Check this out

While working on my NYU class on combining simple machines, I stumbled upon this gear ring. Ben Hopson collaborated with entrepreneur Glen Liberman of Kinekt Design to realize this first piece in what will be a line of kinetic jewelry. My first reaction: I want one. My second reaction: I want to collaborate with them on future designs! I took an intro to silversmithing class a few years back at Studio 174, which has since split into Liloveve and Fitzgerald Jewelry. They both do beautiful work, but alas, no gears. I’ll definitely be in touch with Ben Hopson and Kinekt soon.

I’m laughing out loud here at a list originally posted here after I found an excerpt posted on the MAKE blog, so I’m reblogging it. Here are my favorite bullet points:

2. Always quote at least twice the time you think it will actually take to do the job
(personally, I multiply my first time estimate by pi)

7. –Business WILL always be part of engineering. Get over it.
–Never underestimate the stupidity of the end user of your product. Make it fool and idiot proof if possible. This is very hard to do. It takes infinite intelligence to anticipate boundless stupidity.

8. K.I.S.S. The ideal design has zero parts. “An engineer is someone who can build for a dollar what a fool can build for twenty” – Robert A. Hienlein

Freelancer’s Union sent out an email today with a link to an article From corporate slave to dream job. I can’t believe membership in Freelancer’s Union increased 40% from Oct 2008 to April 2009! And that I was one of them! I was laid off from Honeybee Robotics during downsizing in March 2009, and it really has turned out to be a blessing in disguise, like this article mentions. I never would have left a comfy salary to pursue writing a book or working for startups like I have been doing since I left. I’m enjoying myself more every day and what started as just picking up part time jobs has turned into a career as a consulting engineer, teacher, and author. I’m enjoying the flexibility, and the discipline that comes with working hourly vs. working on salary is a refreshing cause and effect scenario that keeps me on my toes.

I got a LinkedIn update emailed to me today, and it looks like one of my former students at NYU has started a company called SocialBomb, Inc. and is the CEO! So I go to check out their website, and what do I see? ROBOTS! Cute ones too. I’m kind of a sucker for all things robot. Although their company has nothing to do with actual, physical robots, you should still check them out. Congratulations Scott!