It was 50 years ago this week that the MINI – symbol of all that is British, mod, and cool – first rolled off the line. And from The Italian Job to, well, The Italian Job, the Mini has remained a tiny, economical and very stylish way to get from point A to point B. But how did the Mini become the Mini? Here’s a brief history of the car that proved that less truly is more.

Read more about MINI at Mental Floss.

I’ve decided to keep this space for personal writings and linkings, and I’ve started putting all of my professional oriented writing on my new blog at www.informationbricolage.com/blog.

Hit the link and check it out.

From the author:

I COLLECT LOST LUGGAGE, PHOTOGRAPH IT, AND THEN TRY TO FIND THE OWNERS. IT’S A LITTLE ODD BUT NOT AS ODD AS STAMP COLLECTING, JUST A LITTLE HARDER TO FIND STORAGE SPACE. when A BAG GETS LOST THE AIRPORT OR AIRLINE WILL STORE IT FOR A WHILE AND TRY TO FIND THE OWNER. if they can’t identify the OWNER OF THE case THEY SEND IT TO BE AUCTIONED OFF WITH THE PROFIT GOING TO CHARITY. I GO TO THESE AUCTIONS AND BUY THE CASES SO I CAN PHOTOGRAPH THEM FOR MY WEIRD VOYEURISTIC PASSION. The reason for the web site? i would really like to try to find the people who own my suitcases, so if you HAVE ANY FRIENDS WHO HAVE LOST A CASE PLEASE GET THEM TO HAVE A LOOK.

[ via: swissmiss ]

powerlinerflyers from wes johnson on Vimeo.

(Go to Vimeo to watch in HD.)

Between now and April 15th, create and share your own U.S. Design Policy’s Necessity videos. You’ll have the opportunity to star in the Initiative’s Design CEO’s Design Policy Support video, which will be led by IDSA.

Contxts lets you send your contact info via text message. Thought this was kinda a cool idea. I’ve signed up and am ready to share my business card via SMS next time I’m in a business card exchange situation.

Grant McCracken’s post

“Trust Me” website

Watch full episodes online at TNT

I’ll definitely be following Rob Spence’s progress. I’ve always had a huge fascination with the cyborgization of the human body.

EYEBORG– The Two Week Trial from eyeborg on Vimeo.

Take a one eyed film maker, an unemployed engineer, and a vision for something that’s never been done before and you have yourself the EyeBorg Project. Rob Spence, Kosta Grammatis and a team of others are trying to make history by embedding a video camera and a transmitter in a prosthetic eye. That eye is going in Robs eye socket, and will record the world from a perspective that’s never been seen before.

This clip chronicles the first attempt at creating the eye– a two week hiatus of getting parts, assembling, and testing. Obviously we need a lab, and a bit more time. Can someone donate an oscilloscope?

Conceptual art by Joenis Norac