http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi
Wabi-sabi (侘寂?) represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is “imperfect, impermanent and incomplete”.[1] It is a concept derived from the Buddhist assertion of the Three marks of existence (三法印, sanbōin?), specifically impermanence (無常, mujō?).
Characteristics of the wabi-sabi aesthetic include asymmetry, asperity, simplicity, modesty, intimacy and the suggestion of natural processes.
[edit] Description
Wabi-sabi is the most conspicuous and characteristic feature of traditional Japanese beauty and it “occupies roughly the same position in the Japanese pantheon of aesthetic values as do the Greek ideals of beauty and perfection in the West.”[1] “if an object or expression can bring about, within us, a sense of serene melancholy and a spiritual longing, then that object could be said to be wabi-sabi.”[2] “[Wabi-sabi] nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.”[3]
The words wabi and sabi do not translate easily. Wabi originally referred to the loneliness of living in nature, remote from society; sabi meant “chill”, “lean” or “withered”. Around the 14th century these meanings began to change, taking on more positive connotations.[1] Wabi now connotes rustic simplicity, freshness or quietness, and can be applied to both natural and human-made objects, or understated elegance. It can also refer to quirks and anomalies arising from the process of construction, which add uniqueness and elegance to the object. Sabi is beauty or serenity that comes with age, when the life of the object and its impermanence are evidenced in its patina and wear, or in any visible repairs.
After centuries of incorporating artistic and Buddhist influences from China, wabi sabi eventually evolved into a distinctly Japanese ideal. Over time, the meanings of wabi and sabi shifted to become more lighthearted and hopeful. Around 700 years ago, particularly among the Japanese nobility, understanding emptiness and imperfection was honored as tantamount to the first step to satori, or enlightenment. In today’s Japan, the meaning of wabi sabi is often condensed to ″wisdom in natural simplicity.″ In art books, it is typically defined as ″flawed beauty.″ [4]
From an engineering or design point of view, “wabi” may be interpreted as the imperfect quality of any object, due to inevitable limitations in design and construction/manufacture especially with respect to unpredictable or changing usage conditions; then “sabi” could be interpreted as the aspect of imperfect reliability, or limited mortality of any object, hence the etymological connection with the Japanese word sabi, to rust.
A good example of this embodiment may be seen in certain styles of Japanese pottery. In the Japanese tea ceremony, the pottery items used are often rustic and simple-looking, e.g. Hagi ware, with shapes that are not quite symmetrical, and colors or textures that appear to emphasize an unrefined or simple style. In reality, these items can be quite expensive and in fact, it is up to the knowledge and observational ability of the participant to notice and discern the hidden signs of a truly excellent design or glaze (akin to the appearance of a diamond in the rough). This may be interpreted as a kind of wabi-sabi aesthetic, further confirmed by the way the colour of glazed items is known to change over time as hot water is repeatedly poured into them (sabi) and the fact that tea bowls are often deliberately chipped or nicked at the bottom (wabi), which serves as a kind of signature of the Hagi-yaki style.
Wabi and sabi both suggest sentiments of desolation and solitude. In the Mahayana Buddhist view of the universe, these may be viewed as positive characteristics, representing liberation from a material world and transcendence to a simpler life. Mahayana philosophy itself, however, warns that genuine understanding cannot be achieved through words or language, so accepting wabi-sabi on nonverbal terms may be the most appropriate approach. Simon Brown notes that wabi sabi describes a means where students can learn to live life through the senses and better engage in life as it happens rather than caught up in unnecessary thoughts. In this sense wabi sabi is the material representation of Zen Buddhism. The idea being that being surrounded by natural, changing, unique objects helps us connect to our real world and escape potentially stressful distractions.
In one sense wabi sabi is a training where the student of wabi sabi learns to find the most simple objects interesting, fascinating and beautiful. Fading autumn leaves would be an example. Wabi sabi can change our perception of the world to the extent that a chip or crack in a vase makes it more interesting and gives the object greater meditative value. Similarly materials that age such as bare wood, paper and fabric become more interesting as they exhibit changes that can be observed over time.
The wabi and sabi concepts are religious in origin, but actual usage of the words in Japanese is often quite casual. The syncretic nature of Japanese belief systems should be noted.
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The Cube
I designed my office to be as unobtrusive as possible, to be an uncluttered work space, a guest house that keeps ‘em coming back, and an inspired meditation room. It has a green roof so when we see the structure from the house it fits into the forest.
When I started as a graphic designer back in the early 90s the equipment we used necessitated a much larger space. The first system for the business was a Mac Ci, then it was one tower after another, light tables, laser printers, scanners, backup drives, and all that. A few years ago I realized that my laptop and iPhone were all I really needed to run my end of our customer experience consultancy. I could give up my big office and work within a small cube…a cube with a view.
