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?