Hello, from the past

Dear people who write research papers in the future,

I know it's hard surfing the web for 'ancient' data and blogs. But it must be entertaining to read some of it at least.

Your tools let's you go back in time and search through Big Data. Terabytes and terabytes of blog posts, twitter feeds, articles and search results... or is it Yotabytes?

I don't know about you, but it's fine over here. I hope it's going all right at your end too.

Cheers!

Sherif Maktabi - London - Wednesday 29th of February, 2012.

 

How people are ruinning my project and why I appreciate it

A small group of people damaged the Lebanon Would Be Better If wall. This time, I won't be able to save it. And I appreciate it.

To remove the bad, you'll remove the good. That's why the black mark will always be here. And will not allow anyone to write on 1/5 of the wall. Actualy, removing the black mark they made will earase the wall. Since the wall and the mark are made from the same paint.

A small group of people threw black paint on the Lebanon Would Be Better If wall on bliss street on Friday 17th of February 2012. This already happened before here. And I was able to save it with the help of the community.

Even if it's horrible. Even if it's made for personal benefits (which it is, you'll understand if you see the wall). Even if it's made with bad intentions...

I appreciate it.

Because the Lebanon Would Be Better If wall of bliss street, is not my wall. Nor is it Karim's wall. (I hope he agrees with me on this).

I vandalized private property to make this wall. I made it with good intentions.

And so today, someone has vandalized my work, and on the other hand I appreciate it.

The reason why I appreciate it is multi-layered.

Lebanon Would Be Better If works by making it easier for a community to share their thoughts, intentions, dreams and aspirations.Once they do so, it's not mine anymore.

It's the community's wall.

And so when a small group of people does this. It's an expression. It's a message.

If you read on Lebanon, and if you know about it's recent history, you will realize that people have different goals. And different intentions, good intentions, bad intentions.

This mark is an expression and representation of this. A representation of how complicated it is in Lebanon. But also, it has a deeper meaning, for me.

Margaret Mead says:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

It takes a small group of people to change the world, and it always had. It takes a community to take a change into a culture and into beauty. However, it also takes, another small group of people, to ruin everything.

As we approach a hyperconnected world, with tools and knowledge open for all, reaching a better world has never been so accessible... However, it has never been, so complicated.

Sherif

 

IKEA Tabs Concept

A table doesn't have to be a flat surface. A table consumes a lot of space in the ever-smaller apartments of the post-crisis era.

And our lives at home still revolve around these tables. They are where we eat, where we play, where we meet... I want a table to be more flexible to simply follow our needs.

This is the skeleton of the IKEA Tabs concept table. It allows you to take advantage of the 3D space that the table consumes.

You can fit it in different types of stackable storage. In this case, translusent boxes.

The boxes fit right in.

And disapear.

You cover the table with multi-function Tabs. Think of the Tabs as Apps for your table. Different tabs have different functions.

When you don't need a Tab, or you just want to switch to use a cutting board Tab, just simply role it and hide it away in the box.

The storage are placed in locations that doesn't bother you.

It's very easy to switch functions with the Tab.

Hide away your letters, your keys, and even store your cutlery.

Slide away your rubish. Simplicity isin't dirty.

Place your large objects in the big box. Hide away your books, computer, bottles.

Your annoying phone can now rest in peace away from sight. Disconnect yourself, and focus on the people you are with.

And simply reach in when you need it.

 

What about IKEA?

Well, IKEA Tabs Store is a new market. It opens up the possibilities for people to customize their table. Most importantly, this is my idea for an IKEA version of the App Store. People can now come back to IKEA to buy new Tabs. Because Tabs can be board games, cutting mats, table mats, storage boxes, plates storage, puzzles, picture frames, drawers.... etc.

IKEA, if you are reading this, your customer service sucks.

Art meet Arduino

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

You walk into one of London’s 300 museums. And you are presented with art work. It might be paintings, sculptures, ceramics. Art is a flexible medium. A reaction is expected. Art in essence makes you think. It makes you question. It stimulates you to discover.

I believe Art is a medium that artists use to convey their ideas and concerns to the world. Political. Economic. Social. Conceptual. Sexual. Etc.

Art is not as stimulating as it once was. I think so because we live in humanity’s most stimulating period of all time. We are stimulated by TV, the internet, advertisements, SMS, Apps, phone calls, emails... And I believe to some extent, the brute power, the deep emotional stimulus of Art, has faded. Paintings don't have such an impact on the new generations anymore.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Art can rise up to the challenge. That is, when Art is not made in the sake of art. Artists can take advantage of the tools we have today. And more effectively stimulate their audience, in a highly creative way.

Arduino is an open source electronics platform that makes all of this easier. It’s a piece of hardware that you can apply to make your ideas come true. It allows artists to take advantage of sensors, cameras, computers, screens, projectors, LEDs, speakers… To stimulate their audience with feel, sight, sense and sound.

Art, meet Arduino.

3 Ideas for Near-Future Applications

It is a cliche, but it's amazing. Technologies have always changed things. And now it's our turn to have our lives changed. I believe that these changes are coming in fast.

From observations here are my 3 ideas to near-future changes:

1. Machines will replace some people:

If a machine can replace a human, then it should.

Some employment positions will be automated isntead. Replaced by touch screens for example. The good thing about it, is that now people can go ahead and do something machines can't do... Something creative, innovative or delicate for example.

2. Personal 3D Printers will make consumer goods, at home:

It costs a $1,000 dollars to get your hands on one. It reminds me of the $40,000 flat screen TVs when they first came out, now at $100. Soon we will have one at home. We will print out our plates and cups. If something brakes, we will print a replacement.

I'm just excited for my children to print out and make their own games. And it's great for the environment too.

3. Digital CV from Facebook, LinkedIn, Google...:

Interviewers will ask for information about you. This time, you will click "Connect to Facebook", then "Allow" access to my information anytime of day. If you are an interviewer, you can go through CVs by scrolling a mouse, looking at pictures, interesting infographics and skimming through posts Very much like a timeline.

Lebanon to Bathroom Would Be Better If

"I know you did "Lebanon Would Be Better If" ...
and then at the 'Market Cities' exhibit we did a 'New York would be
better if' ...
at the end of November / early December I saw this in the ladies room
on the same floor where the exhibit had been ...

so goes the idea ... round and round ... thought you would like to see this ..."

This is an email I received from Manizeh from New York.

The idea has potential, and I'm so glad it's not copyrighted. It actually has a Creative Commons license.

Which means it encourages people to steal the idea, remix it and share it.

I am working on a project to make that even easier.

It won't be published until mid 2012.

Until then, there will always be the Free Kit at www.lebanonbetter.com.

 

[repost from lebanonbetter.posterous.com]

This Was a Stolen Bike - Interactive Furniture

I eat at the Brick Lane food market every sunday. The market is a public space with no furniture. People usualy sit next to each other on the sidewalk, or eat alone, or standing up.

See the full gallery on Posterous

I want to creat public furniture made from local materials, that forces people ot share a meal, face to face (when a conversation can happen). And I want the furniture to be a bit uncomfortable so that people can give a chance for others to use it too. The seesaw table you see is made out of a local resource.

In this case, a stolen bike.