Natural process.

The bruised kiwi fruit in the fruit bowl made me search for time lapse rotting fruit today. Because of the bruising, it is not desirable to eat (think squishy dishcloth). However it still sits there, waiting to be eaten by someone who doesn't know any better. It will continue to sit there, in the fruit bowl, as it looks perfectly normal. The feel is what lets it down. It made me think about how important the look of things are in the considerations made in peoples minds when purchasing items. While the person could be oblivious to how long its been sitting there, how much the flavour and texture have altered since picking, if it looks ok, it is considered "fresh".

The process of decomposition is completely natural, it is a gradual change in the structure of things until they become unrecognizable of their original state. With time-lapse photography, you are able to see changes and development over a long period of time, in a short, stitched together video. Its an effective way of showing slow changes and I feel the video below is a good example of showing something that would otherwise be unnoticed, or viewed as a fresh/rotten contrast.

Because of issues with blogger, the video cannot be embedded so you can see the video here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRiwXMeKoGk

David Wong Change Quote

Over the weekend, we have had a visitor staying with us. Having an extra person around at home somehow makes the house and attitudes different from usual. It is interesting how what seems like a small addition would create a comparatively large change in how the household feels. In this case it is very much a positive change, however there has been some earlier interesting experiences which haven't ended too well. When asked about his opinion on change, he paused, then said...

"Change is a state of mind" -David Wong.

You can interpret this statement in many ways, which will vary person to person. Think about it and post your reactions in a comment to this post.

Constant change demonstrated in AFL

While it may seem trivial and not very serious, the humble game of AFL is an excellent example of constant change having the ability to trigger a series of different emotions in rapid succession. Before a game there is much anticipation and uncertainty, once it begins, it may only take one simple moment to set off a explosion of anger or disappointment. More amplified in close games. The yo-yo-ing scores create happiness, enjoyment, pride while at the same time bringing anger, hatred and frustration.

Even one-sided matches can spark these emotions. Say a team was winning by a comfortable 50 points, the confidence is high, when the opposition kicks a few quick goals. While the once evident safety created through winning comes worry, concern and fear. It stems from people being unsure to what is going to happen, they have gone from a comforting position of being ahead to the fearful state of a possible loss. One thing that doesn't end when the siren goes is the same emotions that were present at at least one stage of the match. Whether it is disapproval of the umpires or a newly introduced rule, the emotions continue to flow.

Swap Hummer for EV's

I have been searching for cars recently and it has allowed me to see the scope and development of vehicles over the years. Further research has given me an insight into the mainstream cars of other countries compared with Australia. While the focus in the past 10 years in Australia has been on large utility vehicles that can carry the family, 15 suitcases and can go off road. Fuel consumption is often an afterthought in many peoples minds when considering purchasing a new car. The "need" to have a large car is often justified with having a lot to transport or increased safety. Looking at the "usual" in other countries such as Japan has been a true eye opener, yet not totally surprising. The majority of cars there are micro, have low fuel consumption and don't take up much space. It seems logical, less emissions, less impact, more economical, easier to drive.

However, as the oil supplies get lower, the more emphasis there is on vehicles that suit the situation. Many car producers are starting to design and manufacture electric vehicles. People are coming to the realisation that their car choices have been less than perfect and its time to start to choose something that will cope with the smaller (eventually non-existent) supply of oil. Toyota are leading in the australian market currently, with their hybrid Prius model. While it still requires petrol to operate, the amount is significantly reduced by the implementation of an energy capture system.

While the majority of the cars in Australia rely on petrol to drive, slowly there will be a transfer to these new types of cars, as people start to see that they are just as powerful and reliable, if not more, than traditional petrol run vehicles. Much of the hesistance to buy the electric cars is in the fear that they are different to what they have always driven, which people can have a hard time comprehending. However, the change will come and eventually, the petrol run car will be looked back on as a inefficient, foolish idea of the past.

Microsoft loss.

After years of dominating the computer world, Microsoft have released that they have made a quarterly profit loss.

"The world's largest software maker said on Thursday its profit dropped 32 per cent to $US2.98 billion ($A4.23 billion), or 33 cents per share. Sales in the fiscal third quarter slipped 6 per cent to $US13.65 billion ($A19.37 billion) from $US14.45 billion ($A20.51 billion) last year." The Age newspaper reported yesterday. It signals the downturn of a company that has heavily relied on its reputation as a solid system that is perfect for business and home use. However, with the gradual rise of Apple has proved that people will change their opinions relating to technology in particular efficient computing systems. Apple has always been seen by many people as a company that is kept alive by occupations that rely on graphics and other creative arts. With the introduction of software targetted to the areas which Microsoft usually have a stranglehold, Apple has slowly changed people's view of them and now many businesses (not just those relating to art) are switching to the more secure, less troublesome Apple technologies.

It shows that persistence and continuous design and production of a good product will eventuate into gradual domination of the market. The full article from The Age can be seen here: http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/biztech/microsofts-first-quarterly-profit-fall-in-23-years/2009/04/24/1240079840128.html

Cigarette Advertising

There has been a large shift in the way cigarettes are portrayed and advertised over the years. While the focus was very much on encouraging people to smoke, a change in government regulations caused these to be banned, to be replaced by anti-smoking ads. The top image is an old ad for cigarettes, it portrays it as a healthy habit, being cool with no negative consequences or side effects. The second image is a screen capture taken from a recent anti-smoking ad. It shows people the effects of smoking and the health problems it can create. It is an interesting contrast, that shows how change in government policy involving advertising can have a huge effect in influencing decisions.

The Great Depression

In the 1930's, the economic situation changed, unemployment rose and global export and the amount of international trade was greatly decreased. It was all triggered by the collapse of the stock market. People had to readjust to the new situation that they found themselves in and they began to change their lifestyles in order to survive. They reduced the amount of waste, every dollar was spent very wisely and people were forced to re-use things that would once be considered throw away items. This depression proved that one event could change peoples overall emotions and feelings for a prolonged period of time. Above is a video explaining a little more about the depression, and the footage gives you an idea of the collective psyche at the time