Beautiful words

Welcome to Idealog Weekly, the free email newsletter for New Zealand commercial creatives, entrepreneurs and anyone rich with ideas.

Beautiful words

We don’t know if they’re reading our writing in New York, but they’re definitely thinking it looks real pretty. The New York Type Designers’ Club recently picked National, created by Wellington typographer Kris Sowersby, as one of the winners of its annual awards. Sowersby is having a huge year, co-creating a serif version of the iconic FF Meta, and releasing a new editorial face with the promising name Newzald. Makes sense, then, that he’s also our Emerging Talent in the current Idealog.

Lots more switched-on gardeners

Let’s give this one the benefit of the doubt. A new apartment building is being erected in Wuhan, China, with a hydroponic garden attached to every apartment. The hydroponic systems are officially designed to provide a handy renewable food source for the occupants—sure to come in handy for those extra hungry ones. Mmmmm carrots. Dipped in peanut butter.

Every bit helps

Taiwanese computer maker Asus has swapped plastic for bamboo to make a laptop it reckons is “both aesthetically pleasing and good for the environment”. Meanwhile a panda is reported to have said: “I’ve started eating plastic. It doesn’t taste good but there seems to be a lot more of it about than that stuff I used to eat so, you know, just doing my bit for sustainability.”

Robocommander

You know war games have got out of hand when they obtain Literal Meaning Status. The US Army has unveiled a robot soldier prototype due to hit enemy ground by 2014. How will it be controlled? With an Xbox 360 controller, of course. Solves their recruitment problems I guess—just give the control to the nearest three-year-old and get back to designing a robot nurse to clean up the mess. Oh that’s right, we’ve already done that too.

The men on Mars

Are you antisocial and apathetic? You are? Great, you’ll go far—to Mars even. Nasa is preparing for the day when we send astronauts far, far away—which means anticipating any problems they may have when they get there. They’ve decided ideal astronauts should be introverted enough to perform well without a lot of social interaction and mellow enough to adapt to shifting goals and contingencies. But being personality-less may not be enough—you may have to be toothless too. Without dentists or doctors to fix inflamed cavities and busted appendixes, NASA’s asking: “Does that mean we should remove all astronauts’ teeth before they go? Should all nonessential body parts be removed? Those are questions that should be asked.” Thank God for friends and opinions.

Back to the future

Then again there may come a day when even the most popular and bolshy among us will have to give up their molars in order to save their butts. Here’s a very interesting look at the future and it’s probable return to the past—once the Earth shakes off those pesky human mites.

Twisted minds

Described as a ‘modern-day da Vinci’, on account of his inventor/performance maestro/tamer/transformer Census entry, Johann le Guillerm is bound to put on quite a show in Cirque Ici. “Rope, iron, wood—le Guillerm enters into a physical and mental dialogue with matter that will leave you dizzy with wonder.” Woah. Spinning out already. Cirque Ici Wellington, 22 February 2008–16 March 2008.

The Rainbow Warrior is home for a visit, so pop in for a catch-up—being a friendly old boat, she won’t even charge you for the pleasure. The Warrior will be berthed in Auckland from Friday till Sunday, then you can catch her in Christchurch in Easter before she heads to Dunedin and Wellington. Aw, still uniting New Zealand after all these years.

Freaky Friday

“Rich with ideas every Thursday”. Yeah right. Most Idealog Weeklies are despatched on a Friday … and it seems readers like it that way. So here’s a quick bit of retroactive legislation: Idealog Weekly is now sent out on Friday. As always.

Quote of the week

“Without deadlines nothing would ever get done. And you just know that it’s worth it—if you’re doing to put that amount of time into it, it’s going to have to be worth the result.”

—Kris Sowersby sweats the details

More at Idealog online

Read more on our website: web exclusives, opinion, Idealog IP, the Idealog blogs and the Idealog podcast. See you at idealog.co.nz.

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