There’s a unique and not obvious characteristic of the IKEA in Renton, Washington. Unlike the other IKEAs in the U.S., this one is owner-operated. The two co-owners, Anders Berglund and Bjorn Bailey, were high ranking IKEA executives in the early 1990s when the company proposed they run their own store. They renovated a Boeing plant because they could not afford to custom-build (it’s the only IKEA store in North America that was not custom-built) and opened the doors in 1994. After a slow first year the store blossomed. They expect to lose 7% of sales to a new Portland IKEA next year and predict a new location north of Seattle will exist in 5-10 years. But they won’t be involved in either one as they decided from the start to own and operate the one store.
Cocoa farmers are on strike in Ivory Coast. As the farmers hold back their crop seeking higher prices and a lowered export tax, analysts claim that these strikes never last very long and it would take many weeks before the world supplies are affected. Previous strikes in 1999 and 2004 lasted for about a week.
Someone stole Dori’s CA “WEB GEEK” plates. Please return, no questions asked. If you’ve dealt with the DMV in CA you’ll know of what she speaks. Here’s a gallery of geek plates.
Dear Google Toolbar folks, Thank you for listening to your users and bringing back the Dropdown Search History.
I thought I already had the world’s easiest no-bake cheesecake recipe (cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon juice) but now Kraft has Philadephia Ready-To-Eat Cheesecake Filling. Just stick it in a pie crust and it’s done. And if you want any extra ingredients (mix-ins!) just stir them into the tub first. It’s so ridiculously easy that I’m going to go back to baking “Lindy’s (or is it Rueben’s) Cheesecake” from scratch which calls for “beating the cream cheese vigorously with a wooden spoon.” Take that Kraft! By the way, cheesecake, a popular dish in ancient Greece, was served at the first Olympic games in 776 B.C.
Things have turned downright nasty behind the scenes at the Seattle Symphony. The renewal of music director Gerard Schwarz’s contract caused some initial internal grumblings, including a survey conducted by orchestra members that was critical of Schwarz. Now someone is sabotaging orchestra members who are Schwarz supportors. The main victim is the principal horn player who has had his car keyed, his horn dented, a razor blade and hot coffee placed in his orchestra mailbox, and threatening phone calls at home. These acts will only fuel the discontent already present amongst the musicians. Schwarz has overwhelming support from the board of trustees. The musicians’ lack of power is unlikely to change if they employ such immature behavior.
Round bales or square bales? Stonyfield yogurt’s dairy farmer blogger answers a reader inquiry about hay bale shape. Round bales, the newer of the forms, are easier to produce and require less manpower. They’re much larger than square bales also so there are economies of scale involved. Square bales stack neatly, however, and the smaller ones are easy to tote around. So, as with many things, you pick the shape best suited to the situation with an eye towards the bottom line.
Seattle’s Museum of Flight is hosting the exhibit “Leonardo da Vinci: Man, Inventor, Genius” now through January 28. Separate tickets are needed. The show consists of reproductions: sketches, paintings and more than 50 models of his machines. There is one item from Leonardo’s own hand, a page from the Codex Leicester, courtesy of local guy Bill Gates.
From those who know their stuff (the Hall of Fame) here’s A History of the Baseball Uniform. Most impressive is the searchable database of uniforms. (via Coudal Partners)
David Bowie will be guest-voicing on “SpongeBob SquarePants” in an episode airing next year. His daughter, now six, is a fan of the show. Also coming up, Bowie is Nikola Tesla in the movie “The Prestige” directed by Christopher Nolan of Memento fame.