Fluid Assembly Furniture?

Fluid Assembly Furniture from Self-Assembly Lab, MIT on Vimeo.

Fluid Assembly is part of a research project conducted by MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab looking at autonomous construction in complex and uncontrolled environments (water, air, space etc). In this experiment different components are released into a basin of turbulent water. Each item is completely unique from one another and has a precise location in the final arrangement. The process was videotaped over 7 hours, after which a fully constructed, precise chair was developed. The chair was selected to show differentiated structures as opposed to repetitive growth or self-similar structures. This experiment points towards the idea that one can self-assemble arbitrarily complex structures from furniture to components, electronics / devices or other different structures.

Wow!

Related articles

• Scientists Have Created a Chair That Assembles Itself
• MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab Has Created a Chair That Puts Itself Together in Water… Future of Furniture?
• Engineering self-assembling amyloid fibers

Eat Till You Bleed – “Coq Au Vin”

Eat Till You Bleed. Now that’s a name for a website.

But Food Porn as a Category? We had to investigate.

And what we found was a food lovers, hmnn… Paradise or a Bacchanal festival of mouth watering delight?

You be the judge.

Check out this recipe, Coq au vin. As synonymous with the French as hamburgers are with America. Only here, unlike the beloved burger this sauce is brimming with flavor to be accompanied with classically boiled or mashed potatoes. As the raw chicken marinates overnight, the wine and aromatics fully penetrate and develop. Add a pinot noir’s bright acidity to complement the rich fullness of the dish and you truly have something simple but oh, so special.

Click on the photo for the full recipe…Your welcome.

The Often Misunderstood Arrogant French Waiter

There is a big difference between American and French food servers. Never ask a French waiter what he plans to be in the future.

“Food service is an honorable career in France,” writes Cristina Nehring. “To suggest he’s bussing tables on his way to becoming an actor, film director or psychiatrist is an insult. The actor, director or psychiatrist is as likely to be training for a career as a waiter.”

Click here an interesting and insightful article posted in The Wall Street Journal called In Defense of the Notoriously Arrogant French Waiter.

It comes complete with a list of Do’s and Don’ts for the novice.
They’re infamous for being snooty and snobbish, but the garçon de café can be a source of endless entertainment once you understand what they’re really all about.

 

 

 

Girl Power/Guy Power: A Stereotype Makeover

Oberfraese (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When you think of woodworking, or picture a sewing machine, what do you see? Do you associate men with one and women with the other? The American Spirit is the fuel for our DIY world. Today people are more comfortable to disregard gender stereotypes and do what they want to do. Many women are enjoying creative pastimes like furniture building, as more men feel free to explore crafts such as sewing and quilting.

This article is a wonderful exposé which explores this freedom of choice in great detail. Case in point:

Ana White.

Her blog “has become the go-to resource for furniture building DIYers, with over 1000 free plans, step -by-step project tutorials, and videos in which White explains power tools and how to properly use them.”

In a related video, check out President Barack Obama as he tackles Toy-gender based stereotypes 😀

Visit Paris by Métro

Whether you are in town to oversee the renovation of your home or if you are in Paris for a vacation, this free app is a must have for your mobile device.

Did you know there is a ‘night bus’ route that runs throughout Paris after the Metro closes? They run about once an hour but it’s good to know they exist! And it’s through this app we made this discovery.

But that’s just the beginning of it’s online and offline surprises and features.

Click the link here to download and check it out for yourself