Volkswagen’s Transparent Factory “combines the processes of classic industrial-scale automotive production with manual craft tasks.” Customers can follow the assembly of their Phaeton, a top of the line sedan, through the facility which has “27,500 square metres of glazed facades in a production area covering 55,000 square meters”. No, the car isn’t transparent, just the factory.

Colored plastic cell phone faceplates are a significant moneymaker for companies like Nokia. They cost almost nothing to churn out, and retail for $20 or more. And the target market is teenagers, some of who buy more than one. Wildseed is putting a new twist on the faceplate market by making them “smart”. With the help of SIM (subscriber identification module) cards, their “smart skins” will have customizable features. Imagine a Coca-Cola sponsored skin with a special ring tone, marketing offers via text messaging, and custom games. Wildseed will have to get the interest of sponsors, wireless providers, and the cell-toting teens, so they may have a rough road ahead.

The Mercury News ran a business article about the decline of the kimono manufacturing industry. Sales on Muromatchi Street, where the kimono dealers of Kyoto are located, are estimated to have fallen by almost $1 billion in the past five years. A mid-range kimono goes for $3,800 and involves the skilled crafts of weaving, dying, tailoring, and designing. Only those people involved in the traditional ceremonies and professions are still purchasing them. One can hope that the skills will be passed down to a few in the next generation before all the techniques are lost.

Randy Cohen‘s weekly NY Times Magazine column, entitled “The Ethicist”, was a puzzling amusement to me when I first noticed it reprinted in the Mercury News. It reminded me of Judith Martin’s “Miss Manners” in that it imparted advice firmly rooted in common sense with the sparkle of a witty writing style. I wondered “Who is this guy? How did he get this job?” and sometimes on my grumpy days “Who the heck does he think he is anyway?” But I always find his advice sound and reasonable. I figured he was some university ethics professor. Well, as I found in a Yale Daily News article, he’s not. Cohen has no formal training in ethics. He was a music composition major. And, here’s what really threw me, he spent seven years writing for “Late Night with David Letterman”. He wrote for “The Rosie O’Donnell Show”. Basically, he’s a writer. It makes sense. Many people can tell you what the right thing to do is, and they may indeed be right, but the person that is able to clearly express why it is the right thing to do will win you over. (via MediaNews)

A marvelous site, Gigposters “is dedicated to the artists, designers and musicians who create amazing gig posters to advertise shows and events.” It’s even fun to browse through bands that you are unfamiliar with to see the various artistic styles. (via xBlog)

When I was learning grade school math, my brother used to say “chisenbop” whenever he noticed me using my fingers to count. I never investigated what that meant besides “using your fingers to count,” which was deemed a bad thing to do. (One of my friends admitted to using her tongue and teeth to keep track of her numbers in an inconspicuous manner.) Well, as we all know, if it exists, the web usually defines it, and chisenbop has been duly described and defined by Andy Harris. There are even streaming media tutorials on how to use this technique. So if I ever take up counting on my hands again, at least I’ll know how to do it the proper way. (via Memepool)

Mike Gunderloy came through, of course, on the ditto sheet and mimeograph topic. He points to the Dead Media Project wherein lies an interesting discussion on “The Difference between Mimeograph, Hectograph, and Spirit Duplication.” It actually lists sources in case you want to delve further into the early magic of duplication. Meanwhile I found a page on antique copying machines, including drawings and photos, at the nifty Early Office Museum.

The Field Museum in Chicago is running an exhibit on chocolate which opened, appropriately enough, on Valentine’s Day and runs to the end of the year. They have tie-ins galore, from all angles, with the author of the novel Chocolat lecturing on both the book and movie, lectures on the role of chocolate in history and its place in the environment, and a trip devoted to learning how to make chocolate truffles. They plan to tour the exhibit to other locations, so perhaps it will arrive near you someday. And for the health conscious, remember a bar of chocolate contains more antioxidants than a glass of red wine. But go for the good dark kind which has healthier fats and more antioxidants than milk chocolate which has saturated fats.

The U.S. Mint has announced that they are cutting back on the production of Sacagawea dollar coins. Not surprised, are you? Banks report little demand from retailers and retailers report little demand from consumers. So much for the multimillion dollar advertising campaign. But if demand does happen to pick up for some reason, no need to fret, the Mint has about 324 million Sacagawea coins in storage. In related news, the Ohio state quarter is now in circulation. Featuring an early aircraft and an astronaut, some of these coins were carried on a recent space shuttle mission. Meanwhile, I haven’t gotten my hands on any Tennessee quarters yet. (dollar news via The Other Side)

Traditional ballet pointe shoes provide foot support with cardboard, paper and/or leather saturated with glues. The care of these slippers is critical to their longevity, and many dancers can’t afford a constant supply of new shoes. Dance companies that provide shoes to their members also struggle with funds, often limiting dancers to a certain number of shoes per season. But pointe shoes rarely last more than one performance. Sweat breaks down the glues and the support is lost. Gaynor Minden has brought plastics into the world of ballet. Featured on a recent Tech TV spot, their shoes use a flexible thermoplastic polymeric material (U.S. Patent 5,035,069). The plastic can be heated to help conform to the foot, and is of course longer lasting than traditional materials. But, when given the freedom of an unlimited supply of shoes, one dancer still picks cardboard and glue from Freed of London because they form to her foot better. (via Rebecca’s Pocket)