December 01, 2005
skunkworks
The phrase 'skunkworks' usually applies to the shadowy labs area of a company, the incubator within from which energetic new projects emerge. Sometimes these projects are underfunded, or not funded at all; they have no official role within the corporation's Grand Strategic Plan.
Or, perhaps, they are just mixing up the medicine: according to techtarget, the name comes from a bootlegger's setup in Al Capp's justly legendary newspaper comical strip, Li'l Abner, which I have been recently enjoying anew.
"skunkworks" was popularised at Lockheed Martin:
A skunkworks is a group of people who, in order to achieve unusual results, work on a project in a way that is outside the usual rules. A skunkworks is often a small team that assumes or is given responsibility for developing something in a short time with minimal management constraints. Typically, a skunkworks has a small number of members in order to reduce communications overhead. A skunkworks is sometimes used to spearhead a product design that thereafter will be developed according to the usual process. A skunkworks project may be secret.
In which no-one pulls the wool over my eyes
Six months after promising a long-awaited return, wooly cycling-gear iconoclasts Swobo are back in full effect. Their comfortable if anchronistic cycling clothing is unassuming, but best of all, it is awesomely well-constructed and lovingly made. Well, this was certainly true of the gear they made through '01, when Tim sold the company and the brand became dormant. Other cycling-gear manufacturers have tried to fill the gap, including one erstwhile fellow peddling knickerbocker leggings at $140 per at the recent San Francisco Bicycle Expo; longtime specialists Kucharik; and sundry others like REI and deFeet.
I try to adhere to the adage, and am wary of ventures which require new clothes, but I adore to pieces (literally: I have worn their cosy wool cycling gloves to rags) the various lush pieces of Swobo gear I have. And now I can replace my long-lost Kucharik beanie with a swank piece of new Swobo.
Swobo swobo swobo swobo.
Swobo swobo swobo swobo.
Swobo swobo? Swobo swobo.
Swobo swobo swobo swobo.
It's fun to say, and it's fun to type.
Swobo swobo swobo swobo.
Swobo swobo! Swobo swobo.