LIP France Watch Reissue

Things I appreciate in design include geometry, playfulness, utility, simplicity. The Mach 2000 watch from LIP France combines them all:




Mach 2000 DarkMaster Chronograph, 1973

The designer is Roger Tallon (b. 1929). At his height, his designs blend the French aesthetic and 1970s retro futurism.

Here are some of his other designs.

The Teleavia line of TV sets


War of the Worlds inspired?

The TGV high-speed train


Paris to Lausanne at 180km/h

Spots Erco lamp (1973)



International Symbols:



Flatware and picnic sets:



More retro futurism

Others include the Solomon SPX ski boot of the 1980s and a spiral staircase added to the collection at the MOMA.


MOMA Modular

Meetup is not free

While browsing the list of Meetup groups in Philadelphia, I started to build my own meetup group. When the next screen asked for $12/mo to start up, I stopped.

Journey Across America By Bike...With The Kids

Just heard this story about a family of 4, two parents and two kids age 10 and 11 who have just successfully completed a bike trip from US coast to coast. They used tandem bikes to make their way from the Pacific to the Atlantic, covering many miles and learning some great things. Health, open minds, new experiences. This is the kind of thing to plan for.

I'm stoked, because I've considered a similar excursion. Lauri and I want to go on a sailing expedition in the footsteps (water wake?) of her nautical uncle. Seeing as children are a prospect in our near future, we may look into taking a family sailing trip sometime. The NPR report I speak of vindicates such ideas, promoting family bonding and new experiences through a family adventure.

Read up on their blog, posted along the way.

Penny power

Once I loved pennies and would sift for hours after the elusive wheat penny.

Now I hate pennies.

Do you keep pennies? Or do you throw them into the street?

When will the mint finally stop minting them?

A reason to strip mine resources is only a reason. Nothing more.

Zinc and copper mongers force us to pocket zinc and copper.

Two-thousand-oh-Obama. Change. Pennies will be changing again soon.

Bet on it!

A Story of Revenge

I'm bored by most movies and am a fairly stern critic. There is a common thread to the ones I like though. They usually portray characters in a state of intense anguish. Movies like The Fisher King or Dancer in the Dark combine psychology and despair in a way that makes the characters' actions believable.

I just saw Red and am adding it to the list. It's a modern-day revenge drama by a Scandinavian director with an all-star cast. Above all, the performance by Brian Cox is shattering. You have to pick yourself up off the floor when he's done. His range of emotions, from tenderness and despair to duty and controlled rage are something to see.

Red, highly recommended. Here's a well-considered review to read AFTER seeing it. I liked it better than the reviewer btw.