Pretty Dyana – A Gypsy recycling saga
Here’s an interesting video on Google video a reader sent in ” An intimate look at Gypsy refugees in Belgrade suburb who make a living by transfoming Citroen’s classic 2cv and Dyana cars into Mad Max-like recycling vehicles, with which they collect cardoard, bottles and scrap metal. These modern horses are much more efficient than the cart-pushing competition, but more important – they also mean freedom, hope and style for their crafty owners. Even the car batteries are used as power generators in order to get some light, watch tv and recharge mobiles! Almost an alchemist’s dream come true!…” Link.
On a trip to Hawaii this Maker went biking, he’s since made a bicycle camera mount to take pictures and video – “The activity that really stood out for me is the mountain biking, though I can’t wait to participate in the others as well. And for weeks now, I have said to myself that I want to make a bike camera mount so that I can videotape the fast ride down the mountain. I’m sure it will be exhilarating fun!” Here’s how he did it… 
Todd writes “Here are some fun photos of the Illegal Soapbox Derby Society’s 2005 downhill finals held on Bernal Hill in San Francisco last weekend. As usual, it was an excellent spectacle. The Illegal Soapbox Derby Society enforces only one rule: Every car must have a beer holder.” 
About 5 years ago I wrote a few Macromedia Flash apps to be used in cars along with a “Flash and Telematics” article – besides my hacked up car the project didn’t get any far. But! The new Jaguars will now use Macromedia for their user interfaces! “…audio, navigation, climate control, telephone and vehicle settings can all be adjusted making it a critical design component in the driving experience, now fully enhanced with screen graphics reminiscent of a quality website.” No word, if you can put in your own . SWF files. [
The Design Trust for Public Space, in cooperation with Parsons The New School for Design, presents Designing the Taxi, an exhibition that builds on the momentum of the extraordinarily successful two-part workshop held last spring that investigated the future of the iconic New York City taxicab as it approaches its centennial in 2007. The exhibition of designs presenting future ideas for the taxi will be on view from November 3, 2005, through January 15, 2006, at the Parsons gallery at 2 West 13th Street. An opening reception will take place on Wednesday, November 2, 6-9 p.m., which will also celebrate the publication of the Designing the Taxi findings. 
Rick writes “How to make ultra light weight boats and canoes. Plans are available but there are enough details on the web site for you to go from there.” From the site: What is Geodesic Airolite Construction? It is a simple, inexpensive, low-tech, forgiving system utilizing some exotic materials. The sequence consists of building a simple rugged wood framework, braced with triangulated KEVLAR® roving strands. This tough basket-like frame is then covered with Dacron. This is a first cousin to sail cloth; except it heat shrinks. It is a super-weight, airplane wing covering type of fabric, used on crop dusters. 
Maker Rich Gibson is welding up a neat looking chopper bike – on the MAKE flickr photo pool he writes “Chopper bike ‘complete.’ I am going to lower the seat some more. It is still basically unrideable by mere mortal. I’m going to make a new front fork that is shorter. Keep the original one for ‘special’ occaisions.” 