| The Geometry of Design Kimberly Elam - Princeton Architectural Press This terrific little book supplies an excellent refresher chapter on The Golden Section, Root Rectangles, and how they are used to create the designs that please us. Architecture, furniture, posters, and consumer products are explored from a geometric perspective. Onionskin overlays beautifully demonstrate how the importance of symmetry and geometric relationships in artistic creation. It is fascinating to review how the 1:1.6 ratio of the Golden Section affects the emotional attractiveness of masterpieces and coffee makers, and the clear visual explanations do a better job of promoting the understanding of geometry in products and nature than typical scholastic texts. |
Not exactly 'read' recommendations, but rather listening. Here are
some podcasts that I download regularly, that I find especially
instructive. Remember that you do not need an iPod to download and
listen to these shows. You can subscribe to them free via iTunes, or
visit their websites:
43 Folders is the web site by Merlin Mann that focuses on personal productivity.
His podcast includes interviews with experts who give interesting advice on
dealing with email, avoiding useless meetings, and common sense in work.
www.43folders.com
Killer Innovations by Phil McKinney is a weekly discussion on new ideas for the
creation of products and services. His library is vast, and some of the shows are
really thought-provoking. www.killerinnovations.com
Innovate - A series of 15 minute interviews conducted by students at Standford.
Participants include David Kelly of Ideo, and Second Life" Phillip Rosedale.
www.innovate.blogspot.com
some podcasts that I download regularly, that I find especially
instructive. Remember that you do not need an iPod to download and
listen to these shows. You can subscribe to them free via iTunes, or
visit their websites:
43 Folders is the web site by Merlin Mann that focuses on personal productivity.
His podcast includes interviews with experts who give interesting advice on
dealing with email, avoiding useless meetings, and common sense in work.
www.43folders.com
Killer Innovations by Phil McKinney is a weekly discussion on new ideas for the
creation of products and services. His library is vast, and some of the shows are
really thought-provoking. www.killerinnovations.com
Innovate - A series of 15 minute interviews conducted by students at Standford.
Participants include David Kelly of Ideo, and Second Life" Phillip Rosedale.
www.innovate.blogspot.com
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Read |
My daughter Sarah has a comic strip entered in the local Philadelphia paper's comic contest. If you think
that her strip is the (obviously) best one, vote for it by Aug 23rd, 2007 by clicking on the strip below!
that her strip is the (obviously) best one, vote for it by Aug 23rd, 2007 by clicking on the strip below!
A fun book about why we do those things that we do. Dan Ariely, a researcher,
provides case studies that demonstrate, among other things:
We get more pain relief from a $2.50 aspirin than a ten cent one.
Why we pay $4 for coffee sometimes
How honesty is a very relative phenomenon
What motivates us to buy in certain ways and circumstances
The difference between social and business norms (example - lawyers refused
to work for the low income elderly for a low fee, but were happy to do the same task
for free - pro bono is different from low value.
iTunes has some movies by Dan, demonstrating his findings. Click on the book
image to visit the web site.
provides case studies that demonstrate, among other things:
We get more pain relief from a $2.50 aspirin than a ten cent one.
Why we pay $4 for coffee sometimes
How honesty is a very relative phenomenon
What motivates us to buy in certain ways and circumstances
The difference between social and business norms (example - lawyers refused
to work for the low income elderly for a low fee, but were happy to do the same task
for free - pro bono is different from low value.
iTunes has some movies by Dan, demonstrating his findings. Click on the book
image to visit the web site.
I admit I am struggling with ebooks. One the one hand, I want to like the Amazon
Kindle and Sony e-reader. But they still seem to me far short of the goal in terms of
form factor, convenience, and price.
I do read books on my iPhone - but that is because I already carry the device. So I
put up with a small screen because of convenience - it is easy to get books, and easy
to open one up at any moment.
Ultimately, it is this convenience that will win over people. To people like me, an
e-reader will unlikely ever replace a real newspaper, although there is a lot of
information I seek withing newspapers that I am happy to read in digital form.
In the NY Times a bizarre observation was recently made by a National Boo-Award
author, Sherman Alexie. He feels that devices like the Kindle are 'elitist', and that he
wanted to hit a woman who was using one on a plane.
Besides the obvious emotional problems Mr. Alexie has is a fundamental
misunderstanding of technology. Cars and computers were once only for the elite. I
wonder if Sherman uses either one of them these days?
The question is not if we will use such devices, but how we will use them.
Kindle and Sony e-reader. But they still seem to me far short of the goal in terms of
form factor, convenience, and price.
I do read books on my iPhone - but that is because I already carry the device. So I
put up with a small screen because of convenience - it is easy to get books, and easy
to open one up at any moment.
Ultimately, it is this convenience that will win over people. To people like me, an
e-reader will unlikely ever replace a real newspaper, although there is a lot of
information I seek withing newspapers that I am happy to read in digital form.
In the NY Times a bizarre observation was recently made by a National Boo-Award
author, Sherman Alexie. He feels that devices like the Kindle are 'elitist', and that he
wanted to hit a woman who was using one on a plane.
Besides the obvious emotional problems Mr. Alexie has is a fundamental
misunderstanding of technology. Cars and computers were once only for the elite. I
wonder if Sherman uses either one of them these days?
The question is not if we will use such devices, but how we will use them.
I am largely untutored in the realms of Logic Theory, and absolutely
unlearned in the history of Mathematic concepts. This is why the graphic novel
Logicomix seemed so attractive.
This 300+ page soft bound book centers on Bertrand Russell's exploration
for truth through these realms, and does so beautifully. The illustrations are
simple and not overly stylized. The coloring, in particularly is excellent,
reminiscent of the best of Tintin, still some of the best colored comics I have
seen.
A group of Greek (of course) writers and artists created the book, with the
help of a contributor from the US.
The best books on difficult subjects for the lay reader tend to explain complex
ideas in an understandable fashion (as opposed to over simplification.
Logicomix does exactly this while breaking new ground for graphic novels.
unlearned in the history of Mathematic concepts. This is why the graphic novel
Logicomix seemed so attractive.
This 300+ page soft bound book centers on Bertrand Russell's exploration
for truth through these realms, and does so beautifully. The illustrations are
simple and not overly stylized. The coloring, in particularly is excellent,
reminiscent of the best of Tintin, still some of the best colored comics I have
seen.
A group of Greek (of course) writers and artists created the book, with the
help of a contributor from the US.
The best books on difficult subjects for the lay reader tend to explain complex
ideas in an understandable fashion (as opposed to over simplification.
Logicomix does exactly this while breaking new ground for graphic novels.