Hi Guys,

Many of us work from home these days and this is becoming more and more popular after the worldwide lockdowns, I decided to reactivate an old design of mine for a small compact home office unit that fits into just a square metre!

The manufacturing process I opted for is CNC cut plywood as it allows for modification of the actual dimensions of the workstation and more so to the 'StitSeat'.

The design involves three components, a Workstation, a Pull-Out Worktop / Filing / Storage Unit and what I call the 'StitSeat'.

The 'StitSeat' is a solution for those wishing to work in a half standing, half sitting position with support and leverage off a footrest built into the workstation. The 'StitSeat' also allows the user to have side to side swivel on the actual seat / memory foam cushion if so desired. Of course a standard seat could be used when the worktop is lowered.

I made a short 5 minute video of the StitSeat Workstation Combo for my YouTube Channel. The following images are clips from the video. These will give you an idea how things work. The YouTube may be viewed here, https://youtu.be/r9XeSa_BygU

I will be getting the various components CNC cut using 18mm plywood at a local fabrication unit over the next few weeks. After this I will be able the test the suitability and practicality of the design in the real world.

I am hopeful that the end result will not be too expensive and with this in mind I have managed to limit the Workstation and Pull-Out parts to three 8'x 4'sheets achieving a 67% coverage on two sheets and 78% on the third sheet. The 'StitSeat' is cut from a half sheet, 4' x 4', with a 55% coverage. This third half sheet also allows for extension of parts of the 'StitSeat' to accommodate users of differing leg lengths.

@dale said:

Thanks Mike.
I just want the conversation to continue.

You are totally right dale. There are so many silly distractions these days, film actor's law suits with their ex-wives etc etc that folks easily forget about the important things and as we know the most important issue the world is facing at the moment is the Ukraine conflict. If the worst case scenario plays out there, little else will matter.

We need to get as much information as we can about the situation and keep public opinion focused/active on the issue and push for a resolution even if all we can do is highlight the issue.

I've just listened to the António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations and Sergey Lavrov, RF Minister of Foreign Affairs, comments/answers to the Press on the DW covered meeting outcome. This is the link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBy2TEfsXUs
Its well worth listening.

At long last talks between the UN and the RF have begun. This is the only way some sort of positive progress will happen and hopefully a resolution to the conflict will be reached.

What I took from the press conference was that a totally neutral entity that is acceptable to all parties will have to be found to act as a mediator. I have no idea want or who could fill this role.

My major concern now is that Putin may resort to using tactical nuclear weapons after Germany has rowed in with the supply of anti aircraft tanks etc.

The more one thinks about it, the situation is Ukraine plus NATO backing (minus nuke supply) versus the Russian Federation. Now that Putin is in a corner, the West must be very careful and broker a settlement that does not, whether we like it or not, make Putin look like a looser. Remember what happened after WWI! The ill conceived armistice's draconian penalties indirectly brought Hitler to power and WWII with the loss of 50M souls.

It's said that, 'It's an ill wind that blows no good!'. One doesn't have to look too hard to find the bunch that is laughing all the way to the bank. It looks like it's the Arms Trade as warned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in his Military-Industrial Complex Speech 1961.

To get an overview of the Arms Trade, it's worth watching 'Follow the Money' (Booming global trade: Seller, buyers and profiteers) on Deutsche Welle> dw.com here, https://youtu.be/UjiFzmYVG7w?list=PLT6yxVwBEbi0AKJXT8tseRoYHctKpD1Fj

BTW, the reporter is an Irishman, Arthur Sillivan. He presents very well,

@dale said:

I simply had to say something, so I composed this song and animated video in support of the people of Ukraine.
As a note, I used several SketchUp models in the animation (thanks Fredo for Animator)

Bravo dale! A great gesture indeed. I will spread it around.

Thanks for posting Gary Kasparov's TED Talk. However I was disappointed with his solution to the situation, fighting! Fighting will not solve this very sad situation. We have to find a better way and that can only be started with talking no matter how long it takes.

Here is an interview with Nina Khrushcheva, Professor of International Affairs at the New School New York. She is Nikita Khrushchev's great-grand daughter. Her analysis of Putin is quite frightening and leaves little hope for a resolution anytime soon.

After listening to her thoughts it looks to me that it's only the RF citizens by whatever means will resolve this disaster.

@unknownuser said:

Unfortunately,
I saw a video of sheep in a row to be slaughtered.
They were able to see what is happening and there were two of them busy coital approaching...
No comment!

Nice way to go!

I see various polls here in Ireland that indicates a lowering of concern with regard to what is happening in Ukraine, very very sad! If seems the general population is more interested about the people slapping and being slapped at the Oscars..... even more sad by far!

Germany started two World Wars! I'm not 100% sure about WW1 but definitely WW2. Now Germany leads the EU! I still think that the Western powers and particularly the Industrial Military Complex / Globalists need an 'enemy' and Russia has filled this role for a long time with China in second place.

In 1991 the EU and the Western Powers had a chance to bring the RF into the flock and do business but they would not even give it any serious though. We are now seeing the consequences of this ill conceived action.

