Why the car company is named Toyota, not Toyoda.

Writing "Toyoda" in Japanese requires 10 brush strokes, explains John R. Malott, president of the Japan-America Society of Washington DC, but writing "Toyota" requires eight.

While "8" is considered an auspicious number, "10" is not, said Malott, who visited with the company during his years as a State Department official. "Ten" consists of two strokes crossed against each other and resembles the "plus" symbol, or even a crossroads or an uncertain path. Not a good omen for a company.

"It's a very Japanese way of thinking," Malott said.

Why the car company is named Toyota, not Toyoda :: washingtonpost.com

(Thanks to pal, Maura, for this bit of tid.)

Hipstamatic iPhone App.

Two bucks and loads of fun. About 10 seconds after I downloaded the app, I took this pic of one of my numerous robot companions.


Hipstamatic iPhone App - Digital Photography Never Looked So Analog

Ah, Wisconsin winters.

Yesterday.



Today.


Nope. I'm not kidding.

Picture Book Report.

Picture Book Report is an extended love-song to books. Fifteen illustrators will reach out to their favorite books and create wonderful pieces of art in response to the text that has moved them, shaped them, or excited them.

It begins with a house. by John Martz
(inspired by The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

The great ships hung motionless in the sky, over every nation on Earth. Motionless they hung, huge, heavy, steady in the sky, a blasphemy against nature. Many people went straight into shock as their minds tried to encompass what they were looking at. The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don’t.

It begins with a house. :: Picture Book Report

(via Junior Society)

Ideal for night owls.

(Like me.)


8.5 × 11 (22 × 26 cm) sign mostly visible only in the dark.
Handmade in a secret process on heavy paper.
Embossed with seal of authenticity and signed on reverse.
Limited-edition of 100 signs.

Supermarket - ideal for night owls from REED SEIFER

Japanese Amelie poster.

Looking through this Apartment Therapy house tour, I fell in love with the Japanese/French Amelie poster. (And all the mid-century modern furniture surrounding it.)

After a quick search, I found out you can pick one up for about $10. Cool.
Amazon: Amelie (27x40) Japanese Style Movie Poster

Loose Tweets Sink Fleets.

I love Brian Moore Media's WWIII Propaganda Posters.


WWIII Propaganda Posters — Home

(via Flavorpill.com)

Gemini Studio Art Chicago | Stephen Fowler.

Such a lovely retro illustration and typography style.






Etsy :: Gemini Studio Art Chicago by Stephen Fowler

Drench: Mr. Memory.

Iconic TV prints.

If you've been wondering where you can buy these prints (which have been flying around the web for a few months now), here's one place they're available.





Blanka || Iconic TV

Spoiler: The mouse doesn't die.

(I say this only because I nearly stopped watching it and would have missed the payoff.)



Don't cut corners on creativity | The Responsible Marketing Blog

a softer world's banner ad.

Detail:


a softer world :: adbook /A Softer World: 529

(via @downrightamazed)

Joy Candelabra.

I would love one of these.


White lacquered steel, low voltage, bulbs 6 volts, 08 watts. Dimensions: L 14.5" 10" high.

Huset-shop.com :: Design House Stockholm Joy Candelabra

Bloc-notes.

Such a sweet design.



Happy Home — Bloc-notes

Why Belgian advertising is offline this week.

I'm linking to this in support of the Belgian agencies that are trying to end the free-for-all madness involved in pitching work these days. If you work in design or advertising, you know how painful and expensive a big pitch can be. You should take a look at this and think about re-blogging it yourself.


THE VIRTUAL STRIKE :: Website closed

Sagaform Herb Pot Trio.

Sagaform's herb pot, a simple solution to prolonging the life of your fresh herbs is one of our most popular items. Now, triple the experience with the new trio. Same great design, just with three separate openings so you can keep your mint separate from your basil! Scandinavian in its simple, unadorned and practical design, this ceramic pot is an ingenious way of enjoying fresh herbs much like flowers: Insert a bunch in the enlarged opening, and keep hydrated by pouring water into the corner hole. The broad base ensures that all those little stalks have access to water, while allowing air to circulate so herbs keep from becoming limp and waterlogged. Easy to take apart for cleaning. Packaged in it's own gift box, it makes a wonderful gift. Size: 15.75" l x 5" w

Sagaform Herb Pot Trio by: Sagaform - Huset-Shop.com

Mike Rivamonte's robots.

I want every single one of them, but I'm head over heels for this one in particular.



Mike Rivamonte :: Sculpture

Tim Gough posters.

This one is my fave. And at only $8 for a 19"x25" two-color poster, it's an awfully good deal.


Posters :: Tim Gough

Polaroid Flower Vase.

Only a prototype I'm afraid. But so cute. I hope someone picks it up.



We hang a polaroid with a small cord and a clothespin. arising from a desire of keeping the memories, I feel longing today.Nature is also what I want to keep for a long time.it is a plant in a polaroid. The illumination is for the plant, and the gentle curved shape will seem to be an image of a polaroid.

JUNG HWAJIN

(via Stilsucht)

Kevin Cooley.

His photography takes my breath away. Incredible.






KEVIN COOLEY

(via Coudal)

Kulula Airlines' infographic airplane.

I'm such an infographic geek that, if I owned an airline, the planes would look something like this.


Cool Infographics :: Infographic Airplane! from Kulula Airlines

The Nicolas Cage Adventure Set.

And this, my friends, is just one more reason to love Brandon Bird.



Introducing the Nicolas Cage Adventure Set! The magic and wonder of one of the most dynamic figures of the 21st century comes home in this incredible playset (one might even call it a Colorforms set, if 'Colorforms' was not a registered trademark of the University Games Corporation). Reusable vinyl stickers cling like magic to glossy backdrops! Mix and match accessories! Peel and re-peel to create new scenes! The fate of Nicolas Cage is in your hands!

Each set includes a double-sided 8.5 x 11 inch play background (depicting 'tropical island' and 'haunted castle' environments) and one 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of nine vinyl cling stickers: 3 full-body Nicolas Cages, battle axe, skateboard, ice cream cone, scary ghost, parrot, and space helmet. Click here for a detail view of all the stickers.

Brandon Bird :: The Nicolas Cage Adventure Set

Strange Worlds.

These pieces by Matthew Albanese are absolutely mind-blowing when you see what they're made of.


Salt Water Falls. Model made out of glass, plexiglass, tile grout, moss, twigs, salt, painted canvas & dry ice. The waterfall was created from a time exposure of falling table salt.


Volcano (Breaking Point). Made out of tile grout, cotton, phosphorous ink. this model volcano was illuminated from within by 6-60 watt light bulbs.


Fields, After the Storm. This model is simply made out of faux fur(fields), cotton (clouds) and sifted tile grout(mountains). The perspective is forced as in all of my images, and the lighting effect was created by simply shifting the white balance.


Mars # 2. Again, Paprika, cinnamon, thyme, chili powder, charcoal, This is the first landscape I ever created.


Strange Worlds :: Matthew Albanese on the Behance Network