelling concept for packaging/branding wool. I think it was done by Ogilvy and I am sure that they would tell you how sweet it is. It is impressive in its creativity, but even more impressive that they were able to talk a client into doing it. I am sure that there was nothing in the demographic data that made them think this was the right direction pre-concept but it almost makes me what to buy some wool.

nice packaging

Working in packaging is really interesting. It is kind of like being surrounded by people speaking a foreign language that happens to sound so familiar that every now and then you think you hear a word that you recognize. I think that the yellow-green color they used here should have been a little more PMS 389 and perhaps gloss to contrast the blasted glass texture.

AJ's Music recommendations 05

According to my friend AJ the music expert this CD is not worth a listen but his review makes me want to check it out.
Here is what he has to say about it:
"I Was checking out some new tunes this weekend. Mayer Hawthorne "A Strange Arrangement" (not to be confused with dreamy John Mayer). Anyway I really wanted to like it because it is on Stone's Throw label I really dig but it is supposed to be soul music but it sort of reminds me of Phil Collins early solo stuff. Nothing worse than trying to mimic white British, retro soul."

Back in Boothbay

The thing about boothbay is that even though it is overrun with bad touristy trinket shops, street cluttered by weak sign code and the cliched brisk Maine attitude it is still somehow authentic. It feels like people really work here. Once you get past the fact that just because you'll pay $12.99 for a scoop of cold lobster meat mixed with mayo on a hot dog roll does not mean that the locals will be nice to you, it is very tranquil.

playdoh

Boys at Epcot

maine boat

Boothbay Harbor Maine

Recently renovated bait shack that has been turned into a mini museum right on the foot bridge that goes across the narrow neck of the harbor.

ambiente 04

ambiente 03

ambiente 02

ambiente

Marc Newson handle

This kind of project is more difficult to do than one might suspect. It is especially difficult to make a rational business case for innovation beyond that required to build a brand identity.

AJ's Music recommendations 04

AJ recommends Cracker "Countrysides". I am not sure if he likes the lyrics or the music or both but my friend the music expert says that this is what we should be listening and based on his track record I am going to get it today. I just wish the band would have picked a better name.

Kershaw electric filet knife

This reminds me of the showtime TV show Dexter. Interesting looking form that would show up better if the handle were a dark gray instead of black. It is cool how they have achieved a fluid aquatic feel to the form without being cliche in the details or the color palette.

Beretta

The proportions are not as strong as on other models but the detailing is interesting and the manufacturing looks to be very tight.

Electric bike concept

I saw this image on core77. It's an interesting looking concept, isn't it? My first thought was that the wind would really make riding this a pain, especially on a bridge as pictured. My second thought was that the front fork seems to have been left out of the design vision guiding the rest of the form. Minor details aside, it is an inspiring artistic statement.

Leica M7 Hermes

Dry Erase board

www.threebythree.com sells this bamboo surfaced dry erase board with loads of interesting optional accessories. I am sure it looks better than the shiny white standard but probably does not work as well as a projection screen. Of course, now that we have the flat screen in the studio we are projecting images less and less. A birch or maple look would be nice.

Heidelberg

I like the way that they handled the covers and the color breaks. They do a really nice job of creating a brand identity with fairly few attributes. The proportions and the material breaks really define it. Some of the touch points look like stock parts but other than that this is pretty nice.

Great sketchbook

Mike has assembled a collection of his sketches into a cool new book available at www.blurb.com/books. I think 1166889. A few are from Evo, Nike, and Converse but they seem to cover a really wide range of subjects. I ordered mine yesterday and can not wait to see it.

sled riding

I can't seem to remember to bring the camera with me sled riding so this was taken with my phone but it captures the sled riding at green park during the last snow day.

Jason Limon