I don't think we will be seeing nukes flying around as it would take a total lunatic to press the red button and Putin is definitely not a lunatic. He may be many unsavoury things but he knows it would be the end for humanity.

The EU needs to talk to the FR about joining the EU in some form or fashion as this would be the best way to secure peace in Europe. If Russia was part of the EU why should NATO continue to exist? Instead, nations could further develop the UN and give it some real teeth so that it would not be the toothless wonder it is today. The first step should be to relocate the UN HQ to a 'more middle of the road' country.

@l i am said:

I hope that the "war criminal" charge is tight, and strong enough evidence is provided that will stack up in the International court. The Indonesian leader Joko Widodo invited poo tin (I am not above childish name calling) to the G20 talk-fest in Indonesia this year. If poo tin is charged. That will cut him off and he will be Isolated to Russia. I don't think even Xi would be able to assist.Then if he is overthrown the world may have access to poo tin. Seeing him under arrest would be very satisfying

I can see where you are coming from but if Putin is charged with war crimes etc etc, should not the same apply to the Western Leaders that devastated a list of countries with no UN consensus or genuine provable reasons or evidence for the action taken. I will never forget the small vial of white powder being waved around at the UN!

@majid said:

I wish for an internal collapse... The overall system might not be stable anymore...Corruption, mismanagement, misunderstanding of their relation to reality and world...I guess this will reveal the Russian people.

I would hope for the same Majid. When we think about it, ordinary Russians have never known any kind of genuine democracy, if such a thing truly exists. It looks to me that they went from being governed by a Tzar to a politburo to Lenin and then so called 'strong arm' leaders.

Listening to what looks to be ordinary Russian interviewees on 1420 I get a sad feeling that they are very much afraid to criticise current rulers. Hopefully, the well informed young generation will be brave enough to fight for and win true democracy.

Hi Guys,

I've recently resurrected an idea that I put together back in 2016! It's a design for a compact workstation setup with a footprint of one square metre. I pulled it off the shelf and dusted it off because I think there may be interest in this type of workstation furniture with the numbers now that are opting to work from home after the pandemic / lockdowns. It also seems that many companies are now in favour as work productivity is proving higher when home based.

The main component of the StitSeat Workstation Combo is the actual 'StitSeat'. This will be a CNC manufactured plywood 'Stand-Sit' seat, hence the name StitSeat.

The StitSeat also allows the user to 'seesaw' the seat or lock it into a static position. It appears that the best ongoing working positions is to sit part of the time and then stand part of the time. The recommended time for each working position varies. I think the StitSeat could well be a compromise that combines the best of both working positions!

I am currently in talks with a CNC company and hope to have a working 'green' prototype shortly

I would highly value your comments and suggestions!

Mike

@juju said:

@mike lucey said:

It seems that Russia's military is not as powerful as we have been lead to believe.

Paraphrased:
"Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak."
"The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent."
"Great results can be achieved with small forces."

• Sun Tzu.

"Great results can be achieved with small forces." Maybe so but not without generals. I'd imagine Sun Tzu could only agree with that seeing as he was a general himself.

List of Russian generals killed during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine

List of Russian generals killed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine - Wikipedia

(en.wikipedia.org)

The figure could be as high as seven if some reports are to be believed. Then again, it's not possible to have these reports fully verified.

My worry is that if Russia are not reaching their intended goals/targets with conventional tactics/weaponry they may resort to more drastic measures!

Hopefully sense will prevail soon on all sides and a compromise is reached.

@majid said:

Although it is a fierce and atrocious war, but smashed the fake guise of Russian power... regardless of result...

I agree Majid. It seems that Russia's military is not as powerful as we have been lead to believe. However, when a rat is cornered it becomes very dangerous and unpredictable.

It also looks like the media is calling/pressing for direct USA intervention with 'boots on the ground'! Hopefully Biden will hold his stance and not risk nuclear armageddon.

I think Biden's spokeswoman when asked by a journalist, 'Why isn't the USA putting boots on the ground', she should offer the journalist a free ticket to the Ukraine so he/she can directly take up the fight they are calling for. I also notice that its mostly female journalists that are pushing this agenda! I find that very alarming.

.... and is that a 'brown envelope' behind the fingers?

This video shows Putin's current mind set quite well also his overall future plans to keep Russia afloat. It's quite detailed with surprising (to many) emphasis on boosted child care, Russian children only! He needs to seriously think about the Ukrainian children also.

'Vladimir Putin Address on Socioeconomic Strategy for Russia - 16 March 2022 - English Subtitles'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FyFkAyqn4Q

In this video Yanis Varoufakis outlines a 'Golden Bridge' strategy that the West should be looking towards.

Yanis Varoufakis: The West Is "Playing with Fire" If It Pushes Regime Change in Nuclear-Armed Russia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su4czYxGYxo

A 'Golden Bridge' strategy makes great sense but I doubt we will see one being put in place by the West as there seems to be no efforts towards negotiation only the West's Military Industrial Complex is laughing all the way to the bank at the moment quite oblivious to the fact that banks are not nuke proof!