My business partner has his own home office. Visit us at uiarchitects.com”
http://ipadmixr.com
DJ App for iPad. Feels & functions like authentic turntables. Mixr gives you a DJ experience unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. Beautiful interface, professional mixing. Currently Under Development for iPad OS4
http://defaced.me/ “A photo blog all about people ruining other people’s stuff cuz it’s funny.”
12 July 2010 Last updated at 15:24
By Daniel Emery BBC Technology reporter
The concept plane is due to begin flight trials in 2011
By Daniel Emery BBC Technology reporter
The concept plane is due to begin flight trials in 2011The Ministry of Defence has unveiled its prototype unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV).
Taranis is a concept design for a long-range strike plane that has taken over three million man hours to produce.
Defence Minister Gerald Howarth said it was a “truly trailblazing project” and featured “the best of our nation’s advanced design and technology”.
The aircraft is due to begin flight trials early next year.
Named after the Celtic god of thunder, Taranis is the first step in the development of unmanned strike aircraft, capable of penetrating enemy territory.
Unmanned aircraft carrying weapons are already used in service, such as the MQ-1 Predator which carries Hellfire missiles, although these are only suitable for use where the airspace is under allied control.
“This is the next generation of combat aircraft and flight trials will begin next year,” Sqn Ldr Bruno Wood told BBC News.
“It’s a technology demonstrator that could be used as a testbed which may form further potential solutions to the RAF,” he added.
Drop the pilotThe issue of “writing the pilot” out of the aircraft equation has long been a controversial topic, more so since the first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) went into active service.
It is accepted that the most vulnerable part of a plane is the pilot. While the airframe is capable of pulling multiple Gs – the gravitational force exerted on a body when standing on the Earth at sea level – the maximum safe level for a pilot, even when wearing a protective G-suit, is 8 or 9, above which they will lose consciousness.
Also, many anti-aircraft missiles are designed to explode near the cockpit, showering the vulnerable pilot with high-speed shrapnel that can cause death or injury.
Peter Felstead, editor of Jane’s Defence Weekly, told BBC News that the development of UAVs paralleled the development of the first manned aircraft during World War I.
“First they were used for reconnaissance, then they were armed for bombing and ground attack missions and they eventually became air-to-air combat craft,” he said.
“This is the first step for the UK. This isn’t an aircraft that will go into service, it’s a tech demo, but it will prove technologies, demonstrate capabilities and inform the direction we [the UK] are going in.”
‘Human control’However, Mr Felstead stressed that while we would see greater development of ground attack UAVs, there would always be the need for a pilot with a “Mk I eyeball” when it came to air-to-air combat.
“If you have, say, an airliner that is reportedly hijacked, you are going to need that human factor to evaluate just what’s going on with the plane, what he can see through the windows and everything else. That’s not something, for now, that can be done remotely.”
The MoD also stressed that all weaponised UAVs were under human control.
“Should such systems enter into service, they will at all times be under the control of highly trained military crews on the ground,” it said in a statement.
http://www.automotto.org/entry/chinese-transformer-is-all-about-junk-auto-parts-from-head-to-toe/
It was just a couple of days back we introduced you with the Chinese version of transformer, erected by students from an old Jiefang truck, however; here is another Transformer spotted at the Bird’s Nest at Beijing Olympic Park. This ten meter high Transformer made from junk auto parts that come from cars, truck and jeep etc. may not transform, like in the film, from car to robot, but it’s certainly another great piece of art from China.
Wine Rack
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| The Winerack – every girls best friend! Turn an A cup in to double Ds AND sport your favorite beverage for yourself and your friends! Better than a Boob Job and Cheaper Too! Not to mention the savings on over priced drinks. The Winerack was developed to “Fill Out” our product line if you will. | |
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| That’s Drea, who is NOT, no offense, well endowed. Sporting the Wine Rack and Voila! She’s giving Pamela Anderson a run for the money.
Take a bottle of wine, a mixed drink or even a fifth of your favorite hard stuff to the movies, concerts, ball games, even PTA meetings. Sporting a rack that will turn heads and serving a beverage that will have guys standing in line for a sip of your secret stash! With simple blow into the tube it’s easy to keep that full look even as you drink from your secret stash. |
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| # Very comfortable sports bra available in versatile black.
# Polyurethane bladder holds over 750ml or 25oz. of your favorite beverage. # Drinking tube long enough to route as you wish. # Easy to use on/off valve to control the flow. # Design optimized for smaller cup sizes |
The WineRack is available in 2 sizes: Small & Medium (Sizing chart below) |
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Juice Up Your Rack for only $39.95 At Baronbob.com, only $29.95!! |
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