Localization?

One of the things I am feeling in general is this feeling of Localization....maybe this is due to living in Portland....I have heard so much about this as the Eat Local mentality, groups of people go to local farmers markets to buy groceries and produce because they believe that eating local actually reduces the CO2 footprint, where transportation cost/impacts are often hidden from consumers when you purchase from a big brand supermarket. With food I can buy into this mentality.

Take a look at this article on infographics to assist the localization.

http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/cliff-kuang/design-innovation/infographic-day-what-foods-season-now?partner=rss

Also this graphic is really quite interesting.... adding the miles for produce.

Now this theory is great until you get beyond this notion of each product is very similar and some would say "generic" and add something into the mix that differentiates the product from a technology standpoint.  Then it seems it's impossible.

Christmas Eve

So I decided to take all next week off work. I have enough vacation since I didn't do too much in 2009. This means no work till Jan 4th! pretty good, feels like a real holiday.

Christmas Holiday pt.1.0

The middle of December starts to get strange for me, always an emotional time that makes me ask, why am I not with my family or why do I not have my own family. two totally separate questions, but Christmas is a time for family, the rest of the activities, day to day, who har really don't matter.
About the middle of the year, I always think that I should be planning for Christmas, yet the thought just turns my stomach inside out. I'm not quite sure why, but it does seem that thinking about Christmas is not my forte. I also feel that the American version of Christmas is a little bit different, it seems there is an amount of deceleration before the holidays, where in the UK it seemed to just slam into it and get it done. The US thing has more "dwell" time in the run up and preparation to the holidays. Could this have all ben brought on because I have been to a Chrmbo party this last weekend? maybe?

Los Angeles

Cars = lots
Buses = people filled with mentalists
Drivers = people who don't want to be on the bus with mentalists
Bicycle Commuters = None
Asshole drivers = lots
Use of turn signals in LA = None
Freeway traffic = Yes
Light  = effect of inside a diffuse glowing bubble
Warmth = Yes
Season = No
People = Laidback and false
Inspiration = getty museum.

LA Auto Show

Right, just back from the LA motor show, camera has got about 700 pics on it, sadly I have not looked at them yet.
A few big things from this year:

• Focus on Sub Compact cars.
- Ford Fiesta
- Mazda 2
- Chevy Cruze
- Chevy Volt

Ford have been slapping a ton of social media networking behind the new Fiesta, all sorts of twitter, blogs and peer to peer stuff. The fiesta comes in a ton of fruity colours which are supposed to be youth centric.
The Mazda 2  is also another smaller little number, little more agressivly styled than the partially bubbly Fiesta. 2010 looks like it will be the year for these econo, high mpg sub $15k motors. The Chevy Cruze also falls in this cat, but let's not talk about that for good reasons.

• Development of crossover category.
- Honda Cross Tour
- Acura  ZDX
- Bmw X6

On the crossover front there seems to be quite a development of vehicles with a unque style concerning the rear 3rd of the car, sportier looking CUV Crossover Utility Vehicle,  a large hatchback on a car with a higher back end, a little bit of a "fastback" and "touring style" with a  nose sloping bodyline. The hatch backs also seem to be developing a lot of glass which is spilling into the rear vertical panel of the trunk.

• Electric cars hit mainstream.
- Chevy Volt
- Audi Etron (nr concept.)
- Mitsubishi IMiEV

Good webpage to cover them here:
http://www.leftlanenews.com/2009-los-angeles-auto-show.html