@newnoob said:

Most people who are interested in small living spaces do so because they simply cannot afford bigger ones.

Without addressing the root causes (supply, migration, income) that drive the need for very small housing, nothing will change. However, since large population groups cannot change the conditions due to which they can't afford larger housing, the only thing they can do is by coping with these conditions as good as possible - above all, this means "smart furniture", using multifunctional room concepts.

Good observations Alex. I'll be selling my house soon as I am finding it just too big for my current needs. It was a great family home while I had my wife, Pauline and my two daughters, Clara and Shelly keeping things organised. Now that my daughters have their own families and houses and Pauline has taken up residence in heaven, its just Misty (my little Westie) and me.

I will shortly be converting an office I own into a two bedroom apartment. Designing the conversion focused me on what I really needed. The main thing was the kitchen! A man's idea of what a kitchen should be and a woman's idea of the kitchen are very different!

I have also looked at 'smart furniture' and multifunctional rooms. Bedrooms in particular leave a lot to be desired. We really only use them for 8 hours a day and for those eight hours we are sleeping. I think there is scope to utilise space better in this area.

@mike amos said:

Mike is correct in his assessment that the west failed the people of Russia and the USSR collapse caused the deaths of many people both through direct and indirect means. I am talking of people dying through hunger and malnutrition

The military were not being paid and soviet era nuclear submarines and weapons were simply dumped on beaches and in deep water north of their coast, i9n some areas within the protected zone.

Aircrew were taking aircraft and spares and just leaving. Most of the charity deliveries to Africa especially but across the world, were delivered by aircraft being flown by crews who had not been discharged from military service but abandoned. We COULD have done a lot to help given we were cutting our military costs by orders of magnitude. The British army reduced tank regiments by half in a very short space of time.

Let's be open and honest here, people in leadership positions over decades made decisions that led us to this point. It could still be put to Russia that we stop and put our heads together and have a big organisation that covers everyone. No doubt the PRC would refuse because their from of socialism does not allow for it to change direction. The treatment of the uigar people demonstrates this very well as did the Tianemin square massacre of their own people.

Russians left to the devices of the pary have a distrust of us in the west, they have had too many occasions when they got a thorough kicking to easily forget.

Let's talk to the Russians and offer an alternative to placating the PRC to avoid an incursion into Siberia. They have long lusted after the resources and if they see a weakness they will in there like a rat up a drainpipe.

You are right Mike. Its one big game of chess! The Ukrainian president is calling for mass marches by the people of the West to protest against Russia. While I would attend such a local march I would also make sure that my placard read, 'Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right!'.

Apart from the terrible bloodshed in the Ukraine the most worrying thing for me the the Doomsday Clock setting which presently running at 100 seconds to midnight! The general population don't seem to be that worried about this situation. All it would take is a small slip and humanity is done for.

https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/timeline/

I still reluctantly remain neutral on the Ukrainian situation simply because taking any particular side leaves no room for negotiation and it will be through negotiation that this mess will be settled peacefully. While I feel totally helpless with regard to what I can do personally with the exception of voicing a possible unpopular viewpoint, I will remain hopeful that wise men will prevail and we will see better days ahead. The world needs Direct Democracy, it will be the best ongoing political solution for the current challenges the World faces.

The latest news is that Zelensky is calling for direct talks with Putin. Hopefully this will take place soon and an agreement is trashed out.

Liam, Here is a Chinese site similar to 1420. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2-_WWPT_124iN6jiym4fOw

@l i am said:

I concur with all your points Mike. Did you watch all the 1420 videos or more than the one link I posted? Such impressive young people, they in the very vast majority are fully aware of the real situation.

Yes Liam, I did follow through and watch/listen to a number of other 1420 video interviews. One such asked the question, 'Should the RF bomb the USA?'or words to that effect. I was encouraged to to see that the vast majority thought is was a terrible idea also they staunchly disagreed with what is happening in Ukraine.

We have an economist over here called, David McWilliams, that writes a weekly blog. I am a fan of David's clear thinking! His latest piece is,

'To learn how Russia got to this point, follow the money'

(davidmcwilliams.ie)

Thanks for posting the 1420 link. It's rarely that we get to hear the opinions of what looks to be ordinary Russian people.

Although some of the people were very forthcoming in their responses to the questions a good few of them seemed to be very cautious. One guy must have insisted on having his image blanked out and possibly his voice altered.

It's sad that ordinary people may feel that they are not able to voice their real believes. And I'm not only talking about Russian people. The same thing is now happening in the West!

Over the past week I have read/watched/listened to how the present RF has evolved since the break up of the USSR. It looks to me that ordinary Russians may well be realising that they are living under an autocratic regime with just a very thin dressing of democracy. A number of the interviewees hinted at this and one even suggested that there could be calls for change shortly ..... to put it mildly. I hope this happens.

While democracy in the West leaves a lot to be desired, we can at least kick out governments every 4 years or so.