Swarfblog
Life’s Work–Life’s Pleasure
By Lloyd Graff I just spent a week doing the most inefficient, labor-intensive, stupidly expensive, appallingly large carbon footprint use of my time I can think of. I schlepped to [...]
Should the Government Not Help Michigan?
By Noah Graff Yesterday, Barack Obama visited the Compact Power plant in Holland, Michigan, to attend the groundbreaking of a new plant to produce battery cells for Ford and GM [...]
One on One with Dan Ariely: Professor of Behavioral Economics at Duke University
Interviewed by Noah Graff Dan Ariely is professor of Behavioral Economics at Duke University. Behavioral economics examines market trends like traditional economics, but distinguishes itself by not assuming that humans [...]
The Human Instinct to Create
By Noah Graff For an extra $5,800, buyers of a Corvette Z06 or ZR1 can go to the General Motors Performance Build Center in Wixom, Mich., and assemble their own [...]
The Intersection Of Art and Connecting Mechanics
By Robert Strauss Fernando Orellana’s father was a civil engineer and Fernando, when he was growing up, liked art. There seemed little to connect them. “But I saw my father [...]
You Need to Be Paranoid
By Noah Graff I recently came across a hysterical YouTube video satirizing the screw-ups by BP management as they try to stop the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. [...]
Should Obama go to IMTS
By Lloyd Graff I received the email announcement entitled “AMT and NAM Announce Historic Partnership.” I didn’t know whether to laugh or yawn because of my gut cynicism about Washington [...]
An Interview with Christine Todd Whitman
By Noah Graff Christine Todd Whitman served as the EPA administrator under President Bush from 2001-2003 and was the Governor of New Jersey from 1994-2001. Currently she heads the Republican [...]
Spilling the Beans: An Ethics Column
By Russell Ethridge I had to go out the back door to smoke at a customer’s shop recently. There I found the shop’s regular “smoking lounge,” with a picnic table [...]
Machining Industry Scuttlebutt
By Lloyd Graff Tesla Motors went public this week. The company’s all electric roadster has not been a resounding success financially or mechanically, but has been a publicity magnet. Elon [...]